Treasure Hunter: Caches, Curses and Deadly Confrontations

by W.C. Jameson

"There are not many left, we dreamers and wanderers...We are a breed of men addicted to danger, adventure, and the quest." Thus begins W.C. Jameson's account of one intrepid man's efforts to find the lost treasures of North America and beyond. Jameson and his partners piece together centuries-old histories through documents, maps, and stories passed down from one generation to the next, facing life-threatening danger time and again. These riveting stories, told with humor and candor, are a portal to another time, and are a testament to the spirited independence of risk-takers, a few of whom still exist in what we think of as the modern age.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Adventure

206 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2010

About the author

W.C. Jameson is the award-winning author of 70 books, 1500 articles and essays, 300 songs, and dozens of poems. He is the best selling treasure author in the United States and his prominence as a professional fortune hunter had led to stints as a consultant for the Unsolved Mysteries television show and The Travel Channel. He served as an advisor for the film, "National Treasure" starring Nicolas Cage and appears in an interview on the DVD. Jameson has written the sound tracks for two PBS documentaries and one feature film. His music has been heard on NPR and he wrote and performed in the musical, “Whatever Happened to the Outlaw, Jesse James?” Jameson has acted in five films and has been interviewed on The History Channel, The Travel Channel, PBS, and Nightline. When not working on a book, he tours the country as a speaker, conducting writing workshops and performing his music at folk festivals, concerts, roadhouses, and on television. He lives in Llano, Texas.

Reviews

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

W.C. Jameson’s book Treasure Hunter: Caches, Curses, and Deadly Confrontations covers some of the treasure hunts he’s been on in Texas and Mexico.

You might think treasure hunters hear about a buried treasure and they pack their bag and head out to find it. In the end, they stumble upon a fabulous fortune, sort of like in the movie National Treasure. That’s not the reality in Jameson’s life and adventures. He and his three fellow treasure hunters often spend months researching, trying to pinpoint where a certain treasure might be located. When they set out, they are loaded with equipment they’ll need and are aware of how dangerous each expedition can be.

He’s written many other books, but since this one was set in Texas and Mexico, just about every expedition involved rattlesnakes, huge ones in big hives. Enough of them to quell any ideas I might have ever had about going on a treasure hunt. One hunt included quick sand that almost cost him his life; another involved deadly dust. In a lot of the tales, the four friends go home empty handed. More often than not, they find the treasure, but they can’t always take it home (Remember the previous comment about hives of huge rattlesnakes? Throw in people shooting at the team and other obstacles, including near death experiences.)

Jameson has had some amazing, scary, adventures. In his final chapter, he says that the only time one can fully understand what a privilege it is to just be alive is “when one has faced death and survived.” He writes: “I feel sorry for those who have never undertaken a quest, and whose only exposure to adventure is movies.”

Although I disagree with him on that, I have to say that he’s lived a full and exciting life. Because of that, I give Treasure Hunter: Caches, Curses, and Deadly Confrontations a rating of Hel-of-a-Life-Story.

[Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review by Steven King, MBA, MEd

Movies like Pirates of the Caribbean, National Treasure, and the Indiana Jones franchise awaken a deep-seated idea: adventure will break the monotony of life and you never know when you might find treasure beyond your wildest dreams. The quest for discovery compels young and old alike to voyage around the world in search of elusive treasure—or even just dig in your parent’s back yard. For some, the quest of adventure is insatiable.

Such is the case of W.C. Jameson, a self-styled adventurist and treasure hunter, whose Treasure Hunter recounts tales of gallivanting around the Sierra Madres and various borders of the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts of Mexico. This shaggy dog tale amplifies the escapades he endures when his motley crew of fellow treasure seekers throws caution to the wind in search of obscure treasure.

Perhaps it is too hard to portray treasure hunting differently in the dozen stories which Jameson describes. After reading the first few adventures, the story line became disappointingly predictable: one of the members is an expert in Mexican lore and has discovered a map, or the allusion to a location of some treasure. Next, a brief historical narrative is presented to heighten the drama of the buried treasure and then, without fail, the crew re-discovers the treasure which has been forgotten for years. Inevitably, calamity strikes, and typically, the treasure remains irretrievable. Jameson’s innuendo is that it probably still exists just where his team left it and while he’s too old to go back and reclaim the treasure in question—you, the reader, could probably discover these treasures with the requisite research.

