Hard Road West: History and Geology along the Gold Rush Trail (Hardcover)

by Keith Heyer Meldahl (Author)
Key Phrases: overthrust belt, salt lake cutoff, most miserable river, Sierra Nevada, North America, Great Plains (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Alternates seamlessly between vivid accounts of the nineteenth-century journey and lucid explanations of the geological events that shaped the landscape traveled.... The reader comes away with both an appreciation for the arduous cross-continental wagon journey and an understanding of the events that created such a vast and difficult landscape." - Library Journal "Meldahl draws on his professional knowledge to explain the geology of the West, showing how centuries of geological activity had a direct effect on the routes taken by the travelers.... Meldahl provides a novel account of the largest overland migration since the Crusades." - Science News" --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Review
"For many, the Gold Rush required a transcontinental trek of epic proportions. Here now is documented the geographical and human struggle of that heroic journey, mile by mile, across barriers of land and endurance that stood between-and frequently vanquished-a generation and its dreams."-Kevin Starr, author of California, A History (Kevin Starr )

"Hard Road West is an amazing book. It opens up a whole new dimension of the California Gold Rush and travel on the overland trails. Historians should read this book-they will never look at overland migrations the same way."-Malcolm J. Rohrbough, author of Days of Gold: The California Gold Rush and the American Nation (Malcolm J. Rohrbough )

"Keith Meldahl has woven the threads of history and science together to create a fascinating story of discovery and adventure in the American West. His accounts of the westward migrations along the California and Oregon trails capture both the thrill of geological discovery and the captivating human history of this unique and magnificent landscape. Historians and geologists have long shared an equal passion for the bold and stark lands of western North America, but until now no one has managed to unite those perspectives so thoroughly and effectively as Meldahl."-Frank L. DeCourten, professor of earth sciences, Sierra College (Frank L. DeCourten )

"In Hard Road West, Keith Meldahl has skillfully woven together the geology of the 2,000 mile-long overland trail and the emigrant experience recounted through their own words. You get two histories packaged together, one evolving over eons of time and the other compressed into a few decades, all told in a most engaging way. The author has an unusually effective way of explaining complicated geological forces at work with the use of apt analogies and metaphors. The general-interest reader will surely enjoy these intertwined histories."-Don Buck, former professor of history, DeAnza College (Don Buck )

"Keith Meldahl's Hard Road West is an outstanding book and a welcome addition to the literature of the California Gold Rush. Many emigrant accounts describe the challenging landscape of the western United States and the difficulties encountered in crossing it, but explanations of the origin of that landscape for the general-interest reader have been lacking. This book fills that need by clearly and thoroughly describing the geological processes that created and shaped the American West. Meldahl keeps scientific jargon to a minimum, using everyday language and familiar examples to provide a geological story that can be understood by any thoughtful reader. Excellent maps and appropriate photographs, along with Meldahl's ever-present humor, enhance the book. Selected excerpts from emigrant diaries illustrate their reactions to the geological features they encountered. Meldahl shows how geology is responsible for these features from the very location of the trails they followed to the curious features that intrigued them and the many hurdles that confronted them. Finally he explains the combination of geological processes necessary to concentrate the gold they cam to find, the reason for their trip in the first place."-Charles W. Martin, professor emeritus of geology, Earlham University (Charles W. Martin )

"Western historians and trail rut nuts alike have good reason to rejoice that Keith Meldahl stopped to ponder a California Trail marker on the Forty-Mile Desert and asked, `What's this all about?' Hard Road West creates an entirely new look at one of America's greatest stories, combining perceptive scientific observations with brilliant, engaging, captivating prose to tell the tale of America's road to gold. From now on, I will happily recommend Meldahl's unique work as the best introduction to the epic story of the Oregon and California trails."-Will Bagley, author of Blood of the Prophets (Will Bagley )

