Arizona Books

This is an interesting and well-illustrated book on ghost towns and mining camps in Arizona. The book is divided into eight sections (most in the southern part of the state), and within each section the various sites are described and located.

Each section has one major ghost town as its main attraction (Oatman, Swansea, Vulture, Sasco, Ruby, Jerome, Clifton, and Bisbee), and then several nearby sites are listed and described. Many photographs (historical and contemporary) are included, all of high quality and on slick paper, similar to the magazine Arizona Highways, which published the book.

Important for people who actually enjoy visiting ghost towns when possible, Varney tells exactly how to find each site, whether a high-clearance vehicle is necessary to get there, and whether each is on private property or not. The book is useful, informative, and a pleasure to read. Anyone interested in ghost towns in Arizona, whether as an armchair traveler or in-the-field explorer, will want to have this book.

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[Paired review with Ghost Towns of Colorado, by Philip Varney]

Ghost town books are traditionally rather scruffy affairs, with dim
photos, little organization and an amateurish look. Philip Varney
has raised the bar with these two books. Both feature clean design,
good directions to the sites, excellent photographs and well-written
text. Varley writes "I wanted a practical, informative guide that
would give me the details I needed next to me on the sea of my
truck." Both books are squarely on his mark.

The Colorado book is nicer: all the present-day photographs are in
color, and the extra 24 pages allow more photos and a bit more depth
to the text. But the Arizona book is no slouch: it has the advantage of
Arizona Highways' long experience in producing good, easy-to-use
guidebooks (plus it's cheaper). I've been to most of the sites in both
books; in almost every case I've learned something new from his
books. The photos are excellent, the maps and directions are easy to
follow, and Varney's writing style is personable and informative.

Either book will make a fine companion for your next Colorado or
Arizona vacation, even if you don't ordinarily pay much attention
to ghost towns. Those with an interest in Western history *need*
both books. And they're both excellent for armchair travellers.
We're already talking about a Colorado trip next summer --
Kathleen's never seen the *real* South Park.

Varney really has no competition for either state. These are the two
best ghost-own guidebooks I've seen. He'salso written ghost-town
guides for New Mexico (1987?) and Southern California (1990). The NM book is decent, but out-of-date. I haven't seen the other.

Happy reading--
Pete Tillman
Consulting Geologist, Tucson & Santa Fe (USA)

Pete Tillman visited his first Colorado ghost towns some 40 years ago, and has since been to hundreds more throughout the West, both for work and for fun. Vulture (AZ) is his current favorite "true" ghost. But, hmm, Bodie (CA) is bigger and better-kept.... And Jerome (AZ) has the best views... And I've *still* never been to Crystal (CO). So much to see, so little time....

I found this book to have some very interesting photographs and accurate information about the Arizona area. Good resource book for accurate historical information.

This book contains a wealth of factual background data on each ghost town, as well as numerous "back then" and "see it now" photographs. The book maintains the high standards expected from the publishers of "Arizona Highways Magazine"

This book is probably the best ghost town book published for any state in the U.S.. It is nicely divided up by area of Arizona. So you can easily travel to a particular area and visit a few ghost towns in a row in a rather short period of time. Each area has its principle site (uually the site with most to see and the most history). Also, two to six secondary sites area listed for each area. Then minor sites are also listed so you can prioritize you visits to maximize what you see in a smaller amount of time.
The author also includes detialed driving directions and if a four wheel drive or high clearance vehicle is needed to get there. The pictures in this book are amazing. I am guessing that there is information on over 100 ghost towns in this book. Due to the dry climate, the ghost towns here tend to stay pretty well preserved. And the author does a good job of showing you the best there is to see here. I have personally visited probably 30 to 50 of the towns in this book, and I am telling you it is worth every penny.

I dare anyone to put this gem of a book down...

It reminded me of Steinbeck in its efficient ability to weave a complex and rich story full of vivid atmosphere out of so few words. A clever mix of genres too - a modern, original story with shadings of the CSI procedural, the murder mystery, and the spaghetti western. That it also manages to include a believable and satisfying love story makes me wonder if it's already being made into a movie. If so, I can't wait.

Quite simply it's a great story told with fascinating characters that leaves you begging for more. And I'm pretty sure that's all I ask for when it's time to curl up with a good book.

Buffalo nicle, turned out to be a very enjoyable read.
the setting is in AZ and the writer captures the residents down to the tee.
the Homicide detective in this book is very beleivable.
I recieved this book at noon and I did not put it down until evening meal, completed in at bed time. great book.
this is the same author whom wrote BOATSWAINSMATE, so if you enjoyed that book, you will, really enjoy this one.

