ISSUE 483

Charreada: Mexican Rodeo in Texas edited by Francis E. Abernethy and photographs by Al Rendon, 2002.A Publication of the Texas Folklore Society LIX, University of North Texas Press, PO Box 311336, Denton, Texas 76203-1336, 128p., 9” x 9”, $24.95, Hard 1-57441-155-1

The very important history of the true first cowboys and cowgirls, the charros and the charras, is told here in an album of moving photographs by San Antonio photographer Al Rendon.The collection is brought together with essays from Julia Hambric, Bryan Woolley, and Francis Abernethy that tell of the cultural history of the Hispanic men and women who, in bright style and Latino grace, began perfecting the skills of horsemanship, roping, and ranching.They did not “tame” the west, as would be said of the Anglo-American cowboy who sought to control and dominate over nature, but as can be seen in these real-life artistic photos, they brought their own version of wild to match and compliment the free spirit of the undomesticated west.

Desert Sanctuaries: The Chinatis of the Big Bend by Wyman Meinzer with introduction by David Alloway, 9/2002, Texas Tech University Press, Box 41037, Lubbock, Texas79410, 96p., 8 ½ x 7 ¾”, $32.50, Hard 0-89672-488-3

Wyman Meinzer accomplishes the feat of capturing on film the allure of Big Bend National Park and the canyons of Chinati Mountains without losing any of the prime moments of light and timing that give the place and scenery its grandeur.Meinzer is meticulous and precise about the feeling of the place that should, according to reason, be available only through the experience itself.This is his talent, however:make it true and immediate.He transforms his camera into a time machine that offers the experience to others just be opening the pages of his book.

Indian Painters of the Southwest: The Deep Remembering by Kathrin L. Chase with a foreword by Diane Reyna, 1/2002, SAR Press, PO Box 2188, Sante Fe, NM, 87504, 96p., $19.95, Soft 0-933452-66-7

When artists talk about their visions, influences, and work practices, it makes for an interesting insight into the seers of the past and of our own time.But here there is something more.This is an insight into a culture and art that has been largely ignored perhaps due to its silent nature of existence.But place is rightly given here to painters of the Native American Southwest.This is a collection that tells of ten remarkable and insightful artists who participated in a recent convocation at the Indian Arts Research Center at the School of American Research.The book, while seemingly understated on the outside, will draw you and make their world one you, also, long for.

Defending the Borders: The Texas Rangers by Frederick Wilkins, 12/2001, State House Press, PO Box 15247, Austin, TX78761, 296p., 6” x 9”, soft 1-880510-77-4

This, the final book of the Texas Ranger history series from State House Press, tells of the wild and rough times of 1848-1861 when the Texas Rangers were outnumbered and had the daunting duties of defending the border and guarding against raids.Frederick Wilkins tells it as he sees it, sometimes even contradicting the formerly definitive voice of Walter Prescott Webb.He gives his accounts of “Rip” Ford, Sam Houston, Ed Burleson, “Sul” Ross, among other lesser known rangers.

Historical Atlas of the Outlaw West by Richard Patterson, 7th Printing, 2000, Johnson Books, 1880 South 57th Court, Boulder, CO 80301, 232p., Soft 0-933472-89-7

This is a guidebook with easy reference that both entertains and informs.It reads like a trip through the Old West and has a matter-of-fact style that parallels its authentic tales.There are photos, maps, and directions when possible.Hold-ups, gunfights, and other outrageous acts west of the Mississippi are documented.

The Jepson Desert Manual: Vascular Plants of Southeastern California edited by MargrietWetherwax, et al, 3/2002, The University of California Press, 2000 Center St., Suite 303, Berkeley, California 94704, 640p., 7” x 10”, $35., Soft 0-520-22775-1

This comprehensive field guide offers an extraordinary scope of information for botanical enthusiasts.The work is based on The Jepson Manual:Higher Plants of California and incorporates new illustrations.There are many graphs, charts, and illustrations, and even color photographs all with detailed descriptions.This is aimed to be an invaluable companion to California’s Mojave Desert, Sonoran Desert, and the southern Great Basin environments.

The American West: The Invention of a Myth by David Hamilton Murdoch, 9/2001, University of Nevada Press, Mail Stop 166, Reno, NV89557-0076, 148p., 5 3/8” x 8 ½”, $19.95, Soft 0-87417-369-8

Murdoch, a professor from England, uses his perspective as an outsider to examine the creation of American western mythology. His work attempts to dispel the mystique and show the motivation and need for the driving force of rugged individualism. Examining both real and fictional accounts, Murdoch enters the American psyche providing insight and valuable observations.

Birds of the Lahontan Valley: A Guide to Nevada’s Wetland Oasis by Graham Chisholm and Larry A. Neel, 11/2001, University of Nevada Press, Mail Stop 166, Reno, NV89557-0076,256p., 6” X 9”, $21.95, Soft 0-87417-479-1

The wetlands of Lahontan Valley is home to more than 290 species of resident and migratory birds, and are, according to Chisholm and Neel, one of the most threatened wildlife resources.This is a comprehensive book with illustrations that covers natural history, ecology, bird life and bird-finding opportunities. Also are explanations of important natural issues.

