Hosted by Milwaukee Public Library and sup ported by Boswell Book Company. Craig Fehrman\, a journalist and historian \, spent five \;years writing and researching \;This Vast Enterpri se. \;Fehrman spent five years visiting more than thirty archives\, in terviewing more than a hundred sources\, and collecting oral history passe d down over centuries. He came to see that the success of Lewis and Clark depended on much more than just Lewis and Clark. We all know Sacajawea\, a nd some of us know York\, the Black man Clark enslaved. But here we meet J ohn Ordway\, a working-class soldier who fought grizzlies and towed the ca ptains&rsquo\; hulking barge. We hear from Wolf Calf\, a Blackfoot teenage r who watched his friend die in a battle with Lewis and his men.
\nI n 1806\, when Meriwether Lewis and William Clark return from their journey &mdash\;having led the Corps of Discovery across eight thousand miles of r apids\, mountains\, forests\, and ravines&mdash\;they bring an incredible tale starring themselves as courageous explorers\, skilled survivalists\, underrated scientists\, and peaceful ambassadors. While there is truth in those descriptions\, there is also distortion. In the end\, the captains a re men who needed help&mdash\;from Sacajawea\, from the Corps\, and from e ach other. Mile after mile\, the expedition pushes on through hailstorms a nd flash floods\, frostbite and infections\, rattlesnakes and rabid wolves \, with the Spanish cavalry in fierce pursuit. Fehrman balances the story& rsquo\;s adventure with the humanity of its protagonists. The result is a thrilling reminder that even the most familiar moments in history can stil l surprise us. [Description from Publisher.]
\nBooks will be for sal e from Boswell Book Company. Book signing with the author will take place after the presentation.
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