Pat Johnston has created a wonderful crime novel that takes place in the southwest and blended the crime to one of the finest coins ever minted that honers our old southwest traditions: "The Buffalo Nickel".Adding in bits of history and interesting characters in his book that takes place in Arizona, makes this a great "who-dunnit" read! I'll be looking for more of Pat Johnston's work!!!Harry Moore, Oregon

I really enjoyed this mystery. It reflects the small towns in Arizona and frankly, ended up getting so into the characters and the plot that I finished it in one night. Definitely worth a read.

As the author, I am biased, but can't help but be enthusiastic about the story. Set in Arizona, I tried to convey the beauty and vastness of the desert in my descriptive passages. The novel moves across the landscape describing the natural features and historical highlights of the region, all in the quest to solve a viscous murder and bring a dangerous killer to justice.
The buffalo nickel, found near the unidentified body by the highway, is a vital clue.
The buffalo nickels were produced from 1913 until 1938 and were considered one of the most distinctive American coins ever minted.
This book should keep you on your toes and turning the pages. "I read it in one night..." a reader recently told me.

Calling Arizona Home is an interesting collection of verbal snapshots of the cities and towns that make up Arizona. Done in the style of Chicago writer Studs Turkle, this book makes us feel as though we spent a day in front of the county courthouse in each of these places, swapping tales and smelling the ambiance. It is a perfect way to visit places you haven't yet visited and to understand the fullness that is Arizona.

This fine book is one part history, one part story-telling and one part desert poetry. If you like the Arizona history texts of Marshall Trimbel, the story-telling of Studs Turkel or the desert poetry of Wallace Stegner, you will love this book. It joins the growing body of literature that deals with mans relationship to "place", and how we inhabit and live in concert with the places we live. In this regard, it will remind readers of the works by Dan Kemmis. Arizona has a brighter future if its residents take heed of the message this book provides.

Lisa Schnebly is one of my favorite writers. In her three prior books she has demonstrated her knowledge and love for Arizona. Her writing is distinctive and very inviting. It must be Fred DuVal's voice here that gives the book something else - a template for how to live more gently on the land. It is a blend of styles and flavors that go well together. And it makes for a lively and enjoyable read.

Calling Arizona Home provides a concise, and very readable history of who came to Arizona, when and why, and explores why we each live where we do within the state - and what compels us to stay. It invites the question of what makes and unites us as Arizonans, which for a state that is so individualistically oriented, is a tough task. The authors do identify some answers and challenge us to appreciate the interdependency between self and the land rather than the rugged individualism that has elsewhere so utter branded the West. The book includes individual chapters (and photos) about different Arizona cities and towns and paints a verbal picture of life in each through the voices of those who live there. It concludes with a thoughtful ode to those of us that live, or have lived, in this fragile desert in harmony with our place. If you are an Arizonan or one who simply loves this delicate piece of the world, this book will resonate with you.

As much as the interesting essays about Arizona towns, I enjoyed this book because of its call to those of us who live here to celebrate the history that is here, and to celebrate - and honor - the desert and wonderful landscape we consume too fast and take too much for granted. This is a book as much about how we live as where we live. It is a prosciption as well as a description.

My dad, Harvery Whelan and my uncle Roy Salge are profiled in the book. I grew up in Santa Cruz county on the ranch where my dad still lives and works. Beautifully photographed and written. A true testimony of the cowboy life.

Ruby Whelan
Santa Fe, NM

Carter Allen's photo documentary is excellent. It renews our faith in the true existence of the American cowboy, working and living not too differently than his predecessors did in the early days of the West. The depth of tradition captured in these photographs and verbalized in Dodie Allen's brief biographies makes us pause to say a little prayer that this endangered species and way of life, too, can be preserved.

The photographs of Carter Allen are so sensitive and life-like, you feel right away a friendship with the people who are further made real through the easy-to-read and warm portrayal offered by Dodie Allen. The "cowboys" are an important part of our nations history and still play an important role in todays culture. They should never be forgotten and this book helps us realize that. It's a book the whole family can enjoy and share. It acts as a catalyst to learn more about the cowboys...past and present. I highly recommend it. JeriMcDonald

The photography is exquisite, capturing not only the beauty of the landscape in Santa Cruz County, but the "beauty of the landscape" in the faces of the "cowboys/cowgirls" that are truly a part of the land. The photography is enhanced through the short prose about each subject, adding the depth and color to create a 3-dimensional view of characters that thrived in a time that is quickly vanishing from our culture--true American icons. I have visited the Santa Cruz County area, and much of Arizona, and found this book provides insight to the "cowboy" lifestyle, with beautiful reminders of things I have been fortunate enough to see. I have given this book as gifts to others, some who have been to Arizona, and others who have not--the all have loved the "experience" of being there as they've read their books. "Gooch", "Cotton" and Kate have become quick favorites, and the "Huachuca Cowboys" represent a lifestyle that some of us surely long for. . .

