The Best Land Under Heaven: The Donner Party in the Age of Manifest Destiny

Nonfiction, History, Americas, United States, 19th Century
Cover of the book The Best Land Under Heaven: The Donner Party in the Age of Manifest Destiny by Michael Wallis, Liveright
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Michael Wallis ISBN: 9780871407702
Publisher: Liveright Publication: June 6, 2017
Imprint: Liveright Language: English
Author: Michael Wallis
ISBN: 9780871407702
Publisher: Liveright
Publication: June 6, 2017
Imprint: Liveright
Language: English

“A book so gripping it can scarcely be put down. . . . Superb.”— New York Times Book Review

"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 emigrants was met with a chilling nightmare; in the following months, their jingoistic excitement would be replaced by desperate cries for help that would fall silent in the deadly snow-covered mountains of the Sierra Nevada.

We know these early pioneers as the Donner Party, a name that has elicited horror since the late 1840s. With The Best Land Under Heaven, Wallis has penned what critics agree is “destined to become the standard account” (Washington Post) of the notorious saga. Cutting through 160 years of myth-making, the “expert storyteller” (True West) compellingly recounts how the unlikely band of early pioneers met their fate. Interweaving information from hundreds of newly uncovered documents, Wallis illuminates how a combination of greed and recklessness led to one of America’s most calamitous and sensationalized catastrophes. The result is a “fascinating, horrifying, and inspiring” (Oklahoman) examination of the darkest side of Manifest Destiny.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

“A book so gripping it can scarcely be put down. . . . Superb.”— New York Times Book Review

"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 emigrants was met with a chilling nightmare; in the following months, their jingoistic excitement would be replaced by desperate cries for help that would fall silent in the deadly snow-covered mountains of the Sierra Nevada.

We know these early pioneers as the Donner Party, a name that has elicited horror since the late 1840s. With The Best Land Under Heaven, Wallis has penned what critics agree is “destined to become the standard account” (Washington Post) of the notorious saga. Cutting through 160 years of myth-making, the “expert storyteller” (True West) compellingly recounts how the unlikely band of early pioneers met their fate. Interweaving information from hundreds of newly uncovered documents, Wallis illuminates how a combination of greed and recklessness led to one of America’s most calamitous and sensationalized catastrophes. The result is a “fascinating, horrifying, and inspiring” (Oklahoman) examination of the darkest side of Manifest Destiny.

More books from Liveright

Cover of the book Hist Whist: And Other Poems for Children by Michael Wallis
Cover of the book The Late Parade: Poems by Michael Wallis
Cover of the book Our Declaration: A Reading of the Declaration of Independence in Defense of Equality by Michael Wallis
Cover of the book Miracles of Life: Shanghai to Shepperton, An Autobiography by Michael Wallis
Cover of the book Arturo's Island: A Novel by Michael Wallis
Cover of the book Kingdom Come: A Novel by Michael Wallis
Cover of the book The Social Conquest of Earth by Michael Wallis
Cover of the book The Last Summer of the Camperdowns: A Novel by Michael Wallis
Cover of the book The Shadow of Vesuvius: A Life of Pliny by Michael Wallis
Cover of the book How To Make It in the New Music Business: Practical Tips on Building a Loyal Following and Making a Living as a Musician by Michael Wallis
Cover of the book Mary Astor's Purple Diary: The Great American Sex Scandal of 1936 by Michael Wallis
Cover of the book Common Credo: The Path Back to American Success by Michael Wallis
Cover of the book One Toss of the Dice: The Incredible Story of How a Poem Made Us Modern by Michael Wallis
Cover of the book Something in the Blood: The Untold Story of Bram Stoker, the Man Who Wrote Dracula by Michael Wallis
Cover of the book The Necklace and Other Stories: Maupassant for Modern Times by Michael Wallis
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy