"It is so hard to die" - A Story of Depression from 1809
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An episode from 10/28/20: Tonight, I read from Stephen Ambrose\'s book on the Lewis & Clark expedition, Undaunted Courage. I\'ve chosen a scene from the end of the book, detailing the last night of Meriwether Lewis\'s life, in October of 1809.
\\nUnlike his more famous companion, William Clark, Lewis suffered from what we today would call depression, and this passage is one of the saddest I know. I\'ve always thought that those of us who can stand to hear stories like this should take the time to do so, perhaps to offer a bit of the understanding that Clark was unable to find in life. Ambrose has remarked that he wept while writing it, and it was hard to keep myself from doing the same while reading it.
\\nI should note the mistake I made when introducing the passage: this scene takes place not three days, but three years, after Lewis and Clark\'s return, but I haven\'t the heart to read this aloud again.
\\nDon\\u2019t forget to support Human Voices Wake Us\\xa0on Substack, where you can also get our newsletter and other extras. You can also support the podcast by ordering any of my books:\\xa0Notes from the Grid,\\xa0To the House of the Sun,\\xa0The Lonely Young & the Lonely Old, and\\xa0Bone Antler Stone.
\\nAny comments, or suggestions for readings I should make in later episodes, can be emailed to\\xa0humanvoiceswakeus1@gmail.com.
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