"Meldahl has succeeded admirably in interweaving two compelling historical narratives. One is the overland migration of settlers heading west to California in the 1840s and 1850s. The other is the geological history of the North American continent, particularly as it has slowly moved west over the last 200 million years. The resulting narrative structure alternates seamlessly between vivid accounts of the 19th-century journey and lucid explanations of the geological events that shaped the landscape traveled. Meldahl makes profuse and effective use of firsthand quotes from journals and letters, historical and contemporary photographs, and geological diagrams. The reader comes away with both an appreciation for the arduous cross-continental wagon journey and an understanding of the events that created such a vast and difficult landscape. This book allows us to experience vicariously the last time in history that travelers across North America had to confront, personally and physically, the features of the landscape on a daily basis. Highly recommended."-Library Journal (Library Journal )

"Meldahl is skilled at offering understandable explanations of scientific concepts. He writes very well and, in the tradition of the best 19th-century accounts, he does not hesitate to put himself in the story. . . . Here's a book that not only informs but is fun to read."-John Mack Faragher, Truthdig (John Mack Faragher Truthdig )

"[Meldahl] draws on his professional knowledge to explain the geology of the West, showing how centuries of geological activity had a direct effect on the routes taken by the travelers. . . . Meldhal provides a novel account of the largest overland migration since the Crusades."-Science News (Science News )

"It is the inclusion of so many poignant voices of those who struggled to survive the journey that lift the book far above the standard and reveal the beating hearts behind the frontier landscape. This is a surprisingly affecting history and a solid geologic analysis of the Gold Rush Trail."-Booklist (Booklist )

"Fans of John McPhee will find many familiar pleasures in Hard Road West. Keith Meldahl is equally adept at explaining the science behind the western landscape as he is at evoking the personalities and emotions of the people who struggled to cross it. His love of the land and his admiration for the emigrants shine from every page."-Alan Cutler, author of The Seashell on the Mountaintop (Alan Cutler )

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: University Of Chicago Press (November 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0226519600
• ISBN-13: 978-0226519609
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #272,730 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great read about early western history and geology, December 7, 2007

By	Craig S (Illinois) - See all my reviews

I didn't have exceptionally high expectations when I picked up this book. I am a fan of Johm McPhee's superlative series of books on geology such as "Basin and Range". This author is not McPhee and his prose is not as polished nor as expressive. It is however very serviceable and he has a good grasp of his subjects and has blended history and geology and geography in a very workmanlike manner. He provides a good description of the terrain the emigrants encountered on the California Trail, the geological forces that formed it, how it affected their choice of routes, and how it contributed to the chalanges and hardships they faced in their travels. It has one advantage over McPhee in that the Geology is more up to date. McPhee's writing though still relevant is a little dated in the light of the latest geological studies and discoveries. I highly recommend this book. It would make a great companion for anyone planning a trip along the old California Trail.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 21st century science meets 19th century adventure, December 8, 2007

By	Bill C (New York) - See all my reviews

This book blends history and geology, and the result is quite unique and fascinating. The book explores the geologic history of the American West while telling the story of how gold rush pioneers crossed that rugged landscape. The author writes clearly and well about geology, and has a knack for coming up with nifty analogies to explain geologic processes. The chapter titled Cordilleran Upheaval is great, like a crash course in how everything geologically from the Rockies to California came to be. The story of gold rush pioneers is told very well, with abundant first-hand quotations to explain what it was like to travel the "hard road west" in 1849. I came away thinking that the trip of the 49ers competes with Lewis and Clark as a great adventure story. The middle part of the book moves a bit slowly, but the earlier sections on the Great Plains and Rockies, and the final chapters on the Humboldt River, desert, and Sierra Nevada are terrific. Overall highly recommended for anyone interested in the gold rush or the American West.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent fun and informative book, March 7, 2008

By	R. Leventhal (Alameda, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a really good book, a great read. The author is a gifted writer and he beautifully weaves the tales of the emigrant travels to California with the landscape geology that they had to cross. I am a big reader of geology books and this is one of the best that I have read. With all due respect to Mr. Mcfee who pioneered this genre (and I have also read and enjoyed over the years), I think this book is at least as good and maybe even better. First of all, Hard Road West uses numerous pictures and diagrams to explain complicated geological principals which are invaluable for understanding the geology. And Hard Road West lets the emigrants themselves tell the story though their travel journals. Its a wonderful approach and makes the geology jump out of the page as you follow the emigrants almost step-by-step through their many travel hardships crossing the west to reach California. He is a really fun writer and I look forward to many other books by him in the future. Highly recommended.