[In the following review, Thorne describes Gold Rushes and Mining Camps of the Early American West as refreshing, accurate, readable, and entertaining.]

Quarto-sized, printed in double columns and profusely illustrated with fresh, but old photographs and drawings, this gathering of facts on the West [Gold Rushes and Mining Camps of the Early American West] exhibits a new collective viewpoint of Western gold rushes. The authors, who have drawn on their wide acquaintance with the West to form a solid narrative, have divided the book into sections dealing with life in mining camps, crime and justice, and special characters and situations. Many appropriate quotations, some a bit forced, from original and other sources, garnish the text. The authors' comments on today's society which is not oriented to a “Western” style of life occasionally punctuate the story. Fortunately, gold rushes other than California's get a deserved share of attention. Public library and college collections with an interest in Western history will find this large, handsome work a refreshing, accurate, readable, and entertaining addition to their shelves.