West Like Lightning: The Brief, Legendary Ride of the Pony Express

by Jim DeFelice

Western Writers of America  Spur Awards Finalist, Best Western Historical Nonfiction "A GROUNDBREAKING WORK. ... The first comprehensive history of the legendary transcontinental experiment in mail delivery in sixty years." — True West "This rollicking account of the daring enterprise known as the Pony Express brings its era and its legendary characters to life." — San Francisco Chronicle The new definitive history of the Pony Express by the #1 bestselling coauthor of American Sniper , illustrated with 50 images 
On the eve of the Civil War, three American businessmen launched an audacious plan to create a financial empire by transforming communications across the hostile territory between the nation’s two coasts. In the process, they created one of the most enduring icons of the American West: the Pony Express. Daring young men with colorful names like “Bronco Charlie” and “Sawed-Off Jim” galloped at speed over a vast and unforgiving landscape, etching an irresistible tale that passed into myth almost instantly. Equally an improbable success and a business disaster, the Pony Express came and went in just eighteen months, but not before uniting and captivating a nation on the brink of being torn apart. Jim DeFelice’s brilliantly entertaining West Like Lightning is the first major history of the Pony Express to put its birth, life, and legacy into the full context of the American story. The Central Overland California and Pikes Peak Express Company—or “Pony Express,” as it came to be known—was part of a plan by William Russell, Alexander Majors, and William Waddell to create the next American Express, a transportation and financial juggernaut that already dominated commerce back east. All that stood in their way were almost two thousand miles of uninhabited desert, ice-capped mountains, oceanic plains roamed by Indian tribes, whitewater-choked rivers, and harsh, unsettled wilderness. The Pony used a relay system of courageous horseback riders to ferry mail halfway across a continent in just ten days. The challenges the riders faced were enormous, yet the Pony Express succeeded, delivering thousands of letters at record speed. The service instantly became the most direct means of communication between the eastern United States and its far western territories, helping to firmly connect them to the Union. Populated with cast of characters including Abraham Lincoln (news of whose electoral victory the Express delivered to California), Wild Bill Hickock, Buffalo Bill Cody (who fed the legend of the Express in his Wild West Show), and Mark Twain (who celebrated the riders in Roughing It ), West Like Lightning masterfully traces the development of the Pony Express and follows it from its start in St. Joseph, Missouri—the edge of the civilized world—west to Sacramento, the capital of California, then booming from the gold rush. Jim DeFelice, who traveled the Pony’s route in his research, plumbs the legends, myths, and surprising truth of the service, exploring its lasting relevance today as a symbol of American enterprise, audacity, and daring.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, American History, Westerns, Audiobook, Historical, 19th Century

368 pages, Hardcover

First published May 8, 2018

About the author

My latest book, CODE NAME: JOHNNY WALKER was hailed by Kirkus Review as a “fiery, insightful memoir from the former Iraqi translator who fought alongside U.S. Special Forces during the recent war in Iraq.” They also “a harrowing personal journey of courageous self-empowerment during wartime.” called it an “invaluable insider’s perspective of Iraq.

I wrote it with the real "Johnny Walker," who was born and raised in Iraq. His dream of building a better country after the ouster of Sadaam Hussein was dashed by religious and sectarian violence. He risked his own life to help US military track down religious terrorists who targeted innocent Iraqi civilians and American military installations. I first heard about him from Navy SEAL Chris Kyle (who I wrote AMERICAN SNIPER with, who credited Johnny with saving many American and Iraqi lives. Chris noted that Johnny had an uncanny knack for defusing volatile situations, uncovering the right perpetrators who might be hiding in plain sight, and saving several American team member’s lives under fire. With the help of concerned SEALs, Johnny and his family were safely relocated to the U.S., where they are now, as Johnny likes to say, “living the dream.”

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Pony Express existed for eighteen months on the eve of the Civil War. From its first month when riders carried the news of Lincoln's electoral victory, to its demise, news was carried from St. Joseph Missouri, the western edge of the civilized world, to Sacramento and stations in between.

DeFelice weaves the facts and myths of the Pony Express with the events of the time. The election of Lincoln, the dissolution of the union, indian wars, the Mormon or Utah War, the gold rush as well as the inception of American Express (although not the credit card) and the telegraph and railway. Many historical characters are also part of the story: Buffalo Bill Cody, Jack Slade, Wild Bill Hickok, Kit Carson, John Fremont, Mark Twain, George Custer, James Buchanan. Ned Buntline helped promote the thrill of the wild west in the many books he authored and by organizing the traveling wild west shows of Bill Cody. The movie The Revenant was based on the life of Jim Bridger, a mountain man who survived many near death experiences.

West Like Lightning is a meticulously documented account of the time. Some of the details were over-whelming and the events were fragmented. That said, it was nice to read the concurrent news of the day.

America has had a love of the wild west myth as well as that which is factual. DeFelice often indicates that many legends cannot be proven. Why does it continue to fascinate us? The author believes, "The values of the service itself: dependability against all odds, unflagging commitment to a mission -these are values we too want to emulate." We all need heroes.

