Preview
  • The Adventures of the Mountain Men

  • True Tales of Hunting, Trapping, Fighting, and Survival
  • By: Stephen Brennan
  • Narrated by: Kevin Stillwell
  • Length: 12 hrs and 17 mins
  • 4.0 out of 5 stars (348 ratings)

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The Adventures of the Mountain Men

By: Stephen Brennan
Narrated by: Kevin Stillwell
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Publisher's summary

Experience the true “great outdoors” through the stories of the men who lived it.

The “mountain men” were the hunters and trappers who fiercely strode the Rocky Mountains in the early to mid-1800s. They braved the elements in search of the skins of beavers and other wild animals, to sell or barter for goods. The lifestyle of the mountain men could be harsh, existing as they did among animals, and spending most of their days and nights living and camping out in the great unexplored wilds of the Rockies. Life outdoors presented many threats, not least among them Native Americans, who were hostile to the mountain men encroaching on the area for their own purposes. For a certain kind of pioneer, this risk and more were outweighed by the benefits of living free, without the restrictions and boundaries of “civilized” settlements.

In The Adventures of the Mountain Men, editor Stephen Brennan has compiled many of the best stories about the mountain men - the most daring exploits, the death-defying chances taken to hunt big game, the clashes with the arrows of Native Americans, and also the moments when the men were struck by the incomparable beauty of the unsullied, majestic Rocky Mountains.

©2013 Stephen Brennan (P)2013 Audible, Inc.
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History
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Editorial reviews

Editor Stephen Brennan's anthology explores the life of the iconoclastic frontiersmen from the golden age of fur trapping that followed the Louisiana Purchase to their reinvention as the guides, mapmakers, and hunters who made possible the western expansion of railways and U.S. military victories.

Kevin Stillwell varies his tone throughout to fit each of the many writers' perspectives, from W. F. Wagner's humorous overview of the mountaineer character in "The Trappers" to Francis Parkman's awe of their chosen lifestyle in "A Mountain Hunt". Brennan has chosen works which alternately cast the pioneering American mountain men as heroes and fools.

What listeners say about The Adventures of the Mountain Men

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Good for boys

I purchased this for one of my "would rather do physical labor than read" boys. I put it on an iPod for him and he listened to it while working, and driving. He actually listened to the whole thing, and said it was good. He liked the shorter story aspect of it rather than a long form novel.

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11 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great book!

What I really liked about this book is that it is in the words of the people who lived that time as well as their observations. A real boon to looking into the past

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Practice Makes Perfect

I have always enjoyed hearing the first-person accounts of historical events, whether through journals, speeches, or magazine & newspaper articles. But hearing so many mispronounced words distracts from the story.

I would have thought Audible thought it wise to have those little details covered, but I was wrong. As an example, in Chapter Six, reading from the journals of Lewis & Clarke, "Gros Ventre" is not pronounced "Gross Venture"! There are many other examples of mispronounced words, but it is not my intent or desire to rip either the reader or the story. It's simply one of those things that makes me cringe, and it occurred far too many times.

Anyhow, "Thank-you" for all the great selections, and I'm looking forward to hearing other readings of US and western history in the near future.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Good Book ish….

A very interesting read although it was like reading a textbook! I did enjoy reading major parts of the book but some was just laborious. Overall is was good.

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Great stories

Some parts felt like the narrator was reading a grocery list. But overall a good listen.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

an ok account of some famous trappers

This book was ok. The narrator was a little to monotone for me. Some interesting stories!

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Full of information

The language it was written in is to educated for a mountain man are it hard for me to listen too

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing

Fantastic look at the American expanse to the west in the early 1800s. Two thumbs up.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Informative but rambling somewhat.

It gets a bit monotonous though towards the end it picks up slightly. The end about Jim Bridger was quite good.

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Interesting and creative account of the early American trapper

Interesting narrative, hard to get into at first but held me the rest of the way after I got a feel for how the book was written. It’s different in that respect. Very detailed and you catch yourself following along on a current map to get a visual. Recommend

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2 people found this helpful