The Allen's have captured a rare and vanishing lifestyle in America. The photographic essay, by Carter Allen, is a warm and sensitive portrayal of thirty-four ranchers and ranching families in the small Santa Cruz County bordering Mexico in Southern Arizona. The editorial support to the photography is woven into the publication by Dodie Allen. Her detailed and exhaustive research gives more life to what would be a strong document. The reader should pay particular attention to one of the cowboys who is female, Kate Ladson. Kate is as tough as rawhide as any of her counterparts, but as Dodie says is "yet soft as a foal's muzzle". This book will remain current as the day it was published and is a true historical document

I highly recommend this book if you enjoy frontier sagas that are not sugar coated. I enjoyed this book as much as Willa Cather's novels. Another great read is The Mirror.

This book was so fascinating that I didn't want to finish reading it because I loved the characters so much. The author really takes you back into the lives of all of the intriguing people in her story. A wonderful escape for anyone who loves historical novels. I'll be ready for more books from this wonderful writer.

The reader feels the struggles and hardships of this pioneer woman as she strives to cross into Indian Territority with her family. One also shares in the successes in her life. This story is based on a true account of the life of one woman in the family and names have been changed to prevent offending family members.

This author is gifted in expression of thoughts and feelings, as well as describing situations.

I knew Margarite from when I was a child because some of the characters are my Family. I grew up meeting a lot of these people and getting to know my history Margarite was a great writer and the story is almost true to life from the stories that I heard. Margarite was a great person and friend to the family up until My grandparents passed away. Please read it will give the insight of what life was like for these people so rich in the land and the ranchers that worked in Arizona and the women who stood by their men working and working side by side on the saddle raising children like my great grandmother.

We all love Marguerite in this part of Arizona. She always has a hug and a big smile for everyone. She lived a rough life on the Arizona frontier but it polished her into a living pearl. Her book tells it like it was. Filaree is FACTION, not fiction. It's required reading in this country.

This book is not only great for travelers, but for those moving to AZ as well. We moved there for Air Force training in Tucson and were pleasantly surprised about the detail in this book. We just didn't have enough time to explore everything in it! Was well worth the purchase!!!!

Great guide, excellent overview with plenty of ideas and options for itineraries. A comprehensive look at travel plans for the state, and also consolidated ideas for itineraries within each sub-region, etc. Good tips on which national parks to visit to help you better implement your time over the vast expanses of (often rough) terrain. Still relevant, grab it for a song!

Frommer's is a comprehensive guide to travel and this guide for Arizona was on target in all areas. We used it for lodging, restaurants, attractions, and even to identify points of interest that we past. Since it was current, it was very accurate as far as recommendations and locations. Maps were useful also.

Being a winter visitor in AZ for over 5 years now, we have found the 2001 Frommer's to be a great guide for celebrations, day trips, and travelling in general. Explanations are great for each landmark, with phone #'s to make reservations and check open times. I always do that because businesses do change their hours seasonally, and from year to year. I an ordering a 2006 Frommer's AZ soon. pmd

We used the 2006 book to find our way around Phoenix, and it was very helpful. I didn't use the maps (pretty good one from Hertz), but the listing of things to do, places to eat, and shopping really helped. Their "finds" came through like a charm with the Blue Adobe Grill in Mesa- a must try!

All in all, what I look for in a guide.

This book was a gift for a 74 year old friend of mine and I did not read this book, but, she has been looking for it for a long time and is very happy with it.

Since the mid nineties hundreds of bodies of young women have been found and thousands - yes, thousands - still remain missing and unaccounted for in Juarez, Mexico; and those bodies uncovered have usually appeared more gruesome than most people can possibly imagine, some mutilated beyond recognition.

How could this be, in this modern day and age - and in such large numbers? This has been called a femicide movement - but what could cause and sustain such crimes of hate over this long a period of time? And how could the Mexican governments fail to solve this "crime of the century"?

If you are a passionate reader then you will rejoice in the brilliant phrasings, insights and pacing found in Stella Pope Durate's important novel, laying down the pieces of this compelling tale for you faster than you can run - enthralling you with its horrific deeds still going on today, in real life, in Ciudad Juarez. If you are a casual reader than this book may turn you into an avid one.

