Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Golden State:
It wasn’t all golden.
Quick synopsis:
A history of California.
Fact for Non-History People:
California is the only state to have been ruled by three different countries: Spain, Mexico, and the U.S.
Fact for History Nerds:
The famous Hollywood Sign originally read “Hollywoodland” as a real estate advertisement.
My Take on Golden State:
Sometimes sequencing matters. When it comes to Golden State by Michael Hiltzik, it becomes a question of how much do you know about California’s history before you dive in? The answer to that question is directly correlated to whether you will like it or love it.
Hiltzik tells the story of California from generally when Europeans arrived up to almost present day. Hitlzik has an easy prose and a willingness to make funny asides while calling out some ridiculous things along the way. The thing which kept me from truly enjoying it is the fact that I’ve read quite a few California history books, for example, the exceptional Trespassers at the Golden Gate by Gary Krist, Strangers in the Land by Michael Luo, and The Longest Minute by Matthew Davenport. All of these books go into greater detail than Hiltzik’s who uses a chapter or two for some of the major events covered in these books. It’s not criticism because the authors are trying to do different things, but simply, Hiltzik’s will pale in comparison because it is much less detailed.
As with any book covering a wide swath of time, Hiltzik needs to jump around in time and rush through events/people or eliminate them completely. There is a strange lack of pages attributed to the film industry, but Hiltzik is at his best in the early chapters describing the sometimes comical or tragic origins of the state.
In the end, if you know a lot about California history, then this book will be a solid reminder of the highlights. If you are a newbie, this may just be a five-star read for you. Either way, it’s worth a read.
(This book was provided as an advance reader copy by Mariner Books.)
Verdict:
A good time. Buy it here!
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