Michael Hiltzik deconstructs the California dream

Michael Hiltzik, the author of "Golden State: The Making of California," examines five centuries from the Spanish conquistadors to Silicon Valley, challenging the enduring mythology that has shaped both California and America. Rather than offer another celebration of the California dream, Hiltzik reveals how the state has served as America's testing ground — where national ideals about opportunity, innovation, and reinvention were both realized and betrayed. The state's true history, he argues, provides essential insights into America's character and future.