An American in California: A Historical Novel

Legendary mountain man Jedediah Smith crosses the desert and finds amidst the lushness of the Spanish missions suspicious Mexican officials, the brutal life of mission Indians, and a simmering insurrection. Two American ship captains who trade along the Pacific coast introduce Jedediah to a Mexican landholder, Estevan Mendoza, his wife, Isabella, and their daughter, Laura. The rancher wants to recruit Jedediah and his mountain men to lead a revolt against the Mexican government. Soon a budding romance and jealousy lead to murder. Political intrigues lead to other killings. What follows is the story of how Jedediah, despite personal yearnings, tries to get his men back to friendly territory, all while attempting to make a profit from the venture. Romance, adventure, jealousy, murder, and travel through a harrowing wilderness combine in this historical novel set in California and the mountain West from 1826 to 1828. Includes Readers Guide.

Author: Peter Kazaks
Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Sunstone Press
Published: 08/04/2017
Pages: 188
Weight: 0.62lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.43d
ISBN: 9781632931900

About the Author
Kazaks, Peter: - Peter Kazaks is a theoretical physicist with degrees from McGill, Yale, and University of California Davis. He is also the author of two accounts of summer long canoe trips in the extreme north of Canada: "From Reindeer Lake to Eskimo Point" and "Lands Serene." He has traveled extensively in the American West.