4 comments about New Mexico Then & Now.

1. Although this book is certainly lovely enough to be a ''coffee-table book'', it is much more. The photographer found interesting historical photographs of New Mexico urban and rural scenes and then went to the exact same sites and photographed what the scenes look like today. Some of theses sites are extremely remote, and also must have been very difficult to find. The comparison of photographs of New Mexico scenes from the modern times with historical photographs is fascinating,and the quality of the new photographs is outstanding. What surprised me about the book was how intriguing the narrative was. The author did an excellent job of describing both the backgrounds of the historical photographs and also the nature or reasons for the changes in the new images. In addition, he included very readable anecdotes about what efforts he went through to gain access to the sites and how he approached each ''shoot.'' This is a book that would be enjoyed by people who enjoy beautiful photographs and who love to read about New Mexico and the history of the American West.



2. If you like history and art, you'll love WILLIAM STONE'S NEW MEXICO THEN AND NOW. Using the principal of repeat photography--finding an old picture of a location and rephotographing the same spot--he created a photographic, geographic, and to a degree social history of the state called The Land of Enchantment. You'll have a good time looking through this beautiful coffee table volume. Like every region of the world, New Mexico has had its share of quirky places, where outrageous people did off the wall stuff. And--places where events were dead serious, and which still influence our lives, though they happened long ago. With his large-format camera and tall tripod, STONE has captured the best of The Land of Enchantment's spots for the now images. Even better, his then shots were taken by some of America's finest early photographers. William Henry Jackson, Edward Weston, and many others bring the pages of the book to life. STONE's captions add to the pictures, documenting his feelings and thoughts as he worked on each location. His writing partner, JEROLD WIDDSON's articulare essays tie the pictures together in a lively fashion. No dull paragraphs full of facts here. In fact, if you have sonmeone at home think's history class is boring, leave NEW MEXICO THEN AND NOW around to be discovered. If you have someone who finds history exciting, NEW MEXICO THEN AND NOW is the perfect coffee table book because it's designed to be opened and examined slowly--savored, in other words, like a nice, hot cuppa your favorite brew. In case you haven't figured it out, I enjoyed NEW MEXICO THEN AND NOW. I did it on many levels. Though it focuses on one region of the country, it carries a universal message about change and stability that's fun to discover and think about. It gives us a sense of the American contribution to photography as an art form--and that contribution was no small one. It offers a glimpse of what the west was like to settle and live in--and what it's like today, as a result. NEW MEXICO THEN AND NOW will make a great addition to anyone's living room.



3. Mr. Stone spent two years traveling around New Mexico searching out and rephotographing scenes first done by others over a period of about 1855-1945. The book is divided into sections (of the state) and each photograph, past and present, has details about it included.
   Mr. Stone writes about how some of the locations have changed a great deal, some not so much, many he could get to (or at least close enough) to duplicate exactly but others he had to do what he could to approximate the original shot. He doesn't say much about what he used for equipment other than some very tall ladders or tripods, no film details, not much camera information either.
   I found that some things have changed a great deal while it appears some would look almost the same today to the original photographer as the original shot did.
   I wish the author had included a town by town index as well as the regional listing, if you know the name of a town but are unsure of it's location you wll have to search each section for it- assuming it is there.
   This is a very fascinating book, I'd like to go see many of these locations myself.



4. This book was extremely interesting and informative. I have lived in Albuquerque my whole life and found it to be accurate. I ordered it for my boyfriend, Thomas, but we both have enjoyed. I will be getting the Albuquerque, Then and Now next.
   
   Sheryl nanco

No comments about Treasures of New Mexico (Treasure Series).

2 comments about Bus Across Mexico.

1. This book is not a general tourist guide...it should be thought of as a supplement for those that are interested in traveling by bus.

   This book is valuable for anybody that is planning on traveling outside of the largest cities, and has the time not to fly.

   The bulk of the book consists of DETAILED information about the bus network and how it operates. There are descriptions of the different bus classes, companies, and amenities at the stations. There are over 200 pages of bus schedules and travel times between almost every city.




2. I bought this book eagerly because I could find nothing else similar. Sure enough, there is a great introduction to buses in Mexico and a well organized book of schedules, stations, fares and so forth. And, the book comes with a CD labeled "2004 Updates." The problem is that the CD requires a password. You are told to email bengi@yahoo.com for a password and request Password Number 18. I did. No response after several weeks. The author also provided his email address. I wrote him. No response after several weeks. The book is outdated and apparently the author figured out the importance of updates yet there is no way to open the CD. So, the book is helpful in providing an overview, but limited in its use due to lack of updating.

