The best books about California

“Day of the Grasshopper” by Nathanael West (1939)

“I taught this short novel for years to students who liked and appreciated its grotesque satire on American culture in general, but it wasn't until I started teaching it to Californians who were from or had been to LA that it really sang (though ' 'Hollywood' as a dream factory may resonate less for the TikTok and Netflix generations. I like it so much that I refuse to watch the 1975 film adaptation.” — Matthew Stratton, Davis

“Cool gray city of love: 49 views of San Francisco” by Gary Kamiya (2013)

“A great book for anyone who wants to know/see more of San Francisco than just Fisherman's Wharf, Chinatown, Union Square, cable cars and all the other typical tourist spots. He writes about a park with a small gorge, hidden places with beautiful views of the city, lesser known historical sites – including indigenous history, different neighborhoods, literary hotspots (not just the Beats), local knowledge, events, stairs (yes, stairs!), earthquakes, etc. It is an 'intimate' guide from a long-term resident to his crazy, fascinating, unique, strange, absolutely charming city and its people.” — Ulrich Hacker, Camino

“Trees in Paradise” by Jared Farmer (2013)

“It really helped me think about the history of the area and my place in it, and because this book is rooted in the trees I see every day in the Bay Area, it gives me little memories: I see, hear, smell and feel (and sometimes, if the wind blows!) all day long, feel the three trees that form the basis of this book. This is one of those books that I like so much that my friends have asked me to stop talking about it in conversations! — Dave Longawa, Palo Alto

“On Gold Mountain” by Lisa See (1995)

“Focusing on See's own Chinese ancestors, some of whom arrived during the gold rush and the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad, this book traces the scale and impact of Chinese immigrants to California, and their resistance to the draconian state and federal laws that were passed to take them out. The family set up shop in Los Angeles' Chinatown, importing rosewood furniture from China and renting it to movie studios for their sets. In the twentieth century, studios cast white actors to play Chinese gangsters and doomed ladies, but the furniture was authentic.” — Kathleen Courts, Oakland

“An American Genocide” by Benjamin Madley (2016)

'More history we didn't learn in school – this book will blow your mind and make your heart ache. Benjamin Madley reveals the terrible history of American settlement in California between 1846 and 1873, documenting in mesmerizing detail the personal and collective atrocities involved in the state-sponsored genocide of California's First Peoples. Californians will recognize names and places, and never feel the same again about the Gold Rush and other Golden State settler stories taught in high school.” — Kate Stornetta, Mendocino County