This comprehensive five-volume series investigates the complex evolution of the California Dream and its profound impact on the social, political, and cultural identity of the American West. Kevin Starr, a preeminent historian and former State Librarian of California, utilizes an expansive archival approach to synthesize decades of primary source material, including personal diaries, government records, and architectural surveys. His framework examines how the mythic promise of California shaped the aspirations of its inhabitants and the broader trajectory of the United States throughout the twentieth century.

Historians and critics widely regard this series as the definitive scholarly account of California's development. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which provides a rigorous and exhaustive look at the state's multifaceted history.