Sunday, December 07, 2008

"Unsolved History" episode available

Five years ago, Termite Arts produced an episode about the Donner Party for the Discovery Channel program "Unsolved History" which aired on October 8, 2003. As I wrote at the time, it was "not a resounding success. Most correspondents thought it had a jarringly split personality. The first part featured reenactment experiments, the second the archaeological discoveries at Alder Creek. Both parts were interesting, but there was little continuity between the two and many found the emphasis on cannibalism in the second section sensationalistic and offensive."

Despite its flaws, however, the episode is a must-see for dedicated Donner buffs and several people have written me hoping to find a copy. It was briefly available for purchase at the Discovery Channel website, but hasn't been listed there for the last several years. Now you can buy a copy at Amazon.com for $14.95. Not a bad price, and just in time for your Christmas gift-giving... (Obligatory disclaimer: No, I have no financial interest in the sale of this item.)