The Age of Gold: The California Gold Rush and the New American Dream

I'm now about a third of the way through "The Age of Gold" and I'm hooked. It's a very interesting social history of the gold rush, and has certainly managed to increase yet further my interest in this period of history.

HW Brands shares the stories of a diverse range of people affected by the rush, and explains how they became united by the discovery of gold in California.

I was enthralled by the original testimonies of many of the gold hunters. Brands frequently quotes diaries and letters and these have given me a much deeper insight into the period - although I had known that the trip to California was far from easy, I've been shocked at quite how bad it was at times!

I would certainly recommend this to anyone with even a passing interest in the gold rush, or American history, society and culture. In my opinion, it's a fascinating story of a fascinating time and the only reason I haven't given it five stars is because this is my first Audible download, and so I don't yet have other books to which to compare it!

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

This is the most complete book I have ever read about the California Gold Rush! The book follows prospectors to California from all over the globe. How they fared and what happened after the Gold Rush of 49.

Besides the rush for gold The Age of Gold also does a good job with the histories of John C. Fremont. Leland Stanford, M. Vallejo, A. Sutter, and many many more. Also mentioned, in this book, is how the gold effected Later Day Saints, The Civil War, Transcon. Railroad, Pony Express, just to mention a few.

If you love history you will love this book!

This is a another great slice of history that fills out the narrative of the American experience. H.W. Brands does an excellent job of tying together the east and west formation of our country. The age of gold is a world changing event that moved masses of people around the world and set an example the echoed through the ages. This book puts in context the human nature that drives humanity to seek at all costs the hope of sudden riches. It explanes much about our world and leaves the reader wiser for the time spent listening. Highly recommended. The reader is unobtrusive if not spectacular.

This book is really a "page turner". Grover Gardiner as always does a masterful job narrating. The cast of characters that made up early California is a who's who of personalities you'll all recognize. Part of the fun is hearing the names of people you know from other historical events being tied to California and the gold rush.

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.

Grover Garnder always does an excellent job.

A bit disappointed that this wasn't a more detailed focus on the California gold rush. It was more of a global perspective which would have been fine if represented as such. In fact it also spent very little time on the actual day to day operations of a gold mine, and not enough detail as to the mechanics. It was okay.

A broad scope coverage of the gold rush that becomes a riveting history of the settlement of the American west.

The coverage of the suffering of those on the overland journey to California was quite good.

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.

This was a fantastic account of one of the most exciting times of American history. Brands delivers the vision of the toils and travels of this era.