Riveting . . . Grounded in outstanding scholarship . . . By writing from various points of view, Fehrman broadens the long-held narrative of the expedition, enriching what we know of its successes and failures. . . . Fehrman has done a great service to American history in this must-read. Booklist (starred review) Fehrmans rigorous account sheds light on previously overlooked historical figures and political machinations during the Lewis and Clark expedition, drawn from an impressive mountain of research involving dozens of archives, over 100 interviews and Indigenous oral histories passed down over generations. New York Times, Nonfiction Books Were Excited About This Spring A valuable fresh look at a storied moment in American history . . . The books wide-angle perspective is appropriate, since Lewis and Clark favored a more democratic decision-making style than was usual on a military expedition, and the inclusion of multiple Native points of view makes it clear how complex and fraught the teams mission was. Fehrmans approach gives added depth to his chronicle of the breathtaking natural wonders encountered and extraordinary hardships overcome on the Corps transcontinental trek. Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Craig Fehrman has done what he set out to do: shed new light on a fabled story, and tell it in a way that puts all of us back in a vanished but resonant world. His rendering of the Lewis and Clark saga is original, compelling, and memorable. Jon Meacham, author of And There Was Light In his spectacular new book, every bit as audacious as the original expedition, Craig Fehrman rewrites our memory of the journey of Lewis and Clark, broadening the lens to show the many personalitiesmany long forgottenwho in 1804 made up the most daring American experiment yet. He paints an incredible, vivid, you-are-there portrait of an American nation being imagined and created for the first time and all those, from Thomas Jefferson to Native American chiefs, whose lives were forever altered by two of the most famous explorers in history. Garrett M. Graff, Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of The Devil Reached Toward the Sky In This Vast Enterprise, Craig Fehrman has composed a magnificent hymn to a wildly colorful and largely unsung cast of fascinating, provocative characters without whom the epic of Lewis and Clark never would have been possible. A sweeping and revelatory story by a writer who is willing not only to acknowledge but also to embrace the complexities, nuances, and richness that have always resided beneath the surface of one of Americas most cherished national myths. Kevin Fedarko, New York Times bestselling author of A Walk in the Park
Its appropriate that the most fascinating characters in Craig Fehrmans riveting new page-turner are translators. For, like all the finest historians, Fehrman is a master translator, too: between historical epochs, between culturesand most of all, between the story of Lewis and Clark we learned as kids (two heroic white men and their enthusiastic Native assistant blazing new vistas of science and exploration), and the richer and far more fascinating reality. Rick Perlstein, author of Reaganland Anyone interested in American history, and especially the Lewis and Clark expedition, must read this book. Fehrman is an insightful researcher, and an excellent and entertaining author. Robert J. Miller, author of Native America, Discovered and Conquered, enrolled citizen of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe
By featuring a vibrant and diverse cast, including Native men and women, Craig Fehrman gives greater depth and a richer context to the famed Lewis and Clark expedition. In vivid prose and with keen insight, This Vast Enterprise reveals the high stakes of American expansion for the continent. Alan Taylor, author of American Republics: A Continental History of the United States, 17831850 Here, at long last, is the Lewis and Clark expedition presented in living technicolor. Employing an ever-shifting point of view that slyly and intriguingly builds upon itself, we see the great historic project as an epic of mutual discovery, in which the explorers and those whose lands are being explored are given equal consideration and dramatic weight. In this way, Fehrman leads us to confront the deeper truth that discovery is never a one-way processits fruits and its legacies, its gifts and its curses, flow in multiple directions. Hampton Sides, New York Times bestselling author of Blood and Thunder and The Wide Wide Sea What makes Craig Fehrmans new history so valuable is the voices of others involved that flesh out the traditional account and offers viewpoints and nuance to the story that have never been heard before. . . . Fehrman has penned a new telling of the greatest adventure of our early Republic. This Vast Enterprise adds new strands to a rich tapestry of true American adventure, one worthy of its place in the pantheon of the American story. Carolina Chronicles Praise for Author in Chief
One of the best books on the American presidency to appear in recent years. . . . Delightfully instructive. Thomas Mallon, The Wall Street Journal
Joyfully engrossing . . . Juicy controversies and conversation-starters are the consistently found treats of Author in Chief, regardless of where you find yourself on the political spectrum. And the implication throughoutthat books are vitally important to the nations soulwill surely appeal to red and blue state readers alike. Steve Donoghue, Christian Science Monitor
