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California Gold
James Macklin Chase was a poor Pennsylvanian who dreamed of making it rich in California. But at the turn of the century, the money to be made was in oil, citrus, water rights, and the railroads. Mack would have it all, if he had his way. And along the way, the men and women he met, the passion he found, the enemies he made, and the great historical figures like William Randolph Hearts, Leland Stanford, and Theodore Roosevelt, he encountered, helped bring glory to the extraordinary century.
"Riveting...CALIFORNIA GOLD strikes pay dirt....This sweeping epic is a dynamite tribute to the sheer pluck of one man who scorns all obstacles. He instills vibrancy in all his characterizations."
RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH
A Literary Guild Main Selection
From the Paperback edition.
"Riveting...CALIFORNIA GOLD strikes pay dirt....This sweeping epic is a dynamite tribute to the sheer pluck of one man who scorns all obstacles. He instills vibrancy in all his characterizations."
RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH
A Literary Guild Main Selection
From the Paperback edition.
658 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1989
1465 people are currently reading
1761 people want to read
About the author
John Jakes
411 books961 followersJohn William Jakes, the author of more than a dozen novels, is regarded as one of today’s most distinguished writers of historical fiction. His work includes the highly acclaimed Kent Family Chronicles series and the North and South Trilogy. Jakes’s commitment to historical accuracy and evocative storytelling earned him the title of “the godfather of historical novelists” from the Los Angeles Times and led to a streak of sixteen consecutive New York Times bestsellers. Jakes has received several awards for his work and is a member of the Authors Guild and the PEN American Center. He and his wife, Rachel, live on the west coast of Florida.
Also writes under pseudonyms Jay Scotland, Alan Payne, Rachel Ann Payne, Robert Hart Davis, Darius John Granger, John Lee Gray. Has ghost written as William Ard.
Also writes under pseudonyms Jay Scotland, Alan Payne, Rachel Ann Payne, Robert Hart Davis, Darius John Granger, John Lee Gray. Has ghost written as William Ard.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 204 reviews
January 2, 2012
I found this book at a used bookstore and bought it only because my mom had mentioned John Jakes as being one of her favorite authors. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I recently moved away from California, so to read historical fiction that focused on the populating of California really appealed to me...made me homesick even.
August 10, 2022
California Gold by John Jakes is a long, tedious novel following the Gold Rush in California. The book is full of historical detail and content, but it is bogged down by endless descriptions of every character's clothing, feelings, and bowel movements. The author seems to think that the word "breast" needs to be written at least 800 times throughout the novel, which makes for very uncomfortable reading.
Despite all of its flaws, I somehow found myself liking the main character, even though I did not want to. The author clearly cannot write or describe women, which made it difficult to read at times. However, I was pleased that I finished it in the end. There were lots of historical aspects and history included in the novel that made it worth slogging through.
Despite all of its flaws, I somehow found myself liking the main character, even though I did not want to. The author clearly cannot write or describe women, which made it difficult to read at times. However, I was pleased that I finished it in the end. There were lots of historical aspects and history included in the novel that made it worth slogging through.
December 19, 2024
This novel is a sweeping saga featuring protagonist James Macklin Chance (called Mack), an ambitious young man who moves to California in 1897. It is a rags to riches story that documents his life and its many adventures, relationships, partnerships, business ventures, and life’s ups and downs over the course of thirty years. The storyline includes the major events (and many real people) in the history of California as it transitions from a frontier to a modern society. This was a tumultuous period of railroad travel, oil discoveries, labor strife, and the cataclysmic 1906 earthquake.
California is portrayed as a land of opportunity and brutality. The novel explores issues related to race, class, and gender. Women were not expected to have any ambitions outside of home and family, and the female characters in this book are, almost without exception, bucking tradition. People of color were often treated harshly. These scenes can be hard to read but are, unfortunately, historically accurate.
The cast of characters is impressive. Mack is driven by ambition, sometimes to the point of moral compromise. The supporting characters are well-developed. They represent different facets of California's diverse society, and include immigrants seeking a new life, established landowners defending their interests, and corrupt officials taking bribes (and worse). I appreciated the author’s Afterword, which provides information on historic events and the few changes made for storytelling purposes.
This book is an example of well-crafted historical fiction. The main drawback, for me, is the way women seem to not be able to resist Mack. I rolled my eyes several times at some of the bawdy scenes. Luckily, these episodes are few. Even though it is a long book (over 750 pages), it goes by quickly and easily maintains the reader’s interest. It especially appealed to me in terms of history and location, since I am familiar with this region.
California is portrayed as a land of opportunity and brutality. The novel explores issues related to race, class, and gender. Women were not expected to have any ambitions outside of home and family, and the female characters in this book are, almost without exception, bucking tradition. People of color were often treated harshly. These scenes can be hard to read but are, unfortunately, historically accurate.
The cast of characters is impressive. Mack is driven by ambition, sometimes to the point of moral compromise. The supporting characters are well-developed. They represent different facets of California's diverse society, and include immigrants seeking a new life, established landowners defending their interests, and corrupt officials taking bribes (and worse). I appreciated the author’s Afterword, which provides information on historic events and the few changes made for storytelling purposes.
This book is an example of well-crafted historical fiction. The main drawback, for me, is the way women seem to not be able to resist Mack. I rolled my eyes several times at some of the bawdy scenes. Luckily, these episodes are few. Even though it is a long book (over 750 pages), it goes by quickly and easily maintains the reader’s interest. It especially appealed to me in terms of history and location, since I am familiar with this region.
