The Bonanza King: John Mackay and the Battle over the Greatest Riches in the American West

Crouch's (China's Wings) latest book recounts the true rags to riches story of John Mackay (1831–1902), an Irish immigrant-turned-American self-made man. Many immigrants of the mid-19th-century would go on to achieve the American dream, but few did so with such vigor and sheer determination as Mackay. Crouch describes his subject's travels as a young boy from Dublin to New York to the gold mines of California and eventually the silver mines of Nevada. In Nevada, a motivated and determined Mackay made his fortune and became known as the "Bonanza King." He would go on to invest in telegraph services, including infamous battles with railroad speculator Jay Gould. In following Mackay's journey, Crouch takes readers on a tour of the American West in the mid-1800s, where fortunes were made, particularly in mining, at the expense of Native American communities. Extensive footnotes are appended. Crouch excels in documenting the life of a 19th-century capitalist who wished to find success, treat his workers fairly, and make advancements in science and technology.