"This new English translation from the Castilian of Montalvo's chapter in The Adventures of Esplandian, first known printing in 1510, tells the fable of Queen Calafia and her island of California filled with gold, Amazon warriors and unusual beasts. Included are rare medieval woodcuts from 16th century French folio editions of Amadis de Gaule. Most historians believe Montalvo's popular book about the coast of the New World portrayed in this Spanish tale caused the Western frontier to be named California. The Castilian writer created a battle in which Christian knights defended Constantinople against the island of California's Amazon forces. Today, 500 years later, this 16th century mythical conflict still holds lessons about negotiation and tolerance, as well as feminine power and humor"--Cover.

“A California classic . . . California, it should be remembered, was very much the wild west, having to wait until 1850 before it could force its way into statehood. so what tamed it? Mr. Starr’s answer is a combination of great men, great ideas and great projects.”—The Economist From the age of exploration to the age of Arnold, the Golden State’s premier historian distills the entire sweep of California’s history into one splendid volume. Kevin Starr covers it all: Spain’s conquest of the native peoples of California in the early sixteenth century and the chain of missions that helped that country exert control over the upper part of the territory; the discovery of gold in January 1848; the incredible wealth of the Big Four railroad tycoons; the devastating San Francisco earthquake of 1906; the emergence of Hollywood as the world’s entertainment capital and of Silicon Valley as the center of high-tech research and development; the role of labor, both organized and migrant, in key industries from agriculture to aerospace. In a rapid-fire epic of discovery, innovation, catastrophe, and triumph, Starr gathers together everything that is most important, most fascinating, and most revealing about our greatest state. Praise for California “[A] fast-paced and wide-ranging history . . . [Starr] accomplishes the feat with skill, grace and verve.”—Los Angeles Times Book Review “Kevin Starr is one of california’s greatest historians, and California is an invaluable contribution to our state’s record and lore.”—MarIa ShrIver, journalist and former First Lady of California “A breeze to read.”—San Francisco

“A rich and moving chronicle for our very present.” —Julio Ortega, New York Times Book Review The United States is still typically conceived of as an offshoot of England, with our history unfolding east to west beginning with the first English settlers in Jamestown. This view overlooks the significance of America’s Hispanic past. With the profile of the United States increasingly Hispanic, the importance of recovering the Hispanic dimension to our national story has never been greater. This absorbing narrative begins with the explorers and conquistadores who planted Spain’s first colonies in Puerto Rico, Florida, and the Southwest. Missionaries and rancheros carry Spain’s expansive impulse into the late eighteenth century, settling California, mapping the American interior to the Rockies, and charting the Pacific coast. During the nineteenth century Anglo-America expands west under the banner of “Manifest Destiny” and consolidates control through war with Mexico. In the Hispanic resurgence that follows, it is the peoples of Latin America who overspread the continent, from the Hispanic heartland in the West to major cities such as Chicago, Miami, New York, and Boston. The United States clearly has a Hispanic present and future. And here is its Hispanic past, presented with characteristic insight and wit by one of our greatest historians.

Discusses three 16th century explorers of America who came from Spain and Portugal. Also provides information about the national monuments named after the explorers.

¡Avance!: Intermediate Spanish is an exciting program for second-year students of Spanish. In response to requests from many users of the highly acclaimed Pasajes series, McGraw-Hill is pleased to publish the Second Edition of this single volume version, which distills the very best of Pasajes: Lengua, Cultura, and Literatura. The result is a comprehensive yet manageable program that enriches students’ language foundation in thematic vocabulary and grammatical structures with a broad selection of literary and cultural readings. The overall goal of ¡Avance! is the development of functional, communicative language ability, accomplished through reinforcement, expansion, and synthesis. Contextualized activities that review language and foster skill development provide the core of ¡Avance! At the same time, the growing interest in cultural competence coupled with the desire to introduce students to literature at the intermediate level motivates the inclusion of cultural and literary texts in alternate chapters. As a result, ¡Avance! meets the professional demand that instructional materials be not merely contextualized but also content-rich and interesting to today’s students.

New England stagemen followed thousands of bedazzled gold rushers out west in 1849, carving out the first public overland transportation routes in California. Daring drivers like Hank Monk navigated treacherous terrain, while entrepreneurs such as James Birch, Jared Crandall and Louis McLane founded stagecoach companies traveling from Stockton to the Oregon border and over the formidable Sierra Nevada. Stagecoaches hauling gold from isolated mines to big-city safes were easy targets for highwaymen like Black Bart. Road accidents could end in disaster--coaches even tumbled down mountainsides. Journey back with author Cheryl Anne Stapp to an era before the railroad and automobile arrived and discover the wild history of stagecoach travel in California.

With perseverance and the help of a magical horse, Juanito, the youngest son of a farmer, wins the hand of the mayor's beautiful daughter.

In the long history of European prose fiction, few works have been more influential and more popular than the romance of chivalry Amadis of Gaul. Although its original author is unknown, it was probably written during the early fourteenth century. The first great bestseller of the age of printing, Amadis of Gaul was translated into dozens of languages and spawned sequels and imitators over the centuries. A handsome, valiant, and undefeatable knight, Amadis is perhaps best known today as Don Quixote's favorite knight-errant and model. This exquisite English translation restores a masterpiece to print.