Arizona Books

This one started a little slowly but picked up momentum as it went on. I went through many emotions as you read this story of lovers kept apart by parents who didn't understand that love goes past social standing.

This is the second volume in the Desert Roses series. Ashley Reynolds was a "Harvey Girl," working in a Harvey's restaurant in Arizona. She lived with her grandfather and little daughter. She enjoyed her work and was regarded as one of Harvey's best. Her husband had been killed in WWI. She felt she could never find anyone who would measure up to the man she lost. Her daughter met an architect working on a Harvey project who was willing to share his interest in architecture with the little girl. Natalie encouraged this friendship. About the same time Ashley's grandfather was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer.

Throughout the story another struggle was raging - Grandfather and Natalie felt a firm faith in God but Ashley had questions which kept her from faith and church. How could God take her husband as he did? How could God let her grandfather have cancer? The mystery of the bearded architect was solved in an interesting and surprising way. This is a really good story and it shows a small section of history in the west as the Great Depression was spreading over the country. It also shares the struggle several people in the story experienced in finding faith in God.

This book for me started a little slow but the more I read, the more it captivated me. I cried, laughed, and was on the edge of my seat several times.
Your heart aches when you hear of the troubles that have befallen Ashley and you are so happy for her when things start to come together. I was enraged when her mother comes back into her life and tries to take over and I cheered when she wouldn't let her.
This book shows us that God is always looking out for us and that He always has a plan. If you believe in happy endings, this is the book for you.

Tracie Peterson has captured the era just before the beginning of the great depression, circa 1930. A young widowed mom is working - supporting her 10 yr. old daughter while sharing a home with a grandfather who is estranged from the rest of his family.

When hurt and bitterness have built up a wall, it is very unlikely that a newcomer to town, a construction worker, will have a chance to court her, even though her daughter is playing matchmaker.

The central figure is a young, independent but sad woman who has decided that fate and God have chosen her lot of single mom. In spite of the faith of both her daugher and her grandfather, she will not attend church or believe. Her family has turned their backs on her, never even knowing that she has a child, so she determines to be single, sad and alone. Her daughter is determined to change all that.

Lies, deception, danger and tremendous intrigue are played out it this second book of Peterson's "Desert Roses" series.

Including lots of other people and circumstances, Tracie builds a tremendous plot that will hold a reader spellbound and unable to lay the book down.

At last, the definitive guide to breeding birds in Arizona. Well written with beautiful photographs. A must have reference for the serious Arizona birder and avian ecologist.

Excellent book, love it so far. Lots of great info as well as nesting locations and life histories for all the nesting birds in Az. As a student of wildlife biology/ornithology this book has already come in handy a few times. The only thing I would change is maybe better pics, or diagrams to help in identification. Overall though, I would definately suggest this book to anyone interested in ornithology. BUY IT!

If you don't have it, GET IT! The new authority on Arizona's breeding birds has rode into town!

