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

great

Wow! I wish more nonfiction books were written like this. Using a storyteller's narrative, the author manages to be factual, balanced and entertaining.

Exciting and informative

Exiciting and informative story with excellent narrative.

Riveting history of the American West.

If you could sum up Blood and Thunder in three words, what would they be?

I love Hampton Sides and this may be his best book. Full of little known or unknown (at least to me) historical details about the settlement of the American Southwest. Drama, intrigue, heartache, heroism, dastardly deeds dastardly done, this book has it all. More please Mr. Sides.

One of the best books on the settlement of the west

Hampton Sides does an amazing job of telling the story of the Santa Fe Trail in Kit Carson. The book is riveting with the Tales of the for trappers all the way to the settling of the Navajo nation. Great job

Excellent Narration Very detailed and content

I loved this book. It frustrates me to know that this was not part of my history classes in school. Audible brings me so much joy

What a history of the West

I’m always shocked at how much I don’t know. Hampton Sides once again gives a history lesson that will not disappoint. It is a sad but true story about the conflict the early settlers had with the Native Americans with the life of Kit Carson interwoven in the story. It is a long listen, which is typical of Hampton Sides. .....Through, complete and well thought out.

the west

excelent sttory of Kit Carson and his lifetime and IndiIans of the time how the Navajo indians were once the bad guys

Best story Timeline.

Never really heard of Kitt Carson. A real american hero/friend for the Indians the way it was told.

Great Book!

I listened to this entire book on a 3300 mile road trip across the US and it kept me entertained the entire time. Driving through areas mentioned in the book was especially interesting. Worth your time to check this book out. Very good narrator and detailed story.

awesome

this book is well worth it listened to every minute and might do it again