Astoria: John Jacob Astor and Thomas Jefferson's Lost Pacific Empire - Dueling Leadership Styles in a Hostile Landscape, or, Why the West Coast Is Not British.

I’ve given many talks on this subject, based on my NYT-bestselling book, Astoria, about John Jacob Astor’s monumental expedition in 1810 to establish the first American Colony on the remote, wild Pacific Coast. This true adventure-story vividly illustrates different leadership styles in the most high-pressure situations, where the consequences of a bad decision were often death and where, under incredible strain, some members plunged into madness. Three leaders — the autocratic Captain Thorn, leader of the Sea-Going Party, vs. the equivocating, inexperienced head of the Overland Party, Mr. Hunt, vs. the conniving, duplicitous McDougall who ultimately takes control of the Astoria colony itself — demonstrate contrasting styles. Which leadership style ultimately proves most effective? Who survives? These are valuable, hard-won lessons for leaders today.

At the same time, the fate of the entire Pacific Coast was “up in the air.” The Spanish Empire was threatening to claim it from the south, the Russian Empire was threatening to claim it from the north, while the British Empire in Canada and the young U.S., beginning its Westward Movement from the East Coast, vied against each other to claim it for themselves.

This was truly a pivotal moment in American history.