Arizona has been a dream destination for birders and ornithologists for a century and a quarter. Since the publication of the first Lane guide more than 30 years ago, traveling birders have benefited from the availability of a number of "birding Baedekers" for finding the state's many specialties. But what of birders who want to go beyond simply listing the Arizona rarities? With Phillips et al.'s excellent monograph on the distribution and status of Arizona's birds more than forty years old, and the most recent annotated checklist pushing 25, local birders and visitors alike have often found it difficult to place their sightings in context.
Now come Corman and Wise-Gervais, and their corps of well over 250 volunteer 'atlasers', with the first major reference work on the state's birds to appear for a long generation. Well designed and richly illustrated, the new Arizona Breeding Bird Atlas (or, to use the faintly discoish acronym, ABBA) fully deserves the place of honor it will occupy on birders' bookshelves, next to the magnum opus of Phillips, Marshall, and Monson.
Field work for the ABBA was begun in 1993 and completed at the turn of this century. Given the size of the state and the low number of observers available in all but the most densely populated areas, a system of "priority" blocks was developed for the surveys; the difficulties and the sampling methodologies developed to overcome them are clearly described in the book's introductory matter, as are the criteria and definitions used to document each species' breeding status.
While the book covers only those species known or suspected to have bred in Arizona, the splendid maps and well-illustrated habitat descriptions will be tremendously useful even to birders who visit the state only during non-breeding season (a nearly meaningless concept for species such as Lesser Goldfinch, which nests nearly year-round in the desert lowlands).
The results are published in a series of clearly structured species accounts, each occupying a full opening and each with a photograph of the species and a dramatically large, easily interpreted map showing the locations of breeding records. The species portraits are strictly speaking not necessary, but with only a few slight clunkers in the lot, they do add considerably to the visual appeal of these pages. For many species, convenient graphs showing habitat distribution and breeding phenology are also provided.
Although contributed by 19 different authors, the prose accounts show a uniformity of style that is greatly to the credit of the editors; only in the short anecdotal paragraphs beginning each account does the voice of the individual author intrude, sometimes charmingly, often less so. The 'meat' of the accounts is rigorously structured, with a detailed description of the species' habitat preferences followed by a clear summary of each bird's breeding biology in Arizona, including full and often carefully analyzed information on timing, nest construction, and behavior; this is simply great stuff, and it is high praise to say that over the last weeks I have found myself consulting ABBA in such matters as often as the online version of Birds of North America.
The accounts conclude with a discussion of the map data; many of the most interesting comments here are those directed at the apparent absence of certain species (the mysterious Lewis's Woodpecker, for example) in areas where they might be expected to breed. Careful readers will note many opportunities for research into new topics.
Among the appendices is a nearly 20-page bibliography, an extremely welcome addition to the resources available on Arizona ornithology.

I am a HUGE fan of Jim Tallon's. This book is a must have!

Author/photographer James Tallon has divided Arizona into eight regions, then included charts and maps, information on fishing sites, climate and more to make this an extremely comprehensive guide to the state'e public campgrounds. It is illustrated with page after page of full-color photographs, contained in a conveniently compact 8 3/4 x 5-inch format.
Tallon admits that the campgrounds selected were his own choices for "ambiance, pulchritude and serenity." He says:
"At each of the campgrounds in this book, depending on the amenities available, I tried to consider the broad spectrum of campers, from those who need nothing more than a ground cloth and a sleeping bag to those at the top of the comfort chain in bus-size motorhomes with two bedrooms and 1 1/2 baths. A common ground for campers within these extremes is an appreciation of scenery, wildlife, natural and historic wonders, and outdoor recreation--including fishing, hiking, hunting, biking and bird-watching."
Tallon has roamed, written about and photographed Arizona's backcountry for over 30 years. While researching this book, he visited more than 215 campgrounds.

This is an outstanding book with nice pictures and accurate directions.

Using this book will give you the ultimate camping experience in Arizona. Slight changes compared to previous editions, especially in opening and closing dates of the campground.

As I was browsing at Williams' Book Store in San Pedro recently, I came upon a book with a title that caught my eye: Arizona's Hispanic Flyboys 1941-1945 (Writers Club Press, 2002) by Rudolph C. Villarreal. I flipped through its pages and immediately knew that I had to buy it. The first thought that went through my mind was: Ken Burns should have read this book.

La Bloga has extensively covered the controversy over Burns' initial failure to include any interviews - whatsoever - with Latino veterans of World War II for his PBS documentary, The War. Only after much public outcry did he relent and add a couple of interviews. Then we learned from Gus Chavez of Defend the Honor Campaign that in the book version of the documentary, other than one reference to Mexicans when describing the population of Sacramento, Burns excludes any reference to the Latinos who served in our armed forces.

Burns should have read Villarreal's book before moving forward with his version of history. Though Villarreal limits his book to Latinos from Arizona who flew or supported flight crews, he was able to tell the story of 77 - yes, 77 - Latinos who served this country during WW II.

Each "flyboy" receives a chapter that begins with the basics: a photo (if available), hometown, branch served, rank, duty (i.e., bombardier, pilot, engineer, gunner, etc.), medals won and where they did battle. Villarreal offers a narrative of each life, often footnoted, and sometimes he includes newspaper clippings with such headlines as "Sgt. Estrada Dies in Action," or "Five Yuma Fliers Killed in Crash" or "Missing: Mesa Fighter Pilot." These are heartbreaking accounts that are personalized by Villarreal's extensive research. Sometimes Villarreal has nothing more than one newspaper clipping to offer; even these short entries are moving and enlightening. Other times, he has enough information to write extensively on a flyboy's education, family and acts of valor. Sometimes we read letters from a flyboy to his loved ones.

