His premise for writing this book was pretty forward. Each landscape, by virtue of its own geography, history and psychology offers its own story. Arax dug deep into the dirt of California, and found that the promise of a golden land became a myth to many who followed its pull. Yet new dreamers continue to come.
His first book was "In My Father's Name" which looked into the mystery surrounding his father's murder, and he was co-author of "The King of California" which the LA Times named Best Book of the Year in 2003.
Mr. Arax lives in Fresno and teaches nonfiction writing at the Claremont McKenna College.