Book Review..."Undaunted Courage" by Stephen E. Ambrose

Other than the Bible and a couple of books on the American Revolution this is probably the most important book I have ever read.


I say this because of the way Ambrose has presented true history and stayed out of the way while doing it. The event he covers is so important it requires all of the reader's attention. History needs no embellishments or literary flourishes.


What the men of the Corp of Discovery did and what they went through to accomplish this feat is unbelievable. Then add how they handled all those immense problems with such a graceful and even handed manner and the feat becomes even more remarkable. 


Here is the coup de gras, no complaints. Hardships, slaving in freezing water all day, sickness, starvation, improperly equipped to the point of barefoot in the snow and no complaints from the forty or so men.  Unheard of in today's society, absolutely impossible present day. 


I don't think we could put together twenty people from throughout American society who could rise to do what these men thought of as routinely doing everyday jobs.


They walked from St. Louis to the Oregon coast and back, without complaint one.


This book tells us more about early American society than anything else I have ever read.  It shows us how, Thomas Jefferson and his colleagues we able to found the nation. 


To understand the foundation of our nation we must first realize the commitment of the average citizen to their country. This book shows that commitment. The willingness of our early citizens to sacrifice for the greater good, then and only then, can we comprehend how and why this country was founded and what it's founders intended.


Read this book with an eye to the past and an ear to the future. We need more of the past and less of the present if we are to have a future.


Ambrose is probably the finest writer/historian of my lifetime. He is a great researcher. If he covers the subject it is definitely worth reading. He's that good. He is easy to read and is definitely a teacher. You can learn a lot from this book and it's characters. The lessons are not all about history. Read it and learn.




John Boykin
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The Boomer Magazine
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