Although somewhat predictable in places, the book is powerfully written. The reader feels drawn into the drama and can actually feel what it must have been like to crawl through impassable cavern spaces or even navigate perilous excursions with a den of rattlesnakes. Since Jameson has made appropriate initial disclaimers that names and places have been changed to protect the identities of all involved – one has to wonder how much of the story has been embellished for dramatic effect.

The movie Three Kings, popularized by actors George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg in 1999, provides a close parallel to the storyline Jameson advances. Three Kings depicts the story of four soldiers who originally set out to steal “stolen” Kuwaiti gold in the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War. Setting aside their original desire for villainous behavior, they abandon their lust for treasure when they discover people who desperately need their help. In contrast, Jameson says with a speculative hubris: treasure hunting should not be declared illegal: “It is important to understand that almost everything treasure recovery professionals like me do is illegal. Thus, the bizarre and unreasonable laws related to treasure recovery have turned honest, dedicated, and hard-working fortune hunters into outlaws.”

An African proverb asserts, “Until lions have their historians, tales of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.” Treasure Hunter is a series of evocative quests that will make you want to break out some hiking boots and set off after wealth that has lain buried for hundreds of years. Who knows? Perhaps you will usurp the odds and gain fortune beyond your wildest dreams.

http://booksatthebeach.blogspot.com

[☕️Kimberly (Caffeinated Reviewer) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Treasure Hunter by W.C. Jameson, is a fascinating look at the adventures of a modern day treasure hunter. I have always enjoyed watching and reading about history, conspiracies, mysteries and lost treasure.This book contains all of these elements. This memoir offers a close hand look at the challenges, danger and excitement that treasure hunters face.

W. C. Jameson’s is an award winning author with an impressive biography. He has over 70 books, 1500 essays and 300 songs published. He consulted for the television show Unsolved Mysteries and was an advisor for the film, National Treasure. He has been interviewed by the History Channel, PBS, Travel Channel and Dateline. The list of credits to his name are impressive. I would love to sit down and have a drink with this man; just think of the stories he could share.

In his memoir Treasure Hunter, Jameson shares with us his treasure hunting adventures. I absolutely immersed myself in this memoir. Jameson’s writing style grabs you from page one. I immediately felt like I was a part of his posse in search of lost treasure. Each chapter depicts a specific quest and the events that occurred. Jameson and his team have been shot at, bitten, threatened and have looked death in the eye. The wealth they obtained and the treasure they sometimes were forced to leave behind was fascinating. The bits and pieces of history entwined in the stories were interesting and I found myself sharing these adventures with my family and friends.

One of my favorite chapters was, Guadalupe Mountain Gold. Jameson shares with us his first treasure hunt. He conveys the tale in such a way, that you can feel yourself lying there with him between the strawberries bushes, climbing the hills and getting up close and personal with a snake. Another adventure I enjoyed was, The Curse. Jameson shares details about a group of young men who found a cave with stacks of gold bars. The three men became violently ill. Two of them ended up dying. The third convinced of a curse, shared these details with Jameson. Jameson and his friends set out to find the site and the tale that unfolds will mesmerize you. I actually read this one aloud to my eighteen year old son, and he sat captivated by this tale.

Treasure Hunter delivers history, adventure and a glimpse at the man who loves the quest, perhaps more than the treasure. I highly recommend Treasure Hunter to fans of quests, mysteries, history and adventure. I encourage you to check out more of W.C. Jameson’s work. Treasure Hunter is the perfect coffee table book; as each tale can be read in one sitting. This would also make a great gift for non-fiction readers on your holiday shopping list.

I want to thank the publicist for providing this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.
(see my review and others @ http://kimbathecaffeinatedbookreviewe...

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this book. I loved the Indiana Jones series and enjoyed National Treasure 1 & 2. Wouldn't it be better if I knew the stories were actually true? The adventure real? The facts factual rather than fantastical?

The only problem is, now that I've read the entire book I'm really not sure how much of it was true, there weren't many facts, and while the author may very well have "had ropes break during climbs, been caught in mine shaft cave-ins, contended with flash floods, been shot at, watched men die,... [dealt] with rattlesnakes, water moccasins, scorpions, and poisonous centipedes...fled for his life from park rangers, policemen, landowners, competitors, corporate mercenaries, and drug runners" and "discovered enough treasure to pay for his own house and finance his and his children s education," very few of these stories were recounted in this book.

