Recently I was browsing in the book section at the Donner Museum. A new book was displayed; yet another Donner Party story I thought. I try to read them all, as each author has something he or she thinks is special and has to tell it. So, I thought, here we go again, I'll have to read this one also. The title was intriguing, The Indifferent Stars Above, I was not familiar with the author, Daniel James Brown.

One evening I snuggled down in my bed, prepared to at least start the book. After a few pages I couldn't put it down. He made the whole Graves family come to life, and instead of just a name on the list of Donner Party participants they became very real. This story of the Donner Party also gives a new perspective of the Donner narrative . The journey is told through the eyes of Sarah Graves, so there is much more detail about everyday life for the women. By telling the story of Sarah Graves the author gives a woman's view of everyday life, crossing the prairie, the mountains and the desert. Sarah and her new husband, Jay Fosdick, were traveling with her parents and her eight brothers and
sisters on what they thought would be a great adventure.

Margie Powell