ISSUE 485

NON-FICTION

6666 Portrait of a Texas Ranch by Wyman Meinzer and Henry Chappell with a foreword by Red Steagall and afterword by Mike Gibson, 2004. Texas Tech University Press, Box 41037, Lubbock, TX 79410, 304p., 6" x 9", $34.95, hard 0-89672-509-X.

While the beauty of nostalgia or the draw of the wildness of the west may make someone pick up this eye-stimulating photographic work of art, it will be the realness that makes one read it. Here is a beautiful glimpse into the true workings of a cattle ranch. Captivating from the very cover, it covers the history, Samuel "Burk" Burnett buying land in the 1890s, vaqueros developing a way of life here, and moves into the very heavy duty of life everyday on this place of Texas heaven. Importantly, the ranch has made a stand for healthy and diverse grasslands.

Frontier Texas: History of a Borderland to 1880 by Robert F. Page and Donarld S. Frazier, 2004, State House Press, McMurry University, Abilene, Texas 79697, 272p., $19.95, hard 1-880510-83-9.

West Texas is examined as a borderland in the many senses of the word--climatic, geographical, political and cultural--and seen as a place of important western characteristics in the years of 1780 to 1880. It is all here: conflict, survival, Native Americans, buffalo hunts, forts, cattle drives, outlaws, and settlement. Set in the stark, dry, rugged edge of Texas, the study ranges from Fort Worth to Caprock, up from Palo Duro Canyon to the San Saba River, with Abilene near the geographical center. Place does indeed seem to create character within these pages.

The Trial of "Indian Joe": Race and Justice in the Nineteenth-Century West by Clare V. McKanna Jr., 2004. University of Nebraska Press, 233 North 8th Street, Lincoln, NE 68588-0255, www.nebraskapress.unl.edu, 160p., 6" x 9", $35., hard 0-8032-3228-4.

The biased legal system of the late 1800s is examined here showing the outrageous decisions that led to the arrest and murder trial of Native American Jose Gabriel. The case involves a double homicide committed on October 16th, 1892. Taking it now to the court of public opinion, McKanna shows the processes that denigrated humans of perceived lesser origin.

Celebrating Guadalupe by Jacqueline Orsini Dunnington, 2004. Rio Nuevo Publishers, 451 North Bonita Avenue, Tucson AZ 85745, www.rionuevo.com, 84p., 7 1/2" x 7 1/2", $15.95, hard 1-887896-55-4.

Anyone who lives in the Southwest knows of the cultural importance of Our Lady of Guadalupe. This colorful book gives insight into the cultural influence and history of her life. The photographs capture the vivid colors and dedicated art so majestic. The book itself clearly shows the appeal of one of the Southwest's most visible and favorite saints.

Winfield Scott and the Profession of Arms by Allan Peskin, 2004. Kent State University Press, 307 Lowry Hall, PO Box 5190, Kent, OH 44242-0001, www.kentstateuniversitypress.com, 344p., $49., hard 0-87338-774-0.

Military history hardly seems balanced without a biography such as this. Professor Emeritus Allan Peskin has chosen a subject, Winfield Scott, and proven the outstanding contributions during Scott's long and vibrant military career in the U.S. Army from 1807 to 1861. Bringing forth letters before now not seen, Peskin creates a portrait of an undying passion for the success of the U. S. Military.

Indomitable Sarah: The Life of Judge Sarah T. Hughes by Darwin Payne, 2004. Southern Methodist University Press, PO Box 750415, Dallas, TX 75275-0415, Distributed by Texas A&M University Press, 4354 TAMUS, College Station, TX 77843-4354, 480p., 6" x 9", $35., hard 0-87074-487-9.

Sarah T. Hughes may be best known for the day she was summoned to Air Force One to swear in Lyndon B. Johnson as president the infamous day President Kennedy was shot, but it is her life's work that makes this book a very important addition to women's history. In fact, it may have been she who should have been sworn in as her life attests: after being told that she should be home doing the dishes, she appointed the first woman district judge in the state of Texas. Her other outstanding accomplishments in the face of adversity make this an invaluable contribution to biographies of the indomitable spirits of the Southwest.

