logo

57 pages 1 hour read

The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Saga of a Donner Party Bride

Nonfiction | Biography | Adult | Published in 2009

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Book Brief

logo
Daniel James Brown

The Indifferent Stars Above

Nonfiction | Biography | Adult | Published in 2009
Book Details
Pages

337

Format

Biography • Nonfiction

Setting

Sierra Nevada Mountains • 1840s

Publication Year

2009

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Roundup icon

Super Short Summary

In The Indifferent Stars Above, Daniel James Brown recounts the tragic 1846 journey of the Donner Party, focusing on Sarah Graves, a newlywed traveling West with her family. The party, misled by an unproven shortcut through the Sierra Nevada, faces extreme hardships including starvation and dire environmental conditions, ultimately leading to a harrowing survival ordeal. The book contains depictions of starvation, cannibalism, and death.

Dark

Mysterious

Melancholic

Contemplative

Reviews & Readership

4.4

35,764 ratings

85%

Loved it

12%

Mixed feelings

2%

Not a fan

Roundup icon

Review Roundup

Daniel James Brown's The Indifferent Stars Above is praised for its compelling storytelling and vivid historical detail, immersing readers in the harrowing reality of the Donner Party. However, some find the narrative pace slow and the detailed digressions distracting. Overall, it effectively combines human drama with rigorous historical research, providing a gripping yet educational read.

Who should read this

Who Should Read The Indifferent Stars Above?

Readers who relish harrowing true survival stories intertwined with historical detail will find The Indifferent Stars Above compelling. Fans of works like Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air and Nathaniel Philbrick's In the Heart of the Sea will appreciate Daniel James Brown's meticulous research and narrative style.

4.4

35,764 ratings

85%

Loved it

12%

Mixed feelings

2%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

337

Format

Biography • Nonfiction

Setting

Sierra Nevada Mountains • 1840s

Publication Year

2009

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Continue your reading experience

Subscribe now to unlock the rest of this Study Guide plus our full library, which features expert-written summaries and analyses of 8,000+ additional titles.