The most recommended books about the Oregon Trail

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11 authors created a book list connected to the Oregon Trail, and here are their favorite Oregon Trail books.
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Book cover of The Oregon Trail: A New American Journey

Martha W. Murphy Author Of CRU Oyster Bar Nantucket Cookbook: Savoring Four Seasons of the Good Life

From my list on the eclectic reader of nonfiction.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a narrative nonfiction writer interested in a broad range of topics, including but not limited to: food and the people who bring it to us; travel and life in faraway places; human health and the role of medicine; memoir as one person’s story yet illustrative of the human spirit; and the unique and remarkable role dogs play in our lives. I am the same kind of reader: I read across a range of topics, mostly nonfiction. The bookshelves in my house and the record of titles I’ve checked out from my local library show an eclectic taste, as do the books I’m recommending here. I hope you’ll enjoy them!

Martha's book list on the eclectic reader of nonfiction

Martha W. Murphy Why did Martha love this book?

I had never heard of Rinker Buck—nor of C-Span Book TV, for that matter—when one day, flipping through channels, I landed on him giving a talk about his then-new book, The Oregon Trail. I was smitten. As soon as his talk ended, I rushed to my local library to check out a copy.

Part travelogue, part memoir, part history lesson, The Oregon Trail had me mesmerized from the first page. “Exceptional” is not too strong a word to describe Buck’s skill as a writer and his extraordinary 2000-mile journey in a real covered wagon pulled by mules, tracing the pioneers’ arduous trek.

His insights, humor, and a personality that “doesn’t suffer fools gladly” provide a true understanding of the difficulty such a journey posed 150 years ago.

By Rinker Buck,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Oregon Trail as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • #1 Indie Next Pick • Winner of the PEN New England Award

“Enchanting…A book filled with so much love…Long before Oregon, Rinker Buck has convinced us that the best way to see America is from the seat of a covered wagon.” —The Wall Street Journal

“Amazing…A real nonfiction thriller.” —Ian Frazier, The New York Review of Books

“Absorbing…Winning…The many layers in The Oregon Trail are linked by Mr. Buck’s voice, which is alert and unpretentious in a manner that put me in mind of Bill Bryson’s comic tone in A Walk in the Woods.”…


Book cover of All Together in One Place

Susan Grant Author Of The Bottle House

From my list on authentically illustrating genuine Christian faith.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a Bible college graduate whose faith has always been a practical matter. Because I learned to find the “so what” of the Bible, when I became a teacher of the Bible in the public schools of Rowan County, North Carolina, my elective courses had waiting lists for students to get in to. As I now teach in Maine, I found I could continue to share a practical Christian faith through my writing. The books I have listed here do the very thing that I seek in my own writing.

Susan's book list on authentically illustrating genuine Christian faith

Susan Grant Why did Susan love this book?

All Together in One Place had me hooked just by reading the back cover. As I read about Mazy, her somewhat difficult marriage and the tragedy of loss, I found courage and hope. 

All Together in One Place traces the real-life story of a group of people traveling by wagon on the Oregon Trail in 1852. All the men in the caravan die and these women must decide to work with their differences and learn it is necessary to rely on each other in order to survive.

Reading Kirkpatrick’s book taught me about genuine faith and why asking for help is vital. The authentic dialogue and struggles the women have within the pages of history and this book gave me a perspective on life I did not have.

By Jane Kirkpatrick,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked All Together in One Place as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Their lives would be tempered by adversity, expanded by faith, polished by perseverance.

Based on an actual 1852 Oregon Trail incident, All Together in One Place, Book One in the Kinship and Courage series, speaks to the strength in every woman and celebrates the promise of hope that unfailingly blooms amidst tragedy and challenge.

For Madison "Mazy" Bacon, a young wife living in southern Wisconsin, the future appears every bit as promising as it is reassuringly predictable. A loving marriage, a well-organized home, the pleasure of planting an early spring garden--these are the carefully-tended dreams that sustain her heart and…


Book cover of Del Rio

Bob Giel Author Of Shawnee

From my list on generating interest in the Western genre.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have a life-long love of Westerns. I’ve researched the period and the events extensively. One of the first things I look for in any book I read is period accuracy. The books I write are historically accurate, though they are fiction. I’m on a mission, through my writing, to save the Western genre.

Bob's book list on generating interest in the Western genre

Bob Giel Why did Bob love this book?

A new book by a new writer, this is one I had an editing hand in, and one I’ve come to love. It’s a gripping coming-of-age novel set in the 1840s against the backdrop of the vast push west. Both a personal story of a young man forced to survive in a violent land, and an epic story of wagons west along the Oregon Trail, it grabs the reader from the get-go and holds on to the very end. There are as many twists and turns to this tale as were present in the trail west itself.

