The chilling depictions of colonial cruelty in A Cross of Thorns are based on little known church and Spanish government archives and letters written by the founder of California's mission, Friar Juniperro Serra (who advocated the whipping of Mission Indians as a standard policy), and published first-hand accounts of 18th and 19th century travelers.

Tracing the history of Spanish colonization in California from its origins in Spain's 18th century economic crisis to the legacy of racism and brutality that continues today, A Cross of Thorns is one of the most thought-provoking books ever written on California history.

A young man takes a summer job with a horse packer in the Sierra Nevada mountains--and receives a valuable education in the art of living--in a modern-day parable filled with love for horses, nature, and the majesty of the Sierras, based on the author's real-life experience of 40 years horse packing in the John Muir Wilderness.

Pablo is 18, a young man bound for college and a promising future, but also directionless and drifting toward the gang life. Pablo's mother, remembering his childhood love of horses back home in Mexico, arranges a summer job for him with podiatrist and commercial horse packer Dr. Clyde. Pablo finds himself far from the distractions of the city, leading pack horse trains through the stunning natural beauty of the John Muir Wilderness.

Along the way, Pablo receives a remarkable series of life lessons based on Dr. Clyde's 40 years' experience leading riders and hikers through the mountains. The guests that Clyde and Pablo encounter present many different models of how to live, both positive and negative, from arrogant know-it-all tourists to experienced and respectful outdoorsmen. As Dr. Clyde says, You'll find in this world, Pablo, that some people make very poor decisions. Sometimes it adversely affects others and sometimes it negatively affects themselves big-time. Pablo and the reader learn that self-reliance, preparedness, and taking responsibility for one's own safety help develop a confident and responsible adult.

With lyrical descriptions of the natural splendor of the mountains and charming line drawings of horses and scenery, Life Lessons on the Sierra Trail is a celebration of the outdoor life and how it builds character.

An intimate, personal and healthy way to explore SF's neighborhoods and secret finds

Walking San Francisco's 49 Mile Scenic Drive shows how walking--rather than driving--San Francisco's famous scenic route gives you an active, fun way to enjoy and fall in love with the most beautiful city in the world. Get to know the City by the Bay as you never have before with this full color guidebook, which provides 17 bite-size walks, each complete with turn-by-turn instructions, maps, and historical facts and information. Get up close and personal with the most popular visitor locations in San Francisco, and explore the little known neighborhoods that the locals enjoy: Chinatown, Fisherman's Wharf, the Presidio, Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park, the Cliff House, Ocean Beach, Twin Peaks, Mission Dolores, even the Ferry Building and AT&T Park.

Walking San Francisco's 49 Mile Scenic Drive, written by two San Francisco insiders, includes detailed maps, points of interest, info on bus routes and parking, recommendations for visiting hidden gems and must-see museums, plus plenty of tips and stats to help walkers, such as step counts and mile distances, hill steepness rating, weather tips, and more. Along with the 17 well-crafted primary walks, the book also offers fantastic bonus hikes through beaches, parks, stunning oceanside cliffs, and historic neighborhoods.

Highway 99 documents the birth, growth, and transformation of the highway; the gas stations, motels, restaurants, and attractions that flourished and declined by the roadside; and the communities, personalities, and historical events that made their mark on the highway. From the migrations of the Dust Bowl to the birth of the Bakersfield Sound to the foundation of America's fast-food culture, the history of California has happened around Highway 99, and Highway 99: The History of California's Main Street brilliantly depicts that history.

A fun-filled look at the history and attractions of California's legendary Highway 101.

Now the road has the utilitarian designation of U.S. Route 101, but originally it had a name of romance and mystery--El Camino Real, or the King's Highway, built on the trail pioneered by the Spanish friars and marked by mission bells on the roadside. Illustrated throughout with historic photographs, Highway 101: The History of El Camino Real tells the picturesque story of this great highway and the restaurants, motels, gas stations, and roadside attractions that made it memorable to generations of travelers.

From Disneyland to the historic Madonna Inn to the Avenue of the Giants, Highway 101 catalogs the great landmarks along the road, plus the fascinating personalities, from Dorothea Lange to Jelly Roll Morton to Cecil B. DeMille, whose lives intersected with the history of the route.

A colorful history of Americana, commerce, travel, and fun, Highway 101 captures the magic of the open road.

