Desperate Passage: The Donner Party's Perilous Journey West

by Ethan Rarick

In late October 1846, the last wagon train of that year's westward migration stopped overnight before resuming its arduous climb over the Sierra Nevada Mountains, unaware that a fearsome storm was gathering force. After months of grueling travel, the 81 men, women and children would be trapped for a brutal winter with little food and only primitive shelter. The conclusion is by spring of the next year, the Donner Party was synonymous with the most harrowing extremes of human survival. But until now, the full story of what happened, what it tells us about human nature and about America's westward expansion, remained shrouded in myth. Drawing on fresh archaeological evidence, recent research on topics ranging from survival rates to snowfall totals, and heartbreaking letters and diaries made public by descendants a century-and-a-half after the tragedy, Ethan Rarick offers an intimate portrait of the Donner party and their unimaginable a mother who must divide her family, a little girl who shines with courage, a devoted wife who refuses to abandon her husband, a man who risks his life merely to keep his word. But Rarick resists both the gruesomely sensationalist accounts of the Donner party as well as later attempts to turn the survivors into archetypal pioneer heroes. "The Donner Party," Rarick writes, "is a story of hard decisions that were neither heroic nor villainous. Often, the emigrants displayed a more realistic and typically human mixture of generosity and selfishness, an alloy born of necessity." A fast-paced, heart-wrenching, clear-eyed narrative history, A Desperate Hope casts new light on one of America's most horrific encounters between the dream of a better life and the harsh realities such dreams so often must confront.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Survival, American History, Historical, Biography, Westerns

314 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 4, 2008

About the author

Ethan Rarick is associate director of IGS and the director of the Robert T. Matsui Center for Politics and Public Service, a component of IGS that seeks to interest undergraduates in public service through internship programs, public events, and the presence of distinguished visitors on campus. A former political journalist, he is the author of California Rising: The Life and Times of Pat Brown and Desperate Passage: The Donner Party’s Perilous Journey West, and the editor of three books: Governing California: Politics, Government, and Public Policy in the Golden State; California Votes: The 2010 Governor's Race; and California Votes: The 2006 Governor’s Race. He is a frequent public commentator on California politics, policy, and history, and has written about these subjects for many publications, including The Los Angeles Times and California History.

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love survival stories. Love them. Fiction, non-fiction. I don't care.

Survival stories leave me in awe of what humans are capable of enduring. I wonder what I would do in the situation. Would I be as strong? Or would I be the first one to give up? Especially when reading non-fiction survival stories like this one, I am captivated by the will of people to survive. I am fascinated by the psyche of the survivors as they go from one bad situation to another and still find the will to live. I am often surprised by the decisions they make.

I did not know much about the Donner Party before reading this. The Donner Party is a group of people who traveled in covered wagons from Missouri to California in 1846. They have a difficult journey and at the last leg of their journey they get stuck in the Sierra mountains due to the arrival of winter.

For me, the whole journey of the Donner Party is a survival story. But obviously the unimaginable tragedy of being stuck in the mountains in the winter without much food or shelter is the major survival story. If you know only one thing about the Donner Party it probably involves cannibalism. Yes, it happens. However, it is very well handled in this book.

This whole book is so well written and researched. The pacing is perfect and it becomes unputdownable. I love when non-fiction is this easy to read!

Overall, I was fascinated with story! I highly recommend this book to those who want to know more about the Donner Party and to those who love reading survival stories.

[GoldGato · Rating 3 out of 5]

"If you take shortcuts, you'll end up like the Donners!"

Many years ago, when a teacher scolded our class for being a bit lazy, all I could think about was learning more about these so-called Donners. Did they live nearby? Why were they supposed to be a lesson for us? This book does a pretty decent job of explaining the entire disaster to the reader, although some of it ended up being a bit grisly for me.

