Published in 1918, Gold and Iron collects three of the author’s finest novellas: Wild Oranges, a gripping hybrid of adventure and romance, about a man’s attempt to escape the stultifying confines of civilization; Tubal Cain, a short novel which features the title character’s struggle from poverty to becoming the greatest iron master in Pennsylvania; and The Dark Fleece, about Jason Burrage, a murderer who strikes gold in California.
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Joseph Hergesheimer (1880–1954) initially hoped to be a painter, but eventually turned to writing. His study of painting is thought to have informed the pictorial details in his fiction. Admired by H. L. Mencken, Hergesheimer’s reputation wavered – from being voted “most important American writer” in 1922 to being almost unknown at the time of his death. He is best remembered for the novels Three Black Pennies and Java Head.