Survey of the Fortieth Parallel (Google Books ⧉, Amazon ⧉, Bookshop ⧉)

Angle of Repose

In her mood of critical appraisal, Susan reflected that when he was younger than Oliver–far younger, no more than twenty-five–he had been able to conceive his Survey of the Fortieth Parallel, and without money of his own, or influence beyond what he could generate by his own enthusiasm, get it funded by a skeptical Congress. He had impressed Presidents and made himself an intimate of the great.