The Mule Skinner: The Beginning of Mule Skinner (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781511943369)

Jake's story begins with his birth in the early 1800s to a Boston fisherman. He is an intelligent young lad with a strong mind-but his lungs are weak. Burning wood and coal fills the air with smoke and ash, and he can never seem to get enough breath.

Unable to work or play outside, he gets a job in a small gun shop, where he learns how to make custom firearms and gunpowder. He also begins to read short, paperback stories of the Wild West and imagines seeing the colorful characters and wild animals firsthand.

Eventually the doctor says he must get out of the city to find cleaner air, or he'll likely die. This order gets him a spot on a stagecoach set for Pennsylvania, but Jake's destiny will take him far beyond his paperback dreams.

In this collection of diary entries, Jake relates his travels across the early United States, his gaining knowledge and skills, and his falling in love. Jake and his great country seem to grow and mature together, as they have adventures, meet new acquaintances, build fortunes, and attempt to solve the great mysteries of life.