Best NM Book (Albuquerque, Espanola, Taos: home, shop, land)

[nmguy]

Just wondering . . . . what's a book that you'd recommend that deals with New Mexico. I'd like to learn more about the history and culture of this area of the world.

It can be either fiction or non fiction and, hopefully includes scenes/passages about Albuquerque.

A novel that I just finished that I'd like to throw out there is 'Albuquerque', by Rudolfo Anaya.

[Towanda]

Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather

[Devin Bent]

Milagro Beanfield Wars, by John Nichols I think and filmed by Robert Redford. It was filmed in Truchas, I think, and the book is set somewhere near the Rio Grande Gorge. It depicts the Hispanic culture of the area some years back now. (It is my impression that the Hispanic towns that were once relatively isolated are no longer so and have changed rapidly and are still changing rapidly.)

The historical interest is water rights and the unfair treatment of Hispanic land and water claims following the Mexican-American war.

Anyone interested in Taos and Mable Dodge Lujan (spelling?) might find The Turquoise Shop -- I forget the author -- interesting. Written in 1941, it is a slight detective story, but the author's best and recently reprinted. Ms Dodge was an heiress who came to Taos and then attracted various literary and artistic lights to Taos.

[_yb]

Amazon.com: Meet Mr Grizzly: A Saga on the Passing of the Grizzly Bear: Montague Stevens: Books

Meet Mr Grizzly: A Saga on the Passing of the Grizzly Bear by Montague Stevens.


One of my favorites.

[Towanda]

Can we name more than one?

Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolf Anaya

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by Devin Bent

Milagro Beanfield Wars, by John Nichols I think and filmed by Robert Redford. It was filmed in Truchas, I think, and the book is set somewhere near the Rio Grande Gorge. It depicts the Hispanic culture of the area some years back now. (It is my impression that the Hispanic towns that were once relatively isolated are no longer so and have changed rapidly and are still changing rapidly.)

The historical interest is water rights and the unfair treatment of Hispanic land and water claims following the Mexican-American war.

Anyone interested in Taos and Mable Dodge Lujan (spelling?) might find The Turquoise Shop -- I forget the author -- interesting. Written in 1941, it is a slight detective story, but the author's best and recently reprinted. Ms Dodge was an heiress who came to Taos and then attracted various literary and artistic lights to Taos.

I have the unopened Milagro Beanfield Wars DVD....how accurate it really is, I have no idea.

[Pipeweld]

Anything by Tony Hillerman. He is to NM what Louie Lamore is to westens.

[Towanda]

In addition to Tony Hillerman, anything by Michael McGarrity.

[Devin Bent]

Originally Posted by Cathy4017

I have the unopened Milagro Beanfield Wars DVD....how accurate it really is, I have no idea.

I don't remember the book or the film that well. The basic history of the land issue -- as I understand it -- is that in the treaty with Mexico the US agreed to honor the existing land grants. However, the Hispanics had two types of holdings -- individual holdings and communal holdings -- the latter used for grazing. The US recognized the individual holdings, but took ownership of the communal holdings which eventually became either Forest Service or BLM land. Then when grazing rights were issued these sometimes/often? went to Anglos, like the bad guy in Milagro BW. A real life counterpart would be the Bonds in Espanola. There is a museum in the Bond family home in Espanola.

So one of the underlying notions of the novel, that the Hispanics got the short end of the stick on grazing rights, is to my knowledge correct. I don't know about the water issues -- which are more central to the novel

If any wants to correct or add to this, please do.

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by Devin Bent

I don't remember the book or the film that well. The basic history of the land issue -- as I understand it -- is that in the treaty with Mexico the US agreed to honor the existing land grants. However, the Hispanics had two types of holdings -- individual holdings and communal holdings -- the latter used for grazing. The US recognized the individual holdings, but took ownership of the communal holdings which eventually became either Forest Service or BLM land. Then when grazing rights were issued these sometimes/often? went to Anglos, like the bad guy in Milagro BW. A real life counterpart would be the Bonds in Espanola. There is a museum in the Bond family home in Espanola.

So one of the underlying notions of the novel, that the Hispanics got the short end of the stick on grazing rights, is to my knowledge correct. I don't know about the water issues -- which are more central to the novel

If any wants to correct or add to this, please do.

Area history is fascinating to me. To read the past is to understand the present better, IMHO....I have not read the book nor seen the movie, so I look forward to seeing it.

Water rights in New Mexico are another whole ballgame, and it makes my head swim (no pun intended) to read about some of the cases going on now.

Thanks for the information!