Desert Indian Woman: Stories and Dreams by Frances Manuel and Deborah Neff, 10/2001, The University of Arizona Press, 355 S. Euclid, Ste. 103,Tucson, AZ85719, 240p., 6” x 9”, $17.95, Soft 0-8165-2008-9

Over ninety years of history comes to life through the tales and memories of Frances Manuel, a basket weaver, storyteller, and tribal elder of the Tohono O’odham culture.Told with Anthropologist Deborah Neff, the narrative tells of a childhood as a Native American and the subsequent meetings with Mexican and Anglo culture. Interwoven into the fabric of a personality, beloved family, and culture are stories, experiences, sorrows, and dreams depicting a memorable life in the southwest borderlands.

Dummy Up and Deal: Inside the Culture of Casino Dealing by H. Lee Barnes, 8/2002, University of Nevada Press, Mail Stop 166, Reno, NV89557-0076, 160p., 6” x 9”, $22.95, Hard 0-87417-506-2

Barnes turns the tables and enters the world of the casino dealer who must deal with a radical side of humanity—both from inside the casino and the people who come to play.The inside story is sometimes a very dark one with the stress and demands mingled with the materialism and cheating.He breaks the façade to give a vivid account of the career choice through the voices of many who work the tables night after night.

Going Native by Tom Marmer, 2/2001, University of New Mexico Press, 1720 Lomas Boulevard NE, Albuquerque, NM87131-1591,272p., 6” x 9”, $24.95, Hard 0-8263-2317-0

Tom Marmer writes of a life altering adventure into a Native American Indian world where his discoveries change his world view, his life’s focus, and even his day to day existence. In developing a relationship with an old man of the Salish-speaking Northwestern Okanagon tribe, he comes to understand a spiritual existence quite unknown to Anglo-Americans. He is initiated into the sweat lodge religion and the vision quest.

Brown, Not White: School Integration and the Chicano Movement in Houston by Guadalupe San Miguel, Jr., 4/2001, TexasA&MUniversity Press, 4354 TAMU, College Station, Texas77843-4354, 304p., $34.95, Hard 1-58544-115-5

In the early 1970s the Houston Independent School District used the fact that Mexican Americans had increasingly categorized themselves as “white” (in order to obtain social standing and educational opportunities) to legally segregate the Hispanics with African American children, thus still complying with the court order to desegregate. Because it was now being used against them, this necessitated the movement to be viewed as a ethnicity in their own right.This book examines the policy of the public school system and the historical far-reaching effects it has had in Mexican American history.

A Gringo Manuel on How to Handle Mexicans by Jose Angel Gutierrez, 4/2001, Arte Publico Press, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204-2174, 192p., $12.95, Soft 1-55885-326-X

The title of this book is questionable. It presents itself as if as a funny read for Anglo Americans and the book itself is even billed as “satire.” Neither is true.What the book is, is an explained list of problems that Mexican Americans can face presented in an over-the-top victimization mindset. It does nothing for either side but make the author lean heavily over with the chip on his shoulder and the reader cringe with the issues that do not represent a balanced view of two ethnicities trying to work together for the common good. Unfortunately for readers, he does not examine any other viewpoint than his own and comes across as quite incapable of critical thinking.

Texas and New Mexico on the Eve of the Civil War: The Mansfield & Johnston Inspections, 1859-1961 edited and with an introduction by Jerry Thompson, 3/2001,The University of New Mexico Press, 1720 Lomas Blvd., Albuquerque, NM 87131-1591, 264p., 6”x 9”, $29.95, Hard 0-8263-2101-X

This is the inspection of the troops by officers Lt. Col. Joseph E. Johnston and Col. Joseph K. F. Mansfield on the combat readiness of troops in the Texas and New Mexico Departments of the Army. These historical documents are presented here for the first time and offer a vivid record of life in the army. The examinations done by the colonels extend into the physical layout of posts, number and conditions of horses, and even into the relationships with nearby peoples of other cultures. The book, interestingly, shows a picture of an army before its unforeseen demise.

American Bison: A Natural History by Dale F. Lott with a foreward by Harry W. Greene, 9/2002, The University of California Press, 2000 Center St., Suite 303, Berkeley, California 94704, 245p., 6” x 9”, $29.95, Hard 0-520-23338-7

Author and Professor Dale Lott presents an argument for the creation of a 5000 square mile grassland that will ensure the survival of an animal he clearly respects and has come to know throughout his life. The portrait he paints with words is compelling showing the beauty of the animal and what has been lost.He also provides up-to-date scientific information and an insider’s view of the life of these great beasts.

El Sol Colorado: A Historical Novel by Jenny Lind Porter 2001, Southwest Classic Press, PO Box 5391, Austin, Texas 78763-5391, 394p., $34.47, Hard, 0-9714830-0-0

This is a story based on one of the founding fathers of Fredericksburg, Texas, the Baron John O. Meusebach, and subsequently, a tale of the Texas Hill Country. Porter has researched thoroughly and created a narrative that remains grounded in history while creating relationships and portrayal of events that bring that history to life. This is also the story of 7000 German and Austrian pioneers who came to Texas in 1845-46.

