The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Saga of a Donner Party Bride

Now I know why I didn't read much of the donner party. Ugh. Not sure there's a pleasant part of that story. I'm more interested in the history of the frontier, not specifically the order in which people met their grisly ends.This book purports to focus on a single character to trace through history -- which is a tenuous theme at best. The first 75% discuss over 50 characters, so it is hard to keep them straight, and only at the close of the story does the author wax philosophical (and a bit indulgent) in first-person stories of how he relates to the "central" protagonist both as he tries to put himself in her shoes, and as he imagines himself to be her father, since he has a daughter in real life who is the same age as this protagonist (at least, at some point they are the same age, which is rather silly since the story is about her life over a period of decades).Anyways. I'm not sure there is a better Donner Party narrative out there. The ones in the library seemed to be written in that late 19th century style, which is uncomfortable for an armchair historian like me. I found myself wishing that I was re-reading Undaunted Courage or similar, rather than this harrowing tale of misery and catastrophe. ( )

I tried to read this and parts were very interesting, but other parts read too much like a school history book. I found myself skipping ahead to find more of Sarah's story and less of the history lesson surrounding it. I skipped ahead a good bit in parts of the book. ( )

I was only peripherally aware of the Donner party saga, and this book gave me a detailed, step-by-step account. I feel well-versed now. However, that being said, I didn't expect that type of experience. I thought it would be more story-like; this leaned more towards text book writing. (No major complaints about that, though.) For the most part, I thought it was very good, and I learned a great deal - it just felt a little distant, probably because Brown didn't just focus on a few characters. There were numerous groups. However, it was by no means emotion-free; it's a devastating story.

It was very obvious that Brown's research was extensive, and the added side notes of information were of great interest to me. In the finished copy, I believe there are photos, which I'm eager to seek out. However, it's my understanding that there is not a map, and I feel like that is an important, missed feature. I would have loved to have seen the trail they were supposed to have taken and the one that lead to the demise of many.

In the end, The Indifferent Stars Above, is a fine piece of work. It's informative and sincere. I'm glad I read it and recommend it to those interested in the Donner saga.

Originally posted on: Thoughts of Joy ( )

History that reads like a novel. The story of the Donner Party is one that everyone seems to have heard but that few really know anything about. Today the only thing anyone really is aware of is the horrifying lengths members of the group went to in order to survive. What people don't realize is that the majority of the Donner Party were women and children; that they were completely exhausted and without provisions well before they became snowbound; and that there were numerous attempts to escape the snowbound mountains as well as rescue parties sent from California. I found this book to be absolutely riviting. Yes, it was sometimes difficult to read about this ordeal. On the other hand, it was inspiring to know read about their determination to live and to know that many did survive. Absolutely one of the best books I've read and very highly recommended. ( )

The Indifferent Stars Above is a well-researched and fresh telling of the famously disastrous Donner Party. With coverage of the full journey from Midwest through to California, the travelers' mistakes are slow building, but apparent. If you can look past the periodic present-day asides--perhaps of interest to the author alone--the story is fully compelling and presented with emotion, but not sensationalism. The book remains surprisingly suspenseful throughout and a solidly engaging read. ( )