Henry Miller's description of the California coastline is just as accurate today as when it was written several years after the author settled at Big Sur. The landscape of California is indeed one of a kind and the region holds many attractions for visitors: the snow-capped mountains of the Sierra Nevadas, the parched wastelands of Death Valley and the Mojave Desert, the spectacular forests of giant redwoods in the national parks. And, of course, there are San Francisco and Los Angeles, each unique both distinctively California in style. In the colour photographs illustrating this volume, Christian Heeb has captured the drama of the California landscape as well as the excitement of urban life in the rapidly-expanding cities. Gunther Barth has contributed an introductory essay on the history and culture of the region, taking a wry but critical look at the California myth and also conveying a sense of his personal enthusiasm for the Golden West. The volume also contains a collection of texts by some of the many writers who have sung the praises of California, plus a concise travel guide packed with practical hints and suggestions for sightseeing.