New Mexico Books

When I purchased this book (with accompanying dvd and cd)for a course I teach, I never expected to get so much for my money: I've just spent the better part of a day exploring just some of the resources it provides. In one beautifully-produced package, it contains the newly-enhanced "director's cut" of "Alambrista" a wonderful full-length feature film first made in 1977, which is still extremely timely and which I believe everyone in both the U.S. and Mexico should see; on the same dvd, a fine documentary on migrant children ("Children of the Fields") and amazingly substantial interviews with filmmakers, musicians and scholars. PLUS, another cut of the feature film, with a voice-over by the musical director explaining the process of designing the new soundtrack. AND, a separate song-by-song, scene-by-scene view of the music. All that, along with the book, Part One of which explores the historical and political context in well-researched, lively essays by such fine scholars as Albert Camarillo and Teresa Carillo: Part Two offers equally valuable essays on film criticism and analysis as they relate to the project. Every single element is profoundly informative, captivating and stimulating: I learned much more about immigration, border and gender issues, filmmaking and music than I ever expected. I can't wait to share the film, and its multimedia exegesis, with my students -- as well as my colleagues, family and friends. All in all, a treasure trove for anyone wishing to better understand migration in these troubled times.

An excellent history of the City of Albuquerque. I found the book entertaining, informative and very well researched. I recommend the book to anyone interested in the history of New Mexico.

Albuquerque is probably most famous for being the place that Bugs Bunny knew he should have taken that left turn at. But it is so much more!

A beautifully situated city at the foot of the Sandia Mountains with some geographical features that are among the most unique and interesting in the world. This Book does it justice. Well written and wondefully illustrated this book catches the eye and helps visitor and resident alike appreciate the geological bounty and mineral wealth as well as the cultural diversity of this region.

The first 65 pages lay out the academic and historical information that must be understood and appreciated to get the most out of the rest of the book which provides turn by turn directions to get out and experience for yourself what the pictures show.

Well enough done that even if you do not intend to do the trips, you will get a great deal of pleasure just reviewing the book and soaking in the beautiful pictures and illustrations.

This book is outstanding.
I've read quite a few books on the subject of Albuquerque lately, and this is by far the most complete, most compelling, and most well written. It's so good that I find myself recommending it to people who aren't even from Albuquerque.
It tells the story of Albuquerque, of New Mexico, of the railroads, of the Spanish conquest, of the West, and of the Civil War. It's full of almost everything and almost everyone that ever came into town, affected the town, or was born in the town. The author has an obvious affinity for the little known and the unusual, and the unique facts he digs up enhance every passage of the more commonly known history.
For instance, the volcanoes west of town are still cooling, and even released a burst of volcanic gasses in 1881. They're NOT extinct. When the infamous imprisonment of Navajos at Fort Sumner after the Long Walk ended, the Navajo men and women were marched into Albuquerque out of Tijeras Canyon, and they wept with joy when they saw the distant Mount Taylor. Oh, and Albuquerque's early mayors used to decide elections by meeting in a dirt lot and fighting with sticks.
The book also contains excellent history on the surrounding area. It features several pages on the oft-neglected town of Carnuel, quite a bit on Atrisco, and several pages on the other small towns that have since been absorbed into Albuquerque itself.
There are also dozens of pages of old photos and paintings and maps of the town. They're terrific.
If you live or have lived in Albuquerque, or if you are at all interested in the area, this book will seize and enthrall you. You will turn its pages as if it were an F. Paul Wilson novel, and when you finally put it down and drive down Central Avenue for your groceries, you will see the world around you with new eyes.
You will see the world for what it is--a place where things don't just happen here and now, but a place where things have always happened--things that have put you here today--things that have put HERE here today.

My wife is an Artist. One of the themes she likes to paint is ballooning. I bought several books on this subject. There was no reviews of this book "ALBUQUERQUE. Where the World Celebrates Ballooning". It is inexpensive, and I was concerned the book might be too descriptive, containing perhaps few pictures and an too much text with an emphasis on promoting tourism for New Mexico. What a great surprise! Other than a five page textual introduction (also with pictures inserted), the book is ALL pictures, the only text are short footers on the pictures. One hundred twenty pages and 200+ huge, colorful and artful photographs. A great buy!