100 Hikes in New Mexico by Craig Martin, 2001, Second Edition, The Mountaineers Books, 1001 SW Klickitat Way, Suite 201, Seattle, WA98134, 270p., $16.95, Soft 0-89886-790-8

Previously published as 75 Hikes in New Mexico, this new edition adds twenty-nine new hikes to the likes of places such as hot springs and ancient settlements. The details include maps and pictures, some of the more glorious in color. Martin is an avid hiker and relates his enthusiasm in explaining every hike.He shows the way to explore a rough and intriguing side of New Mexico.The hikes range from easy one mile a day to the more arduous twenty-plus mile backpacking trip.

The Great Thirst: Californians and Water, A History by Norris Hundley, Jr., 7/2001,Revised Edition, The University of California Press, 2000 Center St., Suite 303, Berkeley, California94704, 822p., 6” x 9”, $24.95, Soft 0-520-22456-6

With over two hundred pages of notes and indexing, Hundley has obviously done his researching. What he attempts to do, and succeeds, is providing the history, the scope of the changing waterscape, and the social implications of the struggle for water in the state of California. His approach is fair, balanced, and understandable.This is the definitive work on California water history.

The Desert Home by Tamara L. Hawkinson, 11/2002, University of Nevada Press, Mail Stop 166, Reno, NV 89557-0076, 160p., 8 ¼” x 10 ¾”, $31.95, Hard 0-87417-520-8

Bringing the culture of the desert Southwest into breathtaking interior spaces, this coffee table book captivates from the cover all the way through. Hawkinson tours, offers advice and know-how, and inspires as she shows the true beauty of the culture, landscape, and scenery and brings into the spaces we definitely want to call home.

Casas Grandes Pre-Columbian Pottery Decoded: Of Gods and Myths by Ernest H. Christman, M.D., 2002, The Tutorial Press, PO Box 11123, Albuquerque, NM 87192, 208p., 8 ½” x 11”, $85, Hard 0-912329-16-5

One way to come to understand the largest pre-Columbian civilization in northern Mexico, the Casas Grandes, is to decode the symbols on the pottery. With more than a thousand full-color photographs, this book provides an explanation for 320 pieces of pottery and offers a perspective that other archeologists have heretofore thought impossible.

Saguaro: The Desert Giant by Anna Humphreys and Susan Lowell, 3/2002, Rio Nuevo Publishers, A Division of Treasure Chest Books, PO Box 520, Tucson, AZ 85703, 64p., 9” x 12”, $10.95, Soft 1-887896-30-9

This colorful, oversized book pays homage to the great Southwestern icon, the Saguaro cactus.While the book displays seventy photographs and illustrations, its theme is the need to preserve the Sonoran desert habitat.There are surprising facts such as the cactus can grow to fifty feet high and the fruit of the cactus has been used by the Tohono O’odham people to make syrups and wines.Colorful from start to finish, the book thoroughly explores this unique plant.

Art and Faith in Mexico: The Nineteenth-Century Retablo Tradition edited by Elizabeth NettoCalilZarur and Charles Muir Lovell, 3/2001, University of New Mexico Press, 1720 Lomas Boulevard NE, Albuquerque, NM 87131-1591, 360p., 8 ½” x 10 ½”, $29.95, Soft 0-8263-2324-3

Zarur and Lovell explore the retablos, sacred paintings on tin, examining them from the standpoint of art history, history, anthropology, folk art, and religion.They study the nineteenth-century society along the Camino Real between Mexico City and Sante Fe and find that these works of art bespoke of a time of political turmoil that caused unrest and subsequently a shift in religion from church to home.New MexicoStateUniversity holds the largest collection of retablos of any museum in the United States, and this study offers a complete examination through a glossary, chronology, maps, and cataloging.Although this sounds daunting, the book is in beautiful color and also serves as a vibrant tribute to the art form.

Tertiary History of the Grand Canon District by Clarence E. Dutton and with an introduction by Wallace Stegner and foreward by Stephen J. Pyne, 2001, Second Edition, The University of Arizona Press, 355 S. Euclid, Ste. 103, Tucson, AZ 85719, 368p., 8 ½” x 11”, $75., Hard 0-8165-2181-6

Clarence Dutton first published this book describing the geological makeup of the Grand Canyon in 1882. It provides a description of this national wonder before the onslaught of tourism.Both literary and scientific in nature, the book now is updated by Stegner and Pyne to make it once more available. This version is reprinted without the atlas, but contains illustrations and maps. It is an in-depth exploration of the canyon that has since been indelibly marked on the American cultural landscape.

The Glory Days in Goldfield, Nevada by Sally Zanjani, 11/2002, University of Nevada Press, MS 166, Reno, NV 89557-0076, 141p., $31.95, Hard 0-87417-520-8

When optimism ruled and gold was the main objective, Goldfield, Nevada, boomed and eventually became the biggest city in the state, only to decline and become a part of gold-fever history. Zanjani resurrects the past through picture essay and personal accounts that tell of the lives that were lived out and of the fantastic personality of the time and place.This history is captured in more than 160 pictures.Barkeepers, prostitutes, and gold-rushers are some of the voices that offer first-hand accounts of this riveting history.