Bodie's Gold: Tall Tales and True History from a California Mining Town by Marguerite Sprague, 2003. University of Nevada Press, Mail Stop 166, Reno, NV 89557-0076, www.nvbooks.nevada.edu, 264p., 7" x 10", $34.95, hard 0-87417-511-9.

Human story brings a closer historical perspective to this in-depth consideration of a time when Bodie, California, a gold mining town, was booming. The town, now declared California's official Gold Rush ghost town, was home to a diverse population whose voices can once again be heard. Author Marguerite Sprague traces the legends and myths, correcting some that have been told before, and searches out new tales to give life to lesser known Kusedika and Chinese rememberences.

Beloved Land: An Oral History of Mexican Americans in Southern Arizona collected and edited by Patricia Preciado Martin with photographs by Jose Galvez, 2004. The University of Arizona Press, 355 S. Euclid, Ste. 103, Tucson, AZ 85719, www.uapress.arizona.edu, 150p., 8 1/2" x 9", soft 0-8165-2382-7.

The loss of land is a heartbreaking reality that comes hand in hand with development, but the personal stories of that loss give face and personhood to the true pain of a long history passing into oblivion. This is a collection of oral histories and pictures that give life to the times that were. The lovingly way in which these lives and heritages are recaptured in itself gives place to the culture that vibrantly lived through 500 years on what is now golf courses and freeways.

Trappings of the Great Basin Buckaroo by C.J. Hadley, 2003. University of Nevada Press, Mail Stop 166, Reno, NV 89557-0076, www.nvbooks.nevada.edu, 216p., 7.75" x 11", $29.95, hard 0-87417-572-0.

In a world of shrinking (ranch) horizons, the buckaroo is the focus here, holding onto a struggling world wherein their lives still attest to the devotion to the buckaroo lifestyle. Facing excessive heat, numbing cold, drought, pestilence, and flood, the buckaroos still live by the skills that brung them. Their works are described in detail, from the horsehair belts and quirts, to the leather horse jewelry. This is the paperback edition of the work published ten years ago.

Presidio, Mission, and Pueblo: Spanish Archtitecture and Urbanism in the United States by James Early, 2004. Southern Methodist University Press, PO Box 750415, Dallas, TX 75275-0415, Distributed by Texas A&M University Press, 4354 TAMUS, College Station, TX 77843-4354, 272p., 8 1/2 x 11.272", $29.95, soft 0-87074-482-8.

The old Spanish borderlands--Florida, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California have living monuments that attest to the greatness and influence of Spanish Architecture. Early's work creates one source for understanding the history and cultural accomplishments tied to the era. Covering the topics in an methodical and precise manner, Early examines the buildings from stone forts to pueblo-style churches while also demonstrating the urban development that began with these cultural accomplishments.

Jewish Pioneers of New Mexico compiled and edited by Tomas Jaehn with a foreword by Thomas E. Chavez with an afterword by Henry J. Tobias, 2004. Museum of New Mexico Press, PO Box 2087, Santa Fe, NM, 87504-2087, 112p., 9" x 12", $39.95, hard 089013-466-9.

Taking with them strong cultural and social ties, Jewish immigrants who moved into New Mexico in the 19th century succeeded in becoming some of New Mexico's most prominent citizens. The stories look into the inner lives and struggles of displaced but not down and out people. The southwest itself offers its own challenges, laying the setting for the inspiring lives who endured and triumphed.

The Future of the Southern Plains edited by Sherry L. Smith, 2003. University of Oklahoma Press, 4100 28th Avenue NW, Norman, OK 73069-8219, oupress.com, 275p., $29.95, hard 0-8061-3553-0.

One could say that the Southern Plains (western Texas, Oklahoma, and eastern New Mexico) hardly stands up to comparison with say, a state such as California, in climates, economies, government policies. Sherry Smith sets out to examine the state of the southern plains and what the future may hold. She offers insight into the past as well as hope for the future. Studying both the peoples who have gone, and those who have stayed for the long-haul, Smith finds the beauty in the place and sells it in a different light than perhaps it has been seen before.

20 Good Reasons to Study the Civil War by John C. Waugh with a foreword by Jim Lehrer, 2004. McWhiney Foundation Press, McMurry University, Abilene, TX 79697, 96p., 5 1/2" x 8 1/2", $12.95, soft 1-893114-46-5.

