Karl Marx and the Lost California Manifesto
A Novel
by Scott D. Carlson
Laced with humor, grit, and philosophical insight, Karl Marx and the Lost California Manifesto by Scott D. Carlson is a richly imagined historical novel that turns the Gold Rush into a stage for revolution, reinvention, and unlikely friendship.
Facing debtors’ prison and the collapse of his ideals, Karl Marx sails to California in 1849, dreaming of gold to save himself—and his cause. Once there, he meets Sixto, a spirited teenager raised in a mission who’s been living by his wits since escaping a mad sailor’s clutches. Together they plunge into the Sierra Nevada in search of fortune and freedom, pursued by hapless Prussian agents out to reclaim Marx’s Manifesto. Along the way, they encounter a cast of frontier originals: corrupt traders, fugitive slaves, Miwok villagers, and gold-crazed miners, each testing the limits of faith, greed, and survival. Through Sixto’s wry eyes, readers witness Marx grappling with the contradictions of revolution in a land where profit rules, and idealism may be the rarest treasure of all.
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Scott D. Carlson writes with humor and humanity born of a life spent in many trades—taxi driver, lawyer, teacher, cook, and more. His experiences give his work an unmistakable authenticity and range. With an MA in Creative Writing from New York University, Carlson brings literary craftsmanship and a sharp satirical edge to his fiction. He lives in the Bay Area, where history, irony, and imagination often meet. Learn more on his website.
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