A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains

By: Isabella L. Bird

Narrated by: Flo Gibson

These are the valiant and lyrically descriptive letters, written in 1873, by Isabella Bird, a courageous and spirited Englishwoman, telling her sister of her adventures on horseback over 800 miles of American wilderness.

Public Domain (P)1989 Audio Book Contractors, LLC

Outstanding narration!

Great book about a strong and adventurous woman in the mid 1800s. Descriptive writing at its best, it is easy to visualize landscape, animals, people. Read the book but also listened to the audio - narrator had a great voice which enhanced the written word.

Wonderful story

I read this book several years ago after moving to Estes Park. I enjoyed this audio version even more. It's amazing that this story is simply a compilation of Bird's letters to her sister. She is a vivid writer.

Just incredible - a masterpiece

Why aren't there more audible titles from her. Best book I've read in the last ten years, and I've read hundreds. What an adventure! It's a pioneer story and amazing insight in frontier life. Here is an example - she discovered these things towns were putting in called roads. Yes, Rome had roads quite before. Her writing is clear and thoughtful and most importantly... Not dated. Sure, what she she's is 150 years old, but her writing voice could be from yesterday.

Isabella Bird, Intrepid Traveler.

A reading of her letters, this is a wonderful true story of the solo woman traveler from England who put Estes Park, Colorado on the map by being the second woman to climb Long’s Peak in what is now Rocky Mountain National Park.
Great for any visitor to the City of Estes Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, and the City of Longmont, Colorado. It would be a great read for young adventurers as well.

Great tale of the Rockies in 1919 from a lady

Excellent writing....and narrative. ... Rocky Mountain live in the 1919 Estes Park from a lady's point of view dot dot dot talks about the strength, the cold, and connection they all had to have and that period... very descriptive.

monotonous... singular

how many times can the author discuss weather? every time the weather was the same temperature wise it was either glorious or ghastly with no reason given for the extreme.

the circulatory messaging around Mountain Jim was confusing to say the least.

Charming Account

Of course my favorite parts were the glimpses into the short-lived, likely-unacknowledged love between Isabella Bird and James Nugent.
The scenery descriptions were great but from a more objective point of view, the best part was Bird’ observations and descriptions of the inhabitants of the Rocky Mountains in the 1870’s.
Highly recommend!

Audience Warning: There is one reference to the notorious Donner party/cannibalism, I just skipped ahead two or three minutes and didn’t miss the story but avoided anything gruesome.

The Solution to the Indian Problem

Is to kill them! Wow! Was such a turn off! I fought to finish after hearing this.

Unbelievable

These "adventures" strain credulity. As a metaphor for sex proposed by others... much more likely.
Somehow she rides lame horses tens of miles and always find a cabin for the night. Some enterprising graduate student should get a dissertation out of this . It's an interesting listen as each trail adventure tops the previous.