The West [Abridged, Audiobook] [Audio Cassette]

Geoffrey C. Ward (Author, Reader)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 3, 1996

Geoffrey C. Ward provides a gripping journey through the turbulent history of the region that has come to symbolize America around the world. Drawing upon hundreds of letters, diaries, memoirs, and journals, as well as the latest scholarship, The West chronicles the arrival of wave after wave of newcomers from every corner of the compass, each of whom invested the harsh but majestic western landscape with its own myths and desires and dreams.

The cast is as rich and diverse as the western landscape itself -- Coronado and Custer, Chief Joseph and Buffalo Bill are all here. But so are scores of lesser-known westerner whose stories are no less compelling. It is the central story of America, a story filled with heroism and hope, enterprise and adventure, as well as tragedy and disappointment. The West chronicles the tensions between whites and the Native peoples they sought to displace, but it also encompasses the Hispanic experience in the West, from the time of the conquistadors to the transformation of a Mexican-American village called Los Angeles into the region's major metropolis; the lives of Chinese immigrants who called the region "Gold Mountain" and of freed slaves from the South who sought a better life homesteading on the Great Plains.

Beautifully told and meticulously researched, The West tells the story of a unique part of America and provides a metaphor for the country as a whole. With its heroism and iniquity, exploitation and adventure, sober realities and bright myths, it is the story of all Americans -- no matter where on the continent they happen to live, no matter how recently their ancestors arrived on its shores.

The West is available in hardcover from Little, Brown & Co.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In The West, the audiobook companion to the popular PBS television series, author and narrator Geoffrey C. Ward brings to life a grand and sweeping chronology that begins with the arrival of the first Europeans and journeys well into the twentieth century. Ward's even, authoritative voice lends an unbiased air to an often violent and tragic tale. Throughout this rich and untamed history, scores of newcomers arrive from around the globe, all in search of a better life and the dream of making a home in what proves to be a harsh land.

This colossal story of the discovery and settling of the American west delves deeply into the tensions between whites and the native peoples that they ultimately displaced. Though a great emphasis is placed on the turbulent relationship between these newcomers and the tragic destruction of Native American culture, much of the narrative is also devoted to the numerous conflicts that evolved between groups of settlers. Drawn from hundreds of letters, diaries, memoirs, and journals, The West is a meticulously researched, gripping chronicle of America's adventurous expansion toward the Pacific.

From Library Journal

This abridged history, based on the companion book (Little, Brown, 1996) to a PBS television series, is read at breakneck pace by author Ward. The first half of the program deals with the West's early years?a sad tale of greed, graft, and gruesome massacres. The remaining half offers a sympathetic portrait of Native Americans and a realistic picture of the indomitable spirit of the American pioneer. All in all, this is a brief account that should attract interest thanks to the PBS series. Regrettably, the cassettes are boxed in a flimsy cardboard album that won't hold up to circulation. For large collections.?Sister Avila, formerly with Acad. of the Holy Angels, Minneapolis
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Random House Audio (September 3, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679456155
• ISBN-13: 978-0679456155
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 4.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,149,857 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Highly Entertaining, October 29, 2001

By 

Scott Harris (Kentucky) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The West (Audio Cassette)

The audiobook version of "The West" is a fast paced excursion through the history of the west from the arrival of European immigrants to the early 20th century. Over 80% of the material, however, concentrates on the 19th century (where the bulk of the action is found). I found this to be a very exciting trip through the history of the region and do recommend it to anyone with an interest in history or the region.

The only flaws in the presentation are relatively minor. The first is the usual flaw found in most writers of western history of the latter part of the 20th century and that is an over-romanticization of the Native American cultures which tends to reduce the conflicts of the settlement of the west to "all Native Americans saintly; all white settlers act like Satan". While they do a good job of covering white atrocities inflicted on the Native Americans (i.e. the Sand Creek Massacre, the war against the Nez Perce, the routine violation of treaties by the government, etc.)the authors do gloss over the often violent history the Native American tribes had with each other as well as totally ignoring the barbaric aspects of some tribal cultures of the west. Still, on balance, they are far more objective in this area than the majority of western writers. Their is also an almost complete silence on the roll of religion in the settlement of the west. Also it is dissapointing that Alaska and Hawaii were completely excluded from coverage in the audiobook. It is also dissapointing that the book ends in the very early 20th century leaving out great 20th century events in the west such as the oil booms, the dust bowl, the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and the rise of tourism in the west.

Still, "The West" is an enjoyable listen, and is probably best listened to while driving in your car through the west.