Craig Fehrman, "This Vast Enterprise: A New History of Lewis & Clark" (Simon & Schuster, 2026)

About this episode

Craig Fehrman discusses his book, which offers a new perspective on the Lewis and Clark expedition by incorporating diverse viewpoints and historical analysis.

In 1806, when Meriwether Lewis and William Clark return from their journey—having led the Corps of Discovery across eight thousand miles of rapids, mountains, forests, and ravines—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. From one of the most exciting new historians to emerge in the past decade, This Vast Enterprise: A New History of Lewis & Clark (Simon & Schuster, 2026) offers a novel take on the expedition: a gripping narrative that draws on lost documents, stunning analysis, and Native perspectives. Craig Fehrman spent five years visiting more than thirty archives, interviewing more than a hundred sources, and collecting oral history passed 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, and some of us know York, the Black man Clark enslaved. But here we meet John Ordway, a working-class soldier who fought grizzlies and towed the captains’ hulking barge. We hear from Wolf Calf, a Blackfoot teenager who watched…

People in this episode

Host: Marshall Poe

Guest: Craig Fehrman

Topics covered

• Lewis and Clark Expedition
• Native Perspectives
• Historical Analysis
• Exploration History
• American History

Keywords

• Lewis and Clark
• Craig Fehrman
• Native perspectives
• historical narrative
• exploration

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Corps of Discovery, Simon & Schuster

Books & works: This Vast Enterprise: A New History of Lewis & Clark

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