Synopses & Reviews
An epic saga of young America flexing its muscle, it is roughly based on the life of the great photographer Edward Muybridge. Crossing the country with his camera and outsized ambition, Muybridge meets the emancipated young dancer Holly Hughes, and inexorably she becomes the true focus of his life- though a corrupt robber baron interested in Muybridge's talent for technology comes between them. Through Seidman's finely drawn prose, we witness nation-building on a colossal scale, along with the politics of wile, greed, and seduction. With an intense love affair at its center and a true-to-life narrative of art and technology, this novel brings to life one of the most picaresque settings in American history.
Review
"Part historical romance… and part bildungsroman. Very good indeed." - The New York Times
Review
"Suspenseful, exciting… fast-paced and engrossing." - Los Angeles Times
Synopsis
is the captivating story of two indelible individuals and a shattering murder in latenineteenth-century San Francisco.
About the Author
Robert J. Seidman's first novel, One Smart Indian, was published to acclaim in 1979. He is co-author of Ulysses Annotated. Seidman's film credits include Lush Life: Billy Strayhorn, a documentary that won the Writers' Guild Award for Best Documentary Script, a George Foster Peabody Award, and an Emmy. He lives in New York City.