September 12, 2017
Like all the Jakes books I've read--and I've read a lot of them now--this one is chock full of history. Like some but not all of the others, the history here is more fully developed and interesting than the story.
The first time I read a Jakes book I thought he wasn't good at writing female characters, and after a dozen of his books I still think so. He just doesn't understand women deeply enough to create complex ones. That isn't a fatal flaw, but it is worth mentioning.
Another thing I've noticed is that he creates a lot of fathers who do a bad job of understanding and raising their sons. Because I've seen this type of character over and over again in his work I'm beginning to wonder if this is a personal issue for him.
But criticism aside, this book is definitely worth reading for the fascinating picture of late 19th and early 20th century California it paints. I've lived in the state all my life and knew little of it.
The first time I read a Jakes book I thought he wasn't good at writing female characters, and after a dozen of his books I still think so. He just doesn't understand women deeply enough to create complex ones. That isn't a fatal flaw, but it is worth mentioning.
Another thing I've noticed is that he creates a lot of fathers who do a bad job of understanding and raising their sons. Because I've seen this type of character over and over again in his work I'm beginning to wonder if this is a personal issue for him.
But criticism aside, this book is definitely worth reading for the fascinating picture of late 19th and early 20th century California it paints. I've lived in the state all my life and knew little of it.
March 3, 2021
So this was a good Jakes book, I have to sat that I enjoyed the North and South series a bit better, mainly because I enjoy Civil War time periods, but also because those books cover a wide range of POVs.
California Gold primarily follows Mack, who starts out dirt-poor and travels to CA from PA in search of the infamous California dream of riches beyond the imagination. It was an inspiring story, and tragic in some ways. It brings about the cliché "money can't buy happiness".
I'm glad I read this, as I've been wanting to read more John Jakes. He's great at the genre, offering a sense of harsh realism. He doesn't hold back exploring the nastiness of human nature.
California Gold primarily follows Mack, who starts out dirt-poor and travels to CA from PA in search of the infamous California dream of riches beyond the imagination. It was an inspiring story, and tragic in some ways. It brings about the cliché "money can't buy happiness".
I'm glad I read this, as I've been wanting to read more John Jakes. He's great at the genre, offering a sense of harsh realism. He doesn't hold back exploring the nastiness of human nature.
June 17, 2025
Another great book from John Jakes but still nothing compared to his North and South trilogy. Jakes does a really good job with drama and creating horrible characters, whether they be an antagonist or just a supporting character. Carla in this book reminded me of Scarlett from Gone With the Wind, absolutely insufferable. His writing really reminds me of Ken Follett as well.
This story is about a poor boy who grows up to be wealthy in turn of the 20th century California. The automobile and planes are being invented along with electricity. He goes through life dealing with many hardships even when he becomes wealthy and it’s just a blast to read.
Similar series I’d recommend:
1. Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
2. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
3. The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
4. Comstock Lode by Louis Lamour
This story is about a poor boy who grows up to be wealthy in turn of the 20th century California. The automobile and planes are being invented along with electricity. He goes through life dealing with many hardships even when he becomes wealthy and it’s just a blast to read.
Similar series I’d recommend:
1. Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
2. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
3. The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
4. Comstock Lode by Louis Lamour
January 16, 2009
California Gold begins thirty years after the Gold Rush as James Macklin (Mack) Chance leaves the Pennsylvania mining town where he grew up and heads for The Golden State to make his fortune. After working and walking his way across country, Mack arrives in Oakland and is in for a rude surprise when he thinks he can stow away on the railroad's ferry across the bay and they wouldn't dare throw him overboard -oh yes they would! Once he makes it to San Francisco he witnesses a young woman jumping into the bay and fails in his attempt to "rescue" reporter Nellie Ross (much to her chagrin as he ruins her story for Hearst's newspaper) and the two begin a strong friendship that eventually turns into much more.
Mack's fortunes continue up and down as his drive and temper finally upset the movers and shakers of San Francisco and after surviving a vicious beating he leaves for Los Angeles to take old traveling companion J. Paul Wyatt up on his offer to join in with him in the "real estate" market -- selling worthless lots to unsuspecting tourists. The land boom busts (where did Wyatt originally get the funds to purchase the land from?) and the unstable Wyatt leaves Mack high and dry with creditors and angry buyers knocking at his doors. Seeing potential in the worthless tar pits of the surrounding countryside Mack seeks employment with the oil prospectors as he learns the trade -- finally striking black gold and setting him on his way to fortune and power.
Despite their lifelong love for each other, Mack and Nellie's goals for their individual futures are too diverse for marriage (at least they think so) and Mack marries alcoholic Carla Hellman, daughter of wealthy land baron Swampy Hellman. It doesn't take Mack long to realize the mistake he's made, although grateful for the son Carla gives him. Mack continues to expand his business prospects, delving into real estate, agriculture, the burgeoning Hollywood film industry and these enterprises eventually lead him into increasingly dangerous conflicts with corrupt government officials and the growing labor unions.
Mack's story takes the reader from 1886 California and on into the early 1900's, as California struggles with the old and the new ways, including the catastrophe of the 1906 earthquake that results in a profound personal loss for Mack that forever changes his perspectives on life. As Mack assembles his great fortune, he finally realizes the empty shell his life has become and how little happiness all that wealth can bring without loved ones to share it with. All in all a very good (but not great) read, although IMO Jakes tried to stuff way too much into the story and had Mack's business enterprises spread into way too many pies - I have to confess my eyes glazed over a bit at times - especially the complicated mechanics of getting that oil out of the ground. Four stars, and still tops with me on big old fat sagas of Old California is still Celeste De Blasis' The Proud Breed.
