Antonio Mara Osios La Historia de Alta California was the first written history of upper California during the era of Mexican rule, and this is its first complete English translation. A Mexican-Californian, government official, and the landowner of Angel Island and Point Reyes, Osio writes colorfully of life in old Monterey, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, and gives a first-hand account of the political intrigues of the 1830s that led to the appointment of Juan Bautista Alvarado as governor. Osio wrote his History in 1851, conveying with immediacy and detail the years of the U.S.-Mexican War of 18461848 and the social upheaval that followed. As he witnesses Californias territorial transition from Mexico to the United States, he recalls with pride the achievements of Mexican California in earlier decades and writes critically of the onset of U.S. influence and imperialism. Unable to endure life as foreigners in their home of twenty-seven years, Osio and his family left Alta California for Mexico in 1852. Osios account predates by a quarter century the better-known reminiscences of Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo and Juan Bautista Alvarado and the memoirs of Californios dictated to Hubert Howe Bancrofts staff in the 1870s. Editors Rose Marie Beebe and Robert M. Senkewicz have provided an accurate, complete translation of Osios original manuscript, and their helpful introduction and notes offer further details of Osios life and of society in Alta California. The publication of narratives and chronicles of Californios is long overdue. Beebe and Senkewiczs faithful translation of La Historia de Alta California contributes to the recovery of long-neglected material by Latinos in the U.S. They are pioneers in a growing field and I am certain this will be a watershed work.Rosaura Snchez, University of California, San Diego
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From Publishers Weekly
The first complete English translation of Osio's 1851 memoir of Mexican California, this account describes day-to-day life of the common people in what is now central and northern California from 1821 to 1846, before the Mexican-American War?a tense period marked by small skirmishes resulting from land and power disputes between the Anglos and the Mexicans. This is a daily account, so there is a lot of detail-perhaps more than the general reader really wants. Osio does have a readable style, however, and can write vividly, as in these observations about some corrupt Californios and Mexican traitors: "Se?or Stockton, a patriotic and upright man, would have hanged them like a bunch of grapes from every yardarm of his frigate's main mast." In their comprehensive introduction to the volume and the author, the editors note that this is not a structured record, complete with historical perspective. Still, Osio's first-person perspective and quotidian subject matter flesh out current understanding of the place and period. Illustrations not seen by PW.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Review
"Osio wrote his book in 1851: details of the U.S.-Mexican war and other events are thus immediate and from an involved writer's perspective, engrossing readers with not only observations but personal and family feelings about Mexican/U.S. relationships and changes."-The Bookwatch -- The Bookwatch
"The publication of narratives and chronicles of Californios is long overdue. Beebe and Senkewicz's faithful translation of La Historia de Alta California contributes to the recovery of long-neglected material by Latinos in the U.S. They are pioneers in a growing field and I am certain this will be a watershed work."-Rosaura Snchez, University of California, San Diego -- Rosaura Snchez, University of California, San Diego
Antonio Maria Osio's La Historia de Alta California was the first written history of upper California during the era of Mexican rule, and this is its first complete English translation. A Mexican-Californian, government official, and the landowner of Angel Island and Point Reyes, Osio writes colorfully of life in old Monterey, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, and he gives a first-hand account of the political intrigues of the 1830s that led to the appointment of Juan Bautista Alvarado as governor. Osio wrote his history in 1851, conveying with immediacy and detail the years of the Mexican-American War of 1846-1848, and the social upheaval that followed. As he witnesses California's territorial transition from Mexico to the United States, he recalls with pride the achievements of Mexican California in earlier decades and writes critically of the onset of American influence and imperialism. Unable to endure life as foreigners in their home of twenty-seven years, Osio and his family left Alta California for Mexico in 1852. Editors Rose Marie Beebe and Robert M. Senkewicz have provided a faithful and complete translation of Osio's original manuscript, and their helpful introduction and notes offer further details of Osio's life and of society in Alta California. The History Of Alta California is fascinating reading and "must reading" for students and "armchair historians" of western American history. -- Midwest Book Review
"The publication of narratives and chronicles of Californios is long overdue. Beebe and Senkewicz's faithful translation of La Historia de Alta California contributes to the recovery of long-neglected material by Latinos in the U.S. They are pioneers in a growing field and I am certain this will be a watershed work."-Rosaura Snchez, University of California, San Diego -- Rosaura Snchez, University of California, San Diego
Antonio Maria Osio's La Historia de Alta California was the first written history of upper California during the era of Mexican rule, and this is its first complete English translation. A Mexican-Californian, government official, and the landowner of Angel Island and Point Reyes, Osio writes colorfully of life in old Monterey, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, and he gives a first-hand account of the political intrigues of the 1830s that led to the appointment of Juan Bautista Alvarado as governor. Osio wrote his history in 1851, conveying with immediacy and detail the years of the Mexican-American War of 1846-1848, and the social upheaval that followed. As he witnesses California's territorial transition from Mexico to the United States, he recalls with pride the achievements of Mexican California in earlier decades and writes critically of the onset of American influence and imperialism. Unable to endure life as foreigners in their home of twenty-seven years, Osio and his family left Alta California for Mexico in 1852. Editors Rose Marie Beebe and Robert M. Senkewicz have provided a faithful and complete translation of Osio's original manuscript, and their helpful introduction and notes offer further details of Osio's life and of society in Alta California. The History Of Alta California is fascinating reading and "must reading" for students and "armchair historians" of western American history. -- Midwest Book Review
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Provides historical balance,
This review is from: History of Alta California: A Memoir of Mexican California (Paperback)
This book should be required reading in every public high school in California. It provides a perspective not commonly found in American history books. There was a migration of civilization from south to north that is largely overlooked by the east to west manifest destiny found in American history textbooks.
4.0 out of 5 stars
A great first hand account of California's history,
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This review is from: History of Alta California: A Memoir of Mexican California (Paperback)
This book was intriguing as at first I just saw names and towns I didn't recognize, then, I realized that this was true history of a man who saw the coming changes to the Mexican state of Alta California, or Californio. This was a man who embraced the changes, and looked forward to America possessing the land. He thought that Californio would then prosper and he would get rich at the same time. I was dumbfounded how different this first hand account was compared to the history I was taught in school, and compared to what I hear my fellow Mexicans tell me is the history of California...I am happy someone was smart enough to write down what really happened.Giving it 4stars because though the historical aspect is enlightening. The reading of it can be rather dry.
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