Up and Down California in 1860-1864 Audiobook By William Henry Brewer cover art

Up and Down California in 1860-1864

The Journal of William H. Brewer

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Up and Down California in 1860-1864

By: William Henry Brewer
Narrated by: Tom Stechschulte
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About this listen

In 1860 William Brewer, a young Yale-educated teacher of the natural sciences and a recent widower, eagerly accepted an offer from Josiah Whitney to assist in the first geological survey of the state of California. Brewer was not a geologist, but his training in agriculture and botany made him an invaluable member of the team. He traveled more than 14,000 miles in the four years he spent in California and spent much of his leisure time writing lively, detailed letters to his brother back East.

These warmly affectionate letters, presented here in their entirety, describe the new state in all its spectacular beauty and paint a vivid picture of California in the mid-19th century. This fourth edition includes a new foreword by William Bright (1500 California Place Names).

©2003 William Henry Brewer (P)2013 Audible, Inc.
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What listeners say about Up and Down California in 1860-1864

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I LOVE IT!

This is a wonderful historical description of my beloved state of California. This is an interesting accounting of Brewers insightful views about the war going on in the south and of the rugged individuals who inhabited this state in the early days.
I think the narrator did a beautiful job of keeping the right attitude and tone throughout the reading. He makes me appreciate the man who was William Brewer. I think I would have liked him if I'd known him.
This was excellent all the way around!

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Super book

What did you love best about Up and Down California in 1860-1864?

A must read. Especially for Californians, its not just earthquakes that your government lies to you about. The 200 year Arcflood has occurred every 200 years in California, and it will cover the Central Valley 30 ft deep, 6,000 Square Miles of water. Thats miles, no mistake. This has occurred for 2,000 years and we are within the time frame for another one. Most of the book is about fascinating descriptions of old California life and mining, and nature, but he did witness and write about the last Arcflood in California in 1862. The one that is NOT on the floodplain maps for California. Duh, wonder why? The same reason Daly City did not allow the plaque to be erected commemorating thats wehre the 1906 quake came ashore, right through their pretty new mall. Duh, why didnt they allow that piece of true history???

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Explains so much about California history!

What a book, and what a perfect narrator for this exciting story of the first, historic California Geologic Survey! I enjoyed this narrator’s voice, and his style of telling this story. It really brought everything to life in a believable way.

This grand tale, told through letters and journal entries of the actual adventures of William Henry Brewer and the survey which he mostly led over the course of four years starting in 1860, gives a better overall survey of the life and times of Californians of the era than any other book I’ve ever read. There is plenty of information about the laborious nitty-gritty of scaling a mountain with a barometer to establish (often for the first time) its actual height; to making camp and occasionally dealing with sick teammates and mules; ensuring enough provisions in the wilderness despite the nascent California legislature eternally delaying survey salaries and funds; protecting papers and sensitive instruments blown over with tents during sudden overnight rainstorms; killing rattlesnakes and worrying about California grizzly bears; to attempting to scout a new path forward out of Kings Canyon to the north for the survey team to cross the Sierra Nevada range to Mono Lake yet again. In every instance, he paints vivid scenes of the landscapes, architecture, settlements and cultures they visited.

One of my favorite scenes is also one of the last of his adventure: riding up beside the driver on the stage leaving at noon from Virginia City in Nevada, with supper near “Starvation Camp” at Donner Lake, singing loud to wake the echoes on a moonlit night over the pass, Dawn at Auburn, then arriving for breakfast at Sacramento. What a glimpse of the speed of public transportation available back in the day!

I was sad to reach the end of this account by this fine writer, and I know I’ll listen to this book again, which is the highest praise I can offer.

Next time, I’ll keep a map handy as I listen…

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  • Overall
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Need to be able to see the maps

All is well with this performance and content. But the front page advertises the fourth edition 'with maps'. Audible needs to provide a link allowing the viewer to see those maps. These are critical to the text.

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Great historical journal.

History of early California very well done. Narrator gave life to the historical text of geographical survey on foot-horse.

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California geography and history 1861-64

I’ve read the book twice, first time over 50 years ago. Thoroughly enjoyed having it read to me. Few books can give a clearer picture of the broad spectrum of California in this period when placer mining was mostly exhausted post-Gold Rush. The frequent racism towards indigenous and people of color is cringe-worthy, but not uncommon in writings of the time. A marvelous ramble covering a large part of California.

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A voyage to a Lost California

In 1860, William Henry Brewer joined a team in the very first geological survey of California.

A recent and very young widower, impressionable William wrote letters home, back East, to his brother-- this is his extraordinary diary. Brewer's stories let us look at California in a way that is virtually erased from modern-day eyes.

William's letters are both touching and full of jaw-dropping description, telling of the virgin beauty of the land, the original (and soon to be annihilated) Native culture and relationships he formed, and the beginning of the revolution that would transform California forever.

A primary document like this is priceless and entertaining primary history. It's the kind of story families treasure from generation to generation, saying, “You have to hear about this.” No son or daughter of the West should live without reading this once.

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California backroads of the 1860s

I completely enjoyed this historical journal of an 1860 botanist on a geological (and biological) survey of California.

This is a long and wondrous journal of travels of a geological and biological expedition by foot, horse, and mule up and down central California juxtaposed against the advent of the telegraph, the railroad, and the civil war.

I have lived at the base of Mt. Whitney (Whitney was an intermittent member of the party) and Mt. Diablo (the summit offering one of the best views on earth) and visited most of the places referenced in these journals thus I did not miss the promised (but not provided) maps of the journey. If you are not familiar with California you may want to have Google maps handy. If you are not into maps, you can simply enjoy the stories of unknown California reviled by this journal. If you are a well traveled Californian, you will greatly appreciate this 1860's view of your own backyard.

Although the protagonist was a liberal for that time, there is significant racism and speciesism (he REALLY wants to kill a grisly bear!)

The narration was excellent with subtle but palpable emotionality that heightened my enjoyment of the journal.

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6 people found this helpful