Reviewed by Darrick Meneken

In 1773, John Ledyard shoved a hand-carved canoe from the Dartmouth College shores and went on to paddle, sail and walk — not to mention a variety of other modes of travel — into global adventure lore.  His sea travels with Captain Cook and 3,000-mile land crossing of Siberia made him famous for decades after his death.  But today, few Americans have even heard of the explorer who provided the inspiration for Lewis and Clark’s expedition.

Thomas Jefferson, whom Ledyard considered a friend, described him as “crazy (cracked) enough to go and search for the sources of the Nile, and yet clever enough to give a good account of his journey.”  In other words, as Bill Gifford puts it, Ledyard was “the perfect adventurer.”

Gifford’s research leads him to shadow some of Ledyard’s travels. First he sails on a replica of Cook's HMS Endeavour and then he takes a train ride across the permafrost of eastern Russia. His investigation reveals kernels of detail which are very satisfying -- despite occasional clumsy transitions which make it difficult to discern whether he is writing about his life or Ledyard’s.

In Gifford’s generally capable hands, Ledyard’s chaotic life becomes a swift-moving story which ranges from the American colonies, to Europe and beyond.  Ledyard expertly juggled governmental and civic leaders of the two continents to his advantage, declaring commitment to each even while America and Britain remained at odds with one another. He managed to live most of his life with little money, relying instead on hand-scribbled letters of introduction that carried so much weight in the late 18th century.

Ledyard’s written observations on everything from native habits to lake depths were invaluable to 18th century thinkers such as Jefferson.  He spent time with everyone from Polynesian kings and Northwest fur traders to Siberian nomads and governmental leaders. Many of Ledyard’s observations — though sometimes embellished — proved insightful beyond their time.

For many years, Ledyard’s story was cloaked in mystery – apparently because of his family’s desire to protect their name from their ancestor’s sometimes shady dealings.  Now Gifford’s thorough investigation of Ledyard’s adventure gives us the first definitive account of the man who Jon Krakauer has described as “the most fascinating historical figure you've never heard of.”