The book contained one story where he was shot at, two flash floods, rattlesnakes (too many and too big), water moccasins, and scorpions. At no point was he fleeing "for his life" from park rangers, policemen, landowners, and competitors. He escaped drug runners--they didn't know he was there, but discretion is the better part of valor--and found himself in the midst of a minor war involving corporate mercenaries, Indians, and drug runners, with one of these parties shooting at him but which of these three groups actually did the shooting wasn't identified. Furthermore, this book mainly covered failed rather than successful treasure hunts. The cache either wasn't found or was unable to be removed and converted into cash.

All in all, I was rather disappointed. There were some interesting historical revelations, but most were rather generic and by the end of the book, almost redundant. The most detailed descriptions were reserved for the meals that the author ate either preceding or immediately following an adventure. While I understand he didn't want to provide too many details both in order to avoid any potential repercussions for his admittedly illegal acts and to discourage foolish and untrained want-to-be treasure hunters from trying to follow in his footsteps and getting themselves killed, I found this lack of specifics and oft-repeated descriptions of encounters with snakes hindering my ability to get lost in the stories.

Hence, while I did like this book, I didn't love it and thus a 3 star rating. I would recommend it to fans of the Indiana Jones series and adventure stories, but give it a pass if your primary interest is history. Arachnaphobes and ophidiophobes should probably also give it a pass, since the author's description of many encounters with snakes and one particular encounter with spiders could result in nightmares.

Disclaimer: I received an electronic galley of this book from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

Received this as a free copy on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The idea of a treasure hunt is, at face value, appealing to those who seek that which we do not have. It can present itself as metaphorical, looking for true love, going on a quest for the cathartic or simply searching for mankind's best burger. But the literal, the hunt for the lost gold, silver and precious gems of expeditions long forgotten, far too few of us avail ourselves of that identity. Without knowing much save for the tales of this book, it seems like an illustrious endeavor, but a bit nomadic and fraught with danger. Not for the common folk who prefer to live lives of lesser grandeur, with steady jobs and common accountability to immediate family, finances, and assorted chores. Thus, it was a suitable respite from the daily grind to fall into the tales of W.C. Jameson and his yarns of plunder. With a typical team of four, each rendezvous seemed to share a Southwestern U.S. or Mexico setting, mountainous, laden with canyons and stretches of isolation few humans have ever wandered into. Almost without exception, a tale preceded the team's journey, as did months of research and planning. To paraphrase Jameson from the book, adventure is only a result of poor planning. But some things simply elude even the best preparation. Invariably, the search for lost silver and/or gold served as the foundation for the story, part of a lost or abandoned cache from long ago traders, slave drivers, or other indigenous folk. The word "ingot" is used ad nauseam. More often than not, the juice did not exceed the squeeze and the team was unable for various reasons to recover the cache. Rattlesnakes seemed to be ubiquitous as they are prone to be ever present in the climates and landscapes oft described in the book. For a majority of the book, my natural skepticism questioned the legitimacy of every tale, thinking no one could be this lucky, this adept at eluding the dangers described and come out relatively unscathed. And furthermore, who could remember these escapades in such great detail? But I allowed it anyway, because as I said, there is a treasure hunter in all of us. And part of me longed to have been on these expeditions. In Jameson's closing remarks, an air of arrogance reared its ugly head when he essentially claimed that a life without adventure is hardly a life at all. But treasure comes in many forms Mr. Jameson. As does adventure. Kudos for keeping the spirit of the unknown alive.

[Ronald Roseborough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who wouldn't want to strike it rich? In fact, the allure is so strong, when I received this book, I immediately set aside another book I was reading and plunged into Treasure Hunter. I found my treasure. It is in this small book wrapped in a gold colored cover. Not the brushed and polished gold of the jewelers display, but the raw earthy color of gold worked from the rock. This book tells the fascinating and true story of one man's life long trek for treasure and adventure. Along the way he encounters, Mexican bandidos, law enforcement agents, and rival treasure hunters while finding lost gold and silver mines, loose gold nuggets, caches of Spanish gold and silver ingots hidden for centuries in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The treasures are found in desolate areas of nature often teeming with snakes, spiders, poisonous centipedes, and scorpions. Some finds are associated with legends of curses placed on the treasure. W. C. Jameson is not a man who easily lets these things deter him from searching for treasure. He is a smart, articulate, well educated outdoorsman, who has lived his life in the great southwest, paid his way through college, in part with funds found on his adventures, and has received a Ph.D. He has written many books on treasure and treasure hunting. He heartily defends his forty year quest for lost treasure where ever it takes him. Life is an adventure for Jameson and he pursues it with uncommon gusto. We armchair adventures can share a bit of the excitement of his machismo world through this excellent book.

