A California Reading List
California has played the backdrop for some of our favorite artists and their best books. It’s also our home. We thought we’d share a little list of books that continue to add texture, context, humor and descriptions of the beautifully complicated state of California. Fire over any we missed and enjoy.—Travis Ferré
Cawdor by Robinson Jeffers
Robinson Jeffers coined the term “inhumanism” (which I love) : The belief that humankind is too self-centered and too indifferent to the "astonishing beauty of things.” This story illustrates — in a very raw, show don’t-tell-manner — a lot of philosophical theories on nature, stoicism, the elements vs. human kind, etc. Jeffers' writing is all based on the central California coast. He was a misunderstood pacifist in his time and built a beautiful stone home in Carmel called Tor House that you can visit today.
Fridays at Enricos by Don Carpenter
If you like reading about drinking and “the writer’s life” — which usually consists of making your social and domestic affairs a mess of late nights, drinking and dancing and writing about, well, this book is for you. Don Carpenter’s last book — which was finished posthumously by Jonathan Lether — is for those of us who probably romanticize a life of cafe sits and long afternoons spent inebriated and gazing at humanity.
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
I made it through all of my English Lit degrees and somehow never read this until recently. I always looked at it as some boring dust bowl book or something. But I could not have been more wrong. It is incredible. One of the greatest stories of all time, period and happens to be based in the area of CA you are eying for the film. You will not want to put it down and you will cry not only because it is a heartbreaking story but because it ends.
Big Sur by Jack Kerouac
There is very little of the road trip enthusiasm you find in On the Road here. Big Sur is DARK. Basically Kerouac melting down completely while trying to get sober in a small cabin in Big Sur, isolated but immersed in nature, I read it when I was like young and I basically underlined the whole thing because I probably glamorized it and now realize how sad it is. Just a glimpse into the soul as it’s being destroyed by life and drink and how even you can become engulfed in nature’s overgrowth.
Big Sur and the Oranges of Hieronymus Bosch by Henry Miller
Miller struggling to achieve literary ascendancy and then struggling with obtaining literary ascendancy in Big Sur. Some moments of brilliance in here, seeing the artist come to terms with achieving the burden that is title of great artist. A great portrait into the mind of the artist and where it goes at various stages of growth.
A Confederate General in Big Sur by Richard Brautigan
Brautigan is a comic relief from a dark era in CA — although spoiler alert! he has a tragic and dark end too. His brilliance though is his irreverence in the face of reality. His classic book, Trout Fishing in America is one of the most interesting books of all-time. But I found this one to be a hoot as well.
The Road to Los Angeles by John Fante
Bukowski's hero was Fante, and I read this book when I was really young and again now. It’s so simple, but follows a kid working in factories in San Pedro, CA. Just raw adolescent realism in all its vulgar and audacious realities. Fante’s classic is Ask the Dust, which is good too and based in LA but more of a love story, I like the audacity of the youth in The Road to Los Angeles.
The Dogs of Winter by Kem Nunn
I got to have lunch with Kem Nunn last year and was a pretty awesome experience, he’s probably the best fiction writer we have from the surf world. He wrote on Sons of Anarchy and John from Cincinnati. His first book Tapping the Source (1982) was based in Huntington Beach and inspired Point Break. Dogs of Winter is really interesting. It’s about Northern California, Big Wave surfing, Native American lands, witchcraft, savagery etc. It’s always refreshing to read about surfing in a fiction book and have it be well done. Doesn’t happen often, but Kem Nunn is the guy if you’re craving that.
Set the Night on the Fire by Mike Davis and Jon Wiener
My wife is a “recovering” journalist. She loved this book and Mike Davis (who recently passed away, but did so much documenting of California’s rich history he’s an exciting discovery). Everything you’d ever want to know about the history of all subculture, minorities, radical politics and Southern California are here — which is turns out is often a hot topic these days, go figure! Become well versed after reading this book. Also good: City of Quartz by Mike Davis. Everything you would EVER need to know about Southern California’s origins.
Inherent Vice by Thomas Pynchon
Pynchon is a master at unearthing deep subculture in the most insanely detailed manner and he writes some of the best passages about surfers and surfing ever in this book. You don't see it in the film as much (which is more fun once you read the book) but I loved the surfing passages in the book. “What was ‘walking on water,’ if it wasn’t Bible talk for surfing?” Obvious inspiration for the site you’re reading this on:)
Play It As It Lays by Joan Didion
A dark book but probably the greatest book ever written about Los Angeles / Southern California really.
The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner
This one is about San Francisco, but Kushner is a modern master of penetrating and immersing in subculture and I’ve become a huge fan.
The Day of the Locust by Nathaniel West
Quintessential Hollywood / California book. Just makes you fall deeper for California. More LA based but some inspiration throughout.
The Pump House Gang by Tom Wolfe
Short story you gotta read if you haven’t. It’s Intro 101 to surf writing. '60s La Jolla during the Race Riots of LA and the wealthy and lazy surf bums. Some classic lines and quotes in here. Not entirely unlike our modern condition. Definitely some crossover.
Surfing California by Bank Wright
My dad gave me this book when I was a kid and I treat it like a Bible. (it was published in 1973) but I believe every surfer in CA should have it and do the same. Half the spots are secrets and he somehow got away with it in a time that was a no-no and it is an underground cult classic for it’s frank descriptions of every single surf spot on the coast. Bank spent a year photographing and writing and documenting every surf spot up and down the coast of CA and it still holds up today. It’s like a little handbook of California surf spot daydreams.
Screams from the Balcony, Living on Luck and Reach for the Sun: Bukowski Letters 1960-1994:
These are really great bite-size letters from Bukowski’s whole career and as an artist I think it’s the most honest depiction of the reality of the difficulties in “playing the game.” I know Bukowski isn’t for everyone but these letters are as honest and real as anything I've read about being a writer and sticking to your guns by any means necessary and doing it your way. Fun to pick up at anytime and get psyched about doing things the hard way. Dug me out of some deep holes. I devoured this whole series of books back to back to back rapidly and still reference them all the time.
[Above photo: Joan Didion]
