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Snow Mountain Passage
Snow Mountain Passage is a powerful retelling of the most dramatic of our pioneer stories—the ordeal of the Donner Party, with its cast of young and old risking all, its imprisoning snows, its rumors of cannibalism. James Houston takes us inside this central American myth in a compelling new way that only a novelist can achieve.
The people whose dreams, courage, terror, ing...more
The people whose dreams, courage, terror, ing...more
Hardcover, 317 pages
Published
March 27th 2001
by Knopf
(first published 2001)
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Anyone who took high school American history is familiar with the Donner party and the great tragedy that befell them when they attempted the monumental crossing from Illinois to California; they got snowed-in in the Sierra Nevadas and had to resort to cannibalism to survive starvation.
Everyone is familiar with the grisly details of this doomed journey. In James D. Houston’s Snow Mountain Passage, new insights are brought to life, and the reader is taken on a journey quite different f...more
Everyone is familiar with the grisly details of this doomed journey. In James D. Houston’s Snow Mountain Passage, new insights are brought to life, and the reader is taken on a journey quite different f...more
I was drawn to this book because it is a fictionalized account of the Donner Party, and I think the history of Westward expansion is fascinating.
Houston alternates between telling the story of the mountain-bound Donner Party in the "Trail Notes of Patty Reed", and narrating the tale of Patty's father, Jim Reed, who was initially expelled from the wagon party for killing a man, and who later returned from California to rescue his family and those they traveled with...more
Houston alternates between telling the story of the mountain-bound Donner Party in the "Trail Notes of Patty Reed", and narrating the tale of Patty's father, Jim Reed, who was initially expelled from the wagon party for killing a man, and who later returned from California to rescue his family and those they traveled with...more
As a young girl, I read a book entitled Donner's Pass, a story about the survivors of a pioneering party who traveled by covered wagon over the mountains on their way to California, got stranded through the winter, and resorted to cannibalism. That kind of story sticks with a child.
This novel, Snow Mountain Passage by James D. Houston, retells the tragic tale from the viewpoint of a man and his daughter.
And a tip to writers about how to illustrate a villain through his ...more
This novel, Snow Mountain Passage by James D. Houston, retells the tragic tale from the viewpoint of a man and his daughter.
And a tip to writers about how to illustrate a villain through his ...more
I read this book because I saw the author's obituary and he sounded like an interesting guy. The library had several of his books, and I chose this one because our Westward Expansion is a subject that continues to fascinate me.
Snow Mountain Passage is the fictionalized story of the Donner party, traveling by ox-cart from Springfield, Illinois, to its denouement in the Sierra Nevada during the winter of '46-'47.
I learned quite a bit of history, and enjoyed a good tale, w...more
Snow Mountain Passage is the fictionalized story of the Donner party, traveling by ox-cart from Springfield, Illinois, to its denouement in the Sierra Nevada during the winter of '46-'47.
I learned quite a bit of history, and enjoyed a good tale, w...more
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Mixed feelings, July 16, 2007
I admit to being a bit disappointed, as this book turned out to be more about Jim Reed and less about the Donner party. The first part of the book was very entertaining as it dealt with the Donner/Reed group on the trail to California. A disagreement arises between Reed and another leading to a fight and Reed has to leave the wagon train and strike out on his own towards Ca...more
Mixed feelings, July 16, 2007
I admit to being a bit disappointed, as this book turned out to be more about Jim Reed and less about the Donner party. The first part of the book was very entertaining as it dealt with the Donner/Reed group on the trail to California. A disagreement arises between Reed and another leading to a fight and Reed has to leave the wagon train and strike out on his own towards Ca...more
This is a beautiful, beautiful book, brimming with emotion and rooted in the majesty and danger of nature. Although the cover proclaims Snow Mountain Passage to be "a novel of the Donner party," that does not reflect the spirit and depth of this work.
Those of us who have heard of the Donner Party probably have a generic picture of stranded, desperate pioneers, some of whom get stranded in the mountains in the winter of 1846-7 and turn to cannibalism to survive. It's a famou...more
Those of us who have heard of the Donner Party probably have a generic picture of stranded, desperate pioneers, some of whom get stranded in the mountains in the winter of 1846-7 and turn to cannibalism to survive. It's a famou...more
I wrote the obit on James Houston for the LA Times recently. Was unfamiliar with his work but intrigued by comments of his about how he came to write a historical novel about the Donner family of the infamous Donner Party, so I ordered the book on Amazon. About halfway through it and find it very readable, with well-developed characters and historical details. Houston's wife Jeanne wrote "Farewell to Manzanar." Actually they wrote it together.
