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The World Rushed In: The California Gold Rush Experience
When The World Rushed In was first published in 1981, the Washington Post predicted, “It seems unlikely that anyone will write a more comprehensive book about the Gold Rush.” Twenty years later, no one has emerged to contradict that judgment, and the book has gained recognition as a classic. As the San Francisco Examiner noted, “It is not often that a work of history can be said to supplant every book on the same subject that has gone before it.”
Through the diary and letters of William Swain--augmented by interpolations from more than five hundred other gold seekers and by letters sent to Swain from his wife and brother back home--the complete cycle of the gold rush is the overland migration of over thirty thousand men, the struggle to “strike it rich” in the mining camps of the Sierra Nevadas, and the return home through the jungles of the Isthmus of Panama.
In a new preface, the author reappraises our continuing fascination with the “gold rush experience” as a defining epoch in western--indeed, American--history.
Through the diary and letters of William Swain--augmented by interpolations from more than five hundred other gold seekers and by letters sent to Swain from his wife and brother back home--the complete cycle of the gold rush is the overland migration of over thirty thousand men, the struggle to “strike it rich” in the mining camps of the Sierra Nevadas, and the return home through the jungles of the Isthmus of Panama.
In a new preface, the author reappraises our continuing fascination with the “gold rush experience” as a defining epoch in western--indeed, American--history.
578 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1981
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
March 3, 2019
J.S Holliday's The World Rushed In: The California Gold Rush Experience, is an outstanding historical narrative combining scholarly commentary with the words of the 49’ers gleaned from diaries and correspondence. The greatest part of the narrative is taken from the writings of William Swain, an upstate New York farmer who made the grueling six-month overland trek to the California gold fields in 1849. Swain was an excellent choice for his keen observations and descriptive detail as well as for the poignancy of his correspondence with his wife and brother, letters that took months to reach their destinations.
The Gold Rush experience is divided into three distinct sections: the perilous transcontinental journey by wagon train; laboring in the gold fields; the voyage home by sailing ship to Panama City, across the Isthmus by pack mule and boat, and by steamer to New York with a stop in Havana. Gaps in the Swain narrative are filled in with interpolations taken from the diaries and correspondence of other 49’ers and Holliday’s “big picture” commentary and analysis. All told, it’s an amazing product of three decades of scholarly research, writing and editing. Highly recommended
The Gold Rush experience is divided into three distinct sections: the perilous transcontinental journey by wagon train; laboring in the gold fields; the voyage home by sailing ship to Panama City, across the Isthmus by pack mule and boat, and by steamer to New York with a stop in Havana. Gaps in the Swain narrative are filled in with interpolations taken from the diaries and correspondence of other 49’ers and Holliday’s “big picture” commentary and analysis. All told, it’s an amazing product of three decades of scholarly research, writing and editing. Highly recommended
June 29, 2010
This is deservedly a classic of Gold Rush literature. I picked it up intending to merely skim it for a few facts I was seeking-- wound up reading it eagerly for hours at a time.
The diaries and letters were pretty much a day-by-day account of the westward trail-- what an ordeal! What tremendous quantities of hopefulness and endurance a person needed in order to keep on going over those rivers, deserts and mountains. It's astounding to realize how many lives were wrecked or ended on the trail or in the fields. Once arrived in the reality of the gold fields-- MORE hopefulness and endurance were demanded-- and perhaps some denial as well. The glory days of the gold fields were well past by the time most of these men arrived in California.
William Swain's journals and correspondence were the perfect choice because he wrote so faithfully and because he was faithful to his mission-- didn't fall prey to gambling or other distractions that were the ruin of many others. The poignance of the loved ones at home having to wait for 6 months for any word to arrive by mail-- that comes through powerfully as well.
BTW, contrary to one of the other reviews, Swain'a letters were throughly edited and other correspondents' comments are artfully spliced in to make for a very complete story of the adventure.
The diaries and letters were pretty much a day-by-day account of the westward trail-- what an ordeal! What tremendous quantities of hopefulness and endurance a person needed in order to keep on going over those rivers, deserts and mountains. It's astounding to realize how many lives were wrecked or ended on the trail or in the fields. Once arrived in the reality of the gold fields-- MORE hopefulness and endurance were demanded-- and perhaps some denial as well. The glory days of the gold fields were well past by the time most of these men arrived in California.
William Swain's journals and correspondence were the perfect choice because he wrote so faithfully and because he was faithful to his mission-- didn't fall prey to gambling or other distractions that were the ruin of many others. The poignance of the loved ones at home having to wait for 6 months for any word to arrive by mail-- that comes through powerfully as well.
BTW, contrary to one of the other reviews, Swain'a letters were throughly edited and other correspondents' comments are artfully spliced in to make for a very complete story of the adventure.
August 8, 2009
The World Rushed In, according to PBS “the definitive book on the California Gold Rush,” follows a young Ohio farmer, William Swain, overland across the brutal plains to the Sierra Nevada, stays with him as he struggles to mine gold, and travels back home with him by way of disease-ridden Panama. Author J.S. Holliday starts each chapter with a general history, follows with letters home by Swain, and concludes with letters from home (wife Sabrina and brother George). Gaps in the Swain narrative are filled with excerpts from letters of other miners who were undergoing the same experiences at the same time. This scheme works very well, especially since farmer Swain and his family were surprisingly articulate.
I did not read the first half of the book—the preparations and the overland journey. I was more interested in California and the mining. Of course, to learn what became of Swain I was compelled to follow him on his cholera-threatened journey home.
I once saw a documentary on the Klondike Gold Rush, and the following numbers stuck in my mind: 40,000 people rushed to the mines; 4,000 brought out at least some money; only 400 got really rich. Though Holliday didn’t specify the ratios for California, it sounds as though they were about the same. Much like the lottery: there are enough real winners to keep many hopefuls playing, even when the odds are poor—signified in California by every river and every creek crawling with broke miners, mostly greenhorns, from all over the world.
Before leaving for California, Swain set himself a financial goal: come back with $10,000. After a year-and-a-half of mining, he left with under $1,000—and had to spend some of that on the trip home. He was probably more successful than most. Many died. Many left California in debt, others simply went broke. A good many got away (like Swain) with some money, and a very few got rich—not on gold, mostly, but by servicing the frantic miners. 147 tons of ice from Boston sold for 80 cents a pound. With the hope of controlling a massive rat population, cats from Mexico sold for $8-12 apiece. A simple carpenter from Connecticut made $60,000 to $70,000 just driving piles for San Francisco wharves that were being built at breakneck speed. Miners needed food, they needed utensils, they needed clothing (their need for rugged overalls launched, among others, Levi Strauss of San Francisco), they needed tents, they needed pickaxes and shovels and firearms, they needed medicines, they needed booze, they needed entertainment, they needed boatmen and muleteers to haul their supplies and they needed “Expressmen” to carry their mail (the U.S. Post Office, both overwhelmed and apparently, in its San Francisco office, incompetent, simply couldn’t get the job done). Traders in these items made more than most of the miners although many traders, who advanced their wares on credit, also went belly-up when their customers failed to strike it rich.
