by Elizabeth Wall Rogers
Passion, power, politics--intrigue on the frontier.
A young attorney with a secret leaves the Missouri Civil War for the southwestern territories and is threatened by a bitter rivalry. At stake are the fortunes of land grant settlement and the destiny of New Mexico.
An abolitionist in a slave state, Steve Elkins’ principle puts him at odds with local authority and general practice. Steve’s vision of what a territory must be to attain statehood sets a pattern for his personal goals. Patience, diplomacy, and skillful use of his legal expertise guide him. As the war ends, party identities re-form and tensions increase. Steve faces vicious attacks in his aggressive moves against slavery, robbery, assassination, murder, and cattle rustling. When he's faced with a personal crisis and a crucial election at once, can he strike a bargain with his wife, Sallie and his best friend, Tom? He struggles for a private life while the exertions of his public role erode his quest to achieve a business environment for New Mexico.
Can Steve Elkins survive the clash between his allies for a railroad; and the traditional fears, loyalties, and envy of native Mexicans?
REVIEW:
The author wrote a historical learning book about a territory that strove to become a state. It tells how some of the people in New Mexico resisted statehood. They did want all the good things that went with it though. During this time the Civil War made the mining of precious ores difficult. When the character Steve Elkins came into the picture, martial law was in effect. The Army was being paid to protect private mining and was doing a little mining themselves. Elkins came to New Mexico to write contracts for several mines where the Army had agreements with investors. The author is telling a story that no one else has tried to tell. Ms Rogers put in twenty years of research for the book. To me, this is the desire to write a factual book, a desire to do the best you can at what you do. This is dedication. She wrote from a male point of view which must have been difficult to begin with. You would have to get the feel of how a man saw things, which most often is very different from a woman's view.I recommend this book to History lovers or anyone who is interested in Mexico, the Civil War or just a darn good read.
At the end of the novel, the author puts in an article which gives evidence that Steve Elkins as a Civil War Spy.
I received a complimentary copy of Yankee Gold from the author Elizabeth Wall Rogers for this unbiased review.
I give this book 4 Stars
Website: www.beth-rogers.com
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Beth Rogers’ research into New Mexico’s frontier history was triggered by an interest in the background of Stephen B. Elkins, a noted political figure of the post-Civil War period. She worked for Living magazine and was a parent activist in public education in West Virginia. Her active writing began when her analysis of a new school program was published in Charleston newspapers. She has written two unpublished novels, taught middle-school for three years, sold real estate in North Carolina, and served as a courtroom deputy clerk for the U. S. Court of Appeals, 4th Circuit, in Richmond, Virginia where she resides.
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