Astoria

John Jacob Astor and Thomas Jefferson's Lost Pacific Empire: A Story of Wealth, Ambition, and Survival

De: Peter Stark

Narrado por: Michael Kramer

In the tradition of The Lost City of Z and Skeletons in the Zahara, Astoria is the thrilling, true-adventure tale of the 1810 Astor Expedition, an epic, now forgotten, three-year journey to forge an American empire on the Pacific Coast. Peter Stark offers a harrowing saga in which a band of explorers battled nature, starvation, and madness to establish the first American settlement in the Pacific Northwest and opened up what would become the Oregon trail, permanently altering the nation's landscape and its global standing.

Six years after Lewis and Clark's began their journey to the Pacific Northwest, two of the Eastern establishment's leading figures, John Jacob Astor and Thomas Jefferson, turned their sights to founding a colony akin to Jamestown on the West Coast and transforming the nation into a Pacific trading power. Author and correspondent for Outside magazine Peter Stark recreates this pivotal moment in American history for the first time for modern readers, drawing on original source material to tell the amazing true story of the Astor Expedition.

Unfolding over the course of three years, from 1810 to 1813, Astoria is a tale of high adventure and incredible hardship in the wilderness and at sea. Of the more than one hundred-forty members of the two advance parties that reached the West Coast—one crossing the Rockies, the other rounding Cape Horn—nearly half perished by violence. Others went mad. Within one year, the expedition successfully established Fort Astoria, a trading post on the Columbia River. Though the colony would be short-lived, it opened provincial American eyes to the potential of the Western coast and its founders helped blaze the Oregon Trail.

Unbelievably Entertaining

I’m not a history buff but was totally absorbed in the story. It’s based on history and very exciting and adventurous and incredible the things that happened. Impeccable storytelling and research.

Prying open a window in time & joining the journey

This book is based on an historical ambitious endeavor to exploit the 'fur riches' of the Pacific NW. It is an amazing story. The Author weaves the historical documents of these journey's through the people who lived these events. One takes place overland, the other on the sea. Characters are richly developed and follow a narrative based on actual documents. I know more about the Native population and their hospitality that may have unfortunately lead to they're demise in all to many cases. John Jacob Astor and others had a vision and assets to put many people in motion. This is the story of that motion and to some degree the aftermath we live with today.

Shocked at how good this book really is

If you could sum up Astoria in three words, what would they be?

History Told Perfectly

What did you like best about this story?

Narrator was superb, 5+ stars, Author's remarks at the end were very meaningful as was the Epilogue -- you become a part of the story, so it is great to get the follow up at the end to see what happened to everyone.

Which scene was your favorite?

The Indian negotiations on the river.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Marie Dorian's triumph over adversities beyond imagination, and loss of a newborn.

Any additional comments?

I have listened to many Audible books, this is one of the best, but the story, the organization the extensive research the author did, and the fantastic reader ... if you like history, and the Northwest, or business dealings of the 1800's, you will love this book. This is instruction in life, organization of people to get a difficult task done, and how personalities determine results. It is a fateful story of how close America came to losing what we now call the "West Coast" to be claimed by other nations. This adventure changed much history to give us the improved Oregon Trail, and much else, basically the Pacific Northwest that we enjoy today. This is a story of brave people, reaching a level of frustration that is hard to imagine today, This book explains many things to me. Fur trading is something I knew nothing about before the book, but I feel I know a great deal.

Terrifyingly tragic

Treking into America's West, manners matter, as does the weather. a harrowing look into best laid plans gone wry

Fantastic voyage through a piece of history

This is an amazing story well told. I particularly appreciated the research that went into this authentic recounting of this amazing adventure. I am in awe of the hardships that these men endured. I enjoyed the epilogue by the author as well.

Great piece of little known history

Impeccably researched, a wonderful tale of courage and adventure that brings up the question of European settlers' treatment of Natve American Indians as they pushed westward in North America. Maybe it should be required reading in American schools. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

What an adventure!

For anyone who is a Pacific Northwest history buff, this book is worth listening to. While it starts out a bit dry, it gets better and better mid-way through it. It enhanced my appreciation of these early explorers, and filled in many gaps in my knowledge of how the Oregon Territory was settled.

Great read about forgotten history

Great read about forgotten American history. I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys American history.

A very interesting bit of history

This was a very interesting bit of history I have never heard of before, I was never taught this in school. Many people I have spoken too about this failed settlement have never heard of it either. Very good book. The narration was a little lackluster but it was still enjoyable.

A deeper look at the inception of Oregon.

This book is absolutely riveting to hear the reality that the early explorers and entrepreneurs endured.