California Gold cover art

California Gold

A Novel

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About this listen

A "riveting...sweeping epic" of one man driven by gold fever, by the number one New York Times best-selling author of North and South. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

At the height of California's Gold Rush, men left everything behind for the chance at striking it rich. Now, some 30 years after its peak, gold fever still entices adventurous Easterners like James Macklin Chance, a poor Pennsylvanian who is drawn to California by the dream of lasting wealth - a dream so powerful he'll stop at nothing to see it through.

Along the way he'll encounter grand passion, ruthless enemies, and larger-than-life titans like Leland Stanford, Theodore Roosevelt, and William Randolph Hearst, who helped shape a country's destiny.

©1989 John Jakes (P)2020 Tantor Action & Adventure Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction
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I came to this book after listening to North and South and the Kent Family Chronicles also by John Jakes. I loved all of those but for me this one topped them. I was sorry when I got to the end although I liked the ending. It was a great insight into emerging west coast Californian life following the gold rush years - history woven against against colourful characters and their struggles with the good and the bad. I shall keep it in my library and return to it to listen again.

Brilliant Listen

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epic story spanning the pioneering years the move west to california and the following building of the state. told in a flowing narative

epic story

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A mix of history and novel. Well written and well narrated. Could be worth a second listen.

excellent

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