Montezuma: The Castle in the West edited by Jon Bowman, 4/2002, University of New Mexico Press, 1720Lomas Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131-1591, 144p., 10” x 9 ½”, $24.95, Soft 0-937206-73-3

See the loving restoration from start to finish of the MontezumaCastle near Las Vegas, New Mexico. The story begins in its designation as one of the 11 Most Endangered Historic Places by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and is traced with essays and photography through every step of bringing the resort back to its glory days. The project is the child of Armand Hammer United World College of the American West that now occupies the completely restored treasure. Also included is a section about other endangered historic places in need of help.

Tall Woman: The Life Story of Rose Mitchell, a Navajo Woman, c. 1874-1977 by Rose Mitchell and edited by Charlotte J. Frisbie, 3/2001, University of New Mexico Press, 1720 Lomas Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131-1591, 592p., 7” x 10”, $29.95, Soft 0-8263-2203-4

Translated from her own words, this story of a Navajo woman, Rose Mitchell, who lived for more than 102 years is a vivid account of traditional life ways in a harsh and challenging environment. She begins with her earliest memoriest of her family—a grandmother she never knew, their fleeing from enemies, and of trying to stay together. She continues through the years of “getting caught by old age”, losing loved ones, and dealing with the ever-changing world about her. She offers her own history to her decendants and to others.

The American West: People, Places, and Ideas by Suzan Campbell with an essay by Kathleen E. Ash-Milby, 2001, Rockwell Museum of Western Art, Western Edge Press, 126 Canelario St., Santa Fe, NM 87501, 160p., $24.95, Soft 1-889921-13-0

The Rockwell Museum of Western Art in Corning, New York, revamped their collection to reflect more deeply the American West and to make it a collection that was as inviting as it is awe-inspiring. The motivation being as the introduction states, “The West is America” (7). The collection is an array of western and Native American art ranging from Walter Ufer’s Along the Rio Grande to Andy Warhol’s Geronimo and Annie Oakley. The sections of the book focus on wilderness, buffalo, horses, Indians, Cowboys, and the Southwest, with a special essay entitled, “The Indian as Artist: Native American Art at the Rockwell Museum of Western Art.”

Public Lands and Political Meaning: Ranchers, The Government, and the Property Between Them by Karen R. Merrill, 7/2002, University of California Press, Berkeley, CA 94720, 293p., $50., Hard 0-520-22862-6

The hot debate between private ranch property and public preservations here is retraced for the history of the matter going back to the beginning where there was agreement.Merrill brings together the interests of government, private owners, and environmentalists. Property rights have been a sensitive subject and even more so now. This work examines the ongoing developments, the tug and pull, and the history and issues of each.

La Familia Secreta De Pancho Villa: Una Historia, Oral The Secret Family of Pancho Villa: An Oral History by Ruben Osorio, Translated by John Lingemann, 2000, Center for Big Bend Studies, Occasional Papers No. 6, Sul Ross State University, Box C-71, Alpine, TX 79832, 216p., $20., Soft 0-9647629-8-6

This research delves into the daily and private lives of those who lived in the Proferian-era state to establish the unknown family of Pancho Villa. According to the author, Villa himself had never disclosed his origins.By listening to personal testimonies the author furthered his research searching for the background of Pancho Villa’s childhood and his personal development that would lead him to become the Mexican Revolutionary that he was. Family trees and photographs back up the research, as well as documentation. The book is both in English and Spanish.

Eyewitness: A Filmmaker’s Memoir of the Chicano Movement by Jesus Salvador Trevino, 9/2001, Arte Publico Press, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204-2174, 320p., $15.95, Soft 1-55885-349-9

Filmmaker Jesus Salvador Trevino has spent a great part of his career documenting important events in the Chicano movement most importantly through the late 1960s and early 1970s. He followed the farm workers’ strikes and boycotts, the Los Angeles school walk-outs, the Chicano Youth Conference in Denver, and the New Mexico land grant movement, to name a few. Trevino offers self-reflection and his own development as a person through the experiences he has shared on film.

Chicana Ways: Conversations with Ten Chicana Writers by Karin Rosa Ikas, 12/2001, University of Nevada Press, Mail Stop 166, Reno, NV89557-0076, 248p., 6” x 9 ¼”, $19.95, Soft 0-87417-361-2

Ikas went across America interviewing Chicana writers about their pasts, their influences, and the practicing of their crafts. Interviewees include Gloria Anzaldua, Lorna Dee Cervantes, Denise Chavez, Lucha Corpi, Jamie Lujan, Demetria Martinez, Pat Mora, Cherrie Moraga, Mary Helen Ponce, and Estela Portillo-Trambley. Each entry offers a photograph and bibliography.

Moving Stories: Migration and The American West, 1850-2000 edited by Scott E. Casper, 11/2001, University of Nevada Press, Mail Stop 166, Reno, NV89557-0076,320p., 6” x 9”, $14.95, Soft 1-890591-08-4

Migration is not as simple as it has seemed—a movement westward. Instead, says Casper, “Migrants don’t begin their experiences with blank slates:they have some expectation or hope of what they will find and make, and their expectations are product of the stories they’ve heard or seen or read” (xiii). In his introduction Casper explores how the narratives written of these experiences have shaped our view of migration and of ourselves in this collection of essays. Essays from contributors include, “Some is Writing, Some Reading: Emigrants on the Overland Trail” by Theresa Strouth Gaul.

