Napa Valley Farming  (Available now, from Arcadia Press, your local bookstore, and Napa Traditions )

 Napa, California

Napans tend more than grapevines. The area's diverse soil and mild climate make possible a generous yield of agricultural products. This book traces the cultivation of these products through a chronology of Napa's farming history, from indigenous food plants to the orchard that were planted to feed gold miners-- orchards that would soon function as both therapy and sustenance for the patients in the newly created Asylum. Immigrants from Italy and Germany and Japan and China joined newly emancipated slaves and Mexican citizens who had settled here before the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Together they cultivated the land...(Click for More)

The Land of Orange Groves and Jails: Upton Sinclair's California
Novelist and muckraker Upton Sinclair will forever be associated with The Jungle; however, Sinclair deserves equal accolades for his entertaining critiques of Southern California's oil industry, movie studios, and urban sprawl—most of which still apply today. The Land of Orange Groves and Jails spans fifty years of Sinclair's funny and fiery writings. Taken together, these plays, novels, articles, and pamphlets show how Sinclair's personal life inspired his political activism.

"As a pioneer critic of those who use mass media to distract and debase the electorate, Upton Sinclair remains at least as timely as when he wrote, and arguably more so. Like a skillful host, Professor Coodley introduces us to a fascinating individual, a force of nature whose activism moved history. It's good to see him back - and in fighting form." - Gray Brechin, Author of Imperial San Francisco

Click here to read the Introduction, and here for more Reviews

Napa: The Transformation of an American Town
The book is part of The Making of America Series presented by Arcadia Publishing. The revised 2007 edition was written with Paula Amen Schmitt and it includes a foreword by Carol Kammen.

September 27, 2004 - New book takes a look at how Napa evolved to what it is today

August 1, 2004 - Press Democrat - "Napa on tap: Hold the ritz, hold the glitz"

"I grew up in Southern California and Napa is not my home town, but this book captured and held my interest every page of the way. It is a surprisingly poignant account of how life has evolved in Napa for the people and creatures living there - from thousands of years ago, up through the decades of the 20th century. I think almost anyone could enjoy this classic American story - the rise and fall of the native Americans, waves of settlers migrating from everywhere, the gold rush, the changing role of women, rise and fall of labor unions & small business, racial relations, and most recently - urban sprawl in a one industry (wine making) city. All this is told through very personal accounts about or by people living in Napa during these times. I particularly appreciated the author's focus on women and girls. If only our school text books could be half this interesting. I highly recommend this book." - Helen Cartwright (quoted from amazon.com)

"Napa's beauty, wineries, and weather draw visitors. To discover the history of this town, Lauren Coodley's book anchors Napa in its fascinating past. To visit here without reading her book is to miss the remarkable evolution of Napa: Indigenous people, Spanish landowners, gold seekers, farmers: all played a part in transforming the face of Napa and Napa Valley. The book is filled with wonderful photographs, and includes a recipe for Malfatti, the well known 'raviolis without flour' still served today at The Depot restaurant. I strongly suggest reading this before your visit to Napa. It will be all the more enjoyable for doing so." - Winnie St. John (quoted from amazon.com)

If Not to History... Recovering the Stories of Women in Napa

published by The Napa County Historical Society in 2009

I. Essay: Retracing Juliana’s Path
Photograph: George Yount
Poem: Hunting I
Photograph: Aetna Springs

II. Photograph: Ivy Loeber
Essay: “History Isn’t Always Taught Properly”: the Legacy of Ivy Loeber
Photograph: The Goodman Library
Poem: Brown Street

(click for more )

California: A Multicultural Documentary History
A primary source reader that focuses on the diverse experiences of all groups included in the histories of California: Filipino Americans, farm workers, Japanese farmers, African-Americans, civil rights activists, and more. Blending documents from both public and private sources, this collection will not only successfully hold the attention of students, but also construct a more complete understanding of the people and events that created and shaped California.

"My students are always bored by textbooks but this one breaks the mold. The documents paint a rich portrait of the past, giving students a window into what California was like for the native peoples, the Mexican ranchers, and pioneer women. A rare blend of multiculturalism, social history, and a way of weaving local stories into the broader narrative. My students are excited when they learn by reading old diaries, seeing family pictures, and personal accounts. This book is sure to excite, challenge, and enlighten!"
- Michael Moriarty, Los Angeles (quoted from Amazon.com)