This is a very comprehensive review of the Donner Party, stretching back to when they first started westward across the United States. It's simply amazing how treacherous it was for the American West pioneers, especially for those who made the journey before the vast nationwide train system was developed. Looking for a better life and leaving places that only a few decades before were considered 'the West' but were now 'the Midwest', people just got up and got to it. Their wagons, if they had any, would be full of their life's accumulations, much as we have now when we make a move. Imagine having to lose everything, and also your family's lives, because someone suggested a shortcut that had never been fully checked out beforehand.

The writing here is clear and chronological, so I very quickly understood who the parties were and why they undertook such a dangerous trip. The rescue attempts were devastating and that is when I really started becoming involved in the book. I must say that after finishing this volume, I have a much better respect for the relative ease with which we live our 21st-century lives. At least I don't think I'll be munching on my neighbours' bones too soon.

It's also why I always take the long route. Shortcuts are killers.

Book Season = Winter (snowfalls of dread)

[Chrissie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent reportage of the travail of this doomed trek. All the where, when, who, why and how questions are, if not definitively answered, thoroughly analyzed. Some questions still today cannot be conclusively answered. Over the years opposing views have been voiced. Who were the real heroes, who the villains and who the cowards? Why did this expedition go so tragically wrong? The push westward to Oregon and California over the plains and the mountains during the years of the 1840s-1860s, a 2000 mile trek most often starting from Independence, Missouri, did not always end so disastrously. What went wrong here? That is the theme of this book. Cannibalism did occur but the exact details are contradictory. These contradictions, they too are analyzed, and the death tolls are studied: by sex, by age and by social ties.

Please note that the individuals studied,both those of the journey and those in the relief efforts, were numerous. In this book you do not get "inside the individuals' heads". The book is too serious a study for that. Instead possible motivations and fears are listed. Previous life events of the individuals are given so we can understand their temperaments.

The events unroll in an amazingly exciting/gruesome fashion. There is no need for fiction. Real life events are startling and painful. When you think you have reached the end, you think the problems must end now, you will find only more problems await: another blizzard another moral decision to be tackled. These poor people!

I listened to the audiobook. There is nothing much to say about the narration. It was just fine, although in my ears I heard a reflection of pity which sometimes annoyed me. Just give us the facts, buddy. Don't get me wrong; this is no big problem.

Here is another book that may be of interest: The Plains Across: The Overland Emigrants and the Trans-Mississippi West, 1840-60, though this is not just about the Donner Expedition.

[Cottageunderhill · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting and well researched book on the Donner Party. I guess my only qualm with the Donner Party is that these people were duped by a man who claimed going through Utah (through the Salt Lake) and then heading through a thin pass over the Sierras would get them to California quicker. They lost so much marching through the vast salt lake desert that by the time they reached the Sierra Mountain "pass" they had virtually nothing left. I don't really know what I would have done given that situation. I can say that I appreciated the research the author did and went into concerning cannibalism. And the lengths the party went through before eating the dead. I know I would have started eating people before my shoelaces... I also found the statistics on the dead interesting: 28 men died compared to only 8 women and that there are several theories as to why that is but the one I liked best was the fat theory. "On average, women have a higher percentage of body fat than men," (p. 237). So that's good news, my chubbette-ness will keep me alive longer than Michael should the next Ice Age hit and/or heavy snow storm. :)

