A Life Wild and Perilous

Mountain Men and the Paths to the Pacific

By: Robert M. Utley

Narrated by: Richard Davidson

If you have ever wondered what is was like to be an explorer in the unspoiled American West of the early 1800s, then this is the audiobook for you. Not only a groundbreaking work of American history by critically acclaimed author Robert M. Utley, A Life Wild and Perilous is also a dramatic story of innovation and survival. Here is your chance to live in the very heart of the American wilderness with legendary trappers and mountain men like Jim Bridger, Kit Carson, Tom Fitzpatrick, and Jedediah Smith. You will also see how these men played a major role in pushing our national frontier from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean, and fulfilling our nation’s ideal of Manifest Destiny. Breathtaking in scope, yet filled with the seemingly small decisions that changed the course of a nation, A Life Wild and Perilous is a compelling and fascinating piece of Americana. Travelogue buffs and historians alike will delight in Richard M. Davidson’s inspired telling of how the West was really won.

©1997 Robert M. Utley (P)1998 Recorded Books, LLC

Get It Right!

The narrator needs to learn how to pronounce the Oregon River Willamette. So irritating. Other than that, it’s a good listen.

A good work on often forgotten group of men.

Though well researched, the book tries to cover too many men of the period. The result is short changing the audience of many rich details of each figure. I'd liken it to a highlight reel of a great game.

wonderfully written!

the book has a great and methodical flow to it. I loved every bit of it. It is a valuable resource to any who wish to know their mountain man history by heart.

LOVED this BOOK!

As a life-long resident of Colorado, living high in the majestic mountains along the Arkansas River, every chapter told of familiar names, places, stories and history known to and surrounding me. It was like visiting a time dear to my heart, viewing a land I know and love and discovering important details of historical figures whose names have been given to numerous mountains, passes, valleys, trails and rivers I hike or traverse often. I now know so much more about the historical Western US. As I travel this country and stand atop these mountains, I will remember these details with appreciation and awe that I can walk where these giants of Western history once tread. Richard Davidson was the perfect narrator for this book; made me feel a part of this story of the West I so love. Thank you, Robert Utley and Richard Davidson for the gift of history about a place I call home!

Enjoyed this adventure!

If you could sum up A Life Wild and Perilous in three words, what would they be?

Very Good Listen

Who was your favorite character and why?

Jedediah Smith. Grandfather of western trappers.

Have you listened to any of Richard Davidson’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

no

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

no

Any additional comments?

I know many of the places that were in the story and this added to my interest.

Very informative. Engaging narrative history

I was away from family this Thanksgiving and decided to purchase an audio book to try to fill in the time. I definitely got carried away listening to this one, and I also actively searched google maps to find the locations of everything being described. Doing this, I realized just how extensively the beaver trappers (aka mountain men) of the 1820's and 30's trekked across the far West of North America. While listening to this book (and using google maps), I gained a substantial familiarity with the geography of the West, along with which areas are passable on foot, with pack mules or with wagons.

Before this read, I was not very familiar with the Geography of the West outside of the current major mountain ranges, interstate highways and rail systems. Now if I were to go across the West on foot, I have a basic idea of the routes that one would take, and where they are located. Not that I have the requisite mountaineering skills.

I took the time to trace every major and minor river system from their headwaters all the way down to their mouths where they pay tribute to greater rivers or else where they meet the ocean. Also took notes on where Native Americans had the most luck in holding out the longest against commercial expansion. Particularly noticing the Blackfeet tribe at the Three Forks.

Before this book, I didn't really know any history of the Blackfeet, Crow, Flathead or Nez Perce tribes. Now I have become a bit more familiar with this particular chapter of their history along with that of other aspects of the Western US in the 1820's and 30's.

Good read if you have some time to waste!

FYI, Google maps does not currently have labels on Wind River, Powder River and the Shoshone River.

Utley is as good as it gets

A thoroughly enjoyable and detailed overview of the mountain men. Short shrift of Beckwourth who spoke French, English and many Native tongues but was not mainstream. As you fly across the US or drive the mountain passes, nod your head to those iconic human beings who led the way.

Excellent overview of western exploration

This book provides an excellent overview of “mountain men”, who in reality were explorers of the western continent. Heretofore, I erroneously thought the Jeremiah Johnson movie defined the stereotypical mountain men. My deeper dive into this era started with a book on Jim Bridger, leading me to want a comprehensive framework of the entire era, which I found in this book. This book helped me understand these adventurous people, an identify those who I wanted to explore further, like Jedediah Smith and Lewis and Clark. I just completed listening this book again which continued to help put things into perspective. I plan to order the book in print as a reference guide for my continued interest in the subject. I also found a National Geographic foldout map that covers this era well. A great companion to the book.

Narration and production quality is very good.

Great perspective book

As Americans, we constantly fantasize about stories of the old west. This is the book that puts them together. Most people have heard the names of these frontier legends, but do not truly understand the reality of their perilous lives and their role in developing the western frontier in the first half of the 19th century. I would highly recommend this to anyone willing to learn about our development as a nation.

Great detail.

Well organized overview with great breadth covering the early west. The main characters in thier timeframes with details that brings the stories to life.