Golden State Goodies: 8 Exceptional Books Set in California for Book Clubs

Dear BookBrowsers,

An Indian friend once recently described California as "America's America." What she was getting at was that if the United States for a long time was considered the shining beacon of democracy, then California was at the very epicenter of all that's great about the country. California Cool is a real currency and the diverse demographics of the Golden State complemented by its absolutely breathtaking geography mean plenty of rewarding material for talented authors to explore - and for book clubs to enjoy - as these selections amply illustrate. Each recommendation is backed by an excerpt and reading guide, and for a limited time, you can also read our full length reviews and "beyond the book" articles.

California by Edan Lepucki Paperback Jul 2015. 400 pages. Published by Back Bay Books We've heard about the drought and the extreme weather that California is already reeling under. In this dystopian version of the near future, these news headlines have been extrapolated to worst-case scenarios, a hellscape in which Cal and Frida, the protagonists, must survive and learn how to provide for their coming child when even a drop of water is a scarcity. Eerily believable, this is a nightmare that you don't want coming true. Click for review, 'beyond the book' article, reading guide & excerpt

China Dolls by Lisa See Paperback Mar 2015. 416 pages. Published by Random House San Francisco's iconic Chinatown has long been a prized jewel of the city and this look at the 1930s landscape is especially revealing given how in a few short years, Pearl Harbor would irrevocably reshape attitudes toward many Asians. The nuances between the varied types of Asian American experiences are expertly cast against the backdrop of a side of California rarely seen before. Click for review, 'beyond the book' article, reading guide & excerpt

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan Paperback Sep 2013. 304 pages. Published by Picador The Great Recession punctured the Silicon Valley bubble just as it did many others and many a talented techie was cast aside. Young Clay Jannon might be the victim of one such upheaval but he is willing to reinvent himself working at a bookstore where the only things more mysterious than the owner are the customers. What strange books are these readers buying and what larger picture does that draw? A joy ride for all lovers of literature. Click for review, 'beyond the book' article, reading guide & excerpt

Telegraph Avenue by Michael Chabon Paperback Sep 2013. 496 pages. Published by Harper Perennial California cool doesn't get any better than this epic set in Oakland, the very center of the counterculture movement in the Golden State. Using the vibrant city as a canvas, the veteran author's epic traces the flux in the music industry and zooms in and out of the challenges of fatherhood in a story that hardly ever strikes a discordant note. Click for review, 'beyond the book' article, reading guide & excerpt

Gods Without Men: A Novel by Hari Kunzru Paperback Jan 2013. 384 pages. Published by Vintage If you think California is mostly gorgeous coastline and fairly lush semi-tropics, you've got to take a ride to the Mojave Desert in this genre-defying novel by an author who knows how to bend the rules without sacrificing story. This searing novel works with the desert heat -- there's a reason one of the Mojave's most famous features is known as Death Valley -- to hypnotic effect. Click for review, 'beyond the book' article, reading guide & excerpt

Private Life by Jane Smiley Paperback Jun 2011. 336 pages. Published by Anchor Books Looking for the quintessential California novel? Pick up this book by a veteran author who takes her time with stories to give them enough sweep and emotional heft. Smiley observes the onslaught of the twentieth century in Northern California -- the San Francisco earthquake, the World Wars, Japanese internment camps, and women's liberation. Well-rounded characters provide a searching view of some of the most cataclysmic events in modern U.S. history. Click for review, 'beyond the book' article, reading guide & excerpt

The Story of a Marriage: A Novel by Andrew Sean Greer Paperback Mar 2009. 208 pages. Published by Picador Looking back on history with rose-tinted glasses misses the many layers of facts that can often be knitted into the canvas. California was ground zero for social change in the '60s, and this novel, set mostly in the decade prior, shows just how much the changing social norms could affect real people on a personal novel. No fairy tale here, a piercing portrait of challenging times and challenged people. Click for review, 'beyond the book' article, reading guide & excerpt

Grayson by Lynne Cox Paperback Feb 2008. 160 pages. Published by Mariner Books The majestic natural beauty of the California coast is captured here through a real-life narrative from champion long-distance swimmer Lynne Cox, as she describes an encounter with an 18-foot baby whale lost in the wild and finding its way home. Studded with descriptions of the ocean's beauty and real-life lessons about finding oneself, this is a gentle and quietly moving book. Click for review, 'beyond the book' article, reading guide & excerpt

Curated by Davina Morgan-Witts. Written by Poornima Apte.