Mack's fortunes continue up and down as his drive and temper finally upset the movers and shakers of San Francisco and after surviving a vicious beating he leaves for Los Angeles to take old traveling companion J. Paul Wyatt up on his offer to join in with him in the "real estate" market -- selling worthless lots to unsuspecting tourists. The land boom busts (where did Wyatt originally get the funds to purchase the land from?) and the unstable Wyatt leaves Mack high and dry with creditors and angry buyers knocking at his doors. Seeing potential in the worthless tar pits of the surrounding countryside Mack seeks employment with the oil prospectors as he learns the trade -- finally striking black gold and setting him on his way to fortune and power.
Despite their lifelong love for each other, Mack and Nellie's goals for their individual futures are too diverse for marriage (at least they think so) and Mack marries alcoholic Carla Hellman, daughter of wealthy land baron Swampy Hellman. It doesn't take Mack long to realize the mistake he's made, although grateful for the son Carla gives him. Mack continues to expand his business prospects, delving into real estate, agriculture, the burgeoning Hollywood film industry and these enterprises eventually lead him into increasingly dangerous conflicts with corrupt government officials and the growing labor unions.
Mack's story takes the reader from 1886 California and on into the early 1900's, as California struggles with the old and the new ways, including the catastrophe of the 1906 earthquake that results in a profound personal loss for Mack that forever changes his perspectives on life. As Mack assembles his great fortune, he finally realizes the empty shell his life has become and how little happiness all that wealth can bring without loved ones to share it with. All in all a very good (but not great) read, although IMO Jakes tried to stuff way too much into the story and had Mack's business enterprises spread into way too many pies - I have to confess my eyes glazed over a bit at times - especially the complicated mechanics of getting that oil out of the ground. Four stars, and still tops with me on big old fat sagas of Old California is still Celeste De Blasis' The Proud Breed.
September 22, 2009
Great story that takes place a few decades after the California gold rush. It's about a young man with the desire to make it big in California and the adventures he runs into along his way. The book does a great job of incorporating the history of California politics, railroads, farmers and oil. I couldn't put the book down!
July 31, 2020
This is a Harlequin romance novel written for white males. Jakes uses historical facts strung throughout so the maudlin plot has something to revolve around. Predictable, shallow, painfully constructed junk "historical fiction." Spare me.
This book is to literature what instant noodles are to gourmet food.
IT'S NOT FOR ME.
If I could give it a HALF STAR, I would.
This book is to literature what instant noodles are to gourmet food.
IT'S NOT FOR ME.
If I could give it a HALF STAR, I would.
July 7, 2013
The story telling is similar to Michener's tales. Here there is only one family history in the development of business in California after the gold rush and into the beginning of the 20th century. The overall tale and interactions made this a difficult book to put down. By the way, this is a cowboy story, the good guy wears a white hat, he gets the girl at the end and rides (flies) off into the sunset at the end of the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 9, 2024
I give this book 5 stars for the research. There is a lot of California history in its pages. The story about the Southern Pacific rail line, for example, is solidly woven I to the western tale of a golden haloed hero coming out to stroke it rich in California. The writing is also good and unlike some of the comments I’ve seen, I found the use of costume description engaging. The author also has a very clear sense of California landscape which reflects in clever use of description of the setting.
Why three stars then? It was a pretty standard Hollywood plot with standard Hollywood characters and it all got tied up nicely with a bow at the end. It reminded me of that comedy western movie with Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt. There’s the hero and the villains who are out to get him and there is the hero’s lady love and his lover and the altruistic prostitute who would do anything for him. The characters move about and evolve in a universe which revolves around how the main character makes them feel and how they act on those feelings. It’s kitsch and intentionally so, but it gets a bit boring because the book lasts 650 pages.
On all accounts a solidly written novel full of historical information about California from 1880s through 1911. I recommend reading this book, particularly if you enjoy Westerns or The Three Musketeers.
Why three stars then? It was a pretty standard Hollywood plot with standard Hollywood characters and it all got tied up nicely with a bow at the end. It reminded me of that comedy western movie with Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt. There’s the hero and the villains who are out to get him and there is the hero’s lady love and his lover and the altruistic prostitute who would do anything for him. The characters move about and evolve in a universe which revolves around how the main character makes them feel and how they act on those feelings. It’s kitsch and intentionally so, but it gets a bit boring because the book lasts 650 pages.
On all accounts a solidly written novel full of historical information about California from 1880s through 1911. I recommend reading this book, particularly if you enjoy Westerns or The Three Musketeers.
June 10, 2019
Jakes in his usual form, where he had brought us so many wonderful historical fiction yarns.
Here we have a rags to riches story backgrounded by the history of California from 1885 to 1921 -the oil boom to the movies boom, with all the backstabbing political corruption and union forming thrown in.
Here we have a rags to riches story backgrounded by the history of California from 1885 to 1921 -the oil boom to the movies boom, with all the backstabbing political corruption and union forming thrown in.
December 29, 2022
I always like his writing, his original characters are always as interesting as their real counterparts.
February 6, 2025
Interesting to read about the formation of cities and activities in California, I spent a lot of time there waiting for my ship to come in...
April 27, 2022
I've been a fan of John Jakes since reading the Kent Family Chronicles and the North and South trilogy back in the 1970s and 1980s. I first read this book when it first came out in 1989, and at that time, I got bored with (and just skimmed over) all the factual details he incorporated into this story about the politics and social issues of the early days of the settling of the state. I was more interested then in the fictitious struggles, romances and personal interactions of Mack Chance.
