Colorado Books

"The Autobiography of Mayo W. Lanning" is mostly devoted to Mr. Lanning's experiences in the New Jersey Zinc Company's Franklin Mine and Sterling Hill Mine in Franklin and Ogdensburg, New Jersey, ca 1941-1943; the NJZ Eagle Mine in Gilman, Colorado ca 1943-1950; and the NJZ Friedensville Mine ca 1950-1966. NJZ's training policies are indirectly documented. Competent men were moved from job to job (regardless of prior or formal training) to learn the full process of mining and processing the ore. A great deal of time (and therefore company resources) was spent on training men this way. After being moved around to learn the basic "labor" of mining in Franklin, NJ, Lanning was trained as a safety engineer (taken very seriously by the New Jersey Zinc Company), and from there moved to various engineering and supervisory positions. He was NJZ's shaft engineer for the sinking of the Friedensville Shaft (although the sinking was done by a contractor).
Mr. Lanning goes into detail on topics such as the spontaneous combustion in portions of the Eagle Mine and shaft sinking at the Friedensville Mine. At least equally fascinating are the insights he provides into the dynamics of management--that is, the interactions among individuals.
Although highly readable, the book suffers from a lack of even basic copy editing. There are numerous non-sequiturs, misspellings, and numerous highly visible typographical errors (such as double periods).

I was lucky to find this nice pamphlet on a recent road trip. Even thought I am interested in bank histories on banks like this one that issued national bank notes, I would like this book even if I were not so interested in the subject. Certainly I would be interested is I were interested in Colorado or American west history (I am somewhat interested in these subjects). The book quotes much 19th century correspondence about the founding and early operatoins of the bank. One particularly interesting discussion describes the transport of a 9000 pound safe to Durango. Later having the safe was something worth advertising. Photographs of Durango and the bank iin the 1880s are also highlights.
A pencil notation in my mocpy indicates that 500 copies were printed and the book seems to have been unavailable for a long time.

The main theme of the book is the the town, Basalt, which owed it's existence to the railroad. Numerous early day photographs of the Midland yards, the rolling stock, and some of the wrecks of the day. This is the first time that many of these photographs have been reproduced. Also includes three folding maps in a pocket in the rear of the book.

Basins of Silver: The Story of Silverton, Colorado's Las Animas Mining District is a detailed and methodical yet thoroughly accessible history of one of Colorado's richest and longest-worked mining areas, one of the first places in which the economies of scale in mining and milling low-grade ore were practiced and refined. The resulting techniques would forever transform the mining industry. Meticulously distinguishing history from folklore, Basins of Silver covers booms and busts, from The Great Silver Crash of 1983 to the demand surge caused by World War I to the devastating impact of the Great Depression and the end to Silverton's mining era. A handful of black-and-white photographs illustrate this thoughtful, balanced, and extensive account. A welcome addition to Colorado state history shelves.

Once upon a time, when wolves were still gone from New Mexico, as a kid I used to walk down Palace Avenue in Santa Fe from my home to the Plaza. There was a house along the way where an extremely old man lived. I used to stop there whenever I could get away with it and sit and listen to him tell stories about his time as a ranger in the Pecos Wilderness.

The man was Elliott Barker. Eventually I got my hands on a copy of his book, Beatty's Cabin. His writing was every bit as good as his story telling. Sadly, my copy of the book is long gone, and I find now it is long out of print.

This is a tragedy. His tales of the Pecos Wilderness in the early twentieth century are a true New Mexico treasure. His views on wildlife may be environmentally unpalatable to us now (he believed in eliminating wolves and grisly bears to benefit ranchers), but his awe at the beauty and strength of the Pecos Wilderness, and his concern for true wilderness as a vanishing resource could kindle a love for our natural environment in almost any reader.

Marle Woodson's book reminds the reader that we are all human beings, with the same hopes and dreams, whether we are on the "inside" or the "outside" of the hospital walls. His story describe his stay in an Oklahoma hospital as a last resort to defeat his alcoholism. The book is not a sensationalist tale, but rather a telling record of his days spent on Ward 8. What I found compelling was his honesty as he contemplates his existence in the past, the present, and the future. His words are touching and sometimes humorous. I wish I could have met Mr. Woodson. This is a book for readers who are interested in how other people think.

Mr. Paddock's Belonging to the West shows us a different side of Colorado. It is the Colorado that all of us who were raised there know and love. It is not another mountain book. Mr. Paddock shows us the sky and the vast plains that comprise half of the state. He has captured the beauty of the semi-desert landscape and the weathered, still occupied buildings in the many small towns on the high mountain plateaus and in the great plains. He shows us the lines of the old unpaved roads and the desert plants as they mix with the sky. He shows us a landscape that does not take your breath away, but a Colorado that has captured the hearts of those of us who have lived there.

This was yet another perfect book written by the very talented Debra Kastner. She pulls you into her story giving you the inability to set the book down until you've read the last page. And even then, you wish you were still turning them.

Beloved is comdey, seriousness and romance wrapped all in one amazing book.

Truly a spectacular read.

From 1833 to 1949 a trading outpost was established on the mountain section of the Santa Fe Trail. Originally established by Charles and William Bent, it was the largest and most important trading outpost in the region, encouraging trade with the Indians and in precious metals from Mexico. Abandonned by Bent in 1849, the Fort was partially destroyed and almost disappeared only to be restored and dedicated as the Bent's Old Fort National Historical Site in July of 1976. This book is fiiled with the detailed history of the region and the expansion and settlement of the southwest in the mid 1800's.

The Boulder, Colorado area hosts some of the finest bouldering in the country. The concentration and variety of high-quality rock offers a lifetime of challenging problems for serious boulderers, while numerous moderate lines provide the perfect training ground for beginners. From Eldorado Canyon to the Flatirons to Flagstaff Mountain and Mount Sanitas, Best of Boulder Bouldering includes all the classics-plus over 100 boulders and 375 new problems that have never before been covered in any guidebook! Formerly Front Range Bouldering: Boulder Area, this book has been completely updated and reformatted to make finding the best local bouldering easier than ever. New overview maps, hundreds of new photos, and detailed written descriptions will lead you to the boulders and point out the problems-all you have to do is pull down and have a blast.