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Lions of the West: Heroes and Villains of the Westward Expansion Audiobook
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(3.04) - 128 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Thomas Jefferson, a naturalist and visionary, dreamed that the United States would stretch across the continent from ocean to ocean. The account of how that dream became reality unfolds in the stories of Jefferson and nine other Americans whose adventurous spirits and lust for land pushed the westward boundaries: Andrew Jackson, John “Johnny Appleseed” Chapman, David Crockett, Sam Houston, James K. Polk, Winfield Scott, Kit Carson, Nicholas Trist, and John Quincy Adams. Their tenacity was matched only by that of their enemies: the Mexican army under Santa Anna at the Alamo, the Comanche and Apache Indians, and the forbidding geography itself.
Known also for his powerful fiction (Gap Creek, The Truest Pleasure, Brave Enemies), Morgan uses his skill at characterization to give life to the personalities of these ten Americans without whom the United States might well have ended at the Arkansas border. Their stories—and those of the nameless thousands who risked their lives to settle on the frontier, displacing thousands of Native Americans—form an extraordinary chapter in American history that led directly to the cataclysm of the Civil War.
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"What a meaty read! This is the kind of history book I can really get into. I recommend this book to anyone. I am going to encourage my kids to read it. Well written, and interesting, I am glad I won it on First Reads! If I taught history, I would require my students to read this."
— Aileen (5 out of 5 stars)
Awards
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Selected for the November 2011 Indie Next List
Lions of the West Listener Reviews
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" I enjoyed this book and learned so much about the men who's actions and dreams helped make this country great. My favorite was the chapter of David Crockett since I have never read to much about him. I know about him from movies and such. Very well written. "
— Shannon, 2/3/2014 -
" A pretty good examination of 19th century US History as it relates to the conquest of the American West. It's presented as a series of mini-biographies of the relevant characters from Thomas Jefferson to Winfield Scott or James K Polk to Nicolas Trist. It drags a bit at times but some of it is very interesting, particularly to me, the chapters on the Mexican War and how it was won. "
— Tom, 1/1/2014 -
" Pretty Interesting Book and learned about those that were mentioned in the book and how they influenced the western United States. "
— Steve, 11/1/2013 -
" OK, but not great, including one notable historical error. (Andrew Jackson never "won" the election of 1824 only to lose it later.) Had I not learned a few things about Winfield Scott in the chapter on him, I might have three-starrred the book. "
— Socraticgadfly, 9/9/2013 -
" This book consisted of short biograghies of historical figures who had a part in the westward expansion. It could spark your interest of reading more complete biograghies of those people or related events. "
— Jay, 9/8/2013 -
" If history class was this interesting there would be a lot more history majors. The book tells about many different historical figures that were prominent in the Western expansion. The political intrigue was fascinating. "
— Caryn, 3/16/2013 -
" Like another reviewer, my review and rating is based on the audio version of the book. Certainly the subject matter is interesting but the narrator makes staying interested difficult. In reality, the narrator does more harm to this book than good. "
— Jay, 1/31/2013 -
" I found this book to be highly informative in terms of the westward expansion. It tells the stories of the men who are believed by the author to be influential in shaping what would become the west as we know it today. "
— Richie, 1/31/2013 -
" Morgan sees most of these events through a modern PC filter. It's rather annoying to inpugn 2012 motives on early 19th century actions. Otherwise, an interesting read. "
— George, 9/7/2012 -
" Very good. Broken up into sections about different people, from Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson to Winfield Scott and even Johnny Appleseed. Shed a tremendous amount of light on the western expansion of the United States. "
— Joe, 7/14/2012 -
" A big read, but worth the effort. Loved learning about these great (with flaws) men. "
— Janette, 3/1/2012 -
" I can't quite put my finger on what it was about this book that annoyed me. "
— Denise, 12/23/2011
About Robert Morgan
Robert Morgan, a poet and novelist raised on land settled by his Welsh ancestors, is a native of North Carolina mountains that act as the backdrop for his intensely personal writing. He has won the James B. Hanes Poetry Prize, the North Carolina Award in Literature, and the Jacaranda Review Fiction Prize.
About David Drummond
David Drummond has made his living as an actor for over twenty-five years, appearing on stages large and small throughout the country and in Seattle, Washington, his hometown. He has narrated over thirty audiobooks, in genres ranging from current political commentary to historical nonfiction, fantasy, military, thrillers, and humor. He received an AudioFile Earphones Award for his first audiobook, Love ’Em or Lose ’Em: Getting Good People to Stay. When not narrating, he keeps busy writing plays and stories for children.