Clear, concise and engaging, Gerston/Christensen/Currin-Percival/Percival's CALIFORNIA POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT: A PRACTICAL APPROACH, 15th edition, draws from current headlines to help you understand the complex role of state government and politics and their impact on your everyday life -- now and in the future. Up-to-date coverage includes the 2020 elections, how the COVID-19 pandemic changed the state's fiscal condition from a significant budget surplus to a massive deficit, economic inequality, the flow of people to and from California, judicial appointments, criminal justice reform, water and immigration policy, same-party competition under the "top two" primary and statewide ballot measures. In addition, "Get Involved" features offer suggestions for hands-on political experience, while "Learn More on the Web" features provide resources for more in-depth research on key topics.

Larry N. Gerston, professor emeritus at San Jose State University, engages the political process as an author and an analyst. He has written 11 academic books in addition to California Politics and Government: A Practical Approach, including Making Public Policy: From Conflict to Resolution (1983); Politics in the Golden State (with Terry Christensen, 1984); The Deregulated Society (with Cynthia Fraleigh and Robert Schwab,1988); American Government: Politics, Process and Policies (1993); Public Policy: Process and Principles (1987); Public Policymaking in a Democratic Society: A Guide to Civic Engagement (2002); Recall! California's Political Earthquake (with Terry Christensen, 2004); American Federalism: A Concise Introduction (2007); Confronting Reality: Ten Issues Threatening to Implode American Society and How We Can Fix It (2009); Not So Golden After All: The Rise and Fall of California (2012); and Reviving Citizen Engagement: Policies to Renew National Community (2015). He has written more than 150 op-ed pieces for every major newspaper in California. Gerston is the on-air political analyst for NBC Bay Area television and KCBS radio. He speaks often on issues such as civic engagement and political empowerment and has authored four children's books.