- Source: Undaunted Courage
Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West (ISBN 0684811073), written by Stephen Ambrose, is a 1996 biography of Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The book is based on journals and letters written by Lewis, William Clark, Thomas Jefferson and the members of the Corps of Discovery. While most of the book is dedicated to the expedition, several chapters are also devoted to Lewis's early life as a Virginia planter and Jefferson's personal secretary, and his later life as governor of the Louisiana Territory before his untimely death in 1809.
Review
The book outlines the expedition in detail including the route, interactions with Native Americans, scientific discoveries, wildlife, and landscape. As a biography, the book is focused entirely on Lewis, Clark, Sacagawea and the others are addressed principally in their interactions with Lewis. The expedition, and Lewis' life as a whole, is placed within the broader context of Jefferson's presidency, the opening of the American west, and early Indian Policy. The text is supplemented by maps and illustrations, including some drawn by Lewis himself.
The book was number 1 New York Times Bestseller in 1996.
Cancelled television series
In May 2014, HBO announced plans to produce a six-part miniseries based on the book titled Lewis and Clark. It starred Casey Affleck as Meriwether Lewis, Matthias Schoenaerts as William Clark, and Tanaya Beatty as Sacagawea, with Tom Hanks, Brad Pitt, and Edward Norton as executive producers.
Filming began in Manitoba during the summer of 2015. However, production was halted the following August after director John Curran and cinematographer Rob Hardy left the project due to creative differences.
In February 2016, HBO shut down production on the series.
References
External links
New York Times book review
Presentation by Ambrose on Undaunted Courage, March 29, 1996, C-SPAN
Presentation by Ambrose on Bernard DeVoto's edition of the Journals of Lewis and Clark, C-SPAN