Daughters of the Revolution by Carolyn Cooke, Knopf, $24.95. Historical novel set in the ’60s in which the headmaster of a boys’ school vows never to integrate — then, through a clerical error, an African American girl wins a scholarship. The story deals with all of the era’s issues. The award-winning author lives in Mendocino and on San Francisco’s Russian Hill.
The Left Coast: California on the Edge by Philip and Alex Fradkin, UC Press, $29.95. A father and son from West Marin spent three years writing, photographing and traveling up and down California’s coastline. This oversize book includes snippets of history, geography, interviews and personal experiences. Stories highlight areas both pristine and polluted.
Making Sense of People: Decoding the Mysteries of Personality by Samuel Barondes, FT Press, $25.99. Who wouldn’t like to better understand their boss, a neighbor or a daughter’s boyfriend? This short (217-page), well-reviewed book by the UCSF psychiatrist and Sausalito resident may well provide answers. Reading it will help you “read” people. Jim Wood