Some of the biggest successes were women. Miners needed housekeepers and tailors and boardinghouses and other services usually provided by women—not to mention more personal services during the long and lonely nights. In Gold Rush country there were something like 25 or 30 men for every woman. (In 1850, 35,333 men came in through San Francisco, and only 1,248 women.) Lowly French streetwalkers pulled in an ounce of gold just to sit with someone for the evening and $200-$400 for a night—big money in those days. “One celebrated [prostitute:] said she had made $50,000 and regretted that she had not double the capacity for increasing her gains.” A young man in Nevada City wrote: “Got nearer to a female this evening than I have been for six months. Came near fainting.” Famous entertainers like Lola Montez and Lotta Crabtree (the latter grew up in mining country) were in great demand and got rich—Lotta was the first American entertainer to become a millionaire. And gamblers worked the miners even harder (and more successfully) than the miners worked their mines.
When the Gold Rush started California was not yet a state. Most property, including mineral rights, was owned by the United States government. The government provided no law and order. The miners did their own thing. While mining $500 million in gold from government–owned land by 1857, miners not only paid nothing for the mineral rights, they paid zero taxes. And in the period from discovery of gold in 1848 until statehood in 1851, the miners provided their own—extremely effective—law and order. You could leave your tent or cabin unattended all day while you worked your claim without fear of theft—even with all your gold dust stored there. Theft was virtually unknown, for this reason: the miners were in California to get rich: to do so they had to work hard at their claims: therefore they didn’t have time to be messing around with miscreants: when someone committed a crime, the miners passed sentence immediately and if a man had to have his ears cropped or be hanged, the miners took care of it right away so they could hustle back to work. So ironically, even with gold dust lying around and many commodities in very short supply, the crime rate was extremely low. After statehood it rose, presumably because justice, now administered by the state, was no longer either swift or sure.
Morals were something else again. Without the constraints of family or community, many miners went berzerk, boozing and gambling and whoring every chance they got. Saloons and whorehouses sprang up everywhere, as did gambling tents; whiskey-peddlers and monte dealers followed the miners into even the remotest mountain camps. Some miners gambled away all their money from sheer inability to control themselves; others, disappointed in the results of their mining, gambled in hopes of winning at cards the riches they had failed to find under the rivermud. Debauchery ruled in the camps, in the small towns that sprang up throughout the Sierra Nevada, and in the cities that supported the madness: Marysville, Sacramento City, San Francisco, where those who had struck it rich could amuse themselves in ostentatious palaces of entertainment.
During the day most of the miners worked very hard. They soon realized that gold could be found mainly in the rivers, under sand and mud and rock. They had to dig it out. Some of the more ingenious teamed up to build flumes and sluices and various mining contrivances; many tried to divert the water in order to expose the riverbeds for digging during the dry season. In a very short time every river in gold country was crawling with eager and sometimes desperate miners. They came overland from the east, and by ship from all over—from the East, from Europe (mainly Britain, France and Germany), from Mexico, from Chile and from China. During the 1850s 30,000 came from Europe alone, and as early as 1852 there were already 25,000 Chinese. They lived in cabins, tents, shanties, holes in the ground—wherever; a miserable existence during the protracted rainy season, when they couldn’t go out for days on end. Shortly after arriving most wished they’d never come to “the Great California Lottery.”
The Gold Rush made Northern California. In early 1849 only 2,000 people lived in San Francisco. It was Nowheresville. In less than two years it boomed to between 25,000 and 30,000. Hundreds of boats, abandoned in the harbor as passengers, crews and captains rushed to the hills to get rich on gold, were instantly converted by enterprising San Franciscans into floating shops and warehouses. Inland, small towns that sprang up wherever miners settled boomed and then busted when the miners moved on to more promising (they hoped) claims. Cities sprang up on the logistics trail to the Sierra Nevada—places like Sacramento City (as it was then called), Yuba City and Marysville are significant only because of the Gold Rush. Developers created other “cities” overnight, sectioning land into plots and selling the plots to newcomers at exorbitant prices—and then going on to the next scam (much as in the Florida land boom of the 1920s).
The Gold Rush not only put Northern California on the map, it installed California itself—“El Dorado”—firmly in the national psyche as a loose place of incredible promise, where anything can happen—and usually does. Many who came for gold stayed on to farm or trade or practice medicine or law. Some of the more adventurous, even though not successful in mining gold, returned East and brought their families back with them to settle in what they considered the land of the future.
As for most Gold Rushers, never have so many created so much so fast for so little profit.
And William Swain? Survived Chagres Fever on his trip through Panama, recovered in New York, resumed farming in Ohio, and told Gold Rush stories throughout a long life that did not end until 1904.
I did not read the first half of the book—the preparations and the overland journey. I was more interested in California and the mining. Of course, to learn what became of Swain I was compelled to follow him on his cholera-threatened journey home.
I once saw a documentary on the Klondike Gold Rush, and the following numbers stuck in my mind: 40,000 people rushed to the mines; 4,000 brought out at least some money; only 400 got really rich. Though Holliday didn’t specify the ratios for California, it sounds as though they were about the same. Much like the lottery: there are enough real winners to keep many hopefuls playing, even when the odds are poor—signified in California by every river and every creek crawling with broke miners, mostly greenhorns, from all over the world.
Before leaving for California, Swain set himself a financial goal: come back with $10,000. After a year-and-a-half of mining, he left with under $1,000—and had to spend some of that on the trip home. He was probably more successful than most. Many died. Many left California in debt, others simply went broke. A good many got away (like Swain) with some money, and a very few got rich—not on gold, mostly, but by servicing the frantic miners. 147 tons of ice from Boston sold for 80 cents a pound. With the hope of controlling a massive rat population, cats from Mexico sold for $8-12 apiece. A simple carpenter from Connecticut made $60,000 to $70,000 just driving piles for San Francisco wharves that were being built at breakneck speed. Miners needed food, they needed utensils, they needed clothing (their need for rugged overalls launched, among others, Levi Strauss of San Francisco), they needed tents, they needed pickaxes and shovels and firearms, they needed medicines, they needed booze, they needed entertainment, they needed boatmen and muleteers to haul their supplies and they needed “Expressmen” to carry their mail (the U.S. Post Office, both overwhelmed and apparently, in its San Francisco office, incompetent, simply couldn’t get the job done). Traders in these items made more than most of the miners although many traders, who advanced their wares on credit, also went belly-up when their customers failed to strike it rich.
Some of the biggest successes were women. Miners needed housekeepers and tailors and boardinghouses and other services usually provided by women—not to mention more personal services during the long and lonely nights. In Gold Rush country there were something like 25 or 30 men for every woman. (In 1850, 35,333 men came in through San Francisco, and only 1,248 women.) Lowly French streetwalkers pulled in an ounce of gold just to sit with someone for the evening and $200-$400 for a night—big money in those days. “One celebrated [prostitute:] said she had made $50,000 and regretted that she had not double the capacity for increasing her gains.” A young man in Nevada City wrote: “Got nearer to a female this evening than I have been for six months. Came near fainting.” Famous entertainers like Lola Montez and Lotta Crabtree (the latter grew up in mining country) were in great demand and got rich—Lotta was the first American entertainer to become a millionaire. And gamblers worked the miners even harder (and more successfully) than the miners worked their mines.