[Dree · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received this book through Goodreads giveaways, and I suspect the publisher will regret that choice lol.

I majored in American history, and studied western history in grad school, but never completed my master's thesis (I received a graduate certificate and unexpectedly found a full-time job right away).

The blurb on the cover is "A groundbreaking work."--True West. What is True West? It's a magazine for fans of the "history of the American frontier". It's a magazine that romanticizes western history and westerners of today (as long as they fit the rancher, western artist, western author, musician, gatekeeper of Western Lore theme). Anyway, I couldn't read the blurb when I entered the giveaway. And I fail to see how this is groundbreaking. DeFelice may have combined the works of others into one book, but honestly this feels like a high school history paper. It doesn't even have a map! If any book needed a map, it's this one.

The book starts off in a promising fashion--Lincoln has just been elected, and we are going to follow the riders as they take that news West to Utah and California. Only then the book spins out of control. The chapters are all over the place. The book actually follows no timeline--the creation of the Pony is in the middle, Buffalo Bill is nearer the beginning when his chapter should be at the end (where he currently has a page or 2), discussing in full how his show was so important to the romanticization of the Pony Express. Yes, there are chapters following the riders, with a lot of mention of "we don't know where this station was, or if this was a station." There is also a chapter on Buffalo Bill (who was not involved in the Pony Express until he put it in his show many years later). There is a chapter about the LDS church and how/why they ended up in Utah. There is a lot of Civil War background. There is the Donner Party. There is the Comstock Lode.

DeFelice's original research seems to have been his trip driving the route and visiting museums. He relies very heavily on Richard Burton, a British traveler who recorded his experiences in depth. He is liberally quoted. DeFelice "liberally paraphrases" two chapters of an 1879 book on Buffalo Bill. In the acknowledgments, he says "previous stories and studies of the Pony were a foundation I've tried to build on." He has taken some primary sources, a lot of secondary sources that also use those primary sources, some newspapers and censuses, and a road trip to put this book together. He does not seem to have done any new work to attempt to locate stations (or to determine if some stations really were stations at all), he mentions looking at Congressional records to try to determine the exact nature of the house of cards (house of bonds, really) to keep the Pony afloat. He writes rumor as fact and then backs off in the notes (how many people read the notes? see page 129 and note 8). He also has a number of statements like "...and probably questions about whether they would be paid or not" (250)--regarding the service continuing even as the offices were in financial turmoil. Probably? Is there any evidence one way or the other? Had they ever not paid? Did the riders even know of the turmoil? He makes statements like this and provides no citations, no mention of research attempted, nothing.

I also struggle to take seriously a history book that characterizes real people in the past as "a rough SOB", "a world class hard-ass", "badass", "government being government", and "verifiably awesome".

And the errors. So many errors! p 12 implant instead of transplant; p 19 William Russell is a native of Missouri p 20 he was born in Vermont; p 31 describes a log cabin quilt as "patchwork...in various shapes"--no, just squares and rectangles, this is a very common pattern to this day; 121 midfall instead of mid-fall; and honestly I stopped keeping track. My copy is not an ARC.

Overall, just painfully disappointing. This is not a self-published book, it's from Wm Morrow!

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm really struggling with how to rate this book. I think I was at a disadvantage of listening to the audiobook, as this book's structure did not lend itself well to the audiobook format (though the narrator was excellent). The information was interesting, but because the author goes into so much detail about westward expansion, the factors leading up to the Civil War, and the personalities involved, the story of the Pony Express gets lost, and in fact there were times I forgot that's what the book was supposed to be about. It's an interesting collection of facts for a moment in time in American history, but if you're looking for a concise history of the Pony Express, I don't think this is it.

[Joseph Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to the audio. Reader is perfect for this topic.

The author offers an expansive history of the Pony Express contextualizing it within its time. There are often many side tangents, but I found these to be more fun than engaging. The author’s humor also prevails throughout ultimately making this a great, accessible book not just of the narrow topic of the Pony, but of the Old West, and America.

[Little Timmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good history read. Well written and researched. Entertaining and and nice enjoyable read. Very recommended

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This new release follows the trail of the Pony Express, an easy (for the reader) and quite fun journey from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California and beyond. DeFelice makes stops at several stations along the way, introducing the reader to Old West characters, both legendary and unfamiliar. He attempts to sort out fact from fiction, as many tales originated larger than life and merely touched on the truth. But proof and disproof are next to impossible due to the murky history of the service. Many events and incidents not directly related to the service are touched on, including the Donner party, the California gold rush, and the empty presidency of James Buchanan. There are a handful of errors in this edition, and the author unnecessarily repeats himself a few times, but overall the writing is very enjoyable and relatable. Now, let me tell you about the time I rode for the Pony…

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting microhistory of the surprisingly short-lived Pony Express. Although I listened, I don't recommend the audio which had too many mispronunciations, too many proper names and place names mispronounced for my taste. The author uses an interesting frame on which to hang the story of the Pony Express's history: we follow the November 1860 message about Lincoln's election from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California, in just 6 days. Along the way we learn how the Express got its start, the problems it encountered, and how it was made obsolete first by the telegraph and then by the transcontinental railroad. While it reigned supreme, the Pony Express was a wonder, and this lively account offers what details there are. Much of it is anecdotal with stories of the famous men of the west--Wild Bill Hickok and Buffalo Bill Cody among them. There were dangers--weather, Indian wars, terrain--and all this makes for a fascinating tale. The Pony Express may only have lasted 18 months, but those were wild and adventurous times and from its prominence in our history and tales of the opening of the west, it's hard to believe its time was so short.

