Orange County: A Literary Field Guide

by Lisa Alvarez (Editor), Lisa Alvarez (Editor)

Even by California’s standards, the County of Orange teems with abundance: in sweeping topography along the azure Pacific, in sprawling suburbs, in promises of prosperity, and in its self-perpetuated reputation as a citrus-lined paradise. But the acclaimed fertility of this corner of California is not just agricultural or economic, as this new anthology shows. In this literary field guide, more than sixty writers—some well known, others emerging—lead readers on a tour that begins at the coast and heads inland over the Santa Ana Mountains, through the canyons, and into the cities of Anaheim, Irvine, and Orange in search of vistas of truth.

Luminaries including Michael Chabon, Philip K. Dick, Steve Martin, and Susan Straight explore the complexities and contradictions of the county, locating readers in a place made in equal measure by 950 square miles of land and the imagination. A foreword by Gustavo Arellano, author of Orange County: A Personal History and the syndicated column ¡Ask a Mexican!, unravels the idealized past and paradoxical present of this much-mythologized locale.

Genres: Nonfiction

414 pages, Paperback

Published February 1, 2017

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comprehensive edit of stories from Orange County, California writers from the past and present, including different regions which acknowledges the vastness of the region. Included are excerpts from books on Orange County.

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a selection for my library book discussion group. I was not looking forward to reading it, but was pleasantly surprised. I learned a lot about Orange County, my home since 1996. And I have filled up my library "to read" lists with local authors I would have never had heard of otherwise. I'm glad I gave it a chance.

[Scott Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great anthology whether you live in Orange County or somewhere else in the world. But if you do happen to live here, or have lived here, or plan to live here, it is essential reading. Lisa Alvarez and Andrew Tonkovich have done a wonderful job collecting stories, poems, and essays that make the region and it's history come alive.

To be a thinking person living in Orange County is to both hate it and love it and that comes through in the book. Orange County can seem soulless and empty, filled with traffic and endless tract homes but somehow we come to love it, feel safe here, and know it is home. Reading stories about home written by people who lived here was a thrill.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and different way to think about where I grew up. I enjoyed that there were writings spanning much of Orange County's history.