Blood and Thunder

Published in 2006, the book is a narrative history detailing the life of frontiersman Kit Carson and the expansion of the United States into the American West. It specifically focuses on U.S. expansion into New Mexico and the events of the Mexican-American War.

Author Hampton Sides relies heavily on historical records, journals, and Kit Carson's own reports to construct the narrative. While it reads like an adventure novel, it is heavily researched non-fiction that aims to provide a balanced look at the violent conquest of the West.

While Kit Carson is the central figure, the book functions as a broader history of the 19th-century West and introduces a massive ensemble cast. Readers also learn about the Navajo people, General Stephen Watts Kearny, and explorer John C. Frémont.

The title references the sensationalized, violent 'blood and thunder' dime novels that were printed during the 19th century. These cheap, exaggerated books fictionalized the real-life adventures of western figures like Carson, turning them into folk heroes.