The Age of Gold

The California Gold Rush and the New American Dream

De: H.W. Brands

Narrado por: Grover Gardner

By the author of the best-selling Pulitzer Prize finalist

The first American - they went west to change their lives and in the bargain they changed the world. This is the extraordinary story of the men and women of the Gold Rush.

When gold was first discovered on the American River above Sutter's Fort in January 1848, California was sparsely populated frontier territory not yet ceded to the United States from Mexixo. The discovery triggered a massive influx as hundreds of thousands of people scrambled to California in search of riches, braving dangerous journeys across the Pacific, around Cape Horn, and through the Isthmus of Panama, as well as across America's vast, unsettled wilderness.

Cities sprang up overnight, in response to the demand for supplies and services of all kinds. By 1850, California had become a state - the fastest journey to statehood in US history. It had also become a symbol of what America stood for and of where it was going.

In The Age of Gold, H. W. Brands explores the far-reaching implications of this pivotal point in U.S. history, weaving the politics of the times with the gripping stories of individuals that displays both the best and the worse of the American character. He discusses the national issues that exploded around the ratification of California's statehood, hastening the clouds that would lead to the Civil War.

He tells the stories of the great fortunes made by such memorable figures as John and Jessie Fremont, Leland Stanford and George Hearst - and of great fortunes lost by hundreds now forgotten by history. And he reveals the profound effect of the Gold Rush on the way Americans viewed their destinies, as the Puritan ethic of hard work and the gradual accumulation of worldly riches gave way to the notion of getting rich quickly.

©2002 H.W. Brands (P)2002 Books On Tape, Inc.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"With solid research and a sprightly narrative, Brands's portrait of the gold rush is an enlightening analysis of a transformative period for California and America." (Publishers Weekly)
"Brands writes history as the art of storytelling that enthralls and informs the reader. Highly recommended." (Library Journal)
"An important work of history." (Booklist)
"Exuberant....Entertaining, lively....Brands [is] a wonderfully skilled narrative historian." (Los Angeles Times)
"An engrossing, multifaceted history." (The New York Times)

Very interesting but not riveting

I really enjoyed the information presented in this book. However, it was kind of a meandering narrative and didn't really suck you in. That being said I was disappointed when It was done because I really enjoyed the steady stream of trivia/history.

Great History of California!

The Author weaves the history of California into a wonderful tail! My kids love this story! Although they have to listen to it in small chunks.

Packed with fascinating info

I loved this book. It’s just packed with info and anecdotes. The narration is terrific. What an amazing story!

A story as rich as the subject metal.

H.W. Brands style of writing is as rich was his subject and in this case the narration sets a stage that befits it. a thoroughly enjoyable books that becomes more so as the story evolves to the point I lamented the hours left with each listen.

Engrossing and informative

Again, the author brings history to life! A gripping telling of the stories behind the historical period.

interesting but would not read again

It was an interesting topic but somewhat disjointed I felt the last 1/3 was more organised.

Very thorough and entertaining.

Covers the back-story of so many aspects of the Gold Rush and subsequent mineral development in the West, plus the evolution of civilization and cities.

Took me three years.

Good for long drives and falling asleep stoned. Learned the origins of so many SF street names.

Enlightening and Enriching

Not just the researched events and their stories. but a rich depiction of the environments, the motivations and struggles of both the well known and previously unrecognized people across a half century of history.

Gold!

Loved it! California native and this is the first book I ever read on the California Gold Rush!