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Land of Orange Groves and Jails: Upton Sinclair's California (California Legacy Book)

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Novelist/political commentator Upton Sinclair may best be known for his flaming critiques of the Chicago meatpacking industry in "The Jungle"; but he's equally notorious in California for his harsh critiques of Southern California's culture and excesses. Land Of Orange Groves And Jails: Upton Sinclair's California assembles fifty years of these writings: plays, articles and essays demonstrate his political activism and his controversial impressions of the area. While Sinclair students will be the likely audience for this assembly, Southern California residents and students of literature alike will relish the unusual perspective on Sinclair's politics and life.

Lauren Coodley presents an in-depth portrait of Upton Sinclair, a visionary whose political and cultural activism had a profound impact on California and whose insights are terribly relevant today. She reminds us that Upton Sinclair is not just the answer to the "Jeopardy" question "Who wrote The Jungle?" although his exposé of the Chicago meat-packing industry spurred reforms resulting in healthier food for the entire country. This Pulitzer Prize-winner wrote 100 books, was an early feminist, advocated health food and exercise before they were popular, and--vowing to end poverty in California--nearly won the 1934 gubernatorial election.

Professor Coodley has created a beautifully edited collection of Sinclair's writings. The photos alone are worth the cover price. Land of Orange Groves and Jails should be read by anyone interested in a neglected but crucial figure in California history.

Nancy Manahan, Ph.D.
Author of Living Consciously, Dying Gracefully: A Journey with Cancer and Beyond (2007).