The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters (Arbor House Library of Contemporary Americana) : A Novel

The Travels of Jamie McPheeters is the sweeping, romance-warmed story of the journey of a father and his son answering the lure of California gold in 1849.It was a harsh trip, often halted by cut-throats, Indians, disease, and murder yet a trip of pastoral beauty, full of wonder for an untrod land and awakening young love. The novel carries you along as swiftly as it moves from crisis to crisis in the long trek from Louisville to far California. The open-eyed clarity with which young Jamie observed all around him the skinning alive of a depraved bully; the incorrigible bombast of his father, Dr Sardius McPheeters; the nakedness of maidenly Jennie getting ready for bed reveals the true picture of wagon-training West a century and a half ago as painted by a major author. The whole wagon train of characters heroic or mean, good folk or bad combine with the novel's humour, bloodletting, romance, and action to make The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters a special reward in exciting, bitter realism, and touching tenderness."A story that bulges - with history, incident, people and places - has a good-humoured quality in its father and son recital, in its contrast of personalities, in its matter-of-fact, boyish and adult, telling. All the horrors of the trail west, of the Cold Rush push, of Indian - and white - behaviour go hand in hand with the decency and humanity the McPheeters engender and encounter. For a personal enthusiasm sale." - Kirkus ReviewsRobert Lewis Taylor was a writer for The New Yorker for over twenty years. His novel, The Travels of Jamie McPheeters, won the Pulitzer Prize in 1959. His other works include the biography W.C. Fields: His Follies and Fortunes and the novel Adrift in a Boneyard, among others.

The Travels of Jamie McPheeters is the sweeping, romance-warmed story of the journey of a father and his son answering the lure of California gold in 1849.

It was a harsh trip, often halted by cut-throats, Indians, disease, and murder. yet a trip of pastoral beauty, full of wonder for an untrod land and awakening youg love.

The novel carries you along as swiftly as it moves from crisis to crisis in the long trek from Louisville to far California. The open-eyed clarity with which young Jamie observed all around him - the skinning alive of a depraved bully; the incorrigible bombast of his father, Dr. Sardius McPheeters; the nakedness of maidenly Jennie getting ready for bed - reveals the true picture of wagon-training West a century and a half ago as painted by a major author.

The whole wagon train of characters - heroic or mean, good folk or bad - combine with the novel's humor, bloodletting, romance, and action to make The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters a special reward in exciting, bitter realism, and touching tenderness.

Library Journal

If Huck Finn had gone West during the Gold Rush and lived to tell about it, he might have sounded much like Jaimie McPheeters in describing his incredibly hazardous trek by wagon train to California in 1849. Jaimie shares the storytelling with his father, an intelligent Scottish doctor whose ebullient personality is only slightly undermined by a weakness for gambling and strong drink. Reader Michael Lee is totally convincing as he reproduces, first, the thick Scottish brogue of the father; and then, the excited innocence of 14-year-old Jaimie. This audiobook's appended afterword, citing the author's impeccable research, makes it clear why the book won the Pulitzer Prize in 1959. Like Lonesome Dove (Audio Reviews, LJ 2/15/93), another Pulitzer Prize winner, it transforms history into breathtaking adventure. Highly recommended.-- Jo Carr, Sarasota, Fla.

The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters is the sweeping, romanced-warmed story of the journey of a father and his son answering the lure of California gold in 1849. It was a harsh trip, often halted by cutthroats, Indians, disease, and murder ... yet a trip of pastoral beauty, full of wonder for an untrod land and awakening young love. The novel carries you along as swiftly as it moves from crisis to crisis in the long trek from Louisville to far California. The open-eyed clarity with which young Jaimie observed all around him reveals the true picture of wagon-training West a century and a half ago as painted by a major author. The whole wagon train of characters combine with the novel's humor, bloodletting, romance, and action to make The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters a special reward in excitement, bitter realism, and touching tenderness (inside front cover) Enjoyed by millions since its first publication in 1958 The Travels Of Jaimie McPheeters is the lively story of a 13-year-old boy's adventures on a journey across America in 1849. This million-copy Pulitzer Prize-winning classic details the journey of Jaimie and his father from Kentucky to gold-rush California. Enjoyed by millions since its first publication in 1959, The Travels Of Jaimie McPheeters is the lively story of a 13-year-old boy's adventures on a journey across America in 1849. This million-copy Pulitzer Prize-winning classic details the journey of Jaimie and his father from Kentucky to gold-rush California With more than one million copies in print since its first publication in 1959, this Pulitzer Prize-winning classic details the journey of 13-year-old Jaimie and his father from Kentucky to gold-rush California in 1849. Presents the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel in which Jaimie McPheeters looks back from the perspective of a mature man on his life of adventure in the gold fields of California with his father