Book excerpt: The Tenth Edition of this brief and inexpensive best-seller offers up-to-date coverage and comprehensive discussions of California government and politics, including coverage of the 2003 recall election and its aftermath. This lively text offers a unique approach to California government that blends political data with economic, cultural, and demographic trends, and analyzes the link between the economy and the political process. California Government and Politics Today is written by a college professor who is also an elected official in California, offering a unique insider's view that will engage and inform students. This completely updated new edition encourages political activism and the development of the reader's own unique political views.