Gerald Haslam (b. 1937) is the author credited with having created an awareness of "the other California," the state's untrendy small town and rural reaches. A native of the Bakersfield area, he has often written about the Great Central Valley (in a book of the same name), about country music ("Workin' Man Blues"), about the despair and exaultation of blue-collar people in a golden state ("That Constant Coyote," "Condor Dreams," "Straight White Male", etc.), winning numerous literary awards. Reviewer David Peck labeled him "the quinessential California writer." Haslam was also a professor at Sonoma State University for 30 years. He is also the father of computer-game innovator Fred Haslam. 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... State nickname: The Golden State Official languages English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) Senators Dianne Feinstein (D) Barbara Boxer (D) Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 3rd 410,000 km² 4. ... Bakersfield is the county seat of Kern County, California, in the United States. ... The California Central Valley Part of the Valley as seen from overhead A typical Central Valley scene at ground level The California Central Valley is a large, flat valley that dominates the central portion of the state of California. ... Sonoma State University is a campus of the California State University system located in Rohnert Park, California (about seven miles south of Santa Rosa). ...