California by Kevin Starr

California by Kevin Starr

"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

Kevin Starr graduated from the University of San Francisco with a BA, Harvard University with an MA and PhD, and UC Berkeley with a Master of Library Science. He has held the positions of San Francisco City Librarian and California State Librarian. He is currently a professor of history and the director of the Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies at the University of Southern California. Starr has received numerous fellowships, prizes, and honorary degrees for his numerous essays and books, including his Americans and the California Dream series.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780812977530
ISBN 10	081297753X
Title	California
Author	Kevin Starr
Series	Modern Library Chronicles
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Random House USA Inc
Year published	2007-03-13
Number of pages	416
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.