Flyboys from Arizona with names like Sosa, Gallegos, Ochoa and Campos fill these pages with their brave acts and dedication. If Villarreal could tell the stories of 77 Latino flyboys from one state, how is it that Burns failed so miserably in his attempt to tell the "real" story of those who fought in WW II?

In sum, Villarreal has written a gripping and indispensable testament to the bravery and contributions of Latinos who fought in World War II.

[The full version of this review first appeared in La Bloga.]

In his introduction to "Arizona's Hispanic Flyboys 1941-1945," author Rudolph C. Villarreal says this about the book: "This is a documentary of Hispanic boys from my home state of Arizona who served as pilots and aircrew in our armed forces during the war." The book contains entries on seventy-seven "flyboys" from both the Army and Naval air services. The book is structured like a reference work; the seventy-seven entries are alphabetically organized and follow a standard format. Each entry includes the man's name, rank, hometown, combat decorations, and other material.

The flyboys include pilots, gunners, navigators, flight engineers, radio operators, and those in other jobs. Both enlisted men and officers are included. The book contains reproductions of many materials from the era covered. There are photographs of newspaper articles from the _Phoenix Gazette_, _Tempe Daily News_, _Arizona Republic_, and other newspapers, as well as reproductions of such historic documents as a commendatory letter to a flyboy from the governor of Arizona. Although some of these reproduced documents are difficult to read, overall they are a great feature. The book is also full of photographs showing the flyboys and the crews they served with; many photos show the men together with the aircraft of their era.

Villareal notes that his primary sources of information were wartime newspapers. His footnotes give further insights into his research methods. Included in the entries are some remarkable stories of courage and survival. Quite a number of the flyboys survived time as POWs. Villareal also tells of many of the men's lives after the war; there are some noteworthy accounts of achievement in both military and civilian careers. It's clear that this book was a labor of love for the author. This is both a valuable reference work and a moving tribute to this group of World War II veterans.

Villarreal has done a marvellous job researching the lives and exploits of heretofore unrecognized men. We all owe a tremendous debt to the daring Arizona Hispanic flyboys who fought for us during World War II. This book should be required reading in all Hispanic Studies classes and is an absolute necessity for WW II buffs.

Author Rudolph C. Villarreal has chronicled some of the most interesting WWII aviators, who all just happen to be Hispanic and from Arizona. In his book "Arizona Hispanic Flyboys 1941-1945", he gives us a series of short bios on some real American heroes. His book not only preserves a slice of WWII history with never before told tales but he also honors the Hispanic culture of Arizona with his tributes to these old warriors.

What brings this all together and makes it such a reader friendly book is that the author presents each man's story with some local information like what high school or college the men attended or graduated from. He paints an honest portrait of real human beings who did heroic things in his brief bios. He lists what military medals each man was awarded and where they fought and for what unit. There were some men that I wanted to learn more about like what happened to Corporal Oscar Gallegos after he was released after being a POW in Europe. What was his life like? What did that imprisonment do to him? Where is he now? We may never know.

Some of those profiled have lots of information such as First Lieutenant Gilbert F. Gonzales a pilot of a P-38 fighter lane. The author follows his life right up to his death in 1994. He was part of a squadron that had shot down 179 planes in the Pacific. The book must make fascinating and inspirational reading for those families who have a father, or grandfather featured within these hollowed pages.

The author has truly honored these men and their memories. It is a worthy effort and a well researched book. If you love stories about real men and war this is a good book to read.

Walter Noble Burns looked up Wyatt Earp with a view toward writing a story about him, as he had about Billy the Kid. His Billy the Kid helped establish once and for all the legendary status of the Kid. Wyatt Earp reported Burn's first visit to his friend, movie star, Wm. S. Hart, saying he was happily convinced Wyatt would allow him to do his story.

Unfortunately, for both Burns and Earp, Wyatt's friend John H. Flood Jr. had just written Wyatt's story, which was being circulated to publishers with the help of Wm. S. Hart. More unfortunately was that Earp loyally declined Burn's offer out of regard for Flood. The rub there turned out to be that Flood obviously couldn't write for beans. (Ask me. I found, bought and published his work after historians had sought for years this rare document, all copies of which had dropped out of sight.) As one editor said of Flood's work, it was "stilted and florid and diffuse." That may have been an understatement.