[Kim McGee · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Pony Express was a doomed idea from the start but some how this hair brained scheme connected the country from St. Joseph Missouri to Sacramento California in record time. In 1860 it could take six months or longer for a letter to make it from one coast to the other. The Pony Express riders rode a long day at top speed with minimal stops in any kind of weather to deliver not only personal and business mail but also national news. Jim DeFelice has done his homework and gives us a blow by blow account of the characters that rode for the express as well as the obstacles they faced. These young daring men risked bad weather, Indian attacks, bandits, angry Mormons and other dangers and as soon as they got off a horse and got a hot meal, they were off again. This is not only the history of the Pony Express but a frank account of some of the West's most colorful characters. The author shares the myth and over the top stories of Billy the Kid, Wild Bill Hickok and Kit Carson as well as the toned down version of what most likely happened. This is a fascinating look at the Wild West before it was tame. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

[Dumbird · Rating 2 out of 5]

The only thing this author does succinctly is refer to the pony express as “the pony.” He presents information like a terrified drunk with a shotgun—there’s no telling where or what is coming next. If he kept to the information actually related to the pony express, the book would be a fraction of the length.

Certainly, DeFelice has a huge enthusiasm for the old west. Had he only retitled the book to focus on a broader theme, expectations would have been better met. As it stands, it’s too hard to follow the historical storyline. The legends interspersed among the facts further muddle the story, especially when they are not explained as untrue until after being told.

It’s a muddled mess that’s good for entertainment value only. The only gold you’ll mine here is fool’s gold.

[Steve · Rating 2 out of 5]

If I had turned this book in as a paper for a freshman-level history class, I think it would get a B-. Maybe a B+ because all of the sources are cited correctly.

[Leah K · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book, West Like Lightening, is on the history of the Pony Express. As it says in the subtitle, the Pony Express was short lived. And this book also should have been short lived. It's obvious the book is meticulously researched and there were a lot of fascinating facts. The problem was that in order to make this book "fuller", it felt like the author too frequently went off topic. Perhaps my mind wandered too far and I missed how everything discussed was linked back to the express. Giving it the benefit of the doubt. I did find the history of Wells Fargo and American Express interesting. A decent book but could have been better had it been slightly shorter.

[Matthew Chisholm · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is obvious from the beginning of this very well researched and thorough monograph that it is more of a labor of love by DeFelice than it is actually a pure history of the Pony Express. That being said, you get more of a sense of what was going on in the various locales that the Pony passed through than what the actual pony riders were doing, which at times was disappointing. There are also extensive detours through the events of the Civil War, which I thought was a little bit too tangential, but the book's treatment of the financial intricacies of how the Pony operated and ultimately failed were fascinating. Strange to think that the ascendance of Wells Fargo came on the back of the Pony's failure. I was really hoping to get more in terms of what it was like to traverse the desolate areas of Utah and Nevada, and the parts of the book that DeFelice uses to highlight this terrifying area are well done but sparse. The treatment of the Paiute War is also brief but fascinating.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

This highly readable popular history of the legendary Pony Express is a piece-together from many sources, both solid and, as DeFelice admits, dubious. Since the mail service lasted only a little over a year, it probably would be only a footnote in history had it not been popularized by the likes of such colorful characters as Wild Bill Hickok and Buffalo Bill. The "hook" onto which DeFelice hangs the book's overall theme is the news about Lincoln's election as President being carried from St. Joseph., Mo., to Sacramento, Calif. Fast! 10 days! Along the way are colorful characters, horse thieves, Indian raids, uninhabited desert. Intertwined are the financial gymnastics necessary to keep the "Pony" going, the massive infrastructure necessary to maintain the 160 or so stations, the vast number of horses needed, the mostly dedicated personnel. According to best estimates there were about 260 riders (names listed in appendix). Yes, the Pony Express was no small endeavor. I learned much.

[Dav · Rating 5 out of 5]

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West Like Lightning : The Brief, Legendary Ride of the Pony Express

• by Jim DeFelice (pub. 2018, about 368 pages)

A historical account specifically on the 18 months the Pony Express was in operation. The author tries to distinguish between fact and legend, pointing out details that are unsupported by the historical record. The subtitle could also be: a history of the American West and politics in the 19th century. The author covers a lot of material that seems to side track, but eventually he gets around to relating it to the Pony Express or it's founding partners.