Stella Pope Duarte grew up in a poor barrio in Phoenix, and she has spent months and months researching the history of northern Mexico and talking to the families of Juarez victims. She seamlessly integrates ancient legends of the region, one such being the 7-headed snake from the Chitlitipin mountains, el tsahuatsan, a legend passed down from generation to generation frightening the children of each, to suddenly spring into reality during a terrified young girl's grueling torture as a phantasmagorical nightmare.

Duarte looks at the dangerous mix of forces in the area: its extreme poverty amongst small islands of ostentatious wealth and greed; schools so sparse and inadequate that the poorest barely know of their existence; the massive influx of people from the south to find work in the new warehouses - las maquiladoras, and the ever-present machismo, a force much stronger than their religion, goading young men to wilder and wilder cries and acts of anger.

For some this book may prove a disquieting read as they begin to realize the sensational reality that is Juarez, but Duarte spares us the worst details giving us instead an examination of the life and environment of these people that is complimentary to the best in world literature. In an interview she promised that the reader "would walk in the shoes" of the young ladies of Juarez. We do so, grippingly, in the accounts Duarte gives us of Evita, Petra, and Mayela, and feel with them as "a sense of things gone wrong... a hole opened inside her, as if a piece of black sky had forced its way into her heart."

Here is a sample from Mayela's story, a girl so talented at painting she was known as la Ninita Frida:

"At night, Mayela's twin brother, dead at birth, came to her in her dreams. He was a beautiful baby, always smiling with her. He sat on her shoulder, or rode around in her pocket, a tiny baby with paper-thin wings like an angel's and microscopic feet with toenails that glowed like neon lights. Her twin brother told her she was not to be afraid of anything, as he would protect her now that she knew he was near. ... Over and over again she painted [him] Popo, a blue baby flying, with pink wings and shiny yellow toenails."

Duarte has said that her book is a memorial devoted to the many victims. It is indeed an artistic, beautiful memorial honoring the women's lives.

I have been to Juarez several times now- 5 times to volunteer with a group and 1 time to visit with a friend- and have become very interested in the femicides there. The first character introduced in the story is Evita, the street child, and my first impression of the book was that it was going to be too depressing to read (it seemed that maybe the author was purposely making Evita's story extra horrific, though it sadly could be an accurate/common experience). However, once I got a little further into the book and the other characters' stories were woven in, I became engrossed and couldn't put the book down. The author is an excellent story teller- I felt a real connection to the characters. I like how she informs readers of the situation in Juarez through three different perspectives. I highly recommend this book. and hope many people read it. Though the book is fiction, femicides are all too real in Juarez and women and their loved ones are living in fear.

I first heard about the Juarez murders when a friend rented 'Border Town'. I saw this book at a local independent bookstore and the cover caught my attention. Although it's a sad subject, I was drawn into this book and the characters of Petra,Mayela and Evita. Although their lives are hard, the poverty and machismo unbelievable, I rooted for these girls and their journey to hope and peace. The situation in Juarez is an outrage on so many levels but this is a simple book about simple people in believable real situations. The author says "you will walk with the girls'and that is the truth. The horror of life on the border comes off the pages but there is a silver lining. This is a human story of a very real and tragic situation. The girls themselves are the heroes. Gracias Stella Pope Duarte.

With the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1993, young Mexican women began taking jobs in U.S.-owned maquiladoras, or factories, in Juárez.

Many became unwitting victims of gruesome murders as they walked home from work at night. Critics have long accused Mexican authorities of callousness, even complicity.

Stella Pope Duarte's vital and eloquent novel, "If I Die in Juárez" (University of Arizona Press, $16.95 paperback), centers on these horrific, unsolved crimes, which have been dubbed the maquiladora murders. She relies on three young characters to tell the story.

I asked Duarte why she decided to use fiction rather than nonfiction to chronicle the plight of these women.

"This story is a very painful one not only for victims, but for their families and friends as well," she explained. "Several documentaries, books and films, and numerous articles have been written, (but) a story told from the perspective of three young girls has not been done in this way."

Ominously, she added: "I also was cautious about protecting the identity of the women, as I know there are retaliations from police and investigators."

Duarte relied on extensive research and interviews to create her three protagonists: Evita, a street urchin; Petra, a factory worker; and Mayela, an Indian girl of Tarahumara heritage.

Was Duarte ever overwhelmed by the subject matter?

"Absolutely, lots of times," she acknowledged. "The worst was when I read details of the mutilations.

Knowing what had been done to the bodies, and seeing photos of remains, mummified faces -- that was the worst ever."