When the Gold Rush started California was not yet a state. Most property, including mineral rights, was owned by the United States government. The government provided no law and order. The miners did their own thing. While mining $500 million in gold from government–owned land by 1857, miners not only paid nothing for the mineral rights, they paid zero taxes. And in the period from discovery of gold in 1848 until statehood in 1851, the miners provided their own—extremely effective—law and order. You could leave your tent or cabin unattended all day while you worked your claim without fear of theft—even with all your gold dust stored there. Theft was virtually unknown, for this reason: the miners were in California to get rich: to do so they had to work hard at their claims: therefore they didn’t have time to be messing around with miscreants: when someone committed a crime, the miners passed sentence immediately and if a man had to have his ears cropped or be hanged, the miners took care of it right away so they could hustle back to work. So ironically, even with gold dust lying around and many commodities in very short supply, the crime rate was extremely low. After statehood it rose, presumably because justice, now administered by the state, was no longer either swift or sure.
Morals were something else again. Without the constraints of family or community, many miners went berzerk, boozing and gambling and whoring every chance they got. Saloons and whorehouses sprang up everywhere, as did gambling tents; whiskey-peddlers and monte dealers followed the miners into even the remotest mountain camps. Some miners gambled away all their money from sheer inability to control themselves; others, disappointed in the results of their mining, gambled in hopes of winning at cards the riches they had failed to find under the rivermud. Debauchery ruled in the camps, in the small towns that sprang up throughout the Sierra Nevada, and in the cities that supported the madness: Marysville, Sacramento City, San Francisco, where those who had struck it rich could amuse themselves in ostentatious palaces of entertainment.
During the day most of the miners worked very hard. They soon realized that gold could be found mainly in the rivers, under sand and mud and rock. They had to dig it out. Some of the more ingenious teamed up to build flumes and sluices and various mining contrivances; many tried to divert the water in order to expose the riverbeds for digging during the dry season. In a very short time every river in gold country was crawling with eager and sometimes desperate miners. They came overland from the east, and by ship from all over—from the East, from Europe (mainly Britain, France and Germany), from Mexico, from Chile and from China. During the 1850s 30,000 came from Europe alone, and as early as 1852 there were already 25,000 Chinese. They lived in cabins, tents, shanties, holes in the ground—wherever; a miserable existence during the protracted rainy season, when they couldn’t go out for days on end. Shortly after arriving most wished they’d never come to “the Great California Lottery.”
The Gold Rush made Northern California. In early 1849 only 2,000 people lived in San Francisco. It was Nowheresville. In less than two years it boomed to between 25,000 and 30,000. Hundreds of boats, abandoned in the harbor as passengers, crews and captains rushed to the hills to get rich on gold, were instantly converted by enterprising San Franciscans into floating shops and warehouses. Inland, small towns that sprang up wherever miners settled boomed and then busted when the miners moved on to more promising (they hoped) claims. Cities sprang up on the logistics trail to the Sierra Nevada—places like Sacramento City (as it was then called), Yuba City and Marysville are significant only because of the Gold Rush. Developers created other “cities” overnight, sectioning land into plots and selling the plots to newcomers at exorbitant prices—and then going on to the next scam (much as in the Florida land boom of the 1920s).
The Gold Rush not only put Northern California on the map, it installed California itself—“El Dorado”—firmly in the national psyche as a loose place of incredible promise, where anything can happen—and usually does. Many who came for gold stayed on to farm or trade or practice medicine or law. Some of the more adventurous, even though not successful in mining gold, returned East and brought their families back with them to settle in what they considered the land of the future.
As for most Gold Rushers, never have so many created so much so fast for so little profit.
And William Swain? Survived Chagres Fever on his trip through Panama, recovered in New York, resumed farming in Ohio, and told Gold Rush stories throughout a long life that did not end until 1904.
August 13, 2021
Written by a native Californian.
What a fantastic reading journey this has been, following the diary entries and letters of William Swain all the way from his home in Youngstown, New York to Independence, Missouri, to Fort Laramie, Wyoming, to the Feather River in California - all this in 1849, the year of the California gold rush. I appreciate the way author J.S. Holliday edited not only the letters and diaries of William Swain, but many others who wrote similar narratives. Many of those were included (within parenthesis) in the ongoing journal entries of William Swain to bring more information and clarity to those of us who witness this amazing migration only from the distance of many years beyond the lifetimes of the original 49'er gold seekers.
The book has a map at the beginning of every chapter that helps put the journey into a perspective we can better understand from our knowledge of the present-day United States geography. I was surprised and a bit dismayed, at first, to discover that the book has nine chapters about the overland journey from New York to California, then only three chapters about Swain's stay in the Golden State before he hightails it out of San Francisco in chapter thirteen, returning to New York City via the Isthmus of Panama. Unfortunately when Swain arrived in this state he abandoned the daily use of his journals so at that point we have only his letters to tell us what he went through here.
My trek through this book was a long one. I was determined not to rush through it despite it being about the gold RUSH... but no, I wanted to be slow and laid-back about it so I decided to try to read four pages daily. Along the way I found that at times I wanted to read more, maybe eight or ten pages, and on other days I didn't read at all. I managed in this way to finish the book in 6 months and 7 days. This proved to be an effort well worth undertaking as I'd never read about a gold rush journey in such detail before. The multi-page narratives of the author, J.S. Holliday, at the beginning of every chapter, bring more information to the table and add clarity on each step of the journey William Swain and so many thousands of others took in their brave attempt to go collect their share of California gold.
What a fantastic reading journey this has been, following the diary entries and letters of William Swain all the way from his home in Youngstown, New York to Independence, Missouri, to Fort Laramie, Wyoming, to the Feather River in California - all this in 1849, the year of the California gold rush. I appreciate the way author J.S. Holliday edited not only the letters and diaries of William Swain, but many others who wrote similar narratives. Many of those were included (within parenthesis) in the ongoing journal entries of William Swain to bring more information and clarity to those of us who witness this amazing migration only from the distance of many years beyond the lifetimes of the original 49'er gold seekers.
The book has a map at the beginning of every chapter that helps put the journey into a perspective we can better understand from our knowledge of the present-day United States geography. I was surprised and a bit dismayed, at first, to discover that the book has nine chapters about the overland journey from New York to California, then only three chapters about Swain's stay in the Golden State before he hightails it out of San Francisco in chapter thirteen, returning to New York City via the Isthmus of Panama. Unfortunately when Swain arrived in this state he abandoned the daily use of his journals so at that point we have only his letters to tell us what he went through here.
My trek through this book was a long one. I was determined not to rush through it despite it being about the gold RUSH... but no, I wanted to be slow and laid-back about it so I decided to try to read four pages daily. Along the way I found that at times I wanted to read more, maybe eight or ten pages, and on other days I didn't read at all. I managed in this way to finish the book in 6 months and 7 days. This proved to be an effort well worth undertaking as I'd never read about a gold rush journey in such detail before. The multi-page narratives of the author, J.S. Holliday, at the beginning of every chapter, bring more information to the table and add clarity on each step of the journey William Swain and so many thousands of others took in their brave attempt to go collect their share of California gold.
April 8, 2025
Holliday’s book is a wonderful look at the gold rush. He uses the remarkable diaries and letters of William Swain to write this story; each chapter of the book starts with several pages of explanation before proceeding to Swain’s diary entries or letters. He also includes a few pages from Swain’s home (letters from his wife and brother) to give us a glimpse at the experiences of those left behind.