Fort Kearny, Nebraska territory: The story opens with a rider in November of 1860 waiting for a telegraph message on the outcome of the presidential election. The winner may determine the country's course concerning slavery, Southern secession or Civil War.

The message and mail is secured in the rider's mochila (backpack), a mailbag specially fitted to the saddle. On a fleet horse the Pony man races across the Wild West, (rough country, prairie, mountains, adverse weather, wild animals, thieves and hostile Indians), on toward the new states of Oregon and California. Arriving at Fort Churchill in the Nevada territory, the telegraph lines resume from here and the message carried by the Pony man will be transmitted on to California.

The Central Overland California and Pikes Peak Express Company, aka the Pony Express, aka "the Pony" was already a legend in its own time. The Pony transported mail and Telegraph messages as fast as possible.
Speed made it famous: those ten days. Ten days to connect Missouri to California.
From New York or Washington to the West Coast only 12 days. This was over twice as fast as the competition, (stagecoach) and months shorter then boat travel through the canal.

Telegraph lines connecting the East with the new states of California and Oregon wouldn't be completed until October of 1861, the same date that saw the demise of the Pony. By 1869 the Transcontinental Railroad would also be completed.

Traveling west like lightning in only 10 days was unbelievably impressive and the Pony riders became stars, celebrities fawned over and well-paid. They were athletes, young men, slim and lightweight, but rugged enough to endure endless miles on horseback, facing severe weather and life-threatening situations. Based on these hardships some believed they were underpaid.

They didn't ride at an all-out Gallup, but maintained an average speed of about 8 to 10 miles an hour: a canter or trot. As their first line of defense against trouble, highwayman, wild animals, etc, they relied on horses chosen for their speed and so outran, outdistanced the threats.

The author covers a variety of people and subjects related to the time period: The 1860 POTUS election and slave state controversy is presented and a biography of Abe.
"...a nation divided against itself could not stand."
Of the 34 states at that time, 19 had outlawed slavery. Additional controversies concerned stopping the spread of slavery into the territories and the Fugitive Slave Act.

The Pony was founded by three business partners who'd operated other businesses together for some time: William Russell, Alexander Majors and William Waddell. They had success and failures in hauling freight by ox-drawn wagons, specifically for the US Army. With the outbreak of the Utah War (the Mormon Rebellion) they suffered a number of financially ruinous losses and the government refused to compensate them.

Being overly ambitious one of the partners sought to monopolize the moving of people, goods and information and so offset their debts. If they could win the million-dollar mail delivery contract to California, they'd be set. Wells and Fargo's American Express company and Butterfield Stage were successful competitors.

The 3 partners knew the Pony Express would be a boondoggle, a money loser, but were banking on it's unprecedented popularity to help them win the lucrative mail contract. It didn't work out. The cost of paying a couple hundred riders, station operators and caring for many hundreds of horses could not be paid for by postage. The average person couldn't afford to send letters priced at $5 per half ounce (that's close to $140 today). Later when the price was lowered to $1 it was still prohibitive for the hoi polloi.

Then there's the completion of the telegraph system, a horse can not compete with the speed of electricity.

Various Pony Express items and certain influential people included: the guns used by riders; a brief biography of Samuel Colt and the development of his iconic revolver; the Pony riders wore no uniforms, just durable frontier wear and bandanas over the face to ward off endless dust; the legacy and tales of "Wild Bill" Hickok (James Butler Hickok); the trip made by Samuel Clemens (later known as Mark Twain) to Carson City, gives his somewhat inaccurate comments on the Pony Riders.

Buffalo Bill Cody wrote of his great exploits as a Pony rider, maybe the youngest ever, but they are more likely fanciful tales. He did promote the legacy of the Pony with his Wild West show reenactments. Even if he wasn't a rider, he too was a legend in his own time--talented and famous.

There are many brief biographies, tales of lesser-knowns, politics, etc such as: Jack Slade, killer and scourge, William Campbell at first rejected as a rider for being too big, 6-feet tall and 140 lbs; Sir Richard Burton a cranky Brit explorer with delightfully caustic comments on the American West and its people; Ned Buntline the prodigious Western dime novelist; Joseph Smith and his Mormons; Elijah "Nick" Wilson the White Indian, a Mormon boy who ran away from home to join the Indians (supposedly something kids did back then) as a teen he joined the Pony.

The author: gives a geography lesson on the Great Salt Lake and desert; tells of Kit Carson and the mapping of the West; the 1849 Comstock Lode a "silver rush"; the Paiute Indian War which temporarily halted the Pony Express; even briefly covering the Donner Party and trail through the Sierra Nevada pass. Snow and cold, just another hardship the riders faced.

Wells Fargo & Company ended up with the US mail route and the remains of the Pony service. The story ends with details of what happened to some of the Pony riders, station superintendents and the three partners. Some went on to success and long lives, others faced tragedy or died young.



.

The story is fabulous and enjoyable to read. The author uses time period letters and articles which adds an old west ambience. It seems like everything one might want to know about the 1860s, the decades preceding it and those after, can be found here in this telling. The money details and troubles of the three partners can get a bit dull, maybe too much detail. Mostly it's a compelling story.

