Wings of Riches - Al and Joanna Lacy

Wings of Riches, by Al and Joanna Lacy, is a wonderful historical fiction story about the California Gold Rush and the lives of those who went to claim their fortune. Even if you aren’t a history nut, this is a very good read. It is filled with Christian principles that I believe everyone should follow, especially concerning what is really important in this life.

The California Gold Rush, which had its high in 1849, drew the attention of people around the world. In this book, the historical facts about this event seem to be very researched and accurate. Historical figures such as Charles Finney, Horace Greeley, James Marshall, President Polk, and others come up at various times in the book. Yet through it all, the fictional stories of the characters of this book are captivating and moving.

Throughout this book, we see the stories of many people who wanted to strike it rich, and start a new life. Craig Turley was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and he was the son of a wealthy businessman in Manhattan, New York. But Craig was growing restless of that life, and wanted to gain his own fortune. When he heard of the Gold Rush, it grabbed his attention. The Daniels family, of Iowa City, was struggling financially on their small farm, so they decided to set out for California with a wagon train. Colin Ashlock, a multi-millionaire rancher from Australia, set out for California to pile up even more riches. Carrie Powell’s cafe, in Sacramento, thrives during the Gold Rush, when all the miners settled in that area.

Proverbs 23:4-5

“Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes
upon that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly
away as an eagle toward heaven.”

This is the theme verse of this book. Although the Gold Rush blessed very many people, this book also points out the fact that riches will not last. Salvation is stressed as the most important thing in this life, because that secures our eternal life.

Overall, I highly recommend this book. It did skip around a bit among the many stories in this book, but they all come together eventually. To me, it didn’t seem quite as captivating as some of Al and Joanna Lacy’s other books. But it was very well written, and I appreciate how many times salvation and our Christian life are mentioned, as well as the many times that scripture is quoted. It really reminded me of the futility of riches, and all of our material things. I plan to continue reading the Lacy’s books, and soak in the stories and the Christian principles woven in to these books. I encourage you to join me!