The Indifferent Stars Above
The Harrowing Saga of the Donner Party
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The Indifferent Stars Above
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Narrated by:
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Michael Prichard
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Written by:
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Daniel James Brown
About this listen
From the number one best-selling author of The Boys in the Boat comes an unforgettable epic of family, tragedy, and survival on the American frontier.
“An ideal pairing of talent and material.... Engrossing.... A deft and ambitious storyteller.” (Mary Roach, New York Times Book Review)
In April of 1846, 21-year-old Sarah Graves, intent on a better future, set out west from Illinois with her new husband, her parents, and eight siblings. Seven months later, after joining a party of pioneers led by George Donner, they reached the Sierra Nevada Mountains as the first heavy snows of the season closed the pass ahead of them. In early December, starving and desperate, Sarah and 14 others set out for California on snowshoes and over the next 32 days endured almost unfathomable hardships and horrors.
In this gripping narrative, New York Times best-selling author Daniel James Brown sheds new light on one of the most legendary events in American history. Following every painful footstep of Sarah’s journey with the Donner Party, Brown produces a tale both spellbinding and richly informative.
©2009 Daniel James Brown (P)2019 HarperCollins PublishersWhat listeners say about The Indifferent Stars Above
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Garrry
- 2019-07-22
Outstanding
I knew it was going to be good. It did not disappoint! Very descriptive and captivating.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Tyler C.
- 2022-05-02
Loved it
Loved the book, at times it was a hard listen due to the sufferings the settlers had to endure throughout the book and especially towards the end but nevertheless these stories need to be passed down throughout the generations to show the lives of our ancestors isn't as glamorous as television shows
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Brenda
- 2023-08-04
Excellent depiction of this true story
A great read! A nice take on someone who in normal historical circumstances would not be recognized
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kim A Shewel
- 2022-12-31
Gripping
I couldn’t stop listening. This story is absolutely riveting. Told very vividly, emotionally and thoroughly.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Matthew M.
- 2023-11-20
Loved it
I was worried it would be a bit of a slog based on the voice of the narrator but I loved it. A harrowing story brought to life
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- KJS
- 2022-02-21
An Incredible Story & Dry Narration
Brown beautifully weaves the tragedy of the Donner Party together in a cohesive, gripping narrative. Glimpses of life during the American frontier are prevalent and engaging. The author masterfully avoids sensationalizing what is ultimately a story of human perseverance and the distance we are willing to go to save ourselves and those as love. Some may consider this an emotionally punishing read, and it should be - Brown does not hold back on details, and they only enrich the narrative presented.
I believe this book would've benefited from a more animated narrator. While the narration of the story was not horrible, it suffered from a lack of energy, which this story desperately needs in its darkest hours.
Nonetheless, an amazing story, and one that is highly recommended.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Karen
- 2023-01-18
Great book
Daniel James Brown is a wonderful storyteller and I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the Donner excursion; heart rending as it was.
Wonderful details of the people caught on that horrific situation.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Suzanne R
- 2024-07-27
More human suffering than can be imagined
It is unimaginable that anyone living in this modern age would have been able to survive what the individuals in this saga experienced. Take all your suffering, the suffering of anyone else you know, multiply it by 1000 and you won’t even be close. The story of the Donner Party would make the more horrifying Hollywood movie ever conceived. Extremely well written and narrated.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Roberta W
- 2024-08-18
Harrowing indeed
What a truly harrowing tale. Such courage and despair in hopeless circumstance. No wonder it is an enduring story. Extremely grim in many areas, so not for readers easily traumatized. An important story nonetheless, providing understanding of settlers and their struggles. Well researched and told.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Manitoba Reviewer
- 2021-05-15
One of the top ratings in my library
Author impressed me with his thoroughly engaging and professional treatment of this historic tragedy.
Contrary to some reviewers' panning of the narrator's style, I found him to be well suited for the role and enjoyed the book all the more. If I want animation I watch cartoons.
Overall, highly recommended.
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