Loved it.






..

[Randall Harrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

DON'T FORGET TO READ THE SOURCE MATERIAL AT THE END OF THE BOOK!!

To me, this story is more an historical survey of the western US around the time of the Pony Express than a complete, thorough telling of the Pony Express story per se. I understand it's impossible to tell the PE story without including all the context of what was happening in and around the area and across the US at this time. Still, I found some of the diversions from the main story a little annoying at times, i.e., a distraction that didn't seem to add to the main narrative; some of the tangents seemed to be more about filling pages to make a thicker volume than adding context or diving deeper into the story of the PE itself.

Here's my main gripe. If this is the 21st century's magnum opus on the Pony Express, it left me wanting a lot more of the story. In fairness, I must add that there doesn't seem to be a lot of of credible sources to flesh out the story much more than DeFelice has. Kudos to him for the extensive research, and related travel, he completed in preparing this manuscript.

I strongly encourage readers like myself, obsessive-compulsive or otherwise, who finished the book wanting more, to read DeFelice's extensive, interesting and humors notes on his sources and research at the end of the book. Those pages paint a more vivid and complete picture of the challenges facing a 21st century author trying to piece together the myriad historical remnants into whole historical cloth. In truth, I think this was my favorite part of the book. I've copied down a number of the source materials he cites and will follow up with my own research.

I would only rate this book as two stars, i.e., "it was OK", had I not devoured the reference material at the end of the book. That section fills in a lot of the gaps that the main narrative seems not to address. Perhaps the author did this purposefully; perhaps it was his preferred modus operandi. I think it would have been a much stronger, more interesting tale had he woven that information into the man narrative more effectively.

Call me a crank if you prefer; my major complaints revolve around not appreciating the way the author chose to tell his story. There is a lot more meat on the bone at the back of the volume.
I would have preferred he had woven it into the main narrative. However, after reading it completely, I have a greater appreciation for his story and the research he completed to tell it.

[Will · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don't expect great detail on the Pony Express itself with this book. It was a ok/good 2.5 star account of the Pony Express, but had more other historical goings-on during the 18 month stint of the Express. It was more of what was happening in areas near/along the trail, as well as in other parts of the country leading up to the Civil War.

DeFelice does well with fiction but a lot of times in this book, overspreads too much repetition, especially regarding Buffalo Bill Cody.

The pros of the book are the history lesson during this time and the fact the Pony Express was not meant to last long thanks to the telegraph system by Samuel Morse, and the transcontinental railway. The details of the topography and some of the accounts was good. As you may know, a lot of the Pony Express is glorified and fictionalized like crazy, but still the actual riders set us with pride in doing their jobs despite the dangers.

Facts vs fiction on those who started the Pony Express, the U.S. government at the time, and those who managed the divisions along the route. Some are tall tales, others not quite sure. DeFelice in the appendix lists all riders thought or may have rode with the Express.

[Candice · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The complications come when historians try to separate fact from fiction. Most of them end up twisted in knots."😂

One of my reading goals for this year was to dig into some Western material (fiction too) to help cover a blindspot in my own understanding of American history and culture. I saw this on the library stacks and I'm glad I gave it a whirl.

The casual, dryly-humored tone throughout makes the book highly readable and keeps things moving through what sometimes feels like too many names and details. Overall, a really well done and fascinating picture of the (surpisingly short-lived) Pony Express and the broader American story it transported. I learned something.

[drowningmermaid · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's okay. Not really my cuppa and not likely to win me over. Some interesting notes on how the legend came to be, some quite detailed description of dress . . . Not really a big nostalgic moment for me in history, but the author feels differently. Very white perspective of the Indian wars, despite an attempt at giving the Native view, which is understandable but not terribly palatable. (Really didn't talk about the destruction of the buffalo, the broken treaties, the white scalpings.)

I do like how this myth that formed American consciousness gets transcribed overseas and is sometimes embraced by places like Japan.

[Nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this new history of the unique and short-lived Pony Express, DeFelice strives to give a deeper context to the events surrounding "the Pony," and includes the sectional crisis, westward pioneers, 1849 Gold Rush, US elections, Mormon settlement and the Mormon War, Indian issues, and many of the colorful characters involved in and around the Pony. Lots of interesting stories, including tragedies and legends. For the most part, DeFelice fairly represents the interwoven history of the American West and gives us a glimpse of the bravery and resourcefulness of the Pony Express riders and station workers during one of the most interesting times in American history.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not the read I was looking for, unfortunately. It's true that the Pony Express only ran for 18 months, so maybe that's why the author was unable to write a full book about it. A good history will provide context, but in this one, the context actually ends up being the majority of the work. I learned far more about the Mormons and the LDS church, the leadup to the Civil War, and general westward expansion than I did about the actual Pony Express. Often, I'd forget that the book was supposed to be about! It wasn't a bad read, but it would have been better framed as a quick, entertaining capture of a specific moment in time in American history, rather than a focused historical work.