But she stayed the course: "I would have run away from it all, but the story haunted me, held me fast."

By creating three female characters of different backgrounds, Duarte offers readers a cross-section of women who have been affected by these crimes.

"I had to have a woman in the maquiladora, then I had to have one who lived on the streets, and then I wanted to show the extreme poverty of Juárez, and so was born Mayela Sabina, my Tarahumara," she said.

The characters gripped her. "I couldn't let any of them go," she said. "They were meant to be there together, young, fragile and targets for abuse and murder."

The result of Duarte's research, creativity and passion is a novel that is as stunning as it is heart-rending. Her three protagonists feel real, and the reader cannot help but hope for their safety and that justice will prevail.

Also, if this novel does not make you angry, nothing will.

Duarte started her writing career more than a dozen years ago when she dreamed that her deceased father told her that her destiny was to become a writer. She also has written a short-story collection, "Fragile Night" (Bilingual Press), and a novel, "Let Their Spirits Dance" (HarperCollins).

But the award-winning author also has become known as an inspirational speaker on many topics, including women's rights, culture, diversity and literacy.

Her view of her role in writing "If I Die in Juárez" is striking for its humility: "I feel privileged to have shed one more light that might hasten the darkness away."

This novel, no doubt, will do that and much more.

[This review first appeared in the El Paso Times.]

This is a book about dreaming. In native north american culture folks "dreamed" their lives. this is an excellent portrayal of this in (basically) present time case. This book conveys examples to some of the plights current youths face, having split up and mixed backrounds in native american heritage. But also the fading way of dreamers, people who IMAGINED life before letting it happen. Highly recommended if you have read anything about dreaming, also recommended if you know nothing about it but are open to the idea that reality is what you make it. A wonderful story stand-alone as well.

William Penn's novel Killing Time with Strangers, winner of an American Book Award for 2000, is not just exceptional literary craft, it's great fun. Penn seems to be saying some wonderful, optimistic things about the human condition, while poking fun at our preoccupation with the trivial and forcing us to consider basic questions, such as, what are we really doing here? Is life really just a matter of `this, then that?' Such questions are gently woven into a highly imaginative and extremely funny story. The novel shows us the LaRue family, and in particular, son Palimony Blue, whose tale is narrated by a weyekin, or Indian spirit guide, dreamed by his mother Mary. The story works on many different levels. Its structure is highly sophisticated yet unless you are examining it from the perspective of literary criticism (which you can -- this work has already received one prestigious award, and will no doubt be examined in college classrooms, if it isn't already) -- you just appreciate the ease with which it joins the stories of Pal's family, his mixblood Indian father, Indian mother, generations of native American ancestors, the story of Pal himself from infant to man, the women in Pal's life, the loves of his life (including his one true love, Amanda), ending with hope and promise in the birth of his own children. The book shows you, in splendid real-life color, the connections between all things. Before Pal is able to dream his true love, Amanda, he seeks, finds or thinks he finds, Love in a series of humorous and often lustful encounters along the way with many colorful 'strangers'. These characters make for a very entertaining story. And, unlike so many books thrown at us today by popular writers, where the characters are `born, drink coffee and die', and whose messages (if any) don't matter one whit to life or literature, this book offers in a new and imaginative way some reassuring messages: that love really makes a difference; and we can (and need to try) to hope and dream a better world. Along the way, Dreaming is an engine that propels us, and a vehicle to create our path and vision. And laughter is, still, wonderful medicine for what ails us.

Also recommended (same author): This is the World (short stories): The Absence of Angels (novel); Feathering Custer (essays); All My Sins Are Relatives; As We Are Now (Editor, essays); The Telling of the World (Native American folk tales)

William Penn's novel "Killing Time with Strangers", winner of the American Book Award for 2000, is not just exceptional literary craft, it's great fun. Penn seems to be saying some wonderful, optimistic things about the human condition, while poking fun at our preoccupation with the trivial, and forcing us to consider basic questions, such as, what are we really doing here? Is life really just a matter of `this, then that?'

Such questions are gently threaded into a highly imaginative and extremely funny story. The novel shows us the LaRue family, and in particular, son Palimony Blue, whose tale is narrated by a weyekin, or Indian spirit guide, dreamed by his mother Mary. The story works on many different levels. Its structure is highly sophisticated yet unless you are examining it from the perspective of literary criticism (which you can -- this work has won one prestigious award already and will likely be examined in college classrooms, it's that good!) -- you just appreciate the ease with which it joins the stories of Pal's family, his mixblood Indian father, Indian mother, generations of native American ancestors, the story of Pal himself from infant to man, the women in Pal's life, the loves of his life (including his one true love, Amanda) and finally, the hope and promise of the future, the birth of Pal's children. The book shows you, in splendid real-life color, the connections between them all.