[Sabrina Resendiz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ethan Rarick's Desperate Passage, tells us, with much detail and historical evidence, the story of the Donner Party, a large group of families including the Donner and Reed families who take upon the perilous journey to have a better life. This book is set America, late 1840s, when many families sought to travel to the recently acquired land of California. Traveling West for a better shot at life is not easy for the Donner Party since the land hasn't been thoroughly explored and the Natives within the land aren't always amiable. The families are faced with tough decisions and obstacles, a journey they believe will be worth the sacrifice. The book reflects upon the true journey of the Donner Party's journey, for a better life, becoming a memorable, relatable in a sense, story in American history.
In an early part of the book, the focus is set on
Tamzene, who loses her children, and her husband in the span of four months; she becomes severely depressed. Attempting to take her life away on several occasions, her only comfort is writing letters to her sister in another state. Struggling to move on with life, she became a schoolteacher in Illinois, where her health and optimism slowly improved. Ten years after becoming a widow, she met George Donner, a people-person, who she later married and created a new family. They were quite prosperous but like many other families, the pressure of going west was too great so they joined the migration towards a new, better life.
Ultimately, the story of the Donner Party is the story of pioneers traveling up to 12 miles a day, arguing about a decision to make that could mean life or death, attempting to get a better life even if that means risking their current one. It all adds up to a tale of unexperienced travelers going through new lands, which have varying climates, and the important decisions they have to make for the sake of the other members, a long, hard journey that unfortunately took the lives of many of the hopeful pioneers. Desperate Passage relates the story thoroughly, giving us a blast to the past with current historical evidence, which puts us in the position of asking ourselves, "What would I have done?"
If put in the position of a desperate, stressful situation, people could turn selfish, forget their morals and resort to any extreme measure.
Although the hardships faced on the journey would drive anyone to the brink of insanity, most of the party retained their morals and dignity. One was even brave enough to risk his own life for the sake of the other members. Yes, the Donner party is mainly known for the pioneers who ate the deceased, a desperate measure, but they didn't enjoy it at all. Feeling remorse, most of the party didn't even resort to cannibalism. I don't think I could ever fully understand the desperation these brave pioneers felt, or would I ever want to but reading about their journey made me realize even though the ultimate goal is survival, people would still rather keep their morals and protect others.
Thinking I knew what I was going to expect, I thought, "this is just a survival story, they'll do anything to survive" but after reading the whole story, I was surprised with their brave decisions. Not that the Donner story is anything to be happy about but I did end up with a fuzzy feeling inside. I felt hopeful and after I saw the pioneers not like cannibalistic fools but as morally upright, genuine, interesting personalities, courageously, ambitiously trying to achieve a better life although, like all human beings, they made mistakes, which sadly took the lives of many.
The pioneers, many of whom never traveled before, had to be courageous and make sacrifices, such as leave someone behind because they were slowing the group down. A single wrong decision led them to face the harsh cold winter, a season they were hoping to avoid. Losing hope, energy and food, some resort to cannibalism. The detailed description of the journey backed up by recent historical findings, something history lovers would appreciate, gives us a look into the pioneer life, leaving a hometown to head towards a "better life", something many who have traveled to another country with the same reason, along with the hardships that came with it, can probably relate to.

[Minna · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1846, exhausted pioneers endured the ultimate catastrophe on the last leg of their 2,000 mile immigration to California in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Desperate Passage is a horrible and fascinating historical story of families and travel companions dying and surviving months of starvation while 30 feet of snow buried them. Find out who they were, how the got in this mess, and the incredible perseverance it took to stay alive.

But also it’s just another story of bullheaded men making unnecessarily risky choices that cause women and children to suffer.

[Deirdre · Rating 5 out of 5]

When we think about the Donner Party, most of us think about just one thing -- the horrible tragedy that resulted in cannibalism. In this beautifully written, and quite emotionally engaging account, so much more is revealed -- the range of personalities involved in this story, the complex motives that propelled them forward, the role of fate and the difference a single action or decision might make. The Donner Party episode is also so much more complex than I imagined -- we think today that if we are lost, and someone knows where we are, rescue will be on the way. But at the time, even knowledge of where the remnants of the Donner Party were located didn't ensure their survival -- extraordinary efforts still needed to be made to find them and return them to safety. Above all, the book highlights the remarkable choices that this doomed group of people were forced to make -- some of them callous and horrific, but many of them generous, self-less, and heroic beyond measure. The story of the Donner Party has an iconic place in American history and receives an insightful and intelligent retelling here.

