New Mexico Books

Sharman Russell has returned to what she does best: write about the human condition in beautiful, poetic prose with humor, generosity, and a candor that makes you feel she was put on earth to express your thoughts for you. I wondered how she knew all my secrets as I read the story of an independent, though not stereotypical, woman in a tribe 12,000 years ago. She reveals a woman's perspective on her role in the group, her husbands, her children, her in-laws. Never saccharine-sweet, never a political diatribe; just clean, pure prose about a woman and her prehistoric neighborhood. I recommend this book especially to mothers, but I think men will appreciate it, too, for the light it sheds on "what women want". Whether you care about what happened to large land mammals or not, you will remember this book for its poetry and humanity.

Photographer Schreiber is a romanticist of the West, with an eye for the individuals who choose life and hard work in the outdoors. His deep-focus black and white photographs often find their subjects in the foreground against the vast landscape, an empty sky, or a large sparely furnished room. The strenuousness of the work can be seen in photos of men slouched in chairs or on the ground, staring blankly.

Some pictures have familiar subjects, such as branding calves and roping horses. Others are nice surprises: four men talking together and leaning across the hood of a Ford pickup, a backyard photo of a wedding party, the groom and two best men in big cowboy hats, a cowboy outside a liquor store holding a flat of six-packs. Schreiber in his introduction says the cowboys he's known embody the qualities of honesty, integrity, sincerity, and kindness. This collection of photographs is a celebration of those values.

Tracy Daugherty's distinctive and highly recommended fiction draws from the cultural and social forces that shape and influence the intimate behavior of otherwise ordinary people. Late In The Standoff comprises a novella and five short stories feature people caught up in conflicts where solutions and resolutions arise from unexpected quarters. In "Power Lines" a young man's sexual awakening in Midland, Texas, coincides with lessons about heroism and loyalty during one hot summer that is suddenly seared with violence. In "The Standoff", a retired politician and his asthmatic grandson rediscover their bond on a trip to a small Oklahoma town where the old man has been asked to settle an "Indian dispute". In "Cotton Flat Road", a brother and sister life the lid on their differences as he discovers her secret life across the tracks in the Texas oil town they grew up in. "Lamplighter", "City Codes", and "Anna Lia" round out this impressive and literate anthology showcasing a major talent by an author whose "day job" is directing the MFA Program in Creative Writing at Oregon State University and is on the MFA faculty at Warren Wilson College.

Many history coverages obscure or dilute the important roles played by Hispanic women in the U.S: Hedda Garza seeks to correct this lack through Latinas: Hispanic Women In The U. S.: a survey of the major contributions to this country provided by women leader, organizers and activists from diverse Hispanic backgrounds. Garza has long been a lecturer and an activist for social justice: the appearance of her study in paperwork is a recommended pick for college-level collections strong in Hispanic history and social issues.

At the Bolinas commune, I couldn't figure out why Arthur Kopecky was under the covers with a flashlight every night writing in his diary when everyone else was sound asleep. A couple years later when I caught up with him at New Buffalo, he was still at it. As the decades passed, I wondered if anything ever came of it. In 2004, I googled the recently published *New Buffalo, Journals of a Taos Commune,* which was published to great critical acclaim. This second book is a real cliffhanger: How will the visionary leader end up leaving New Buffalo? Arty was always criticizing everyone else for lack of commitment. He must get kicked out, but how could the world's most committed communard be forced off the farm he had coaxed up from a patch of Taos desert? Who will the bad guys turn out to be? Yes, a nail-biter, but more important, a vindication of the 60s. It is disheartening that nearing the end of oil, the media continues to denigrate the important accomplishments of the back-to-the-land movement. Arthur Kopecky's journals are living proof that the "hippie trip" had a point, and in fact was often very focused. They show that city folk, with a lot of hard work, can survive on a self-sustainable farm without food stamps (if the government will leave them alone; with the wars on drugs, terrorism, and immigrants and possibly a new draft, the government will be even more an issue in the future). As we approach the end of oil as cities become increasingly unlivable, many will by design or destiny find themselves in a country way. The successes and failures at New Buffalo are instructive, and they are entertainingly and heartbreakingly described in these journals. Most important in the demise of New Buffalo was the lack of initial structure. But this book is not a primer on how to structure a commune. For that, google the 40-year-old Twin Oaks and hundreds more at the Foundation for Intentional Communities site. Read these journals for the joy of the ride: for the beautiful descriptive passages of the land and its inhabitants and the hilarious anecdotes, for the exhausting and elating interpersonal relationships, for the late night runs across the moonlit mesa, for a high-fashion Halloween party in the kiva after the day in the dairy, for the almost-forgotten appointment at the clinic kept covered with goat cum. Read it to your children to laugh together and give them hope for the future. Who knows what the future of Arthur Kopecky, a.k.a. Answei Livingproof, will bring? I can't wait to find out, and I hope there will be more journals to read. (You don't have to read the first book to "get" this one; it briefly recaps the first.)

I found the Spivey book entitled Maria to be a great asset to my library of books on Indian pottery. The multitude of close up pictures is very helpful in knowing the details of her pottery and that of her family. The easy to read narrative resulting from a personal relationship with Maria and others in the Pueblo make a very intimate kind of reading. The chapter of Maria's own statements certainly reveals the warmth of her spirit and generosity. I would recommend the book to anyone who is considering the purchase of the best in Pueblo pottery or anyone seeking identification of pottery they already have.

If you love the mystery that surrounds the southwest, then you will love this book. The Guadalupe mountains have always had a mystic about them. W.C. Jameson has interviewed people that have lived close to the Guadalupes and has retold their stories. He mentions the Apache Indians and these mountains were their last refuge before being sent to the reservation. He tells of strange things that have happened to hikers. After reading this book, you will want to explore the Guadalupe mountains.

This is a gem of a book. I must admit it's my first travel book I've ever bought. Normaly on my travels along with my duffel bag I only bring a map. I can't say how much invaluable info is crammed into this book. The authors give every kind of advise that a traveller should know. Like on a bus trip one should take a bottle of water & a roll of toilet paper. I bring a 6 pack and a pint instead. And when the need comes I just roll down the window & let it out. Regarding cheap housing I disagree with the authors. The best & cheapest rooms are those in the red light zone. This book gives a good flavor of Mexico. It lets the reader be a real mucho maucho Mexicano before ever stepping across the border. As for the best spot to head for again I must disagree with the authors. Skip Mexico City and head straight for Tampico. This town has everything: good food, cheap rooms, fast women and lots and lots of bars. Mention my name at the Culo Cantina & they'll fix you right.

This charming gift item includes interesting historical, geographic, cultural and culinary information as well as over 80 recipes for tasty items such as Guacamole, Chili Bean Dip, Tamale Pie, Flan, and Margarita Pie. The book is illustrated with petroglyphs, and gives locations and phone numbers of New Mexico museums, pueblos and reservations-vital data for tourists. A timeline profiles the area's history, and a short essay clarifies the controversial spelling and pronunciation of "chile," then gives tips for "Chile Antidotes"! The reader will be certifiably enthusiastic about N.M.

This makes for a wonderful gift!

This is a marvelous study not only of a poignant African-Brazilian woman persecuted for daring to state her beliefs, but one that reveals the different ways that American (Levine) and Brazilian (Meihy) scholars perceive the problems of race in society. A must read for anyone interested in Latin American society or the history of women or of blacks in the hemisphere.