This book provides an excellent chance to learn more about Aldo Leopold, one of the most important conservationists ever. The editors have assembled a highly instructive sample of Leopold's essays and articles written throughout his career. The essays provide insights into Leopold's development from a predator-destroying wildlife manager to world-class conservationist. The editors' introductory essays to sets of Leopold's writings are themselves first-rate. Brown and Carmony provide the reader with the historical context for understanding the significance of Leopold's essays as his career unfolded. Highly recommended.

Billy the Kid died at age 91. This book tells his story in his own words. The film Young Guns 2 was based on this book. It is worth whatever you have to pay for it

Author has extracted oodles of technical references into an overview that covers a vital sixty-year span of American Southwest history. Victoria Dye skillfully illuminates the intertwining of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad Company (AT&SF) with its more visual counterpart and partner, the Fred Harvey Company. In a mere six chapters, along with a smattering of descriptive BW photos, the author summarizes the wild ethnic mixture of the early Southwestern frontier with a strong emphasis on the economic impact of the myriad cultures. She describes how Harvey and AT&SF precipitated the view of pioneer New Mexico and Arizona as `Indian' more than `Mexican or Spanish,' even though the domineering government and religion was of the latter for hundreds of years. Dye further characterizes how the Harvey/AT&SF promotions helped travelers [remarkably] overcome the spectre of Indian hostilities, replacing fear with their inventive illusion of `Santa Fe' gentility. Marketing, promotion and economics are the core of the book. The author is to be highly commended for distilling five centuries of Cultural Revolution in to 100 pages of easy reading. The bibliography yields [literally] hundreds of literary resources (perhaps this book's most valuable contribution) for further reader interest. The author's supplemental material helps substantiate a "who's who" timeline of AT&SF, Fred Harvey, Santa Fe, curio and Southwestern Indian history - don't miss these appendix, page notes, and bibliographic features!

This is a remarkable first person account of Navajo culture as observed by the trader at the Shiprock Trading Post for a half century beginning in 1893. Divided into three sections: Historic,
People, and Culture, the author tells down to earth, first person stories of his customers, friends, and neighbors on the Northern Navajo reservation. The book is unique in that it records Navajo history and stories of individuals about whom precious little biographical information remains. This is unvarnished history through the eyes of a most astute observer. Absolutely first rate.

I just finished reading the book "Along New Mexico's Continental Divide Trail", with text written by David Patterson. Through the well-composed description and excellent, colorful photographs, the reader can get an idea what the land along the CDT is like, and what it's like to hike it. Initially, I was captivated because I have never hiked in New Mexico. In fact, I haven't even been to the state since 1974! I just wanted to get a glimpse of the region and the trail. As it turns out, the book was so enjoyable that I have decided to hike a portion of the New Mexico CDT this spring!

Although not a detailed guidebook, David's description of his hike, the people he met and the never-ending challenges of hiking in such unforgiving terrain were more than enough to help me understand the New Mexico CDT. Having thru-hiked the PCT, I know what hiking in a desert state is like. With its unique culture, topography and ambiguous CDT route, themes that David deals in, hiking in New Mexico is a whole new ball game! I could not have imagined hiking it without first reading the book. Early on David writes, "Except for the rusty barbed wire fence that marks the border between Mexico and the United States, this land knows no boundaries, natural or artificial, as far as I can see." Hiking in an environment that not long ago was home to indigenous cultures, he adds, "It's amazing how the tools, clothing and weapons of these previous cultures are merely modifications of the natural environment: rock, wood, and bone." Well said!

Each region of David's route is written in much the same way I mentally categorize and remember my 1996 PCT hike. For example, the Gila National Forest is described as a place where mining camps little the landscape, high desert plants such as prickly pear thrive, but there's some shade provided by the pines and junipers. "Bushwacking isn't necessarily my favorite pastime, but it's what we have to do to get beyond Diamond Peak." This section of David's route through the Gila had a big fire some years ago and it presents this challenge: "It's almost as if a bulldozer piled all the trees on top of each other, but then again Mother Nature's power is awesome. When the wind howls the few standing dead snags sway, and I can hear their eerie voices shrieking from the flames that licked them not long ago." Classic!

In the end he pays homage to this wonderful area of the CDT. "Weathered ranchers, forest rangers, mountain men, and friendly strangers- it's natures own character, silently revealing herself to me in the canyons, deserts, and mountains of New Mexico, that has made my journey through the Land of Enchantment an everlasting experience." Additionally, the photographs by Tom Till and William Stone provide a great background to David Patterson's description of the New Mexico CDT.