California: A History
by Kevin Starr
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Description
Acclaimed author, historian, and Guggenheim Fellow Kevin Starr is a professor at the University of Southern California. His extensive knowledge shines through this concise, yet comprehensive, depiction of the most fascinating aspects in California's history. From its colonial beginnings through Governor Schwarzenegger's administration, the Golden State has become a uniquely American phenomenon that has enchanted people with the possibility of a better life. In so doing, it has become a show more uniquely American phenomenon. show lessTags
Recommendations
Member Reviews
Very interesting and well written quick overview of Californian history from one of the state's most respected historians. I thought this helped provide the basics of understanding California's unique position in the nation and world while also providing some very fun and quirky stories of the big personalities and twists of fate in our past. If nothing else, it's great to recognize famous street names and now understand the people they pay tribute to. This is a must read for Californians or anyone interested in gaining a deeper perspective on one of the best places in the world (imo).
It will be a long time before I have enough knowledge to compare this book with others; nevertheless, it is a fine, dispationate history, with enough details for coherence and interest but not so many to big the reader down. Has an ample bibliography, index, and endnotes.
A wonderful read. The book flows well and is not too academic like so many other histories. Kevin Starr captures and defines key periods in California history, while identifying and narrating the lifes and events of it's most important people. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. For me it was a page turner.
Exactly what I'd been looking for. A comprehensive history of CA in a digestible size. Really enjoyed reading this book.
Enjoyed. Need to listen to the last third again as it was the most interesting and helpful in understanding California's current dilemmas.
Excellent one volume history of California by the expert on California history.
Very good
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California Cultural History
23 works; 4 members
Author Information
32+ Works 2,680 Members
Kevin Starr was born in San Francisco, California on September 3, 1940. He received a bachelor's degree in English from the University of San Francisco in 1962. After serving two years in the Army in West Germany, he received a master's degree in 1965 and a PhD in English and American literature in 1969 from Harvard University. He returned to San show more Francisco in 1973 and served as an aide and speechwriter to Mayor Joseph Alioto. After being appointed city librarian, he received a master's degree in library science from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1974. He wrote a column for The San Francisco Examiner and was appointed a professor of urban and regional planning at the University of Southern California in 1989. In 1994, Governor Pete Wilson named him state librarian, a post he held for 10 years. He wrote numerous book about the history of California including the eight-volume California Dream series, California, Golden Gate: The Life and Times of America's Greatest Bridge, and Continental Ambitions: Roman Catholics in North America, the Colonial Experience. In 2006, he received the National Humanities Medal for his work as a scholar and historian from President George W. Bush. He died from a heart attack on January 14, 2017 at the age of 76. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Series
Belongs to Publisher Series
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- California: A History
- Original publication date
- 2005
- Important places
- California, USA
- Blurbers
- Shriver, Maria; Rodriguez, Gregory; See, Carolyn; Rodriguez, Richard; York, Michael
- Original language
- English
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 537
- Popularity
- 54,928
- Reviews
- 9
- Rating
- (3.91)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 8
- ASINs
- 3
