Review of Up and Down California in 1860-1864: The Journal of William H. Brewer, Fourth Edition, with Maps

In the 1860s, botanist William Brewer assisted in the first official geological survey of California. He traveled thousands of miles and wrote wonderfully meticulous descriptions of people, places, flora, and fauna. This book is a treasure of early California history and also a great true adventure account. Particularly noteworthy are Brewer's observations of gold mining operations, the Sierra wilderness, and the devastating 1862 floods near Sacramento.