Before Pal is able to dream his true love, Amanda, he seeks, finds or thinks he finds, Love in a series of humorous and often lustful encounters along the way with many colorful "strangers". These characters make for a very entertaining story. And, unlike so many books thrown at us today by popular writers, where the characters are `born, drink coffee and die', and whose messages (if any) are momentous in the sense only of, 'of the moment', and don't really matter a whit to life or literature, this book offers in a new and imaginative way some enduring and reassuring messages: that love may really make, not just 'a' difference, but 'the' difference; and we can (and need to try) to hope and dream a better way in this world. Along the way, Dreaming is both an engine that propels us, and a powerful vehicle to create our path and vision. And laughter is, still, wonderful medicine for what ails us.

I was impressed by W.S. Penn's Killing Time with Strangers. I thought the author was witty, intellegent, and understanding. The characters in the book were well developed, as was the plot of the story. I would be forced to disagree with anyone who rated this book less than a 5, for I have not only bought this book for myself, but also for my friends and family as gifts. This book has everything, romance, adventure, and a part of all of us that connot be left out. The author has a unique understanding of humanity, and therefore, his story telling is enhanced. This book can be enjoyed by everyone, no matter what their character. I was so happy that this book won last year's American Book Award, (obviously this proves my point about this being a good book). After reading this book, I know you will rush out to buy all of W.S. Penn's books.I reccomend this book over all other books on this website. Thank you all for your time.

After reading this book, I think that Magical Realism, Native American style, may catch on as a distinct genre. The author, an "urban mixblood Nex Perce" is an English professor and it shows through in echoes from classical literature, but Penn also includes the classics of the Americas (such as the Popul Vuh) which makes this work unique and why I think that Penn may have opened up a whole new genre (if anybody can follow this act).

"Without storytelling, human beings don't exist" says Penn's narrator (a "Wyekin" or spirit guide, who, in his comic incopetence reminds me of Ed's Indian spirit guide in TV's "Northern Exposure").

This is the story of Palimony Blue Larue, son of Mary Blue and La Vent Larue, misnamed in the hospital becuase a nurse couldn't imagine anybody naming thier kid "Palomino" after a horse! So Pal goes through life trying to please and be liked as his father before him did, while his mother and her Weyekin spirit guide try to prevent him from making his father's mistakes and teach him how to dream his way out of the white world. His mother didn't want him in their world. Says Mary Blue, "I want him to envision and make a world of his own in which they are not foolish but all their knowledge and instinct don't matter because they don't have any effect."

This must have been the spirit that prompted the famous Ghost Dance.

Pal's mother, Mary Blue, is the spider woman on the set, goddess of wisdom and time, endlessly beading and feeding strangers and friends the way Penelope did - or one of the Fates. She has "...years of her Dreamer's practice at harmony, at the balance that comes from not judging until it's time and even when it became time, ususally not judging the person but maybe the results, and not harshly, which came full circle from the balance achieved by not judging, but putting the thing itself in perspective, by connecting it to five hundred years of human activity and thought, by seeing that very little about real human beings really changes. Once you realize that, once you learn to dream, which helps to create that realization, you gain humor - sometimes, outright laughter - but always the humor that is the resilience of survival."

How much of this is like the Australian aboriginal dreamtime, I wonder?

Pal gradually catches on, but with his own spin. His yellow butterflies become post-it notes by which he dreams his ideal woman, Amanda, into existence. But Amanda does declare towards the end of the book that "I'm real." Not something Pal dreamed. "Dreaming is an imaginative act. But it's very real," he says. "Like telling stories. The Navajo beleive that by articulating something, putting it into words, you actually make it exist. You bring it into being. Dreaming's like that. It makes things exist by imagining them with power. It makes them exist by imagining a world in which they mean a lot."

Pal's epiphany comes when he burns his post-it notes and says they're "dead lectures...names and dates and questions that have to mean what people have already decided they have to mean. Not a single hidden meaning in one of them. Nothing that lets you glimpse the other side of things or look for what's behind or between the words, like stories."

Besides the classical references, there are echoes of other authors in this work - Erdrich and Silko, Anaya and even Alexie - but Penn still has his own voice. He could have used a better editor who would have weeded out sentences such as, "Odd how they don't want their listeners to take part in how their stories make the world, though, isn't it?" which is simplistic at best and patronizing at worst. And you have to connect the dots and pay attention or else you have to go back and check the author's definition of terms. But it's worth it for the world view.

