979.4: History of California

Items this collection will discuss the history of the state of California. In addition to discussing state history, this collection will also feature books that cover the history of notable cities/towns or places in California (ex. Silicon Valley, Ghost Towns, State/National Parks) as well as significant events (ex. the Gold Rush, Orange County Fair) that occurred in the state.

Updated July 7, 2023
H
Huntington Beach Public Library
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1

An American genocide : the United States and the California Indian catastrophe, 1846-1873
Madley, Benjamin
Paper Book
The first full account of the government-sanctioned genocide of California Indians under United States rule   Winner of the 2016 Los Angeles Times Book Award for History and a New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice ...

2

The associates : four capitalists who created California
Rayner, Richard
Paper Book
A true-life tale of ruthless ambition, staggering greed, and the making of a nation. One hundred forty years ago, four men rose from their position as middle-class merchants in Sacramento, California, to become the force behind the transcontinental railroad. In the course of...

3

The Browns of California : the family dynasty that transformed a state and shaped a nation
Pawel, Miriam
Paper Book
"Miriam Pawel's fascinating book . . . illuminates the sea change in the nation's politics in the last half of the 20th century."--New York Times Book Review California Book Award Gold Medal Winner * Finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize * A...

4

California : a history
Rolle, Andrew F.
Paper Book
This is the fifth edition of California: A History. From its inception, this book was designed for the general reader and students alike. Since its original publication the book has been enjoyed by many thousands of readers. As in prior editions, the aim of the book is is to follow and recount the...

5

California : a history
Starr, Kevin.
Paper Book
California has always been our Shangri-la–the promised land of countless pilgrims in search of the American Dream. Now the Golden State’s premier historian, Kevin Starr, distills the entire sweep of California’s history into one splendid volume. From the age of exploration to the...

6

California : an American history
Faragher, John Mack
Paper Book
A concise and lively history of California, the most multicultural state in the nation   "A masterful history."--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)   "Faragher takes the reader on a captivating journey through myriad...

7

The California Gold Rush and the coming of the Civil War
Richards, Leonard L.
Paper Book
It has always been understood that the 1848 discovery of gold in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada influenced the battle over the admission of California to the Union. But now, in this revelatory study, award-winning historian Leonard L. Richards makes clear the links between the Gold Rush and many...

8

California missions & presidios : the history & beauty of the Spanish missions
Leffingwell, Randy
Paper Book
The missions and presidios of California are among the state's oldest structures and are the most visited historical monuments. These notable buildings are an integral part of California's history. The state's recorded history essentially began with the Spanish missions along the ambitious...

9

Dear Los Angeles : the city in diaries and letters 1542 to 2018
Kipen, David
Paper Book
A rich mosaic of diary entries and letters from Marilyn Monroe, Cesar Chavez, Susan Sontag, Albert Einstein, and many more, this is the story of Los Angeles as told by locals, transplants, and some just passing through. "Los Angeles is refracted in all its irreducible,...

10

Golden dreams : California in an age of abundance, 1950-1963
Starr, Kevin.
Paper Book
A narrative tour de force that combines wide-ranging scholarship with captivating prose, Kevin Starr's acclaimed multi-volume Americans and the California Dream is an unparalleled work of cultural history. In this volume, Starr covers the crucial postwar period - 1950 to 1963 - when the California...

11

The golden fortress : California's border war on Dust Bowl refugees
Lascher, Bill
Paper Book
In February 1936, Los Angeles police officers drove hundreds of miles to California's state borders with one mission: turn back anyone deemed too poor to enter. Myths of the Golden State's abundance enticed thousands of Americans uprooted by the Depression, but those who created...

12

The golden shore : California's love affair with the sea
Helvarg, David
Paper Book
ADenver PostBestseller ABooklistTop Literary Travel Book of the Year From the first human settlements to the latest marine explorations,The Golden Shoretells the tale of the history, culture, and changing nature of California's coasts and ocean....

13

Historical atlas of California : with original maps
Hayes, Derek
Paper Book
Using nearly five hundred historical maps and many other illustrations--from rough sketches drawn in the field to commercial maps to beautifully rendered works of art--this lavishly illustrated volume is the first to tell the story of California's past from a unique visual perspective. Covering...

14

The king and queen of Malibu : the true story of the battle for paradise
Randall, David K.
Paper Book
New York Times best-selling author David K. Randall spins a remarkable tale of the American West and the desire of one couple to preserve paradise. Frederick and May Rindge, the unlikely couple whose love story propelled Malibu's transformation from an untamed ranch in the...

15

Palo Alto : a history of California, capitalism, and the world
Harris, Malcolm
Paper Book
Named One of the Year's Best Books by VULTURE * THE NEW REPUBLIC * DAZED * WIRED * BLOOMBERG * ESQUIRE * SALON * THE NEXT BIG IDEA CLUB The history of Silicon Valley, from railroads to microchips, is an "extraordinary" story of disruption and destruction, told...

16

Rock me on the water : 1974 : the year Los Angeles transformed movies, music, television, and politics
Brownstein, Ronald
Paper Book
New York Times Bestseller Editors' Choice --New York Times Book Review In this exceptional cultural history, Atlantic Senior Editor Ronald Brownstein--"one of America's best political journalists" (The Economist)--tells the kaleidoscopic story of one...

17

Water to the angels : William Mulholland, his monumental aqueduct, and the rise of Los Angeles
Standiford, Les
Paper Book
The author of Last Train to Paradise tells the story of the largest public water project ever created--William Mulholland's Los Angeles aqueduct--a story of Gilded Age ambition, hubris, greed, and one determined man who's vision shaped the future and continues to impact us today. In 1907,...

18

West of the West : dreamers, believers, builders, and killers in the Golden State
Arax, Mark
Paper Book
Teddy Roosevelt once exclaimed, "When I am in California, I am not in the West. I am west of the West," and in this book, Mark Arax spends four years travelling up and down the Golden State to explore its singular place in the world. This is California beyond the clichés. This is California as only...

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