The Oregon Trail

A New American Journey

De: Rinker Buck

Narrado por: Rinker Buck

In the best-selling tradition of Bill Bryson and Tony Horwitz, Rinker Buck's The Oregon Trail is a major work of participatory history: an epic account of traveling the entire 2,000-mile length of the Oregon Trail the old-fashioned way, in a covered wagon with a team of mules - which hasn't been done in a century - that also tells the rich history of the trail, the people who made the migration, and its significance to the country.

Spanning 2,000 miles and traversing six states from Missouri to the Pacific Ocean, the Oregon Trail is the route that made America. In the 15 years before the Civil War, when 400,000 pioneers used it to emigrate West - historians still regard this as the largest land migration of all time - the trail united the coasts, doubled the size of the country, and laid the groundwork for the railroads. The trail years also solidified the American character: our plucky determination in the face of adversity, our impetuous cycle of financial bubbles and busts, the fractious clash of ethnic populations competing for the same jobs and space. Today, amazingly, the trail is all but forgotten.

Rinker Buck is no stranger to grand adventures. The New Yorker described his first travel narrative, Flight of Passage, as "a funny, cocky gem of a book", and with The Oregon Trail he seeks to bring the most important road in American history back to life. At once a majestic American journey, a significant work of history, and a personal saga reminiscent of best sellers by Bill Bryson and Cheryl Strayed, the book tells the story of Buck's 2,000-mile expedition across the plains with tremendous humor and heart. He was accompanied by three cantankerous mules,;his boisterous brother, Nick; and an "incurably filthy" Jack Russell terrier named Olive Oyl.

Includes an extended behind-the-scenes conversation with author/narrator Rinker Buck with his brother and trail companion, Nick Buck.

©2015 Rinker Buck (P)2015 Simon & Schuster

Too much personal opinion

Good history of the trail but too much personal opinion formed on untrue facts about the people and religions.

Modern Day Oregon Trail story.

Very interesting. Was disappointed in the foul language! I finally had to stop listening because my kids were listening as well.

Funny, informative tale of two brothers

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was a nice mix of their contemporary journey and corresponding historical narrative on the trail. Occasionally, the book felt like a slog with unnecessarily filler when the author would divert into lengthy descriptions of wagon types or other minutia. He did a great job narrating the book and the conversation between the two brothers at the end was a nice treat.

wonderfully satisfying

Well written, entertaining and informative.
Rinker Buck created an amazing true adventure, shared it with us, and was humble and authentic the whole way. I highly recommend!

An Armchair Odyssey

Any additional comments?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. My one reservations was the reading. Mr. Buck is not as polished as a professional reader and the story would have been better served by having another reader. Still, I found The Oregon Trail to be well worth listening to.

Best book in my 100 book library

Great story
Well read
All books take you on a voyage, but the reality that Rinker Buck created was extraordinary.
I still feel the post partum the brothers felt in Baker City.
My thanks to the Buck brothers

Great Trail!

Really loved this tale of modern pioneer brothers on the Oregon Trail. It was an endlessly fascinating look at both the past and the present of the westward experience. Thanks to both Rinker and Nick for sharing their travels!

So, this is what so many families endured?

If you could sum up The Oregon Trail in three words, what would they be?

Sweet. Courageous. Heartwarming

What did you like best about this story?

The relationships - brother to brother, drivers and the animals, folks they met along the trail. Such a wonderful overview of what makes people - well - people

What does Rinker Buck bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Only someone in the wagon, driving the mules, meeting the people, could pass on the warmth they experienced.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

don't know

Any additional comments?

This should be required reading for classes in early american history. I learned so much - who knew that George Washington was instrumental in the breeding of American mules?

Great trail ride, but the narration was very bumpy

This was a great history lesson with personal annocdota events that enhanced the ride-along. My only criticism is Rinker's halted style of narration. At times it was so annoying, if the story had not been enchanting, I considered not completing the audio.

Enjoyable adventure

I really enjoyed listening to this. From the start, Rinker's voice reminded me of the guys from the radio show Car Talk so then I had a picture in my mind of Rinker and Nick as Click and Clack from that show which may have added to my amusement. I like when the author of non-fiction reads his/her own story. I loved hearing about the mules (and history of mules), Oregon Trail's history and the preparations necessary to even start. With the exception of the one couple they encountered, it made me so happy to hear about all the kind people across the west that helped, shared, and became trail families. There is a bonus discussion with Rinker and Nick at the end so keep listening.