Down the Great Unknown Audiobook By Edward Dolnick cover art

Down the Great Unknown

John Wesley Powell's 1869 Journey of Discovery and Tragedy Through the Grand Canyon

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Down the Great Unknown

By: Edward Dolnick
Narrated by: Danny Campbell
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Drawing on rarely examined diaries and journals, Down the Great Unknown is the first book to tell the full, dramatic story of the Powell expedition.

On May 24, 1869 a one-armed Civil War veteran, John Wesley Powell, and a ragtag band of nine mountain men embarked on the last great quest in the American West. The Grand Canyon, not explored before, was as mysterious as Atlantis - and as perilous. The 10 men set out from Green River Station, Wyoming Territory, down the Colorado in four wooden rowboats. Ninety-nine days later, six half-starved wretches came ashore near Callville, Arizona.

Lewis and Clark opened the West in 1803; six decades later Powell and his scruffy band aimed to resolve the West’s last mystery. A brilliant narrative, a thrilling journey, a cast of memorable heroes - all these mark Down the Great Unknown, the true story of the last epic adventure on American soil.

©2009 Edward Dolnick (P)2019 HarperAudio Americas Expeditions & Discoveries State & Local United States World Unknown History
Compelling Adventure • Well-researched History • Perfect Narration • Gripping Expedition • Detailed Journals
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Loved it all. Wished for more mapping to modern day locations, but there was some of that.

The adventurous spirit

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I really enjoyed this book. It captured the imagination of being right on the river. I can’t even imagine how they made it. As Powell said, they were extremely lucky.
I listened on 1.2 speed and the narrator sounded much better to me.

Great book

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I loved it. Such an interesting story. Well written book that keeps your attention.

Amazing story.

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Narrators voice can be a little irritating, although it is flavored like I would imagine a mountain man’s.

Loved the new detail and additions to the history I have read and loved for years

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Good listening, also enjoyed diversions into geology, historical context and side stories of other explorers. My only critique is the extent to which Dolnick seeks to convince the reader that navigating a river is dangerous: employing analogies of bucking Broncos, plunging dolfins etc.- I might suggest excessively.

Great story, perhaps over-narrated.

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This is a great story or the Powell expedition of the Colorado river. Having been on the river myself it was a picture of the places that I have been and sights that I have seen.

Excellent story of great river

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Detailed historical references to writings of participants in expedition supplemented with expert commentary by experts in whitewater and the geological history of the canyon and the Colorado plateau.

Inherently interesting

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Beautifully told and well researched version of the amazing story of the John Wesley Powell led exploration of the Green and Colorado rivers. The author combines Powell’s journal, other participants’ journals, and other historical and modern perspectives; making this a compelling, informative and enjoyable audible book. Anyone with an interest in western states history and geography will enjoy this amazing and under reported accomplishment. A must read for anyone who has experienced the amazing and unique Green and Colorado rivers.

Well done version of an important and unreported American history

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The book is pretty good. There's some wild speculation towards the end. Mormon fishermen who were immediately compassionate in feeding and housing Powell and his remaining boatmen. Yet the theory is introduced that immediately after Mormons may have killed the three out of fear. Doesn't really add up. The letter where a man claims to have had a picket fence broken over his head?? It Stretched credulity a bit. I would immediately disregard anything someone like that said. The amount of exaggerating, wild stories and outright fabrication can't be overstated in the early West.
Besides that it seems pretty accurate. Biggest problem for me is the narrator sounds like an extra from a poorly cast "wild west" show. I didn't much care for him. I'm very familiar with the Grand canyon. For anyone who's interested in the subject I highly recommend "the emerald mile" and the physical book "death in the Grand canyon ".

Narrator?

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having rafted down the Colorado River and have done much exploring in the Grand Canyon, I found this extremely educational thank you!!!!

excellent

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