The Book, Deep Oakland
This is a page about my book, published by Heyday Books on 2 May 2023, titled Deep Oakland: How Geology Shaped a City. I first announced it in this 2021 post, but here’s where I’ll keep y’all updated, with the latest bulletin on top.
25 December 2023: Yesterday I finished dispersing the last of 200 promotional postcards that Heyday printed for me. I’ve handed a few out during talks or when I wasn’t carrying a copy of the book, but nearly all of them went into Little Free Libraries that I happened to pass while walking around town. With that, I feel like the promotional season for Deep Oakland is over.
Meanwhile, the book had a second printing in July and I couldn’t be happier with its reception. I’ve sold about sixty copies myself, and I’ll bring copies for sale to every event I host. My publisher, Heyday Books, has stayed engaged with me and I’ve been pleased with their support, beyond the original joy of being chosen to join their eminent family of authors.
In the period since 2 June, I’ve conducted a total of ten talks or interviews (in person and via Zoom) and ten walks (five around Lake Merritt, three around downtown Oakland, one in Leona Heights and one in Wood Park). That level of activity feels sustainable! I anticipate a similar level in the coming years. To keep up with my schedule, you must subscribe to my “Deeper Oakland” newsletter [now on Substack].
Early on, I placed seven copies in Little Free Libraries around Oakland, each one with prominent stickers saying that they are meant for permanent free circulation. I have no idea what’s happened to them, though I did check one LFL a few weeks later and saw that the book was gone. It would be lovely to hear from people who borrowed them, but even if I don’t, I’ll never regret the gesture.
2 June 2023: Deep Oakland was officially released one month ago, and it’s been an intense, gratifying period. Last night was the last of my currently scheduled bookstore appearances, and the post-publication “book project,” as I think of it, is shifting to talks, walks and commentary. For the record, here’s what I’ve done that’s online.
- 11 May, PlanetGeocast podcast
- 17 May, KPFA Upfront program interview
- 17 May, East Bay Yesterday podcast
- 26 May, article in The Oaklandside
In addition, I started leading a monthly walk around Lake Merritt focusing on its geology; the next one is coming up Saturday afternoon 10 June. Do subscribe to my newsletter, “Deeper Oakland,” for advance announcements of similar events, for instance a downtown walk.
Older bits from this page are archived here.
For reading convenience, here’s the list of my posts describing the book, table-of-contents style:
Deep Oakland: The title
Chapter 1: The Hayward Fault
Chapter 2: Lake Merritt
Chapter 3: Downtown
Chapter 4: Mountain View Cemetery
Chapter 5: The Piedmont Block
Chapter 6: The Fan, or the Second Level
Chapter 7: Indian Gulch
Chapter 8: The Bay Shore and Flats
Chapter 9: Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve
Chapter 10: Leona Heights and the Southern Oakland Hills
Chapter 11: The Ridgeline
Oakland Geology 
1 May 2023 at 8:51 am
Pre-ordered my copy through Coastside Books, the local independent bookstore in Half Moon Bay. I’ve enjoyed your periodic posts on FB. Thanks for pulling it all together in book form, and thanks to Heyday for publishing it.
Ps I love that you are leaving copies in little libraries. That’s pretty classy.
-Chris
13 May 2023 at 2:01 pm
I am only about 5 chapters into your book but just want to complement you on achieving an incredible blend of historical narrative, scientific explanation and philosophy on the human condition. California’s civilization has such an intimate relationship to its geology that this subject could warrant a similar book for any of its major cities, and yet this is the first book I have come across that goes into such a detailed account of what has fascinated me since moving to San Francisco: that the native landscape, though almost unrecognizable after its development, can still tell detailed stories from its topography, bedrock composition, alluvial/tidal deposits, evidence of human resource extraction, etc which have shaped the present and will continue to inform its future. It is an intricate tapestry you have woven. I hope this book encourages many others to learn about the deep and living histories in their environments- it has for me!
3 June 2023 at 11:45 am
I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and will revisit it often in the future, as it’s almost a handbook for many of my favorite hiking spots. It brings a wonderful perspective to this area we call home.
23 October 2023 at 6:17 pm
Hello, is it possible to invite you to do a presentation about your book? We are a senior community here by Lake Merritt. Please email me at aesteban@frontporch.net. Thank you so much.
30 October 2023 at 10:54 am
Send me an email please.