Swain’s story of the overland route from New York to California is fascinating and takes up over half of the book. Getting to California over land was a long (6 months!) and arduous journey. It is riveting reading. The time spent in California is only slightly less interesting as Swain didn’t strike it rich and also seems not to have gone in for the rowdier and more interesting aspects of life in a mining camp. He was working hard on the river or reading the Bible it would seem. No gambling, whoring or fighting for William Swain! How dull. Holliday fills in the blanks showing how the rush of people in to California from all over the world resulted in rapid growth and change in California, what a rowdy place it was, how high prices and wages were, and how international it was.
The last small part of the book documents Swain’s journey home via Panama and the future of mining in California and the west after the gold rush. It was very interesting and well written. Always in this book, the specter of cholera - then, a new disease - is lurking. The Indians are initially feared but Swain seems to have encountered no problems there. It’s also interesting to note that, already by 1849, the great buffalo herds seem to be less prevalent. Swain’s journey documents the rapid changes unfolding in North America. It’s great travel writing to any who like that.
Swain’s story of the overland route from New York to California is fascinating and takes up over half of the book. Getting to California over land was a long (6 months!) and arduous journey. It is riveting reading. The time spent in California is only slightly less interesting as Swain didn’t strike it rich and also seems not to have gone in for the rowdier and more interesting aspects of life in a mining camp. He was working hard on the river or reading the Bible it would seem. No gambling, whoring or fighting for William Swain! How dull. Holliday fills in the blanks showing how the rush of people in to California from all over the world resulted in rapid growth and change in California, what a rowdy place it was, how high prices and wages were, and how international it was.
The last small part of the book documents Swain’s journey home via Panama and the future of mining in California and the west after the gold rush. It was very interesting and well written. Always in this book, the specter of cholera - then, a new disease - is lurking. The Indians are initially feared but Swain seems to have encountered no problems there. It’s also interesting to note that, already by 1849, the great buffalo herds seem to be less prevalent. Swain’s journey documents the rapid changes unfolding in North America. It’s great travel writing to any who like that.
May 31, 2018
A very thorough, detailed, well-researched book that relies on the diaries of 49ers. Yet, who knew how boring/uneventful traveling by wagon from Missouri to California and mining could be! I guess the exciting overlanders didn’t have time to journal.
April 28, 2008
This is a remarkable and well-told account of one man's overland journey from Buffalo, NY to California in search of gold. It is based on his diary, but also integrated with hundreds of other first-hand sources to fill in gaps in the journal, and the inevitable gaps in a single man's experience of the gold rush. Highly recommended!
July 26, 2024
Dr. J.S. Holliday's "The World Rushed In" is an immersive exploration of the California Gold Rush, providing an in-depth look at the people who lived through this transformative period. The main characters are the miners and settlers who ventured west in search of fortune. These individuals, captured through their diaries and letters, include farmers, frontiersmen, pioneers, and settlers who left behind their previous lives for the promise of gold. Key figures such as James Marshall, whose discovery of gold initiated the rush, and countless unnamed miners are brought to life through vivid descriptions of their experiences, hardships, and aspirations.
Holliday's purpose in writing this book was to offer a comprehensive account of the California Gold Rush, focusing on the human experiences behind the historical event. By compiling and analyzing over 500 diaries and letter collections, he aimed to present the hopes, dreams, and struggles of those who participated in the Gold Rush. This approach provides a detailed and personal perspective on the era, going beyond traditional historical narratives to include the voices of ordinary people.
In my opinion, Dr. Holliday successfully achieved his goal. "The World Rushed In" is a rich and detailed narrative that brings the Gold Rush to life. The book offers a deep understanding of the period by highlighting the daily struggles and triumphs of the miners. Holliday's meticulous research and narrative skill effectively capture the human element of the Gold Rush, making it a compelling and informative read. The comprehensive nature of the book, combined with its engaging storytelling, provides readers with a profound insight into the era.
Reading "The World Rushed In" illuminated the complexity and significance of the Gold Rush. It was not merely a quest for wealth; it was a catalyst for profound changes in American society. The event transformed America into a more restless and ambitious nation, altering people's expectations and values. The Gold Rush offered an escape and new opportunities to many, but it also brought immense challenges, including economic conflicts, environmental impacts, and cultural clashes.
The Gold Rush had a transformative impact on California and the broader United States. The influx of people and wealth financed the development of mining, farming, manufacturing, shipping, gambling, and banking. California, once a remote and sparsely populated area, became a bustling hub of economic activity and a symbol of the American dream. The migration also led to significant social changes, with the population boom resulting in California's rapid statehood and the creation of numerous boomtowns. The Gold Rush era was marked by harsh conditions, dangerous work, and widespread hardships, but it also brought about new opportunities and freedoms.
The book provides a comprehensive picture of the Gold Rush, capturing both the hardships and the opportunities it presented. Through letters and diaries, readers experience the life of a miner, from the bad weather and harsh conditions to the simple tools and intense labor. The personal stories of miners losing hope, dealing with homesickness, and striving to build businesses amidst disappointment and poverty are vividly depicted. The book also highlights the impact of the Gold Rush on families, with letters between husbands and wives expressing the longing to return home or the decision to stay longer in hopes of striking it rich.
Overall, "The World Rushed In" is a masterful work that provides a deep and engaging insight into the California Gold Rush. Dr. J.S. Holliday's ability to weave personal stories with historical events creates a powerful narrative that informs, engages, and inspires. The book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in understanding the human experiences behind one of America's most significant historical events.
Holliday's purpose in writing this book was to offer a comprehensive account of the California Gold Rush, focusing on the human experiences behind the historical event. By compiling and analyzing over 500 diaries and letter collections, he aimed to present the hopes, dreams, and struggles of those who participated in the Gold Rush. This approach provides a detailed and personal perspective on the era, going beyond traditional historical narratives to include the voices of ordinary people.
In my opinion, Dr. Holliday successfully achieved his goal. "The World Rushed In" is a rich and detailed narrative that brings the Gold Rush to life. The book offers a deep understanding of the period by highlighting the daily struggles and triumphs of the miners. Holliday's meticulous research and narrative skill effectively capture the human element of the Gold Rush, making it a compelling and informative read. The comprehensive nature of the book, combined with its engaging storytelling, provides readers with a profound insight into the era.
Reading "The World Rushed In" illuminated the complexity and significance of the Gold Rush. It was not merely a quest for wealth; it was a catalyst for profound changes in American society. The event transformed America into a more restless and ambitious nation, altering people's expectations and values. The Gold Rush offered an escape and new opportunities to many, but it also brought immense challenges, including economic conflicts, environmental impacts, and cultural clashes.
The Gold Rush had a transformative impact on California and the broader United States. The influx of people and wealth financed the development of mining, farming, manufacturing, shipping, gambling, and banking. California, once a remote and sparsely populated area, became a bustling hub of economic activity and a symbol of the American dream. The migration also led to significant social changes, with the population boom resulting in California's rapid statehood and the creation of numerous boomtowns. The Gold Rush era was marked by harsh conditions, dangerous work, and widespread hardships, but it also brought about new opportunities and freedoms.
The book provides a comprehensive picture of the Gold Rush, capturing both the hardships and the opportunities it presented. Through letters and diaries, readers experience the life of a miner, from the bad weather and harsh conditions to the simple tools and intense labor. The personal stories of miners losing hope, dealing with homesickness, and striving to build businesses amidst disappointment and poverty are vividly depicted. The book also highlights the impact of the Gold Rush on families, with letters between husbands and wives expressing the longing to return home or the decision to stay longer in hopes of striking it rich.
