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The Best Land Under Heaven: The Donner Party in the Age of Manifest Destiny
"WESTWARD HO! FOR OREGON AND CALIFORNIA!"
In the eerily warm spring of 1846, George Donner placed this advertisement in a local newspaper as he and a restless caravan prepared for what they hoped would be the most rewarding journey of a lifetime. But in eagerly pursuing what would a century later become known as the "American dream," this optimistic-yet-motley crew of emigr ...more
In the eerily warm spring of 1846, George Donner placed this advertisement in a local newspaper as he and a restless caravan prepared for what they hoped would be the most rewarding journey of a lifetime. But in eagerly pursuing what would a century later become known as the "American dream," this optimistic-yet-motley crew of emigr ...more
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(showing 1-30)
Westward Ho! Manifest destiny, the American dream, new land, and many in the mid 1800's followed it's siren call. For the Donner Brothers who had already successfully farmed in a few different states, it was the chance for adventure, new land in a new place, a new start. Many were traveling over the Sierra Nevadas heading to Oregon or California and the Donner families wanted to be part of this large exodus.
Remember studying this in school, know I read another book about this expedition that wen ...more
Remember studying this in school, know I read another book about this expedition that wen ...more
“It’s supposed to be a challenge, that’s why they call it a shortcut. If it was easy, it’d just be the way.”
- Paulo Costanzo, as Rubin, in Road Trip
“Unless you pass over the mountains early in the fall, you are very liable to be detained, by impassable mountains of snow, until the next spring, or, perhaps, forever.”
- Lansford W. Hastings, The Emigrants’ Guide to Oregon and California (1845)
“Remember, never take no cutoffs and hurry along as fast as you can.”
- Virginia Reed, Donner Party Survivor ...more
- Paulo Costanzo, as Rubin, in Road Trip
“Unless you pass over the mountains early in the fall, you are very liable to be detained, by impassable mountains of snow, until the next spring, or, perhaps, forever.”
- Lansford W. Hastings, The Emigrants’ Guide to Oregon and California (1845)
“Remember, never take no cutoffs and hurry along as fast as you can.”
- Virginia Reed, Donner Party Survivor ...more
Absolutely riveting and impeccably researched. I have read a lot about the Donner party. You might say I have a Donner Party Thing. This is by far the most illuminating and multi-faceted look at their story, as well as the book that best placed the Donner Party's trek in its historical context. Another reviewer called it humanizing, and that's exactly what it does -- strips away the hype and mythology and tells a really exciting and heartbreaking story.
(And I'm not going to lie...the short chap ...more
(And I'm not going to lie...the short chap ...more
Review later. Snack first. 👀
Determined to reap the benefits of Manifest Destiny, the Donner Party was destined for despair and death from the very start of their westward journey. A combination of indecision, infighting amongst families and a lack of leadership contribute to their tragic downfall at Truckee Lake. In “The Best Land Under Heaven,” author Michael Wallis recreates the Donner Party’s ill-fated attempt to cross the Sierra Nevada mountain range during the violent winter season of 1846, their imminent starvation,
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In 1846, The Reed and Donner families along with many others set off from Illinois to embark on a new life in California. What happened after that is one of the more infamous and famous stories of the American frontier.
Reading this very well researched and engaging book, I was struck by the fact that things by no means had to happen like they did. The Donner party as they came to be known had to be the victims of the worst convergence of circumstances and bad luck anyone has ever had. Of the ...more
Reading this very well researched and engaging book, I was struck by the fact that things by no means had to happen like they did. The Donner party as they came to be known had to be the victims of the worst convergence of circumstances and bad luck anyone has ever had. Of the ...more
Interesting account of a group of people who set out from the mid-west in 1846 to journey to California in search of a new life in a new land. The book details the lives of 87 people who became known as the Donner Party as they made their trek across the wilderness. It describes their many bouts with bad luck, poor decisions, and lack of leadership which led to their mostly disastrous fate. Out of the 87 people, 41 died in their attempt to reach California, most of them in the heart of the bruta
...more
Finally, an authoritative book about what truly happened in 1846 to the Donner Party. Much has been written about the brave souls who traveled west in search of a better life, and sadly many of their names have been forgotten. Historian Michael Wallis sets the record straight, including the rifts between some of the travelers, how it impacted their journey and the greed that drove some men to disaster. Wallis does a tremendous job of telling the story amidst the political backdrop of that time a
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I've read one other book about the Donner Party, and that was awhile ago, but this one seems to clarify or rectify the many errors, inconsistencies, and overblown sensationalized accounts that have characterized this story ever since it happened.
The most revealing aspect to me was the moral character of the players involved, starting with the disingenuous creator of the "Hastings Cutoff," Lansford Hastings, who may have been an ancestor of Charles Ponzi, or at least had all his instincts down. H ...more
The most revealing aspect to me was the moral character of the players involved, starting with the disingenuous creator of the "Hastings Cutoff," Lansford Hastings, who may have been an ancestor of Charles Ponzi, or at least had all his instincts down. H ...more
My review in a single sentence: The Best Land Under Heaven is a detailed, humanizing portrait of a doomed American migration that underlines the fragility of the human condition.
I, like most people, learned about the Donner Party from a textbook. The gruesome details of their fate are a byline in the narrative of westward expansion and Manifest Destiny. In this book, Michael Wallis pulls back the layers of myth and exaggeration and tells the story of the Donner and Reed families. Once I spent so ...more
I, like most people, learned about the Donner Party from a textbook. The gruesome details of their fate are a byline in the narrative of westward expansion and Manifest Destiny. In this book, Michael Wallis pulls back the layers of myth and exaggeration and tells the story of the Donner and Reed families. Once I spent so ...more
This is a true work of history, written by a historian. I have a deep love for history, which is perhaps why I majored in it in college. The author's bibliography and endnotes pass the credibility test, and the writing never seems sensationalized or exaggerated. What I really enjoyed was that, unlike most looks at he Donner Party, this particular piece focuses more on the entire journey - not just the cannibalism. We learn so much about the people in the party, and the early decisions they made,
...more
Fascinating book that provides context and depth of understanding to the well-known story of the tragic Donner Party expedition. I had heard a segment on NPR about the book and it captured my interest. The author has clearly done an amazing amount of research, including tapping Donner descendants, and yet the book is very readable. I think even those who don't have much knowledge of this time period or of the concept of Manifest Destiny would enjoy this book, and those who already have an intere
...more
I liked "The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Saga of a Donner Party Bride" much better than this book. I thought it was a bit dry, and hard to get through. Still an fascinating story either way
What a great book. Michael Wallis is an excellent writer and takes a subject we all briefly learned about in history class and weaves a really engaging story. I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more of Wallis' work.
excellent!! really enjoyed this read.
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Michael Wallis is the bestselling author of Route 66, Billy the Kid, Pretty Boy, and David Crockett. He hosts the PBS series American Roads. He voiced The Sheriff in the animated Pixar feature Cars. He lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
More about Michael Wallis...
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