New Mexico Books

Don J. Usner's love of Chimayo and it's history comes through loud and clear in this book. Through interviews, historical documents preserved by families of Chimayo, stories of residents, and pictures Don Usner is able to tell the history of this interesting plaza.

I feel that the stories and information in this book serve as an example of each plaza in New Mexico. I believe that many of the plazas and towns are similar to Chimayo. The difference is that Chimayo has preserved it's history through being off the beaten path and not much of a tourist attraction (except for those who are interested in history!)

I was able to hear Mr. Usner talk to a group of teachers about the writing of this book and his other book. He has gone through a lot of trails to publish this book and preserve the history of Chimayo. I have a lot of respect for Mr. Usner.

I would buy more books by this author. He able to take a subject that many authors would make dry and uninteresting and make it come alive. Very good.

Before reading Sabino's Map: Life in Chimayo's Old Plaza (1995), one should first read Benigna's Chimayo: Cuentos From The Old Plaza (2001), both by Don J Usner. Reading the newer book first will allow for a better understanding and appreciation of the older book.

Don is an extraordinary writer who is an 8th generation Chimayoso, even though he was not actually raised full time in Chimayo. He brings to his writing a humanity informed and formed through family, place and the cuentos of his grandmother, Benigna, and others.

This story of the Chimayo Plaza, the oldest Hispanic plaza in the U.S., is the story of Sabino's Map and about the houses and families of the Plaza noted on that map. It is the story of their histories, religions, natural history and the cultural/social history of northern New Mexico over 300 plus years.

The writer is connected in many ways to his topics in these two books and those connections come through loud and clear by way of excellent writing, which is not very common, and careful scholarship. Don has objectivity with both passion for the subjects and compassion for the people, many to whom he is related, sometimes through more than one branch of the family.

In the end one has the cuentos of Benigna, the history of the Plaza, the smells of the chiles and old plaza rooms, the feel of the weavings and the living and loving histories of families.

Did I like these books and will I purchase other books by Don J Usner? You bet.

This is a terrific guide to trail riding in New Mexico. This book gave valuable information on trail riding, camping with your horses and general information about trail riding gear. I would highly recommend this book for anyone visiting or living here in New Mexico.

This is a well written book that all trail riders in new mexico must own. You'll love it. The authors personnally rode every trail in their book and have outlined it beautifully. They wrote this book because no one else had and they noted a need for it.

Donna Ketcheson, Back Country Horseman

This short book is a delightful read. Sadie's history and her success in the oldest profession is treated in a sensitive and humorous manner, providing some insight into life at a very specific location in the Old West at the end of the 19th century. The "then-and-now" photos are fascinating. I bought a copy for a friend.

Patsy Crow King has certainly got hold of a fascinating figure to write about in this book. More than just a dry, museum piece about life in the late 19th century, King uses original stories taken from real newspapers of the era to bring her story, and her characters, to life.
In a time when guns and strong whisky and salty language were the order of the day,we meet up with the lady they called the Belle of the Black Range Mountains of Southwest New Mexico, an area rife with the chaos and high-spirited living of miners in a boomtown area. Sadie happened to be one tough lady in the middle of a Man's World. Like other
determined women full of 'spit' and vinegar--Annie Oakley comes to mine--Sadie had to stake her claim and make her stand.
While she has been cited in later publications as being the owner of a restaurant, a hotel and the first woman to own and ride in her own stage line, she was, first and foremost, the area's most successful madam.
The language and names that abound in Sadie's world are nothing if not colorful. Her "house" was located on Virtue Avenue! Her "girls" had names unthinkable in today's PC world: Lousy Lou, Deaf Connie and Jew Etta. "Dog Face" Connelly and Pretty Sam were two of the area's most prominent citizens. And, when a wary customer dawdled over his breakfast, Sadie stood over him and asked, "Whatsa matter with them aigs?
You want 'em doner?"
It is Pretty Sam's ebullient Christmas Eve Party, to which everybody in the area is invited, that provides the high dramatic moment in the book. A single young lady is introduced, and we learn she has two suitors for the evening. Being that everyone in those days was liberally armed, and usually heavily liquored up, you wait with anticipation to see if this evening of merrymaking will survive this precarious situation intact.
There happen to be other instances where gunplay plays a part in the story. Henry Orchard, who takes Sadie to wife and runs the stage line with her, turns into a casualty at Sadie's hands when she grows tired of his drinking and runs "the wretched man" out of town with "a final salute by letting him have both barrels."
King's obvious affection for her heroine propels the book forward. Besides showing Sadie's ingenious ability in business, King puts Sadie's very real generosity on display, too. Sadie leads a drive to build a church in the area at one point and, much later in her life, after a flood and subsequent influenza outbreak decimate the area, Sadie becomes "doctor, nurse, undertaker and comforter" for many of the unfortunate victims.
In analyzing Sadie's life just after she has passed on, a biographer concludes that St. Peter would have reviewed her credentials for admission to the Pearly Gates and "issued her a pass to the reserved seats." Then, this same writer pronounces judgment on who Sadie was: "Wherever she is, Sadie is a character."
Besides chronicling Sadie and her times, the book provides updated material that documents the area. Archival photos show how they lived then, and a group of new photos taken by Bill King, the author's husband, gives a current picture of the way the area looks now.
This is one book that opens up history to the readers and affords a glimpse into a lively, swashbuckling time that will probably never come again. It is informative and entertaining without "running on" (it's less than 100 pages, is double-spaced, has numerous pictures).
It is recommended reading.

