Days on the Road: Crossing the Plains in 1865

This book was just what I needed this autumn. It made me want to take a trip West in a covered wagon or on a pony. The author does a superb job of making the reader feel part of the journey West. I like a diary or memoir book that is first hand story. I felt the tension as the wagons forded the rivers. I felt the danger as the travelers feared the Indians. I felt the sadness as graves along the way were seen and markers read. I felt the happiness when the people came together for a big meal and singing around the bonfire. This is a simply written book that touches its readers. My book was downloaded onto my Kindle from the store.

Days on the Road: Crossing the Plains in 1865 is a very good first-hand report (diary with memories) by a 24-year old girl covering the highs and lows of life during 1865 while traveling by wagon train through the midwest section of the United States. I would recommend it to anyone interested in history and life as it was during that period of time.

The author crossed the country on foot and on horseback with a wagon to retreat in for sleeping; this was only 150 years ago. Her account is detailed and intelligent. I am impressed with how capable and strong our ancestors were compared to us.

I found the book interesting especially since it is an actual eye witness account of events. A young woman and her family head west to Montana and arrive despite hardships, uncertainty and loss of friend along their way.

Anne

The author did a great job of keeping my interest in this book. Sarah Raymond Herndon is one of my favorite authors when it comes to historical novels. She does her research and her description are usually very accurate. I highly recommend this book if you like personal account readings.

Bot this book used. Great condition. Fast service.
Am not really into the diary format of books but this was extremely interesting and gives a great personal insite to traveling many a year ago. Will order from this firm in the future.

Enjoyed the descriptions of crossing the rivers and of the savage Indians. It sounds as if people didn't consider them as humans. Also how people managed to quickly figure how to make money from the wagons as they traveled throughout the western trails.

Twice I was ready to give up on the book, yet made myself keep reading...but finally had to literally throw the book away in the recycle bin, so no one else would waste their time on such rubbish.
The author came across as a very spoiled child, worse yet with no ability to absorb events and their meaning to truly become an adult. Fore example she holds up the wagon train while looking for flowers and when reprimanded she says there is no reason to be concerned. There were Indians visible, and they had just passed the burial site of attacked and killed previous travelers. There are no words for it except what a fool. She only lived to write the book because someone else was there to save her.
"Life on the Mississippi" by M. Twain, or "30 seconds over Tokyo" by T. Lawson are book well worth reading for a mature mind.

I would say that the person who wrote this book probably never left the big city. There were so many hardships in crossing the plains then & this lady writes about riding around and enjoying the flowers & scenery.

Book was way too bland. I think crossing the country in those days would have been just about super exciting. I did not get much excitement from this account. Too much pony riding, and not near enough adventure. Mike Wilhelm

I enjoy reading personal accounts of history much more than I do the second hand reports of historians or the embellished tales of fiction writers so this is my type of book. The author did have a very cheerful attitude and seemed to make the trip west much more enjoyable than it may have been in reality but it was her personal take on it and we shouldn't second guess or be critical of that. She was there and it is her account and we have to accept it as that.

One note however. There is a introduction written to the book that is quite long and about 1/3 of the way through it I realized it was more of a summary than an intro. It would have been better placed at the back of the book. I stopped reading it because I didn't want to be told what the book was about before I read it. I suggest others do likewise. They should have included a spoiler alert. After I finished the book I returned to the introduction and enjoyed the recap.

The book does leave you wanting to know a bit more about the rest of the authors life but I guess that what we have imaginations for.

Authentic & beautifully-written! It was fascinating to read a first-hand account of civil war time wagon travel across the plains by someone of approximately my age and with whom I would have had much in common. I kept having to remind myself, "This is real. This is the true account in the very words of someone who experienced it as she was experiencing it." To make it all so much better, the author was a brilliant writer. Reading this diary was so like being transported back in time 145 years to really see what it was like to spend four months crossing the plains in a wagon. Also, Mary O'Brien's introduction helps frame the diary by pointing out issues of significance that one might not otherwise think to consider. I reread the introduction after reading the diary and found it helped tie everything together nicely.

I really like to read stories of the road out to the West. This book is a true diary. I was happy that I read some prior reviews before purchasing and reading this book. DO NOT read the lengthy foreword of this book. It will be nothing but spoilers. Just read the book and enjoy the true story of this woman's journey to the West.

If you love first person American history from a young woman's view point, this is a wonderful read. This is a diary of daily events mixing the loss of a dear friend to illness seen often on migrating Americans into the western frontier w/happier experiences as they traveled towards Montana.

I found this diary charming and informative. Having always had a fascination with the time period and wagon trains, I couldn't put this book down. By the end of the book, I was saddened by the fact that Sarah didn't continue recording her life in Montana. I felt as if I had known her personally and was touched by the whole accounting of her travels.

I liked this book. Nice descriptions. Interesting how she viewed her travels throughout the west. You could really imagine the places. I like the map. I was able to refer to it as she traversed the Midwest on her journey.

An amazing journey across America in 1865 with secrets of frontier life included. A Christian young lady faithfully keeps a journal of the joys and sorrows crossing the plains in a covered wagon. Definitely worth the read.