Mexico Books

Any one who comes across this book will already know what it's about. And if you know what a morada is, how it's situated between earth and sky, and if you know something about the Hispanos and Nuevomexicanos who created these buildings--then you will already have been blessed. Without the involvement of the Hermanos (listed in the back of the book), this collection of photographs would have been a lesser work. The persistence of the Penitente chapters and the existence of their moradas--in the face of corporate-industrial life which often degrades the soul--is a testament that Hispanos and Hispanas believe in one another. A feature of this book, En Divina Luz, that touches my heart is the text with excerpts from alabados (religious songs) and the paragraphs of memories from unnamed Hermanos. Thankfully, Varjabedian and everyone agreed not to say where these buildings are located: these are sacred places, not tourist attractions for the curious or amusement parks for people seeking entertainment.

The black and white photos are as good as anything from Laura Gilpin and Eliot Porter in their work in the same area of New Mexico. Photograph #18 "Moonrise over morada, dusk" is as good as Ansel Adams's "Moonrise, Hernandez" (1941) but for different reasons; I don't want to set up false analogies or comparisons, but Adams caught the village Hernandez just before World War 2 began a period of destruction, and Varjabedian's moonrise over the morada showed this particular place before the vandalism of September 1992.

Each of these photos is like a devotional item, an object for meditation or prayer. Photograph #57 "Morada after snowstorm, dusk, winter" and #17 "Calvario in snow" are so beautiful--so soothing!--on a July day of 90 degrees. My heart and intellect meet in aesthetic heaven when I look at #9 "Morada and low-lying clouds," #36 "Morada with separate Penitente chapel" and #40 and #45 and others; these photos show how the Brothers--way back in the 19th-century--located their places of worship in specific spots where hills and trees and meadows meet ways which raise the soul. Truly the photographer had to set up his camera where the lines of the hills magnified the lines of the morada. And he had to wait for the light in which to snap the shutter: He writes, "The light was becoming my teacher." But the photographer must also be unrelenting in his or her search for excellence; he must have within him that which is open to perceiving what can be seen only with the 6th sense.

I am a landscape photograper, like Mr. Varjabedian is, but not as good. His photographs are some of the best I have ever seen in my entire life, even better than Ansel Adams. This book is about "Los Hermanos Penitentes," or the Penitent Brothers, a Catholic lay brotherhood that was founded because of a lack of preists in New Mexico. The Brother's activities have always been very secret, but have been aggrandized by the early white settlers in the region. Mr. Wallis' text illuminates and fully explains this unusual brotherhood. I highly, highly reccomend this book to anyone interested in the history of New Mexico or, anyone who appreciates fine black and white photographs.

awesome guidebook for surfing northern mexico. it detailed roughly 12 surf spots around mazatlan where we were. however it also described spots around puerto vallarta, san blas, sayulita, etc. Advice is given for each spot such as the type of break, when it works best, level of localism, directions, tides, etc. all in all it's a great buy for any surfer planning a trip to mex.

this book was extremely useful in planning our trip to puerto vallarta and the area around there. it had info on when and where to go, what the individual surf spots were like, recommendations on accommodation and more. so far, this is the most detailed surfing guide for northern mexico i have found on the market.

I read Welborn's book and was truly touched by her sincere desire to help people who are struggling financially to better save when buying prescription drugs. Of course, even the wealthy could significantly save after reading this book! "Everything You Need to Know..." needs to be on an Oprah show so people everywhere can benefit from it!
Dr. Rosemary Calard-Szulgit

I was really skeptical when I first saw the title of this book- How can a book help me with buying prescription drugs? However, since I don't have insurance, and I have to pay for all my medications myself, I thought I would give it a chance. Well, the consumer advice in the book was great! I saved $20 alone on my very next prescription drug purchase. I would recommend this book to anyone who takes more than 1 or 2 prescription drugs.

Adventurer and author Walt Peterson does it again! With son Michael, he has produced a guide to Baja for those who want to explore this place of many wonders by RV. Walt and Michael provide an extraordinary book, filled with all the information RVers will need to have a really great adventure in Baja. For those who prefer to rough it, Walt's acclaimed Baja AdventureBook is just the ticket

Probably the best book on the Baja I have in my collection. From the border to Cabo Walt and his son Michael can show you the best of a wonderful vacation area. And I bought it used for $10.00 at Amazon.com.....

The Life of Christ is celebrated throughout the world, but no two regions do it the same. "The Face of Christ in Sonora" shows that we can even learn about the culture around it in observing the way that they worship, as shown with the turbulent, yet rich history and culture of the Mexican state of Sonora. Written in both English and Spanish for maximum accessibility, "The Face of Christ in Sonora" is highly recommended for both religious and world history community library shelves- and for anyone who wants to see pictures of how another culture celebrates something so familiar to us.

This is a book written by two sensitive and knowledgeable individuals who have spent their lives in the Sonoran Desert, deeply immersed in the life of the region.