By Michael Lee,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Del Rio as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

In the bitter Christmas cold of a Maryland winter, Delaino Riodan, orphaned heir to the Conlan family fortune, finally decides that enough is enough and flees the clutches of his abusive family. With him are the only two friends he’s ever known—Tucker, a family slave, and Raj, an exquisitely-trained stallion Del stole from his grandfather’s stables. Together they head west in search of Delaino’s long-lost father, Daniel, and the promise of life and liberty on the far end of the famed Oregon Trail. Drunk on the hope and enthusiasm…


Book cover of The Oregon Trail

Kevin Kiely Author Of A Horse Called El Dorado

From my list on surviving danger and seeing your dream come true.

Why am I passionate about this?

This is very simple as to why there is passionate engagement with the themes listed within each of the five titles chosen. It's about engagement with the story which immediately comes from strongly identifying with the characters and events. The ‘identity factor’ is vital in drawing the reader in, and it's the mystery when writing a story or book which doesn’t begin with a prescribed plan. The mystery is really what creates the story and its characters, wanting to see what happens on the next page. With the reader, after having read a few pages, feeling the compulsion to read on, fully committed, emotionally involved, intrigued, and passionately caught up in the story.

Kevin's book list on surviving danger and seeing your dream come true

Kevin Kiely Why did Kevin love this book?

I began to read this book in childhood because it was in our house (sent as a present from an Aunt living in America) and it intrigued me by the title and the illustrations of buffalos, coyotes, bears, the landscape, rivers, canyons, and the covered wagons in a circle with people and their belongings, bedding down by campfires under the starry skies […] The episodes easily captured my attention. Parkman is documenting the first settlers crossing the Mid-West Plains towards the Rockies. This is really ‘a page turner’ and classic of travelogue adventure, even though I had never heard the genre term ‘travelogue’ on first reading. It also reads like a fantasy and provides the reader who has never been to the United States with a longing to go there. Books are parallel to life and in this case for me, I did reach the Origen Trail, walked some of…

By Francis Parkman,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Oregon Trail as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Keen observations and a graphic style characterize the author's remarkable record of a vanishing frontier. Detailed accounts of the hardships experienced while traveling across mountains and prairies; vibrant portraits of emigrants and Western wildlife; and vivid descriptions of Indian life and culture. A classic of American frontier literature.


Book cover of Christians on the Oregon Trail: Churches of Christ and Christian Churches in Early Oregon, 1842-1882

Tom Fuller Author Of Oregon at Work: 1859-2009

From my list on Oregon pioneer history.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always been a history lover. Since my 7th-grade teacher brought history to life I have been interested in a wide variety of topics and times. After living in Oregon for twenty-five years I found myself wanting to contribute to the cataloging of this great state’s history. The niche I discovered was to explore the world of work over Oregon’s history. Researching Oregon at Work: 1859-2009 I spent many hours across kitchen tables with the descendants of Oregon pioneers. They had boxes of ancient documents and photographs on their side, I came equipped with my laptop and scanner. Through this process, I researched thousands of documents, books, maps, diaries, photos, and more. I became an expert on the subject and my interest only grew.

Tom's book list on Oregon pioneer history

Tom Fuller Why did Tom love this book?

You may not realize that the reason many came across the Oregon Trail was because of their religious and moral beliefs. Christians on the Oregon Trail highlights many well-known Oregon pioneers and details how their Christian beliefs inspired them both on the trail and once they arrived in Oregon. Some of those detailed are: Jason Lee, the Whitmans, Reuben Lewis, and many others. The book gives you also some of the theological underpinnings of the pioneers. 

Book cover of To Catch the Wind

Rebecca Lange Author Of Healing the Orphaned Heart

From my list on swoon-worthy Christian historical romance.

Why am I passionate about this?

Ever since I can remember I had a special love for western romance books. My mom has written several books set in 1800s America and that probably stirred me in that direction as well since I love her books (they're in German, which is why I couldn’t recommend them). Regency has become my second historical fiction genre, which is probably why I write and read both time periods. I'm a German-born US-Indie author and total romance fanatic. I write Christian Romance set mostly in the above time periods. I'm a massive Harry Potter fan, have been married to my husband for nearly 18 years and we have two teenage sons. 

Rebecca's book list on swoon-worthy Christian historical romance

Rebecca Lange Why did Rebecca love this book?

This book gives you all the feels, including aggression and anger toward the husband of the main character who is abusive and vile. Oh, I know that it is just fiction, but abusive swine like him exist and make me so angry. Despite that part, it is a beautiful story full of love and hope while facing the dangers of the Oregon Trail. I love the interactions between Ben and Lynn, even though he has to discover first that she is a girl, since she disguises herself as a man to escape her abusive husband. It is a good clean western romance with swoon-worthy moments and characters you either love or deeply hate. I loved reading it and I hope to dive into the author‘s other books soon.

