Where Light Takes Its Color from the Sea: A California Notebook

by James D. Houston, Alan Cheuse (Foreword by)

Stories and essays by the highly acclaimed author of Snow Mountain Passage and coauthor of Farewell to Manzanar. Taking inspiration from California s breathtaking landscapes, history, and distinctive way of life, Where Light Take Its Color from the Sea reveals a writer s keen appreciation of place. This collection of Houston s shorter work spans his forty-year career and tackles varied the concept of regionalism, lessons of a master potter, the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, and various aspects of American history, including the gold rush, the Donner party, and the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII. Santa Cruz a coastal city circumscribed by a mountain range where Houston makes his home provides both a literal and figurative place from which to stand and observe. From the historic cupola of his house, he describes the timeworn candy store across the street, the touch of light on the mountains and the sea, his forebears journey to California, and other perspectives on place. A new regionalism is on the rise, according to Houston, one that is characterized by conscious choice and has a higher level of awareness about the interlocking and interdependent workings of the world. Those who are familiar with the author s novels will enjoy the eloquence of his shorter works, while others will be delighted to discover this writer, traveler, and native Californian.

275 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2008

About the author

James Houston is the author of 8 novels and several nonfiction books. His work includes Snow Mountain Passage and Farewell to Manzanar.

Reviews

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Collection of easy-to-read essays, in 4 parts, which flow from one to the next like carefully crafted movements of music. Part 1 is largely Santa Cruz, CA area history, including essays about the author's time in a historical mansion which had fallen into disrepair. Houston has lived in SC since the first serious tourist wave of the early 60s, prior to the building of UCSC and the town's subsequent growth and development. Part 2 is a collection of stories about Houston's family, which together tell the history of his mountain men ancestors, and the tale of how the family came to live in San Francisco. Part 3, my favorite, is about writing and writers. These essays tell stories about other Western US authors, and sparked my interest in reading their books (Bayard Taylor's Eldorado, for example). Most interesting is his account of the filming of "Farewell to Manzanar," which he wrote with Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston. She also wrote part of the essay, which tells of her activities and emotions when placed back in the environment of a CA internment camp for Japanese, along with cast members who had been interned or were descended from those interned. Part 4 is fiction, but told in first person. By this time, I was so used to Houston's engaging style of telling historical facts that I had to keep reminding myself that these fictional stories (Part 4) were not a part of his personal history. Very enjoyable read!

[Erin Caricofe]

Talented West Coast writer with a passion for the Central Coast of CA and an easy talent for writing about Place, people, etc. The word "pleasant" comes to mind, and indeed this collection of essays does provide refreshing moments and reflections beyond the current bigger, better, faster, more... Not subtle, just well-done.

[Fran · Rating 3 out of 5]

What was this book about....just when I thought I knew the path this book was taking it went off on another tangent. I liked it for the most part, especially being from the area described in the book. One last comment...what was that ending all about.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the essays better than the fiction.
The essays include "The Path of Empire" which is the foreword to "Eldorado" by Bayard Taylor and why we read that book.

[Gary Shapiro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listen to my great conversation with this author:
http://web.mac.com/garyshapiro