Before California (AltaMira Press, 2004. Now in paperback) This book was commissioned by the Society for California Archaeology and had a somewhat checkered history during its writing before being published by AltaMira. A popular account of California from the first human settlement to the first arrival of Europeans, this is a book that covers a lot of ground in a short compass. It’s designed for a general audience and beginning students, and, as such is short on detail.