2 comments about Sabino's Map: Life in Chimayo's Old Plaza.

1. Before reading Sabino's Map: Life in Chimayo's Old Plaza (1995), one should first read Benigna's Chimayo: Cuentos From The Old Plaza (2001), both by Don J Usner. Reading the newer book first will allow for a better understanding and appreciation of the older book.

   Don is an extraordinary writer who is an 8th generation Chimayoso, even though he was not actually raised full time in Chimayo. He brings to his writing a humanity informed and formed through family, place and the cuentos of his grandmother, Benigna, and others.

   This story of the Chimayo Plaza, the oldest Hispanic plaza in the U.S., is the story of Sabino's Map and about the houses and families of the Plaza noted on that map. It is the story of their histories, religions, natural history and the cultural/social history of northern New Mexico over 300 plus years.

   The writer is connected in many ways to his topics in these two books and those connections come through loud and clear by way of excellent writing, which is not very common, and careful scholarship. Don has objectivity with both passion for the subjects and compassion for the people, many to whom he is related, sometimes through more than one branch of the family.

   In the end one has the cuentos of Benigna, the history of the Plaza, the smells of the chiles and old plaza rooms, the feel of the weavings and the living and loving histories of families.

   Did I like these books and will I purchase other books by Don J Usner? You bet.




2. Don J. Usner's love of Chimayo and it's history comes through loud and clear in this book. Through interviews, historical documents preserved by families of Chimayo, stories of residents, and pictures Don Usner is able to tell the history of this interesting plaza.

   I feel that the stories and information in this book serve as an example of each plaza in New Mexico. I believe that many of the plazas and towns are similar to Chimayo. The difference is that Chimayo has preserved it's history through being off the beaten path and not much of a tourist attraction (except for those who are interested in history!)

   I was able to hear Mr. Usner talk to a group of teachers about the writing of this book and his other book. He has gone through a lot of trails to publish this book and preserve the history of Chimayo. I have a lot of respect for Mr. Usner.

   I would buy more books by this author. He able to take a subject that many authors would make dry and uninteresting and make it come alive. Very good.

5 comments about Your Guide to Retiring in Mexico.

1. A good book in that it allows you to compare Mexico with other countries. The only negative I can think of is that in the Mexico section the author refers to Mexico City throughout. Not many retirees want to settle in Mexico City.



2. I just read this guidebook for the second time. It provides a good overview of living in Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Ecuador. However, I think anyone seriously considering living in Costa Rica or Mexico would profit more by reading one of the other travel guidebooks about residing in these countries. The other guides deal specifically with these countries and provide much more complete information.



3. Hi, I am working at ILISA Spanish Language Institute and I just want to let you know that this book is perfect for the retired that want to lay back in Central america and learn Spanish.



4. This book provides a great overview of retired life in Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Ecuador, covering a wide range of topics of interest to a retiree or traveler. It gives the reader good side-by-side comparison of everything from rental costs to pets, while being easy to read and entertaining.

   As has been pointed out in other reviews, there are other books which provide more in-depth detailed information for any of these countries. I found this book valuable in helping me decide where to focus my attention. In fact, I have since bought books dealing specifically with three of the four countries dealt with here, based on what I learned in this one.

   I found it to be a good starter for those with a desire to learn more about moving south of the border, but without much detailed knowledge about living in that environment.




5. I founded International Relocation Services SA de CV in Mexico City over 25 years ago. The author chose our name to list as a reference for "relocating" to Mexico without checking with us. This normally would be FREE advertising, but since we only do corporate relocation in the major business centers of Mexico, it has been a minor irritation. I am amazed at the 20-30 letters i receive each year for the past many years; each is a request that i send everything they need to know about retiring in Mexico. i have a form letter that i send to each of these inquirers because i feel it would be rude not to; however, the real problem is that our company is in a book for "retiring to Mexico". I just wish she had checked with us or researched what the focus of our business is. On the positive side, i found lots of useful information in the book. If there is a reprint, i hope we are not in it or that we are designated as a corporate relocation source.

5 comments about Adventures in Nature Mexico.