[Colin Garrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

In October 1846, as part of the last wagon train making the westward migration towards California, the group that became known as the Donner Party were forced to dig in at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Unable to make the arduous climb to finish their journey due to the oncoming snows of winter, the group were left trapped without shelter, with little food and woefully ignorant of the fate awaiting them.

Although I was aware of the story of the Donner Party, the facts of their journey were largely new to me. Unlike some writers of historical events, Ethan Rarick has created a very readable and accessible account of an ill-fated trip that left 81 individuals facing a truly horrifying and gruesome future. Having made several mistakes in their choices along the route, the Donners, Reeds and others took the untested Hastings Cut-off in a bid to shorten their journey, but soon found themselves incapable of continuing. With some members of the party already ill, it was inevitable that some would die, though the true horror facing those left alive would haunt the survivors for years afterwards.

Including new archaeological evidence and recent research, the author paints a vivid picture of life on the trail, highlighting the realities of the emigrants’ plight amid a series of disasters and bad decisions.

An enthralling and horribly compelling read.

[Geve_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well researched and clearly written, this was an interesting read. It was easy to follow along and the details were given from as many angles as could be gotten from the limited first hand accounts. There are obviously differences in the stories available; not everyone wanted to talk about how they survived, understandably. I really enjoyed the journey component of this book, and also that the author didn't get into the gory details of the cannibalism.

He had some remarks on the truthfulness of of the diarists and later newspaper stories about the events, but my favorite part was the discussion about "how did so many ladies survive???" Like, wow. At the time, of course, everyone thought womens uteruses would like, fall out of their bodies if they did too much exercise, so I guess I get it, but also, how have men been walking around for so long thinking they are the only ones keeping the human species alive? Holy shit. 15 people leave from the snowed in camp: 10 men and 5 women. When they get down from the mountains the party consists of 2 men and 5 women. Huh, how are all these weak ass bitches surviving the trek? Some of the men even discussed and attempted to kill some of the 5 women in order to fucking eat them but they weren't able to for various reasons. Then the men starved/hypothermia'ed to death while the women didn't. Like, it's pretty obvious everyone, women have more fat, smaller bodies and slower metabolisms. They survive famine better, it's been recorded in every famine situation in fucking human history. I know this will come as a shock but in the absence of violence, women are biologically capable of existing. Weird.

Overall, good read, well written and detailed.

[Gale · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Nature’s Toll on Human Nature”

This 21st century expansion on George R. Stewart’s Ordeal by Hunger proves surprisingly readable—entrancing armchair historians seated comfortably by a friendly hearth--the wind and wolves at bay—despite our foreknowledge of the grim 1846 battle for survival in a geographically-hostile environment. Rarik’s literary style presents a meticulously-researched chronological account of the doomed Donner Party’s agonizing crossing of the American Midwest and the forbidding Sierra Nevadas a few scant years before the Gold Rush. A cautionary tale indeed, it chronicles their anti-heroic behavior, serving as a study in human interaction, resilience and emotional breakdown when social mores gradually eroded under prolonged starvation. Not all the rescuers demonstrated honor or decency; not all the survivors merited praise or even exoneration.

Rarik’s epic research offers Notes and an exhaustive Bibliography. (Diaries, journals, third-person newspaper accounts, subsequent memories, many of which contradicted each other.) Presenting the viewpoints of multiple characters the author deftly interweaves the struggle of survivors at both the Lake Camps and at Alder Creek, with the trials of various rescue parties. This tapestry of deprivation and torture includes commentary on civilized nations’ treatment of “survival cannibalism” and a justified indictment of the haphazard self-promoting scheme of Hastings—whose fatal Cutoff he never experienced first-hand. Their story, quite simply, became a pioneering Blame Game. After the final departure of the last survivor this non-fiction novel includes the fate of each of the survivors and their rescuers. It concludes with the 1918 dedication of the Donner Memorial, attended by three elderly female survivors. Perhaps Patty Reed’s hidden doll might have revealed a painful lesson: that one secret of survival was the role of “the heart.”