A gem!
It is a good way to have a snapshot of a region with a shared history at a time when the lives of millions of folks are being shredded in the political struggles that have been generated a long distance from here.

This book has suspence. It askes questions about a humna's basic morals.

It was kick Booty! I loved it, thumbs up!

... is how the editors described their work. And indeed it is. Fortunately there was significant community support for this project, in the Albuquerque area, to underwrite the cost of this superlative production, so that the book would be affordable for the many recreational users of these "signature mountains" that form a dramatic backdrop to the city.

The editors assembled a true field of experts from across a spectrum of disciplines to write the various chapters. There are chapters on the ecology, weather, fire issues, geology, flora, fauna and human presence in the mountains. Flora and fauna are subdivided into different chapters, each with its own expert. The editing is superb, rendering a consistent style among the various writers. The book's layout is also superlative, with numerous sharp color pictures of the birds, flowers, insects and trees of the mountain. Particularly thoughtful and useful was grouping the flowers by color that minimizes the search when one is trying to identify a particular flower in the field. The page edges are also color-coded, for faster reference. There are excellent charts, maps, and pictures which explain the geology. The cover picture was selected via a contest.

There is a brief chapter at the end on the hiking trails, but this book is not really a hiking guide (that is a separate volume.) There is also a section at the end for personal notes, as it will be assumed that this guide will be used on numerous occasions, which is certainly one of the "bennies" of living in Albuquerque. The quality paper and spiral binding means that the guide should last as long as the user.

This is the essential Sandia mountain guide, and I cannot envision improvements. The aspens will again be turning, high on La Luz trail, in around a month, and I'll be seeing them, guide in hand. Thanks to all involved in this wonderful "labor of love." It has enriched the lives of the many repeat visitors as well as those who see it only once in a lifetime.

This is an outstanding book.
Anyone who lives in Albuquerque or within sight of the Sandia Mountains ought to own this. Not only is it co-written by Robert Julyan--who is among New Mexico's most articulate, most knowledgeable, and generally all-around BEST authors--but it's loaded with full-color photographs, bound in such a way as to ensure it will last for years (no matter how many backpacks it's shoved into), clearly organized, and as complete as you could ever ask a book for a general audience to be.
I recently wrote (and compiled photos for) a book about the histories of the towns of the Sandia Mountains, and this field guide was an essential tool in my work.
"Field Guide to the Sandia Mountains" covers the geology, the flora, the fauna, the human history, the place names, and so on, and I don't think I could recommend it more heartily.
Buy it, and let it introduce you, truly introduce you, to the mountains in your backyard.

this is the greatest history book thus far on the EZLN movement

for those who are mainly familiar with el Sup, this book introduces you to many more names and faces that largely go unnoticed.

Black-and-white photographs and sketches on virtually every other page enhance The Fire & the Word: A History of the Zapatista Movement, a chronicle of the modern social movement in Mexico that had its origins in 1983 and became known to the world at large in 1994, in protest of globalization, corporate neoliberalism, the North American Free Trade Agreement and consequent end of Mexican crop subsidies (since Mexican crops were no longer able to financially compete with machine-driven American agribusiness), and other issues. Though the Zapatista Movement had its roots in communities of indigenous and Mayan decent, its precepts of equality (including equality for women), democracy, liberty, justice, independence, housing, health, education, and peace extend to all Mexicans. After the movement's 1994 uprising was put down by the Mexican military, the movement transformed its methodology from armed resistance to making use of the internet to garner support among nongovernmental organizations and solidarity groups. First-person testimonies are intermeshed with the historical narrative, offering a view of this revolutionary movement (not a political party, since its ideology forbids its members from running for elected office per se) that evenly blends scholarly and humanitarian perspectives. Highly recommended for college library shelves, and anyone researching the roots, direction, and future of the Zapatista movement.

I agree with reviewer number one; this is full of really good recipes, and its criminal that it is so hard to get hold of. Marlena Spieler always writes good recipes for vegetarians, and I was pleased to find so much in this book that I could use; original ideas, great combinations of flavours, friendly and approachable text. Definitely the best Mexican cookbook I've used. Please republish!

this cookbook is fabulous, full of very fresh, exciting tastes that are varied and authentic with ingredients that are easy to obtain. my favorites are pastes of mild chillis and citrus fruits for grilling fish and meats and a wonderful sauce for grilled corn on the cob. have been looking for another copy of this cookbook for years so I can return this copy to its rightful owner!!

This contains Nahuatl, some Spanish translations, and all translated to English. It is very useful for me as examples of the survivors of Toltec Moral behaviour.

Many scholars such as Garibay and Miguel Leon-Portillo praise Sahagun's works as one of the primary sources for pre-columbian knowledge and without a doubt this books relates the rethoric and ancient Mexican thinking in a fabulous way. It includes the original text in Nahuatl and an English translation.