The Explorer King: Adventure, Science, and the Great Diamond Hoax--Clarence King in the Old West

This book does not discuss in much detail the USGS and the second half of Clarence's life but it places you in the times of King and during some of the most interesting parts of his adventures in the West. I really enjoyed the book and found that the author created an interesting angle by carefully reviewing King's upbringing, religious beliefs and how he squared his religious convictions with an education and career in science during the mid 1800s. This is not a historical tome but a fairly light read where the author keeps the material interesting. It is like a rock skipping over the surface of his life. A good read that leaves me hoping others will write additional books to tell other parts of his story.

This book caught my attention from the very beginning, first linking King with the 19th century Washington DC social and political establishment and then telling how he made his way out West in a time when that journey was an adventure in itself. It was fascinating to learn how King, whom I'd never heard of, was the first to scale and then name many of California's highest peaks. Having grown up in California, hiking, camping and skiing in the Sierras, I loved reading about the familiar towns and geography and learning how Clarence King was such a factor in that area's history. Some great accounts. A shame that King had so much going for him and then gave in to temptation in the end.