March 24, 2019

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I've ever read!

I couldn't put it down. It truly brought history to life. And I found a couple of wonderful heroes to look up to.

The first half of the book takes you into the lives of people on the westward trail. You learn about individuals who were drawn to take their families to a new land out west. Then you see what life was like upon the wagon trail and the decisions they had to make along the way. It's a very engaging account.

I found myself wondering how *I* would handle some of the conundrums they faced on the trail, most especially concerning Mr. Hastings' promises and his level of follow-through. It was compelling.

The last half of the book detailed their travails in their wintering location -- the depths of cold and starvation, the ravaging storms, the meager shelters.... The mothers, seeking comfort for their children. And the multiple attempts at both escape and rescue.

If a person wanted to get a historical feel for the westward expansion movement, major landmarks, and life upon the trail, yet was leery of Donner Party details, they could read just the first half and get much out of it! I'd certainly recommend the first half for homeschooling families (and only summarize their overwinter experiences / escape for youth).

The entire book was excellent, taking me into the lives and experiences of these regular people enduring extraordinary challenges. I highly recommend it.

[Teri Rithamer · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s hard not to give a book five stars when it not only brings me out of a reading slump but I also finish within hours of beginning.

This book recounts the events of the tragedy that befell the Donner Party in 1846 — a tragedy which I admittedly knew very little about. As a reader with little knowledge about American history of the mid-1800s, I was pleasantly surprised by the readability of the story. The author took great time to explain the background of the emigration and touched upon the political realities of the time too, all whilst conveying it in a way that was understandable for me (even if barely).

The only gripe I had with this — which, in a sentence or two, I will retract — is the slower pace of the beginning. It seems as though half of the book is just recounts their mostly uneventful journey facing very minor hardships before they reach the Sierra Nevada (which I first had mistaken as Hastings’ Longtripp). Whilst the descriptions were beautiful, I did have to take a break, which coincidentally was just before the chapter in which group tensions rose to new heights. However, after having read the rest of the book, I should like only to read the beginning again and stay naive about what turmoils lay ahead for the group.

Perhaps the best aspect of this book, for me, is the unparalleled voice of each individual in the book. It followed an undoubtedly large amount of viewpoints and yet I was never mistaken in knowing whose voice was being spoken. The words written/spoken by the individuals themselves was an intrinsic addition of which I believe I will carry in memory for quite some time.

In terms of the second half of the story, where we finally get to read of the Donner Party’s struggles, I remain speechless. Firstly, the recount made me lose track of time as I was reading. I never once looked up from the pages or wondered if I should have a break. The pacing was very quick but still took enough time to handle everything with care. Secondly, I have yet to read about any event which had such a rescue response to that of the Donner Party — though this is admittedly a testament to the individuals in real life (namely John Stark who will be revered in my mind evermore).

I am deeply moved by this story, as I am most true survival tales, but the authors care and handling of this incident was beautiful. I have no doubts in the future I will be re-reading.

[Audrey Ashbrook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Desperate Passage: The Donner Party's Perilous Journey West by Ethan Rarick is a non-fiction book about the Donner-Reed Party, a group of eighty-one emigrants who sought to reach California during a period of great westward expansion. The party, already too late in the season, took the Hastings Cutoff, trapping them in the Sierra Nevada Mountains through the harsh, snowy winter of 1846-47. What follows is a harrowing true ordeal of people trying to survive and escape the mountains. 

Once a year, usually in the autumn/winter, I pick a book about the Donner-Reed Party to read. I love learning about their lives in America in the 1800s, their wagon journey west, and their incredible resolve in the face of true horror and devastation.

This was a good read, but not the best in regards to detail. The best book I've ever read about the Donner-Reed Party is The Indifferent Stars Above by Daniel James Brown. Still, this was an interesting book.

