BOOK REVIEWS: by figgy

Dark Journey

Title: Dark Journey

Author: Allan W. Eckert

Published: 2009

Type: Non-Fiction

Subject: History: Oregon Trail ~ California 1847-1849 ~ The Donner(-Reed) Party 

Rateing: 6 Stars

Summery:

This book, Dark Journey is a NON FICTION book about the tragedy of the Donner party, a group of emigrants moving along the Oregon trail towards California (sounds weird but that's how they started), but deciding to take a different route that a man, Hastings wrote about in a book. 

Yes, this proabably does sound like history leason....cause it is. A very important one...to me.

The route turned out not to be passable for wagons and even men on only horses and mules had trouble making it across. Hastings wrote this before he took the trail and only then took it on horseback without wagons. Even after his troubles he refused to admit that he was wrong to write the book in which he, not only described a (near impassable) route that would cut weeks and miles off a travelers journey, but glorified California as a Utopia that it was not.

The Donner party, also the Donner-Reed Party, took this "Hastings cut off" and after going through Hell as they passed over the Wasatch Mountains in Utah (they got lost and had to cut there way through, causing not only the men to become exhausted beyond belief, but the group to be split into factions. They had to  double back at one point, cutting a brand new path along the way) and the Great Salt Lake Desert (about 80 miles long where a large amount of the cattle (food and means of moving the wagons) wandered off and died of thirst, malnutrition, and exhaustion. they lost a large amount of there wagons and supplies in the salty mud that sucked them down and hardened. they ran out of water after about three days and had to go three more days without.)It was now almost November and had planned to be in California by September. All of this and still, they hoping to get over the Sierra Nevada Mountains before winter set in and trapped them. 

They did not make it.

The book describes not only their journey but there deplorable conditions in the Mountains in three separate parties and what they did to make it through that Godforsaken Winter. In it are factual references, over one hundred and thirty, including more in depth knowledge of briefly touched on topics, a time-line and a list of the members, listing their survival status and how they related to persons in the party.

Of the 81 members of the Donner-Reed party to get stuck in the mountains, including the two indian guides, 36 died and 45 lived.

Of the 87 members who started the journey 39 died and 48 lived; with the Indians it would be 89 emigrants, 41 died and 48 lived

My view on all this?

What? You're STILL not convinced you should drop any piece of modernized fairytale junk on your desk, rush to the nearest library, book store or website and find this book? You have to hear my lowly opinion first?  

Well then.  

THIS BOOK is one that everyone should read. Not just because it is written well and raises emotions you never feel now-a-days due to an over sheltered life, among other things, but because a lot of people, like me, probably never knew of this event or had forgotten it long ago because it was mentioned back when we were to busy looking out the windows and praying for a snow day (a.k.a. every day of school since we actually started to WORK.) Seeing inside the minds off all these people who most likely thought they were damned to suffer at the hands of Satan himself and practically watching them as they struggled to survive....it's something you will never forget.

You feel along with the people, the hopelessness and hurt along with modern day guilt for complaining about not having any sugar infused things to drink and the food you have at your disposal almost 24/7. If they could be willing to eat shoes, ground up bones and there makeshift roof coverings, what right do we have to scoff at the fatty parts of our steaks?

There are more than a few macabre scenes, but after living though their journey up until then you can hardly blame them for their actions. Would you do anything different? If you say yes then I would commend you for it. I'm not sure I would have under those conditions. Not only that, but from the book descriptions and what the author mentions throughout the story, you KNOW what is going to happen, or at least most of it. If you are anything like me you will be flipping to the back of the book to the numbered notes the author tells you about in the short Authors Note.

  It is factual and real and still hits home so often you are left shell shocked and dazed when it ends, because surely there has to be more, has to be a happy ending to something like this to elevate the horror, heartbreak and struggle that just occurred the past two hundred and whatever pages.  

The maority of the people who servived, save a few of the most deplorable beasts on the face of the earth, have my upmost respect and should be reveared as hero's, though I highly doubt that if any were still alive they would feel that way.

    It is written almost as if by a journal, but by an omnipresent author flickering though all of the known facts and adding his own feelings along with it occasionally. The Charrie's feelings are not only voiced not only by the author but backed up with quotes and journal writes. 

It actually reminds me of one of the books I am writing in this way, only the charries in mine are telling the story, not real and it is being told backwards in a sense. (curious? to bad. I'm not posting it till it is well on it's way to being done....which doesn't seem to be anytime soon XD)  

The amount of work and research put into this is incredible and the author deserves a gargantuan amount of praise for this extremely long, interesting and time consuming essay that I wouldn't'[t have the patience, let alone ability to do. And if he enjoyed doing this, then we should all be jealous of him and his ability to turn history (which most of you view as a boring subject) into one of the most fascinating pieces of literature anyone will ever read....  

  And since it it located in the NON-FICTION section of the library and is not as famous as Anne Frank (yet), it will not be read unless you are forced to read it or you stumble upon it while looking up the Oregon trail.        

  In case you are to lazy to read that  

(>-_-)> (and kirby sees all that just scrolled to the bottom -_- shame on you)  

It is one of the best books I have ever read and YOU SHOULD READ IT. Immediately.   It is very important....  

  P.S. This is my first book review and since I have a hard time explaining my thoughts because they are more feelings than coherent words it may not  be to good....  

Toodles.