Thank you! I've read the nearly decade-long journal entries of Samuel Pepys (pronounced "peeps") who wrote in an abbreviated Elizabethan style of English, & it took a bit of effort to become accustomed to his writing style. However, it was worth the effort. I may not have agreed with everything Pepys did or with his sense of values, but his journalling provided a wealth of information & insight into 17th century England.
From what I could gather, Ambrose & staff did extensive research into the Corps of Discovery Expedition. His "Undaunted Courage," after all, reads much like a textbook. I didn't expect to be entertained when I began reading it, but it truly was entertaining in numerous sections of its chapters.
Your entry serves as a much-needed admonishment to avert becoming embroiled in personalities when the main thrust is in learning historical data. Good timing!
I have read the journals from end to end. I have read Ambrose. I have watched Burns. They each serve a fine purpose in learning about this expedition. I have also read Devoto's "Course of Empire", whose last chapters deal with this period. His writing style is "period" and can be difficult. I have just finished Cooper's Leatherstocking Tales, and they are hard to digest. But are you looking for perspective(s) on the period you are studying, or a reflection of your own? The student reads the texts and extracts relevant information; you don't read them to subjectively critique the writing style of the author. Shakespeare's English is foreign to us, but gives us a glimpse of history in his style. What are you
