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

by Lauren Coodley (Editor) "SINCLAIR WAS INDEED a "muckraker," but his work would transcend that label..." (more)
Key Phrases: darkened dungeons, magic ribbon, land colonies, Upton Sinclair, New York, Los Angeles (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Land of Orange Groves and Jails should be required reading for every course on California history." -- Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, Author of Red Dirt: Growing up Okie

"Like a skillful host, Professor Coodley introduces us to a fascinating individual, a force of nature whose activism moved history." -- Gray Brechin, Author of Imperial San Francisco and Co-author of Farewell Promised Land

Product Description
Upton Sinclair came to California after the success of his ground-breaking exposure of the slaughterhouse industry in his 1906 novel The Jungle. During the next fifty years, he served as a board member for the American Civil Liberties Union, wrote countless novels, campaigned for food reform, railed against fascism, and was resoundly criticized by the Los Angeles Times. One of his most famous writings was the slogan for his memorable campaign for governor: "End Poverty in California." Naturally, Sinclair turned his campaign trail experiences into yet another book.

In The Land of Orange Groves and Jails, Lauren Coodley draws on a variety of Sinclair ‘s writings to show his impressions of California, his political awakening, and the development of popular culture. His interest in the dilemma of the worker and the American with a social conscience is evident in the title piece and throughout the collection.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 215 pages
• Publisher: Heyday Books (October 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1890771953
• ISBN-13: 978-1890771959
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #517,301 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An unusual perspective on Sinclair's politics and life, May 12, 2005

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

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.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A brilliant anthology for anyone interested in a neglected but crucial figure in California history, November 19, 2007

By	Nancy Manahan "Ph.D." (Minneapolis, MN USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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).