Jim Lehrer, anchor of the PBS News Hour, writes in the forward, "None of us Americans can really know ourselves completely unless we know the Civil War." If that isn't enough to convince the reader to pick this up, the other persuasive thoughts behind the book will: it credits the Civil War with defining the United States as a nation, establishing a democratic form of government and freedoms, ending slavery, pioneering new ways of waging war on land and sea, and the list goes on. The book demonstrates the philosophy that learning should be engaging and for a reason, and it delivers it in enthusiasm and passion.

Sacrificed at the Alamo: Tragedy and Triumph in the Texas Revolution by Richard Bruce Winders, 2004. State House Press, McMurry University, Abilene, TX 79697, 168p., 6" x 9", $24.95, soft 1-880510-80-4.

Other books tell the story. In this text author Richard Winders seeks to determine the immediate social and political mileau that caused the small garrison at the Alamo to be left completely vulnerable. It is a look at the politics and personal issues that sent the tragedy into reality. There is a constant need to know why when such huge loss is taken. Here Winders takes a fascinating look into that timeless question and sees discord where there should have been loyalty.

Albuquerque: A City at the End of the World by V.B. Price, 1992, 2003. University of New Mexico Press, 1720 Lomas Boulevard NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131-1591, unmpress.com, 199p., soft 0-8263-3097-5.

The first edition of this treatise was published in 1992. V. B. Price is clearly concerned about how a beautiful and promising city can make poor choices and lose the focus that could make it shine. Looking at the realities of Albuquerque, Price sees that poverty and junk architecture overshadow the character that is the history of the city. He accuses the city of a "seemingly lack of awareness of the city's magnificent natural setting . . ." Price also finds room for offering hope.

Texas Road Trip: Stories From Across the Great State and a Few Personal Reflections by Bryan Woolley, 2004. Texas Christian University Press, TCU Box 297050, Fort Worth, TX 76129, 264p., 6" x 9", $19.95, soft 0-87565-291-3.

This is a collection of essays from the columns of author and journalist Bryan Wooley, senior writer of the Dallas Morning News. Wooley has a passion for exploring the back roads and uncovering the little seen curiosities of Texas and bringing them to his readers. Here is finds everything from Comanch ceremonies to old, once-thriving gas stations, all in the spirit of nostalgia and adventure.

Introduction to Water in California by David Carle, 2004. California Natural History Guides, University of California Press, Berkeley, CA, 94704, www.ucpress.edu, 276p., $16.95, soft 0-520-24086-3.

California does indeed seem to set the standard. In a relaunching of the California Natural History Guides, the University of California Press is publishing the guides which every enthusiast will want to own. With seven new titles being published currently, this book revisits the invaluable information needed for in-depth discovering of the states natural resources, landscape, and wildlife, but does so in a more readable manner. Now, one can remain at home (if one so chooses) and discover the beauty of the land.

A Short History of Las Vegas by Barbara Land and Myrick Land with a foreword by Guy Louis Rocha, Second Edition, 2004. University of Nevada Press, Mail Stop 166, Reno, NV 89557-0076, www.nvbooks.nevada.edu, 288p., 7" x 8", $17.95, soft 0-87417-564-X.

The history behind the place that became the haunts of mobsters, casinos, and showgirls is as fascinating, if not more, than a trip to the actual place. Beginning with Nevada's indegenous peoples and the earliest explorers to the first pioneers to seetle in the area to the building of the railroad, the construction of Hoover Dam and into the Mob making its presence known, Barbara and Myrick Land tell the fascinating story of the place that now celebrates it centennial in 2005. Barbara updates the edition with a forray into contemporary multibillion-dollar deals that now make up the continuing saga of Las Vegas.

What I Learned on the Ranch and Other Stories from a West Texas Childhood by James Bruce Frazier with a foreword by Donald S. Frazier, 2004. McWhiney Foundation Press, McMurry University, Abilene, TX 79697, 160p., 5" x 7", $18, soft 1-893114-43-0.

Good stories from growing up are usually just a treasure the next generation of a family receives, but here all are invited to hear the moments that made a memorable life. Growing up on a ranch just west of Big Spring, Texas, the author looks back the days that shaped him, sharing his thoughts and lessons learned, and often hitting home with both happy and sad moments. Those who know the experience themselves will find common ground, and those who didn't will get to experience a childhood in the ruggeds of West Texas.

