Thunder in the Mountains

Chief Joseph, Oliver Otis Howard, and the Nez Perce War

By: Daniel Sharfstein

Narrated by: Joe Barrett

Length: 18 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

Oliver Otis Howard thought he was a man of destiny. Chosen to lead the Freedmen's Bureau after the Civil War, the Union Army general was entrusted with the era's most crucial task: helping millions of former slaves claim the rights of citizens. He was energized by the belief that abolition and Reconstruction, the country's great struggles for liberty and equality, were God's plan for himself and the nation.

But as the nation's politics curdled in the 1870s, General Howard exiled himself from Washington, DC, rejoined the army, and was sent across the continent to command forces in the Pacific Northwest. Shattered by Reconstruction's collapse, he assumed a new mission: forcing Native Americans to become Christian farmers on government reservations. Howard's plans for redemption in the West ran headlong into the resistance of Chief Joseph, a young Nez Perce leader in northeastern Oregon who refused to leave his ancestral land.

Claiming equal rights for Native Americans, Joseph was determined to find his way to the center of American power and convince the government to acknowledge his people's humanity and capacity for citizenship.

©2017 Daniel J. Sharfstein (P)2017 Tantor

Critic reviews

"One of the epic tales of American history, rendered by a master storyteller. Daniel Sharfstein breathes new life into the fascinating figures at the heart of the Nez Perce War." (Karl Jacoby, author of The Strange Career of William Ellis)

Interesting but lenghty.

Enjoyed the window into this slice of history. The lead up to the conflict was well explained and thorough. The narrator was very good and contributed to the flow of the book. The narrative however was lengthy in some areas and incomplete in others. So much information was presented about Howard, which ended up being of little advance to the narrative, but also of sub-par general interest. Loved the insight on Joseph's character, but he almost completely dissapears during the most crucial moments of armed conflict. To understand his role during these moments are key, yet we are left wanting. Yellow Wolf takes over during these moments, but again he also dissapears when moments of negotiation and diplomacy arise. Both characters are crucial in Nez Perce history, but yet we lack a continuous account, the other seemingly picking and choosing the moments they appear in his story or, more likely, where he has enough sources to put forward some analysis. He also focuses on Wood, who is himself and much more intriguing character than Howard, but who's impact toward the Nez Perce is almost negligeable. All in all, the author eleborated on Howard and Wood, which is difficult to defend according to the announced theme and title of the book, while the information about the Nez Perce characters have huge gaps.

while very, very long

this is a great story, well told and well written. despite the length I recommend it.

Even with best intentions, it's an atrocity

This is an engaging, thorough telling of the story of the Nez Perce. Perhaps a bit tangential at times, but it only serves to draw the wider canvas. The book gives a more comprehensive view of members of both sides of the conflict than is usually found.

It details building from what may have been well intentioned, though bigoted and paternalistic, efforts to civilize native peoples, to all-out bloody war when those same native people refuse to accept that the benefits of a free society don't apply to them. How long can people accept murder without chance of redress because of the color of their skin or their choice of spirituality? When that dam breaks, the rationalization of quelling the savage revolt is cast. It's the same story, to a greater or lesser degree, all over the continent.

Of particular interest was that it paints Howard in a sympathetic light, noting his work in the Freedmen's Bureau, though never quite absolving him of the inherent supremacism in his evangelical Christianity. It's very measured and does well to maintain objectivity. But ultimately, the truth is the truth.

Balanced, Fair, Fascinating

The book was very well presented. The voice of the narrator was easy on the ears. I appreciated the pronunciation of the Nez Perce names.

This book seems to make a good effort to present a balanced presentation of Joseph and Howard. Neither man was villified or exalted without fault. It seemed to me that Mr. Sharfstein's agenda was truth. Thoroughly enjoyed the presentation. Highly recommended.

A gripping story

Brilliant details bring color and vital depth to this compelling story. Enjoy, ponder, share again.

Very good

I really enjoyed the book and joe Barrett is wonderful narrator. Well researched I learned a lot. Great appreciation for chief Joseph

Extraordinary history lesson

This book portrays the history of the Nez Perce flight and all the circumstances surrounding that part of the nations history in a way I have never heard before. Detailed but never tedious; a can't put it down until you are done book.

One of the best books on this chapter of history

I was moved by the poetic prose and intricate detail. I've read several books on the Nez Perce War. This may be the best. It starts slowly with background but I understood later why it was necessary. The author tells many stories and biographies within the larger narrative.

LOTS of Details

It's no surprise that an 18-hour-long book will have lots of details -- about the protagonists, supporting players, geography, politics, etc. Learning of Howard's Reconstruction role, of the life of Chief Joseph and his band, and of all their post-war lives really filled out the story of how and why the war happened. I enjoyed the book and recommend it. Anyone who has read of the Lewis & Clark Corps of Discovery will recognize many of the locales. I enjoyed listening to the narrator pronouncing the Nez Perce names, which he did very well. What was troublesome, however, was the narrator's voice consistently dropping to a near-whisper at the ends of words, phrases and sentences making them unclear.

Well-Written and Well-Rounded

Though its focus on individuals sometimes takes the work in unexpected directions, the author both manages to make his central points--the changing nature of American citizenship and identity filtered through the lives of his main characters and the key role of Joseph as an advocate for the rights of his people--and to tell the story of Joseph's Band of the Nez Perce and their military opponents in a balanced, intelligent, and moving way. Having just visited the Bear Paw Battlefield in Montana, where Joseph and many of his band surrendered, I found the work especially meaningful. Though some have complained a bit about the length of the narrative, the journey is ultimately valuable and enlightening.