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Odyssey of a Desert Prospector
Herman W. Albert tells his own story—that of a young man’s great romantic adventure in Nevada, from the day he turned prospector until he married and settled down to become a banker. Many an eastern tenderfoot went west to seek his fortune in the mining rushes from the 1850’s until well into the twentieth century. Mr. Albert began his prospecting career in Tonopah, Nevada, in 1907-——the real and lonely kind, he says, “with burros as pack animals and a skillet over an open fire for food preparation.“ Looking back over the span of sixty years separating him from that beginning, he recalls incidents and people with such clarity that the reader feels that he, too, is sharing the experiences. And what of the gold? It was usually just beyond the horizon, just over the next hill, although he did accumulate a modest stake. But he found gold far beyond the worth of the glittering sands he panned, a treasure of good friends and good fellowship in the active, outdoor life he loved. Mr. Albert is an entertaining narrator, and all lovers of Western Americana will enjoy his intimate, never-before-published story of the desert prospector, long a familiar character in the West. This book is volume 35 in THE WESTERN FRONTIER LIBRARY.
260 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1920
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April 11, 2012
Twenty stars. Among my all time favorite books. So glad to have stumbled upon a mention of it in Glasscock's book! Writing that is reminiscent of Mark Twain, only better.
As far as I can tell this is the only book ever written by Albert, and that is a pity. He is beyond a masterful storyteller. His writing speaks to me on so many levels, as we share a common bond of a deep love for Nevada, mining, land, and poetic language. If I had one book to take with me in exile, this would be on my short list.
Albert retells his early life story about how he haphazardly became a prospector in Nevada in 1907 and his subsequent travels under the stars for the next 15 years. He never did strike it big; he seemed way to shifty for that... But he did meet some incredible personalities on his way including Getchell-- pre his famed mine, Death Valley Scoty, and scores of others. It is all told do colorfully, you wish you were alongside him; you feel you are.
A great read if you are feeling the wanderlust, but just can't get away. This book will take you there and them some.
As far as I can tell this is the only book ever written by Albert, and that is a pity. He is beyond a masterful storyteller. His writing speaks to me on so many levels, as we share a common bond of a deep love for Nevada, mining, land, and poetic language. If I had one book to take with me in exile, this would be on my short list.
Albert retells his early life story about how he haphazardly became a prospector in Nevada in 1907 and his subsequent travels under the stars for the next 15 years. He never did strike it big; he seemed way to shifty for that... But he did meet some incredible personalities on his way including Getchell-- pre his famed mine, Death Valley Scoty, and scores of others. It is all told do colorfully, you wish you were alongside him; you feel you are.
A great read if you are feeling the wanderlust, but just can't get away. This book will take you there and them some.
Displaying 1 of 1 review