Nearer My Dog to Thee: A Summer in Baja's Sky Island by Graham Mackintosh, 2003. Baja Detour Press, San Diego, PO Box 1982, Lemon Grove, CA 91946, 267p., $16.95, soft 0-9626109-1-7.

Inspired by the breathtaking environment and the heartbreaking plight of dogs on the Baja island of the Sierra San Pedro Martir, Graham Mackintosh writes, "I look forward to a revolution in Mexico, to a time when I can travel the Baja highway and not be troubled by the sight of so many sad and neglected dogs. If my words can in any way help ameliorate their plight, this book will have served its purpose." It is a text most will want to take part in.

New Mexico Chow: Restaurants for the Rest of Us by Scott Sharot, 2004. The Intrepid Traveler, PO Box 531, Branford, CT 06405, 224p., 4" x 9", $11.95, soft 1-887140-48-4.

Taking out the ratings, the hoopla and competition for style, Scott Sharot looks for good food to eat across the state of New Mexico. Sharot writes, "New Mexico is a beautiful state and a lot of that beauty find its way onto the table. Good food is an art and life any art it springs from the heart." the restaurants explored range from stylistically pricey to roadside stands. The criteria focus is that it has to be "darn good chow."

Surveying the Interior: Literary Cartographers and the Sense of Place by Rick Van Noy, 2003. University of Nevada Press, Mail Stop 166, Reno, NV 89557-0076, www.nvbooks.nevada.edu, 240p., 6" x 8.5", $21.95, soft 0-87417-573-9.

Writers may have figured out that place is more important than any other element in writing due to the fact that if you know place, you know character, and if you know place and character, you know your story. Here is an interesting examination of how mapping a place falls short of knowing a place based on the premise that to truly understand setting, you may have to be a writer at heart. Author Rick Van Noy examines the mapping and writing of important literary figures Henry David Thoreau, Clarence King, and John Wesley Powell and their efforts to "capture" place. It is an intriguing look at the necessary blending of arts.

Border Confluences: Borderland Narratives from the Mexican War to the Present by Rosemary A. King, 2003. The University of Arizona Press, 355 S. Euclid, Ste. 103, Tucson, AZ 85719, www.uapress.arizona.edu, 190p., 6" x 9", soft 0-8165-2335-5.

Rosemary King examines Southwestern writers and their literary treatments of place and culture. She offers critical analysis of how the theme of cultural difference influences the ways that these writers construct narrative space and the ways their characters negotiate those spaces. By looking at authors such as Helen Hunt Jackson, Carlos Fuentes, Cormac McCarthy, and Leslie Marmon Silko, King shows how the literary construction of the borderlands give insight into understanding the region itself.

Eleven Days in Hell: The 1974 Carrasco Prison Siege at Huntsville, Texas by William T. Harper, 2004. University of North Texas Press, PO Box 311336, Denton TX 76203-1336, www.unt.edu/untpress, 360p., 6" x 9", $27.95, hard 1-57441-180-2.

It does indeed sound like a nightmare: 272 hours of being held hostage in the Huntsville Prison. Now thirty years have passed and the horror still stands as the longest prison hostage takeover. The story retold here in details from documents and recorded hostages' please tells of the story of how Frederico Gomez Carrasco, the Jefe of the Mexican Mafia orchestrated the takeover which held five teachers, four librarians, one education administrator, one prison guard, and one Catholic priest hostage for eleven days. It reads as with the urgency of a contemporary newscast, catching the reader all in it once again.

Chistes! Hispanic Humor of Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado edited and Translated by Nasario Garcia with a foreword by John Nichols, 2004. Museum of New Mexico Press, PO Box 2087, Santa Fe, NM, 87504-2087, 192p., 5 1/2" x 8 1/2", $19.95, soft 0-89013-431-6.

The more real the humor, the more interesting it is to read. Here is the real thing: practical jokes, pranks, slips-of-the-tongue, hyperbole, solecisms, and even double entendres told by the people best to tell them: the real folks, those who live it. This is a bilingual collection of local humor as told by Hispanic old-timers who live in the villages and towns of northern New Mexico and southern Colorado. What could be more fun than pulling up a chair on the porch and reading the humorous digs that chastise and yet unite a people.