The Pacific coast is the most iconic region of California and one of the most fascinating and rapidly changing places in the world. Densely populated, urbanized, and industrialized -- but also home to wilderness with complex, fragile ecosystems -- the coast is the place where humanity and nature coexist in a precarious balance that is never perfectly stable. As ocean levels rise, coastal communities are starting to erode, and entire neighborhoods have been lost to the sea. Coastal ecosystems and wildlife that were already stressed by human settlement now face new dangers, some threatening their very existence. The combined impacts of climate change, housing and commercial growth, commercial fisheries, oil drilling and production, along with environmental advocacy, all come together to define the future of the region. A masterful and sweeping synthesis of environmental and social science, The Edge presents a comprehensive portrait of natural and cultural history -- the story of the people, communities, industries, ecology, and wildlife of the California coast.

An exciting look at how women entrepreneurs are transforming agriculture through high technology.

Don't take the food you eat for granted. Farmers today face huge challenges in keeping your food supply secure--climate change, precarious water and soil supplies, and a growing global population projected to reach 10 billion people in 2050. Women innovators are tackling these problems to create a secure and sustainable food supply for the future. Using drones, artificial intelligence, sophisticated soil sensors, data analytics, blockchain, and robotics, these women are transforming agriculture into the growing field of agtech, the integration of agriculture and technology.

From Farms to Incubators presents inspiring stories and practical case studies of how women entrepreneurs from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds are leading the agtech revolution. Each agribusiness leader profiled in From Farms to Incubators tells her own story of how she used agtech innovation to solve specific business problems and succeed. The women profiled speak frankly on the advantages and drawbacks of technological solutions to agriculture and offer lessons in making technology productive in real work. These business cases demonstrate the influence of female innovation, the new technologies applied to agribusiness problems, and the career opportunities young women can find in agribusiness.

A must-read book for everyone interested in tech innovation and food security, From Farms to Incubators offers exhilarating role models for young women, a thought-provoking glimpse into the future of food production, and a fascinating investigation of how women leaders are profitably disrupting the world's oldest industry.

A thrilling true story of a young sea otter pup's adventure and triumph

Sabby the Sea Otter is just a young pup, but his mom is teaching him everything about how to be a sea otter -- how to dive underwater, how to find food in the ocean, and how to stay safe in a world full of danger. Sabby wants to know everything about the bay he and his mom live in. But one day Sabby's curiosity gets him in trouble when a rushing tide traps him in a human-made hazard, a great big pipe filled with water. Now Sabby needs to learn how to survive on his own, while his mom fights every obstacle to find him.

Young readers will be thrilled with this true story of a how a real-life sea otter pup and his mom were reunited, while learning fun sea otter facts and an important lesson about how human activity affects wildlife. Illustrated with color photos of real sea otters, Sabby the Sea Otter: A Pup's True Adventure and Triumph is a fun introduction to the ocean and the creatures who live there.

This fascinating and gripping portrayal is the only book-length account ever written about criminal mastermind Clarence Ray Allen, the last man to be executed in the state of California

Even hardened detectives were shaken by the scene at Fran's Market in rural Fresno County that night in 1980: four young people lay on the market's concrete floor, bloodily murdered by a killer without mercy or remorse. Then a grim investigation became even grimmer when the evidence led to the prime suspect--a convicted murderer already behind the stone walls of Folsom. A true crime story that reads like an intricately woven mystery, the book depicts the chilling scenes of murder, a dogged investigation, and the true story behind the Fran's Market murders and their psychopathic mastermind. Written by former prosecutor James Ardaiz, who was one of the first investigators on the scene at Fran's Market, Hands Through Stone provides an insider's view of the tortuous, multiyear investigation that brought a killer to justice.

A nostalgic look back at the exciting teen music and dance craze of the 50s through the classic hits era of the 60s, 70s, and 80s

Twin Destinies tells the story of Pete and Mike Pappas, the twin sons of Greek immigrants who defied predictions of failure and worked their way to the top of the broadcasting business in the exciting and glamorous classic hits era of 1950s radio and television.

Pete and Mike pitched the idea for a show dedicated to teens, Pete and Mike's Dance Time, in their hometown of Modesto, California, and, due to their talent and charismatic personalities, quickly found themselves local celebrities. Soon the twins entered the burgeoning television industry with their own half-hour program, Pete and Mike's Variety Show, airing on KTVU in Stockton.

Fame followed Pete and Mike even after they enlisted in the military. While in the service, bags of fan mail arrived weekly, and love letters from fans followed them wherever they were based.

After returning from the service, Pete and Mike's strong, loving bond as identical twins found them pursuing broadcasting careers and living their lives together, overcoming obstacles in the business world and achieving the success their immigrant parents had dreamed would one day be theirs.

Twin Destinies is a story of hard work, perseverance, and the love between twin brothers that was the foundation of their American success story.