Gary Noy,  Author and Lecturer

NEWEST BOOK 

GEM OF THE SIERRA

Schemes and Splendor in

Nineteenth-Century Lake Tahoe

Edited by Gary Noy

Paperback

Published by the University of Nebraska Press, Bison Books, 2024

Release Date: July 2024


Noted California historian Gary Noy has created a dynamic anthology of writings created by the American West’s preeminent nineteenth century authors devoted to “The Lake of Sky” (Lake Tahoe) highlighting its colorful history, featuring its storied past and environmental struggles -- Gary F. Kurutz, Principal Librarian emeritus for Special Collections and the California History Section at the California State Library, Sacramento.

A treasure trove of entertaining, irresistible information framed by wise and witty introductions, Gem of the Sierra is required reading for anyone interested in America’s largest mountain lake -- Scott Lankford, author of Tahoe Beneath the Surface: The Hidden Stories of America’s Largest Mountain Lake

 Gem of the Sierra is a fascinating anthology of articles and excerpts pertaining to Lake Tahoe in the latter half of the nineteenth century. This collection, accompanied by Gary Noy’s insightful commentary, will delight anyone interested in Tahoe’s early history -- Peter B. Mires, author of Lake Tahoe’s Rustic Architecture

 Gem of the Sierra seamlessly reveals the arc of Tahoe Basin cultural and environmental history, from pre-contact to the dawn of the 20th century. It’s a fascinating journey fraught with peril, but rich with promise -- Mark McLaughlin, author of Snowbound: Legendary Winters of the Tahoe Sierra.

[Gem of the Sierra] delivers stories from a diverse array of myths, anecdotes and direct accounts of pioneers, explorers and, eventually, loggers and land developers. Virtually every type of personality who once descended on the tree-lined shores comes under the consideration of Noy’s pen -- Casey Rafter, Sacramento News and Review, Chico News and Review

​[Gem of the Sierra] offers a 360-degree perspective on the region's history, weaving together diverse sources into a compelling narrative... The book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in local history, deserving a permanent place on the bookshelf even after the first read -- Pamela Biery, Grass Valley Union

​Gary Noy's history of Lake Tahoe during the 19th Century offers fascinating reading.... If you have not seen Lake Tahoe, you will put it on your bucket list after reading Noy's book —Robert Lee Murphy, Roundup Magazine, a publication of Western Writers of America