Navajo and Photography: A Critical History of the Representation oof an American People by James C. Faris, 2003. University of Utah Press, 1795 E. South Campus Drive, Suite 101, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-9402, 392p., 7" x 10", $19.95, soft 0-87480-761-1.

Seen through the eyes of another culture, one culture can hardly be seen for what it actually is. If history is told by an outsider, it will undoubtedly be lacking in personal experience, especially if the goal is to present the subject in such a manner that suits the teller. That said, James Faris tries to show how the historic and contemporary photographs of the Navajo peoples do not show them as they actually are. He calls for a change in perspective by examining the two cultures and the aubsequent representation in photography.

The Royal Air Force in Texas: Training British Pilots in Terrell during World War II by Tom Killebrew, 2003. University of North Texas Press, PO Box 311336, Denton TX 76203-1336, www.unt.edu/untpress, 208p., 6" x 9", $26.95, hard 1-57441-169-1.

It may be a little known fact that Great Britain's Air Ministry established pilot training schools in Terrell, Texas, only months before the Pearl Harbor attack, but probably even lesser known is the relationship that still exists between those visiting student pilots and the Texas town. The site in the United States offered better weather and a safer position than could be found in England. Packed full of humorous incidents balanced equally with the tragic, Killebrew tells the story of a small part of WWII.

Red Steagall: Cowboy Corner Conversations edited by Loretta Fulton, 2004. State House Press, McMurry University, Abilene, TX 79697, 165p., 6" x 9", $24.95, hard 1-880510-84-7.

Fulton brings to print conversation of Western heritage, traditions, and values from Red Steagall's weekly radio program, Cowboy Corner. Red's interviews with Western figures Roy Rogers, Rex Allen, Reba McEntrie, Elmer Kelton are among the twenty conversations captured here for readers. They talk about the West, about cowboys, their interests creating a inside look at views on life in the West.

The Cowboy at Work by Fay E. Ward, 1958, 2003. Dover Publications, 31 East 2nd Street, Mineola, NY 11501, www.doverpublications.com, 289p., 6 1/2" x 9 1/4", $16.95, soft 0-486-42699-8.

Like any other career from the outside, the intricacies look mind-boggling. It takes a lifelong cowboy to stop and explain it all. Here Cowboy Fay Ward describes every detail of the working cowhand's life and job. He shows how to throw a half-diamond hitch, how to wield a branding iron, how to trap mustangs. The thrill of it all is taught right along with the essential knowledge in this all-inclusive manual on cowboy life.

Windmill Tales edited by Coy F. Harris, photographs by Wyman Meinzer, 2004. Texas Tech University Press, Box 41037, Lubbock, TX 79410, www.ttup.ttu.edu, 160p., 9" x 12", $37.50, soft 0-89672-527-8.

The vast life-changing contribution made by the quiet, unassuming, and seemingly unproductive wind catcher, the windmill, is shown here through a lovely pictoral layout accompanied with the stories that reveal the impact of the lives of early Americans. The book includes nearly one hundred full-color images of windmills still in existence. This is a small but interesting addition to the history of the west.

Uncovering Nevada's Past: A Primary Source History of the Silver State edited by John B. Reid and Ronald M. James, 2004. University of Nevada Press, Mail Stop 166, Reno, NV 89557-0076, www.nvbooks.nevada.edu, 228p., $19.95, soft 0-87417-567-4.

While there is some speculation as to the truths of the mythology of the wild west, it is books such as these that show the indominable spirit that makes a place, or vice versa, the place that makes the spirit. Reid and James take a look at the history of the truly singular state of Nevada. They have collected documents and personal accounts, searching for the words that show the personality in its development and history.

The Ox-Bow Man: A Biography of Walter Van Tilburg Clark by Jackson J. Benson, 2004. University of Nevada Press, Mail Stop 166, Reno, NV 89557-0076, www.nvbooks.nevada.edu, 448p., 6.125" x 9.25", $34.95, soft 0-87417-589-5.

