The Bear Flag: A Novel of California [Paperback]

Cecelia Holland (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1996

Widowed on the arduous trek west, proud Cat Reilly takes whatever work she can find in Suttor's Fort and mixes with such types as Kit Carson before falling in love and becoming involved in the battle for California's independence. Reprint. PW.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A widow finds herself in the midst of the battle between the U.S. and Mexico for California in Holland's historical drama.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Holland uses the natural intrigue of history, the charm of romance, the promise of the West, the drive of Manifest Destiny, colorful historical figures, and several ingeniously developed fictional characters to weave a thrilling story of the race for settlement and the ultimate control of California. Catherine Reilly, a widow, survives to earn respect in a man's world on the frontier. Her life is interwoven with such American heroes as Kit Carson, John C. Fremont, John Sutter, John Bidwell, and Don Mariano Vallejo. Major historical events such as the Kelsey-Bidwell-Bartleson Crossing of the Great Basin and the Sierra in 1841, the Fremont and Carson Winter Crossing in 1844, and the Bear Flag Revolt of 1846, form the backdrop for Cat's story. A valuable "note" explains the historical events, persons, and any alterations Holland has made in them within the story. Highly desirable as supplementary reading in American Civilization classes.
- Dolores M. Steinhauer, Jefferson Sci-Tech, Alexandria,
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 344 pages
• Publisher: Kensington (September 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1575660865
• ISBN-13: 978-1575660868
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #900,505 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Historically Entertaining, January 31, 2002

By 

Chris in Goleta "ruralwannabe" (Central California Coast) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Bear Flag (Hardcover)

How did the forts work with thousands of people enclosed within stone walls with the untamed wilderness all around? Why did some soldiers dress in rags with no shoes while the generals in charge rode horseback and ate delicacies? How did it feel to be alive during that time in history? How did the flag really become official? This story shows you all the events as if you were living through them. Where on earth did a woman fit into that type of life? Read this and you will have a plausible idea. Fill in the holes in your California or American history while you enjoy this book! I loved it!

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A fairly good historical fiction spoiled by a romance., February 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Bear Flag: A Novel of California (Paperback)

If only the author could have stuck to the historical fiction she was writing. An interesting story I'd like to read more on and it could have carried a novel all by itself easily. The audience surrogate, Cat Reilly, is a 20th century woman shoehorned into a nineteenth century event, but she does get around into the compressed events and give a good accounting, not only of the confusing series of incidents that led to the capture of California from Mexico, but also of the day to day lives of the people of that time. For some reason, the author didn't trust this story and threw in a romance between Cat and a Russian spying for the Mexicans. For no reason that I could see, they jump into bed together and continue to lust after each other when they're not involved in the politics and warfare of the time. The book is reminiscent of Dana Fuller Ross' Wagon's West series, but with a fuller historical story. Too bad it had to include the romance.