[Sean · Rating 5 out of 5]

WC Jameson's book of true stories of treasure hunting for gold and silver in Mexico and the American Southwest makes for an amazing read. This book has it all. Caves, mummies, curses, silver bullets (albeit inadvertent), quicksand, gun play and snakes. Lots of snakes.

Using extensive research, Jameson and his team determine likely locations of abandoned and lost treasure and then the danger and adventure begins. As Jameson says, "almost everything treasure recovery professionals do is illegal", either due to land claims, historic value or government laws. However, nature is as much a deterrent as anything, and many of their finds have to be left behind due to terrain or snakes. Lots of snakes.

This is not a full memoir, but each chapter is a standalone story of a separate adventure. The introduction has good background on Jameson, but I would have preferred a more complete story of his life or more adventures. My only complaint with the book is that I wish it was longer. He definitely seems to have picked the most gripping stories, but I'm sure even the less exciting ones would still make for great reading.

[Sonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I admire about this memoir is how well the author is able capture his own love of adventure and his unwavering bravery in the face of spiders, rattlesnakes, rising floodwater, quicksand, backwoods reclusives.

Along with action on every page comes a love of landscape, steady patience, and careful preparation. The memoir pulls back the curtain of history to show us how the conquerors of Europe sometimes brutalized native people for vast caches of gold, all of which was carefully mapped, documented and sequestered away in libraries, churches, and in tales passed from one generation to the next.

Hundreds of years of blood and tears have slipped by since these treasures were amassed in caves and mines, and Jameson's superb storytelling allows readers to take a vicarious peek.

[Brian Sweeney · Rating 4 out of 5]

There two main reactions to reading this book: your either sucked in by his tales of forgotten gold and start thinking of your own trips into the wild unknown, or you’re quickly disillusioned from such idea by his constant reminders of the extremely dangerous situations he finds himself in.

Frankly, I’m torn between the two. Do I want to get stuck crawling through a cave with dozens of rattle snakes and piles of insects? No, but I do appreciate the romanticism of wandering through a Mexican desert in search of a lost mule trail based on an old account by the sole survivor of an Apache attack in the 1680s.

As Jameson’s says in the introduction, much of what he does is illegal. Between trespassing, ignoring archeological salvage laws, and all the weapons they carry around, there’s constantly a level of tension that you can never let fade into the background.

This illegality has led him to change the names and places of his finds, but I believe it also led to another quirk about this book.

For so many of the stories, he finds the cache, takes a few gold bars, and then for one reason or another doesn’t get back to the piles and piles of gold he claims to have discovered. I interpret this in two ways: he’s either being coy about his millions in gold and doesn’t want to lead on to the IRS any more than he already has about his untold riches, OR these are all entirely true stories, but for the same reasoning as above they’re the primary ones that he tells - he’s happy to tell true stories of found and left gold, since there is far less risk involved to himself.

Either way, fascinating read from start to finish, and it definitely gave me a tinge of gold fever.

Between the cartels, curses, and everything nature can throw at him, Jameson tells some fantastic stories that you’ll find yourself recounting to friends, perhaps next to a fire late a night, gauging their interest before starting to plan your own adventure.

[Cory Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

To be honest this is a tough one to review.

First, it has to be said that even though the book is written as factual, the numerous accounts within keep sharing almost identical elements (we found a 200 year old map in the bottom drawer of a trunk about the only surviving Spaniard who was on a pack-train loaded with ingots heading to Mexico City, when Indians attacked so they stashed the ingots in a cave inside a remote canyon and made a map but never returned to retrieve it. After an expedition they find it, but only able to retrieve a couple/few pieces and the rest are still there!?!) 90% of the 14 (or so) chapters contained all or most of that description. Applying the 'Reasonable Person Standard', it becomes apparent that this book is really one of fiction. I would also note that even though there is a picture section in the center of the book, NONE contain any treasure (which is strikingly odd considering how much he has claimed to have found).

