{"product_id":"california-story-paperback","title":"California Story - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eSteven Falk\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"A lyrical love letter to California.\" - \u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"In brisk and translucent prose that is at once lyrical and unsentimental, Steven Falk's \u003ci\u003eCALIFORNIA STORY\u003c\/i\u003e is a rich and varied memoir of how place shapes one's life. Sharp, haunting, and gripping in its storytelling, this manuscript has the potential to join California's literary canon beside the work of writers such as Joan Didion, Kevin Starr, Cheryl Strayed, Rebecca Solnit, David Mas Masumoto, and Gary Kamiya.\" -- \u003ci\u003eJohn Sheehy\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"California, with its powerful ocean waves and spectacular mountaintops, becomes a character itself in the author's debut memoir, which spans nearly 100 years. (Falk's) stories provide insight into the people who made California what it is today-they are stories of hard work, struggle, joy, tragedy and, simply, life. Some tales are thrilling; others are simply relatable.\" - \u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eTen Notable Books of 2023 -- Reed Magazine\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"(Falk's) personal voice reveals larger, universal themes that address home, family, identity, faith, 'parenting, love, death, convictions, ethics, philosophies.\" - \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eLou Fancher\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eSteven Falk's \u003cb\u003eCalifornia Story, \u003c\/b\u003e a history and memoir of California, covers the years between his grandparents' arrival in Redondo Beach in 1935 and the COVID pandemic. Each chapter takes place in a different California location and stories include growing up in the uber-suburb of Lakewood; hardcore punks in the Coachella; KGB agents at Disneyland; fortunes made and lost; YIMBYs, NIMBYs, mountain climbing, surfing; a helicopter assault on Palo Alto; public service and city management; and how Falk unexpectedly wound up being featured in the \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003cp\u003eIt's a book about fathers and sons and brothers, compromise and conscience, nature-as-tonic, climate change, how place shapes our lives, profiles of decency, and, of course, California: land of everything.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 286\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.64 x 9 x 6 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e May 08, 2023\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42096000106631,"sku":"9798357967084","price":29.68,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0601\/2623\/2711\/files\/7616cfb99bc2e7d04990c9576f8be5b6.webp?v=1732337075","url":"https:\/\/booksby.splitshops.com\/products\/california-story-paperback","provider":"Books by splitShops","version":"1.0","type":"link"}