_The Shirley Letters_, written from the mining camps in 1851 and 1852, are something valuable and rare—a portrait by a woman of an era dominated by men. They offer a vivid picture of gold rush life, from accounts of "murders, fearful accidents, bloody deaths, a mob, whippings, a hanging, an attempt at suicide, and a fatal duel" to bars lined with "that eternal crimson calico which flushes the whole social life of the Golden State," and the rare and welcome luxury of oyster feasts. The sights, smells, and even the sounds of the mining camps come alive—the echoes of swearing men, the flume with its "dismal moaning and shrieking all the live-long night," the barking of mongrel dogs. With the "wild grandeur and awful magnificence" of the Sierra as background, this classic account presents a picture of the gold rush that is at times humorous, at times empathetic, and always trustworthy.
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"Of all the writers drawn to California between 1845 and the mid-1860s, [Clappe] speaks with the most original voice. " -- James D. Houston, author, _Californians: Searching for the Golden State_
"_The Shirley Letters_ is superb reading!" -- The Midwest Book Review
"_The Shirley Letters_ is superb reading!" -- The Midwest Book Review
From the Publisher
A California Legacy book.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Definitive edition of a Gold Rush classic,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Shirley Letters: From the Calfornia Mines, 1851-1852 (Paperback)
Dame Shirley's classic (and often humorous!) letters portray the California gold rush in all its excitement and ethnic diversity. At last an edition has appeared that sets her writings in context! Editor Marlene Smith-Baranzini has done students, researchers, and history buffs a huge favor by putting together THE definitive Dame Shirley collection, complete with excellent introduction, interpretive footnotes, maps, photographs, and even a glossary. Reccommended for anyone interested in California history or just in search of a good read.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A first-rate primary source,
By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Shirley Letters: From the Calfornia Mines, 1851-1852 (Paperback)
Edited with an Introduction by Marlene Smith-Baranzini, The Shirley Letters: From The California Mines 1851-1852 by Louise Amelia Knapp Smith Clappe presents the contemporary reader with vivid first-person accounts of what it was like to live in the midst of the great California gold rush. Written in the form of letters by a doctor's wife who lived through the thick and thin of boisterous events, The Shirley Letters encompass mob violence, summary justice, a duel to the death, a rowdy July 4th celebration, and much, much more. A first-rate primary source, The Shirley Letters offers especial insight to American history and is highly recommended for both personal reading lists and academic reference collections.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent first hand portrayol of California's Gold Rush,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Shirley Letters: From the Calfornia Mines, 1851-1852 (Paperback)
I enjoyed this book. It give a fine first hand account of what life was like in the California gold mines at the beginning of the gold rush. The letters are well written with great attention to detail.
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
I can easily imagine, dear M-, the look of large wonder, which gleams from your astonished eyes, when they fall upon the date of this letter. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
coyote hole, mining purposes, red calico Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Rich Bar, Indian Bar, Feather River, New England, San Francisco, Dame Shirley, Missouri Bar, Smith's Bar, American Valley, Little John, Sierra Nevada, American Rancho, Berry Creek House, Bidwell's Bar, Committee of Vigilance, Tom Somers, Greenwood's Rancho, Letter Second, Paganini Ned New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
I can easily imagine, dear M-, the look of large wonder, which gleams from your astonished eyes, when they fall upon the date of this letter. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
coyote hole, mining purposes, red calico Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Rich Bar, Indian Bar, Feather River, New England, San Francisco, Dame Shirley, Missouri Bar, Smith's Bar, American Valley, Little John, Sierra Nevada, American Rancho, Berry Creek House, Bidwell's Bar, Committee of Vigilance, Tom Somers, Greenwood's Rancho, Letter Second, Paganini Ned New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 25
books:
See all 25 books this book cites
- The Shirley Letters: Being Letters Written in 1851-1852 from the California Mines by Louise Amelia Knapp Smith Clappe on 10 pages
- The California Gold Rush by John Walton Caughey in Front Matter, Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- Josiah Royce (Twayne's World Leaders Series) by Thomas F. Powell in Front Matter (1), Front Matter (2), and Back Matter
- History of California by Hubert H. Bancroft in Front Matter (1), Front Matter (2), and Back Matter
- California Classics: The Creative Literature of the Golden State : Essays on the Books and Their Writers by Lawrence Clark Powell in Front Matter (1), Front Matter (2), and Back Matter
See all 25 books this book cites
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