4 comments about Trailing Louis L'Amour in New Mexico (Trailing Louis L'Amour).

1. As the author I am pleased with this book...I hope others are. Amizon also sell TRAILING LOUIS L'AMOUR IN NEW MEXICO and my first novel VENTURES WEST. Bertram (Bert} Murphy



2. Louis L'Amour has a vast multitude of readers around the world-but only one like Bert Murphy.

   What the New Mexican author has done in this book, and the companion title ( Trailing Louis L'Amour from California to Alaska), is to help put into historical and geographical perspective the L'Amour novels.

   Thus, this first book, that looks at the 7 novels set in New Mexico reveals that Murphy, has not only read the novels, but has poured over them- exploring and contextualising them for others. If you want to be part of Killoe's Cattle Trail, Conagher's Stage Line, Flint's Malpais, Shalako's War Path, Daybreakers Trek, Radigans Sierra Trails, or participate in a Showdown at Yellow Butte then Murphy is the best side-kick you will find and the above chapters in his book detail the well known LL stories.

   If you plan to read, or have read any of the LL novels set in NM, and you like having additional information on the time and area, then this book is a must. Good maps also assist the reader to chart the area involved in the particular stories and plenty of large black and white photos give a 'feel' for the terrain. There are times when I feel that the book could have been tightened by a some better sub-editing (eg on p101, within the space of some 13 lines, we are told, twice, that Chato, an Apache war chief, lived from 1854-1934). However this book is a 'ramble' and such finer points do not lessen the interest of what Murphy has to tell us about his home state.

   There is a lot of a L'Amour character about Bert Murphy-he has lived and worked around many states of his homeland, seen active service in two major conflicts, and climbed through the ranks finishing as a Major-General and Asst. Adjutant General of New Mexico. He has also been a pilot, engineer, oilfield well puller and roughneck, rancher, scuba diver, deputy sheriff, writer etc. In short, an interesting hombre......remind you of anyone?

   New Mexico is known as the Land of Enchantment and Bert Murphy has done his best to take us on a trail of enchantment in looking at some of the works of the great western novelist, Louis L'Amour

   FOOTNOTE: Murphy has also chanced his arm with a 'fictional'(?) hero, James Houston Slack (in 'Ventures West') - a story about the development of tough fighting man, from teenage orphan.




3. Don't wast your money on this book. I couldn't make it past the second chapter, the disjointed irrelevant writing is horrible. Every other paragraph is about some different subject, and most have nothing to do with Trailing Louis L'Amour. There are many misspelled words, and some locations are completely mis named. The author calls the San Jacinto Mountians the "San Joquain" Mountians, and Panamint Valley "Panama Valley." He comments on L'Amour's detailed research, yet it is obvious he didn't spend much time on research himself.



4. Bert's done it again with this detailed account of tracking L'Amour and his characters across the northwest from California to Alaska. Bert has been there and done that and he makes the geography and time of the novels come into focus with his insight and knowledge of the locations and history of the areas.

1 comments about Baja Boater's Guide: The Sea of Cortez : The Definitive Guide for the Coastal Waters of Mexico's Baja California.

1. This book is very in depth with excellent drawings and photos but is almost entirely about the Baja peninsula side of the Sea of Cortez - if you are looking for the mainland side SOc info, the Cunningham books are bibles for that territory.

2 comments about Mexican Mornings: Essays South of the Border.

1. This is Dr. Michael Hogan's latest book, a collection of essays written over the past decade while the author has lived and taught in Guadalajara, Mexico. This is quite possibly his best book, displaying a wide range of topics and an incredible maturity and intelligence that only comes when one's perspectives have been expanded. In one essay, "Letter to a Troubled Student," he deals with the Zapatista uprising of Chiapas, Mexico, telling his student that it is not scary that a group of Indians are taking on the Mexican government, but that, in any war, the truth is always the first victim. To him, and to a lot of us, that is truly scary. Through this essay, marked for its open-mindedness and its intelligence, Hogan is able to explain how his fears transcend the egocentric level, acheiving a greater understanding and universality.
   This is the modus operandi for the rest of the book, which is a collection of essays written in Mexico over a period of the past ten years. They relate the expatriate experience, but they differ from other expatriate books because these essays are observations told through the eyes of a person who is committed to the lifelong quest of knowledge, a person who is committed to learning about his surroundings. All the essays are examples of a deep thought process, and one gets the realization that the author is just as much the teacher as he is the student.
   One of the best examples of this, and also one of the defining elements of the book itself is the obvious influence that Mexican Poet Octavio Paz had and still has on Hogan's life. Paz's presence is everywhere in the book; the musicality of his poetry helping Hogan the young boy overcome his stuttering problem, the incisive nature of his essays helping Hogan the teacher in teaching the Odyssey to his ninth graders, the profound depth of his social critiques helping Hogan the human being understand humanity and the Mexican better.
   This book is a deep, insightful study into the psychology of the expatriate. In my opinion it is a peer to that other great book about the human condition, "The Labyrinth of Solitude." It is also the only expatriate book that is fully able to document the reasons why a person chooses to leave his home country. It interacts with the reader on many levels, displaying intelligence, while appealing to the poets, the teachers, the scholars, the human beings in all of us. It also displays a deep love for a country that is not the native land for the author, nor for many expatriates. And it is this love that makes the book, and the essays within so compelling. I am reminded at this point, while searching for the place to end my review, of some lyrics from the song "Atlanta" by the Stone Temple Pilots.
   