In any case, shifty Burns, despite what others have more kindly said about the sequel, tricked Wyatt into thinking he would instead do a book on Wyatt's intimate, Doc Holliday. And under that pretext he got a lot out of Wyatt, and used it to do a book that Wyatt finally concluded, was more about him than Doc. In fact when it occurred to him that he'd been tricked out of what amounted to the most interesting part of his life story he considered suing Burns. His friend Hart encouraged him, and thought he'd probably win big time. But suits cost time and money just as they do today. Moreover, Wyatt was old and tired. So Burns got away with his trickery, and brought out one of the most interesting, and accurate, books on what had gone on during what could be called the Earp, Behan, Clanton, McLaury, Cowboy Gang Feud. Behan was the crooked sheriff in spades. Burns did not learn that beneath much of the violence at Tombstone lay the fact that Wyatt had swiped the sheriff's cute, young, gal, Josephine Sarah Marcus. (Who later became his third and last wife, at least by common-law.) SEE THE STORY OF HER LIFE WITH WYATT ON AMAZON: "I MARRIED WYATT EARP."

Burns success in portraying things as they were was based on the fact that he found many of the participants still living, just as he had in the case of Billy the Kid. Burns was, however, basically a tenderfoot. For example, while researching Wyatt, an idea for another book occurred to him to cover the shenanigans of the many colorful old timers out in Cochise County, and he proposed to have the father of my old friend Ben Sanders act as his oracle and guide in seeking out old scoundrels. Bill Sanders reaction was: "You must be joking. These people are my neighbors!" If the implication isn't obvious to law professors from back East and that sort, he meant he'd have to move out if he blew the whistle.

In any case, this is a book well worth reading. It's author ended a colorful career shortly after the book came out, by dying quite young. Pity.

There is less fiction here than modern writers, who are shot in the pants with debunking, would like us to believe. Burns knew the foremost guide to writing such books was "stick to the facts, till you run out of them, and only make up as much as you have to in order to eat regularly." Editorial ethics then and now were much the same. In any case, Burns was not "stilted and florid and diffuse."

Since Flood's Ms. was not saleable, when Stuart Lake came along a few years later he took it over and made it that way. And Lake's so-called biography of Wyatt is a lot more truth than fiction. Read it, too: WYATT EARP: FRONTIER MARSHAL.

Burns was the first of the big name writers that started Wyatt Earp on the trail to fame and eventualy six-shooter Sainthood. I have a notion Wyatt would have liked the money in it, but not necessarily the fuss and bother of meeting celebrity seekers.

I read somewhere that more movies have been made about Wyatt Earp than all the U.S. presidents combined! There's something about the gunfight at the O.K. Corral that touches the mainspring of American imagination. Tombstone is the book that made Wyatt Earp famous and shaped forever our perception of him. I read Tombstone first when I was in high school back in the 1950s and I've since dipped into it countless times. Some might object to the author's purple prose and made-up dialogue and newer scholarly studies of the Earps and Tombstone may be more accurate and balanced. But Burns drew his material from interviews with old-timers and Tombstone newspapers and I'm confident that he comes about as close to fact as you can get. This is a magical tale and nobody could tell it any better than Burns.

Smallchief

One of the editorial reviews above says that this book is "a mixture of fact and fiction." It seems to me that it is no more so than modern works on the topic and perhaps may be more accurate.

Written less than 50 years after the primary events that made the town famous, and while some of the people who participated in them were still alive, Burns crafts a portrait not just of those seminal events but a general history of the town from its inception to what had become of it in the 1920's.

Many other works about the Earps and their opponents tend either to lionize or demonize Wyatt Earp. Burns takes a more balanced view of both sides in the conflict, exploring their shortcomings and their qualities. Modern writers on the subject could take a lesson from him.

tombstone the Iliad of the Southwest was a very informative book that keep me entertained as well as learning about the history of the people that shaped the southwest.I was very impressed how the author was able to interview many of the characters or speak to people that lived through that era.The book being writted in 1927 really brought out alot of history that would otherwise be lost.

A must if you are going to bird southwest Arizona.