1. An honest and informative guide to Mexico. The most complete Eco-guide to the National parks and reserves of Mexico that I've ever read. Includes information I've never seen any place else. A good reference source for every region. Well written, easy to read, and very useful. Steve



2. I am the author of two guidebooks in this series, BELIZE: ADVENTURES IN NATURE and GUATEMALA: ADVENTURES IN NATURE, as well as dozens of travel articles about Latin America (including Mexico). I am flat-out amazed at the breadth, depth, and detail found in Ron Mader's MEXICO: ADVENTURES IN NATURE. Put simply, there has never been a book like this...and there have been hundreds of guides written to Mexico. Nowhere else will you find the information complied here, about everything from whale-watching to birding, turtle-helping to Maya ruin-exploring. These are aspects most tourists never know about, because nobody tells them about much beyond the traditional turista circuit of big hotels, crowded beaches, and mediocre restaurants. If you want to truly experience the incredible diversity of Mexico natural treasures, you'll start by getting your hands on this book! (Particularly useful is the extensive listing of e-mail addresses and websites, as well as practical info about hotels, restaurants, tour services, and transport)



3. Biodiversity junkies are always ending up off the pavement in the jungles or on mountain tops and wondering where do we get our next meal, and how the hell are we going to get out of here. Mader comes up with answers in a country where surprisingly little has been written to guide the booming ecotourism trade. Lonely Planet and Moon barely scratch the ecotourism surface and brush over Mexico's fantastic national parks and reserves. Mader lives down there so this is no parachute quickie research junket type book. He has done his homework and gone beyond the obvious places (Palenque, Copper Canyon) to explore some of the most remote but best spots. Lucky gringo. I found his book helpful for finding contact leads in Oaxaca and Veracruz states that led to great guided trips with local enviro groups.



4. I am the author of the "Adventure Guide to the Yucatan," a guidebook to Mexico's fascinating peninsula . I used Ron Mader's book for reference as we discovered the best of sustainable tourism and nature preservation efforts in Mexico. Mader is right on in his evaluation and helpful comments. Very well organized. More and more people are trying to travel in an environmentally sound manner and we support that in our book as well. Kudos to Mader!



5. Nothing in this book got me excited about going to Mexico. The natural attractions of the U.S. seem to be far more numerous and spectacular. The author was stretching to fill a book on Mexico's natural attractions - he covers ruins, city parks, and agricultural enterprises. The photographs in the book do not convey any beauty of Mexico.

No comments about Ancient Treasures of the Southwest: A Guide to Archeological Sites and Museums in Arizona, Southern Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah.

3 comments about Fodor's Cancun, Cozumel, Yucatan Peninsula 2006 (Fodor's Gold Guides).

1. After spending ten days in the Yucatan I found this guide to be the most helpful of the three guides I took with me. This is due to the fact that this is a very new publication (fresh off the press!). Lots of good info on what to do and see and where to eat. Made my trip even more memorable then it would have been anyway. The Yucatan is a great vacation adventure, which I highly recommend! I also check out "A Tourist in the Yucatan" great thriller that has become an underground Hit!



2. It has a lot about the big places, but nothing about those little places that you just have to find yourself.



3. The book does a nice job with breaking out the various destinations and gives a lot of helpful hints. The book also has a lot of space on what not to eat, how to drive, how to get around and other helpful tips. There is so much information to cover, the book could stand to be a little longer.

No comments about Baja Boater's Guide: The Pacific Coast : The Definitive Guide for the Coastal Waters of Mexico's Baja California (Baja Boater's Guide Vol. 1).

1 comments about In Quest of Lost Worlds.

1. In Quest Of Lost Worlds: Journey To Algeria, Ethiopia, Yucatan And Beyond is the rousing memoir and self-described journey of Count Byron de Prorok, an Anglo-Hungarian archaeologist and explorer who researched occult subjects and visited a wide variety of fascinating sites with metaphysical implications during the 1920s and 1930s. From his uncovering of the tomb of the Queen of the Tuaregs Tin Hinan, to his dedicated search for King Solomon's mines, In Quest Of Lost Worlds showcases amazing adventures, reveals ancient legends, and relate what were occasionally quite perilous discoveries. Enhanced with twenty-four pages of special illustrations, In Quest Of Lost Worlds is very highly recommended reading for students of archaeology, metaphysics, and anyone who enjoys great true life adventures!