Juana Briones de Miranda lived an unusual life. She was one of the first residents of what is now San Francisco, then named Yebra Buena (Good Herb), reportedly after a medicinal tea she concocted. She was among the few women in California of her time to own property in her own name, and she proved to be a skilled farmer, rancher, and businesswoman. In retelling her story, McDonnell also retells the history of nineteenth-century California from the perspective of this surprising woman. -- P. [4] of Cover.