Blood and Thunder

An Epic of the American West

By: Hampton Sides

Narrated by: Don Leslie

Length: 20 hrs and 56 mins

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

Terrible narration

What a questionable casting decision it was to have someone with no experience speaking Spanish narrate an audiobook where the majority of place names are Spanish. It was a terrible production decision to have no one correct the awful pronunciation. It really detracted from the experience.

Incredible glimpse in pivotal time in US history

Sides offers a multidimensional history lesson of a important significance. He is successful in telling such detailed accounts with granularity. His narrative is so rich with sources one can use it as starting point of great study of the west.

Thank you Mr. Sides for a remarkable history lesson.

Well worth listening to

I learned a great deal about the settling of the west. Anyone who has questions about the importance of Critical Race theory should read this book as it pertains to the treatment of the Indians. This should not make one feel ashamed of what our white ancestors did, for all of mankind treated their fellowman unfairly at one time or another in the course of history but it allows the reader to understand how we got to where we are and perhaps try hard not to repeat our mistakes and therefore perpetuate the ills of society. Knowledge gives us the power to adapt.

Fantastic story of the American West

Well researched, superbly written, and ably narrated, this story of American manifest destiny revolves around Kit Carson - whom seemed to intersect with every meaningful event of the period in Forest Gump fashion. The Navajo people also play a prominent part of the book. The ending came upon me suddenly and left me wanting another twenty chapters!

Excellent!

Great story of the West! A real page turner
I loved listening to it, great narration

Reads as adventure fiction!

The narrator is superb! Very conversational and does some great accents when he is quoting someone. The book itself is vivid and detailed, yet *very* approachable to the casual history nut.

Very enjoyable.

What a masterful take on relationships leading up to the Indian wars. worth the time.

one of the best frontier history

Expertly narrated this frontier history details the western movement and, in particular, focuses on Kit Carson and New Mexico. A pleasure to read.

An amazing life

I appreciate the nuanced and unbiased presentation. Sides does a good job of telling the story, the good and the bad without shying away from the difficult subjects and events.

New History for me

Truly enjoyed the book. Provided a unique and entertaining view of history not covered during my "school" days. Made for a good listen, my Mom liked it to.