While re-reading it all these many years later, I've rather enjoyed the historical facts woven into the storyline, and how they affected Mack's life and assent to his success. John Jakes is an incredible historical researcher in every historic fiction he's ever written, and he's delved deep into the stranglehold the railroad industry had in California, over transportation, commerce, real estate, and politics... and how they successfully"bought" politicians in order to advance their own profits and create their own "slave labor" society by thwarting any efforts of the working man for fair wages and working conditions.
This book is not only an interesting page-turner about poor-boy-rises-to-rich-man, but is an excellent study in the history of California from the 1880s up through the 1920s... including a short segment about The Great Earthquake.
Be sure to read his historical references in the Afterward at the end of the book.
While re-reading it all these many years later, I've rather enjoyed the historical facts woven into the storyline, and how they affected Mack's life and assent to his success. John Jakes is an incredible historical researcher in every historic fiction he's ever written, and he's delved deep into the stranglehold the railroad industry had in California, over transportation, commerce, real estate, and politics... and how they successfully"bought" politicians in order to advance their own profits and create their own "slave labor" society by thwarting any efforts of the working man for fair wages and working conditions.
This book is not only an interesting page-turner about poor-boy-rises-to-rich-man, but is an excellent study in the history of California from the 1880s up through the 1920s... including a short segment about The Great Earthquake.
Be sure to read his historical references in the Afterward at the end of the book.
July 10, 2015
This was my first John Jakes novel, and I must admit that I'm rather disappointed. I kept waiting to get into it and it just didn't happen. If I could, I'd probably rate it a 2.5, just shy of me 'liking' it.
The plot just seemed so cliche...A poor white boy goes West and has a hard time at first and doesn't fit in, then he works really hard and becomes inexplicably rich all of the sudden, then he can do anything, the plot has no limits because he's rich...get it?...then being rich isn't as fulfilling as he expected...then he's grumpy...then he sees the error of his ways and all is well in the end! All of this happens while he conveniently finds himself wrapped up with major historical events...Ugh...boring!
This predictability would have been tolerable if I liked the main character or any other the characters. Mack was unlikable. I didn't care about him. I think Jakes was attempting to be progressive with his gender relations...but they were intolerable, painful even. The romance was lackluster, I didn't believe the emotions behind any of the characters. It took like a decade for Mack to hook up with Margaret and then Jakes is like, she took off her clothes and climbed on top...scene. Really? Oy.
The narrative voice bothered me as well. It followed Mack almost exclusively, then it would randomly jump to another character when Jakes needed it to to move the plot along. It would have been much better to stick with Mack the entire time, forcing the reader to only work with the information available to Mack. Lazy writing in my opinion.
The plot just seemed so cliche...A poor white boy goes West and has a hard time at first and doesn't fit in, then he works really hard and becomes inexplicably rich all of the sudden, then he can do anything, the plot has no limits because he's rich...get it?...then being rich isn't as fulfilling as he expected...then he's grumpy...then he sees the error of his ways and all is well in the end! All of this happens while he conveniently finds himself wrapped up with major historical events...Ugh...boring!
This predictability would have been tolerable if I liked the main character or any other the characters. Mack was unlikable. I didn't care about him. I think Jakes was attempting to be progressive with his gender relations...but they were intolerable, painful even. The romance was lackluster, I didn't believe the emotions behind any of the characters. It took like a decade for Mack to hook up with Margaret and then Jakes is like, she took off her clothes and climbed on top...scene. Really? Oy.
The narrative voice bothered me as well. It followed Mack almost exclusively, then it would randomly jump to another character when Jakes needed it to to move the plot along. It would have been much better to stick with Mack the entire time, forcing the reader to only work with the information available to Mack. Lazy writing in my opinion.
December 7, 2011
Mack Chance walks freezing cold from the Pennsylvania coal mines to find his way to California, the place his father explored but left, knowing that that was where happiness really was.
Mack encounters a half dead hobo who he brings back to life, and who consequently continues to be a part of his life, whether good or bad.
A bit later he encounters a land baron who refuses him a drink of water. His voluptuous, uninhibited daughter sets her eye on Mack, and tho he is able to set her off for a bit, she continues to plague his life throughout the book.
A bit later he tries to rescue Nellie Ross as she jumps off a pier in San Francisco. This encounter also leads to a relationship that comes and goes throughout the story.
Mack has come to find gold, but through much trial, error, and hardship, he becomes rich on all of California's other "golds:" oil, fruit, water, shipping, etc.
He becomes acquainted with great conflict and grief through the SP railroad barons and the prejudices of the country toward the Chinese and the India Indians. He is tossed right into the conflict of the current day Labor Disputes and is fully engaged in the great earthquake and fire of 1906. Mack becomes exceedingly wealthy, but learns after many separations and losses that money isn't everything, and seeks out those relationships that will bring fulfillment to his life. Another great John Jakes story!!! mk
Mack encounters a half dead hobo who he brings back to life, and who consequently continues to be a part of his life, whether good or bad.
A bit later he encounters a land baron who refuses him a drink of water. His voluptuous, uninhibited daughter sets her eye on Mack, and tho he is able to set her off for a bit, she continues to plague his life throughout the book.
A bit later he tries to rescue Nellie Ross as she jumps off a pier in San Francisco. This encounter also leads to a relationship that comes and goes throughout the story.
Mack has come to find gold, but through much trial, error, and hardship, he becomes rich on all of California's other "golds:" oil, fruit, water, shipping, etc.