I'm making this work sound like a literary exercise - which it isn't. It's an entertaining story, but you have to pay attention or miss the point. You have to read it to the end to get to the beginning. So it's not light reading. But again, it's worth it.

pamhan99@aol.com

This meticulously researched and scholastically outstanding biography of Morris Udall follows his life and political times, focussing on his career, his 30-year congressional history, and his radical challenges to seniority systems. Recommended for anyone studying contemporary American politics in general and House/Senate politics in particular, Mo is a "must" for the legions of Mo Udall supporters and admirers.

Morris King Udall was one of the great Democrats of the 20th century. After reading this book, you will see why - and you will also regard "Mo" as one of the greatest legislators of the last century. Rep. Udall certainly was one of the most complicated.

The strength of this book rests in the writing style as the authors present a human portrait of a legendary politician who is model public servant. The writing is tight and the story is brisk. The book is a solid work that covers all the facts in Udall's public and private lives - warts and all. It is a perfect blend of personality and public policy as the book discusses Udall's towering legislative achievements regarding environmental protection and Native American rights, his legendary and futile White House run, all the while describing the price his career cost his family and, with heart-breaking impact, the toll Parkinson's Disease took on the legendary Arizonan and his unrelenting battle against the illness.

By the end of the book, regardless of political persuasion, you will regret that there are no more Mo Udalls in public life today. And, you may lament, as I did, that Morris Udall never achieved his dream of serving as President of the United States.

Every student of U.S. politics or Arizona history should read this book. Carson and Johnson thoroughly and brilliantly chronicle the life of a man who profoundly influenced the course of America in ways that politicians of greater renown never did. The authors reveal how Mo Udall could champion the most liberal causes and yet gain the respect of someone as conservative as Barry Goldwater. Read this book and you'll wonder what turns America might have taken had Udall fulfilled his dream of becoming president.

Its amazing how quickly we forget our leaders. After serving 31 years in Congress, running one of the most likeable Presidential campaigns in history, and nearly getting elected majority leader of the U.S. House of Represenatives, Democrat Morris Udall's political career was cruelly and tragically brought to a halt by Parkinson's disease. Once famed as perhaps the wittiest man in Congress (as well as one of the most effective), Udall died seven years after his retirement -- his sterling wit permanently silenced as the disease robbed him of his ability to speak. Most tragically, this man who -- with his brother Stewart -- co-founded both the current conservation movement and America's first Mormon political clan, died a forgotten figure, remembered only by a few political junkies like myself. Fortunately, however, Donald Carson and James Johnson have produced a wonderfully engaging biography of this man that gives us a warts-and-all portrait of a remarkable public servant. While giving ample reason why the man was so beloved, they also don't flinch from revealing why Morris Udall ultimately remained a mystery to even his own family. Unlike other political biographies, this book neither sets out to debunk or canonize Rep. Udall but instead stands as a sharp portrait of a complex man whose public service -- whether you agreed with his liberal politics or not (I certainly don't) -- made this country a better place.

Written in a breezy, conversational tone that still manages to maintain a proper biographical distance, Mo follows Udall from his strict Mormon childhood in Arizona to his first election to the U.S. House. While a great deal of the book focuses on Udall's legislative achievements -- Udall was an environmentalist before it become trendy -- the best of the early chapters deal with Udall as a liberal upstart setting out to reform the stodgy House. As Udall himself would often wryly point out, his political life was often a bizarre tragic comedy of second-place finishes that ultimately became victories for others. Both of Udall's insurgent campaigns for both Speaker and Majority Leader ended in failure but sparked the revolution that overthrew (however briefly) the Congressional seniority system. The book's highlight is the detailing of Udall's 1976 campaign for the Democratic Presidential nomination where he managed to finish second in a record number of primaries without ever once finishing first. If Udall didn't set the electorate on fire, he did distinguish himself by revealing himself to be one of the most genuinely witty Presidential wanna-bes to ever pop up on a primary ballot (or, as one columnist put it, "Is Morris Udall to funny to be President?" That's the 70s talking. As of late, some genuine and intentional humor in American politics would be a bit of a relief, I'd think.) The campaign made Udall famous for his wit but as this biography reveals, that wit often concealed a rather distant temperment that so focused on work that even his own children grew up calling him "Mo." As a politician, Udall was that rare thing -- an honest and sincere compassionate liberal who actually saw big government as a way to help the downtrodden. Yet this same man who dedicated his life to helping strangers drove one wife to divorce and another to alcoholism and suicide. The dichotomy makes for a fascinating read and Carson and Johnson explore these issues without ever descending into lurid muckracking. The book concludes with a touching (and quite frankly heartbreaking) section dealing with Udall's final, brave, and tragic battle with Parkinson's Disease (which, as I read it, was also sadly reminicent of Ronald Reagan's -- another politician never given the respect that was his due -- current battle with Alzheimer's; another nefarious disease that, like Parkinson's, cruelly robs men and women of their dignity without reason or warning.)

