The Devil's Punchbowl

The Devils Punchbowl: A Cultural & Geographical Map of California Today is an anthology edited by Red Hen Presss Managing Editor, Kate Gale, and Los Angeles Times reporter and editor Veronique de Turenne. Essays were commissioned from writers living in California, who were asked to reflect on an aspect of the states geography, natural or man-made: Alcatraz Island and its prison; Manzanar and Mt. Whitney; Big Sur and Joshua Tree; Los Angeles oil derricks and Mountain Views Google headquarters; the farms of the Central Valley and the redwoods of the Northern Coastland. Does Alcatraz, from its important role in Native American activist history to todays defunct prison, retain meaning beyond a tourist attraction? How is the expanding border fence between Southern California and Mexico affecting, economically and psychologically, the individuals who live near it? Californias outsized cultural and economic impact on both our country and the rest of the world necessitate a continual taking stock, to prevent losing ourselves in the states constant transformations. The Devils Punchbowl captures a pivotal time in our countrys history, as some of the states most recognized, complex, and accomplished writers describe their relationship with Californias ever-changing geographic, economic, and psychic landscape.