About the Author

HOWARD BLUM is the author of the "New York Times" bestseller and Edgar Award winner "American Lightning, "as well as such bestsellers as "Wanted!, The Gold Exodus, "and "Gangland." He is currently a contributing editor at "Vanity Fair." While at the "New York Times," he was twice nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting.

Reviews

"Dramatic and colorful with touches of humor and poignancy, "The Floor of Heaven "has the spark of a television miniseries and the depth of a novel. That Blum's tale of adventure is tall but true makes it all the more enjoyable, particularly because its heartbeat is so keenly American."
"-"Associated Press
"Highly enjoyable...a narrative history set before, during and just after the [Yukon gold] rush. Blum traces the lives of three storied men - a prospector, a cowboy turned Pinkerton detective and a notorious conman - whose fates intersected over a stash of gold...It must have been a daunting task wrangling all these conflicting stories into a single, seamless tale, but you never feel that effort on a single page of this unabashedly entertaining book."
"-"Salon
""True Grit "meets "Call of the Wild. "That's the skinny on Howard Blum's "Floor of Heaven," a big sprawling book that pairs colorful cowboys and ornery thieves with noble Indians and the kinds of hardworking prospectors found in Jack London's tales of the Yukon...Blum's characters have undeniable folksy charm and 'grit'...and it doesn't take much effort to imagine them in a movie. "The Floor of Heaven "has the benchmarks of a bestseller."
"-"San Francisco Chronicle
"There is no doubt that all three of Mr. Blum's main subjects led fascinating lives...Mr. Blum skillfully intercuts [his story's] plotlines, building momentum toward his big finish...entertaining."
"-"Wall Street Journal
"Packed with larger-than-life characters straight out of a John Ford western...a rich tale...entertaining."
"-"American Heritage
"Full of suspense...an amazing real-life adventure story, peopled with characters that any novelist would be proud to have invented: first-rate entertainment.
"-"Michael Korda, New York Times bestselling author of HERO, WITH WINGS LIKE EAGLES and IKE
"In the tradition of great history as great literature...highly recommended...readers wil

"Highly enjoyable...a narrative history set before, during and just after the [Yukon gold] rush. Blum traces the lives of three storied men - a prospector, a cowboy turned Pinkerton detective and a notorious conman - whose fates intersected over a stash of gold...It must have been a daunting task wrangling all these conflicting stories into a single, seamless tale, but you never feel that effort on a single page of this unabashedly entertaining book."
"-"Salon
""True Grit "meets "Call of the Wild. "That's the skinny on Howard Blum's "Floor of Heaven," a big sprawling book that pairs colorful cowboys and ornery thieves with noble Indians and the kinds of hardworking prospectors found in Jack London's tales of the Yukon...Blum's characters have undeniable folksy charm and 'grit'...and it doesn't take much effort to imagine them in a movie. "The Floor of Heaven "has the benchmarks of a bestseller."
"-"San Francisco Chronicle
"There is no doubt that all three of Mr

"Full of suspense...an amazing real-life adventure story, peopled with characters that any novelist would be proud to have invented: first-rate entertainment.
"-"Michael Korda, New York Times bestselling author of HERO, WITH WINGS LIKE EAGLES and IKE
"In the tradition of great history as great literature...highly recommended...readers will be richly rewarded by Blum's masterful use of a colorful cast of genuine historical characters set in the majestic northwestern wilderness." -"Library Journal" (Starred Review)
"Wildly compelling...a truly memorable frontier tale."
"-Kirkus"
"A fascinating story...Detailing crimes perpetrated and solved, relationships both happy and tragic, hardships unthinkable in the modern age, and the cold, magical allure of Alaska and the Yukon, Blum captures the spirit and mood of the last of the Old West. The final pages, especially, are filled with drama and a strange yearning...a huge success."
-"Publishers Weekly" (Starred

"In the tradition of great history as great literature...highly recommended...readers will be richly rewarded by Blum's masterful use of a colorful cast of genuine historical characters set in the majestic northwestern wilderness." -"Library Journal" (Starred Review)
"Wildly compelling...a truly memorable frontier tale."
"-Kirkus"
"A fascinating story...Detailing crimes perpetrated and solved, relationships both happy and tragic, hardships unthinkable in the modern age, and the cold, magical allure of Alaska and the Yukon, Blum captures the spirit and mood of the last of the Old West. The final pages, especially, are filled with drama and a strange yearning...a huge success."
-"Publishers Weekly" (Starred Review)
"A tense, exciting tale filled with colorful characters." "-Booklist"
"Wonderfully original. This narrative about the Alaskan gold rush has everything but Charlie Chaplin. Resurrecting three of the giant figures of the time -- a cowboy det

"Wildly compelling...a truly memorable frontier tale."
"-Kirkus"
"A fascinating story...Detailing crimes perpetrated and solved, relationships both happy and tragic, hardships unthinkable in the modern age, and the cold, magical allure of Alaska and the Yukon, Blum captures the spirit and mood of the last of the Old West. The final pages, especially, are filled with drama and a strange yearning...a huge success."
-"Publishers Weekly" (Starred Review)
"Wonderfully original. This narrative about the Alaskan gold rush has everything but Charlie Chaplin. Resurrecting three of the giant figures of the time -- a cowboy detective, a genius con artist and the luckiest bastard in the Yukon -- Blum laces togethera grand string of adventures (all the more impressive for being true) that take us deep into the glory hole and the transforming power of greed."
-Pope Brock, New York Times bestselling author of "Charlatan
"
"Brings to life the frenzy of the Yukon Gold R

"Wildly compelling...a truly memorable frontier tale."
"-Kirkus"
"A fascinating story...Detailing crimes perpetrated and solved, relationships both happy and tragic, hardships unthinkable in the modern age, and the cold, magical allure of Alaska and the Yukon, Blum captures the spirit and mood of the last of the Old West. The final pages, especially, are filled with drama and a strange yearning...a huge success."
-"Publishers Weekly" (Starred Review)
"Wonderfully original. This narrative about the Alaskan gold rush has everything but Charlie Chaplin. Resurrecting three of the giant figures of the time -- a cowboy detective, a genius con artist and the luckiest bastard in the Yukon -- Blum laces togethera grand string of adventures (all the more impressive for being t