Transforming California: A Political History of Land Use and Development [Hardcover]

Ms. Stephanie S. Pincetl (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 27, 1999

In Transforming California, Stephanie Pincetl argues that the transformation of nature in order to enhance economic development lies at the heart of much of the state's recent history. She sees late-twentieth-century California on a path of continued environmental degradation, gripped by cynicism about government. Transforming California describes the evolution of the state's institutions of government as they apply to land use and development, and it shows how land-use decisions affect people's quality of life and their daily interactions with each other and with their environment. Pincetl offers an alternative vision for the renewal of the democratic spirit and process in California and for a reconciliation with nature.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A valuable background on 150 years of California's political and environmental history. It presents primers on a number of the most pressing natural resource issues... [and] offers some practical, challenging and timely ideas about how Californians can do a better job in the future." -- Kathryn Phillips, San Francisco Chronicle

"This is a book of far-ranging interpretation and proscription; it is far more than a mere history of land use and development. Stephanie S. Pincetl... weaves a compelling historical narrative to bolster her case for a basic restructuring of California government and a redefinition of the meaning of citizenship." -- James J. Rawls, Southern California Quarterly

"[Pincetl] has brought together in one place, pieced together from a rather huge and disparate literature, a thorough, even exhaustive indictment. All of us who care about California can only hope the book will be noticed and read." -- Don Mitchell, Economic Geography

"The author has mined a vast literature, her central thesis is original and provocative, and she makes many wise and perceptive observations. Transforming California will prove of great value to historians of twentieth-century America." -- Donald J. Pisani, Journal of American History

"A thought-provoking work for environmental, urban, social, state, and regional historians." -- Choice

Review

"Stephanie Pincetl's Transforming California covers the previously neglected terrain of California's environmental history -- a story which has been absolutely central to the narrative of resource exploitation in America and of some of the most far-sighted attempts to resist it. This is an extraordinarily useful and important book." -- Richard A. Walker, University of California, Berkeley

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: The Johns Hopkins University Press (July 27, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0801861101
• ISBN-13: 978-0801861109
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,951,800 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars But Mr. Johnson!, April 6, 2006

By 

Joyce R. Black - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Transforming California: A Political History of Land Use and Development (Hardcover)

I am not sure that the above reviewer actually read the book.

The book demonstrates very clearly how the moneyed interests used progressivism to remove the voters from the important decisions that are made in formation of the business and land use climate in California. We should be able to throw the rascals out and all we can do is pass nutball initiaives.

Do you know that the socialist party eventually merged with the REPBULICANS? Do you know that the state is essentially controlled by unelected trade associations? Do you know that those associations are run for the benefit of their associate members?

For example; farm policy in California is vastly influenced by the California Farm Bureau, but this organization is basically controlled by vendors to farmers (banks, shippers etc) and not farmers. The same pattern follows for the California Association of Realtors and many other organizations that promote themselves as functioning for the general welfare of Californians while gouging their members for the benefit of their assoicate members.

The whole patten of corporate welfare has it's roots in California land use policy development.

Rural California is the environment that nurtured Richard Nixon during his formative years. What we have in this lovely but weird place is business oriented REPUBLICAN SOCIALISM. Don't miss this book, you will never see the world in quite the same way after you read it.

5.0 out of 5 stars Transforming California: A Political History of Land Use and Development, April 28, 2011

By 

Robert Berkowitz (Menlo Park, CA USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Transforming California: A Political History of Land Use and Development (Paperback)

If you are a student of California history, politics and economic development and you cannot afford the time or the cash to take a semester's course, then I recommend Transforming California by Stephanie Pincetl.

Dr. Pincetl is an Adjunct Professor at UCLA's Institute for the Environment. Her book goes along way to explaining the political mess that we find ourselves in today. It also teaches a great deal about the evolution of land, water, and energy use in our state. It suggests that the major water issue in our state in not supply, but the methods used to allocate this resource ... who is to decide and what formulas will be used.

7 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A brilliant and comprehensive analysis of California, August 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Transforming California: A Political History of Land Use and Development (Hardcover)

An extremely important book!! This book is a study of the political history of land use and URBANISATION IN CALIFORNIA COVERING THE LAST 100 HUNDRED YEARS.This an extremely well written and usefull book.