By Charli West,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked To Catch the Wind as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Love is a journey as treacherous as the Oregon Trail. Lynn Malen has finally reached her breaking point. Determined to escape an abusive marriage and get out of Independence, Missouri, she disguises herself as a young man and changes her name to “Larry” to get the last spot on a wagon train heading west. Accompanied by folks who are also looking for a new future, Lynn finds comfort and friends along the trail. What she didn’t expect to find was an attraction to Ben Alenson, the strong, brusque, and determined wagon master. After this wagon train reaches its destination, Ben…


Book cover of White Magic

Alex Difrancesco Author Of Breaking the Curse: A Memoir about Trauma, Healing, and Italian Witchcraft

From my list on needing magic in your life.

Why am I passionate about this?

It’s not an exaggeration to say that finding a path toward a spiritual belief that accepted me for who I am was a lifelong pursuit for me. As someone who felt pushed out by the Catholic Church for my transness, I wanted to find something that kept some of those traditions but built on them in a way that made sense to me and included me. Italian-American folk magic had room for people like me in a way that organized religion never did. The magical memoirs of contemporary writers inspired me to synthesize what I’d learned into my own grimoire/memoir. 

Alex's book list on needing magic in your life

Alex Difrancesco Why did Alex love this book?

I was amazed and inspired by the places that Elissa Washuta went with this book. Not only is it about living in a potentially haunted home and the magic that the author engages with, but also, somehow, about historical markers, The Oregon Trail, and indigeneity.

I felt like I was traveling along with Elissa Washuta’s brilliant mind as she made her way through all these seemingly disparate but ultimately very connected topics. 

By Elissa Washuta,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked White Magic as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Finalist for the PEN Open Book Award

Longlisted for the PEN/Jean Stein Award

A TIME, NPR, New York Public Library, Lit Hub, Book Riot, and Entropy Best Book of the Year

"Beguiling and haunting. . . . Washuta's voice sears itself onto the skin." ―The New York Times Book Review

Bracingly honest and powerfully affecting, White Magic establishes Elissa Washuta as one of our best living essayists.

Throughout her life, Elissa Washuta has been surrounded by cheap facsimiles of Native spiritual tools and occult trends, “starter witch kits” of sage, rose quartz, and tarot cards packaged together in paper and…


Book cover of Roxanne

Katie Delahanty Author Of Keystone

From my list on 20th century YA that will give you all the feels.

Why am I passionate about this?

When I was a teen, I had zero aspirations to become a writer. I didn’t discover my passion for writing until I was thirty! But once I started writing, it was these books and the way they made me feel that I drew on. I wanted strong heroines that I wanted to be—and be friends with. I wanted a slow burn, skin-tingling romance with a lot of push and pull. I wanted to be part of something bigger than myself. To go on a quest. To feel victorious. And it is my hope that I can give my readers all the feels these books gave me.

Katie's book list on 20th century YA that will give you all the feels

Katie Delahanty Why did Katie love this book?

I have loved many a Sunfire historical Romance. Danielle (pirates!), Caroline (Gold Rush!), Amanda (Oregon Trail!), Nicole (Titanic—way before there was a movie). There’s always a kick-ass heroine and a love triangle and fun outfits (also a must for me—I was a fashion designer before becoming a writer and styling the wardrobe and “sets” is very important to me when crafting a story. I keep a Pinterest board for all my books and unlock it once a book/series is fully published). Anyway, I especially loved Roxanne because I’ve always loved Old Hollywood and old movies (much like Elisha in Keystone). I moved to Orange County, California from Pittsburgh when I was a kid, and on day trips to Los Angeles, I preferred seeing Hollywood through Roxanne’s eyes. It was her story that connected me to my new home. 

By Jane Claypool Miner,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Roxanne as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Book by Miner, Jane Claypool


Book cover of Where the Lost Wander

Emily Hayse Author Of These War-Torn Hands

From my list on capturing the poignant beauty of the American West.

Why am I passionate about this?

Ever since I can remember, I've been captivated by the American West. Was it that cowboys were brave and if you had integrity it was most certainly put to the test? Was it that everyone rode horses and I was a horse crazy girl? Whatever it was that struck me, it stayed. I have treasured the West ever since, through books, film, art, and most recently, a fantasy western trilogy of my own. 

Emily's book list on capturing the poignant beauty of the American West

Emily Hayse Why did Emily love this book?

This book follows a young widow traveling westward with her extended family and her journey to find love and purpose again. It takes a hard and honest look at the kind of challenges that people in that time period faced, but through hardships and staggering loss she finds hope and belonging in a beautiful and deadly landscape. 

By Amy Harmon,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Where the Lost Wander as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In this epic and haunting love story set on the Oregon Trail, a family and their unlikely protector find their way through peril, uncertainty, and loss.

The Overland Trail, 1853: Naomi May never expected to be widowed at twenty. Eager to leave her grief behind, she sets off with her family for a life out West. On the trail, she forms an instant connection with John Lowry, a half-Pawnee man straddling two worlds and a stranger in both.

But life in a wagon train is fraught with hardship, fear, and death. Even as John and Naomi are drawn to each…


Book cover of The Oregon Trail: A New American Journey
Book cover of All Together in One Place
Book cover of Del Rio

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