He becomes acquainted with great conflict and grief through the SP railroad barons and the prejudices of the country toward the Chinese and the India Indians. He is tossed right into the conflict of the current day Labor Disputes and is fully engaged in the great earthquake and fire of 1906. Mack becomes exceedingly wealthy, but learns after many separations and losses that money isn't everything, and seeks out those relationships that will bring fulfillment to his life. Another great John Jakes story!!! mk
December 27, 2011
The story was good and I enjoy getting information while reading a work of fiction but someone needs to tell John Jakes just 'cause he found something out while doing research he doesn't have to include it in his book. Instead of focusing on the story he tried too hard to get his characters through every major event that happened in California.
There were also a few loose ends he never resolved. what happened to the loan to buy the ferry boat after the murder of his partner? It does not seem like it ever got paid off.
Also, his development at San Solerno went from an oil field to a residential development...did he have both at the same time? I can't imagine myself buying a building lot with an oil rig in the backyard.
I guess since I read To Kill a Mockingbird (again) while finishing this California Gold the contrast was not flattering to John Jakes writing style. Not a bad read, but I doubt I will ever read it twice.
There were also a few loose ends he never resolved. what happened to the loan to buy the ferry boat after the murder of his partner? It does not seem like it ever got paid off.
Also, his development at San Solerno went from an oil field to a residential development...did he have both at the same time? I can't imagine myself buying a building lot with an oil rig in the backyard.
I guess since I read To Kill a Mockingbird (again) while finishing this California Gold the contrast was not flattering to John Jakes writing style. Not a bad read, but I doubt I will ever read it twice.
November 15, 2021
California Gold is John Jakes' epic novel about California in the late 19th/early 20th century and describes major events like the San Francisco quake and fire, the birth of the movie industry in the Southland, the corruption of state government by the powerful railroads, the debate over damning Yosemite's neighbor Hetch Hetchy, the search for black gold (oil), the creation of the massive citrus industry and more. Jakes packs a lot into his novel with his principal character meeting many historical figures on his journey from poor teenager to wealthy businessman, with, of course, a couple of love stories thrown in for good measure. The author's North and South trilogy was made into a TV mini-series, and I believe this tale would be enjoyed on the small screen, as well.
March 24, 2017
This was my first John Jakes novel, but it won't be the last. With a tremendous amount of historical detail, Jakes takes us on a journey through the state, from the gold fields to the orchards to the oil fields. It's a rags-to-riches tale, replete with rich characters and historically accurate detail of the building of California. I have another Jakes novel in my TBR pile, and I know I can count on being entertained and enthralled.
January 21, 2022
I read this book several decades ago, but it stands out, even today, as a book I would love to go back and read again. I recommend it quit often to people who like historical fiction. California Gold is not about the “gold rush” most people think of when California and gold are mentioned together. This epic novel revolves around the California oil boom. It is a family saga and completely engaging from the first chapter.
January 19, 2023
A great story and informative history of California.
A long but entertaining and educational read. Too bad California big cities have become unlivable as well as unaffordable. Sad.
A long but entertaining and educational read. Too bad California big cities have become unlivable as well as unaffordable. Sad.
July 6, 2014
700 pages of m'eh.
February 27, 2015
good,not great. Don't care for his style. not enough history
July 27, 2020
This is the last of several California historical fiction books I’ve read, and my least favorite. I think some readers may enjoy it more than me so I’ll just list the pros and cons and let the reader decide.
Pro:
California Gold covers the gilded age (Post gold rush and post civil war) into the first decades of the 20th century. This era of CA history is rarely covered in fiction so this is the best on the subject I found.
The book covers multiple regions in CA, including San Francisco, LA, the central valley and others.
Con:
The pros are actually also part of the reason I didn’t care for the book as much as others. This is a saga. It tries to cover too much with one main character. It is basically a poor guy gets rich story but the wealth is used to found or contribute to every major industry in CA: ferries, RR, oil, water, citrus, ranches, other farms, publishing, movies. Everything. That got to be too much.
The book os over 700 pp long and filled with long sections describing things I had little interest in reading about for entire chapters: The play by play moves of an entire polo match, an early auto race, boxing matches. Too much for me.
The romance section and sex bits were just not realistic at all but seemed more to play to some fantasy driven super-virility.
The novel covers a lot of the diversity in CA including Chinese, Japanese and “Hindoostani” immigrants plus the various white ethnicities but is totally devoid of indigenous and black characters which is a huge fail, from my perspective, for a book purporting to be an all encompassing historical novel.
I researched some bits and words that were off to me, like the use of santan instead of santana or Santa Anna to describe the desert winds. I can find no origin of the phrase going back to santan so that bugged me (a minor thing for sure).
When it stormed the author usually described thunder, but if you live in coastal southern CA you know thunder and lightening is very rare - so rare we all stop and watch and listen and marvel.
There were a lot of typos in the kindle version: m was often replacing the so me for the.
This book was written in 1989 by an author known for long epic sagas and it is true to the genre. It was just too formulaic for me. I appreciated the histroy aspect and learned a great deal of regional history I was unaware of so I do recommend the novel. It may read it but it may be a good Audible read if you are driving around between San Francisco and LA
Pro:
California Gold covers the gilded age (Post gold rush and post civil war) into the first decades of the 20th century. This era of CA history is rarely covered in fiction so this is the best on the subject I found.
The book covers multiple regions in CA, including San Francisco, LA, the central valley and others.
Con:
The pros are actually also part of the reason I didn’t care for the book as much as others. This is a saga. It tries to cover too much with one main character. It is basically a poor guy gets rich story but the wealth is used to found or contribute to every major industry in CA: ferries, RR, oil, water, citrus, ranches, other farms, publishing, movies. Everything. That got to be too much.
