Synopses & Reviews
"The phrase and#8217;seeing the elephantand#8217; symbolized for and#8217;49 gold rushers the exotic, the mythical, the once-in-a-lifetime adventure, unequaled anywhere else but in the journey to the promised land of fortune: California. Most western myths . . . generally depict an exclusively male gold rush. Levyand#8217;s book debunks that myth. Here a variety of women travel, work, and write their way across the pages of western migrant history."-Choice
"One of the best and most comprehensive accounts of gold rush life to date"and#710;and#150;San Francisco Chronicle
Review
andldquo;In a lively, truly delightful style, JoAnn Levy traces the neglected history of womenandrsquo;s experiences in the California gold rush. This is no familiar retelling of the usual gold rush narrative, but a totally new story with women responding vigorously and positively to crisis both on the trail and in California. Ms. Levyandrsquo;s fine narrative is enhanced by revealing quotations from so many little-known women diarists and from guide books that it serves as a source and reference book as well. For those interested in womenandrsquo;s history and in western history, this volume is a must.andrdquo;andmdash;Howard F. Lamar, editor of ?The New Encyclopedia of the American West
Review
andldquo;They Saw the Elephant is beautiful, brilliant, funny and brave. Itandrsquo;s hard to read this book without laughing out loudandmdash;or choking back tears.andrdquo;andmdash;Carolyn See, author of Golden Days
Review
andldquo;One of the best and most comprehensive accounts of gold rush life to date.andrdquo;andmdash;San Francisco Chronicle
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 239-251) and index.
About the Author
JoAnn Levy is a free-lance writer born and raised in California. She lives in Los Angeles, but is most at home in a mountainside cabin near the Old Okum mine in the Sierra Nevada Mother Lode.