California Characters: An Array of Amazing People Audiobook

For forty-six years, Charles Hillinger journeyed around the world writing human-interest stories for the Los Angeles Times. He also helped to create and produce special features for the popular NBC television show Real People.

From this work comes California Characters, a collection of stories of intriguing, eccentric, or simply amazing individuals profiled by Hillinger. Many of these people have strange occupations, live solitary lives in remote locations, or collect, build, or design an assortment of odd things. Characters like Down the Road Dugan, Sweetwater Clyde, Dr. Tinkerpaw, Spaceship Ruthie, and Warmly Ormly will delight, amuse, and perhaps inspire the listener with their tales and reasons why they’ve chosen to live the lives they do.

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“In the very best tradition of oral historical preservation, former Los Angeles Times reporter Hillinger has searched California from top to bottom (pausing mostly in the remote desert regions) to find some of the colorful kooks who bring a special flavor to our state. Every state needs a Hillinger, a ‘people laureate’ who is able to capture the unique, the different, and the oddballs who bring a love of life that most of us only dream about.”

— Library Journal