The book os over 700 pp long and filled with long sections describing things I had little interest in reading about for entire chapters: The play by play moves of an entire polo match, an early auto race, boxing matches. Too much for me.
The romance section and sex bits were just not realistic at all but seemed more to play to some fantasy driven super-virility.
The novel covers a lot of the diversity in CA including Chinese, Japanese and “Hindoostani” immigrants plus the various white ethnicities but is totally devoid of indigenous and black characters which is a huge fail, from my perspective, for a book purporting to be an all encompassing historical novel.
I researched some bits and words that were off to me, like the use of santan instead of santana or Santa Anna to describe the desert winds. I can find no origin of the phrase going back to santan so that bugged me (a minor thing for sure).
When it stormed the author usually described thunder, but if you live in coastal southern CA you know thunder and lightening is very rare - so rare we all stop and watch and listen and marvel.
There were a lot of typos in the kindle version: m was often replacing the so me for the.
This book was written in 1989 by an author known for long epic sagas and it is true to the genre. It was just too formulaic for me. I appreciated the histroy aspect and learned a great deal of regional history I was unaware of so I do recommend the novel. It may read it but it may be a good Audible read if you are driving around between San Francisco and LA
May 21, 2022
I inherited the hardcover copy from my mother in 1995 and just recently finally read it. It is the only John Jakes book I have ever read.
I thoroughly enjoyed it because it taught me so much California history I never knew.. I grew up in Southern California surrounded by the oil wells and citrus trees this book highlights. I didn't know their early history the book makes real. I also learned about the film and airplane industries as well as farming and water rights. I knew a little about John Muir, but Jakes makes him into a real person.
Then there was the areas I know little about such as the central valley and San Francisco City areas. His explanation of the earthquake is quite revealing and detailed.
He has a lot to tie together which he does with some male rivalries and fights as well as some complex female interests. Some criticisms I read find these unsatisfactory. To me they are just a well handled side issue to hold together the complex book. If one is trying to find a great love story there is a whole genre of books that will probably satisfy.
California has more than the gold rush in it's history, and Jakes has thoroughly covered them. I enjoyed his footnotes at the end where he explains some changes to make the book read better. At one point he changed a car to a different model so the hero could drive it.
I'm sure Jakes' fans will enjoy it.
I thoroughly enjoyed it because it taught me so much California history I never knew.. I grew up in Southern California surrounded by the oil wells and citrus trees this book highlights. I didn't know their early history the book makes real. I also learned about the film and airplane industries as well as farming and water rights. I knew a little about John Muir, but Jakes makes him into a real person.
Then there was the areas I know little about such as the central valley and San Francisco City areas. His explanation of the earthquake is quite revealing and detailed.
He has a lot to tie together which he does with some male rivalries and fights as well as some complex female interests. Some criticisms I read find these unsatisfactory. To me they are just a well handled side issue to hold together the complex book. If one is trying to find a great love story there is a whole genre of books that will probably satisfy.
California has more than the gold rush in it's history, and Jakes has thoroughly covered them. I enjoyed his footnotes at the end where he explains some changes to make the book read better. At one point he changed a car to a different model so the hero could drive it.
I'm sure Jakes' fans will enjoy it.
April 12, 2023
California Gold is a typical John Jakes historical fiction novel. I've read Jakes's work since I was a young adult, and read the bicentennial series. This novel was quite long and filled with rich California history. The historical issues covered in this book included the Gold Rush, the "promised land," the central valley and farming, irrigation, motion pictures, and much more. The hero of the novel is James Macklin Chance, a young man who literally walks from the East after his father passes away to California. He is a teenager at the time, and he grew up extremely poor. He is set on a dream that his father passed along to him. The novel follows "Mack" from the time he leaves the east to his mid-forties. Mack has a series of ups and downs in life, but since I know Jakes' writing, I had a pretty good idea of how the novel would end. The characters are extremely well developed, and there are several. Mack has a "true" love, Nellie, and his first wife who is alcoholic. There are many historical figures and events referred to in the book such as the Great Earthquake in 1906, Howard Hughes, Charlie Chaplin, William Hearst, and much more. This book was a joy to read, but I gave it four stars because of the predictability.
February 7, 2017
California Gold: (2017) 3/5
This adventure takes place thirty years after the California gold rush as eighteen year old James (Mack) Macklin heads west determined to make his fortune. He has just buried his father who was killed in an accident in the Pennsylvania coal mines and he is bent on creating a different future for himself, vowing never to be poor or cold again. As he heads west, he endures the summer heat and the freezing snow, hungry, dirty and often despairing. He carries little with him but a small promotional guidebook, “The Emigrant's Guide to California and its Goldfields” by T Fowler Haines. He found the book among his father’s effects and was quickly seduced by its description of California as a land of promise, hope and opportunity. As he walks and works his way across the country, he rescues Wyatt J. Paul, a man he finds buried in the snow and the two quickly become travelling companions. Wyatt is also on his way to California headed to Los Angeles rather than north to San Francisco which is Mack’s destination. Wyatt is determined to be different from his parents who were devoutly religious. After growing up encumbered by rules, he sees California as a wild frontier where he intends to make his fortune in real estate. When Mack and Wyatt reach the crossroads to their respective destinations, the two split up, but they will meet again and become important influences in each other’s lives.
