All copies of this title, including those transferred to portable devices and other media, must be deleted/destroyed at the end of the lending period.
Description
The tragedy of the Donner party constitutes one of the most amazing stories of the American West. In 1846 eighty-seven people-men, women, and children-set out for California, persuaded to attempt a new overland route. After struggling across the desert, losing many oxen, and nearly dying of thirst, they reached the very summit of the Sierras, only to be trapped by blinding snow and bitter storms. Many perished; some survived by resorting to cannibalism; all were subjected to unbearable suffering.
Incorporating the diaries of the survivors and other contemporary documents, George Stewart wrote the definitive history of that ill-fated band of pioneers; an astonishing account of what human beings may endure and achieve in the final press of circumstance.
The Donner Party went west in 1846, relying on a shyster's faulty map. When they were trapped by early snow in the Sierra Nevadas, they turned to cannibalism to stay alive. Expertly read by Jeff Riggenbach, the tale retains its freshness and power 150 years later. Riggenbach reads the stark story with authority, clarity and richness. The production values are good; only an occasional, minor sound error can be heard.The book is easy to follow and, given its length, is surprisingly engaging. R.I.G. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine
