Gold. For centuries people have been entranced by the riches it promises; thousands have gone wild in their search for it and surely there will be many more.

After the Financial Crisis, the price of gold reached peaks never seen in history. All over the world, particularly in the United States, people with no experience of prospecting began shopping for shovels, pickaxes, gold pans, tents, generators, and all manner of equipment they had no idea how to use. And off they went mining.

In 2013, Steve Boggan decided he wanted a piece of the action, flying to San Francisco to join the 21st century's gold rush in a quest to understand the allure of the metal – and maybe find some for himself, too. Meeting a selection of colourful characters dreaming of striking it rich, he gets a crash course in small-scale prospecting while learning about the history and economics of gold.

He also takes us back in time to the original gold rush, two centuries ago, tracing the path of the first intrepid 49ers who trekked thousands of miles, risking death for the chance of unimaginable wealth. Written with Boggan's characteristic charm, Gold Fever is a hugely entertaining travelogue and a moving insight into a key period in the creation of modern America.