But having said that, I still really enjoyed it! You could tell that the author truly did spend a great deal of time outdoors (as evidenced by his trail/camp talk) and it was fun following him along in the great outdoors! Once you agree that you are reading a fictional book, it is quite enjoyable. I could tell that this effort was written by an outdoorsman, who added the treasure element to enhance some fun hiking/camping stories. Just take the whole thing with a LARGE grain of salt, cheers!

[Mark NP · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book of essays written by professional treasure hunter W.C. Jameson relating the adventures he and a team of 3 friends undertook as young men in the deserts and mountains of the Southwest United States and Mexico. Every chapter describes a cache of treasure that the men researched, sought, discovered, and yet had to abandon because the recovery was impractical or impossible. As far as he knows, the gold and silver ingots hidden by Spanish miners hundreds of years ago and re-discovered by Jameson and his friends are still waiting for someone else to uncover. He makes the reader feel as if fortune is available to anyone willing to seek it. His storied life and philosophical outlook is inspirational and makes for great adventure reading, and knowing that the stories are true makes it all the better. I devoured this book.

[James Q. Benners · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic Adventures, excellent writing, couldn’t put it down.

This was an incredible story of how a real life treasure hunter began, pursued and semi retired his incredible career. I wish I could have been the fifth member of his team as they ventured into the true quest for life. His message... get off the couch and get out there to experience real living! Highly recommend this book!

[Tarissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pros: Jameson has a fascinating storytelling ability. With every chapter that whizzes by, I am positively intrigued to find out about his next adventure, and then his next.

Cons: Contains foul language. It is only for this reason that I cannot recommend the book to my friends. Otherwise the adventures as described in this book are amazing and alluring.

[Craig Gaines · Rating 5 out of 5]

Real Life Treasure Hunter

A great book full of the quest for treasure and what it is like to live on the edge between success and failure. Mr. Jameson shares a few of his adventures and how he lived a life on his terms.

[Matt Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a fun book that takes you on an adventure along with him. Is it real? that's part of the fun of it. Is he telling the whole truth if it is real? That's a good discussion to have with a friend who also read it. Is it engaging? Yes.

[S.B. (Beauty in Ruins) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whether true or embellished (I can't help but wonder why none of the pics show his treasures when he talks of looking at them while he writes), still a fun, fantastic read that brings out my inner Indiana Jones.

[Hope Cottrill · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book reads like you're talking to an old cowboy drinking a beer at a bar. I loved it. You have to get past the first chapter or two and the stories, almost by nature, get a little repetitive. Despite that, I really enjoyed it.

[Kiel Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Utterly astonishing. A lesson in writing (how not to be boring) and in life (the same).

[Trinity Lizalde · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I’ve ever read. WC Jameson portrays what a true to life treasure hunter is. Highly recommended.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read, hard to put down.

[Ellen]

there are more rattlesnakes in this book than treasures discovered

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I found myself wondering many things about this author and would love to spend a day just chatting with him.The book is a collection of different adventures or treasure hunts that w.c. jameson was kind enough to share with us.This is a man that has many secrets and stories that for many years he kept to himself.In this book you get the honor to get a peek at what his life was and still is to this day.W.C. Jameson has researched and found many treasures that no one has laid eyes on since they were hidden or forgotten about.I found myself questioning if I could do any of the things W.C. and his partners did and the answer was always no.The hardships these men had to face would defeat most men and women,but not these four determinded and almost fearless men.W.C. Jameson lets you get just a taste of where the treasure is because alot of it is still there waiting to be claimed.The things these men have seen most people never will.The history these men have held in thier hands is priceless.What it must be like to be the first person to touch artifacts no one has touched in hundreds of years.While reading this book I found myself asking question after question. Why did they do it? Was it the money? Was it the challenge? Or was it something else? You must decide for yourself why they did it, but for me I think they did it because they were the men that could.I cant wait untill I get more of W.C. Jameson's books.I am not ready for the adventure to be over!

