5 best novels set in California
Welcome to the radiant land of endless sunshine, where palm trees sway to a Californian rhythm and majestic shores kiss the Pacific. A land where dreams, diversity, and destiny intertwine against a backdrop of golden sunsets. The eclectic narratives and dramatic sequels of novels set in this Paradise are as diverse as the 'Golden State' itself. Taste the surreal Hollywood glamour, relish in the historical richness of the Gold Rush era, or dance with the complexities of identity and immigration tales weaving through tech-forward Silicon Valley. Roam through the literary landscape that not only encapsulates California's picturesque beauty but its cultural essence, through the lens of the world-renowned authors.
East of Eden
By John Steinbeck
How it fits the "novels set in California" vibe: An epic novel from a Nobel laureate that captures the essence of California's Salinas Valley and its rich tapestry of lives in the early 20th century.
4.5 / 5 Stars on Google Books
Publisher: Penguin
Page Count: 612
Published Date: 2002-02-05
The Grapes of Wrath
By John Steinbeck
How it fits the "novels set in California" vibe: Set during the Great Depression, the novel focuses on the Joads, a poor family of tenant farmers driven from their Oklahoma home by drought and economic hardship to the agricultural promised land of California.
5 / 5 Stars on Google Books
Publisher: Penguin
Page Count: 532
Published Date: 2006-03-28
Play It as It Lays
By Joan Didion
How it fits the "novels set in California" vibe: It captures the fragmented world of the Hollywood elite in the '60s, providing a searing exploration of a woman navigating a sizzling Californian landscape.
Publisher: Open Road Media
Page Count: 157
Published Date: 2017-05-09
Mildred Pierce
By James M. Cain
How it fits the "novels set in California" vibe: This novel tells a bitter tale of a woman's obsessive love for her daughter amidst the ambitious world of 1930s Southern California.
Publisher: Vintage Crime/Black Lizard
Page Count: 307
Published Date: 2010-12-29
Ask the Dust
By John Fante
How it fits the "novels set in California" vibe: Centering on the semi-autobiographical character Arturo Bandini in 1930s Los Angeles, Fante portrays a seedy yet romantic vision of California where dreams clash with harsh reality.
Publisher: Harper Collins
Page Count: 192
Published Date: 2010-05-18