Woof. Really tough, but rewarding, to read this. Ultimately I am very glad to have done it, as it paints a much fuller picture than, I guess what you could call the caricaturization of the Donner Party, where you can really see the humanity, heroism, and toughness of those involved. The book itself is engrossing and well-written, doing a great job of delicately walking the reader through the events in the Sierra Nevada, but also the chapters leading up to the party being snowbound paint a detailed picture of generally how brutal life on the frontier was, and how closely we modern Americans should be holding our loved ones, automobiles, and wireless routers.
Reviewed on Sunday, October 29th, 2023, 9:00am.
More books →