[Danette · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting look at the Pony Express and the events surrounding its run. I especially liked the section featuring Sacramento - Tahoe. :)

I listened to the audio.

2020 A book endorsed by Albert Mohler

[Starbubbles · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bam! Finished! It only took a yr to do so! Review coming soon!

[Charles Haywood · Rating 4 out of 5]

My great-grandfather’s uncle, William Pridham, was a rider for the Pony Express. This is not a family legend, as are many Pony Express stories; he is listed in the Appendix to this book, which is a crisp, compelling story of the brief life of that once-iconic American enterprise. The family connection is really why I picked this book to read, and I was not disappointed in my choice.

The author, Jim DeFelice (noted for earlier writing "American Sniper"), frames his book through describing the delivery by the Express of the news of Lincoln’s election in 1860, following riders through their stations from St. Joseph, on the western edge of Missouri, to Sacramento. Interspersed with these evocative descriptions are narratives of the history of the Express itself, as well as of related historical matters, ranging from Bleeding Kansas to the development of portable repeating firearms. DeFelice is quite clear that a great deal about the Express is either conjecture or incompletely supported by the historical record. It ran for only eighteen months, it failed financially, and almost all written records were lost long ago. Even immediately after its time, it was surrounded by innumerable lies and myths, most famously those spun by Buffalo Bill Cody, and including the famous “Orphans Preferred” advertisement for riders. Still, it occupies, or occupied until recently, an outsized place in the American imagination.

The Express was the brainchild of three men, already partners for several years in the business of Western transportation and distribution: William Russell, Alexander Majors, and William Waddell. Unlike many partnerships, where one partner does all the work and the others relax, it was one where each man actually contributed different talents. Majors was the boots-on-the-ground implementer; he organized and drove wagon trains. Waddell was the numbers man. Russell was the salesman, glad-hander and palm greaser, who in the end brought the whole partnership to ruin. The Express was not a standalone enterprise—it was conceived of as only one part of a plan to acquire extremely lucrative government contracts for mail and goods shipping. The partners knew the Express would lose money; they also knew that the cross-continental telegraph was imminent, and the railroads not far behind. Their plan was to, in today’s language, obtain the first-mover advantage, and position themselves to be the dominant, even monopolistic, players in the Western shipping business, profiting ultimately also from other income streams, such as land speculation if the railroads followed the routes they set up.

Instead, they went bankrupt. Part of that was that the Express cost more, and brought in less, than even they expected. Consumers, as DeFelice notes, loved the idea of speed; they were less willing to pay for it. Speed was what the Express offered: ten days for a letter to California—at five dollars an ounce, when that was real money. But the bigger part was that the hoped-for government contracts never came through, for a variety of reasons. This destroyed the entire business plan. Moreover, the government welched on significant debts owed to the partners (as the result of damages suffered during the Utah War between the Mormons and the federal government). Russell, in a desperate attempt to keep the partnership afloat, thereupon engaged in a variety of shady schemes involving appropriation and hypothecation of government bonds he didn’t own, a fraud which when exposed put the final nail in the coffin of the Express.

But its financial failure isn’t what Americans remembered. Nor was it just the speed that excited Americans of the time and later. As DeFelice notes, “the service and especially its riders embodied or symbolized some of the things they cared about: courage, physical prowess, the willingness to risk all in a race against Nature and Time.” In a refreshing departure from most modern popular writing, DeFelice wastes no time apologizing for these as virtues, or denying that these are masculine virtues, or caviling that women weren’t given opportunities, or “discovering” supposedly hidden women who played an important role. This was men’s work, and nobody pretended it was or should be otherwise, as we are forced to pretend today about everything from soldiering to breadwinning. So, because of its nature, the Express became an archetypal heroic narrative, with a distinctively American twist. Jordan Peterson doubtless approves, despite the dubious veracity of many of the specific stories about the Express. It is too bad that he is in the minority, and most of our ruling classes, if asked, would identify the Express as a shining example of “toxic masculinity,” among the stupider concepts of recent years (though it faces stiff competition from scores of others).

Anyway, despite the dubious legends, the verifiable stories about the Express are plenty thrilling. Threats and challenges, including Nature most of all, were continually overcome by brave men. With the exception of the Paiute War, where they attacked and killed several riders and station operators, the Indians didn’t much concern themselves with the Express; primarily they were curious why the white man was in such a hurry. There were plenty of salty characters, though, including several, like the famous Jack Slade, who worked for the Express and did things like cut off a horse thief’s ears and nail them to a fence post to discourage imitators. Many of these characters were described by Mark Twain in "Roughing It," a book from which DeFelice quotes extensively (while noting that Twain frequently exaggerated and took artistic liberties in his descriptions). DeFelice does a good job of pulling his narrative along without undue credulity, and adding color with relevant historical data that ties it all together.

In 1861, the assets of the Express were sold to Butterfield Stage, and in 1866 that was absorbed by Wells Fargo (which hired Pridham, my family connection, who spent the rest of his long career working for Wells Fargo, such that he has a profile on the company’s website). I suspect that most people under forty today know little or nothing about the Express, which is too bad. Reading this short book is a good, and easy, corrective to that lack of knowledge.

