Endorsements

Sam North's novel, though written in a light hearted style, explores the dark heart of the American Dream. Its main characters are all real historical actors and the story which unfolds actually happened and is a great example of rigorous research. Not wishing to give the story away I should only really say that my first immpressions of Slack and Arnold (the two prospectors and main characters) began to change as their tale unfolds because so much of what happens in their world is not what it seems and as the plot twists and turns so their characters develop and change too. What I really liked about this novel was the way that North explores the period, its greed, shortsightedness, and crass lust for riches at all costs, without being judgemental. The gaudy property of the fabulously rich is subltly juxtaposed with the harshness of extreme poverty and want. In my view, this novel goes a long way to reveal the gaping flaw at the heart of God's own democracy, the fact that its built on the bones of a crushed and disregarded native culture, the survivors of which (like other non-white citizens) are treated by the white, Anglo-Saxon characters, not so much with contempt but with indifference, as though they are invisible. I enjoyed this story very much and the fact that it's a true story makes it even more interesting. American History brought to true life.
Graham Attenborough _ Portsmouth History Department