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Blood and Thunder

An Epic of the American West

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Blood and Thunder

Written by: Hampton Sides
Narrated by: Don Leslie
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About this listen

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • From the author of Ghost Soldiers comes an eye-opening history of the American conquest of the West—"a story full of authority and color, truth and prophecy" (The New York Times Book Review).

In the summer of 1846, the Army of the West marched through Santa Fe, en route to invade and occupy the Western territories claimed by Mexico. Fueled by the new ideology of “Manifest Destiny,” this land grab would lead to a decades-long battle between the United States and the Navajos, the fiercely resistant rulers of a huge swath of mountainous desert wilderness.

At the center of this sweeping tale is Kit Carson, the trapper, scout, and soldier whose adventures made him a legend. Sides shows us how this illiterate mountain man understood and respected the Western tribes better than any other American, yet willingly followed orders that would ultimately devastate the Navajo nation. Rich in detail and spanning more than three decades, this is an essential addition to our understanding of how the West was really won.

©2006 Hampton Sides (P)2006 Books on Tape Americas Military & War United States Native American Latin America Wild West Old West War Mexico Military

What the critics say

“Riveting . . . monumental . .. . Not only does Blood and Thunder capture a pivotal moment in U.S. history in marvelous detail, it is also authoritative and masterfully told.”
—The Washington Post Book World

“Stunning. . . Both haunting and lyrical, Blood and Thunder is truly a masterpiece.”
—Los Angeles Times

“We see a panorama and a whole history, intricately laced with wonder and meaning, coalesce into a story of epic proportions, a story full of authority and color, truth and prophecy . . . Sides fills a conspicuous void in the history of the American West.”
—N. Scott Momaday, The New York Times Book Review
All stars
Most relevant
This book is great for both fans of history and of western legends and folklore as many of Carsons adventures were the stuff of legends. narration is awesome and easy to listen to.

Great for fans of all kinds

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maybe my favorite story ever. where do i find more books like this. . . .

THE BEST

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I very much enjoyed the story of Kit Carson’s life. How exhilarating it must have been to have lived and experienced all that he did....

A story of bravery and perseverance....

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It was a great listen. Fantastic for my road trip. A great American Tale.

Great Listen!

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As someone who loves the history of the american west i was so beyond pleased with this. What a captivating story, so many emotions. Beautiful writing. 10/10 for history lovers.

A beautiful story.

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I loved it and would totally read again, narrator did a great job,loved his voice

amazing

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Started off a bit sporadic but it really came together for an amazing story. Well told and a great job demonstrating the complexities of history.

highly recommend

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This is truly an epic. Sides examines the American expansion into the Southwest in terms of history, geography, anthropology and a colorful cast of characters. By far the most notable is Kit Carson and his extraordinary life which creates both the spine and the boundaries of this tale.

Hampton Sides has made a great attempt to maintain balance in this story. Even so, his bias does emerge from time to time. That's fine. We all have bias and he maintains ample room for us to form our own separate opinions.

I must add a point; however, that Chivington's massacre was NOT, as he claims, the worst atrocity emerging from the conflicts that occurred during this time. The worst atrocities, plural, are uncontested and belong solely to the Comanche. Chivington, a beast of a man, was a rank amateur next to them. Read their history and decide for yourself.

As a final endorsement, the narration was marvelous in terms of both quality and tempo.

A grand story filled with tragedy and hope

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This was the best 20 hours I've spent listening to any audio book. What a crazy piece of history.

Unimaginable way of life

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