Five books (so far):
An Ideal Wine
One Generation's Pursuit of
Perfection - and Profit - in California
An inside look at how a handful of visionary winemakers has transformed — and been transformed by — the California wine industry over the past four decades. (Nominee for 2012 James Beard Award for best book on beverages.)
“One of the best books written about how wine is
actually made and sold.” — Los Angeles Times
“The best wine writing in years…. Darlington’s commanding knowledge of wine lets him consolidate and proffer more insight in a single paragraph than most writers do in a whole chapter or even an entire book.” — Organic Wines Uncorked
Area 51
The Dreamland Chronicles
An investigation into the stories and characters associated with a mysterious top-secret research facility in the Nevada desert.
“Informative and amusing…. Darlington has written an important book.” — Men’s Journal
“Darlington’s matter-of-fact reporting – he’s neither credulous nor cynical – makes compelling reading out of the twisted history of this top-secret installation.” — Maxim
The Mojave
A Portrait of the Definitive American Desert
An exploration of a mythic region epitomizing changes in America's relationship with its environment since World War Two.
“The Mojave has attracted the attention of many lively, keenly observant writers, like Joseph Wood Krutch, Edward Abbey, and Barry Lopez. With this book, David Darlington takes a most honorable place among them.”
— New York Times Book Review
“Splendid…. Reminiscent of John McPhee at his best…. On almost any scale The Mojave is a triumph, capturing both the dreamscape and the landscape of what Reyner Banham once called America’s ‘desert of definition.’” — Audubon Magazine
Angels' Visits
An Inquiry into the Mystery of Zinfandel
An examination of the legends and people associated with California's "native" wine grape. (Runner-up for the Cliquot Award for best wine book of the year.)
“Weaves history, geography, wine, and some of the fascinating people who make it into a downright enthralling tale.” — New York Times Book Review
“Not quite like anything that has been written about California wine before.” — Wine Spectator
In Condor Country
A Portrait of a Landscape,
Its Denizens, and Its Defenders
A profile of an endangered species and a pair of elderly environmentalist brothers who spent their lives working to preserve it.
“A little treasure of a book…. biography, natural history, and politics all tied together by he gifted journalist David Darlington.”
— San Francisco Chonicle Book Review
“A well-made and intelligent book on a vanishing species that somehow manages to be less saddening than inspiring.”
— Peter Matthiessen, author of The Snow Leopard and Shadow Country
