“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

The Great Book of California is an entertaining, instructive and interesting Trivia & Facts book about the Golden State. You'll learn more about California's history, pop culture, folklore, sports, and so much more.

Are you interested in learning more about California? Sure, you've heard of Hollywood, but how much do you really know about the Golden State? Do you know how it got its nickname or what it was nicknamed first? There's so much to know about California that even people born in the state don't know it all. In this trivia book, you'll learn more about California's history, pop culture, folklore, sports, and so much more! In The Great Book of California, you'll discover the answers to the following questions Why is California called the Golden State? What music genres started out in California? Which celebrity sex icon's death remains a mystery? Which serial killer once murdered in the state? Which childhood toy started out in California? Which famous fast-food chain opened its first location in the Golden State? Which famous athletes are from California? Whether you consider yourself a California state expert or you know nothing about the Golden State, you're bound to learn something new in each chapter. You'll be able to impress your college history professor or your friends during your next trivia night! What are you waiting for? Get started to learn all there is to know about California!

The story of "the great thirst" is brought up to date in this revised edition of Norris Hundley's outstanding history, with additional photographs and incisive descriptions of the major water-policy issues facing California now: accelerating urbanization of farmland and open spaces, persisting despoliation of water supplies, and demands for equity in water allocation for an exploding population. People the world over confront these problems, and Hundley examines them with clarity and eloquence in the unruly laboratory of California. The obsession with water has shaped California to a remarkable extent, literally as well as politically and culturally. Hundley tells how aboriginal Americans and then early Spanish and Mexican immigrants contrived to use and share the available water and how American settlers, arriving in ever-increasing numbers after the Gold Rush, transformed California into the home of the nation's preeminent water seekers. The desire to use, profit from, manipulate, and control water drives the people and events in this fascinating narrative until, by the end of the twentieth century, a large, colorful cast of characters and communities has wheeled and dealed, built, diverted, and connived its way to an entirely different statewide waterscape. The story of "the great thirst" is brought up to date in this revised edition of Norris Hundley's outstanding history, with additional photographs and incisive descriptions of the major water-policy issues facing California now: accelerating urbanization

CALIFORNIA. Home of Hollywood the film and television industry, Silicon Valley technology, engineering and computing. Nickname: The Golden State. Motto: Eureka. State Song: I Love You California. Largest cities are Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, and San Francisco. The capital is Sacramento. It became a state on September 9, 1850. It is bordered by Arizona to the southeast, Oregon to the north, Nevada to the east and the Mexican state of Baja California to the south. This book measures 6x9 inches (15.24 cm x 22.86 cm). Paperback matte cover. 100 pages of white lined journal paper. Click on Author, AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL PRESS, to view all 50 of The United States of America, and buy books for family & friends!

Full of observations natives will appreciate, but also the ideal souvenir for tourists, this book is designed with vintage art and packed with literary excerpts, poems, facts, songs, quotes, legends, and recipes celebrating the Golden State. Literary Excerpts for authors such as Joan Didion, Jack London, John Steinbeck, and Amy Tan. Poems by the likes of Robert Hass, John Muir, and Walt Whitman. Fact Spreads including Famous Californians, Moments in History, Earthquakes, and Surf's Up. Song Lyrics including " I Left My Heart in San Francisco, "California Girls," and "San Andreas Fault." Legends and Lore of everything you ever wanted to know about California, including the building of San Francisco's bridges, the Gold Rush, the Water Wars, and Hollywood. Recipes for California nouveau classics like BBQ Chicken Pizza, California Rolls, and Chinese Chicken Salad join more traditional fare such as Crab Louis and Fish Tacos. Vintage Americana postcard and paper ephemera that illustrates eras of time gone by.