The Floor of Heaven

Howard Blum spins the real-life stories of a Pinkerton detective, a con man who controlled Skagway, and the Marine deserter who discovered gold in the Klondike--a group of characters so lively that this nonfiction work reads like a novel. From the beginning, listeners will sense that their paths are eventually going to weave together. The historical account starts slowly--it takes more than four hours of listening to actually get to the Yukon. However, it's fascinating all the way--thanks to an inhospitable climate, the "strike-it-rich" fever that infuses the characters, and the dog-eat-dog culture that developed in gold rush country. John Mayer's narration shows a genuine fascination with the three men and includes just a hint of wry humor. There's also a feeling of cliff-hanging excitement right up to the epilogue--which includes a gunfight. J.A.S. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine