Stories and essays by the highly acclaimed author of Snow Mountain Passage and coauthor of Farewell to Manzanar. Taking inspiration from California s breathtaking landscapes, history, and distinctive way of life, Where Light Take Its Color from the Sea reveals a writer s keen appreciation of place. This collection of Houston s shorter work spans his forty-year career and tackles varied topics: the concept of regionalism, lessons of a master potter, the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, and various aspects of American history, including the gold rush, the Donner party, and the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII. Santa Cruz a coastal city circumscribed by a mountain range where Houston makes his home provides both a literal and figurative place from which to stand and observe. From the historic cupola of his house, he describes the timeworn candy store across the street, the touch of light on the mountains and the sea, his forebears journey to California, and other perspectives on place. A new regionalism is on the rise, according to Houston, one that is characterized by conscious choice and has a higher level of awareness about the interlocking and interdependent workings of the world. Those who are familiar with the author s novels will enjoy the eloquence of his shorter works, while others will be delighted to discover this writer, traveler, and native Californian.