The Literature of California, Volume 1: Native American Beginnings to 1945 (Paperback)

by Jack Hicks (Editor), James D. Houston (Editor), Maxine Hong Kingston (Editor), Al Young (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
The ideal of California has historically brought many images to the minds of explorers. Whether it was Native Americans living on its land, gold diggers panning its waters, or technology gurus developing Silicon Valley, California has always opened its doors to disconnected people seeking refuge, power, spirituality, fame, or prosperity. The Literature of California, Vol. 1 offers a thorough, chronological review of the writings that flowed from these people. The volume begins with the Native American tales which initiated the spiritual quest that, to this day, continues to draw new residents to the West Coast. Part 2 contains letters, diaries, reports, and travel narratives from Clarence King, Dame Shirley, Sarah Eleanor Royce, and John Rollin Ridge, the first Native American to publish a novel. Part 3 features the stories of popular writers like Mark Twain, Bret Harte, Jack London, and Frank Norris. Part 4, which covers what the editors call "the period between the world wars," includes Robinson Jeffers, Dashiell Hammett, and Nathanael West. It is in these last two sections that the influence of Asian writers begins to take shape. Overall, the diversity and the inclusion of many female authors make this work refreshing. Readers will also come away with a respect for the spirituality embraced by so many of the travelers. A second volume is due in 2002.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
"[T]his first installment of a proposed two-volume anthology offers a thorough historical survey of 'writings from the Golden State.'" -- Times Literary Supplement

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Product Details

• Paperback: 870 pages
• Publisher: University of California Press; 1 edition (December 4, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0520222121
• ISBN-13: 978-0520222120
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 6 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #340,577 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars California, End of the earth, March 2, 2001

By	Isaac N. Wilson (Tempe, AZ United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I'm taking a class from one of the guys who compiled the book, and for starters let me say twenty bucks is a damn good deal for a textbook. This one is meaty too. Very interesting prefaces for each selection of writing, as well as essays about each period. A must for anyone curious about Mythic California and the writers who, well, wrote about it. Great stuff by Twain and other biggies. My favorite pieces are those giving a glimpse into Californian mining camps. The one downfall of this book is that it would have been difficult interpreting the native american stories had I not been takeing a class concurrently. The essays written by the editors about the decimation of the native population, the subsequent eviction of Mexicans were much more insightful than the native pieces themselves. There are also pieces by descendants of native peoples, which give insight.