Upton Sinclair came to California after the success of his ground-breaking exposure of the slaughterhouse industry in his 1906 novel The Jungle. During the next fifty years, he served as a board member for the American Civil Liberties Union, wrote countless novels, campaigned for food reform, railed against fascism, and was resoundly criticized by the Los Angeles Times. One of his most famous writings was the slogan for his memorable campaign for governor: "End Poverty in California." Naturally, Sinclair turned his campaign trail experiences into yet another book.

In The Land of Orange Groves and Jails, Lauren Coodley draws on a variety of Sinclair ‘s writings to show his impressions of California, his political awakening, and the development of popular culture. His interest in the dilemma of the worker and the American with a social conscience is evident in the title piece and throughout the collection.