In Search of a Great book for Winter

[dmac730]

I am looking for a great treasure yarn for my Winter reading and cannot find what I'm looking for! I'm looking for a great story about searching for buried/hidden treasure set anywhere in the U. S. Something along the lines of "The Expedition Whydah" but set on land. Any recomendations?? I've searched all through Amazon with no luck!

Don

 

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Diving for Pleasure and Treasure - Grab it through Amazon!

[Shortstack]

Try this one on for size. Forgotten Trails and Devil's Gold by Bob Allen. Subtitle, "They Challenged the Devil for Spanish Gold". Copyright, 1991 by Bob Allen, printed by Artex Publishing, Inc. of Stevens Point, WI. It's only 240 pages and soft covered, but it is excellent reading. Inside the title page is the statement, Orders should be forwarded to:

Bob Allen
P.O. Box 519
Tulare, CA, 93274

I bought my copy at Wayne's Detector Sales, in OKC, in about 1995 or '96. The book is about Mr. Allen and his partner making prospecting trips into the mountains of California. The main story, though, is about them searching for a hidden Spanish Mine that turned out to be cursed by the Indians. This is no work of fiction, but some of it reads like it is. Especially when he tells of the "disappearing" ridge on the haunted mountain and his run-in with the Indian ghost. He almost died from a mysterious illness brought on by that run-in. His partner had to get him out of the mountains and to a hospital double-quick.

I was in Wayne's shop a few months after reading the book and a young woman came in to look around. Turned out, she was one of Bob Allen's nieces. I asked her how Mr. Allen was doing and she said that he FINALLY got out of the hospital, but was not fully recovered, even though it had been a couple of years and the doctors still weren't sure exactly WHAT he'd suffered with. She said that he was wanting to write another book about someother prospecting and treasure hunting adventures. But, then she told us that she didn't think he'd ever be able to do it; that she didn't think he'd ever fully get over his ailment. I asked her about one or two things from the book and she said that her uncle would never lie or stretch the truth about his experiences; that if he said something happened--it happened !

Now, I'm thinking about reading it again.

If you want a book that could possibly take all winter to read, then take a look at DE RE METALLICA by Herbert Hoover and his wife. Yes, PRESIDENT Herbert Hoover and his wife wrote this book after he left the presidency. They translated Spanish mining manuals VERBATIM---straight, pure translation. That's why I said it could take all winter to read. I believe the average person could only take about half a dozen pages at one "sitting" before getting a headache. This book covers all the different ways the Spanish explorers looked for precious metals, including dowsing, how the mines were to be set up; even how big the ingots were to be. I got a copy of this book for reference and research, but I've not read it through. Like I said--headaches.

 

[Drudge]

In fiction you might try the Clive Cussler series with Dirk Pitt.

Or a nonfiction tale about Heinrich Schliemann who made his fortune in dyes and the California gold rush then went on to search for the lost city of Troy.

 

[freeze12]

Try this one on for size. Forgotten Trails and Devil's Gold by Bob Allen. Subtitle, "They Challenged the Devil for Spanish Gold". Copyright, 1991 by Bob Allen, printed by Artex Publishing, Inc. of Stevens Point, WI. It's only 240 pages and soft covered, but it is excellent reading. Inside the title page is the statement, Orders should be forwarded to:

Bob Allen
P.O. Box 519
Tulare, CA, 93274

I bought my copy at Wayne's Detector Sales, in OKC, in about 1995 or '96. The book is about Mr. Allen and his partner making prospecting trips into the mountains of California. The main story, though, is about them searching for a hidden Spanish Mine that turned out to be cursed by the Indians. This is no work of fiction, but some of it reads like it is. Especially when he tells of the "disappearing" ridge on the haunted mountain and his run-in with the Indian ghost. He almost died from a mysterious illness brought on by that run-in. His partner had to get him out of the mountains and to a hospital double-quick.

I was in Wayne's shop a few months after reading the book and a young woman came in to look around. Turned out, she was one of Bob Allen's nieces. I asked her how Mr. Allen was doing and she said that he FINALLY got out of the hospital, but was not fully recovered, even though it had been a couple of years and the doctors still weren't sure exactly WHAT he'd suffered with. She said that he was wanting to write another book about someother prospecting and treasure hunting adventures. But, then she told us that she didn't think he'd ever be able to do it; that she didn't think he'd ever fully get over his ailment. I asked her about one or two things from the book and she said that her uncle would never lie or stretch the truth about his experiences; that if he said something happened--it happened !

Now, I'm thinking about reading it again.

shortstack...Thanks for the heads up on the book "Forgotten Trails and Devil's Gold" as it looks like a very good Winter read! I just purchased the one & only new copy on Amazon.com for $13.00 + $3.99 S&H
Now to await its arrival!

 

[dmac730]

No Bible thanks. I prefer non-fiction.
I did find a great book that I can't put down, Treasure Ship, about the S.S. Brother Jonathan.

 

[signumops]

If you want to read TRUE treasure stories, both good and bad, buy "The Rainbow Chasers In The Great Florida Treasure Hunt" by Tommy Gore. You can get it at Abebooks and use your credit card or, by check/MO at www.signumops.com

There's a page review at http://www.signumops.com/bookmain.htm

 

[Shortstack]

Forgotten Trails and Devil's Gold by Bob Allen IS a TRUE story. I said that it READS like fiction in some places, but it is NOT fiction. His niece verified that Mr. Allen was not a teller of tall tales--that if he said something happened; it DID. Somethings in this life are far stranger than fiction.

Some hunter of Spanish treasures may recognize the area in which Mr. Allen and his partner were searching and decide to try their luck. If so, then be forewarned about what you'll be up against.

 

[Old Bookaroo]

I am working on a "treasure hunting fiction" post - in the meantime, if it has been a while since you've read it (or if you've only seen one of the several movies) the best treasure hunting novel ever is Treasure Island by Robert Lewis Stevenson. If you can find a copy with the N.C. Wyeth illustrations, so much the better.

For my doubloons, for several reasons it is simply the masterpiece!

Good luck to all,

~The Old Bookaneer

 

[Siegfried Schlagrule]

If you want a book that could possibly take all winter to read, then take a look at DE RE METALLICA by Herbert Hoover and his wife. Yes, PRESIDENT Herbert Hoover and his wife wrote this book after he left the presidency. They translated Spanish mining manuals VERBATIM---straight, pure translation. That's why I said it could take all winter to read. I believe the average person could only take about half a dozen pages at one "sitting" before getting a headache. This book covers all the different ways the Spanish explorers looked for precious metals, including dowsing, how the mines were to be set up; even how big the ingots were to be. I got a copy of this book for reference and research, but I've not read it through. Like I said--headaches.

[/quote]

One reason the book is so hard to read is that it was translated from the LATIN. It was originally written in the 1500s and details the techniques of German and Cornish dowsers. It also gives all of the knowledge then known about mining and mining techniques and also prospecting. siegfried schlagrule

 

[Old Bookaroo]

From the Dover Publications website:

De Re Metallica

Georgius Agricola
Our Price $32.95

Format: Book
ISBN: 0486600068
Page Count: 672
Dimensions: 6 3/4 x 10 3/4
One of the most important scientific classics of all time, this 1556 work on mining was the first based on field research and observation and the methods of modern science. 289 authentic Renaissance woodcuts. Translated by Herbert Hoover. Reprint of English (1912) edition.

Good luck to all,

~The Old Bookaroo