What makes Californiäs Marin County such an enjoyable place to live and such a unique part of the American landscape?

In this carefully documented history, author Jim Holden brings us the answers. With Jim we learn about the difficult birth of the Golden Gate Bridge. We explore the history and the enchanted wilds of Mt. Tamalpais. We hike the trails of a secret wildlife preserve that Jim calls ¿The Big Empty,¿ and we get an insider's look into the controversies surrounding the county¿s oyster beds, its tule elk, and even Marin¿s esteemed Buck Trust.

In these pages, we meet renowned national figures like Teddy Roosevelt, John Muir and Kit Carson, and we meet a whole series of colorful local men and women who were essential to the birth and growth of Marin County.

There is high drama here too: we see up close the now-infamous shootout and hostage-taking at the Marin County courthouse by a group of inmates from San Quentin, with the alleged involvement of activist Angela Davis.

With magnificent photography and historic maps, this is a book to savor, a must read for history buffs and for anyone who calls the Bay Area home.