The Infamous King of the Comstock: William Sharon and the Gilded Age in the West
The fascinating account of William Sharon, legendary scoundrel and
visionary capitalist who controlled more than a dozen of the
greatest mines on Nevada's mighty Comstock Lode, built the
Virginia & Truckee Railroad, manipulated speculation and prices
on the San Francisco Stock Exchange, and revived the collapsed Bank
of California, and the Gilded Age of the American West.
"Makley demonstrates that detailed, prodigiously researched biographical writing can reveal the complex intricacies of history." - Southern California Quarterly "This book makes valuable contributions to the history of mining in the American West and will merit inclusion in many libraries concerned with that subject." - Western Historical Quarterly "Makley deserves commendation for rescuing a significant figure from his undeserved obscurity." - New Mexico Historical Review"
Michael J. Makley is the author of two previous books on western history. He lives in the eastern Sierra Nevada.
