Out West: An American Journey

I was excited to find this book, as it married the historical aspect of L & C's voyage with a fresh update of the route by a contemporary adventurer. This obsession with Lewis & Clark seems to border on the fanatical for some people, but Dayton Duncan really conveys the import of their journey and makes us feel the excitement and occasional trepidation those earlier trailblazers must have felt. I do enjoy his tone. Although the book is gently funny, it is not curmudgeonly or laugh-out-loud funny. I guess Mr. Duncan is just about the same kind of traveler I am - respectful as a guest on someone else's home turf, but always ready to appreciate the humor in any given situation. Yes, the book is somewhat dated. However, it feels like Dayton Duncan needed that time to fully savor the experience. This is a classic, in the same way Travels With Charley is a classic. Anyway, time does not move as fast in small-town America. A lovely book!

I read this book over a decade ago and it stills makes me chuckle. It taught me a lot about Lewis and Clark's Mississippi voyage and kept me laughing along the way. I'd recommend this book to anyone who's craving a relaxed, intelligent, historical read. Enjoy!

I read this book over a decade ago and it stills makes me chuckle. It taught me a lot about Lewis and Clark's Mississippi voyage and kept me laughing along the way. I'd recommend this book to anyone who's craving a relaxed, intelligent, historical read.

This is fascinating reading for all who dream of following in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark and "discovering" those parts of the country that we know only in our imaginations. Especially interesting for us "born & bred" Easterners.

After reading Undaunted Courage I was interested enough in Lewis in Clark to read Out West. The section where Duncan describes Ambrose's affection for Lewis is great. I was very pleasantly surprised in Duncan's modern insights and great sense of humor. Unlike many other Americans, Duncan seems genuinely concerned about the people he encounters on his journey. Like others that read the book Duncan's writing makes me want to drop everything and head out for an adventure. Duncan seems concerned with the possibility of nuclear destruction. Reading the book in 1998 provides an interesting perspective to Duncan's early 80's Cold War stress. Altogether an incredibly enjoyable, humorous and insightful book. The story of Lewis and Clark is a background for an excellent book about America and Americans.