[Don · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is going to stay with me for many years. I finished reading this and it's like walking away from a bad car wreck, of which I've been in two in my life.
I've always wanted to know more about the Donner party. I've watched what I thought were good documentaries but they can't begin to hold a candle to this.
It was very well written. Did not come across cold and impersonal like a textbook, but *almost* like a discussion.
The author, Ethan Rarick, used primary sources mainly. Letters from surviving members, interviews, and diaries. Starting at the beginning and all the way through the end and follows up with what happened to the people in the years after.
Rarick gives great background information and histories when needed to understand the situation better. Misconceptions about Native Americans and wagon trains. Life on the trail. Cannibalism, etc.
Further, he avoids stating a fact unless it was a fact. Weather conditions. Fact. What Person X's motives were; not fact. Unless, of course, there is fact to back it up.
He offers the different points of view, archeological evidence, interviews, controversies, etc. and may follow it up with what he personal believes and why. Otherwise, he gives you the information and allows you to draw your own conclusion.

What you think you know, it nothing compared to what really happened.
An amazing story of survival that none of us can say "what I would'a done is..." unless you were there in 1846 in 20 feet of snow.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would not call Mr. Rarick a great writer, but he's a thorough and responsible historian and he handles the sensational subject matter of "Desperate Passage" as . . . um . . . tastefully as possible. Particularly valuable is his description of the climate conditions that stranded the Donner party just east of the Sierra Nevada mountains over the winter of 1846-1847, which reinforces the point he makes in the chapter about the startlingly common practice of cannibalism among stranded travelers, often sailors, during an era of bold and often reckless exploration: one day you, too, might be hungry enough to put the "family" in family dinner, so don't pass judgment. Mr. Rarick is also fairly evenhanded toward the hucksters whose desire to lure more white settlers to the West Coast drove them to publicize a non-existent shortcut to California through some of the harshest landscapes in the West, and the wagon-party leaders whose hubris drove them to believe such extravagant claims. After all, aren't we all only human, prone to the flaws that the flesh is heir to (pride, greed, gaminess)?

[Kelsey Hanson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provides a more in-depth look at the Donner Party and all that the settlers had to go through. Before reading this book, my knowledge of the Donner Party was basically that they were a group of settlers who after a series of poor choices wound up stuck in the winter and had to resort to cannibalism in order to survive. While that is an accurate summary, it's hardly the whole story. This book offers some insight about why they made the choices they made and how they survived. The most interesting aspect of this book for me was the story of the rescuers. In this modern age, it's really easy to assume that rescue was fairly simple, just head down with enough food to get them out. Wrong. This book shows just how dangerous it could be for the rescuers in this remote area and how many of them found themselves stuck in the same boat as the Donner party members. This book tells the story of many of the heroes and villains associated with the Donner Party and showcases the strength of the human spirit.

[Keely · Rating 4 out of 5]

Desperate Passage offers a straightforward account of the Donner Party's disastrous trek west in 1845. Rarick keeps the narrative going with engaging storytelling, and throughout the sad tale, emphasizes its thoroughly human elements--the miscalculations, pride, and risk taking that puts us all in bad situations from time to time. Unfortunately, for the Donner party, their mistakes happened to collide with perfect storm of external circumstances that ended up stranding them in early Sierra Nevada snows before they could make the crossing into safety in California. In addition to focusing on the all-too/human mistakes the group made, Desperate Passage also highlights their Everyman heroism--parents, siblings, and friends doing whatever they had to do to survive.

I picked up Desperate Passage to get a little more context after reading Alma Katsu's supernatural reimagining of the Donner party's ordeal in her novel The Hunger. I came away with the background I'd been looking for, plus some interesting surprises about what actually happened. For instance, I never knew that more than half of the 81 people trapped in the mountains were under the age of 18. In addition, the survival cannibalism some of the group engaged in wasn't as widespread, lengthy, or gruesome as more mythic accounts had led me to believe. The book also offers some compelling insights about who survived and who didn't. The highest death rate was among young unattached men--the teamsters and employees working their way west along with the family groups. Apparently, strong social ties, the encouragement to keep going and live for each other, must have been a factor in the higher survival rate of close-knit family groups.