Taylor's updated version is an essential tool for anyone who is not familiar with s.e. arizona, and extremely helpful for those who are. It contains detailed descriptions of birding areas, maps, species to expect at different times of the year, and more. Rick takes you right to the hard-to-find Arizona specialties, as well as all the rest, and does it in an enjoyable manner. This book is fun to read even after leaving Arizona. You will not be disappointed with this one!

This is a great resource for planning and executing a birding expedition to southeast Arizona. Excellent maps, detailed species accounts, and helpful directions and resource listings. This book tells you what specialties to look for at specific locations and when they are most likely to be found there. A great guide for birding southeast Arizona, from roadside birding to backcountry hiking. I especially appreciate the tear out maps of trails and inside cover maps of locations and ecoregions.

A new 2005 edition is due soon and may already be out.

Why buy the 1995 version?

Frederick Dellaenbaugh was a young man when John Wesley Powell tapped him to participate in Powell's second trip down the Colorado River. Powell had made the journey already a few years before, so the second voyage was less pure exploration and more science; the crew included Almon Harris Thompson (called affectionately "Prof." throughout), a professional geographer who also happened to be Powell's brother-in-law. With several boats and men of widely varying experience, the expedition sailed the Green river (thought at that time to be the upper Colorado) to its junction with the Colorado, and the Colorado itself as far as the middle of the Grand Canyon. Swirling rapids, maggotty food, blistering heat, sudden blizzards beset the adventurers, who still though it all made their geographical, geological, and ethnographical observations which resulted in (among other things) the first maps of the four corners region and the Grand Canyon (reproduced in the book).
While wild adventure, humor, and a real sense of the Old West permeate the book, there is a certain sadness, too. The Native Americans whom Dellenbaugh encounters are people clearly already defeated -- fearful, distrusting, sad. We catch glimpses of the Navaho trying to accommodate themselves to the new reality of white (especially Mormon) settlement, creating new networks of trade focused on growing frontier towns. But the seeds of the end are planted already in the irrigated fields of the Mormon settlers, and sometimes it seems as if the natives knew this too. Also, the topography through which the explorers travelled has now partly vanished behind the dams that have ruined Glen Canyon and other stretches of white water and canyon scenery. No one can now do what Dellenbaugh and his companions did; the sense of loss hovers unintentionally about every page.
Dellenbaugh was a keen observer (though perhaps a bit naive) with a talent for making even the monotony of running rapid after rapid spellbinding. One does feel that he may have veiled some of the conflicts that must have arisen in two (non-continuous) years of isolation, though if so this trait is refreshing in a world where we now expect everyone to tattle on everyone else. Every now and then just a shimmer of impatience with one of the crew seeps through. But the real hero who emerges from this book, somewhat surprisingly, is not the leader Powell -- the young Dellenbaugh seems never to have gotten close to him -- but rather the Prof., who rises to every challenge with decency and humaneness, and of whom Dellenbaugh seems to have been genuinely, and for good reason, in awe. Like Powell he is buried in Arlington Cemetery. He deserved that honor, but where he lives is in the pages of this book.

Love and respect for the Green and Colorado Rivers is greatly enhanced by Dellenbaugh's narritive of the 2nd Powell expadition. Well written, accurate history, and spell binding from start to finish. An adventure that can only be partially accomplished today is TOTALLY available in "A Canyon Voyage!"

This is an exceptionally well written account of a wonderful adventure through the canyons of the Colorado River. For anyone who loves the West's wildness, and writing most sensitive and humorous, this is a "must read". This book is illustrated with many fine original photographs and etchings.

At the time of the 2nd voyage down the Colorado, Dellenbaugh was on about 19 years old. He didn't write the book until many years later. What a wonderful/spellbinding look at the most beautiful place in North America (The Colorado Plateau). Not only that but I found it extremely hunorous as well. Great Great book!!!

This was an objective overview of the history of Chia. Not a recipe or how-to book. A bit on the academic side but I enjoyed it. Also enjoy using chia as a supplement.

Have read all the chia information on the web. This book gives you the history, the facts and why chia is so important in the diet - both ours and animals. The authors compare chia to other sources of omega-3 and then discuss why chia is a better source. If you are interested in your health this is a must read.

