Lewis & Clark - Book Reviews

Book Reviews

Or Perish in the Attempt - Wilderness Medicine in the Lewis & Clark Expedition
Author: David J. Peck, D.O.


	"This well documented book investigates the health issues faced by the Corps of Discovery on its epic journey. The author's keen observations, literary style and witticisms make this book an entertaining and enlightening read."

	Alaska Airline Magazine


	"Dr. Peck has two passions the Lewis and Clark Expedition and wilderness medicine. He combines them in an entertaining and educational manner and follows the lives and travels of Lewis and Clark intertwined with the medical practices of the early 19th century...For those of us interested in adventure, culture clash, and medicine, this is an exciting book to read. Dr. Peck's passions are well served."

	J. David Kinzie, M.D. The Sounding Board, Oregon Health Sciences University


	“Dr. Peck has assembled an engrossing account of the illnesses and injuries as gleaned from the journals…the best known medical compilation in book form is the widely Cited, Only One Man Died. Or Perish in the Attempt is a major improvement…the Strength of Peck’s book is its delightful readability…a splendid narrative that binds the reader.”

	Frank L. Iber, M.D. The Journal of the American Medical Association, July 2, 2003


	“Dr. Peck’s book, Or Perish in the Attempt is significant not only for the new medical information that it brings to light, but because it is one of the most readable and entertaining of the books about the Lewis and Clark Expedition. When asked which of the many books someone should read about the Expedition-or give as a gift-I recommend, Or Perish in the Attempt.”

	Carol A. Bronson, Executive Director, Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation, Great Falls, Montana


	“Medicine and adventure have taken a giant leap from the Journals of Lewis and Clark into the pages of Dr. Peck’s book…a modern classic!”

	C. Dwayne Shafer, M.D., Ph.D., Stephenville, Texas


	“Or Perish in the Attempt, takes a new look at the myriad dangers faced by the explorers on a daily basis on their trek into the Western wilderness. What Dr. Peck finds is altogether revealing, instructive, and entertaining. One of the most rewarding reads of the Bicentennial.”

	Dave Walter, Research Historian, Montana Historical Society

So Hard to Die


	"The Peck’s thoroughly explore the motivations and the demons that drover Lewis and, in the end, contributed to his death. This is a must-read for those interested in the life and death of Meriwether Lewis and the America of the late 18th and early 19th centuries."

	James J.Holrmberg, Editor of Dear Brother: Letters of William Clark to Jonathan Clark, Curator of The Filson Historical Society, Louisville, Kentucky


	"This fascinating account makes a unique contribution to scholarship on Meriwether Lewis…the book is groundbreaking…a brilliant engagement with Lewis’s probably mental state and with the psychological world of men of his era, culture, and class."

	Nancy McWilliams, Ph.D. Psychologist, Co-Editor of the Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual (2nd Edition)


	"Weaving an ornate tapestry of rich historical detail…the authors invite you to come along on this compelling journey and to explore the many complexities of Lewis’s life and the long-disputed nature of his mysterious, solitary, and untimely death."

	Anthony Leo, M.D., General/Vascular Surgeon, County Medical Examiner (Fayette Country, Iowa)

we suggest:

Lewis & Clark expeditions:

Discovering Lewis and Clark

Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation

Some Medical Matters Video


Traces on the Trail:		Mercury & Dr. Rush's Bilious Pills at Traveler's Rest

Or Perish in the Attempt:
The Hardship and Medicine of the
Lewis and Clark Expedition

Oregon Public Broadcasting

Produced by Oregon Public Broadcasting and Lewis and Clark College, Unfinished Journey, The Lewis and Clark Expedition is a 13 part series, narrated by Peter Coyote. This landmark series was carried nationally on over 80 NPR stations and covered a diverse number of topics relating to the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Dr. Peck was a featured participant in two of the episodes. These episodes are featured here in their entirety for your pleasure, courtesy of Oregon Public Broadcasting, Portland Oregon.

Wilderness Medicine