• Blood and Thunder

  • An Epic of the American West
  • By: Hampton Sides
  • Narrated by: Don Leslie
  • Length: 20 hrs and 56 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (3,012 ratings)

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Blood and Thunder  By  cover art

Blood and Thunder

By: Hampton Sides
Narrated by: Don Leslie
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Publisher's summary

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • From the author of Ghost Soldiers comes a magnificent history of the American conquest of the West—"a story full of authority and color, truth and prophecy" (The New York Times Book Review).

In the summer of 1846, the Army of the West marched through Santa Fe, en route to invade and occupy the Western territories claimed by Mexico. Fueled by the new ideology of “Manifest Destiny,” this land grab would lead to a decades-long battle between the United States and the Navajos, the fiercely resistant rulers of a huge swath of mountainous desert wilderness.

At the center of this sweeping tale is Kit Carson, the trapper, scout, and soldier whose adventures made him a legend. Sides shows us how this illiterate mountain man understood and respected the Western tribes better than any other American, yet willingly followed orders that would ultimately devastate the Navajo nation. Rich in detail and spanning more than three decades, this is an essential addition to our understanding of how the West was really won.

©2006 Hampton Sides (P)2006 Books on Tape

Critic reviews

“Riveting . . . monumental . .. . Not only does Blood and Thunder capture a pivotal moment in U.S. history in marvelous detail, it is also authoritative and masterfully told.”
The Washington Post Book World

“Stunning. . . Both haunting and lyrical, Blood and Thunder is truly a masterpiece.”
Los Angeles Times

“We see a panorama and a whole history, intricately laced with wonder and meaning, coalesce into a story of epic proportions, a story full of authority and color, truth and prophecy . . . Sides fills a conspicuous void in the history of the American West.”
—N. Scott Momaday, The New York Times Book Review

What listeners say about Blood and Thunder

Average customer ratings
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An Epic for the Ages

I have read this book twice, and listened to an audio version three times over the years. It is one of my absolute favorite books in history. The story of Kit Carson is told with beauty and respect.

The entire book is moving, thrilling, and heartfelt. The end comes for Kit Carson and his wife within a month of each other. and, as if Fate would have its way, the Navajo go home soon after their death. What an incredible epic.

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Our world is much better now

The story of our tragic history, not jus of America, but of human existence. Humanity without the modern understanding and guidance of the western God.

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Great book

Helped me understand the history of the times and the savage treatment of those who were here before us. The author did a great job and the narrator was top notch. Highly recommend.

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Brilliant!

This was a great listen! The story was well told and the narrator/reader checked all the right boxes for me as a listener.

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Outstanding!!!

Couldn’t stop listening. An epic tale. Amazing storytelling and narration. Strongly recommend!! Thanks a ton!

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Great story of Kit Carson!

My husband and greatly enjoyed the story of Kit Carson and other very interesting details of the Native Americans. Having a casita in Taos gave us a little insight into the area and it’s history.

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Phenomenal account of a phenomenal man

Blood and Thunder is a phenomenal account of epic time in history of the US’s expansion west and Kit Carson’s contributions to both the expansion west but also the overall birth of the county.

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Fantastic

I listened to this title while driving across the traditional homeland of the Navajo, which in some ways made the words more alive than they would be if listened to elsewhere, but even allowing for the dual enchantment of the land combined with the words, Blood and Thunder is a masterpiece. I've subsequently listened to the entire book again, and it was as good as the first time.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

The West

This is a terrific audiobook. The narrator held my interest the entire time, and I liked his voice, which fit in very well with this tale of the West. I also enjoyed learning many details about the life of Kit Carson, and how men like Carson and Fremont lived on the frontier. The battle scenes were excellently described, and it was a very exciting listen. I would highly recommend it to those who like history books.

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5 people found this helpful

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Outstanding

An excellent book about a part of the country I love. Powerful, inspiring, and we'll read.

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1 person found this helpful