Critique de CHOICE

Thousands flocked to California during the halcyon years of the gold rush hoping to get rich, yet only a few achieved fabulous wealth and became known as Bonzana Kings. One such individual was William Bowers Bourn, who found initial success as a businessman in San Francisco shortly after the gold rush began. He later invested in gold mines in Grass Valley and in the Nevada Comstock, while also developing various business ventures. Following his sudden death, his son, William Bowers Bourn II, assumed control of the family enterprises, which he expanded and made more successful. He enlarged the Empire Mine in Grass Valley into one of the most advanced and productive hard-rock gold mines in California and a major source of the Bourn wealth. He also developed the Spring Valley Water Company, which later served as the basis of San Francisco's water system. Egan, an acclaimed California historian, makes use of the extensive Bourn family papers in this rich and lively history of the Bourn family and its influence on the development of San Francisco. Students of California history and role of the Bourn family in the Bay Area's growth will find this book informative reading. All levels. R. M. Hyser; James Madison University