What are the attributes of a successful explorer? Why do some perish while others survive to tell their tales? Paton (Lewis and Clark: Doctors in the Wilderness
) attempts to uncover the answers in this book, documenting the high and low moments of nine prominent 18th- and 19th-century adventurers and investigating the recurring obstacles that all explorers who lead their comrades into the unknown must tackle. Instead of focusing on celebrity explorers, Paton selects a well-thought-out cross-section of famous seekers (Lewis and Clark; John Wesley Powell), shadowy adventurers (Zeb Pike), businessmen (Samual Hearne; Alexander Mackenzie) and infamous voyagers (William Bligh). Each chapter gives a primer on an expedition's personnel, goals, tragedies and accomplishments. Though the missions can become repetitive, they do demonstrate that the success of each undertaking usually depends not on grand physical achievements but on the smallest details. While Paton's extensive forays into what the explorers ate (whatever they could) and who they met (natives) aren't surprising, the author excels in detailing the characteristics of survivors and leaders. His work has elements of an accessible textbook and an informative field manual. (June)