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Treasure Hunter by W. C. Jameson

It isn’t “National Treasure” with Nic Cage but Jameson consulted on it. It isn’t “Search for the Lost Dutchman” but Jameson went to the Guadalupe Mountains. It isn’t even looking for Jesse James’ treasure but it is in part. What Treasure Hunter is is a collection of expeditions led by W. C. Jameson in search of buried treasure, hopefully real, possibly imagined. Does he find it? You’ll have to get the book!

My husband doesn’t read quickly but, let me tell you – he devoured this book. He absolutely loved it and, in fact, took it from me when I opened the mailer and I didn’t see it for a couple of days. One reason this review is later than intended.

So I had to read it as well and I agree – a dandy non-fiction! Learn about Mexican land grants, a bit of Texas, a lot about rattlesnakes (YIKES!) and why you always need to wear boots. W. C. and his pals, Slade, Poet and Stanley are well known for their adventures and I’d have to admit a bit of jealousy that they got to go and I didn’t.

If you want something to plan a summer around, go out and get this book and start mappin’! You may see me there!

[Josh Bush · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an adventure story so big I had to keep checking the back cover to remind myself it's an autobiography. Each chapter is a new challenge in treasure hunting and a lesson in why those treasures were originally left behind. Rattlesnakes and tons of rock still protect much of the gold and silver he went after in these stories. Before I even got to the end of the book, I was checking local libraries for some of his other titles that describe events closer to where I live. This just puts more adventure into walking through the woods and mountains and gives a reminder that maybe you should stop and look into that hole in the ground.

The last chapter goes into the motivation of adventurers and treasure hunters, and Jameson makes a good case for money not being at its heart. Getting into the wilderness is worthwhile precisely because it is not quite safe, and it's full of challenges need to be met even if they can't all be overcome. All of the stories were good entertainment, but the last chapter is good motivation to get outside of the walls around you.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved reading this book - it was gruff and ever so hard to believe, but it reminded me of my own Grandmother and her stories of her own sort of treasure hunting, looking for Mayan temples in the Central American jungle. It reminded me of my single mother taking a bunch of kids for a ten day driving/camping trip doing nothing but looking for ghost towns and at one point talking a prospector out of pointing his rifle at us because we were just looking for adventure. not actual gold. This is the story of pure confidence and success in being exactly who he wants to be with numbers and numbers of exciting adventures to prove it. I will read parts of this when I need a reminder of who I want to be. Hats off to Mr. Jameson - live well lived!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very enjoyable read. I think one of his partners enjoyed the research almost as much as the actual treasure hunt until he was bitten by a rattlesnake. Nor did they always find what they were looking for, in one case they found a burial ground and rather then remove the grave goods they very respectfully reburied exposed mummies in a higher safer place. It was a good thing that they had regular jobs as they weren't always able to make anything off their expeditions. In the end they pursued a dream and enjoyed themselves when they weren't being chased or shot at by someone or getting stuck in a cave or quicksand.

[Virginia Gill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since the long ago day my brother and I found thousands of dollars while playing in the creek I've been fascinated by treasure and those who hunt for it. W.C. Jameson's Treasure Hunter left me wanting...not to hunt treasure myself, or to rush through the book but rather to sit down with him over a beer and hear him tell the stories. While the book was enjoyable enough I strongly suspect that Mr. Jameson's true gift would be that of a verbal storyteller. This book will be an easy one to pick up now and again to read a single story.

[Kalen]

I don't give star ratings to books my company is publishing--I don't think it's fair to those who are looking for reviews from objective readers. Having said that, I loved this book and I'm looking forward to publishing a new edition of it in the fall. W.C. is smart and both a good storyteller and a good writer (not necessarily the same thing.) These stories are incredible--one more amazing than the next--and you'd be inclined to think there is no way they're true, but they are.

[Varina · Rating 3 out of 5]

A terribly interesting book that is simultaneously educational, exciting, preachy, and batshit crazy. Every little chapter of this memoir made me exclaim out loud at the situations the author got himself into. Overall, the writing is weak but I enjoyed learning about the profession of hunting treasure.

[Karen E · Rating 4 out of 5]

This author was interviewed on a podcast I listened to recently, and I found him to be a fascinating story teller of dangerous and adventure ridden stories. I love a story that is non-fiction, keeps my attention, on the edge of my seat, and this group of easy reading stories fulfills all of that to be sure.