"A California classic . . . California, it should be remembered, was
very much the wild west, having to wait until 1850 before it could force
its way into statehood. so what tamed it? Mr. Starr's answer is a
combination of great men, great ideas and great projects."--The
Economist
From the age of exploration to the age of Arnold, the Golden State's
premier historian distills the entire sweep of California's history into
one splendid volume. Kevin Starr covers it all: Spain's conquest of the
native peoples of California in the early sixteenth century and the
chain of missions that helped that country exert control over the upper
part of the territory; the discovery of gold in January 1848; the
incredible wealth of the Big Four railroad tycoons; the devastating San
Francisco earthquake of 1906; the emergence of Hollywood as the world's
entertainment capital and of Silicon Valley as the center of high-tech
research and development; the role of labor, both organized and migrant,
in key industries from agriculture to aerospace. In a rapid-fire epic of
discovery, innovation, catastrophe, and triumph, Starr gathers together
everything that is most important, most fascinating, and most revealing
about our greatest state.
Praise for California
"[A] fast-paced and wide-ranging history . . . [Starr] accomplishes
the feat with skill, grace and verve."--Los Angeles Times Book
Review
"Kevin Starr is one of california's greatest historians, and California
is an invaluable contribution to our state's record and lore."--MarIa
ShrIver, journalist and former First Lady of California
**
"A breeze to read."--*San Francisco