   "Visions of Mexico seduce me,
   It goes to my head so carefully."



2. I am always skeptical about books written on Mexico by foreigners. However, Michael Hogan who has lived in the country for more than a decade is a careful, although often critical and sometimes humorous, observer. He also has an obvious love and affinity for the Mexican character and writes about it accurately and well. The book contains observations on the effect of globalization on the Mexican economy, a night at a Mexican concert with the Tigres del Norte, a revolution in Chiapas, a university riot,a meeting with Fidel Castro when he comes to Guadalajara, as well as more tranquil moments riding in the forests or hiking the mountains.
   The book is far better than any tour guides I have read, especially of the Guadalajara area, both with its descriptions of the people and the flora and fauna. It is an expatriate equivalent to the Labyrinth of Solitude by Octavio Paz, who by the way, is an inspiring presence in several of the essays.
   For someone visiting Mexico for the first time, this is a valuable handbook. For someone who has chosen Mexican as their adopted country it provides clear evidence that it was a correct choice. For all Mexicans living outside the country, and for those who have visited and not yet returned, it clearly evokes the love and the longing that so many have for this land south of the border. Hogan writes lovingly of the person and the poetry of Richard Shelton here as well. For those, like myself, who are enarmored by the Tucson poet, it is a refreshing visit to an old friend who also has strong conenctions to Mexico. All in all, a wonderful read. Hogan has an accesible style with occasional flashes of brilliance and a quiet but poignant wit.

5 comments about National Geographic the American Road: Atlas & Travel Planner (NG Road Atlases).

1. I like roadtrips, and since 1999 The American Road has been an indispensable inhabitant of my car. I can't understand why NG quit producing this atlas...That's a bargain for sure.

   It's a very study volume. Mine has started to pull away from the binding a bit, but that's to be expected when I throw it around the car all the time. The plastic-like cover is spill-resistant and extremely durable. No pages have ripped or become unbound. I am very rough on it, and I'm impressed that it's survived as well as it has.

   The maps are readable and accurate. There's not much more exciting than that to say about a road map. They cover all of North America, though Mexico receives no detailed coverage, nor does northern Canada (where there are few roads anyway).

   Aside from the maps, the atlas includes descriptions of every region of North America (Mexico is treated as one region, and Canada as two). These are really interesting, and they get the wanderlust flowing. There are also descriptions and pictures of all the major US national parks, a handy mileage chart that includes lots of cities, city/population indexes organized by state, and a comprehensive and balanced list of scenic drives around the country.




2. We use this great road atlas all the time! We keep it in the car and refer to it as we travel quite often across the USA. One of the best we've seen...wish they would publish an updated version!



3. I've owned this atlas for five years. It is BY FAR the best I've ever had. I travel a lot of miles every year in some of the remotest drivable areas in the U.S. This collection has never let me down. When WILL they put out a new edition?!



4. This is certainly the best road atlas I've ever come across. I've owned my own copy for about 7 years and absolutely love it. The binding is very durable, and I take it everywhere with me. In addition to accurate and clear road maps, it also contains a ton of additional useful information for people interested in pure vacationing. I've crossed at least 30 states with this atlas. I just hope NG continues to offer revised versions of this atlas in the future. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.



5. I've had this atlas and travel planner since it came out and I love it. We've toured across the United States several times and this book is always my companion. It has so much more to offer than just maps. The suggested scenic road trips and the national park information is helpful. The pictures are exceptionally good and the color finish on the maps is so much easier to look at and read in the front seat of the car with the sun glaring in. I, too, wish they'd publish an updated version. I highly recommend this for road travelers.

1 comments about Georgia O'Keeffe Museum.

1. I really liked this. Lots of color reproductions of O'Keeffe's paintings, including several "fold-out" double pages. Covers her early mid and late periods. This is also a book about the museum devoted to her in New Mexico, The size of the book is nice too. A bit smaller than "coffee-table" huge dimension. A book you can browse through. Can be an introduction to Georgia O'Keeffe's art and life for somebody just learning about her, or can be extra fun for a real O'Keeffe fan.

