Craig Fehrman, "This Vast Enterprise"

Craig Fehrman, "This Vast Enterprise"

From Booknotes+ by C-SPAN

April 28, 2026 · 1h 10m

About this episode

Craig Fehrman discusses his book 'This Vast Enterprise', detailing the Lewis and Clark expedition.

Author Craig Fehrman has written a new history of the expedition of Lewis and Clark. It's called "This Vast Enterprise." In the prologue to his 515-page book, Fehrman writes: "After departing from near St. Louis on May 14, 1804, the Corps of Discovery traveled 8,000 miles to find 'the most direct and practicable water communication across the continent for the purpose of commerce.'" The Corps was Jefferson's idea. Craig Fairman continues: "When Lewis and Clark returned more than two years later, they did not have a Northwest Passage, but they did have an incredible tale…" This is Mr. Fehrman's third book. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People in this episode

Guest: Craig Fehrman

Topics covered

  • Lewis and Clark
  • American history
  • exploration
  • expedition
  • commerce
  • books

Keywords

  • Lewis and Clark
  • Craig Fehrman
  • This Vast Enterprise
  • expedition
  • history
  • Corps of Discovery
  • Thomas Jefferson

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Corps of Discovery

Books & works: This Vast Enterprise

Places: St. Louis

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