Author: Daniel James Brown
Genre: Non-Fiction, Standalone
Published: 2009
Personal Rating: 4/5 (very good)
Yearly Count: 58
From the ARC cover:
The story of the doomed Donner party, told through the experiences of a young woman who miraculously survived 33 days of wandering in the Sierra Nevada
In April of 1846, newlyweds Sarah Graves, 21, and Jay Fosdick made a fateful decision to journey west from Illinois with her family, lured by the promise of California. But as summer went on, the party fell further behind schedule, and on August 16, trying desperately to make up time, Sarah's family joined a wagon train headed by George Donner. The rest is history.In the powerful tale, Daniel James Brown delivers an unforgettable portrait of the heroism, heartbreak and horror of the infamous Donner party's perilous journey, witnessed through Sarah's harrowing story. Viewing the event through the lens of modern science, he compares Sarah's experiences to other human ordeals of survival against all odds to understand why some live while others die.
Full of suspense, this mesmerizing history paints a portrait of Sarah's terror, and brings a new perspective to this very dark page in America's pioneer history.
I was only peripherally aware of the Donner party saga, and this book gave me a detailed, step-by-step account. I feel well-versed now. However, that being said, I didn't expect that type of experience. I thought it would be more story-like; this leaned more towards text book writing. (No major complaints about that, though.) For the most part, I thought it was very good, and I learned a great deal - it just felt a little distant, probably because Brown didn't just focus on a few characters. There were numerous groups. However, it was by no means emotion-free; it's a devastating story.
It was very obvious that Brown's research was extensive, and the added side notes of information were of great interest to me. In the finished copy, I believe there are photos, which I'm eager to seek out. However, it's my understanding that there is not a map, and I feel like that is an important, missed feature. I would have loved to have seen the trail they were supposed to have taken and the one that lead to the demise of many.
In the end, The Indifferent Stars Above, is a fine piece of work. It's informative and sincere. I'm glad I read it and recommend it to those interested in the Donner saga.
My thanks go to LibraryThing Early Reviewers program and Harper Collins Publishers for sending me this ARC.
I'd never heard of the Donner party until this year and now this is the second book I've heard that's been written about it. Sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteHmm interesting. I've heard loads about the Donner Party but only read my first book about them this year. This sounds good.
ReplyDeleteBermudaonion ~ I'm so glad I read it. I don't think I would have if it weren't for LibraryThing.
ReplyDeleteNicola ~ Did I comment on that blog post? I think I know what book you are referring to though. It's a new one, right? You are another blogger that I have to revisit soon!
You may be thinking of Impatient With Desire (in your comment to Nicola). I read and reviewed it here (and you left a comment). You might enjoy it now that you know the background to the story.
ReplyDeleteLes ~ Yep, that's it! It was your review I saw! I remember now. :) I need to look into that again at some point.
ReplyDelete