West Like Lightning, Jim DeFelice
West Like Lightning, Jim DeFelice
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West Like Lightning
The Brief, Legendary Ride of the Pony Express

Author: Jim DeFelice

Narrator: John Pruden

Unabridged: 8 hr 48 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: HarperAudio

Published: 05/08/2018


Synopsis

The thrilling narrative history of one of the most enduring icons of the American West, the Pony Express, from the #1 New York Times bestselling co-author of American Sniper—an exciting tale of daring young men pushing limits to the extremes across the vast, rugged, and unsettled American West.In the spring of 1860 on the eve of a civil war that threatened to tear the country apart, two Americans conceived of an audacious plan for linking the nation’s two coasts, thereby joining its present with its future. All that stood in the way was a 1,900 miles of uninhabited desert, ice-capped mountains, oceanic plains roamed by hostile Indian tribes, whitewater-choked rivers, and rugged, unsettled frontier wilderness where civilized"" men where outnumbered a million to one by grizzlies, mountain lions, wolves, bison, rattlesnakes, and more. Many deemed their revolutionary scheme impossible. Run by the Central Overland California and Pikes Peak Express Company, the Pony Express as it came to be known, would use a relay system of daring horseback riders to ferry mail and small packages halfway across a continent in just ten days. The challenges they faced were enormous, yet the Pony Express succeeded, delivering tens of thousands of letters at record speed. The service would quickly become the most direct means of communication between the Eastern United States and its Western territories, helping to firmly connect them to the Union. West Like Lightning traces the development of the Pony Express and follows it from its start in St. Joseph, Missouri—the edge of the civilized world in the mid-nineteenth century—1,500 miles west to Sacramento. Jim DeFelice—who traveled the Express’s route in his research—plumbs the legends, myths, and true facts of the service, viewing it within the context of the American story and exploring its lasting relevance today. Though the Pony Express was eclipsed by the telegraph in less than two years, it remains today an enduring symbol of American values: rugged individualism, perseverance, and speed.

About Jim DeFelice

Jim DeFelice is the author of sixteen New York Times bestsellers, including American Sniper, the basis for Bradley Cooper’s blockbuster movie of the same name. Some of his other credits include Every Man a Hero, a bestselling account of Army medic Ray Lambert’s heroics at D-Day in World War Two, and They Called Us Lucky, the story of Lima 3/25, the Marine Corps’ hardest hit unit in the Iraq War and the life of Congressman Ruben Gallego, a Harvard undergrad who joined the Corps to serve as an enlisted grunt.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Barbara on March 06, 2019

The Pony Express existed for eighteen months on the eve of the Civil War. From its first month when riders carried the news of Lincoln's electoral victory, to its demise, news was carried from St. Joseph Missouri, the western edge of the civilized world, to Sacramento and stations in between. DeFelic......more

Goodreads review by Joseph on February 23, 2019

Listened to the audio. Reader is perfect for this topic. The author offers an expansive history of the Pony Express contextualizing it within its time. There are often many side tangents, but I found these to be more fun than engaging. The author’s humor also prevails throughout ultimately making thi......more

Goodreads review by Little on June 15, 2021

Very good history read. Well written and researched. Entertaining and and nice enjoyable read. Very recommended......more

Goodreads review by Jeff on June 26, 2018

This new release follows the trail of the Pony Express, an easy (for the reader) and quite fun journey from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California and beyond. DeFelice makes stops at several stations along the way, introducing the reader to Old West characters, both legendary and unfamiliar......more

Goodreads review by Joyce on October 15, 2018

An interesting microhistory of the surprisingly short-lived Pony Express. Although I listened, I don't recommend the audio which had too many mispronunciations, too many proper names and place names mispronounced for my taste. The author uses an interesting frame on which to hang the story of the Po......more