California, Here We Come!
Few can resist the lure of California. Such a diverse state, extreme beauty and, at least lately, extreme weather! After a trip to California last summer, I can personally attest to its charm. In fact, I have a few photos to share!!
I have come across several recent novels set in California and want you to know about them. You can make up your own mind as to whether or not you want to read one.
The Golden State, by Lydia Kiesling, was published in 2018 and named one of the Best Books of 2018 by NPR. This book is Kiesling’s debut novel. The protagonist is a young mother with a toddler who escapes the hectic life of San Fransisco by relocating to the Altavista area. She lives in a trailer and drinks too much. While this scenario sounds dismal, the story evolves into one in which relationships are explored in a sharply divided political landscape. The heart of the story is Daphne’s relationship with her child Honey. Nancy Pearl of NPR writes of the book….”gorgeouly written, deeply engaging, character driven….It’s been a very long time since my daughters were toddlers, but Daphne’s trenchant observations of her complicated feelings brought it all back.”
Another debut novel set in California is simply entitled California. Edan Lepucki wrote what she calls a “post-apocalyptic dystopian fiction” in which a young couple fend for each other in unbearable circumstances. The New York Times review called it typical dystopian fiction and cautioned that it held no new ideas or plots. While that tone doesn’t sound encouraging, people who love this genre will still find it fun to read. There were just as many positive reviews as negatives on sites such as Goodreads.
The Californians, by Brian Castleberry is an expansive saga of two families and their intertwined disfuntion throughout an entire century. The story begins when a young man, driven from his apartment by wildfires, joins in a scheme his brother concocts to steal a valuable painting from their father. To say the least, it’s complicated. But enjoyable reading! Mark Athitakis of The Los Angeles Times raves about the book. “Exuberant….With its polished sentences and rollicking rhythm, The Californians immerses us in an elaborate plot, despite a glut of detail and a few sluggish patches….Bold, ambitious,”
The last book in this post is written by Michael Hiltzik, a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist. If you want to get serious about California and its history, this is the book to read. Golden State: The Making of California was published in February of 2025. Hiltzik’s thorough research exposes facts we may not have known or simply chose to ignore. Jessa Crispin, in The Telegraph, admits that the book is well written and engaging and very well-documented. She is not impressed with the information because she says it is nothing new. Well, if one has never read a history of the state of California, it WILL be new, and that’s exactly why I want to read it. Crispin writes that the author’s main goal is to tout the state as a model for other states. I don’t know about that, but one can’t fault an author for loving his/her subject!!