A California family -- California rebel : reexamining Pico's role in California politics, 1828-1835 -- Secularization and rebellion : Pico at San Luis Rey, 1835-1840 -- The pivotal years, 1840-1846 -- Governor Pico and war with the United States -- Pico reborn -- The making of an American don -- "An occasional miscarriage of justice" : reassessing Pío Pico's financial decline -- La última palabra (The last word)