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A Ward of the Golden Gate Audiobook
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A Ward of the Golden Gate is a compelling novella by Bret Harte that blends romance, social critique, and frontier drama. Set in California during the Gold Rush era, the story follows Constance Maynard, a young woman raised in the refined East but sent West to live under the guardianship of the rough-mannered Captain Jackson after her father’s death. As she navigates the stark contrast between cultured ideals and rugged frontier life, Constance faces moral dilemmas, romantic entanglements, and the challenge of forging her own identity. Harte contrasts genteel femininity with masculine stoicism, exploring themes of civilization versus wilderness, gender roles, and personal growth. With his signature blend of sentiment, irony, and vivid regional detail, Harte crafts a poignant coming-of-age tale set against the backdrop of a transforming American West.
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About Bret Harte
Bret Harte (1836–1902) was born in Albany, New York, and was raised in New York City. He had no formal education, but he inherited a love for books. Harte wrote for the San Franciscan Golden Era paper. There he published his first condensed novels, which were brilliant parodies of the works of well-known authors, such as Dickens and Cooper. Later, he became clerk in the US branch mint. This job gave Harte time to also work for the Overland Monthly, where he published his world-famous “Luck of the Roaring Camp” and commissioned Mark Twain to write weekly articles. In 1871, Harte was hired by the Atlantic Monthly for $10,000 to write twelve stories a year, which was the highest figure paid to an American writer at the time.