Old California Strikes Back is a magical memoir and meta-novel that chronicles the journey of its mixed-race author—SRD—as he dismantles the myths surrounding Californios and the Chicano condition. Accompanied by the talking head of the folk hero Joaquin Murrieta, he records his journey on a guidebook by a self-styled Zorro as they race to grab the “Jewels of Ramona” the last unstolen relic of mythic Old California.  Through this internal tour of history, personal and collective, SRD reconnects with his Californio Mexican and Native ancestors, who endured two waves of colonization and creates a dream where he can truly belong.