Overall, "The World Rushed In" is a masterful work that provides a deep and engaging insight into the California Gold Rush. Dr. J.S. Holliday's ability to weave personal stories with historical events creates a powerful narrative that informs, engages, and inspires. The book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in understanding the human experiences behind one of America's most significant historical events.
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July 3, 2023William Swain was a man who I would describe as someone that was an educated, simple person. William was a second generation immigrant from England, in which his father Issac arrived in Pennsylvania in 1794 and finally reached New York in 1805. Both William and his brother George would take over the work of the family farm after the passing of their father in 1838. William meanwhile had graduated from Lewiston Academy where he later studied to earn his teaching certificate. As a school Master in Niagara County he met his wife Sabrina. In the story the letters between William and Sabrina capture a couple that are truly dedicated to one another. I am most impressed however with the goodness that both show in their writings to each other. William and Sabrina had one child Eliza who throughout the book along with Sabrina were not feeling well.
William had military ambitions early in his life before he had met Sabrina, although he had never joined. His father had served in the Army during the war of 1812, and William, who was very proud of his father, I believe wanted to follow in the same footsteps. As I read the book I couldn’t help but think that while he was a devoted family man, that just maybe he wanted more and maybe because he hadn’t followed in his fathers footsteps in going to the Army that adventuring to California would somehow fulfill that need.
On his journey William was focused on the task of getting to California knowing that it would be months long. He went above and beyond to help the team that he was part of, even though for some time he was not feeling well. Much of what made him was his true devotion to God. He seemed disappointed when the team had to travel during the Sabbath, and my feelings were not because of the work involved but because of the religious aspects surrounding Sundays. Although William found himself surrounded in many instances by people and situations that may have tempted others to go against their religious teachings, William always seemed to not give in. His wife was constantly reminding him of their bond that's unbreakable if he would continue to give devotion to God. William did just that and reassured Sabrina in his letters. Humble, devoted, kind, intelligent, and hard working is how I would describe William Swain.
I believe the author's purpose in writing this book was two fold. One J.S Holliday was a student of History and loved all the small details that were involved in the discoveries, traveling, adventures and day to day lives of those who made history. Second, he wanted to show that the day-to-day lives of such an historic event as the Gold Rush in his book “The World Rushin” realistic to his readers. He wanted to show his readers that the gold rush wasn’t all glamor, that there were plenty of hardships.
He showed his readers the passion he had for history and the Gold Rush in particular. He did that by the painstaking work he had done to obtain, study and put together the diaries of many travelers. Holliday’s passion showed up for sure. The dairies told the story as he intended. A life that was less than pleasant. Mostly men who knew that the road would not only be dangerous but very difficult as well. He detailed the day-to-day challenges of sicknesses, hard work, formidable environments, and so many more issues. In doing so Holliday allowed the reader to be part of the journey and I personally felt at times as if I were there, taken back to 1849 and traveling to California along a treacherous trail.
William had military ambitions early in his life before he had met Sabrina, although he had never joined. His father had served in the Army during the war of 1812, and William, who was very proud of his father, I believe wanted to follow in the same footsteps. As I read the book I couldn’t help but think that while he was a devoted family man, that just maybe he wanted more and maybe because he hadn’t followed in his fathers footsteps in going to the Army that adventuring to California would somehow fulfill that need.
On his journey William was focused on the task of getting to California knowing that it would be months long. He went above and beyond to help the team that he was part of, even though for some time he was not feeling well. Much of what made him was his true devotion to God. He seemed disappointed when the team had to travel during the Sabbath, and my feelings were not because of the work involved but because of the religious aspects surrounding Sundays. Although William found himself surrounded in many instances by people and situations that may have tempted others to go against their religious teachings, William always seemed to not give in. His wife was constantly reminding him of their bond that's unbreakable if he would continue to give devotion to God. William did just that and reassured Sabrina in his letters. Humble, devoted, kind, intelligent, and hard working is how I would describe William Swain.
I believe the author's purpose in writing this book was two fold. One J.S Holliday was a student of History and loved all the small details that were involved in the discoveries, traveling, adventures and day to day lives of those who made history. Second, he wanted to show that the day-to-day lives of such an historic event as the Gold Rush in his book “The World Rushin” realistic to his readers. He wanted to show his readers that the gold rush wasn’t all glamor, that there were plenty of hardships.
He showed his readers the passion he had for history and the Gold Rush in particular. He did that by the painstaking work he had done to obtain, study and put together the diaries of many travelers. Holliday’s passion showed up for sure. The dairies told the story as he intended. A life that was less than pleasant. Mostly men who knew that the road would not only be dangerous but very difficult as well. He detailed the day-to-day challenges of sicknesses, hard work, formidable environments, and so many more issues. In doing so Holliday allowed the reader to be part of the journey and I personally felt at times as if I were there, taken back to 1849 and traveling to California along a treacherous trail.
February 5, 2019
The main character is William Swain and he is; religious, dedicated, hard working, motivated, and a family man. He is religious because he carries and reads his bible even though he is far from home. He also mentions God every time he writes to his brother George, wife Sabrina and mother Patience. He also equates swearing, gambling, drinking and prostitution to the devil's influence on weak men. He is motivated and hard working because he never gave up on his mission to reach California. His party faced hunger, hot/cold weather, disease such as cholera, yet they kept marching towards El Dorado. He is a family man because he always mentions his brother George, wife Sabrina, his daughter Eliza, mother Patience, and Little Sis in all his letters. They keep him strong as he struggled to reach California. He also mentions family friends and sends his regards when he writes his letters. Overall, I think he is a good man because he also felt that slavery needed to be abolished and he seemed tolerant towards the Indians, Panamanians and the minorities that he encountered along his trip.
His wife Sabrina is also very religious and thoroughly devoted to her family. She takes care of her daughter Eliza and William's mother Patience. Sabrina is a loving wife and she misses her husband every day. She has a spinal problem and she seemed to always be in pain. She is also very religious and never forgets to remind William about reading his bible and how through God's might he will be successful in his endeavor.
George is William's older brother. He is hard working, religious and takes care of the family while William travels to California. He is hard working because he took care of the family while William went off to California. He helped take care of Sabrina, Eliza, Little Sis and his mother Patience. He also managed their farm while William was away. He is religious like the rest of his family and constantly reminds William to read his bible and to not deviate from the teachings of God. He is also very supportive because he told William to comeback even if he didn't find any gold.
Patience is a godly woman. She tells William to always read his bible and to always look to God for guidance and hope. She is also a family woman and she feels that family is the most important part of a man's life.
The author wrote this book because giving the reader a first hand account of a William's struggles as he traveled to California is invaluable. William's party faced numerous obstacles as they marched west. The most terrifying one was cholera. Even so, they marched west and they helped each other. The author also wrote this book because he wanted to make sure that family is very important. William wrote his family members basically every day even though he was exhausted from work. He never broke his promise to stay in touch with his family. His family's concern regarding his health and wanting him to be with them was also another reason the author wrote this book. The family cared more about William's health than him being rich and dying quick.
The author did achieve his goal. Everyone wants to get rich quickly. Few will accomplish it. What matters is that your family loves you and that you are at peace with yourself.
His wife Sabrina is also very religious and thoroughly devoted to her family. She takes care of her daughter Eliza and William's mother Patience. Sabrina is a loving wife and she misses her husband every day. She has a spinal problem and she seemed to always be in pain. She is also very religious and never forgets to remind William about reading his bible and how through God's might he will be successful in his endeavor.
