Clarence King

Clarence King: A Biography is a book written by Thurman Wilkins that tells the story of the life of Clarence King, an American geologist, mountaineer, and surveyor who lived in the late 19th century. The book traces King's life from his childhood in Newport, Rhode Island to his education at Yale University and his early career as a geologist. The book also covers King's work as a surveyor for the United States Geological Survey, where he played a key role in mapping the American West. King's expeditions to the Sierra Nevada mountains and his ascent of Mount Tyndall are also detailed in the book. In addition to his scientific work, King was also known for his personal life, which was marked by scandal and controversy. The book explores King's relationships with various women, including his marriage to Ada Copeland, a black woman who he passed off as white, and his affair with Rachel Kneeland, a white woman who he also passed off as black. Throughout the book, Wilkins paints a detailed portrait of King, highlighting his strengths and weaknesses as a scientist and as a person. The book offers a fascinating glimpse into the life of one of America's most intriguing and controversial figures of the late 19th century. Clarence King Was A Geologist Who Played A Major Part In Uncovering California's Great Diamond Hoax Of The Early 1870s. This Book Covers The Prominent Role King Played In The Fortieth Parallel Survey, His Experiences In Mountaineering, Cattle Ranching, European Travel, And More. This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

A bona fide classic, originally published in 1872, Mountaineering in the Sierra Nevada is still exciting reading. It describes the perils and pleasures experienced by Clarence King (1842–1901) while conducting the first geological survey of California in the 1860s. His language was equal to the marvels he found, and here with unfading brilliance are his accounts of scaling such mountains as Tyndall, Shasta, and Whitney. The chapters on the Yosemite Valley and surrounding High Sierras were written while he was surveying the boundaries of a newly designated national park. There are also delightful vignettes of western characters, including a Sierra artist and a family of Pike County hog farmers.