Despite the fact that, politically, I'm probably about as far to the right as the late Congressman Morris Udall was to the left, I still find myself mourning the comically tragic failure of his 1976 campaign for the Democratic Presidential nomination. As the election was the first post-Watergate election and the Republican Party was going through one of its periodic near-deaths, the election of a Democrat was pretty much assured. All Udall had to do was win the nomination and, for four years at least, a one-eyed, 6'5, former probasketball player and nonpracticing Mormon named Mo Udall would have been President. Of course, the nomination didn't go to Udall but instead went to the far less witty Jimmy Carter. Considering the way the world was in the late 70s, its doubtful Udall would have had any a better time of it than Carter but instead of hearing that America's problems were due to "malaise," a President Udall would at least find time to tell at least one corny, Ayatollah joke. And, even if the voters didn't realize it at the time, America would have been better off for that joke. Just as its now better off to have this book to remember Morris Udall by.

The authors do a masterful job in telling the story of one of America's most valuable public servants during the 2nd half of the 20th century.

The authors, two gifted journalists and writers chronicle the good, bad, ugly, and the excellent parts of Mo Udall's extraordinary career in congress.

And (a terrific plus) this is a very readable book. I love reading authors who can tell a complex story using simple everyday English -- the kind they use with thier friends. This is real nitty-gritty history -- documentation, footnotes, and all -- but the story reads fun and easy. I highly recommend it.

Jay Rochlin

If you are going to travel in this area, and DON'T want to get lost. Buy this book

Now in a fully updated and expanded second edition, Native Roads: The Complete Motoring Guide To The Navajo And Hopi Nations by Fran Kosik continues to be the definitive travel planning guide for anyone seeking to visit and explore the reservations and hospitality of the Navajo and Hopi peoples. Maps, black-and-white photographs, cultural etiquette tips (for example, Hopis do not allow any photography), self-guided road tours, in-depth descriptions of various locations, and tips on everything from how to discern a well-woven rug to avoiding or dealing with common environmental hazards fill this extremely practical guide cover to cover. An emphatic "must-have" for any tourist interested in visiting the Navajo and Hopi nations for business or pleasure.

If you're going to travel in "Indian country" you need to keep this one in the front seat. Your companion can read while you drive. This book is recommended in the conclusion of The Native American Indian Artist Directory. Along with The Field Guide to Southwest Indian Arts and Crafts you can have a great adventure in the Southwest. Read Kosik and Hardeen's book first. Then read the Field Guide to learn about the art along the "Native Roads." Then open up The Native American Indian Artist Directory and find an address or phone number for the artist that interests you most and have a memorable experience!!

THIS BOOK WAS VERY EASY TO USE AND SO VALUABLE IN "FINDING" PLACES TO VISIT. WE TRAVELED IN THE HOPI RESERVATION RECENTLY AND USED THIS BOOK. WE TOOK THE BOOK'S SUGGESTIONS ON TWO SPECIAL PLACES TO DRIVE OFF THE MAIN ROAD AND FOUND SPECTACULAR VIEWS. ONE SUGGESTION WAS TO DRIVE TOWARDS THE WINDMILL, WHICH WE DID AND WHAT WE SAW WAS UNBELIEVABLE. COAL MINE CANYON OPENED UP BEFORE OUR EYES - SURPRISING BEAUTY FOUND IN A SPECIAL RED AND WHITE CANYON. YOU NEVER WOULD HAVE KNOWN IT WAS THERE EXCEPT FOR THIS BOOK. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN FINDING AREAS LESS "TOURISTY".

A great book for the roads in the area, and best if you buy it beforehand for planning your trip, rather than buying it in a gift shop. It is divided up into sections of the major highways, and is easy to follow. The bits of historical information are interesting, and it will lead you to things you might not otherwise take a look at (or know to look for), including geological formations along the road. It also shows where services are available, including gas -- and in that big open country, that's a nice thing to know. The only downside is that it hasn't been updated since the mid-90's, but the only real changes are a few of the prices and hours of operation, along with the addition of a few hotels and amenities. Overall, a fantastic guide.