The shelves at the Historical Society bookstore are filled with books on all aspects of Humboldt history, but reading historical fiction is an equally valid, and very enjoyable, way to learn about history and to bring the past to life. This book is a good example.

         The author has based her novel on the stories her father and grandfather told of the mule trains that braved the rugged trails to bring supplies to the mining towns along the Salmon, Trinity and Klamath rivers. Her main character, Jake, has his first experience as a bellboy, the lead rider on a mule train traveling between the mountains and Arcata.

       On the way, they encounter bears, rattlesnakes and robbers. But even more powerful is this rural boy's awed response to this new world opening before him -- the vast views, the towering redwoods, the Native Americans, the Chinese miners, the bustling city of Arcata, and the ships and endless ocean. Throughout the book, the author painlessly sprinkles historical information in the guise of Jake's older fellows explaining things to him.

       The advantage of this being written as fiction is that it can incorporate the emotional responses to beautiful sights, dangers and self realizations better than a coldly historical account. The book might be considered a childrens' book and indeed includes many delightful illustrations.  But it should be equally appealing to Humboldters or history buffs of any age.