Mack arrives in San Francisco in 1887 and finds a city under the strong arm of the South Pacific Railroad, a monopoly owned by the “Big Four” who control almost all the businesses in the state. He also meets two women who will affect the course of his entire life. Nellie Ross is the ambitious reporter who works for the Hearst newspaper “The San Francisco Examiner”. She is a feminist, independent and pretty in an unconventional way. Her ambition is to write novels, not to make money but to tell the truth about the world and change things. Carla Hellman is her complete opposite. She is the lusty, rich and spoiled daughter of wealthy land baron Swampy Hellman, a woman who is also ambitious. Carla is accustomed to having her way and always goes after what she wants. She usually gets it, but then quickly becomes bored. For Carla it is all about the chase. She fascinates Mack but also alarms him.
After starting a ferry service in San Francisco Bay that competes with the railway’s business, Mack’s ferry is sunk, his partner is murdered and he is viciously beaten, told to clear out of town or risk losing his life. He is forced to leave everything behind but is determined to come back some day and face his rivals when he is rich and successful. In the subsequent years, he never loses sight of that goal.
Mack then heads south to try his luck in Los Angeles where he reconnects with Wyatt who has started a development called San Solerno. Mack soon discovers that Wyatt is a con artist, selling worthless land to unsuspecting tourists. Wyatt charms Mack into joining him in his venture and Mack desperate for work, agrees and works hard to make the investment a success. But Wyatt has a volatile temper and a love of alcohol. Embattled by debts and hungover after several days and nights of drinking, he abandons the property, leaving Mack with creditors, angry buyers and legal suits.
Mack is determined to pay off his debts and after noticing the worthless and bothersome tar pits that scatter the countryside, he considers their potential. He goes to work in the oil fields determined to learn more about the trade. After much hard work and capital investment, he finally strikes “black gold” and begins to see results from his efforts.
Mack and Nellie love each other, but both are ambitious and have different goals. Neither is ready to give up their professional ambitions and Nellie continues to refuse Mack’s proposals of marriage. He marries Carla Hellman instead but soon realizes he has made a huge mistake. Carla drinks heavily, is bored and feels abandoned while Mack works non-stop at his increasing number of businesses. Carla becomes pregnant and they have a son they call James. But Carla has no interest in the child and Mack, although initially wonderstruck at the sight of his son, is always too busy to spend time with him. James never receives the time or attention his father pays to his business deals.
As Mack’s investments flourish and he adds more and more to his portfolio, he comes into growing conflict with politicians, other businessmen and the labour unions. He is a man of great wealth and status but having been poor much of his early life, he has always supported the working man. These conflicts ultimately lead to personal as well as business losses.
Following the earthquake in 1906, Mack comes to realize his wealth has not brought him happiness. He was so obsessed by the work needed to achieve his fortune that he lost those he cared about along the way. And although he is now worth millions, his life feels empty. He now understands why the money he had was never enough and why he kept chasing more. Money was the yardstick by which he measured his success and ultimately his self-worth.
This is a good “rags to riche” story written in simple prose and enriched by the inclusion of real life historical figures and events. Jakes has taken liberty with the record by not always adhering strictly to the facts, although that never distracts from this tale of unbridled capitalism, personal ambition, and greed. However there are some distractions for the reader, primarily the length of the novel which Jakes has packed with too many people, events and business prospects for anyone to keep in their head comfortably. The endless details of how to get oil out of the ground ceased at a point to be interesting and eventually the narrative sags under the weight of it all. I reached the point where I had enjoyed an interesting reading experience but I just wanted the author to bring it all to a final conclusion. Still, Jakes is a great story teller and it was an enjoyable read.
This adventure takes place thirty years after the California gold rush as eighteen year old James (Mack) Macklin heads west determined to make his fortune. He has just buried his father who was killed in an accident in the Pennsylvania coal mines and he is bent on creating a different future for himself, vowing never to be poor or cold again. As he heads west, he endures the summer heat and the freezing snow, hungry, dirty and often despairing. He carries little with him but a small promotional guidebook, “The Emigrant's Guide to California and its Goldfields” by T Fowler Haines. He found the book among his father’s effects and was quickly seduced by its description of California as a land of promise, hope and opportunity. As he walks and works his way across the country, he rescues Wyatt J. Paul, a man he finds buried in the snow and the two quickly become travelling companions. Wyatt is also on his way to California headed to Los Angeles rather than north to San Francisco which is Mack’s destination. Wyatt is determined to be different from his parents who were devoutly religious. After growing up encumbered by rules, he sees California as a wild frontier where he intends to make his fortune in real estate. When Mack and Wyatt reach the crossroads to their respective destinations, the two split up, but they will meet again and become important influences in each other’s lives.
Mack arrives in San Francisco in 1887 and finds a city under the strong arm of the South Pacific Railroad, a monopoly owned by the “Big Four” who control almost all the businesses in the state. He also meets two women who will affect the course of his entire life. Nellie Ross is the ambitious reporter who works for the Hearst newspaper “The San Francisco Examiner”. She is a feminist, independent and pretty in an unconventional way. Her ambition is to write novels, not to make money but to tell the truth about the world and change things. Carla Hellman is her complete opposite. She is the lusty, rich and spoiled daughter of wealthy land baron Swampy Hellman, a woman who is also ambitious. Carla is accustomed to having her way and always goes after what she wants. She usually gets it, but then quickly becomes bored. For Carla it is all about the chase. She fascinates Mack but also alarms him.
After starting a ferry service in San Francisco Bay that competes with the railway’s business, Mack’s ferry is sunk, his partner is murdered and he is viciously beaten, told to clear out of town or risk losing his life. He is forced to leave everything behind but is determined to come back some day and face his rivals when he is rich and successful. In the subsequent years, he never loses sight of that goal.