It is not proper to read a book that you are giving as a gift. So I dunno what is was about, how well it was written or such fancy stuff that reviewer people talk about. It did have a pretty cover.

Amazon told me to review this purchase.

Enjoyable reading; especially if you are interested in past history of silver mines.

When I first received this book I was dismayed because it included alot of web links. However, after I started reading it I realized it was really a very good condensed book chock full of information and one doesn't have to go to the links in order to enjoy this book. We're going to Santa Fe for one week and this book has been a great help in narrowing down exactly where we want to go and what we want to do. I highly recommend it.

I love this book. It is so helpful and chock full of information.
Now that I have a computer I really appreciate all the email addresses.
The writting is clear and full of information and the photos are really nice and also helpful. This book will make my next trip to Santa Fe more enjoyable and easy to plan.

Santa Fe will be 400 years old next year, and this beautifully illustrated and written book was issued in commemoration of its rich history.

There are eleven chapters, nine dealing with various historical eras in the city's history: high desert living before the formation of the city, the founding, the Pueblo Revolt, the Spanish Restoration, 25 years as a Mexican town, the U.S. occupation, the Santa Fe Trail, the Palace of Governors and a history of histories of the city. Each chapter is written by a recognized expert in the area, and each is illustrated with many black and white images.

Two chapters were particularly interesting to me. "Españols, Castas, y Labradores" by Adrian H. Bustamante is a very careful analysis of the the complex mixing and cross mixing of different ethnic backgrounds. "One's social position was determined by the degree of pureza de sangre española that flowed in one's veins. To have been born in Spain, especially in Castile, gave one the highest classification possible -- penninsular." Pure españoles who had been born in the New World had the marginally lower status of Criollos (Creoles)." The book lists on page 54 (you may be able to retrieve a copy through the Amazon Search this Book function) 22 separate "castas" typical of the 18th century: mestizo, castizo, otrna a español, mulato, morisco, etc.

Tara M. Plewa's "Acequia Agriculture" is a beautifully written, fact laden discussion of water, irrigation and their defining roles in Santa Fe's history. "Long established Spanish irrigation methods translated well to the dry landscape. The practice of irrigation necessitated establishing rules so that benefits were divided equitably among users. As I. G. Clark has written in his insightful book, Water in New Mexico: A History of Its Management and Use, Spaniards had centuries before learned irrigation techniques from the Romans and, later, Islamic water law from the Moors. It was the Prophet Mohammed who had taught about the law of thirst, which grants living things free access to all waters to satisfy their needs. ... These ideas, established more than one thousand years ago, form the foundations of contemporary water laws followed in the western United States today." Plewa illustrated her essay with a number of maps, pictures and charts, perhaps the most interesting two photographs of the Acequia Madre from 1890 and 2007, respectively -- the principles of Mohammed in practice many hundreds of years after his death.

The publisher offers a very generous extract from the book at sarpress.sarweb.org , focusing on the archeological studies of the city.

Two weeks ago I asked the owner of Collected Works, a great bookstore in Santa Fe for the "essential" books needed to understand Santa Fe. Her list: New Mexico: An Interpretive History by Marc Simmons; Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya; The Wind Leaves No Shadow by Ruth Laughlin; The House at Otowi Bridge: The Story of Edith Warner and Los Alamos by Peggy Pond Church; and Santa Fe, History of an Ancient City: Revised and Expanded Edition edited by David Grant Noble.

This wonderful volume is a perfect introduction of this complex, endlessly fascinating city.

Robert C. Ross 2008

The chapter edited by Tara Plewa remains one of the most enlightened discourses on the Santa Fe River that I have ever read. Plewa is a brilliant writer, with a knack for detailing this area and its history is an unparalleled manner... this one is not to be missed, and be on the lookout for anything that Plewa writes!

The Santero's Miracle is a very sweet story that captures the culture and traditions of Northern New Mexico. The persons who carve saints (santeros) are highly regarded here. Many families have a multi-generational tradition of carving.

This story illustrates the unique culture that developed in the remote mountains of Northern New Mexico. This is a rare place in America.

The illustrations are exquisite. It doesn't matter what religious tradition the reader practices -- this is a story for everyone.

