63 pages 2 hours read

Hampton Sides

Blood and Thunder

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2006

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Before You Read

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Super Short Summary

Blood and Thunder by Hampton Sides is a narrative history detailing the transformation of America into a transcontinental power through the life of Kit Carson, a frontiersman who played a key role in the American West's conquest from the 1800s to the 1860s, covering events like the Mexican-American War, conflicts with the Navajo, and the Civil War. The book includes violence, colonization, and dispossession of Indigenous lands.

Reviews & Readership

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Review Roundup

Blood and Thunder by Hampton Sides is praised for its compelling narrative and thorough research, vividly recounting the American West's turbulent history. Critics commend its engaging writing and nuanced portrayal of Kit Carson. However, some note it leans heavily on dramatization, occasionally at the expense of historical accuracy. Overall, it's a captivating yet partially dramatized historical account.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Blood and Thunder?

Readers who enjoy dramatic historical narratives and tales of the American West will be captivated by Hampton Sides' Blood and Thunder. Fans of Dee Brown’s Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee and Stephen Ambrose’s Undaunted Courage will find Sides’ exploration of Kit Carson and the Western frontier equally compelling.

Recommended

Reading Age

18+years

Book Details

Topics

History: U.S.

Military / War

History: World

Themes

Values/Ideas: Fame

Identity: Indigenous

Genre

Western

Biography