Hillinger's California: Stories from All 58 Counties

by Charles Hillinger

The California that Charles Hillinger writes about is not the stereotypical land of movie stars, sensational trials, or tourist snapshots. Instead, he reveals a patchwork of incredible variety and uniqueness in the out-of-the-way places and everyday people found throughout this remarkable state. As a Los Angeles Times columnist who wrote thousands of human-interest stories during forty-six years of traveling the world, Charles Hillinger hones in on what makes each of California's counties different from the others. Listeners learn about the man who flew an airplane long before the Wright Brothers did, the church with stained-glass windows commemorating preachers who were murdered or accidentally killed, and the museum with the largest collection of mummies on the West Coast. The stories are down-to-earth without excessive sentiment or philosophy.

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, Travel

MP3 CD

First published January 1, 1997

Reviews

[Linda Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read this in 2010. Here's my first review:

I loved this book. It was one of the first audiobooks I ever bought from Audible.com, and I listened to it while I took my daily walks in the Klamath River Valley of Northern California, where I lived at the time.

Charles Hillinger was a Los Angeles Times feature writer and columnist. He decided to explore and write about one place in each of California's 58 counties. I lived in California most of my life, but still learned about places and people I'd never heard of before.

If you love California or want to tour there, this book is sure to be enjoyable and informative. I have moved on from California, to Idaho, since I read this book, but I still hope to return to my home state to travel and write like Charles Hillinger did.

Well, it happened. After 6+ years in Idaho, I moved back to the Klamath River Valley. While on my trip to Idaho to retrieve things I'd left there in storage I decided to listen to the Hillinger's California audiobook again. It had been 10 years since I'd last listened in. The second audio-reading experience was just as good as the first. I still love this book. I love learning about California. I'd been to many of the places described, but some were new to me. Great history!

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

For years on American TV Charles Osgood narrated small gems. Human interest stories that sounded like pure honey. Another TV reporter of this type if material, mostly about California, was Huell Howser. In print, in the LA Times, was Charles Hillinger. The material in this collection is not my favorite stuff. That may be inCalifornia Characters which I have ordered and will read soon. This book is about oddities, secret places, forgotten stories, discoveries of a probing mind. Some I like very much, but there may be just a little too much sugar in one dose for me. I recommend this book to those who like the human interest type writing.

[Drea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Needed a better editor as many of the stories abruptly end or circle back on themselves. However, this was still an awesome read and I've got a lot of places on my travel wish list now.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice mix of science/nature aspects of the state vs. history.

[Tome Addiction · Rating 2 out of 5]

A series of enjoyable short stories, some better than others.