Undaunted Courage
{{Short description|1996 biographical book by Stephen Ambrose}}
{{Infobox book |
| name = Undaunted Courage
| image = Undaunted Courage.jpg
| author = Stephen E. Ambrose
| cover_artist = E. S. Paxson (Lewis and Clark at Three Forks, 1912)
| editor =
| country = United States
| language = English
| subject = Historical
| genre = Non-fiction
| publisher = Simon & Schuster
| release_date = 1997 Hardback & 2003 Paperback
| media_type = Print (Hardback & Paperback)
| pages = 592 pp (paperback edition
| isbn = 978-0-7434-7788-8
| oclc = 56541137
| followed_by =
}}
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.{{Clarify|reason=For a portion of or the entire year?|date=October 2023}}
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. {{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2015/tv/news/lewis-and-clark-hbo-miniseries-casey-affleck-brad-pitt-edward-norton-tom-hanks-1201419775/|website=Variety.com|access-date=2015-01-15|title=HBO Greenlights 'Lewis and Clark' Miniseries From Edward Norton, Brad Pitt & Tom Hanks|publisher=Variety|author=Elizabeth Wagmeister|date=30 January 2015}}
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
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.nytimes.com/books/97/03/09/bsp/undaunted.html New York Times book review]
- [https://www.c-span.org/video/?70876-1/undaunted-courage Presentation by Ambrose on Undaunted Courage, March 29, 1996], C-SPAN
- [https://www.c-span.org/video/?77837-1/lewis-clark-journals Presentation by Ambrose on Bernard DeVoto's edition of the Journals of Lewis and Clark], C-SPAN
{{Thomas Jefferson}}
{{Stephen Ambrose|state=expanded}}
Category:History books about the United States
Category:1996 non-fiction books
Category:Books by Stephen Ambrose
Category:Lewis and Clark Expedition
Category:Cultural depictions of Sacagawea
Category:History books about exploration
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