George is William's older brother. He is hard working, religious and takes care of the family while William travels to California. He is hard working because he took care of the family while William went off to California. He helped take care of Sabrina, Eliza, Little Sis and his mother Patience. He also managed their farm while William was away. He is religious like the rest of his family and constantly reminds William to read his bible and to not deviate from the teachings of God. He is also very supportive because he told William to comeback even if he didn't find any gold.
Patience is a godly woman. She tells William to always read his bible and to always look to God for guidance and hope. She is also a family woman and she feels that family is the most important part of a man's life.
The author wrote this book because giving the reader a first hand account of a William's struggles as he traveled to California is invaluable. William's party faced numerous obstacles as they marched west. The most terrifying one was cholera. Even so, they marched west and they helped each other. The author also wrote this book because he wanted to make sure that family is very important. William wrote his family members basically every day even though he was exhausted from work. He never broke his promise to stay in touch with his family. His family's concern regarding his health and wanting him to be with them was also another reason the author wrote this book. The family cared more about William's health than him being rich and dying quick.
The author did achieve his goal. Everyone wants to get rich quickly. Few will accomplish it. What matters is that your family loves you and that you are at peace with yourself.
January 26, 2019
The protagonist in J.S. Holliday’s book, The World Rushed In: The California Gold Experience, is William Swain. Swain is a complex and layered character who is described in detail throughout the book. The complexity of Holliday’s character is due to the fact that he is a real man who we get to know through his personal diary and correspondence with his family. Swain believed it was his duty to document his travels in detail out of obligation to his family. He read his Bible and wrote in his diary religiously. Holliday adds history and details to these diary entries and letters to give a complete and enriched detail of Swain’s character.
I am first struck by Swain’s duty and love of his family as a reason for going to California in the first place. He heard reports of the riches to be had, and he felt a moral obligation to provide for his wife, Sabrina, and daughter, Eliza. While many who went to California were seeking adventure, Swain was a very religious family man who went to strike it rich and return as quickly as possible with “rocks in his pockets”. It is easy to see the love and regard William has for his family as well as theirs for him when reading the letters. In one letter William urges his brother to never come due to the hardships and difficult life in the mines. He tells his brother, George, that he will bring enough riches home for them both, and that he should stay home. In a return letter from George, he tells William that they all just want him to come home regardless of his success. You can also tell he is an intelligent and good man of character by his quality and respectful writing. He is obviously aware of the mistreatment the Native people by white men in the area, and he writes that it is enough to make humanity weep.
The author, Holliday’s, purpose for writing this book may have started out as an interest in California’s Gold Rush history, but over several decades, it became a labor of love and determination. Holliday himself said that the completion of this book became his “Chasing of the Elephant”. What he explains this to mean is that after moving to California to “mine the libraries” for history relating to the gold rush, he gets his PhD, marries, and makes a life in California. As the decades pass and life moved on he was always working on this book. It became an emotional journey for him as he learned to know the Swain family and wanted to add the humanity of their story to the history of the gold rush as the first global migration.
Holliday has succeeded in writing what has been touted as the most thorough and balanced book about the history of the California Gold Rush. It is a well-written historical narrative. It is evident from the details in the book as well as the way he has a compiled resources and facts, that Holliday spent the years 1948-1981 crafting a fantastic book that captures the humanity and history of the years that the world rushed in to California.
I am first struck by Swain’s duty and love of his family as a reason for going to California in the first place. He heard reports of the riches to be had, and he felt a moral obligation to provide for his wife, Sabrina, and daughter, Eliza. While many who went to California were seeking adventure, Swain was a very religious family man who went to strike it rich and return as quickly as possible with “rocks in his pockets”. It is easy to see the love and regard William has for his family as well as theirs for him when reading the letters. In one letter William urges his brother to never come due to the hardships and difficult life in the mines. He tells his brother, George, that he will bring enough riches home for them both, and that he should stay home. In a return letter from George, he tells William that they all just want him to come home regardless of his success. You can also tell he is an intelligent and good man of character by his quality and respectful writing. He is obviously aware of the mistreatment the Native people by white men in the area, and he writes that it is enough to make humanity weep.
The author, Holliday’s, purpose for writing this book may have started out as an interest in California’s Gold Rush history, but over several decades, it became a labor of love and determination. Holliday himself said that the completion of this book became his “Chasing of the Elephant”. What he explains this to mean is that after moving to California to “mine the libraries” for history relating to the gold rush, he gets his PhD, marries, and makes a life in California. As the decades pass and life moved on he was always working on this book. It became an emotional journey for him as he learned to know the Swain family and wanted to add the humanity of their story to the history of the gold rush as the first global migration.
Holliday has succeeded in writing what has been touted as the most thorough and balanced book about the history of the California Gold Rush. It is a well-written historical narrative. It is evident from the details in the book as well as the way he has a compiled resources and facts, that Holliday spent the years 1948-1981 crafting a fantastic book that captures the humanity and history of the years that the world rushed in to California.
May 7, 2022
This book follows the firsthand experience of the Gold Rush by a man named William Swain. His frequent letters home allowed author J.S. Holliday to write a book detailing his rich experiences from the brutal trek west all the way to the return trip through the Isthmus of Panama. In addition, letters of correspondence from his family back home add a more intimate understanding of the Forty-Niner’s life. William regularly writes to his brother George, who takes care of the family back home, including William’s wife and daughter. His wife Sabrina, is raising their toddler by herself while William tries to find his El Dorado. Each chapter in the book represents a different phase in his journey, with a brief introduction by the author to provide some background context to better understand each letter. We learn of William’s tribulations both on the journey westward and his struggle to strike it rich. We also learn of Sabrina’s concern for William’s health and safety and her despair over the uncertainty of it all.
Holliday’s purpose in writing this book was to vividly articulate the entire experience of the Forty-Niner, from the doorstep out to the voyage back. The maps provided add a spatial understanding to each phase of Swain’s experience, and makes the reader confront the myriad of consequential choices that had to be made along the entire journey. I found myself constantly referencing the map as I read to reflect on the multitude of unique obstacles they faced at different sections on the route. Should Swain’s group wait in a line of 40 wagons waiting to be ferried across a raging river by experienced Mormons or should they attempt to cross faster by making a barge themselves? Which wagon trail does one take, the old established one that brings back bad news or the new one that forks away as a possible shortcut? Is it better to cross the upcoming desert in daylight or wait for the cooler but darker conditions of the night? Reading this book almost felt like playing the old computer game “Oregon Trail”, and makes one constantly consider what they would do in Swain’s shoes.
Holliday gives the reader a rich sense of the sacrifices, shortcomings, and uncertainties facing the people who made the trek in 1849. The letters reflect the tremendous suffering and desperation of the journey and the disappointing realities of the mining experience. The author gives a sober account of the harsh realities and unique nuances of frontier life. The rich spectrum of experience is encapsulated extremely well in this book and compels one to binge read each chapter in anticipation of the next challenge on Swain’s journey. It’s pretty rare to find a compilation of primary source letters so complete and extensive as those provided in this book. The author truly gives the reader a deep sense of the Forty-Niner experience and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in learning about the California Gold Rush.
