This book documents ongoing language shift to English among Latino professionals in California. It then describes current instructional practices used in the teaching of Spanish as an academic subject at the high school and university levels to 'heritage' language students who, although educated entirely in English, acquired Spanish at home as a first language. It specifically examines the potential contribution of these instructional practices to the maintenance of Spanish.

With an eye for detail and a sardonic sense of humor, Waite surveys California from past to present, revealing the origins, attitudes, quirks, curiosities, and little-known facts that make the Golden State unique.