In Part 2 of my conversation with Dr. Jason Sexton, we delve into Kevin’s attempt to understand the “California experience.”
Kevin Starr tried to chronicle California’s history in a nuanced yet idealistic way, which connected him to earlier California historians such as Josiah Royce and Carey McWilliams.
According to Jason, Starr was an open-minded, generous figure who sought to bring people together through his writings that celebrate ordinary Californians. His Catholic faith shaped this vision of California, and his honesty and empathy helped him grapple with darker aspects of the state’s history, like the treatment of Native Americans. Along the way, Jason introduces us to Starr’s major works, like Endangered Dreams and Embattled Dreams. These books show Starr’s literary mastery in capturing California’s depth and complexity—the awesome but conflicting stories that make California unique.
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