On July 10, 2026, the 1882 Foundation hosted a “Talk Story” event at the Robbie Waters Pocket-Greenhaven Library in Sacramento to discuss the historical fiction book 1882: A Gold Mountain Odyssey. Written by Veronica Li and co-authored by Sverrir Sigurdsson, it tells the story of Chinese immigrants during the Gold Rush through the character of farmer-turned-gold miner-turned-railroad worker Sam Wong.
After some mingling and introductions, the authors took us back to the 1850s with a presentation about the historical context behind and creative influences on the novel. Li mentioned the 1882 Foundation’s heritage tour as a direct inspiration. Both immigrants (Li from Hong Kong, Sigurdsson from Iceland), they have a deep personal connection to the subject material that showed in their care for their work.
Then there was a short lesson from 1882 Foundation’s historian and lead docent Phil Sexton who brought a few artifacts from the period for a hands-on demonstration. This was followed by a community discussion where all three speakers fielded questions from the crowd. The audience asked about the book, the history behind it, and their experience writing it.
Those looking for a more in-depth conversation got a chance to talk to the authors directly during the book signing. The event also gave community members the opportunity to reconnect with each other and share their experiences. Many in the audience left with new books, signatures, photos with the authors, and new knowledge gained.
Written by Cyane Loo, 2026 Summer Intern, UC San Diego ’27
