Oildale native, Gerald Haslam, doesn t like it when folks dismiss the Central Valley as boring and flat. In this collection of essays, he argues that it is California s heartland and economic hub. In addition, the valley has produced a crop of gifted writers. These nineteen essays range from reminiscences of childhood and adolescence to a portrait of Mexican-Americans and their position in the Valley s society to a moving essay about having the author s aging father come to live with the family. Even if you have never lived in the Valley, reading this book will give you an entirely new perspective the next time you drive into it.