Arizona Books

Co-written by the director of the University of Arizona Archaeological Field School at Grasshopper from 1979 to 1992, Thirty Years Into Yesterday: A History Of Archaeology At Grasshopper Pueblo is a historical account of that major archaeological project, and its field educational service which lasted for thirty years. The field school and also generated significant controversy even as it instructed scholars of international repute. Chapters break down major events in the field school's operation, and changes; a handful of black-and-white photographs, maps, and diagrams illustrate this thoughtful retrospective, and a detailed timeline of events allows for a unique at-a-glance perspective. Thirty Years Into Yesterday is a welcome and informative contribution to Arizona archaeology and history collections, as well as a fascinating case study of a complex archaeological field school and the intellectual debates it stimulated in the scientific community.

I found this book to be extremely helpful in learning the area. It gives you insight as to how to navigate in this big city

This book is essential before visiting any of the Western U.S. Parks and Monuments. Because it is being updated, wait for the current update. Used copies are great deals when new copies are out of print but buy a new copy when published!

Volume 228 in the Medieval Renaissance Texts and Studies series, Three Medieval Rhetorical Arts is the reprinted discourse of three medieval authors on the topics of three different communication art forms. The essays are "The Principles of Letter-Writing" by Anonymous of Bologna (1135 A.D.), "The New Poetics" by Geoffrey of Vinsauf (1210 A.D.), and "The Form of Preaching" by Robert of Basevorn (1322 A.D.). All three readings are expertly translated into English and present insightful, erudite testimony of artistic values and virtues that have truly weathered the test of centuries and provide modern readers with a kind of "window in time" through which to glimpse a feeling for the culture of that time lost era. Three Medieval Rhetorical Arts is very highly recommended for Medieval Studies supplemental reading lists and academic reference collections.

The Three Sedonas is a heartwarming tale by Lisa Schnebly Heidinger that recounts how the first Sedona came to Oak Creek Canyon in Arizona, and the history of how the town of Sedona came to be. Trevor V. Swanson's beautiful, realistic, wonderfully colored illustrations splendidly distinguish this picture book story of The Three Sedonas, and the pioneers who lived and shaped an American community's history.

(From Planeta.com Journal) - Endrezze weaves prose and poetry in an ecclectic tome that blurs the stories of the Virgin of Guadalupe and Coyote Woman. The author tells the story of her family -- a Yaqui father and a European mother and through Aztec and Yaqui creation stories, she weaves stories of her own family history. She writes: "The faces of my ancestors are both luminous and shadowy. I'm standing in a long line, holding the memory of their hands." Highly recommended.

I discovered Michael McCollum about a year ago and have been reading his titles as fast as I can get them. I love science fiction, but not fantastica, which is what I find most authors produce. What I like about McCollum's style is that his science and any theoretical license he takes is solidly grounded in practicality and therefore what he writes makes sense. Also his characters seem like real people with every day problems, which include things like paying bills and such--the only different being is the year is 2150 or thereabouts. His themes vary enough so that each book you read is thoroughly different. Thunderstrike is based on a comet coming from deep space on collision course for earth. The comet is discovered and observed for some time before someone computes it will hit earth. Then the fun begins! First, our heroes have to fly out and intercept the comet, land on it and try to blast it into pieces. Failing that they try to turn the comet into a rocket ship and try to propel it into another orbit, but that proves almost impossible (you'll have to read the book to see what I mean by almost). Then they try to propel asteroids into its path to divert it-like a game of deep space billiards. Finally they have no choice but to try and crash it into the moon to save Mother Earth, but that means it will be necessary to evacuate the 10 million people living on the Lunar Republic before the impact. The conclusion is hair-raising and very, very surprising. I can understand why Hollywood has purchased the screen rights, because this will make a great movie!

A great read for Arizona fans: evokes the region with vivid imagery and authenticity. But the real fun is in the murder plot and its resolution by an engaging heroine who doesn't let a little thing like kidney disease get her down.

Of course the joke is that every Navajo family on the reservation has at least one anthropologist as a member, but Lamphere fills the role admirably. She writes an account that is of interest to anyone, not just other anthropologists. Her clear accounts of reservation life are fascinating, and this book is a must read!

Tohono O'odham (Papago) and Akimel O'odham (Pima) are two dialects of the same language, much as American and Canadian English are. This dictionary covers both. It is a small volume, but a remarkably useful one--the entries are detailed and full of valuable information, there are very good pronunciation and grammatical references, and interesting appendices on cultural terms and place names (with a map).