New Mexico Books - Good Reads, Books, Authors, Writers (Santa Fe: crime, to buy)

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by Pintada Kid

I read most all kinds of books on all kinds of Subjects for over half a century but the Book North From Mexico by Carey McWilliam for anyone thats interested knowing more about the Spanish then they know about their own History this book is a must to Read regardless of the Reviews a few people give it to keep it Quiet. >>>>>>>> Our politicians today are trying to change the immigration laws and most dont even know the True History of the Southwest. Our Congressmen on up to our President dont know our History very well because the True History of the Southwest has never been allowed to be Read or the Books are hard to find. Latinos have all been Bunched up in one Group Chicanos, Hispanics, Raza, Mexicans etc. The book North from Mexico will explain how to tell the Difference and about the Los Angeles Riots a Shameful part of History we rarely hear about and the Open Seasons on Mexicans even the Texas Rangers could shoot them on sight. How much we paid for the over half a Million Square miles we Stole from Mexico to make it look like we bought it by giving someone in Mexico 10 million dollars etc. What the Spanish Brought in Progress in Ranching and mining and irrigation etc. and the Spanish brought everything imaginable to the Americas including Horses and Livestock and vegetables and plants and Saddles and tools whew this is only a Fraction of what the Book North From Mexico has and lots more its used in some Colleges to teach the True History of the Southwest and not what todays TV Western Portray History as being. If it wasnt for the Spanish Gene and Roy and Hoppy wouldnt exist without their Horses. pintada kid at webtv.net

The local library has it here...should be an interesting read, especially since it is so old.

[Champ le monstre du lac]

I'm looking to find some good books to read about New Mexico. Anything and everything from novels, biographies, books about the cities, people, places, and history of the state. Also feel free to discuss any famous writers and authors from New Mexico.

[Champ le monstre du lac]

I'll start. I just finished reading "Albuquerque, A city at the end of the world" by V.B. Price. It's a bit dated, orginally written in the early 90's and updated in the early 2000's. Nonetheless its a very descriptive book about the city, it's origins, character, politics, and how it developed over the years. He delves into architecture, the open spaces, spiritual aspects of the region, and a chapter on comparisons with Santa Fe and how differently ABQ and SF developed over the years. For anyone wanting to get to know Albuquerque, I would consider this book an essential read.

[Poncho_NM]

You can read some of the books by Tony Hillerman (May 27, 1925 – October 26, 2008)

The Unofficial Tony Hillerman Homepage


Rich

[aries63]

Originally Posted by caphillsea77

I'll start. I just finished reading "Albuquerque, A city at the end of the world" by V.B. Price. It's a bit dated, orginally written in the early 90's and updated in the early 2000's. Nonetheless its a very descriptive book about the city, it's origins, character, politics, and how it developed over the years. He delves into architecture, the open spaces, spiritual aspects of the region, and a chapter on comparisons with Santa Fe and how differently ABQ and SF developed over the years. For anyone wanting to get to know Albuquerque, I would consider this book an essential read.

Love, Love, love that book! Glad you found it, and you haven't even moved here yet. I keep meaning to read the new stuff added to the second edition.

I'll limit myself to one book: The House at Otowi Bridge, by Peggy Pond Church. You can read some of it through Google Books (and the reviews there) and judge for yourself, but I found I really enjoyed her writing (although sentimental at times) and the way her spiritual connection to the land comes through. She was a great observer of people and tells an unusual story well.

[joqua]

Originally Posted by caphillsea77

I'm looking to find some good books to read about New Mexico.

Of course there are a couple of ways to approach a search on books referencing New Mexico.

Search "New Mexico authors" to find those who actually live - or lived - in the state when they wrote what they wrote.

And then there are all of the authors who wrote on New Mexico without being residents.

Sub-categories would be to search for non-fiction vs fictional writings.

Then there are those books published by publishers in New Mexico, the most obvious being this one:

http://www.unmpress.com/

Also try here:

http://www.santafelibrary.org/swshelf.html

And last but not least, download this PDF file from this web site for a very good and lengthy (16 page) list of New Mexico writings:

LONG LIST OF NM BOOKS

[ApartmentNomad]

Originally Posted by caphillsea77

I'll start. I just finished reading "Albuquerque, A city at the end of the world" by V.B. Price.

I read a bunch of New Mexico/Southwest-related books before and after moving here. If anything, living here has given me even more appreciation for the V.B. Price book.

Others I would recommend:

Enchantment and Exploitation: The Life and Hard Times of a New Mexico Mountain Range by William deBuys, which gets into the nitty-gritty of some of the social and economic fault lines in Northern New Mexico.

Utopian Vistas: The Mabel Dodge Luhan House and the American Counterculture by Lois Palken Rudnick discusses, in microcosm, the history of bohemians in Taos, particularly some of the more prestigious ones. Honestly, it doesn't entirely romanticize and glorify this part of Taos's history, since many of the individuals involved coming off looking fairly ridiculous. I felt a bit sorry for poor little Taos which has to suffer having all these idealistic projections piled on top of it.

Of course, Rudolfo Anaya is an obvious name. I liked the two novels of his I read, Bless Me Ultima and Alburquerque [sic]. Bless Me Ultima is very refined and creates its own world, somewhat removed from the messy real world. The other novel is more whimsical, self-reflexive and a tad postmodern. Maybe a little self-indulgent at times, but worth checking out, especially for someone who plans on living in this city.

Maybe I'll think of more later. I don't have handy the list I keep of what I've read.

[Dancingearth]

Originally Posted by aries63

I'll limit myself to one book: The House at Otowi Bridge, by Peggy Pond Church. You can read some of it through Google Books (and the reviews there) and judge for yourself, but I found I really enjoyed her writing (although sentimental at times) and the way her spiritual connection to the land comes through. She was a great observer of people and tells an unusual story well.

I enjoyed this book and think about it when I go to Los Alamos and cross the Rio Grande. I think it wasn't far from there.

I liked No Life for a Lady - Cleaveland. I have a friend who is a distant relative of Montague Stevens.

[jiminnm]

Marc Simmons has written some wonderful books on the history of New Mexico. I'd recommend pretty much any or all of them.

I'll second Rich's recommendation of Tony Hillerman for fiction. I've read them all (even his autobiography). The Navajo Nation recognized Hillerman for his accurate portrayals of Navajo life and culture.

[Champ le monstre du lac]

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone, with the fall and winter approaching these will be enough to keep me occupied reading through the upcoming seasons. Tony Hillerman novels seem to spark my interest a lot