Good history book. I especially appreciated how streamlined it was. Desperate Passage delivers a well-rounded picture without many detours. Just what I was looking for.

[Terry Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was gripped by this book all the way through. It tells the story of a party of pioneers travelling from Illinois to California in 1846, to start a new life. But they made 3 fatal mistakes: they set off too late, they travelled too slowly, and, instead of taking the traditional route up into Oregon and down into California, they took a short cut, the 'Hastings Cut-Off', little knowing that Lansford Hastings, who was trying to lure more Americans into Mexico-owned California, had never actually tested the route himself. Somewhere between a third and a half of the pioneers perished en route.

The account is fascinating on so many levels: Rarick gives a great insight into the characters of the travellers, and I actually found it easier to follow the large cast in this non-fiction account than in the novel. I like that he dispelled many of the myths about the relationship between the travellers and the native Americans; for the most part, the latter were helpful, and friendly.

The already difficult journey becomes tragic in the extreme once the party realises that they have hit the mountains at the onset of winter; a large section of the book is concerned with this part of the journey, with all its horrors; starvation, divisions in the group, failed attempts to cross the high peaks, many deaths, and cannibalism. Rarick has given all viewpoints, taken from those who survived it, the rescuers, and the accounts in the newspapers afterwards.

The last part of the book is spent discussing what was true, what was exaggerated, and the downright lies that were conjured up for the purpose of selling books and newspapers. Also, he tells what happened to the survivors after their ordeal was over.

Most tragic of all is the thought that within some of the survivors' lifetimes, new technology would have made their crossing so much easier, saving many lives.

A terrific book that I recommend most highly.

[Susan Copeland · Rating 3 out of 5]

I already knew quite a bit about the Donner party and this book didn't add to my knowledge. For someone who hasn't read about this tragedy previously however, this book could provide interesting information. It is a true story of the hardships of a group of families immigrating west and their suffering due to bad choices.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poignant and poetic, revealing yet respectful, this is the Donner Party history that this tragic story, and its readers, deserve. Rarick pieces together intimate moments and excerpts from primary sources to create a vivid picture of an unimaginable journey, making it possible for a modern day reader to understand the experience and etching those scenes into memory. The author doesn't shy away from the perplexing and the contradictory, directly addressing conflicting newspaper accounts and eyewitness reports. If you're fascinated by this period in history, or you just like the scene at the beginning of The Shining, pack your provisions and double team the oxen for this harrowing journey through a Desperate Passage.

[Thalia Barbosa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Veryyy slow start. Interesting account of the depths that people go to survive.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice info.

[Erin Entrada Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well-researched and well-written, with an objective POV that puts everything in context in a textured, respectful, practical way.

[Marta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! Well researched and well written.

[Bita · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you want to know about the Donner party this book is a good one to read.

[Brandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so good. Fascinating and horrific. It's amazing that anyone survived. The thought of living in those conditions for so long is unbelievable. It's interesting too how the recollection of events changed over time. It's definitely on my must-see list in terms of historical sites.

[Mimi Vo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book takes us back to 1846, a time where there were no such things as smart phones and automobiles. It tells us about a group of nearly 90 emigrants who attempt to make a long journey westward to California with the hopes of acquiring a better future and easier living. This group, known as the Donner Party consisted of men, women, and many children. At this time, many Americans were traveling westward with the intentions of fulfilling their "Manifest Destiny" which is the philosophy that America must expand and stretch from coast to coast. A journey like this usually took several months due to the fact that they had to travel the old-fashioned way - via ox drawn wagons and on foot. However, as the Donner Party starts its journey, the emigrants have no idea that their trek will take quite longer than usual. They will encounter many setbacks and ultimately, catastrophe.

