Many Californias, Second Edition: Literature From The Golden State (Western Literature Series) [Paperback]

Gerald W. Haslam (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0874173256 | ISBN-13: 978-0874173253 | Publication Date: February 1, 1999 | Edition: 2 Rev Sub

An exploration of the full diversity of California writers and their writings.

Editorial Reviews

Review

MANY CALIFORNIAS offers a broad sampling of writers representing the entire range of California writing. Every region of California finds a place in Haslam's superb new collection (Westways).

MANY CALIFORNIAS is as diverse and as riveting as the state's landscape. Haslam provides a wonderful introduction to the literature of the Golden State (The Steinbeck Newsletter).

MANY CALIFORNIAS lives up to the promise of its title, uniting writers from various ethnic, historic, regional and philosophical corners of the state -- San Francisco Chronicle Review

From the Publisher

The second edition of this general interest anthology adds ten new authors and their works plus five new selections from some favorite writers. The new writers are Carolyn See, Victor Martinez, Gina Berriault, Al Young, Molly Giles, Ross Macdonald, Robert Hass, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, David Mas Masumoto, and Oakley Hall. The collection now contains 67 authors and their writings making MANY CALIFORNIAS one of the most ethnically, culturally, and gender diverse anthologies available.

Award-winning author and editor, Gerald W. Haslam, divides the state into five geo/literary regions, each of them reflecting regional frontiers with distinct terrains, patters of settlement, and literary outputs: The North Coast; The Great Central Valley; Wilderness California; Southern California; and Fantasy California, a region of the mind. All these Californias and other combine to produce literature that is varied and rich and controversial: many Californias.

Oildale native Gerald W. Haslam has published eight collections of short stories, including THAT CONSTANT COYOTE and CONDOR DREAMS.

Product Details

• Paperback: 408 pages
• Publisher: University of Nevada Press; 2 Rev Sub edition (February 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0874173256
• ISBN-13: 978-0874173253
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #669,697 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Required but enjoyed it anyway, February 24, 2006

By 

M. Edwards (Lakewood, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Many Californias, Second Edition: Literature From The Golden State (Western Literature Series) (Paperback)

This book was purchased for a college course. I am thoroughly enjoying this collection of literature by Californians! I love the different perspective of each piece. I recommend this to anyone who lives in the state or anyone who wishes they did.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Many Delights!, June 8, 2005

By 

M. Houseman "Mike houseman" (Lancaster, California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Many Californias, Second Edition: Literature From The Golden State (Western Literature Series) (Paperback)

Haslam does a wonderful job capturing the many illusions of California. It's a good book to jump around reading because you'll always find something you like. All California-philes should own a copy!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "An island called California", May 10, 2001

By 

stan p. (Riverside, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Many Californias, Second Edition: Literature From The Golden State (Western Literature Series) (Paperback)

Many Californias, edited by Gerald Haslam contains a teriffic, eclectic collection of writing about the Golden State. The name "California" is like Kevin Bacon to the wide universe of writers and poets who ever lived, wrote or were associated with it in some way. Haslam ponders, " Where is California? What is it?," then offers, "California remains at least as much state of mind as state of the union."

This collection is a great place to start to answer Haslam's questions and contains not only bright essays about this fabled island but also reveals some darker points in its history. From early accounts of California before the gold rush days, to Beat poets and Fresno poets, readers will enjoy what so many have had to say about the state, whether real or imagined. Subjects as diverse as Mark Twain's story of blue jay speech habits, Joan Didion's evocation of the southland's Santa Ana winds to Bukowski's ride in a red Porsche all add layers to such a rich subject. An added bonus is the selected California bibliography at the end.