[Geoff Habiger · Rating 4 out of 5]

West Like Lightning is a fun, very entertaining look at the brief history of the Pony Express. While the Pony Express only ran for 18 months, it has lived on in myth and legend ever since it's first days.

Jim DeFelice does a good job of presenting the story of the Pony Express, using the delivery of the news of Abraham Lincoln's election along the route of the Pony as the framework to talk about the people that built and operated the Pony Express, from the business men who thought up the idea, to the riders and station masters who staffed the route. I found using this method of presenting the history of the Pony Express to be quite interesting as most histories are presented in a chronological order. What DeFelice does is use a geographic order (east to west along the route) and mixes up the chronology as he goes, jumping forward and backward in time to suite the narrative. It took a little bit to get used to, but was an effective tool for talking about the Pony.

In a few places I found that DeFelice went on a few longer tangents, straying from the main narrative about the Pony to talk about some of the more famous people associated with the Pony Express, or who provided contemporary (relatively) commentary about the men who rode the express. From Samuel Clemens, to Buffalo Bill Cody, and "Wild Bill" Hickok, DeFelice adds longish biographies that liven up the story, but seemed to ramble and stray at times from the focus of the narrative on the Pony Express. (That doesn't mean that I didn't find this information interesting or informative, I just wondered at times when we'd get back to talking about the Pony Express.)

I did learn a lot about the Pony Express, and the period in 1860 and '61 when it was in operation. Learning that towns like St. Joseph, Missouri courted and provided incentives to the owners of the Pony Express to anchor the eastern terminus of the route - in the same way that cities today court large companies to build their factories or headquarters - was very interesting. Or how the Pony Express was never intended to ever be a money maker, or to last beyond the time it took to build the telegraph lines. That it had a planned obsolescence was quite interesting.

Overall I recommend West Like Lightning. If you have any interest in American history, an interest in the Old West, or a look into how people dealt with the harsh conditions of moving across and settling the western part of the country, then you will enjoy Jim's look into the Pony Express.

I listened to the audiobook version of this book, narrated by John Pruden. There were no problems with the audio production and Mr. Pruden does a great job of bringing the history and people of the Pony Express to life.

[Earl Grey Tea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm going to round up and give this book four stars on Goodreads, but three and a half would be my final verdict.

What I like the most about West Like Lightning is how the author covered a lot history around the short lived Pony Express to help give context. This information clarified what was happening in America around that time and the background of key people associated with this mail service. Keep in mind that Jim DeFelice went a mile wide but only a couple of inches deep in the topics that he discussed. The tangential details that stuck out to me the most was the brief overview of Mormon history up to the 1860's.

The information presented was arranged geographically starting in the east at St. Joseph, Missouri and ending in San Francisco, California as the book follows the delivery of the news that Abraham Lincoln won the 1860 presidential election. Overall this structure worked well given the topic at hand, though peripheral subject matters could be a bit confusing since they weren't in chronological order. The author would jump around in the timeline to explain things as the location of the various points of interests showed up in his journey westward along the trail.

There were only two things that bothered me during the course of this book. The first was the authors use of fictional style of writing to set up what the Pony Express rider in St. Joseph, Missouri might have been doing when waiting for the election results to be delivered. Writing what you imagine could have happened in a narrative style doesn't belong in a history book. If there isn't documented information, don't write as if it could have happened. Luckily, this style wasn't prominent and the 'tale' of the rider was only used to transition from one section to another.

The other irksome aspect of this book was the author's propensity to use everyday speaking vernacular throughout the text. I love history books that take you on an enthralling (but factual) journey and are comprehensible. The rejoinders peppered throughout the pages detracted from the overall flow and felt sophomoric to me.

To end on a positive note, Jim DeFelice did a good job reiterating that the history surrounding the Pony Express is full of tall tales and that information passed down needs to be taken with a grain, if not at times a boulder, of salt.

[The Irregular Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

The history of the American West seems made up of equal parts fact and legend. The country’s westward expansion became shorthand for a fundamental definition of “American-ness” which still reverberates into the present day. This was a time of rugged individualism, of striving against heavy odds, advancement and overcoming nature herself. Of course, this was also a time of religious and racial conflict, of violence and vigilantism, of a casual imperialism justified by Manifest Destiny. We must own both sides of our collective psyche.

In this world of rapid advancement and easy violence, the Pony Express looms large. The stories (real and legendary) of lone riders setting off against harsh deserts and mountain ranges, hostile natives, lawless bandits, and unpredictable weather exemplify the best aspects of our views on the Wild West.

This book is a history of the Pony Express. But by necessity it is also a book about myth, and legend, and place. The thread of the narrative wanders through time and geography like a rider picking his way over rough terrain. We follow a series of riders as they deliver a single missive from Missouri to California: Abraham Lincoln has won the 1860 presidential election.