Rarick does an impressive job of narrating this grievous part of American history. He consistently quoted parts of the emigrants' dairies and journals, which gave great insight on how they were feeling. Although we never really go inside the minds of the Donner Party members, I was still able get a vivid idea of the mood and ambience of the journey. Rarick clearly expresses a major theme in this book - a human's desperate will to survive. However, there were flaws in Rarick's writing style. He often went back and forth, jumping from one scene to another without any warning to the reader.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It gives excellent insight on the Donner Party's treacherous trek westward to a better future in California. It is jam-packed with suspense and is a heartrending retelling of what is possibly one of the most tragic parts of American history. A beautifully written page turner, this book will compel you to ponder on the darker side of human nature and will leave you thinking about how extreme you would go to save your own life and the lives of those you love.

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just about everyone has heard of the Donner Party, the ill-fated wagon train that got trapped in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in October 1846, and the fact that many of the survivors had to resort to cannibalism in order live long enough to be rescued. However, their story is so much more than just their gruesome method of survival, and this book covers it all.

The author does, of course, discuss the cannibalism that was necessary for survival, but he does so without any sensationalism or gory details. The bulk of the book covers the rest of their journey, from the party’s departure from Missouri to what happened to the survivors after their ordeal ended. The first half of the book, which deals with the journey up to the point where they are trapped by snow, is an excellent study of what it was like for the pioneers to risk their lives in order to make better lives for themselves in the new land of California.

The second half, which deals with their entrapment and their various attempts to escape, is heartbreaking to read. I couldn’t help but wonder how long I would have survived under such horrendous circumstances (not very long, I suspect!). However, it does give testament to the human will to survive and perhaps I would fare longer than I think. It is absolutely unbelievable to me that so many survived, with virtually no food and barely any shelter, for over four months.

The author also does a good job at describing the various members of the party. Readers get a real sense of everyone’s personalities, helping to make this true story even more heart wrenching.

This is definitely not a dry historical read; it is fast-paced, informative, and the type of non-fiction that would appeal to even the most determined “I hate to read history” reader.

[Damon Lively · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic and captivating book. For a stab in the dark at picking a book to analyze and explain in detail the Donner Party tragedy - I could not have asked for much more. This book is a page turner and is written in a manner that makes it difficult to put down. With each page I was mesmerized by parts of this story I had not realized before, the scope of human endurance and ability (fight) to survive, and to another extent the heartfelt sickness at poor decisions that lead to loss of innocent life. It's is one event after another. For those unfamiliar - this story (although a different time period and certainly set of circumstances) has eery similarity to the story "Alive" and the Andes tragedy. For those who "think" they know the Donner story (and might be like myself and simply have heard about the ordeal in the winter of the Sierra Nevada Mts) - you will find so much more to this story and events (all captivating and intriguing). There are some may times and points in this book where I just stopped and reflected - hardly believing the events and what this group (children included) endured / some survived (although not many). I highly recommend this to anyone. A very tragic set of circumstances.

[Care · Rating 4 out of 5]

Desperate Passage was better than I expected. This was really engaging, not dull or plodding in its pacing, and, at times, even moving, emotionally rich, and well-written. I'm not a good gauge on public interest in history books; as a history major I probably like history books more than most people, so I can't say that anyone would like this or that it's a good choice for someone delving into books on American settler history for the first time. However, if you're already interested in the Donner Party or American colonial history, survival narratives, or dark, grim tales, this is for you! Rarick gives a decent scope of American society in the mid-1800s, setting the tone for the Donner Party's misadventures. He doesn't blame any party for the consequential tragedies but he does point out several instances that led to the entrapment, starvation, desperation, and (eventually) cannibalism. One of the strongest portions of this study is his examination of historical cannibalism in a colonial perspective. He looks at Naval expeditions that led to cannibalism and how it was treated and seen by both the perpetrators and the empire. This is a gem of information on The Donner Party, California's invasion and settlement, and survival ethics and history.