Author Ruth Pittman writes with graceful ease and contagious enthusiasm about the missions, the gold rush, the rich cultural diversity, and issues as old as California--water, social programs, the environment, and more.
I love the Roadside History series. This is a great, comprehensive history of California, given by region, then by cities and towns within each region. I plan most of my vacation trips around historical places, and although this is more of a history book than a travel guide, it's a good tool to help in planning trips around historical places.
I really enjoyed reading this. Make sure to have a large road atlas to hand (I got the AAA version) so you can trace the places mentioned as you read through!