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Title details for California by Kevin Starr - Available

California

A History

#23 in series

by Kevin Starr
Jonathan Davis
Audiobook
2 of 2 copies available
Borrow Listen to a sample Listen to a sample
2 of 2 copies available
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.
"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

  • Creators

  • Series

    A Modern Library Chronicles

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    November 15, 2005

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781449868581
      • File size: 383589 KB
      • Duration: 13:19:08

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      It's hard to imagine a more multifaceted approach to California's history; author Kevin Starr touches on geography, climate, economics, indigenous culture, and the waves of immigration and cultural development that made the state such a complex composite. Starr identifies how these factors intersected but rushes through some of them to include others. Jonathan Davis's narration is similarly striking but uneven. When Davis recites the names of the great houses of Spanish California, the delivery is rich and loving. At times he finds the cadences of a skilled storyteller, but at other times, such as during the discussions of geology, he seems not to know what to emphasize. G.T.B. (c) AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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