Beyond the Hundredth Meridian

John Wesley Powell and the Second Opening of the West

By: Wallace Stegner

Narrated by: Mark Bramhall

Pulitzer Prize winner Wallace Stegner recounts the remarkable career of Major John Wesley Powell, the distinguished ethnologist and geologist who explored the Colorado River, the Grand Canyon, and the homeland of the Southwest Indian tribes. This classic work is a penetrating and insightful study of the Powell’s career, from the beginning of the Powell Survey, in which Powell and his men famously became the first to descend the Colorado River, to his eventual expulsion from the Geological Survey.

In masterful prose, Stegner details the expedition, as well as the philosophies and ideas that drove Powell.

©1954 Wallace E. Stegner (P)2010 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Stegner's most exciting work." ( San Francisco Chronicle)

“The surrender of self-righteousness would be an enormous boon to the environmental cause. Acknowledging the unedited, complicated, utilitarian John Wesley Powell as an ideological parent would be a big step in that laudable direction, and it is this step that Worster's thorough and empathetic biography makes possible.” ( Los Angeles Times)

“No library of western/southwestern materials can be without this book…” ( Books of the Southwest)

Love the writing

My best college buddy and I recently toured the lower half of Utah on a geocaching mission and she had read this so I decided to read it too. The descriptions of Utah are phenomenal. I love this quote regarding the new lands act..."the greatest good for the greatest number for the longest time." I could probably read it again and get a lot more from it--and these aren't the kinds of books I typically read.

Excellent!

Would you consider the audio edition of Beyond the Hundredth Meridian to be better than the print version?

No, but very good. Maps help...

Who was your favorite character and why?

JWP...

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

No

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No

Any additional comments?

Perfect and I mean PERFECT for a south-west road trip! A little slow to get into, the reading can be a bit slow but once you get into it it is enthralling! I played several chapters multiple times over several road trips.

I learned a lot

This book is very well written and informative. I learned a great deal about the American west, being a westerner myself. Stegner taught at the university of Utah for a bit and is very well versed in the western culture. This book helped me understand land preservation in the west and conservation. I would recommend this book to those interested in John Wesley Powell.

History repeats itself.

The long views of John Wesley Powell have had a profound effect on our American lives through his work with the Smithsonian and the creation of the USGS. The powers of greed and avarice did their very best to destroy him and pretty much succeeded. Yet, his legacy has endured in spite of the intellectual midgets of his day.

This book was copyrighted in 1953&1954. I have been aware of this book for years and regret taking so long to finally get to it.

5 stars across the board for Wallace Stegner and the exacting work in critically chronicling the life of John Wesley Powell.

Great read for understandintg the West.

This book covers Powell and his incredible while also peoviding a foundation for undsrstanding the arid West.

Very good history of the west.

This a good history of the West, tho a bit dry the last few chapters.

Fascinating.

Fascinating history, written with the incisiveness and appreciation of the west that few people but Stengar can bring. And of course he is an exceptional writer. The reader is pleasant. Really perfect for this book.

Excellent writer

Unfortunately an interesting story was overburdened by boring details and side stories and characters got lost or sidelined. Could not get through it.

Good book about an amazing fellow: JW Powell

Would you listen to Beyond the Hundredth Meridian again? Why?

Yes - very informative about a fascinating and important man in American History

What was one of the most memorable moments of Beyond the Hundredth Meridian?

The entire story about Powell's impact on American Indian ethnology.

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

N/A

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No

Any additional comments?

This is an important book to read (listen to) for anyone interested in Grand Canyon, JW Powell himself, the exploration of the SW, and matters related to non-indigenous movement into arable lands of the SW.

Magnificent narration of the work of an incredible person

I really loved this book. The content was great and interesting. However what truly made it great was the narrators nuanced voice when speaking of things like annoyance, sarcasm, etc.
Excellent book.