Where Light Takes Its Color from the Sea: A California Notebook

James D. Houston
Foreword by Alan Cheuse

Hardcover, ISBN: 978-1-59714-083-6, $21.95
296 pages (5.5 x 8.5)

A BayTree Book

A stirring collection of short prose by the author of Snow Mountain Passage

Taking inspiration from California’s breathtaking landscapes, history, and distinctive ways of life, Where Light Take Its Color from the Sea reveals a writer’s keen appreciation of place. This selection of James D. Houston’s essays and short stories illuminates the themes and styles he has explored in his forty years as a writer.

Santa Cruz, Houston’s home—a radiant city by the sea, enclosed by densely forested mountains—provides both a literal and figurative vantage point from which to stand and observe. From the cupola of his historic house, Houston describes the timeworn candy store across the street, the touch of light on the mountains and the sea, his forebears’ journey to California; it is a history, an appreciation, a map of human emotion. Skillfully and thoughtfully, Houston weaves the compelling story of America’s fascination with the West as he shares his personal fascination with his own home. In this examination of the particular, he reveals the universal, showing us why he is one of the nation’s most celebrated contemporary writers.

Advance Praise:

“Sober (in the very best sense), considered, thoughtful—these pieces represent the very best of James D. Houston’s magnificent work.”—Carolyn See, author of There Will Never Be Another You and Golden Days

“James D. Houston has long since established himself as one of the West’s finest writers. This scintillating collection reaffirms that he is indeed one of the defining authors of his time and place.”—Gerald Haslam, author of Haslam’s Valley

“He’s writing about where—and how—we all live.”—Alan Cheuse, from the Foreword

About the Author:

Born in San Francisco, James D. Houston has lived for many years in Santa Cruz. He has written eight novels, the most recent of which is Bird of Another Heaven (2007). Snow Mountain Passage (2002) was named one of the year’s best books by the Los Angeles Times  and the Washington Post. With his wife, Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston, he co-authored Farewell to Manzanar, a novel about the Japanese American internment. Among his numerous honors are a Wallace Stegner Fellowship at Stanford, two American Book Awards, and the Humanitas Prize.

Author website: www.jamesdhouston.com