Geographical Identities of Ethnic America: Race, Space, and Place edited by Kate A. Berry and Martha L. Henderson with a foreward by Dong Ok Lee and Stanley Brunn, 12/2001, University of Nevada Press, Mail Stop 166, Reno, NV 89557-0076, 328p., 6 1/8” x 9 ¼”, $29.95, Soft 0-87417-487-2

Does place in which one exists create identity? The editors here show how it indeed does. They write, “geography is relevant to race and ethnicity because identities are created, not only by the labels that are borne, but also through the spaces and places in which they exist.” This book is a geographical inquiry into “how place and space fashion, re-create, and contextualize human identity” (Foreward). Fourteen essays are offered in search of the answers within North America.

Texas Natural History: A Century of Change by David J. Schmidly, 2002, Texas Tech University Press, PO Box 41037, Lubbock, TX 79410, 576p., 7” x 10”, $39.95, Hard 0-89672-469-7

A history of Texas less spoken about is when the ranges were roamed by grey and red wolves and black bears and human artifices were scarce. In 1905 a survey was published concerning the status of mammals in Texas.Nearly one hundred years later, David Schmidly takes this record and compares it with the plight of the animals today. What has occurred in these last one hundred years? For Schmidly it is an area of interest and concern. Taking the past and then looking towards the future, he shows the human influence and the need for wildlife conservation. He includes photos, surveys, and annotations.

Living in the Country Growing Weird: [A Deep Rural Adventure] by Dennis Parks, 11/2001, University of Nevada Press, Mail Stop 166, Reno, NV 89557-0076, 168p., 6” x 8”, $21.95, Soft 0-87417-484-8

In the summer of 1972 Dennis Parks packed up his life and his family and put all his thoughts on creating a summer pottery school with his wife in Tuscarora, Nevada, a remote, sparsely populated rural town. He writes of his family’s experience with a sense of wonder and humor.In this search for simplicity, Parks ends up challenged by much more than he could have imagined, for one, taking on a mining company that could wipe out his adopted town.Parks documents his experiences from building to getting to know the people around him.

How to Obtain Your US Immigration Visa for a Temporary Stay: The Nonimmigrant Visa Kit, Immigration Manual Volume 1 by BenjiO. Anosike, Ph.D., 2002, Do-It-Yourself Legal Publishers, 60 Park Place #1013, Newark, NJ 07102, 230p., $29.95, Soft 0-932704-52-2

This book gives the “step-by-step process for foreign nationals to qualify for a grant of entry visa into the United States.”Different kinds of visas are discussed as well as different means of obtaining green cards. The author discusses problem areas, the admission process following the securing of a green card, and goes into the immigration office to show the inner-workings.It is aimed to be a handy, do-it-yourself reference for gaining legal, entry for a temporary stay without getting lost in the system.

Woven Stories: Andean Textiles and Rituals by Andrea M. Hechman, 3/2002, University of New Mexico Press, 1720 Lomas Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico87131-1591, 216p., 8 ½” x 10 ½”, $45., Hard 0-8263-2934-9

What better way to come to know the descendants of the Incas in the mountains of Peru than enjoying the weaving tradition and then by coming to understand the important metaphorical significance of that work? Andrea Heckman has given the study the time and patience and energy it requires to truly have an admiration for the weaving and the natives themselves. Large, colorful photographs offer a window into this world, as does Heckman’s patience and care with explanations. The first part of the book is dedicated to the history of Peruvian textiles, and the second is given to the ceremonies that now celebrate and provide a connection to this colorful past.

Exploring the Afro-Texas Experience: A Bibliography of Secondary Sources about Black Texans by Bruce A. Glasrud and Laurie Champion, 2000, Center for Big Bend Studies, Occasional Papers No. 5, Sul Ross State University, Box C-71, Alpine, TX 79832, 180., $20., Soft 0-9647629-7-8

This book is a follow-up to African-Americans in the West:A Bibliography of Secondary Sources. There was a decision that, “it remain[ed] necessary to produce a complete bibliographical work on black Texas” (ix). The book follows the same set-up of the previous, and continues to explore the important differences that African Americans have faced being a part of the South and the West and the historical implications throughout this experience.

Fifty Miles from Home: Riding the Long Circle on a Nevada Family Ranch with photographs by Linda Dururrena and text by Carolyn Duferrena, 12/2001, University of Nevada Press, Mail Stop 166, Reno, NV89557-0076, 124p., 9 ¼” x 10”, $34.95, Hard 0-87417-443-0

Call it jealousy, or just green envy, the Dururrenas live in heaven and just want to show it off.And show it off they do.This book of photography proves that nature is divine.While the photography is breath-taking and will have effect, the insight the essays demonstrate show a respect and an understanding of rural life. More importantly, they show how the land can alter a life, a perspective, and bring it about to give it more dimension and depth.Carolyn Dururrena writes, “This difficult country is always ready to teach, if you can be silent, wait for the lesson. The huge emptiness of the desert puts all human activity, all human emotion, into perspective . . .”The book represents and is beautiful.

