Lecturer’s California gold rush adventure nominated for travel writing award

A Goldsmiths, University of London journalism lecturer has been nominated for a Travel Writer of the Year Award for his exploration of the 21st century California gold rush.

Investigative journalist Steve Boggan – who recently joined our Department of Media and Communications - has been nominated by the Association of Independent Tour Operators for his article on San Francisco's second gold rush, published in the British Airways High Life magazine and online earlier this year.

It was based on his research into gold prospecting for the recent book, 'Gold Fever: One Man's Adventures on the Trail of the Gold Rush' - named a BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week after its publication in April.

After gold prices soared post-financial crisis, people with no experience of prospecting went shopping for shovels, pickaxes, gold pans, tents, generators, and equipment they had no idea how to use. And off they went mining.

Steve decided he wanted a piece of the action, and flew to San Francisco in 2013 to join the modern gold rush in a quest to understand the allure of the metal. Along the way he met a selection of colourful characters, got a crash course in small-scale prospecting, and learnt the history and economics of gold. 'Gold Fever' also takes us back two centuries to the original gold rush, tracing the path of those who risked their lives for riches.

The Association of Independent Tour Operators announce the winners of the Travel Writing Awards on 24 November at an event in Central Hall, Westminster.

The three award categories – Travel Writer of the Year, Young Travel Writer of the Year and the Travel Blogger of the Year – were chosen from a total of 228 entries, which is the highest received since the awards started in 1997.

The Department of Media and Communications is one of the most established departments for teaching and researching media in the world. Led by internationally renowned researchers and practitioners it is ranked first in its field in the UK for ‘research intensity’ (REF 2014).