West Like Lightning: The Brief, Legendary Ride of the Pony Express
Language: English
Published by Morrow, New York, 2018
- First Edition
- Hardcover
- Used
Seller: Old Book Shop of Bordentown (ABAA, ILAB), Bordentown, NJ, U.S.A.Old Book Shop of Bordentown (ABAA, ILAB)
AbeBooks seller since December 12, 2003
Condition: Used - Fine
£ 11.17
Quantity: 1 available
Add to basketItem description from seller
First edition stated. Fine (small rem. stripe bot. edge) in fine dust jacket. Hardcover. Map endpapers. 357 pp. with bibliography, index. Illustrated with color and black and white photos and reproductions. On the eve of the Civil War, American businessmen launched an audacious plan to create a financial empire by transforming communications across the hostile territory between the country's two coasts. In.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 over a vast and unforgiving landscape. Officially named the Central Overland California and Pikes Peak Express Company, on one hand, the Pony Express was an improbably success; on the other hand, a business disaster. It came and went in just 18 months. Author Jim DeFelice provides the first major history of the Pony Express to put its birth, life, and legacy into the full context of the American story.…
Seller Inventory # E36559
- Title
- West Like Lightning: The Brief, Legendary Ride of the Pony Express
- Author
- Jim DeFelice
- Publisher
- Morrow, New York
- Publication year
- 2018
- Condition
- Fine
- Dust jacket
- fine
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Language
- English
- ISBN 10
- 006249676X
- ISBN 13
- 9780062496768
- Edition
- First edition.
- Seller catalogs
- American History
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.
"Synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
About the Author
Jim DeFelice is the co-author, with former U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, of the multi-million-copy bestseller American Sniper, the source for Clint Eastwood’s film starring Bradley Cooper. His other books include Omar Bradley: General at War; Rangers at Dieppe; and West Like Lightning: The Brief, Legendary Ride of the Pony Express. He lives in upstate New York.
"About the title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Old Book Shop of Bordentown (ABAA, ILAB)
Bordentown, NJ, U.S.A.
Shipping rates within U.S.A.
| Item | 7 to 22 business days | 3 to 6 business days |
|---|---|---|
| First item | £ 3.73 | £ 14.16 |
Payment methods
Store description
Over 25,000 books in all areas. When in the cental New Jersey area, please visit our shop. Hours Wed.-Sun. 11-5. Easily accessible from New York City and Philadelphia, just off NJ Turnpike Exit 7. Visit historic Bordentown City, founded in 1682 and an important location during the American Revolution. (Visit www.downtownbordentown.com)
Specialty
New Jersey history, BaseballAssociation member
Seller's business information
Old Book Shop of Bordentown (ABAA, ILAB)
200 Farnsworth Avenue
Bordentown, NJ U.S.A. 08505
Terms of sale
Payment methods: VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Discover by phone or email; checks,
money orders (U.S. only; no international checks or money orders accepted). DUE TO THEIR BUSINESS PRACTICES, WE DO NOT ACCEPT PAY PAL UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.
Books shipped world wide. Domestic U.S. shipping $3.99 for the first book, $1.50
each additional. Fellow booksellers may inquire about reciprocal discount policy
but MUST have a valid re-seller ID #. ***PLEASE NOTE WELL***On all uninsured
domestic parcels, our responsibility ends with U.S. Postal service proof of
mailing (no exceptions!). Insurance fees: first $100 $1.70 $1.00 per $100 in
coverage above $100. Should you wish to add insurance, please mention it in the
Buyer's Notes section. Thank you.
Right of withdrawal
If you are a consumer you can withdraw from the contract in accordance with the following. Consumer means any natural person who is acting for purposes which are outside his trade, business, craft or profession.
Information regarding the right of withdrawal
Statutory right to withdraw
You have the right to withdraw from this contract within 14 days without giving any reason.
The withdrawal period will expire after 14 days from the day on which you acquire, or a third party other than the carrier and indicated by you acquires, physical possession of the last good or the last lot or piece.
To exercise the right of withdrawal, electronically fill in and submit a clear statement on our website, under "My Purchases" in "My Account". We will communicate to you an acknowledgement of receipt of such a withdrawal on a durable medium (e.g. by e-mail) without delay.
To meet the withdrawal deadline, it is sufficient for you to send your communication concerning your exercise of the right of withdrawal before the withdrawal period has expired.
Effects of withdrawal
If you withdraw from this contract, we will reimburse to you all payments received from you, including the costs of delivery (except for the supplementary costs arising if you chose a type of delivery other than the least expensive type of standard delivery offered by us).
We may make a deduction from the reimbursement for loss in value of any goods supplied, if the loss is the result of unnecessary handling by you.
We will make the reimbursement without undue delay, and not later than 14 days after the day on which we are informed about your decision to withdraw from this contract.
We will make the reimbursement using the same means of payment as you used for the initial transaction, unless you have expressly agreed otherwise; in any event, you will not incur any fees as a result of such reimbursement.
We may withhold reimbursement until we have received the goods back, or you have supplied evidence of having sent back the goods, whichever is the earliest.
You shall send back the goods or hand them over to Old Book Shop of Bordentown (ABAA, ILAB), Bordentown, New Jersey, U.S.A., +1 609-324-9909, without undue delay and in any event not later than 14 days from the day on which you communicate your withdrawal from this contract to us. The deadline is met if you send back the goods before the period of 14 days has expired. You will have to bear the direct cost of returning the goods. You are only liable for any diminished value of the goods resulting from the handling other than what is necessary to establish the nature, characteristics and functioning of the goods.
Exceptions to the right of withdrawal
The right of withdrawal does not apply to:
- The delivery of newspapers, journals or magazines with the exception of subscription contracts; and
- The supply of digital content which is not supplied on a tangible medium (e.g. on a CD or DVD) if you accepted when you placed your order that we could start to deliver it, and that you could not withdraw once delivery had started.
Shipping terms
Shipping costs are based on books weighing 2.2 LB, or 1 KG. If your book order is heavy or oversized, we may contact you to let you know extra shipping is required.