Wealth Woman
314 pages, 6 x 9
8 halftones, 2 maps
Paperback
Release Date:15 Apr 2016
ISBN:9781602232778
With the first headlines screaming “Gold! Gold! Gold!” in 1896, the Klondike Gold Rush was on—and it almost instantly became the stuff of legend. One of the key figures in the early discoveries that set off the gold rush was the Tagish wife of prospector George Carmack, Kate Carmack, whose fascinating story is told in full here for the first time.
In Wealth Woman, Deb Vanasse recounts Kate’s life from her early years on the frontier with George, through the history-making discovery of gold, and on to her subsequent fame, when she traveled alone down the West Coast through Washington and California, telling her story and fighting for her wealth, her family, and her reputation. Recovering the lost story of a true pioneer and a fiercely independent woman, Wealth Woman brings gold rush Alaska to life in all its drama and glory.
In Wealth Woman, Deb Vanasse recounts Kate’s life from her early years on the frontier with George, through the history-making discovery of gold, and on to her subsequent fame, when she traveled alone down the West Coast through Washington and California, telling her story and fighting for her wealth, her family, and her reputation. Recovering the lost story of a true pioneer and a fiercely independent woman, Wealth Woman brings gold rush Alaska to life in all its drama and glory.
A blend of narrative nonfiction and biography that offers the first in-depth look at Kate Carmack's life. The book is a formidable feat of research.
Caught in the whirlwind of the gold rush in Alaska was Kate Carmack, the Tagish Indian wife of prospector George Carmack. Either Kate, her husband, or her brother found the nugget of gold that set off the Klondike Gold Rush. The truth is lost to history, as she almost was. Fiction author Vanasse became fascinated with Kate and spent three years combing through historical records, oral histories, and memories of family members to rediscover the life of this remarkable woman. . . . A very enjoyable biography of a woman on the cusp of change in the North. Recommended.'
Vanasse’s carefully researched, beautifully written biography, Wealth Woman, helps to fill many of the information gaps in the chronology of Kate’s event-filled multi-cultural life. . . . There is much to learn, enjoy, and recommend in this book.
This is a riveting story told by a brilliant writer.
An excellent example of the new western history that seeks to recover previously marginalized voices.
Winner in 'Women' Category
Deb Vanasse lives outside Anchorage and is a cofounder of the 49 Alaska Writing Center. Her previous books include Cold Spell, Black Wolf of the Glacier, and Lucy’s Dance, all published by the University of Alaska Press.
Preface
1. Gold I Bring
2. They’re Coming Now
3. Fair Trade
4. Free to All White Men
5. Peculiar Privilege
6. A Troublesome Question
7. We Claim Them All
8. Sometimes We Had Plenty
9. Shove it Out Now
10. Good Gold, Losta Gold
11. A Lot of Thanks I Get
12. Treacherous Instincts
13. The Merry Jingle of Coins
14. Simply Too Good
15. Simply a Misery
16. Nowhere to Turn
17. All They Once Possessed
18. A High Standard
19. A Light Left On
Epilogue
Acknowledgements
Endnotes
Bibliography
Index
1. Gold I Bring
2. They’re Coming Now
3. Fair Trade
4. Free to All White Men
5. Peculiar Privilege
6. A Troublesome Question
7. We Claim Them All
8. Sometimes We Had Plenty
9. Shove it Out Now
10. Good Gold, Losta Gold
11. A Lot of Thanks I Get
12. Treacherous Instincts
13. The Merry Jingle of Coins
14. Simply Too Good
15. Simply a Misery
16. Nowhere to Turn
17. All They Once Possessed
18. A High Standard
19. A Light Left On
Epilogue
Acknowledgements
Endnotes
Bibliography
Index
