The California Missions by Rubén G. Mendoza ; photography by Melba Levick
This dense, richly illustrated chronicle
traces the architectural, archeological, religious, and cultural histories of
all 21 of missions.
The book is the culmination of Rubén G. Mendoza’s lifelong fascination with the
missions, which started when he was nine years old on a school field trip to Mission
San Juan Bautista. Dealing with the oldest of building types in the state
didn’t preclude the influence of current events. Shortly after Cal State
Monterey Bay professor Mendoza and photographer Melba Levick embarked on the book
project, Pope Francis announced the somewhat controversial canonization of mission
founder FatherJun?peroSerra, and Mendoza was even
summoned to the Vatican as an expert witness. After an introduction to their
Mexican antecedents, the book explores the California missions in chronological
order, starting with San Diego in 1769 through Sonoma in 1823. Detailed history
and descriptive captions give a sense of on-site discovery. The contact info for
all the missions at the back of the book aids in turning that sense into a
reality.
Rizzoli
New York; 2018; 256 pages; hardcover; $55.
