Out West: A Journey through Lewis and Clark's America

By Dayton Duncan

Book Overview

One hundred and eighty years after Lewis and Clark's "Voyage of Discovery" (1804-1806), Dayton Duncan set out in a Volkswagen camper to retrace their steps. Out West is an account of three separate journeys: Lewis and Clark's epic adventure through uncharted wilderness; Duncan's retracing of the historic trail, now in various ways tamed, paved, and settled; and the journey of the American West in the years in between. Readers traveling with Duncan will encounter the people who inhabit today's West: farmers and ranchers, cowboys and mountain men, Native Americans, residents of dying small towns, city dwellers who have survived cycles of boom and bust. From the Gateway Arch in St. Louis to the Oregon coast, readers will be treated to a landscape as variously impressive as its people.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 080326626X
• ISBN13: 9780803266261
• Release Date: September 2000
• Publisher: Bison Books
• Length: 452 Pages
• Weight: 1.46 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Thoroughly enjoyable!

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!

Charming and Informative

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!

Charming and Informative

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.

A Modern Re-creation of Lewis and Clark's Adventures

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.

Excellent Follow Up to Undaunted Courage

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.