With 37 pages of documented references, Ayerza and Coates have established credibility with their findings of this old (but new) kid on the Essential Fatty Acid (EFA market. Chia seed, as well as hemp seed, is going to be a valuable source of EFAs in the not too distant future. Our waters are just too polluted and manufacturers too unscrupulous to keep up the facade that fish is the only source for the omega-3s our body needs. Ayerza and Coates goes into much detail on such subjects as the paradox of hunger and abundance; the importance of EFAs and the best sources of them as well as fats in general; why chia seed is one of the best sources of EFAs and many other nutrients; a detailed history of chia and where it seems to grow best (southern Mexico); the history of the Aztec people and their use of the seed; the various varieties and how to recognize them; and the oil's contribution to the preservation of art. The book also includes valuable tables of information and concludes with marketing ideas. Although the seed is a much needed food item, I fear that it can easily be exploited by manufacturers who see the value of the seed for other reasons than food. In this day and age of widespread hunger, food in general and good food (like chia and hemp seed) in particular, remains at the bottom of legislative concerns.

I was so delighted with the Chia book. Not only does the author provide an excellent historical review of chia seed, and its uses - there is also a wealth of information about its nutritional benefits. Long time overdue. I eat chia seeds every day, and cannot believe the dramatic difference they have made in my overall health. Don't miss this one!

This is a must-have for those who appreciate the work of William Christenberry. Informative text, faithful reproductions of Christenberry's photos, and first-time glimpses into his early work, Reconstruction supplies us with a first-rate chronicle of the life, inspiration, and work of an important 20th century American artist.

As unique and genuine an artist as America has produced, Christenberry receives admirable attention in this work. The depth and breadth of his talent is showcased, with attention paid to all of the mediums he employs: painting, sculpture, and photography. Southerners will especially appreciate the evocative quality that rings through these pieces, but their appeal is not limited to art enthusiasts from that region alone. The gravity of the work has a wide appeal.

This book was published as the monograph to a traveling national exhibition on William Christenberry which was curated by the Center for Creative Photography's curator of photography, Trudy Wilner Stack, back in 1996. It is a splendid introduction to Christenberry's work. Through his photography, sculpture and painting, Christenberry has explored the South's rural manmade landscape and its tortured psychological landscape, focusing in on the Ku Klux Klan. Working in color, Christenberry comes across as a latter day Walker Evans, showing much empathy and respect for the culture he depicts in his photographs, with, of course, a notable exception for the Ku Klux Klan. Anyone interested in seeing a fine introduction to Christenberry's work should look no further.

A visual treat. The artist has captured the look and feel of rural Alabama. Whether it is a photograph, assemblage, painting or drawing, there is a basic truth and honesty to these works.They evoke the time from the depression to the present in a haunting and beautiful way. Mr, Christenberry is indeed a poet.

This book is a really great book about an astronaught turned CIA agent, David Rogers, and his mission to find out who at Jamison Enterprises is selling missleguiding microchips to the middle east. These mission sends him to the small town of Amen, Arizona to teach at Alma Elementary school to spy on the librarian Libby James a.k.a. Elisabeth Jamison, a very very wealthy buisness woman who has returned to Amen after her parents death. I really liked this book because it kept me interested and guessing who the murderer and traitor to the U.S. was. I finally figured it out when they say that Karlton Fisk dies. I would recommend this book to you no matter who you are!

I just received this book as a surprise birthday gift. I borrowed my sister's copy and just loved it. Libby and David are great characters. I'm so glad I have my own copy now and can't wait to continue collecting Kerry Blair's books. I've read most of them and love them all!

This book is funny, romantic, suspenseful and a real page turner. It is also nice to have a book that a person with religious values can read and enjoy. I had a hard time putting it down!

This is just a really good and encapturing book. One of the funniest things I've ever read. It follows David Rogers, and astronaut turned CIA agent, and his journey to Amen, Arizona where he is to find out all he can about the elementary librarian Libby James. In truth Libby James is really Elisabeth Jamison, a rich successful business woman who has inexplicably moved to Amen after her parents death in a car accident. Rogers is sent to investigate her and gather evidence against her so the CIA can arrest her for laundering money and such into foreign terrorist camps. Rogers soon finds out however that it's not Libby who's doing and decides, after falling in love with her, to prove her innocence and catch the real bad guy. This book is great fun to read aloud and hilariously entertaining. I would recommend this book to anyone enjoys a good laugh and plot.