Down by the Lemonade Springs: Essays on Wallace Stegner by Jackson J. Benson, 11/2001, University of Nevada Press, Mail Stop 166, Reno, NV 89557-0076, 192p., 6” x 8 ½”, $24.95, Soft 0-87417-446-5

While Benson has already written the biography on Western literary artist Wallace Stegner, he reflects deeper into the writer’s work by providing ten essays that explore the writer’s philosophy, his concern for the land and the West, and discusses some of Stegner’s award winning work.Benson writes of Stegner, “As a Westerner who frequently wrote about western subjects, he worked to increase our understanding of the West—its history, its geography, and its social dynamics—and to expose the myths that all too often had contributed to its exploitation” (xiii). Benson’s essays demonstrate a respect for Stegner and his work.

Once Upon a Time in Los Angeles: The Trials of Earl Rogers by Michael Lance Trope, 2001, The Arthur H. Clark Company, PO Box 14707, Spokane, WA 99214, 272p., $24.95, Hard 0-87062-305-2

Before the infamous O.J. and other scandalous cases in California courts, there was the trial lawyer Earl Rogers defending some of the wildest and most notorious cases in California history.Once Upon a Time in Los Angeles tells the story of some of these cases ranging from defending Clarence Darrow on charges of jury bribery, to the real estate tycoon Colonel Griffith J. Griffith on charges of attempted murder of his wife. The book is an easy, entertaining read and will surprise at the outrageous antics going on even in the early 1900s in Los Angeles.

Worldviews and the American West: The Life of the Place Itself edited by Polly Stewart, Steve Siporin, C. W. Sullivan III, and Suzi Jones, 9/2000, Utah State University Press, 7800 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84332-7800, 265p., 6” x 9”, $19.95, Soft 0-87412-407-9

It is a grand inquiry: How do the varied cultures in the American West understand and express their relations to the world around them? Seventeen authors and scholars seek to answer this question.While their ideas and approaches differ, the focus is tied to the region of the West. They each investigate a culture and explore the inner recesses for the worldview that identifies the people as a group and as a part of the West.

Raising La Belle: The Story of the La Salle Shipwreck written and illustrated by Mark G. Mitchell, 2002,Eakin Press, PO Box 90159, Austin, TX 78709, 112p., 7” x 10”, $10.95, Soft 1-57168-703-3

Archeology is brought to young readers here with the tale of the Belle, the small frigate of French explorer Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, and many years later of the archeological resurrection of the ship from Matagorda Bay.What makes it more interesting is that the ship and its contents are in Austin, Texas museums.Mitchell includes 52 illustrations including maps, diagrams, resources for students, photos, and a comprehensive bibliography.

Twenty Thousand Roads: Women, Movement, and the West by Virginia Scharff, 12/2002, University of California Press, 2000 Center St., Suite 303, Berkeley, CA 94704, 249p., 6” x 9”, $19.95, Soft 0-520-23777-3

According to Scharff, “Women, supposedly, move seldom and reluctantly, and when they do, it’s a departure from their real stories, not a central plot line. The freedom to move is a marker of social power and of legitimacy, and for women, that freedom seems always in doubt. When women move, they surprise us” (3). Here are stories of women who have moved across the American West, and because of this, have altered the West in profound ways. This is a unique insight into a Western movement tradition that now seems likely to be an important part of the human story.

A Passion for Gold: An Autobiography by Ralph J. Roberts, 7/2002, University of Nevada Press, Mail Stop 166, Reno, NV 89557-0076, 256p., 6” x 9”, $29.95, Hard 0-87417-502-X

Ralph J. Roberts has been a very lucky man in finding the things he loves, and he writes about this passionate expedition of a life in his autobiography. Roberts is a geologist who began the modern-day gold rush in Nevada that has already a yielded a value of thirty million dollars. His autobiography is about his life and the adventures he has had as a geologist and also about the science itself. The work is enlightening and passionate.

The Light Crust Doughboys are On The Air: Celebrating Seventy Years of Texas Music by John Mark Dempsey with a foreword by Art Greenhaw, Includes Music CD with Historical Doughboy Tunes, 2002, University of North Texas Press, PO Box 311336, Denton, TX 76203-1336, 320p., 6” x 9”, $29.95, Hard 1-57441-151-9

The history of western swing music, radio advertising, and Texas music itself is brought together in this the story of The Light Crust Doughboys. From the 1930s to the present, this Texas classic band has kept a tradition alive—pleasing the old-timers as well as demonstrating a remarkable endurance in the music business.Dempsey follows the history of the band from the advertising years for Light Crust Flour through the years covering such memorable topics as the sixty-six years that Smokey Montgomery gave to the group.The CD included has seventy-two minutes from early tunes to the latest recordings.

Keeping Hearth & Home in Old Colorado: A Practical Primer for Daily Living compiled and edited by Carol Padgett, Ph.D., 2002, Menasha Ridge Press, PO Box 43673, Birmingham, AL35243, 234p., $13.95, Hard 0-89732-524-9

Here is a snippet of advice for you: “Be Tidy.Young girls, don’t allow yourselves to fall into untidy habits.There is nothing more displeasing than an untidy woman, old or young: hair full of dust, shoe buttons pinned on, nails with black rims, clothes ill-fitting—basted and pinned. In fact, there is no limit to the untidiness that a person will fall into who is given to this sort of thing” (5). Padgett has compiled hundreds more quotes and loving advice from an era of Colorado gone by, including chapters for the “Young Lady Courted,” “The Mother”, and “The Nurse.” It is a fun read, sometimes informative, sometimes humorous, and a unique glimpse into history. Things have changed a little bit since then.It is interesting to see just how much.

