Twenty years after Under the Perfect Sun was first published, authors Kelly Mayhew and Jim Miller return for a special anniversary conversation at the San Diego History Center on August 6, 2026, at 6:00 PM.

Originally coauthored with the late Mike Davis, the book examines the city’s history of militarization, economic inequality, corruption, racial injustice, and political transformation, while highlighting the activists and communities who challenged entrenched power. This updated and expanded anniversary edition revisits San Diego’s evolution from a conservative stronghold to a more progressive city still shaped by ongoing struggles over gentrification, labor, and social justice.

Kelly Mayhew is a writer, editor, oral historian, and founding member of San Diego City Works Press and teaches English, Humanities, Labor Studies, and Gender Studies at San Diego City College.

Jim Miller has published poetry, fiction, and nonfiction in a wide range of journals and other publications, and teaches English, Humanities, and Labor Studies at San Diego City College.