Mission Memoirs: A Collection of Photographs, Sketches & Reflections of California's Past

....and written with a lively and moving commentary. Well worthy the money and very informative, each chapter giving a brief history of a particular Mission, some personal reactions, and of course the photographs. The author went out of his way to eliminate contemporary influences like cars and planes and streets; the reader gets a feel for what each Mission might have looked like long ago.Caveat: if you are aware of how much many of the so-called Mission Indians suffered under a system of religious slavery, you might not welcome the author's effusive tone. My reaction to visiting the Serra Missions was not spiritual delight, but anger, sorrow, and nausea. (My Cherokee ancestors walked The Trail Where We Cried.) At the same time, the author doesn't pitch religion; he photographs and writes up his reactions, and his sense of wonder comes through nicely.

Mission Memoirs recently won a 2000 Benjamin Franklin Award, and is one of 29 titles included in the Rounce & Coffin Club's Annual Western Books Exhibition.

I've never been much for history-- until reading this book. The photographs are lush and gorgeous; the text is rich and personal; the mere layout of the artwork is striking. It's really a wonderful work!