Melanie Benjamin joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her latest work of historical fiction, CALIFORNIA GOLDEN. Set in Southern California in the '50s and '60s, the story is built around Carol --- a prize-winning surfer at a time when women were not big contenders in the sport --- and her two daughters, Mindy and Ginger. Melanie discusses the structure of the book with the daughters' story coming first, then the mother's, and finally all of them together. She also delves into how the lives of women have changed over the past decades, as well as her research on surfing and life during these times in California and Hawaii.

Book discussed in this episode:

CALIFORNIA GOLDEN by Melanie Benjamin

https://www.bookreporter.com/reviews/california-golden

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Art Credit: Tom Fitzgerald

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