Mack then heads south to try his luck in Los Angeles where he reconnects with Wyatt who has started a development called San Solerno. Mack soon discovers that Wyatt is a con artist, selling worthless land to unsuspecting tourists. Wyatt charms Mack into joining him in his venture and Mack desperate for work, agrees and works hard to make the investment a success. But Wyatt has a volatile temper and a love of alcohol. Embattled by debts and hungover after several days and nights of drinking, he abandons the property, leaving Mack with creditors, angry buyers and legal suits.
Mack is determined to pay off his debts and after noticing the worthless and bothersome tar pits that scatter the countryside, he considers their potential. He goes to work in the oil fields determined to learn more about the trade. After much hard work and capital investment, he finally strikes “black gold” and begins to see results from his efforts.
Mack and Nellie love each other, but both are ambitious and have different goals. Neither is ready to give up their professional ambitions and Nellie continues to refuse Mack’s proposals of marriage. He marries Carla Hellman instead but soon realizes he has made a huge mistake. Carla drinks heavily, is bored and feels abandoned while Mack works non-stop at his increasing number of businesses. Carla becomes pregnant and they have a son they call James. But Carla has no interest in the child and Mack, although initially wonderstruck at the sight of his son, is always too busy to spend time with him. James never receives the time or attention his father pays to his business deals.
As Mack’s investments flourish and he adds more and more to his portfolio, he comes into growing conflict with politicians, other businessmen and the labour unions. He is a man of great wealth and status but having been poor much of his early life, he has always supported the working man. These conflicts ultimately lead to personal as well as business losses.
Following the earthquake in 1906, Mack comes to realize his wealth has not brought him happiness. He was so obsessed by the work needed to achieve his fortune that he lost those he cared about along the way. And although he is now worth millions, his life feels empty. He now understands why the money he had was never enough and why he kept chasing more. Money was the yardstick by which he measured his success and ultimately his self-worth.
This is a good “rags to riche” story written in simple prose and enriched by the inclusion of real life historical figures and events. Jakes has taken liberty with the record by not always adhering strictly to the facts, although that never distracts from this tale of unbridled capitalism, personal ambition, and greed. However there are some distractions for the reader, primarily the length of the novel which Jakes has packed with too many people, events and business prospects for anyone to keep in their head comfortably. The endless details of how to get oil out of the ground ceased at a point to be interesting and eventually the narrative sags under the weight of it all. I reached the point where I had enjoyed an interesting reading experience but I just wanted the author to bring it all to a final conclusion. Still, Jakes is a great story teller and it was an enjoyable read.
August 10, 2019
Jakes's books strike me as the literary equivalent of daytime soap operas, but this one bristled with California history and near-history, and that sustained my interest. The theme appears to be "California: land of hope and stepwise refinement" from a time of bitter, ugly suppression of the 98% by the 1%. The story deals well with the strange tendency toward conservatism that assails people who "make it," a trend that the book's hero manages to resist. Our hero escapes countless near-disasters, saved at the last moment by some sort of deus ex machina (like the Fresno County sheriff). Happy ending after long self-denial. Nice end notes. My home town, Oakland, appears as a doughty but much maligned character. Long.
The edition I read, from the Mendocino County Library via Hoopla, was severely flawed by OCR without suitable editing. One of every three "the" rendered as "me" and some thoroughly ridiculous other misprints; one in particular amused me: "The barracks raced north." [1181] -- that r should, of course, be an f, but dontcha love the image of a large two story building racing north? Sloppy publishing.
The edition I read, from the Mendocino County Library via Hoopla, was severely flawed by OCR without suitable editing. One of every three "the" rendered as "me" and some thoroughly ridiculous other misprints; one in particular amused me: "The barracks raced north." [1181] -- that r should, of course, be an f, but dontcha love the image of a large two story building racing north? Sloppy publishing.
July 15, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Started out listening to California Gold on audio and gave up 3 or 4 hours in (it’s a 31 hour audio!). The narration was just not working for me.
I did, however, finish it. This is a fictional historical novel that takes place in California over a forty year time frame, beginning in the 1880’s and ending in the 1920’s. James Macklin Chance was a poor kid from Pennsylvania who sets out for California after his dad dies in a coal mining accident. He’s young with big dreams of making it big. He does succeed but he’s not too terribly likable. He becomes rich beyond his wildest imagination but still doesn’t have much success in his personal life. He got involved in California politics (in the background) because he had lots of money. I did check out a lot of the political characters at Wikipedia and it seems like the author’s portrayal of them was fairly accurate.
I read all the Kent Family books in the 1980’s and the North and South trilogy in 2017. This one did not measure up to John Jakes’ more well known works.
ATY Goodreads Challenge - 2023
Prompt #26 - a book related to pride
Started out listening to California Gold on audio and gave up 3 or 4 hours in (it’s a 31 hour audio!). The narration was just not working for me.
I did, however, finish it. This is a fictional historical novel that takes place in California over a forty year time frame, beginning in the 1880’s and ending in the 1920’s. James Macklin Chance was a poor kid from Pennsylvania who sets out for California after his dad dies in a coal mining accident. He’s young with big dreams of making it big. He does succeed but he’s not too terribly likable. He becomes rich beyond his wildest imagination but still doesn’t have much success in his personal life. He got involved in California politics (in the background) because he had lots of money. I did check out a lot of the political characters at Wikipedia and it seems like the author’s portrayal of them was fairly accurate.
I read all the Kent Family books in the 1980’s and the North and South trilogy in 2017. This one did not measure up to John Jakes’ more well known works.
ATY Goodreads Challenge - 2023
Prompt #26 - a book related to pride
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