SOCIAL SCIENCES

The Browns of California: The Family Dynasty That Transformed a State and Shaped a Nation

by Miriam Pawel
Bloomsbury Pr. Sept. 2018. 480p. photos. notes. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781632867339. $35. BIOG
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With previous works under her belt about Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Pawel (The Crusades of Cesar Chavez) now turns her attention to California's prominent Brown family. While many other family members are discussed, the book focuses heavily on the father-son duo who would both become the state's governor—Pat and Jerry Brown. Starting from when the different branches of the Irish-German Catholic clan immigrated to the United States—and, subsequently, California—this book follows the rise and fall (and second rise, with Jerry) of the Browns' political fortunes. While clearly sympathetic to the Browns, Pawel is not an apologist for some of their less-popular actions or less-effective policies. She notes both the good and the bad, which makes for a refreshing read.
VERDICT Well researched, with an extensive bibliography of primary sources, this work will appeal to both scholarly and armchair historians, as well as readers with an interest in contemporary politics, California history, modern history, family history, and biography.
Reviewed by Crystal Goldman, Univ. of California, San Diego Lib. , Sep 01, 2018
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