Excellent book (read with a map)

Very much enjoyed the stories. Having an understanding of the geography of the west is helpful in listening to the book.

3 people found this helpful

A lot of good history and quite a story too.

This book fills in a lot of history that has been generally skipped over in favor of the Civil War and other high volume catagories. I listen to audible or read a book to learn. I did that and then some. Hard men, rough time, the building of a nation, the shrinking of nations, fortunes won, fortunes lost, the rise of the U.S. the decline of Mexico, the making of American heroes, the end of the Red man, its all in there. Very well read. Very well written. A bit sad in places. Non fiction tends to be that way sometimes.

8 people found this helpful

The narrator tries my patience.

What made the experience of listening to A Life Wild and Perilous the most enjoyable?

I am fascinated by the individual characters highlighted, such as Hugh Glass, Jedediah Smith, Kit Carson, and Joseph Walker, to mention just a few of the ones who stand out. They are colorful elements of a short period of our American history, and of our geography. I liked reading about the western territories, the rivers and deserts, the Indians and all the rugged humans who peopled the land and lived lives so different from ours. From now on when I hear the names of rivers and places such as Ogden, Bonneville, Walker and Provo, they will be evoke the rich history behind them.

What didn’t you like about Richard Davidson’s performance?

He makes a failed attempt to read with a lot of expression, failed because he gives more weight to the wrong words and phrases, and also overdramatizes less important sentences as though they were the most significant moments in history.

But the most annoying feature of this narration is the slowness of it. Period stops are often so long that you think it must be the end of a chapter, but no, eventually the narrator comes back, as though from having a TIA. I bought a print copy of this book out of supreme frustration.The quality of Richard Davidson's voice itself is resonant and deep! I suppose that's why he got this job. But for narration, that's not the only factor to consider.

1 person found this helpful

It's alright.

I found the title and publisher's summary a little misleading: "If you have ever wondered what is was like to be an explorer in the unspoiled American West of the early 1800s, then this is the audiobook for you."

There isn't really much detail about "what is (sic) was like", rather it is a summary of the historical record.

It isn't bad, just not as intriguing to me as later accounts of what life was really like on the ground out West such as "The Oregon Trail" by Francis Parkman, and "A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains" by Isabella Lucy Bird.

2 people found this helpful

wonderfully written!

the book has a great and methodical flow to it. I loved every bit of it. It is a valuable resource to any who wish to know their mountain man history by heart.

Not as hoped for

The story is as dry as the "perilous" deserts crossed by the mountain men. Difficult to finish.

incredible

every book in the world seems boring compared to this. and it's all true. long live the honor of the mountain men.

Just the facts

Not much of a story just dry facts too boring to finish. I think this is a good subject presented in a dull drab way. I never connected with the story. What was the purpose of writing this?

1 person found this helpful

Bit Dry but a Good Listen

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Develop the characters a bit more. Put more distance from the flat-factual-historical account and embrace more of the human drama behind these stories.

Was A Life Wild and Perilous worth the listening time?

Yes.

1 person found this helpful

wonderful

a well written book. it had enough detail to allow one to connect with the figures. yet enough brevity to avoid mind numbing facts.

1 person found this helpful