Junipero Serra

....of a very controversial pioneer.Very well written and intensely interesting, this book compiles different sources to reproduce the tale--interspersed with photographs--of Father Serra and his spiritual colonization of California. Its eye to detail, its recounting of facts and anecdotes not to be found elsewhere, recommends it as a topnotch introduction to and resource for understanding Serra.Had this book gotten more into the other side of Christianizing a people--the symbolically significant spread of diseases against which Natives had no defenses, the sequestering of them on their own land, the Eurocentric and Christocentric treatment of them as "pagan" savages ("dear childen," as Serra put it with such unconscious infantilization), and the eventual domination of the land itself--it would have been absolutely stellar. By and large, however, these are briefly touched on but minimized.Nevertheless, the book presents so clear and readable an account of the man and his motives and context that a reader with a more Native-sensitive perspective will easily be able to read between the lines and come away with considerable enrichment.

Although Father Serra's legacy is shrouded in controversy, the tenacious character of the man cannot be denied. In California elementary school students are required to make reports on the Missions of California. A better starting point might be a study of the man who is credited with founding the mission system. The missions were essentially a series of "colonial" churches within a reasonable traveing time for the period. Fray Serra was truly a fascinating person who began his work to spread Christianity in Mexico, becoming the President of the Baja Missions under the Franciscan order. Many unknowwn facts are revealed in the biography, the authors use an extensive bibliography including Father Palou, his lifelong friend and confident who penned his biography over two hundred years ago. The details of Fray Serra's life are abundant, painting a picture of a man who was dedicated to Christianity first and foremost. The suffering that he endured is remarkable and an inspiration in the modern world of worldly distractions. The trials and tribulations of establishing the system of missions is illustrated with word and vintage photgraphs. An absouletly spellbinding bit of history that is relived with accuracy thanks to the excellent research done by the authors. The life of one of the founding fathers of California is a neccessary foundation for understanding the development of California. The treatment and rebeliousness of the the indigineous people is a study in culture clash. The inevitable result that persists to this day in California has its roots in the first encounters between the Europeans and the natives and their beliefs. An excellent book full of primary sources, for teachers and students alike.