Books

Run River, by Joan Didion (1963)

Didion wrote her first novel right out of college when she was working at Vogue. This gripping story of marriage, adultery, and murder among the great grandchildren of Western pioneers is set along the banks of her native Sacramento.

The Swan: Tales of the Sacramento Valley, by Andrew F. O'Hara (2004)

Written by a retired California Highway Patrolman, these short stories revolve around everyday people, with the Sacramento Valley as the connecting thread between them.

Sacramento: Indomitable City (Making of America Series), by Steven M. Avella (2003)

Historian Avella traces Sac's roots, from its native tribes, to becoming a Western outpost, to its present status as the capital of a state boasting the eighth largest economy in the world.

Historic Photos of Sacramento, by James Scott and Tom Tolley (2007)

This coffee-table volume features black-and-white archival photos that capture the events and flavor of the city's transformation from the late 19th century through World War II hardships and its ascent to a historical and political hub of the Golden State.