Modern California Politics.
By Jackson K. Putnam. Second Edition. San Francisco: Boyd & Fraser Publishing Company. 1984. Bibliography. Index. 114 Pages. $4.95 Paper.
One reviewer said the first edition of this book was "an excellent starting point for someone interested in California's fascinating political history." The updating of the book through the election of 1982 assures us that the statement is still an accurate one. Putnam reviews California politics since 1920, primarily focusing on gubernatorial politics and policies, which is probably the only feasible approach in a book this short. It is a sound, balanced synthesis of the literature on the subject, with an updated bibliography to use in pursuing specific topics in more depth.
