Steven M. Avella - The Good Life: Sacramentos Consumer Culture

The Good Life began with a request from Jim Kempert of Arcadia Publishing to consider another Sacramento-based title. I floated the idea of doing this book on mass consumption, using Arcadias popular format to explore an important dimension of Sacramentos culture. Jim agreed and this book took shape.

I incurred a lot of debts in the course of writing this text.

First, I would like to acknowledge the community of scholars and researchers whose ideas and insights on mass consumption in American life I have been able to apply to the Sacramento experience. I tried to mention them in the text whenever I quoted from them or used their ideas. A listing of the main works consulted is at the back of the text.

The images I selected came primarily from the rich collections of the Sacramento Archives and Museum Collection Center (SAMCC) in Sacramento. I wish to acknowledge Marcia Eymann, Patricia Johnson, Carson Hendricks, Dylan McDonald, and Lisa Princeall of whom gave generously of their time and expertise in helping select and scan these priceless photos. Outgoing director James Henley was often on hand to help me out and I was able to borrow from his work on department stores, which appeared in the Sacramento History Journal.

Photos from the collections at the Sacramento Room of the Central Library and the California Room of the State Library were also included. The Sacramento Room, ably directed by Clare Ellis, has always been and continues to be a godsend to scholars of this community.

Thanks to an old friend, John Orr, I was able to make contact with two of Sacramentos legendary home builders, Carroll Brock and James Streng. These phone interviews were a treasure trove of information, as were my informal conversations with John and another friend, Libby Smith, who told me much about Parker Development. To them all, heartfelt gratitude!

Two local historians, emeritus professor Gregg Campbell of Sacramento State and Dr. Alfred Yee, graciously read the drafts and offered helpful critique and correction. If any mistakes remain in the text, they are my sole responsibility.

Annette Kassis, a good friend and a historian-in-the-making, plunged into the cold waters of historical research and provided marvelous information on a number of topics. She was especially helpful in using family connections to let me see some of the documents of the business dealings of her famous in-laws. She will be a great historian one day.

Finally, a large portion of the research and the arduous task of moving this book from idea to completion fell into the capable hands of Susan Silva. Susan is competent and patientperfect qualifications for the demands of this kind of work. I dont know what I would have done without her.

There are many more who deserve thankslibrarians, archivists, and other midwives of historical narratives. A generic thanks seems hardly enoughbut from my heart, I give it.