This month at Article Club, we’ve been diving into “A Kingdom From Dust,” by Mark Arax — a big, bold, outstanding piece about the magic and plunder of California. I’ve been hearing from many of you about how much you are appreciating the article. If you haven’t read it yet, I highly encourage you to do so. And if you find the piece moving, I urge you to sign up for our online discussion on Sept. 25 at 2 pm PT.

I’m very honored to announce that this week’s issue of The Highlighter is dedicated to a conversation I had with Mr. Arax a few days ago. We talked about a range of topics, including: his love-hate relationship with California; how water politics determine who succeeds and who suffers in the state; how meeting William Saroyaninfluenced his writing; how he approaches reporting with compassion and nuance; and what we need to do to make sure California survives.

I hope you take a listen, whether or not you’ve already read “A Kingdom from Dust.” Hearing from Mr. Arax made me proud to be a Californian, even if our state is facing potentially catastrophic climate calamity.

The interview also got me excited to order Mr. Arax’s latest book, The Dreamt Land: Chasing Water and Dust Across California, which received rave reviews, including recommendations from Linda Ronstadt and Mark Bittman.

I’d love to hear what you think of the conversation! Feel free to leave a comment here. What was thought provoking? What surprised you?

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit articleclub.substack.com/subscribe