Westerns (with some notable exceptions) have fallen a bit out of favor in recent decades as we grapple with the less savory aspects of America’s westward push. But it remains an utterly fascinating, and tragic, part of our history. Jim DeFelice shows us the history. And the legends. He shows us how they weave together and how to tease them apart. He presents us with both a fascinating history and a compelling story.

History buffs, or anyone who’s interest had been piqued by shows like WestWorld or Deadwood should definitely give this book a go.

An advanced copy of this book was provided by the publisher via Goodreads in exchange for an honest review.

[Megargee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Born April 3, 1860, died Oct. 24, 1861: The Central Overland and Pikes Peak Express Company, aka "The Pony Express." For a mere 18 months, during which the United States lurched toward dissolution, intrepid young men on fast horses riding between relay stations about 10 miles apart kept the west coast connected with the midwest and eastern states, transporting messages from the end of the telegraph at St. Joseph MO to Sacramento CA in 10 days across plains, deserts, and mountains.
To tell the story of the Pony, author DeFelice traces the route of mail pouch carrying the news of Abraham Lincoln's surprising election in November, 1860. He describes the riders, the horses, the stations, the perils of marauding Native Americans, blizzards, bandits and horse thieves. He describes each of the Pony's districts and recounts the tales of the legendary characters such as Jim Bridger, Buffalo Bill Cody, and Wild Bill Hickock. We learn about Samuel Colt, inventor of the revolver, Samuel Morse and the telegraph, and Joseph Smith and the Mormon pioneers. A major emphasis is on the Pony's doomed business plan and shaky financing and how it eventually led to Wells Fargo and the extension of express service and later the railroads throughout the west.
De Felice includes a wealth of supporting material, maps, rosters of riders, and photographs, many taken when he himself traced the route of the Pony, as well as an analysis of how the legends of the Pony Express influenced the genre of western fiction from writers such as Ned Buntline, theater (Buffalo Bill) and film. Throughout he carefully differentiates fact from fiction and legends from actual history in an easily readable style.

[Kathleen McKim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting book about an 18-month period in US History. Beginning with what was probably the Pony Express' famous dispatch, the election of Abraham Lincoln, DeFelice breaks down the history of the Pony (1860-1861) in each of its five divisions as it ran from St. Joe, MO, to San Francisco, CA. The Pony was never expected to make money, and the founders knew that the telegraph and transcontinental railroad would soon make their service obsolete. What they intended and what they got was name-brand recognition that would forever be seared into the American consciousness. The book was a bit repetitive as some of the history discussion for each of the five divisions sometimes overlapped, but it was interesting to learn about the Morman War (I had no idea!) and the "Indian Wars" in the Utah territory that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in loss, as well as loss of life. Famous riders such as Buffalo Bill Cody and Wild Bill Hickok are discussed. Also of equal interest were discussions of Division Managers (Jack Slade, Div 2) and Station Managers who were just as colorful in their own ways. It really seemed what brought an end of the Pony Express was the Civil War, as the nation became increasingly divided and the US war budget increased over budgets for civil services. The myth of the Pony Express has become larger than the sum of its parts, and has become a symbol of the rugged American ideal, independent, daring and unstoppable.

[Coral · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lively read about the Pony Express. It's amazing how something that was so short-lived has become such a romanticized, mythologized presence in American history.

This was a very enjoyable read though, after I finished reading it, I didn't feel as if I walked away knowing much more about the Pony Express than before I started. There's a lot of information in the book, but much of it is focused on the other events going on in the country at the time- especially the Civil War (and the beginnings of the Mormon church and the founders' move from Missouri to Illinois to Utah). It also spends quite a bit of time discussing some of other personalities of the time that were loosely tied (or not at all) to the Pony Express, including Wild Bill Hickok and Buffalo Bill Cody.

Although there is a notes section, it is included at the end of the book instead of cited within the text or placed at the bottom of the page as traditional footnotes. Some of the information left out of the text and placed into the notes should have (in my opinion) been kept as part of the text. It would have kept the book on its main topic and made it easier for the reader to see that information.

The bibliography at the end that includes books, magazines, articles, and websites that were used as sources and/or are suggested for additional reading. It's a good list and I will definitely be checking it out.

[FM · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned a lot from reading this book--I didn't realize how short-lived the Pony Express was, and how it fit into the context of the times. It took me a while to catch on to how DeFelice was approaching the book: not chronologically but instead by telling stories of the stops along the route. That's an interesting way to tell the story, but it made the book somewhat hard to follow. Early in the book, Lincoln has been elected, then later he hasn't, and then he is again . . . the book doesn't follow a strict timeline which was somewhat confusing and also led to some repetition. There were several times he told a story more than once or "introduced" a character that we had already met.

DeFelice has a breezy style that I found a bit off-putting, but I can see how some readers would like it. For example, he made reference to the fact that when something had to be tossed from a stagecoach because of weight or space it would be the newspaper, and had to put in a little dig about how people see newspapers. He put that story in twice. *sigh*

Overall, though, this was a very well-researched book and the material at the end was absolutely fascinating. Don't skip the appendices and end notes--it's the best part of the book!