Nathaniel Philbrick’s The Rush reexamines the California Gold Rush as a defining moment that helped shape modern America. Beginning with the 1848 discovery at Sutter’s Mill, he traces the mass migration west and California’s rapid transformation into a volatile, high-stakes society. Philbrick reveals how the pursuit of gold accelerated economic inequality, fueled xenophobia, and intensified debates over slavery, following a vivid cast of miners, merchants, and political power brokers whose ambitions pushed a fragile nation closer to civil war.
A National Book Award winner and Pulitzer Prize finalist, Philbrick is best known for In the Heart of the Sea and Mayflower. His many honors include awards from the Kendall Whaling Museum, USS Constitution Museum, Mystic Seaport, and the New England Historic Genealogical Society, along with honorary doctorates from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy and Roger Williams University. His work has appeared in major publications including The New York Times Book Review and The Wall Street Journal, and he has been featured on national media outlets.
Reception generously hosted by Maggie and John Handal.
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