Heyday

During one monumental month in 1848, gold is discovered in California, the United States wins its first foreign war, rebellion erupts throughout Europe, and an eager English gentleman named Benjamin Knowles plunges into love with the strong-minded New York actress and part-time prostitute Polly Lucking. He also meets her brother Duff, a dangerously damaged veteran of the Mexican War, and befriends the unforgettable Timothy Skaggs - journalist, daguerrotypist, mischief maker, stargazer.

As they set out on a wild, extraordinary transcontinental race west, lured by the prospect of easy wealth and new beginnings, they are unaware that a stranger bent on revenge shadows their every move.

©2007 Kurt Andersen (P)2007 BBC Audio

Listen to this audio book

well worth reading. well written. well performed. excellent tales. interesting character s and description s

Favorite novel in a long time

Fresh, smart, funny, moving, energetic, enlightening. Gripping, surprising story. Lovable, authentic characters. And a unique portrait of America in its youth.

Wow this was good!

I loved this book. It was a nice road trip across the America of the late eighteen forties,

Awesome

Great, detailed, well written historical fiction. Loved it.

Ambitious but ultimately disappointing.

Yawn. Forgetable characters, predictable plot, I kept finding my mind wandering, and worse, it wasn't necessary to rewind, since much of what transpires has no real plot impact. Well researched, but the story just isn't interesting. AND the narrator is over the top, way too dramatic and his many accents are pretty awful.