The Explorer King: Adventure, Science, and the Great Diamond Hoax Clarence King in the Old West

In the 1800s, the young Clarence King was an icon of the new America: a man of adventure and intellect, a flash–in–the–pan celebrity who combined science and exploration with romanticism and charm. Robert Wilson's biography, The Explorer King, vividly depicts King's daredevil feats including his journey to the highest peak of the Sierra Nevada, and uncovers the reasons for the shocking decline he suffered after his days on the American frontier.



Through King's own rollicking tales, some true...