Holliday’s purpose in writing this book was to vividly articulate the entire experience of the Forty-Niner, from the doorstep out to the voyage back. The maps provided add a spatial understanding to each phase of Swain’s experience, and makes the reader confront the myriad of consequential choices that had to be made along the entire journey. I found myself constantly referencing the map as I read to reflect on the multitude of unique obstacles they faced at different sections on the route. Should Swain’s group wait in a line of 40 wagons waiting to be ferried across a raging river by experienced Mormons or should they attempt to cross faster by making a barge themselves? Which wagon trail does one take, the old established one that brings back bad news or the new one that forks away as a possible shortcut? Is it better to cross the upcoming desert in daylight or wait for the cooler but darker conditions of the night? Reading this book almost felt like playing the old computer game “Oregon Trail”, and makes one constantly consider what they would do in Swain’s shoes.
Holliday gives the reader a rich sense of the sacrifices, shortcomings, and uncertainties facing the people who made the trek in 1849. The letters reflect the tremendous suffering and desperation of the journey and the disappointing realities of the mining experience. The author gives a sober account of the harsh realities and unique nuances of frontier life. The rich spectrum of experience is encapsulated extremely well in this book and compels one to binge read each chapter in anticipation of the next challenge on Swain’s journey. It’s pretty rare to find a compilation of primary source letters so complete and extensive as those provided in this book. The author truly gives the reader a deep sense of the Forty-Niner experience and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in learning about the California Gold Rush.
October 21, 2024
In The World Rushed In, by Dr. J.S. Holliday, he writes about the impact of the California Gold Rush through personal narratives. It clearly shows the resilience of the common man during that time and what they were willing to endure for their families. We mostly get to read the journal entries and personal letters of one of the main characters, William Swain. His story is told through the letters he writes to his wife, brother, and mother as well as the letters he receives from them. The book is filled with hundreds of other first hand sources as well, including from farmers, pioneers, and settlers among others.
The book is historical narrative that was very well researched. The book is organized in three different parts of his year and a half journey; Swain’s initial six month arduous trip from New York to California, his time spent in mining for gold, and then ultimately his journey back home through Panama. The letters were not only informative from Swain’s point of view, but the reader also got to get a glimpse into the home life of the people left behind during the Gold Rush through the letters of Swain’s wife, mother, and brother. Both William Swain and his brother, George, had taken over the family farm after their father had died. Sabrina and William met at a school and their letters between each other are very heartfelt and you can tell that they care about each other deeply. They also shared a child together, Eliza. They frequently wrote about Eliza and also their deep faith in God. Holliday was really able to portray Swain in what, I believe, was his true character, a loving man who was driven by his family and his faith.
I think Holliday’s purpose in writing this book was to be as historically accurate as possible, yet also create an engrossing personal narrative using real letters and journal entries to carry you through the book. Many people have at least heard of the Gold Rush, and have varying levels of knowledge on the time period, but what this book does differently is the way that it follows the journey from beginning to end of what so many gold rushers went through. You can piece this kind of information together reading various other books, websites, etc., yet this book lays out the entire journey, and from multiple perspectives. I think this book also showed the reality for most miners, which was how heartbreaking it was to leave their family. It also showed how the miners returned home with less money than they had initially expected.
In my opinion, I think the author, without a doubt, achieved his goal. I’ve never read such a detailed historical account of the Gold Rush, with such a personal touch. I think by choosing to include the letters and journal entires the way he did, Holliday was really able to capture Swain’s true essence as a hard worker, a husband, a father, a brother, and a son who just wanted better for his family, like so many of the gold seekers at that time.
The book is historical narrative that was very well researched. The book is organized in three different parts of his year and a half journey; Swain’s initial six month arduous trip from New York to California, his time spent in mining for gold, and then ultimately his journey back home through Panama. The letters were not only informative from Swain’s point of view, but the reader also got to get a glimpse into the home life of the people left behind during the Gold Rush through the letters of Swain’s wife, mother, and brother. Both William Swain and his brother, George, had taken over the family farm after their father had died. Sabrina and William met at a school and their letters between each other are very heartfelt and you can tell that they care about each other deeply. They also shared a child together, Eliza. They frequently wrote about Eliza and also their deep faith in God. Holliday was really able to portray Swain in what, I believe, was his true character, a loving man who was driven by his family and his faith.
I think Holliday’s purpose in writing this book was to be as historically accurate as possible, yet also create an engrossing personal narrative using real letters and journal entries to carry you through the book. Many people have at least heard of the Gold Rush, and have varying levels of knowledge on the time period, but what this book does differently is the way that it follows the journey from beginning to end of what so many gold rushers went through. You can piece this kind of information together reading various other books, websites, etc., yet this book lays out the entire journey, and from multiple perspectives. I think this book also showed the reality for most miners, which was how heartbreaking it was to leave their family. It also showed how the miners returned home with less money than they had initially expected.
In my opinion, I think the author, without a doubt, achieved his goal. I’ve never read such a detailed historical account of the Gold Rush, with such a personal touch. I think by choosing to include the letters and journal entires the way he did, Holliday was really able to capture Swain’s true essence as a hard worker, a husband, a father, a brother, and a son who just wanted better for his family, like so many of the gold seekers at that time.
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September 13, 2020The World Rushed In is considered the gold standard of books written about the California Gold Rush in the 1840s and 1850s. The story, written by J.S. Holliday, is taken from diaries and letters written by several individuals who made the difficult journey to California. Just making the decision about how to get to the California gold fields was a difficult one. Some people from the east coast of the United States opted to take a ship from eastern ports such as Boston, Baltimore and New York all the way around Cape Horn and arrive in present day San Francisco, which prior to the massive number of migrants was known as Yerba Buena. From here, they would have to progress on foot or horse, if they could afford one, to the gold fields which were farther inland. Others opted to take a ship to Panama, where they would cross the isthmus on foot or horse and then wait for a ship to arrive that was going to San Francisco. Although this would cut the length of the trip down, it did make the journey a bit more complicated for the people who chose this route. The main character from the book, William Swain, a farmer from Youngstown, New York, decides to take the overland route across America instead of traveling by ship. His journey is a long and difficult one, and takes him more than six months to reach the gold fields of California. Swain is not your typical rough and tumble 49er, which was nice to see. He has a difficult time making the decision to leave Youngstown because he doesn’t want to leave his elderly mother, young wife and new child to go on an incredibly risky venture. However, after President Polk confirms the discovery of gold in California in his State of the Union Address, Swain makes the decision to try his luck on this incredibly long and quite possibly dangerous trip to California. Again, he does not fit the typical hard drinking, gambling 49er description once he arrives. He stays sober and focuses on the welfare of his family, never forgetting the reason why he made the difficult decision to leave them.
The author’s purpose of this novel is to give a well-researched account of what life was like before, during and after the California gold rush. Holliday is more than successful in achieving his goal. The attention to detail while using William Swain’s letters to his wife and his brother is very impressive and truly provides the reader with a sense of what life during this time period was really like. On top of that, the level of research that went into the book is very obvious to the reader as well. The depth that the book goes into is nothing short of impressive and detail such as this could only have been achieved through painstaking research. The book was first published in 1981 and is still considered the benchmark of historical writing on the subject of the California Gold Rush. Any other authors with the goal of exceeding this work will have their work cut out for them.
