Customer Reviews

California Place Names: The Origin and Etymology of Current Geographical Names

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I bought the 40th Anniversary Edition of "California Place Names" because I had to find out what difference there was between it and the 4th edition. There is no difference! They are exactly the same books with the same pagination and the same copyright date of 1998 (with the same 1st paperback year of 2004). The verso information is the exact same (down to the same ISBN number) inside the two books.

The only differences are the covers: the 40th anniversary edition has the illustration of a mountain on it and the 4th Edition has the orange "old timey" map on it. As well, the 40th anniversary edition has "Revised and Expanded by William Bright" on the cover, but inside on the title page it says "Revised and Enlarged by William Bright"---which is the same wording on the 4th edition cover and title page.

With a description that states "This anniversary edition concentrates on the [blah blah blah]" it's hard not think that the publishers are trying to mislead consumers into thinking this is different in some way from the 4th edition. It is not in any way different on the inside, only the outside. I don't know if the 4th edition is being "replaced" by the 40th anniversary edition, but anyone with a 4th edition should be aware nothing has changed with this "new" edition (which is not a 5th edition as Amazon's info states).

Other than that, this a great reference book!

If you live in the Bay Area, you've probably driven past Los Banos at some point and thought about the fact that "baños" can refer both to bathrooms and baths themselves. You probably wondered if there were actually baths there at some point.

And that's where this book comes in: if you wonder where something got its name, you look it up. Some of them may surprise you. Learning why and how things were named actually teaches you a lot about California history, so this is a good book for that curious 11-year-old in your life.

It's no trivial guide, though: it has ample information and hefty research, but it's also lovingly detailed, too (I love the entry on the way the Yuba River's parts used to be named).

You could spend hours looking things up. I did, and so has everyone else I've given this book to.

If you are interested in California place names, this is the book you need. Other books of this sort are sometimes filled with inaccuracies or local legends passed off as true etymologies. Not here. William Bright's impeccable scholarship as a place name expert and linguist, combined with the original work of Erwin Gudde, make this the source you can trust. Bright's work on place names that originated from California Indian languages is especially valuable.

Used this book 30 yrs ago as an archaeologist, still a lot of fun to look up place names. Gave as a gift, recipient loved it. Nice coffee table book for easy access.

Honey Run. Putah. Gibsonville. Henness Pass. Loomis. Noyo. Sinkyone. These are but a few place names I've visited on the BMW (I ride an R1200GSA pretty much everywhere) and later looked up in this resource. This 40th anniversary edition of Erwin G. Gudde's dictionary of California place names is a hoot to carry along or refer back to when traveling throughout the state. Editor William Bright has provided short and insightful thumbnails of places one might otherwise simply pass right through. This work inspires the reader to stop, explore and to seek other resources to read and find out more. Add this to your reference library next to DeLorme's California Atlas and Gazetteer and Storer and Usinger's Sierra Nevada Natural History.

Ran across this book many years ago when I was in college. Always regretted that I did not purchase a copy then. I have been looking for a used edition ever since coming back to California several years ago. Talking to a used book dealer, I couldn't even recall the title; but he managed to track down the author and title for me. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that Erwin G. Gudde's classic: CALIFORNIA PLACE NAMES: THE ORIGIN AND ETYMOLOGY OF CURRENT GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES was issued in a Fourth Edition in 1998. For anyone interested in the background and origin of the names of California towns, cities, mountains and rivers [and every other geographical feature]THIS IS DEFINITELY THE BOOK!! A fantastic resource for the individual seeking a treasure trove of information regarding California's rich history. Well worth the price! Very pleased with my purchase!!

I visit CA as often as possible and have always been curious about the origins of the names. A friend who is a CA native introduced me to this book. I don't know of anything else like it.

This book is an excellent resource for people who are researching for a book/article about California or just curious why places were named as they were.

This is a very handy reference book. I use it far more often than I thought I would.

Great book to keep in your car or backpack. Fun to read while on trips. Answers many WHY questions on the road. Good times!