THE FLOOR OF HEAVEN: A True Tale of the Last Frontier and the Yukon Gold Rush.

New York:: Crown,, (2011). Hardcover first edition -. Very near fine in a like dustjacket (toning to edges of textblock). First printing. In the last decade of the 19th century, the Wild West has been tamed - and then gold is discovered in Alaska and the adjacent Canadian Klondike and a new frontier suddenly looms. "'Klondicitis,' a mix of greed and lust for adventure, ignites a stampede. Fleeing the depths of a worldwide economic depression and driven by visions of vast wealth, tens of thousands rush northward. Among them are Charlie Siringo, a sharp-shooting cowboy who, after futilely trying to settle down with his new bride, becomes one of the Pinkerton Detective Agencys shrewdest; George Carmack, a California-born American Marine whos adopted by an Indian tribe, raises a family with a Taglish squaw, makes the discovery that starts off the Yukon Gold Rush and becomes fabulously rich; and Soapy Smith, a sly and inventive predator-conman who rules a vast criminal empire.. . A fortune in gold bars has been stolen from the fortress-like Treadwell Mine in Juneau, Alaska, with no clues as to how the thieves made off with such an immensely heavy cargo. Charged with getting the job done is Charlie Siringo who discovers that, to run the thieves to ground, he must embark on a rugged cross-territory odyssey that will lead him across frigid waters and through a frozen wilderness where he must face down Soapy Smith and his gang of 300 cutthroats. At once a compelling true-life mystery and an unforgettable portrait of a time in Americas history when thousands were fired with a vision of riches so unimaginable as to be worth any price." Illustrated with vintage photographs. Note on sources. x, 420 pp.