DESPERATE PASSAGE The Donner Party's Perilous Journey West

In 1846 a group of settlers crossed the continent, going west to what would become California. Because an ideal route had yet to be established, the pioneers took some bad advice and, with plenty of bad luck, tried to cross the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the middle of winter. The depressing chronicle of starvation, cannibalism, and freezing to death remains infamous among all those of the westward expansion of the U.S. population. Narrator Christopher Prince tells of the tragedy in a quiet voice and with a relaxed pace. If possible, his melancholy tone may make the unfortunate journey even sadder to hear about. The story's simplicity, accuracy, and importance make the Donner party's DESPERATE PASSAGE valuable listening. J.A.H. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2010]