Get the Summary of Craig Fehrman's This Vast Enterprise in 20 minutes. This Vast Enterprise (2026) by journalist and historian Craig Fehrman offers a nuanced and expansive account of the often mythologized Lewis and Clark expedition. Fehrman reframes it not merely as the journey of two captains conquering the American West, but as a complex human endeavor involving a multitude of individuals, both American and Native, each with their own motivations, struggles, and impacts. He explores President Thomas Jefferson's political ambitions, the captains' complicated personalities, and the essential help they had. Drawing on five years of research and incorporating Native perspectives, Fehrman presents the expedition as a story of exploration, diplomacy, conflict, and ambition.