Alta California, Nick Neely
Alta California, Nick Neely
1 Rating(s)
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Alta California
From San Diego to San Francisco, A Journey on Foot to Rediscover the Golden State

Author: Nick Neely

Narrator: Tristan Wright

Unabridged: 17 hr 36 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 03/16/2020

Categories: Nonfiction, Travel

Synopsis

Nick Neely chronicles his 650-mile trek on foot from San Diego to San Francisco, following the route of the first overland Spanish expedition into what was soon called Alta California. Led by Gaspar de Portol in 1769, the expedition sketched a route that would become, in part, the famous El Camino Real. It laid the foundation for the Golden State we know today, a place that remains as mythical and captivating as any in the world. Neely grew up in California but realized how little he knew about its history. So he set off to learn it bodily, with just a backpack and a tent, trekking through stretches of California both lonely and urban. For twelve weeks, following the journal of expedition missionary Father Juan Cresp, Neely kept pace with the ghosts of the Portol expedition?nearly 250 years later. Weaving together natural and human history, Alta California relives his adventure, tells a story of Native cultures and the Spanish missions that soon devastated them, and explores the evolution of California and its landscape. The result is a collage of historical and contemporary California, of lyricism and pedestrian serendipity, and of the biggest issues facing California today?water, agriculture, oil and gas, immigration, and development?all of it one step at a time.

About Nick Neely

Nick Neely is an experienced author and hiker who holds a master's degree in literature, environmental studies, nonfiction, and poetry. The recipient of PEN Northwest's Boyden Wilderness Writing Residency, a UC Berkeley 11th Hour Food and Farming Journalism Fellowship, and an AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Award, he currently resides in Hailey, Idaho.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Christine on December 20, 2020

I was not a happy camper while reading this book. I found it awfully slow and mostly dull reading. And I'm a history addict, so go figure. I would NOT compare it to a Bill Bryson book. There is no comparison! I inhale his books. There was no humor in Alta California, and maybe that was why it was su......more

Goodreads review by Patty on November 22, 2019

Come along for the walk, but let Nick do all the sweating, swearing, and death-defying stuff. It's a great adventure with an amazing narrative that pings you between the Franciscans' journey in 1769 and present day coastal California. This books feels like having a great guide who knows all the cool......more

Goodreads review by Pamela on November 27, 2020

I loved this book, it was long but a meditative read. I love my great state of California and was able to visualize all the places he traveled. It was so interesting to learn of our history. This is a great read, especially for a Californian.......more

Goodreads review by Annie on February 07, 2020

Alta California changes your perception and understanding of California, supplying rich history, details of flora and fauna, fascinating chance encounters with people and places along the route, and all of it grounded in a close recounting of the 'seminal journey' of the Portolá expedition of 1769.......more

Goodreads review by Dayna on February 08, 2020

I could visualize so much of his walk as many of these areas are where I like to roam. I loved his attention to birds as well; how their presence is noted and is a form of companionship, especially when one is alone in the wilderness. Chatty bushtits always make me smile, too. Great read for those w......more

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