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Napa: The Story of an American Eden James Conaway
 Description From The Publisher: James Conaway's remarkable bestseller delves into the heart of California's lush and verdant Napa Valley, also known as America's Eden. Long the source of succulent grapes and singular wines, this region is also the setting for the remarkable true saga of the personalities behind the winemaking empires. This is the story of Gallos and Mondavis, of fortunes made and lost, of dynasties and destinies. In this delightful, full-bodied social history, James Conaway charts the rise of a new aristocracy and, in so doing, chronicles the collective ripening of the American dream. More than a wine book, Napa is a must-read for anyone interested in our country's obsession with money, land, power, and prestige. Reviews Less than 30 years ago, oak trees claimed more Napa Valley soil than grapevines. A few winemakers who had held on through Prohibition and some newcomers, deemed eccentric by most, had great faith in the potential preeminence of Napa wines. They planted grapes unknown to the Valley--Chardonnay, Cabernet--and within 25 years, Napa wines had come to rival those of France and Italy. Former Washington Post reporter Conaway (The Kingdom in the Country, LJ 10/15/87) carefully profiles Napa's visionaries, telling their personal stories and revealing the unlikely sources of their inspiration, some of it the stuff of fevered historical romance fiction. He also documents the 1970s invasion of tourism and the big liquor companies. His book is readable and authoritative, if somewhat exhausting. Another history of Napa will not be needed for many years. —Tim Zindel, Hastings College of the Law, San Francisco {The author} seems to have spoken to hundreds of people and then laid outtheir stories with nearly catastrophic inefficiency. . . . And, particularly in the early chapters, . . . {he} seems to be struggling to find a writing style; his choppy, wooden language is especially evident in the reporting of conversation. . . . The later sections of the book, largely concerned with the debate over the continuing commercial development that is seen by many as a relentless threat to the valley, are more cohesive. . . . And if you come away from'Napa' knowing not much more about the smaller details of wine making and wine than you knew going in, you do end up . . . with a strong insider's view of this astonishing valley. —Richard Flaste - The New York Times Book Review
About the Author James Conaway, the author of nine previous books, is a contributing editor for Preservation and a regular contributor to Smithsonian, National Geographic Traveler, and Food & Wine magazines, among many others. Table of Contents
Find Items On Similar Subjects  The Far Side of Eden: The Ongoing Saga of Napa ValleyNapa: An Architectural Walking TourNapa Valley: The Land, The Wine, The People
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