California One: The Pacific Coast Highway

The Pacific Coast HighwayCalifornia Onewhich runs the length of the state, is 50 years old this year. This commemorative volume of 165 dramatic color photographs captures the diversity of the oceanside route that is a symbol of California itself. Depicted are the Hearst castle, a house made from scrap, a bikini beauty contest, a beach drifter, the thundering Pacific, luminous hills caught along the 725 miles of highway that Wilkes describes as ""like a great river, twisting and turning, full of surprises.'' The photographs, whether panoramic views of natural splendor or close-ups of human grittiness, reveal the complexity and unpredictability of a journey on California One. (October 9)