A breezy, anecdote-rich account of the memoirs and autobiographies that have helped candidates running for office . . . Most presidents books have aimed to entertain, and that might also be said of Author in Chief. But Fehrman has done his homework. His bibliographical essays are impressively thorough, particularly on works on the study of writing, publishing and reading. His readers will learn a lot. The Washington Post
Credit to Craig Fehrman for the compendiousness, readability, and general exuberance of his Author in Chief. James Parker, The Atlantic
Author in Chief is an absolutely absorbing read. . . . Its a years-long undertaking packed with an incredible depth of research and thoughtful analysis, all of it devoted to exploring the literary output of our presidents. Fehrman walks us through the entirety of American history . . . The combination of exceptionally detailed research and well-crafted prose results in a truly engaging work of nonfiction. Its a fascinating look at American history that isnt quite like anything youve read before, a chance to view the men who have led this country through a different and very specific lens. Allen Adams, The Maine Edge
Entertaining and illuminating . . . Fehrmans deep research delivers a wealth of intriguing tidbits (Jimmy Carter leased a $12,000 word processor to compose Keeping the Faith; the Committee to Boycott Nixons Memoirs sold T-shirts and bumper stickers with the slogan Dont Buy Books by Crooks), which are complemented by a generous selection of illustrations. Bibliophiles and presidential history buffs alike will relish this gratifying deep dive into an underappreciated genre. Publishers Weekly (starred review)
From the very beginnings of Americas experiment in republican government, its chief executives, both actual and aspiring, have put pen to paper (nowadays fingers to keyboard) in attempts to justify themselves and inspire others. Here, Fehrman records such literary efforts back to Jefferson and Adams. . . . Both history buffs and politics enthusiasts will relish this. Booklist (starred review)
A lively account of the literary achievements (and failures) of Americas presidents. . . . The author covers a great deal of ground that even major biographers have skipped over in favor of sexier storylines, yet to the book lover, these stories will be unquestionably enticing. Even the footnotes, appendix, and sources offer bookish gems. Fehrmans illuminating blend of presidential and publishing history with literary criticism will appeal to amateur historians and bibliophiles alike. Kirkus Reviews
Conversational, engaging, and compelling, backed by extensive research and appendices . . . Bookworms, lovers of history, and political junkies will find a lot to like here. Indianapolis Monthly
[ An] eye-opener of a read . . . For both the scholar and the casually curious, there is a lot to learn about our presidents. . . . There are the predictable standoutsWashington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Grant, Roosevelt, and Kennedyand some outstanding surprises, such as Coolidge, Truman, and Reagan. BookPage
Original, illuminating, and entertainingas good history can beCraig Fehrmans Author in Chief is a book that should have been written, and should surely be read. By looking at presidents through the prism of their published writings, Fehrman throws new light on what John F. Kennedyhimself an author-presidentcalled the vital center of action. Jon Meacham, author of The Soul of America
Craig Fehrman takes us from Thomas Jeffersona president who happened also to be the best prose stylist aroundto the age of the obligatory campaign biography, on to the modern blockbuster. Along the way we meet revisionists, ghost writers (Truman went through four), runaway bestsellers (it seems there was a sport at which Calvin Coolidge excelled), surprising flops. We learn that the Civil War turned the occasional authorial impulse into a flood of literature; that Nathaniel Hawthorne quietly wrote a campaign biography; that the most literate presidents can meet with the worst reviews. Shapely, original, and brimming in anecdote, Author in Chief expertly illuminates, amid much else, how history finds its way into the books. Stacy Schiff, author of The Witches
This book is just as fun and fascinating when taking you inside the minds of presidents as into ordinary eighteenth-century bookworms. Its witty, charming, fantastically learned, and engrossing. I loved it. Rick Perlstein, author of Nixonland
CAUTION: This book contains material highly addictive to history lovers. From its account of Thomas Jeffersons monumental efforts to bring out his Notes on the State of Virginia, to the description of John Kennedys fraudulent claims about writing Profiles in Courage, Craig Fehrmans Author in Chief achieves what every original thesis should. The accumulated myths that we call our history are shattered by the recovery of the true facts. Im annoyed right now that I didnt write this disciplined, enormously engaging narrative myself. Rinker Buck, author of The Oregon Trail
Author In Chief takes the reader into the hearts and minds of Americas presidents as they seek to define their legacies through literature. From Lincoln and Kennedy to Bush and Obama, Fehrman brings these men to life and allows us to see their struggles and revel in their successes. It offers an entirely new perspective into what it feels like to be president and how critical self-expression is to the study of American history. Kate Andersen Brower, author of The Residence, First Women, and First in Line
This engrossing and delightful work offers a fresh lens on famous presidents and a new understanding of obscure ones. Fehrman explains how the uneven written work of presidentsoriginal and ghostwrittenreveals the curious intersection of power and publishing. Jonathan Alter, author of The Promise
