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Sun Mountain
"There has never been a place like the Comstock or a city like Virginia or a gathering of brilliant men such as those who assembled there". So writes Henry Stoddard in this unforgettable memoir of Virginia City, Nevada.Stoddard is drawn to Virginia City in the early 1860s. A reporter on the town's daily newspaper, The Territorial Enterprise, he comes to know all who make the town and are made by it: among them, a young Missourian named Sam Clemens, who prospers as a writer for the Enterprise and transforms himself into Mark Twain; and a Quaker named William Wright, who begins writing comic sketches under the name of Dan de Quille and becomes a legend. Stoddard also comes to know the men who went down into the bowels of the earth to wrest the riches from it, toiling in hellish heat and untold dangers for $4 a day.
Henry Stoddard knew them all -- and recorded his recollections for posterity. But Stoddard must make his own future in this magical town, searching for the woman of his dreams -- and finding a sense of self-worth.
Henry Stoddard knew them all -- and recorded his recollections for posterity. But Stoddard must make his own future in this magical town, searching for the woman of his dreams -- and finding a sense of self-worth.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 1999
10 people want to read
About the author
Richard S. Wheeler
124 books66 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
There are other authors with this name. One writes Marine Corps history. Another, Civil War history. Another writes in the political sciences.
Richard S. (Shaw) Wheeler was born in Milwaukee in 1935 and grew up in nearby Wauwatosa.
There are other authors with this name. One writes Marine Corps history. Another, Civil War history. Another writes in the political sciences.
Richard S. (Shaw) Wheeler was born in Milwaukee in 1935 and grew up in nearby Wauwatosa.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
April 9, 2015
I'm finding myself more and more fascinated with history the older I get. Maybe part of the fascination has to do with the fact that events I lived through, heard on the news, read in the newspaper or saw with my own eyes, have since become history. Looking at what is now history that was once part of my life gives my imagination a boost to move further back, to see events before my time differently than I saw them when I studied history in school. The context of living extends perspective in a way that reading about events as an inexperienced youngster never could.
Now, if the histories had been written by Richard Wheeler it might have been different. A masterful writer of historical fiction, Wheeler creates an illusion for the reader to feel he or she is in fact viewing events as they happened. The period in Sun Mountain was the last third of the 19th century during the silver/gold mining boom and bust of Virginia City, Nevada.
The novel unfolds as the memoir of a fictional character—Henry Stoddard—but involves many actual people, including the young Samuel Clemens and other newsmen at the Territorial Enterprise. The newspaper gave Stoddard, one of its reporters, an ideal platform to observe the wild and fascinating milieu and personalities of the mining community made famous worldwide as The Comstock Lode. With this highly personalized device Wheeler spoons out his vast knowledge of the mining industry, the customs of the day and events great and small, locally, regionally and beyond in such vivid detail he held me spellbound throughout the story.
Had Sun Mountain been part of a course when I was in high school or even college I might have become a history buff much much sooner.
Now, if the histories had been written by Richard Wheeler it might have been different. A masterful writer of historical fiction, Wheeler creates an illusion for the reader to feel he or she is in fact viewing events as they happened. The period in Sun Mountain was the last third of the 19th century during the silver/gold mining boom and bust of Virginia City, Nevada.
The novel unfolds as the memoir of a fictional character—Henry Stoddard—but involves many actual people, including the young Samuel Clemens and other newsmen at the Territorial Enterprise. The newspaper gave Stoddard, one of its reporters, an ideal platform to observe the wild and fascinating milieu and personalities of the mining community made famous worldwide as The Comstock Lode. With this highly personalized device Wheeler spoons out his vast knowledge of the mining industry, the customs of the day and events great and small, locally, regionally and beyond in such vivid detail he held me spellbound throughout the story.
Had Sun Mountain been part of a course when I was in high school or even college I might have become a history buff much much sooner.
Displaying 1 of 1 review