Award-winning author and illustrator team Rudolfo Anaya and Amy Cordova present The Santero's Miracle: A Bilingual Story, an English/Spanish Christmas tale about the power of miracles. Don Jacobo is teaching his visiting grandson Andres how to become a santero; the two of them are working on a carving of San Isidro, the patron saint of farmers. Due to the great snowfall, Andres' parents cannot come home in time for the holiday, and don Jacobo's neighbor, don Leopoldo, is severely ill but cannot reach the hospital. Then don Jacobo dreams of a miracle: San Isidro plowing with two oxen and and an angel helping. The meaning of the dream brings about a reminder of the power of compassion, faith, and love. The bright color illustrations practically leap off the page in this joyful and uplifting story meant to be shared.

I have only just finished reading this wonderful book about Henry Shukman's journeys in New Mexico.My own imagination would take over as i took in all the fascinating landscapes,people and places that the author was sharing with me.Indians and artists,shacks and glorious views from the middle of no-where...The author came across as sensitive and although at times he would feel pulled by fond memories of England,his passion for where he was there and then was so obvious.I now have a passionate dream of my own. To go and search out these places for myself and be inspired by all they have to offer..

The writings of the author left a deep impression on me. He writes with a very romantic, extremely descriptive style that allows you to feel what he saw. I lived in NM for 3 years and after reading the book was ready to go back. Mr Shukman did such a great job detailing his journey. He described many of the places I remember from there. I found myself nostalgic for the Southwest. He did such a good job, that I was ready to go back because I wanted to visit some of the places that I had never gone to when I had the opportunity. After you read the book, if you've never been to the Southwest you too will be ready to pack your bags!!!

Dan Linden has done yeoman's work in researching the history behind this wonderful novel. He has woven into his story a fantastic tapestry of early 19th century New Mexico Territory, blending Native American, Spanish and Anglo cultures. This is a must read for anyone interested in the settlement of the west, especially that of New Mexico. This is not just an exciting tale, but is a work of history that should be must reading for every high school student.

THE SECOND SON is the second novel by a wonderful new writer, Dan Linden. Linden's SAND CREEK was set in current day Colorado; THE SECOND SON is the first part of a saga that will cover most of the nineteenth century. THE SECOND SON is about a Spanish colonial son who is sent to live with the local Indian tribe as part of a treaty. When he becomes an adult, he's equally comfortable in both worlds, and he slips back and forth between them as he goes on a quest to find the man who he thinks has killed his brother. It's a stirring adventure, a real page-turning tale! By the way, despite what this page says, it's a real stretch to call this a Romance. This is a corking Western adventure tale!

"Secrets" reminds me of Annie Dillard's classic "An American Childhood," though "Secrets" is written in a cozier, less formal style, reading much like a letter from a cherished friend or cousin. Both books take mundane aspects of childhood and turn them into compelling narrative. Both books describe childhood families deliciously different from your typical Ozzie and Harriet scenario. The Scary Story about wolves, forest fires and volcanoes on a family picnic especially resonated for me. What child hasn't put her own spin on things she heard, and kept the resulting terror to herself? My tummy lurched as I rode along up and down the "dippy road" to Santa Fe, and my knee screamed with fiery sympathy pains after she bailed out of the swing in response to a dare. Her chicken pox story pulled me right into the warm bosom of the close-knit Embry family, where the older kids watched out for the younger. Secrets -- not just the technical ones connected with her father, but the ones she shared with friends like Dixie around the matter of the sheets, and the secret club that didn't quite happen beneath another friend's house.

This upbeat memoir would lift my spirits and enlighten me about a child's view of a historic era and place even if I knew nothing about growing up in Los Alamos. In the interest of full disclosure, I must confess that I did grow up in Los Alamos, arriving there four years after the Embry family. We lived in another part of town and my path didn't converge with the Embrys' until high school, where her sister Pat was a classmate. Kristin has done a terrific job of telling it exactly like it was, plain and simple. From the description of the front gate and five o'clock whistle to grade school woodshop, terror of Zia, the skating rink and canyon wars, every child of the Secret City will find something to remember. She has done a magnificent job of sticking to her focus of including only stories that emphasize connection with time and place and not allowing herself to drift into deeply personal memories or topics relevant primarily to her family.

I recommend this unpretentious account of an unexplored aspect of the dawning nuclear age for readers everywhere, and look forward to a sequel about her junior and senior high school years.

SECRETS! is a delightful, intriguing book. The writing is crisp and snappy and very humorous and the story pulled me in from the very first page. I practically read the entire book in one sitting. We get a wonderful glimpse into the lives of a family during the years of the Cold War in the secret city of Los Alamos where atomic bombs were made and tested. Told through the viewpoint of a young girl whose father worked at the national laboratory at a time when nuclear war was a very real threat and school kids hid under their desks when the sirens went off, there are two parallel stories in this book. First, the unique experiences growing up during the 1950s and the secret games of childhood while living in a gated, locked city where everyone needed a special pass to get in or out, and second, the secret life of her father since he could never discuss the work he was doing at his job at the labs - and he always has a funny story to explain where he's been or what he's been doing whenever his family asks. An enjoyable and interesting read!