Are you looking for something new and meaningful for your book club? Check out these resources in San Francisco, or ask your local library if they will put together something similar for your community.

• Learn more on the "Book Club in a Box" San Francisco Public Library page; scroll down to "California Crackup" to check availability: http://sfpl.org/index.php?pg=2000141801

  

What is "Book Club in a Box"?

"Book Club in a Box" is a project of the San Francisco Public Library (SFPL) to provide an all-in-one check-out for book clubs, with everything in one bag that you need for a great discussion. The League of Women Voters of San Francisco worked with SFPL to provide materials, based on our Initiative and Referendum Study, to accompany copies of California Crackup: How Reform Broke the Golden State and How We Can Fix It by Joe Matthews and Mark Paul.

Why Initiative and Referendum?

One of the most unique aspects of being a voter in California is our initiative and referendum system. After wrestling with dozens of measures on the November 2012 ballot, many of us have strong opinions about what could be done to improve this process.

The League of Women Voters decided to tackle this challenge by initiating a statewide effort to learn more about the initiative and referendum process and increase overall public awareness and input. We are excited to collaborate with you to inspire Californians to learn more about voting, elections, and democracy and to empower them get involved in civic life. We need everyone to participate in order to make our communities safe, strong, fair, and vibrant.

About California Crackup

Published in 2010, Joe Mathews and Mark Paul cover the history of California's political and economic problems and propose solutions.

Their fast-paced and often humorous narrative deftly exposes the origins of our current political and fiscal problems—from the ugly 1879 constitutional convention to Hiram Johnson’s Progressive reforms to the Prop 13 tax revolt and its legacy of supermajority requirements and voter initiatives.

Read more on their promotional site.