New Mexico Books

You might think that the humble postcard is just a piece of printed cardboard but just read John Jakle's fascinating book and discover there is a lot more behind these colorful images. The eighty-two cards in the book, dated from 1900 to 1977, show a selective view of cities at night, as Jakle explains (in a very comprehensive introduction) the card publishers, at least in the early years of the last century, were quite happy to add a row of street lights if none existed and city fathers frequently felt pressure to then put them up.

Before the introduction of fast film most night-time postcards were day-time photographs and illustrations with a black sky added or maybe a moon with a cloudy sky painted in and street lights made to glow, some of these do look rather crude though. New film and cameras in the thirties allowed postcard photographers to be more creative, with strobe effects for instance and the old favorite, the time-lapse.

Though most cards from the thirties onwards are photographs many were still heavily retouched to give even more sparkle to the image, page 107 shows a looking down view of San Francisco with searchlights in the background and streets of the city just dazzling with light, it was taken in 1940. A slightly different view is of Capitol Street, Jackson, Mississippi in 1955 (page 67) here the street lights are strangely dim but the sidewalks are aglow with light from shop windows and plenty of neon, a positive reflection of the city as modern and progressive or as the author says 'Postcard views were expected to celebrate cities and do so in ways that would preserve, if not strengthen, the social status quo'.

The production and design of the book is first-class, landscape in format, to compliment the typical postcard shape, each card has a page to itself with a long caption. The back of the book has an appendix about collecting these interesting postcards and a bibliography.

Another book (also beautifully produced) of city postcards that I have enjoyed is 'American Architecture: a vintage postcard collection' by Luc Van Malderen (ISBN 1864700785) which has 625 mainly illustrative images and includes several night-time views. Both books will interest anyone who wants to learn more about how cities were presented to the public.

***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.

When given the opportunity to review The Pottery of Santa Ana Pueblo I asked myself, as a researcher and collector of Native American pottery, why Santa Ana warranted a detailed and exhaustive study of its pottery production. After all, Santa Ana has produced very little pottery in the last century and is not very well known to the general public. But after reexamining the 2003 release of The Pottery of Zia Pueblo by Harlow and Lanmon (published by School of American Research Press) I found this most recent volume could easily be considered the continuation of that earlier work.

The necessity in analyzing wares from Santa Ana lies in the fact that the pottery of both pueblos, at least until about 1760, so closely resembles each other as to be nearly indistinguishable. Thus, to accurately define pottery from Zia (which has always been a prolific village) it is also necessary to define that of Santa Ana.

In the course of their research the authors say they were able to "(d)escribe the chronological sequence of forms and designs based on evidence that has not previously been utilized." To that end they trace the evolution of Santa Ana pottery from its early roots with a discussion of Puname pottery styles (c. 1450-1760) to the first pottery style identifiable at Santa Ana Pueblo (c. 1760) up to the end of pottery making for local use at the village (c. 1925), and through various revivals up to the present.

Pottery from museums around the world was examined and 300 vessels (more or less) have been illustrated in color, making this volume exceedingly thorough in scope and of enormous benefit to researchers and museum personnel. Organized chronologically, well over half the text appears to be intended for researchers and archaeologists, since collectors have limited access to pre-1880 pieces. The last two chapters will interest collectors most, because during the technical discussions of paste, temper and form (as well as at the rather monotonous litanies of design elements of each illustrated piece) the average collector's eyes will likely glaze over. Yet this detailed analysis is critical to the understanding of the fundamental differences that define pottery by period, style and village of manufacture. Certainly the discussion of the ceremonial break and associated path line in Pueblo pottery is invaluable.

The author's collective credentials are impeccable, and all are associated with the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture in Santa Fe; Harlow and Lanmon as Research Associates, Anderson as Director. Harlow, who is a physicist at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, is also one of the foremost authorities on pueblo pottery and has written or collaborated on more than half a dozen publications about Southwest Native American pottery. Anderson wrote All That Glitters (published by SAR Press in 1999) about micaceous pueblo pottery, and Lanmon recently authored When Rain Gods Reigned for Museum of New Mexico Press in 2002 (SBV Vol. 2/2).

The result is a nicely produced, large format hardcover with glossy pages and color photos; a beautiful-and informative-book that should become a foundation in any library, public or private, about Southwest Native American art. It is hoped the series will continue to encompass every pottery-making village or tribe in New Mexico and Arizona.

Former elementary school teacher Linda Boyden presents Powwow's Coming, a picturebook that teaches young people about the Native American custom of the powwow dance. The colorful, paper-collage style illustrations and simple, rhyming text reflect the joy and enthusiasm inherent in a powwow celebration. "Powwows started / long ago, / but dances change, / powwows grow. // Still today the / steps and songs / bless the dancers, / make them strong." A wonderful read-aloud book ideal for introducing young people to Native American culture.

Practical Spoken Spanish by F.M. Kercheville is exactly what it purports to be: practical. Professor Kercheville, like Mario Pei, Robert Hall and others of his generation, were part of a movement towards teaching the common everyday language rather than starting from a lofty, literary approach.
Instead of discussing sunsets or philosophical questions, you dive right in with the things you need to know most: small talk, ordering food, the weather, where is the restroom?
Also, you learn basic communication before irregular verbs and exceptions to the exceptions, etc.
Despite having been published more than four decades ago, this book remains very practical and very useful for self-study or an adult education group. It is gratifying to see that this classic work is still in print. Kudos to the University of New Mexico Press.

Dr. Stuart has mastered the art of bringing ancient times to life. He details the beauty and splendor of the area in an extraordinary fashion. I recommend this book!

William J. Buchanan writes impressively about racism, misuse of political power, and the white supremacy bigots who seek and hold high offices, then use the office against US citizens and other citizens of the world. His title is honest, because he clearly indicates that much of the present day politicking involves people with special agenda.

Fascinating book by Forrest on a special place at a special time in southwestern history. Very well researched. Very well written. Wonderful foreword by acclaimed New Mexican writer, conservationist, and historian deBuys. A delight all around.

The regions included in this beautifully-produced book include: New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma, North and South Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska, and Wyoming. This comprises a vast and varied section of the country with remarkably diverse geography. Elaine Freed has covered a vast amount of territory to present this lively and well-illustrated study of the architecture and the preservation history of the Great Plains and Rocky Mountain West. She has worked extensively on preservation projects in Colorado, Arizona and the Midwest and is now at Colorado College.

A project of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Large paperback, over 400 pages.

PsyEarth Quest is a workable blueprint for a future society based in peace and built by technology. Anyone who liked Celestine Prophecy will enjoy this phenomenal book. It's one of the best visionary fiction novels I've come across. FYI: "The Touchstone," "Queen of the Sun" and "A Fall to Grace" are a few others.

Many credit William Lumpkins with starting the adobe and pueblo revival movments. His designs are inspired. Lumpkins went back to the cliff dwellings and ancient pueblos looking for organic shapes and forms. His rooms seldom have square corners. Hornos, bancos and nichos (beehive fireplaces, bench seats and wall recesses)abound. There are living and dining rooms modeled after kivas, subterranean ceremonial chambers. Library and bedroom might be found in a three-story tower. Ceilings are made of vigas overset with latillas in herringbone pattern. Doors are carved. The roof-line is never even having an organic look like a range of mountains.

A word of caution. These work best in adobe and similar materials. The designs were laid down in the 1960s and before. Bathrooms and closets are tiny. Utility rooms are nonexistant. Each design needs some reworking to be useful today. They are not inexpensive homes to build. They are spectacular.