The author’s purpose of this novel is to give a well-researched account of what life was like before, during and after the California gold rush. Holliday is more than successful in achieving his goal. The attention to detail while using William Swain’s letters to his wife and his brother is very impressive and truly provides the reader with a sense of what life during this time period was really like. On top of that, the level of research that went into the book is very obvious to the reader as well. The depth that the book goes into is nothing short of impressive and detail such as this could only have been achieved through painstaking research. The book was first published in 1981 and is still considered the benchmark of historical writing on the subject of the California Gold Rush. Any other authors with the goal of exceeding this work will have their work cut out for them.
March 3, 2025
the format of vast majority of source material from a single entity, complemented by other sources (including other times & locations), was fully explained, and combined with both footnotes & endnotes could be confusing at times, but a very comprehensive coverage of the gold rush from an east coast perspective [if using primary sources, other views much rarer], including general mass emigration & immigration leading to rapid settlement of California, overland & oversea immigration to western US, including trans isthmus via Mexico or Central America.
The fact that ships would make the trip to SF, and then both passenger and crew would head for the diggings, leaving over 600 vessels abandoned in the bay was astounding. Also never considered was the choices to be made on east to west transportation, even multiple decisions in md trip to take a newly promoted shortcut. The duration of the overland trip at the time was not something i had ever deeply considered, nor the seasonal timing for river and mountain pass crossings.
all in all, an engrossing, enlightening and enjoyable reading experience.
The fact that ships would make the trip to SF, and then both passenger and crew would head for the diggings, leaving over 600 vessels abandoned in the bay was astounding. Also never considered was the choices to be made on east to west transportation, even multiple decisions in md trip to take a newly promoted shortcut. The duration of the overland trip at the time was not something i had ever deeply considered, nor the seasonal timing for river and mountain pass crossings.
all in all, an engrossing, enlightening and enjoyable reading experience.
September 30, 2022
Really a fascinating telling of the story of trials , tribulations and triumphs of the California gold rush. It was eye opening to see how mens desire to succeed drive all parts of the economy. Struck me how the needs of the 100,000+ emigrants shaped and drove the economy. No matter that many seekers did not strike it rich with gold, the effects of the gold rush were far reaching on personal and economic levels. The drives and desires of society really ebb and flow but do not really change in the last 170+ years.
December 30, 2018
I didn't finish this book, but I really appreciate the historical significance. The ambition of the author is to be greatly admired because taking on a project of this breadth is truly daunting. Would recommend to anyone interested in a good historical account of the gold rush.
June 11, 2021
I highly recommend this book. The author researched the California Gold Rush for decades. This book is the result of all his research. It not only gives an overview of the gold rush, it contains letters from those that experienced the gold rush themselves.
January 21, 2022
The extraordinary story of William Swain and thousands like him who journeyed to California to seek their fortunes in the gold fields.
Using William's own diaries and letters home along with other diaries, J S Holliday tells a very readable tale.
Using William's own diaries and letters home along with other diaries, J S Holliday tells a very readable tale.
June 5, 2017
Listened to audiobook. The voiceover wasn't the best.
December 19, 2018
Very good book. Human side of the Gold Rush.
March 28, 2022
Fantastic. Amazingly researched and written. Innovative way to patch together primary sources. Definitely illuminating on the realities of the gold rush. Loved it.
November 10, 2009
This book is based on something like 30 years of research, but the majority of it is basically the unedited diary William Swain wrote while traveling with a band of Gold Rushing 49ers, along with letters to and from his family. I sometimes had to wonder where the 30 years went. Still, it's a good diary, and I see why the author was so excited to find it.
Many of its entries are elaborated with passages from diaries and letters from other '49ers, and all together they do provide a comprehensive view of life on an early pioneer trail, from the dust that coats the nostrils and covers all possessions, to the never-ending mounds of rubbish left on the trail by pampered Easterners who tried to bring their entire wardrobes and home-life over the Rockies, to the ubiquitous notes that earlier pioneers left to describe which trails they took and where alkaline-free water lay. The trail was crowded.
Also the book demonstrates an early American genius for organization. Most of the 49ers went out in joint-stock companies they formed themselves in Independence Missouri, with formally ratified charters and the elections of boards of directors and captains who could be recalled by a direct vote. This is hardly the raucous chaos I originally imagined. The stories of successful gold-prospectors also make one realize that the tales of gold were real, and many men truly did make fortunes in afternoons, even if they then had trouble holding on to them.
Many of its entries are elaborated with passages from diaries and letters from other '49ers, and all together they do provide a comprehensive view of life on an early pioneer trail, from the dust that coats the nostrils and covers all possessions, to the never-ending mounds of rubbish left on the trail by pampered Easterners who tried to bring their entire wardrobes and home-life over the Rockies, to the ubiquitous notes that earlier pioneers left to describe which trails they took and where alkaline-free water lay. The trail was crowded.
Also the book demonstrates an early American genius for organization. Most of the 49ers went out in joint-stock companies they formed themselves in Independence Missouri, with formally ratified charters and the elections of boards of directors and captains who could be recalled by a direct vote. This is hardly the raucous chaos I originally imagined. The stories of successful gold-prospectors also make one realize that the tales of gold were real, and many men truly did make fortunes in afternoons, even if they then had trouble holding on to them.
August 10, 2008
This book is not only one of the most significant pieces of California pioneer history, but is a fascinating read of optimism, hardship, and adventure. It is basically an annotated diary of William Swain, an upstate New York farmer who caught gold fever and headed west, travelling overland as a cholera epidemic was raging through the United States. What Holliday does to flesh out the gaps and thin sections of the Swain diary is to interpolate other sources, including letters to and from his family, other people's diaries and letters, and drawings that were done by a rather talented amateur artist on one of the companies that was within a few days of the company that Swain was in. He is careful to make it clear when he is adding to the Swain material, preserving the book's historic value as an edited diary.
The World Rushed In should appeal to general audiences, but especially to those with an interest in California history.
The World Rushed In should appeal to general audiences, but especially to those with an interest in California history.
June 21, 2012
My all time favorite history book. Of course that may have something to do with the fact that I grew up where this book takes place.
The book takes its structure from a diary and a series of letters to and from William Swain and his wife. The author then fills in the gaps and expands on the themes, giving us an excellent overview of the California Gold Rush.
Highly recommend. A must read for any US or American West history buff or historian.
The book takes its structure from a diary and a series of letters to and from William Swain and his wife. The author then fills in the gaps and expands on the themes, giving us an excellent overview of the California Gold Rush.
Highly recommend. A must read for any US or American West history buff or historian.
January 9, 2011
This was a great book for me. Using the remarkable journals of William Swain, who gives a detailed account of his journey west and his dreams of gold, author J. S. Holliday adds chapters that give a broad but definitive history of the California Gold Rush, making the book both sweeping and intimate in it's presentation of an event that changed America and individuals forever.
December 9, 2012
You don't have to be a history geek to enjoy this book. If you want to know day to day life during the important time of westward expansion in America, this book is the one to read. Diary style, easy to read. You won't want to put it down but if you do because you just don't have the time and come back later picking it up again, you won't be lost wondering where you left off.
August 18, 2009
Historical fiction is my passion. This particular book was written from the diary of a young man (Midwesterner) who traveled to the gold fields of California in search of found wealth. It is a fascinating read. Again, one of my favorite books I would take to the desserted island.
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August 8, 2009"By far the best book on the California Gold Rush" -- McCrum et al, The Story of English.
January 4, 2020
Perhaps one of the best books about the California gold rush.
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