Golden Hill

Golden Hill by Francis Spufford

This book starts with a classic story-telling trope: a stranger comes to town. The town in question is 1740s New York City, then a small village of just 7,000 or so. The stranger's name is Richard Smith, we think, and his purpose is largely unknown except that he has presented a counting house with a bill of credit worth the unseemly sum of 1,000 pounds. Havoc ensues as Smith manages to upend the traditional hierarchies of New York society. The author does a good job of continually raising the stakes -- Smith faces death no fewer than four times -- and keeping the enigma of the stranger alive. It was also interesting to read about the milieu of 18th century New York, which had far more Dutch influence than I think we generally realize. Though I had a bit of a hard time getting into this book, in the end it was a satisfying read.