Riders of the Pony Express

By: Ralph Moody

Narrated by: Cameron Beierle

Prior to the Civil War, the fastest mail between the West Coast and the East took almost thirty days by stagecoach along a southern route through Texas. Some Californians feared their state would not remain in the Union, separated so far from the free states. Then businessman William Russell invested in a way to deliver mail between San Francisco and the farthest western railroad, in Saint Joseph, Missouri - across two thousand miles of mountains, deserts, and plains - guaranteed in ten days or less. Russell hired eighty of the best and bravest riders, bought four hundred of the fastest and hardiest horses, and built relay stations along a central route - through modern-day Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and Nevada, to California. Informed by his intimate knowledge of horses and Western geography, Ralph Moody's exciting account of the eighteen critical months that the Pony Express operated between April 1860 and October 1861 pays tribute to the true grit and determination of the riders and horses of the Pony Express.

©2011 Books In Motion (P)2011 Books In Motion

Great Story!

Loved the story, loved the history. Cameron does an excellent job reading and bring the story to life.

Realistic Story

Excellent attention to detail. I had never read a book about the Pony Express and how it actually functioned. Very enlightening.

history come to life

excellent story that is clearly a written record of the stories moody heard from childhood

Will keep you on the edge of your seat.

We learned so much from this riviting story of the Pony Express. My kids want to read more now about Pony Bob. There are some graphic descriptions of injuries that might be too much for children younger than six years old.

History well-written and interesting

I read the entire "Little Britches" series to my 10-year-old twin sons and we loved the writing and the stories of Ralph Moody. This book did not disappoint either. The book starts with a brief history of why there was a need for the Pony Express and what it took to get it up and running.

The majority of the book outlines the riders, routes and challenges of the first pony express ride. The East-bound and West-bound mail started at the same time but which mail route will make it to the end of the line first? Each rider had an allotted time to make the ride. Some riders made it well ahead of their time. Others faced coyotes, snow storms or Native Americans and used up their allotted time plus some.

The end of the book highlights a few of the most notable pony express riders and even tells the story of those who gave their life to get the mail through.

A great listen time and time again.