[audiobook] Long Beach State: A Brief History by Barbara Kingsley-Wilson at Arts-Photography

Review

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Readable history of a major California universityBy Carol PerrusoThis brief history of California State University Long Beach captures the rough and tumble beginnings of a 66-year-old California university with charm and good reporting. Barbara Kingsley-Wilsons background as a journalist and as a journalism instructor shows. Dozens of interviews with folks from the campus early days or their descendants. combined with careful mining of oral histories and archives bring the campus history to life. Particularly strong is the history of the athletic struggles and successes. and how presidents of the former state college overcame the minuscule budgets for buildings and grounds and library books at the beginning to give birth to todays university with tis beautiful landscaping. accomplished faculty. a million-book library and 35.000 students. There is a story behind every accomplishment. and Barbara Kingsley-Wilson tells some of the best tales.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Love this bookBy M. FisherLove this book! A lot of local history books are poorly written and boring but this one is lively. interesting and well researched. Two big thumbs up.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Filled with colorful detailsBy Paper PenI liked the stories in this book. Its interesting how this college emerged in 1949 out of empty fields and quickly grew to accommodate tens of thousands of students. The author describes how the first classes were held in a converted apartment building. and how. in the 1950s. the parking area became so muddy when it rained that cars slid down the hill.I enjoyed the stories about 1960s. when students starting challenging campus administrators and sought to exercise more of an independent voice. Controversy erupted over one students sculpture show that some thought was obscene.I liked the stories of the basketball program. under Coach Jerry Tarkanian. battling visiting teams amid the noisy and hot Gold Mine gym. Kingsley-Wilson describes the charges of NCAA rules violations that eventually brought the Tarkanian era to an end.I also enjoyed the stories about how womens sports grew on campus from a shoestring operation of play days and dance classes to something much more. Eventually. the campus would get a national championship from a womens volleyball team led by someone named Misty May.