Why did one of the West's most prominent literary figures stop writing after young adulthood? The story behind the man, Wlater Can Tilburg Clark, tells of experiences, people, and an immense case of writer's block. This is the first full-scale biography on the enigmatic author. Readers will enjoy the up-close look at what Benson has to say about personal papers and correspondence, interviews with friends and family, and unpublished stories and poems.

A Texas Baptist History Sourcebook: A Companion to McBeth's Texas Baptists by Joseph E. Early, Jr. University of North Texas Press, PO Box 311336, Denton TX 76203-1336, www.unt.edu/untpress, 656p., 6" x 9", $29.95, hard 1-57441-176-4.

This informational guide is intended as a companion to Harry Leon McBeth's Texas Baptists: A Sesquicentennial History. Documents included range from church minutes, state and association convention records, denominational newspaper articles, to records of Baptist universities. It serves as a compiled source for primary sources of Texas Baptist History.

Soldier-Artist of the Great Reconnaissance: John C. Tidball and the 35th Parallel Pacific Railroad Survey by Eugene C. Tidball, 2004. The University of Arizona Press, 355 S. Euclid, Ste. 103, Tucson, AZ 85719, www.uapress.arizona.edu, 240p., 6 1/8" x 9 1/4", $39.95., soft 0-8165-2253-7.

Amiel W. Whipple set out with his team in 1853 to search for a route for the transcontinental railroad. When a military escort became necessary, John C. Tidball was one of the soldiers given the task. Even though his duties were strictly military in nature, Tidball began sketching and recording observations of the scenery. Here Eugene Tidball brings together the diaries of the expedition, telling the documented story of the treacherous trip.

Native American Picture Books of Change: The Art of Historic Children's Editions by Rebecca Benes, 2004. Museum of New Mexico Press, PO Box 2087, Santa Fe, NM 87504-2087, 176p., 11" x 9", $45., hard 0-89013-471-5. It may be suprising to learn that beginning in the 1920s the U. S. federal government put together what can now be seen as a multicultural expression that respects the cultural values and language of Native American communities in their efforts to have native artists create books for educating Indian students. What transpired over the century were picture books that provide a canon of literature and art unique in the genre of children's literature. While the books and art themselves are fascinating, the story of the political and cultural changes signified by them is equally compelling.

Folk Art Journey by Florence D. Bartlett and the Museum of International Folk Art edited by Laurel Seth and Ree Mobley, 2003. Museum of New Mexico Press, PO Box 2087, Santa Fe, NM 87504-2087, 116p., $27.50, soft 0-89013-446-1.

Florence Bartlett founded the world's first museum of international folk art in 1953 following her philosophy that art knows no borders and its language and appeal are universal. This is the biography of the woman who sought to unite humans through expression and life seen in the handmade arts. Bartlett spent fifty years collecting historic costumes, jewelry, textiles, ceramics, furniture, paintings, and other objects from around the world to begin the museum. The book is a tribute to her, her philosophy, and the museum that is still a center that attracts peoples from all over the world who want to know other cultures.

In Search of Chaco: New Approaches to an Archaeological Enigma edited by David Grant Noble, 2004. The School of American Research, SAR Press, PO Box 2188, Santa Fe, NM 87504, 168p., 7" x 10", $19.95, soft 1-930618-42-5.

Hopi clans once called it home, and perhaps still do, although now it is and has been for some years an archeological dig that continues to fascinate. Issues have arisen since the publication of New Light on Chaco Canyon, and here the editor seeks to show the perspectives of the archeologists, historians, and Native American thinkers still enthralled by the canyon's mysteries. The book includes seventeen original essays, photographs, maps, and site plans.

Who's Rocking the Cradle? Women Pioneers of Oklahoma Politics From Socialism to the KKK, 1900-1930 by Suzanne H. Schrems, 2004. Horse Creek Publications, 4500 Highland Hills Dr., Norman, OK 73026, www.HorseCreekPublications.com, 185p., $15.95, soft 0-9722217-2-7.

Dr. Suzane Schrems examines the political atmosphere in Oklahoma in the early twentieth century where women were allowed to vote in state elections. She delves into the subsequent movement of women into the political organizations ranging from the Socialist party to the Women of the Ku Klux Klan. Schrems shows how these women approached the important issues of their times, taking full responsibility of their citizenship and the ideals they held important. The text is an interesting look at their immense efforts.