2 comments about The People's Guide to Backpacking, Boating, and Camping in Mexico.

1. Read this book if you enjoy Mexico, if you don't know Mexico, if you like to travel, if you hate travel but want the experience, if you like camping, or if you just want an easily-read travel book with a lot of humor. This is a companion book to Franz' "The People's Guide To Mexico", another book that I strongly recommend.



2. For all of you "The People's Guide to Mexico" aficionados, the "Camping Book" is not merely a re-hash of the PGTM. Inside you'll find camping and hiking stories that will leave you smiling. Besides trailside lore, there are a multitude of tips for making everything from a successful hammock hang to an adobe stove for banana nut bread.

   And here is a bit of gossip: Carl and Lorena are (extremely)alive and well, and best of all there may be a brand new book coming out in the next year or two (or so). I can't tell you what it's about, except that over the years a lot of People's Guide fans have been clamoring for xxxx for a new book and (Drat! Carl is pelting me with bits of cyber fruit). Anyway you heard it (unofficially of course) here first.

1 comments about More than Petticoats: Remarkable New Mexico Women.

1. More Than Petticoats: Remarkable New Mexico Women is an excellent sampling of women in New Mexico history. This book offers brief biographies of women, crossing ethnic and cultural barriers and spanning several hundred years of herstory. Some of the women included in this volume are Mabel Dodge Luhan (patron of early Southwest Arts), Mary Colter (Fred Harvey/Santa Fe Railroad architect), Georgia O'Keefe (aritist), Maria Martinez (potter),and Elsie Clews Parsons (anthropolgist). Seven other women or groups of women (like the Harvey Girls) are also included. This enjoyable book of significant women is a wonderful volume for those who would like to know a little about a lot of people from one book. I particularly appreciated the regional/state focus because I was familiar with most of the women written about. "More Than Petticoats" is a series focusing on the women who were influential in individual states, and I would definately read more from this series!

No comments about The Santa Fe & Taos Book: Great Destinations: A Complete Guide, Seventh Edition (Santa Fe and Taos Book).

No comments about LA Frontera: The United States Border With Mexico.

4 comments about Moon Handbooks: Baja 4 Ed: Tijuana to Cabo San Lucas.

1. Although this book contains lots of good information, it has too many inaccuracies. It looks as though the author has not updated his database of accommodations. I found too many wrong phone numbers, wrong mailing addresses and wromg email addresses. I know these things change, but if they have all really changed this much, there should be a disclaimer or they should not be included at all.

   There are two pages of what the author calls "Useful Web sites", but they are not very useful and he does not include any web sites for the many listed accommodations and resorts that have their own web sites.




2. First I want to compare the 4th edition of this book with the third. Most of the changes in the 4th edition are the color maps and updated info on the Cabo area. While the maps are nice, there are better sources for Baja maps.

   Now back to the review of the book itself. I love this book, I have the 2nd and 3rd editions also, and they have been used extensively for Baja travel. While the road conditions and prices obviously will change they are good guidelines of what to expect. I think this book is most suited to travelers that are driving and offers great info on side trips off the beaten path. The road conditions regarding if 4wd is required is helpful, even if things could have changed since publication. Also great info for boaters especially concerning boat ramps, and fuel availability.

   I found the hotel ratings to be pretty accurate about the conditions and facilities. In my opinion the best book published on general Baja travel.




3. If you're spending 2 months driving down and up, this would be a great book. But Cummings doesn't provide much advice for the person who only has a week or so to spend in Baja and must pick and choose. Even after reading the whole book you don't get a sense for what are the nicest destinations. This is important because a lot of Baja destinations are popular for people with a passion for a particular activity and if you don't enjoy that activity you'll probably feel trapped there.

   Tip: If you must go to Cabo, avoid Cabo San Lucas and the Corridor and stay in San Jose del Cabo (a real Mexican town closer to the airport). Also rent the heaviest SUV that you can and drive the coast road (dirt) out to Los Frailes for snorkeling and camping on the beach (dogs are welcome).




4. I gave this guide 5 stars because it is the most complete and easiest guide of Baja out there. I found this book to be very complete. Even two building towns where you can just buy gas and eat are mentioned in this guide. It contains most of the "necessary" maps within its pages, but I would recommend buying a map devoted to the area in which you plan to go. I found this book to be up to date, but I have spent the most time in the northwest part of Baja. I also own the Lonely Planet guide to Baja and I much prefer the Moon's guide (mainly because in my experience it is more complete).
   The format of the guide is also very easy to use. The information is laid out in a very logical format. You can just look through the book to find something to do in the area you are going, rather than needing to know what you want to do and then finding out where you can do it.