Depicts daily life of sixteen tribes with 150 illustrations. Maps of their homelands. George Emanuels (1908 - 2005, age 97) is the author of seven (or nine) books of California history, and this is the only one focusing on the Native American tribes in the region. The author manages to describe stories and facts with almost a "chamber of commerce" sense of dispassion.

After a career in sales, George and his wife of 75 years, Helen Parsons Emanuels (she predeceased him in 2003) traveled extensively in their Airstream trailer. Often with children and grandchildren, they led dozens of caravans throughout the United States, Mexico, and Europe. The Emanuels visited local libraries and historical societies wherever they went. He collected local history books but always described himself as an "amateur historian". The California Historical Society honored him in 1992. ( )