Life of the Marlows: A True Story of Frontier Life of Early Days Revised by William Rathmell and edited by Robert K. DeArment, 2004. University of North Texas Press, PO Box 311336, Denton TX 76203-1336, www.unt.edu/untpress, 224p., 6" x 9", $27.95, hard 1-57441-179-9.

This book will be a welcome addition to any Western buff's library. First published in 1892, reprinted in 1931, and later the inspiration for the John Wayne movie, The Sons of Katie Elder, it tells the story of the five Marlow brothers and their struggles in late nineteenth-century Texas. While the previous edition were written with bias, DeAment, a historian of outlases and lawmen fo the West has now looked at the evidence and tries to present a more objective voice. Readers will enjoy the challenge of the years since that offer scrutiny to an intriguing tale.

My Kind of Heroes by Elmer Kelton, 1995, 2004. McWhiney Foundation Press, McMurry University, Abilene, TX 79697, 160p., 4 1/2" x 7", $14.95, soft 1-880510-85-5.

My Kind of Heroes was first published by State House Press in 1995 as a collection of four selected speeches by Elmer Kelton. This revised second edition includes three of the previous pieces and adds two new ones. Kelton fans love to get lost in the characters and places he creates, but to feel as if you are sitting down with him and getting his inside perspective on the West, writing, and history, turns out to be a truly good time--even if it is in reading a book.

Don't Let the Sun Step Over You: A White Mountain Apache Family Life, 1860-1975 by Eva Tulene Watt and Keith H. Basso, 2004. The University of Arizona Press, 355 S. Euclid, Ste. 103, Tucson, AZ 85719, www.uapress.arizona.edu, 360p., 6" x 9", $24.95, soft 0-8165-2391-6.

The personal insight of Apache Eva Tulene Watt brings to the story of Western history an inside view of life as an Apache. While the informal tellings of family stories drifts away, Keith Basso has listened to the personal stories of struggles through poverty, persecution, tragedies to find the jewel that is the personal account of history. While the Apaches have traditionally kept the stories to themselves, Watt believed that she had to break with this tradition in order to preserve it. Many readers will be glad she did.

Shame and Endurance: The Untold Story of the Chiricahua Apache Prisoners of War by H. Henrietta Stockel, 2004. The University of Arizona Press, 355 S. Euclid, Ste. 103, Tucson, AZ 85719, www.uapress.arizona.edu, 200p., 6" x 9", $35, hard 0-8165-2414-9.

Stockel sets out to show and document the treatment suffered by the Apache people following their surrender in 1886. Looking at uncensored civilian and military reports, personal accounts, and medical records, she seeks to put a human face on the degradation. She asserts that the Apaches were the only Native Americans imprisoned for over eight years in a place unbearable to their healths. Many died, children were sent off to get educated, and only after fights from Indian rights activists were they sent to Oklahoma and allowed to farm.

American Route 66: Home on the Road by Jane Bernard and Polly Brown, 2003. Museum of New Mexico Press, PO Box 2087, Santa Fe, NM 87504-2087, 172p., $45., hard 0-89013-459-6. If the route didn't draw you in already, the book will. Here is a contemporary portrait of the famed route that danced in America's dreams. This book is a product of three years on the road by its authors who stopped and learned the offbeat attractions to get a closer look at the draw of the stretch from Chicago to Santa Monica. Included are 116 duotone and color portraits and of course, the spirit of adventure.

Like a Brother: Grenville Goodwin's Apache Years, 1928-1939 by Neil Goodwin, 2004. The University of Arizona Press, 355 S. Euclid, Ste. 103, Tucson, AZ 85719, www.uapress.arizona.edu, 280p., 6" x 9" $19.95, soft 0-8165-0000-0.

Apache spirituality can be seen in daily life through small acts such as greeting the rising sun, curing an injury, plowing the earth, or simply being good to one's family. One son's story and insight is told through a father author Neil Goodwin never knew. Neils father, Grenville Goodwin lived the adventure that let him come to know Apache life. Reconstructing this adventure and the influence his father had on the lives around him, Neil examines field notes, diaries, and letters to reconstruct the intense adventure.