THE POKER BRIDE : THE FIRST CHINESE IN THE WILD WEST
by Christopher Corbett

The gold rush of 1849 attracted people from far and wide to the American West. Only men came. Some became quite rich, while others died trying.
The Chinese arrived in the thousands. They were poor, illiterate and spoke no English. Their intention was to stay for a couple of years, make some money and then return to China to live off their proceeds. Consequently, they were called "sojourners." The name that was used most often, as the Chinese stayed longer, was "celestials" due to their exoticism.
At first, the Chinese were welcomed and praised for their industriousness. They were savvy and frugal and would work long hours. Chinatowns started sprouting up, first in San Franciso and then, later, in small cities, elsewhere.
When competition started to arise for work among the sexes, the Chinese were no longer wanted. (They had jobs as laundrymen, restaurant workers and servants, which were all positions originally done by women, not men.)
The Poker Bride is one hell of a story. Interspersed within the history of the gold rush, is a tale of a young Chinese concubine, named Polly, who is smuggled to San Francisco (riding on a pack horse) and eventually won in a poker game. Her new owner, Charlie Bemis, a gambler, after several years, marries her and they settle on an isolated ranch in Idaho.
Christopher Corbett is a terrific writer with quite an eye for details. Mark Twain and Bret Harte make appearances along with a whole slew of characters.
Not really interested in the Wild West, this book, hands down, changed all of that.
Highly recommended.