Where the continent softens into the Pacific and the horizon stretches wide with promise, San Diego’s story unfolds—a sweeping tale shaped by ancient coastlines, Indigenous ingenuity, imperial ambition, wartime transformation, and the restless creativity of the modern age.

In A Brief History of San Diego, Derek Monaghan brings his signature cinematic style to one of America’s most captivating cities. From the deeptime world of the Kumeyaay to the arrival of Spanish missionaries and soldiers… from the turbulence of the Mexican-American War to the birth of a boomtown built on railroads and reinvention… from the architectural wonder of Balboa Park to the rise of naval power, surf culture, and biotech innovation—this book traces the evolution of a city that has continually reimagined itself.

Monaghan’s narrative blends history with atmosphere, offering listeners a vivid journey through centuries of transformation. San Diego emerges not just as a place, but as a living story—one shaped by sunlight and shadows, ambition and adaptation, and the enduring pull of the Pacific.

Perfect for lovers of American history, coastal cities, and immersive nonfiction, A Brief History of San Diego is both an essential introduction and a compelling tribute to a city that continues to shape—and be shaped by—the world around it.