From the Prussian pioneer who arrived in Colusa in 1852 through his great grandson, the oldest and longest-tenured governor in state history, Miriam Pawel examines how four generations of a remarkable family came to play such a vital role in shaping California. Drawing heavily on archival materials, including the Jerry Brown papers at USC, and supplemented with extensive interviews, she uses the family as a lens through which to narrate a history of the Golden State.

Pawel is a journalist, author, and independent historian. The Browns of California is her third book; she also wrote the first biography of Cesar Chavez and a history of the United Farm Workers. She spent 25 years as an award-winning reporter and editor at Newsday and the Los Angeles Times before turning to narrative non-fiction. 

Lunch provided; RSVP req.

usc.edu/esvp, code: BROWNS

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