CALIFORNIA: A HISTORY Modern Library Chronicles

It's hard to imagine a more multifaceted approach to California's history; author Kevin Starr touches on geography, climate, economics, indigenous culture, and the waves of immigration and cultural development that made the state such a complex composite. Starr identifies how these factors intersected but rushes through some of them to include others. Jonathan Davis's narration is similarly striking but uneven. When Davis recites the names of the great houses of Spanish California, the delivery is rich and loving. At times he finds the cadences of a skilled storyteller, but at other times, such as during the discussions of geology, he seems not to know what to emphasize. G.T.B. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 06]