Keeping Hearth & Home in Old Texas: A Practical Primer for Daily Living compiled and edited by Carol Padgett, Ph.D., 2001, Menasha Ridge Press, PO Box 43673, Birmingham, AL35243, 229p., $13.95, Hard 0-89732-409-9

Was life once upon a time less complicated? Here is a delightful book that gives the rules and guidelines for the lives of women in early Texas society as well as helpful hints, recipes, and advice. Padgett collected passages from periodicals and publications of the time and compiled them into a handbook that will transport the reader back into a more modest, innocent time for Texas women. She is careful in her selections and while some may seem laughable by our standards, they all offer a glimpse into womanhood and early Texas life.

West of Emerson: The Design of Manifest Destiny by Kris Fresonke, 2003, University of California Press, 2000 Center St., Suite 303, Berkeley, CA 94704, 213p., $19.95, Soft 0-520-23185-6

This is a reexamination of the long-held belief that Emerson and Thoreau established American literature as a force in and by itself in Concord, Massachusetts and Walden Pond. Fresonke takes a different perspective and looks at the western influence of nature coming from the narratives of Lewis and Clark and the Louisiana Purchase. The thought, he believes, is more determined by the wide open spaces of the less traveled west than the rigid societies of the East. He goes on to show the influence on politics and on the policy of Manifest Destiny.

The Lost Itinerary of Frank Hamilton Cushing: Frank Hamilton Cushing and the Hemenway Southwestern Archaeological Expedition, 1886-1889 edited by Curtis M. Hinsley and David R. Wilcox, 11/2002, The University of Arizona Press, 355 S. Euclid, Ste. 103, Tucson, AZ 85719, 450p., $50., Hard 0-8165-2269-3

What can be more exciting for scholars than to find 4,000 pages of lost correspondence that fills in the gaps of longed for understanding? Frank Hamilton Cushing kept intricate logs of his archeological expedition into the frontier West in 1886 only to be replaced by Jesse Walter Fewkes. Cushing had undertaken important work delving into the history of the Zunis, excavations of the Southwest, and by putting together a team of professionals to assist in the endeavor. In 1991, a librarian discovered the lost documents and here Hinsley and Wilcox sort and compile the pages that bring to light information long thought gone.

Playa Works: The Myth of the Empty by William L. Fox, 9/2002, University of Nevada Press, Mail Stop 166, Reno, NV 89557-0076, 240p., 6” x 8 ½”, $24.95, Hard 0-87417-523-2

Fox explores the desert regions of North America and offers up little known information. This exploration is of what are called playas, regions where lakes have dried up leaving formations that appear to be shorelines, but in the middle of the desert. His interest in these regions is clear:the world’s population is predicted to rise in these regions and he feels the need to understand this austere, arid part of nature. Offering personal musings and scientific study, Fox examines why we are drawn to these vast holds of extreme living.

Latinos: Remaking America edited by Marcelo M. Suarez-Orozco and Mariela M. Paez, 7/2002, University of California Press, 2000 Center St., Suite 303, Berkeley, CA94704, 494p., 6” x 9”, Soft 0-520-23487-1

Scholars from a range of disciplines explore the questions of the Latino experience in the United States. With a huge change taking place in American culture by the influx and growth of the Latino population, the writers included in this selection look at the many facets of that change: social, cultural, racial, economic, and political. The book takes a hard look at the facts, the implications, and projects into what lies ahead. Heavily documented and well-researched, this collection of essays were all written specifically for this book, making a valuable asset in the research and understanding of this monumental change in America. In this search for simplicity, Parks ends up challenged by much more than he could have imagined.

Skin of the Earth: Stories from Nevada’s Back Country by Art Gibney, 9/2002, University of Nevada Press, Mail Stop 166, Reno, NV 89557-0076, 132p., $16., Soft 0-87417-513-5

Art Gibney’s first collection of short stories comes from his relationship with rural Nevada—the mostly unknown parts and personalities that make up very different scenes than casinos and showgirls. If the writing says anything about Gibney’s personality, he is a quiet, contemplative person with an insight into the beauty and serenity of the state of Nevada. Twelve stories delve into topics ranging from local myths of about extraterrestrials to nearby testing of nuclear devices. Short stories include:“A Hard Way to Make a Hundred Bucks,” “Water Baby,” “Flying to the Moon,” and “Cloudshine.”

Nobody’s Son: Notes From an American Life by Luis Alberto Urrea, 9/02, The University of Arizona Press, 355 S. Euclid, Ste. 103, Tucson, AZ85719, 188p., 5” x 8”, $14.95, Soft 0-8165-2270-7

Luis Alberto Urrea broaches the topic of identity from his own experience of being both Anglo and Hispanic. His writing and openness is compelling as he shows the struggles he has faced, never backing into the victimization role, but in the role of a person wanting and willing to understand and overcome.His writing is down to earth, simple, direct. His voice is an important one in coming to understand the experience of being human in the harsh world of divides.

