The Great Diamond Hoax and Other Stirring Incidents in the Life of Asbury Harpending

Asbury Harpending

Aug. 2022 · DigiCat

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DigiCat Publishing presents to you this special edition of "The Great Diamond Hoax and Other Stirring Incidents in the Life of Asbury Harpending" by Asbury Harpending. DigiCat Publishing considers every written word to be a legacy of humankind. Every DigiCat book has been carefully reproduced for republishing in a new modern format. The books are available in print, as well as ebooks. DigiCat hopes you will treat this work with the acknowledgment and passion it deserves as a classic of world literature.

Autoren-Profil

Asbury Harpending (1839-1923) was an American adventurer, entrepreneur, and one-time Confederate sympathizer whose life was as colorful as the times in which he lived. His autobiography, 'The Great Diamond Hoax and Other Stirring Incidents in the Life of Asbury Harpending' (1913), provides a window into some of the most fascinating episodes of 19th-century America, including his involvement in the audacious diamond mine scam of 1872 which came to be known as the Great Diamond Hoax. Born in Kentucky and making his way West as a young man, Harpending's name became synonymous with the pioneering spirit and also with the more unsavory aspects of frontier capitalism. His narrative, written with a blend of bravado and flourish, does not shy away from detailing his brushes with law and his exploits amidst the Gold Rush fever. Harpending's literary style is one of a personal memoir, laced with vivid storytelling that aimed to capture the essence of an expansive and wild era when the United States was undergoing rapid change and growth. Although not a professional author, his contribution to American autobiographical literature offers historians and enthusiasts alike a personal glimpse into the misadventures and entrepreneurial spirit of a lesser-known figure of the Old West.