California Fault: Looking for the Spirit of a State Along the San Andreas

by Thurston Clarke

"I became interested in earthquakes when one almost killed me," begins acclaimed travel writer Thurston Clarke, "and in California when I discovered it almost killed my ancestor. . . ." His fascination propelled Clarke to take a journey and begin a brilliant exploration of the physical and social landscape of a mythical state.
California has seduced millions with its breathtaking beauty and rich resources. For decades it symbolized the good perfect weather, spectacular beaches, agricultural bounty, limitless opportunity, endless optimism, "a new start, a kinder providence, a rebirth of soul and body." Yet the social problems and natural disasters of recent years have tarnished the image of the golden state. To find out what really happened to the California dream, Clarke set off on a remarkable journey down the San Andreas fault, searching for the places and the people who could enlighten him and perhaps answer the provocative What is it like living in a place that no matter how beautiful, might suddenly, while you opened the cereal, combed your hair, or bathed the baby, strike you dead?
On this incredible excursion, Clarke discovers the tragic fate of the Wiyot Indians and their earthquake legends. . . meets Jerry Hurley, an earthquake "sensitive" whose headaches predict earthquakes with uncanny precision. . . investigates the bitter conflict between California's logging industry and environmentalists. . . uncovers a fascinating conspiracy surrounding the 1906 San Francisco earthquake that rewrote history. . . visits Palm Springs, the glamorous desert hideaway of gated communities, now beset by gangs. . . and stops by the desolate Salton Sea, shaking hands with a determined dreamer who hopes someday to build a blue-collar resort along the abandoned shores.
With wit, irony, and a keen eye for observation, Clarke weaves together sociology, history, personality, and seismology. What emerges is a unique portrait of a fascinating, slightly loony, appealingly complex state, with its allure, eccentricity--and optimism--still wonderfully intact.

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel, History

417 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Thurston Clarke has written eleven widely acclaimed works of fiction and nonfiction, including three New York Times Notable Books. His 'Pearl Harbor Ghosts' was the basis for a CBS documentary, and his bestselling 'Lost Hero', a biography of Raoul Wallenberg, was made into an award-winning NBC miniseries.

Clarke's articles have appeared in Vanity Fair, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and many other publications. The recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and other awards, he lives with his wife and three daughters in upstate New York.

Reviews

[Joseph Gendron · Rating 5 out of 5]

The events described take place in the mid-1990's at a time when many residents of California were questioning the "California Dream". This is a wonderfully entertaining description of the characters and places along a major and active geologic feature that traverses the length of the state. That these events and descriptions are from 25 years ago now, does not diminish the compelling geography. The book is full of history, earthquake geology, astute observations and social commentary that I found thoroughly enjoyable. 5+ stars

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

we bought paperback of this book from Friends of the Palo Alto Library book sale several years ago. last week we went to fopal there's several more copies.
the book is unexpectedly nice reading. initially i thought it was a personal recount. totally opposite, it told stories of all kinds of people living or have lived along the San Andreas fault. the invisible lives you cannot get to know without actually talking to the people or reading this book.

[Elmira · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started strong; ended weak and complainy. Throughout there were many places where obvious questions went unanswered, in spite of the author's verbosity.

[Ning Ke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating journey along the San Andreas and full of surprises. But there’re a lot of factual errors, which are very annoying. Examples: he describes the García river running north to south after hitting the San Andreas Fault, it is in fact south to north. In another chapter, he compares a women’s trailer to that “the Judds used to move west in The Grapes of Wrath”. Judds? Does he mean Joads? I feel no proof reading was done for this book.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

From Eureka to the Salton Sea, Thurston Clarke follows the San Andreas fault, writing about the communities and the people he encounters along the way. His quest is three-fold: To understand what rationale goes into living directly on a fault that’s long overdue for the “the big one,” to walk in the footsteps of his own relative (a California Gold Rush pioneer abandoned by the rest of his party) and to experience a Golden State quake first-hand.

Part travelogue, part quirky character study, part urban study, it’s all entertaining and informative, even for this California native, earthquake-fleeing reader. Clarke uses history, humor, and a fair amount of head-shaking to illuminate how, in the mid-’90s when the book was written, urban planners and local leaders covered the state with gated communities masking as a return to the wholesome ideal of the Midwestern small town. Fighting the good fight are a group of “eccentric community builders” who make up the heart and soul of the state, holding fast to their brand of the American Dream while perched on a rift in the Earth that makes it simultaneously one of the most desirable and most dangerous places in the country to live.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's about California, but this book is scary if you live anywhere on the West Coast, aka the Ring of Fire... YIKES. The truly crazy parts are about how people-desperate for cheap land, pretty views, and whatever remnants of the good life they can grab--just move right back into areas that have been devastated and are literally built ON the fault. Also a great chapter about the San Francisco Fire, as I recall, which was really an earthquake followed by some fires.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this several years, and loved the travel through my beloved home state while introducing us to some colorful and real characters who inhabit this sometimes weird and diverse state...all while searching for the elusive earthquake.

I was surprised at the readability of the book and the terrific stories of the people and locations and social observations all through my wonderful home that is California.

[sarah fike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book I first read several years ago. Great stories of the quirky towns and people living along the San Andreas.

[Cathy Camper · Rating 3 out of 5]

the author follows the San Andreas fault line through CA, interviewing folks along the way, which provides an interesting portrait both of CA and the pending 'big one.'

[Elly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting. I read stuff about my state of California I never knew.

[Jonathan Bechtel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very entertaining book. I'm probably going to grab his other non-fiction books.