I would not recommend this book. It had some great chapters written by Patty Reed, a trail survivor. I learned about the Donner Party's activities in these chapters. The beginning was ok but the rest of the story dragged on.
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As a wanna-be pioneer woman, I loved living through this wagon train with the characters in the book. It helped me understand what it was like to travel from Illinois to California in the 1840s
historical fiction novel about the plight of the Donner Party. it was a great story going from Patty Reed's account to the story of her father Jim Reed trying to get back to rescue his family.
If the rating system was for writing alone I would have given this book a five star. Where I was disappointed (and I am probably being picky) was in the story. The covers of the book advertise this book as the story of the Donner Party, which it is in the beginning and end of the book. A big chunk of the middle of the book is about Jim Reed, a leader of the Donner Party who headed for California ahead of the rest of the party trying to find them help. They got snowed in so he spent month helping...more
Very well-written fictionalized account of the Donner Party. As a parent, parts of it were difficult to read but that's what a great writer can do - force you to relate to the story.
Historical novel about the Donner party. Very well written, great feeling of what California was like at that time, what the Donner party experienced.
Pa
rated it
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review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Those interested in western/Calif. history
A reasonably good, but not great, rendition of the Donner Party tragedy. Of some local interest because of a Santa Cruz connection.
I learned a lot about the Donner Party. The story seemed to drag in parts. If you don't know anything about the Donner Party it is enlightening and shocking.
view all 3 comments
Kind of meandering, throwing in filler to delay the inevitable, cannibalism.
BYOB book club now reading. The author will be in Dublin next month.
This is a tough read - meaning emotionally tough, heart-breaking at times, but triumphant in the end - and I could hardly put it down. It's a fictional account of the Donner Party. I really love this genre of books called historical fiction, like "In Sunlight, in a beautiful garden." Really powerful and moving for me because some of what you read may have, could have happened to real people. My brother-in-law has given me two heavy books to read as gifts - this was the first, more ...more
This was a really interesting story -- I read the last 100 pages all in one shot because I couldn't stop reading. Anybody interested in American history or California history would enjoy -- also if you like books about people's spirit/will and the amazing nature of human survival.
Jim Houston is a fine writer, first and foremost. The crazy thing about the historical novel is, I'm constantly amazed by how it's done. How does he do that, I find myself wondering. Additionally fascinating with regard to this particular minor masterpiece, is the fact that I live one block from the house from where the narrator and the author lived and live!
Snow Mountain Passage is a top-notch historical novel, sharply bringing to life the tragedy of the Donner Party. Alternating chapters vividly portray the struggles of the stranded travelers and the determination of the exiled James Reed to find a way to save his family from certain death. The characters are vivid and memorable, and the author does a masterful job of taking a well-known story and imbuing it with humanity.
started off hating the Western style writing, three word sentences. But on the good side, it captured the time period, the cultures coming together, not so much on the whole Donner thing – which was dark and the authors approach to that was good, a child’s perspective, missing information, glimpses. Loved the parts on Sutters Fort.
I heard James Houston on the radio and love California history so I decided to read "Snow Mountain Passage." It is well written historical fiction about the Donner party. I especially enjoyed how the narration switched between passages from Patty Reed's trail notes and the narrative focused on her father, Jim Reed.
vivid and character-driven historical fiction about Jim Reed, his family, and the Donner party (stranded in the Sierra Nevadas in mid-winter trying to get to California, best-known for some members resorting to cannibalism)
Oh boy, good book. Story about cannibalism, oopsie doo. Shows human nature in times when needs are greatest. Interactions between characters interested me the most as in other stories. Shocking truth and look at a true story.
This book is more than just the story of the Donner Party. It explores the history of California, as well. I found it to be educational and entertaining.
Based on the true story of the Donner Party. James Houston is a great writer. I love California history, especially gold-rush era.
Wonderful! Highly recommend! An account of the Donner party from a young girl's perspective.
A fictional account of the Donner Party ordeal - great read!
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James Houston is the author of 8 novels and several nonfiction books. His work includes Snow Mountain Passage and Farewell to Manzanar.
More about James D. Houston...
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