Hot Biscuits: Eighteen Stories by Women and Men of the Ranching West edited by Max Evans and Candy Moulton, 9/2002, University of New Mexico Press, 1720 Lomas Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico87131-1591, 248p., 5 ½” x 8 ½”, $24.95, Hard 0-8263-2889-X

What do men and women who have worked on ranches, have imagination, and innate writing ability have to say? Max Evans has spent twenty years trying to find out.Finally, he, along with Candy Moulton, have compiled a collection of stories from such people, and offer it here as a stand against the shrinking realities of ranch life. Stories include Grem Lee’s “The Stormy Blue Jitney,” and Elaine Long’s “The Violinist’s Story.” They are all tied together by a very important player in the life of a ranch, the hot biscuit.

The Story of Palo Duro Canyon edited by Duane Guy, 2001, Second Edition, Texas Tech University Press. Box 41037, Lubbock, TX79410,240p., 6” x 9”, $17.95, Soft 0-89672-453-0

This historical guide and essay collection was previously published as the Panhandle Plains Historical Review, The Story of PaloDuroCanyon.In its present form with a new introduction, Frederick W. Rathjen writes, “. . . imagination goes to work and contemplates what ancient people must have felt when they, even less aware than we, stumbled upon the chasm rim and quickly realized tht they had found a bonanza . . . all they needed to sustain life.”The book serves as a valuable source of information as well as a keepsake for enjoying the natural treasure.

Ferns and Fern Allies of the Trans-Pecos and Adjacent Areas by Sharon C. Yarborough and A. Michael Powell, 2002, TexasTechUniversity Press. Box 41037, Lubbock, TX79410,128p., 6” x 9”, $17.95, Soft 0-89672-476-X

Yarborough and Powell have compiled a complete review of the true ferns as well as the related spikemosses and scouring rushes of the Trans-Pecos. This guide is all-inclusive as it provides descriptions, illustrations, explanations, glossary, and references, as well as informative guiding for any knowledge necessary for the understanding of this plant type.To demonstrate this plant life of far westernTexas and adjacent areas in the Chihuahuan Desert, the authors have painstakingly recorded and organized the scientific information and provided an informative and easy to use field guide.

Taming the Elephant: Politics, Government, and Law in Pioneer California edited by John F. Burns and Richard J. Orsi, 2003, University of California Press, 2000 Center St., Suite 303, Berkeley, CA94704, 288p., Soft 0-520-23413-8

To believe, as it has been in the past, that the history of California politics and development was given to self-interests of politicians, much like the gold-rushers had been, would be to overlook important ideas and developments that have created a dynamic society and influenced the rest of America. This book is the fourth in the California History Sesquicentennial Series made up of original essays by scholars exploring along important lines of enquiry: the interplay of traditional cultures and frontier innovation in the creation of a distinctive California society; the dynamic interaction of people and nature and the beginnings of massive environmental change; the impact of the California experience on the nation and the world; the influence of pioneer patterns on modern California; and the legacy of ethnic and cultural diversity as a major influence on the state’s history.The result is a beautiful, insightful book with engaging essays and colorful photographs.

The Hasinais: Southern Caddoans as Seen by the Earliest Europeans by Herbert Eugene Bolton edited by Russell M. Magnaghi, 6/2002, University of Oklahoma Press, 4100 28th Avenue N.W., Norman, OK 73069-8218, 208p., $14.95, Soft 0-8061-3441-0

Magnaghi has brought to publication a previously unpublished study from the early 1900s on the little known peoples known as the Hasinais, the southern branch of the Caddoan Indians. These peoples were a settled, agricultural American Indian tribe in East Texas who had interaction with the Spanish and French and who had developed an intricate system of economic, social, and political organization. Bolton formulated the study in 1906 using archives available to him and the people themselves. Now Magnaghi has edited the work to shed light on such topics as dress and adornment, religious beliefs and customs, and ceremonials.

Mayo Ethnobotany: Land, History, and Traditional Knowledge in Northwest Mexico by David Yetman and Thomas R. Van Devender, 2002, University of California Press, 2000 Center St., Suite 303, Berkeley, CA 94704, 359p., Hard 0-520-22721-2

There is a sense of urgency to understand the natural biodiversity of southern Sonora and northern Sinaloa of northwestern Mexico. As the land is overtaken by agricultural corporations, the knowledge and understanding of the land and its culture held by the people of these remote places is endangered also.The authors take an intense look at the tropical forests, the climate, and vegetation as well as the many differing types of plants unique to the Mayo culture. By understanding place, one comes to understand much about the people.

John Clay Jr.: Commission Man, Banker, and Rancher by Lawrence M. Woods, 7/2001, The Arthur H. Clark Company, PO Box 14707, Spokane, WA 99214, 286p., $42.50, Hard 0-87062-304-4

This is a personal portrait of a man who played an interesting part in the western cattle industry and led the life of a true western baron. John Clay Jr. managed such outfits as Cattle Ranche and Wyoming Cattle Ranche companies, Western Ranches, Limited, and the Swan Land & Cattle Company. He led a full life of hunting with hounds in his native Scotland and writing and publishing prolifically. The book tries to answer some of the questions left from the invasion of Johnson County while also paying admiration to a life fully lived.