5 comments about Retirement New Mexico: A Complete Guide to Retiring in New Mexico.

1. While the book devoted a bit more space to the retirement home/assisted care scene than I needed for each locale, it helped me find a number of interesting towns which had not been 'on the radar' with other sources. A good companion volume to a more generalized book on New Mexico.



2. Concise and well-organized. This is a good reference for comparing the salient points of different parts of New Mexico. We are currently trying to decide whether northwest or southwest New Mexico will suit us better. The illustrations are breathtaking and the descriptions include practical details on healthcare and other services.



3. This is a solid review of retirement locations in New Mexico. The information presented is helpful and well organized.



4. The book was delivered timely. It covered the Roswell area very well. Unfortunately some of the stats were not current but then it is really not possible for a book of this type to keep that data up-to-date since it changes almost daily. Otherwise the review satisfied me,



5. I would not consider this a "COMPLETE Guide to Retiring in New Mexico." I was hoping it would include specific retirement communities in different areas of New Mexico -- not just descriptions of the areas. The book needs to be updated.

2 comments about Cuba: Picturing Change.

1. This magnificent collection of photographs captures the beauty, spirit and mystery of Cuba, the USA's often-overlooked neighbor... Ledbetter's clear, passionate and respectful eye has created a stunning work -- the book takes us far more deeply into the Cuban culture than the soundbites of recent news stories (Elian Gonzales, President Carter's visit) allow. Ledbetter's photographs and the accompanying essays make this book essential for anyone who wishes to understand Cuba more fully; the book also richly rewards the reader who simply appreciates great photography.



2. I was drawn to the book by the powerful and fun photographic images. Ledbetter does an outstanding job capturing the images of Cuban life in a way that allows you to both celebrate it and to empathise with the struggle of the Cuban people.

   The Essays are an unexpected extra in a book of this nature that make the work a multi-dimensional experience. It appeals to those interested in both Photography and Cuba. I highly recommend it!

4 comments about Glen Canyon: Images of a Lost World.

1. Anyone will find the pictures breathtaking. If you have an interest in the southwest rivers and canyons you will especially enjoy this book. If you are interested in seeing what they stole from us by the construction of Glen Canyon Dam then this book is required reading. Hayduke lives!



2. This is the best collection of photos I have seen on the now drowned Glen Canyon. Unlike some other books covering the area, this collection was clearly taken by a professional photographer. These pictures could easily be mistaken for Ansel Adams and I believe Mr. Nichols lists him as a big influence on his work. If you are like me and a lover of canyon country, it will definitely make you a little wistful thinking that this area has been lost--probably irretrievably. I just wish there were a comparable collection of color photos of Glen Canyon to supplement this wonderful work.



3. I have been researching Glen Canyon and Lake Powell for years now, for a book I'm working on, and my wife had always taken a very passive interest in what I was doing. She'd listen to me talk and add a comment or two, but it wasn't until I got this book that she realized just what I'd been rambling about.
   The photos are just like that.
   The black-and-white photos of sinuos, twisting, sandstone places like Dungeon Canyon and the Cathedral-in-the-Desert will take your breath away; they will make you ache to see the places the photos are of, and then they will break your heart when you realize all those places are currently underwater.
   Whatever your position on Lake Powell and Glen Canyon is--whether you think that Glen Canyon Dam is a giant, concrete Satan, or that it's a great source of employment, water, and electricity for the people of the West, you will have to admit these photos are beautiful, and of a beautiful place, and that something irreplaceable has been drowned and hidden away.
   By all means, get this book.
   And get Eleanor Inskip's full-color "The Colorado River through Glen Canyon: Before Lake Powell." Both books are excellent.



4. Tad Nichols (memory eternal!) left us a treasure: powerful images of a beautiful canyon now buried under water and mud. The art is amazing, very much in the tradition of Ansel Adams. The loss is stunning: it's difficult to imagine how even hardened landwasters could have condemned this wonder to a watery grave. Now all that's left to us are photographs and memories ... of a world most of us will never have the privilege to see. Enjoy!

1 comments about Viaje a Ixtlan/ Trip to Ixtlan (Coleccion Popular (Fondo de Cultura Economica)).

1. Este libro es muy bello, te hace reflexionar hasta lo mas profundo de tu ser y a la vez te deleita con los personajes. El primero en mostrar el verdadero fundamento de la brujeria moderna, el primer libro de la saga de Castaneda en mostrar el verdadero alcance de la brujeria de los hechiceros del linaje de Don Juan. Un libro hermoso.

4 comments about The Day the Sun Rose Twice: The Story of the Trinity Site Nuclear Explosion, July 16, 1945.

1. A short book that focuses on the Trinity test of the first nuclear 'device' (not a bomb, because it wasn't cable of being dropped from a plane). Worth reading if you're as deeply interested in this subject as I am.



2. If you read one book about the bomb, read Richard Rhodes's "The Making of the Atomic Bomb". I read Szasz as a refresher a few days before visiting the Trinity site, and found that it had a number of nice bits of information. (The Trinity site can be visited on the first Saturdays of April & October.)



3. My rating is really 3 1/2 stars...as the previous reviewiers have stated, this book has a lot of previously unknown information and is really written for the Trinity Test/Site enthusiast. Could be a lot more exciting, but well worth the read and should probably be read before you read R. Rhodes "Making of the Atomic Bomb".



4. In THE DAY THE SUN ROSE TWICE, Ferenc Morton Szasz recounts the story of the Trinity Site Nuclear Explosion that occurred on July 16, 1945. The author does an excellent job tracing critical details leading up to this historical process which changed American history and the world around us.
   
   The book is broken down into nine chapters beginning with the origins of Los Alamos. However, Szasz begins by discussing the conceptual revolutions of human knowledge during the late nineteenth-early twentieth century.
   
   The illustrations included in the book give the reader incredible insight into the actual events. "The ball of fire," a photograph taken of the nuclear explosion in New Mexico offers a visual effect of the actual event. Photographs of the people show the reader who was involved in the project. The map explains the large area in the state of New Mexico consumed for this project.
   
   Overall, I found the book to be easy to read, although
   I knew very little about the subject matter. I did, however, gain more insight into nuclear weapons. My favorite chapter was "The Blast." Szasz spoke to a number of people from all walks of life who experienced the blast of the Trinity. I chose this book as one of my book reviews for a special topics history class and found it to be an excellent read.

2 comments about New Mexico & Arizona State Parks: A Complete Recreation Guide (State Parks).

1. Don and Barbara Laine have done an outstanding job in this book. I live in New Mexico and we just bought a camper, so I went to the library to get some book on where to go camping. I borrowed a couple of guides for the Southwest, but this book is the only one that anybody ever needs. Every State Park is listed in detail, even little maps for each Park are included. Furthermore they tell you exactly what to expect from each park and what there is to do. This comes in handy when travelling with kids. Equipped with this book we already went to 2 State Parks and found exactly what the Laines had described. This book is a must have for anybody that wants to explore Arizona and New Mexico.



2. The National Parks are great, and they get all the glory, but it will repay you to visit some of the excellent state parks of the Southwest. This book gives the critical information to do so--How to get there, sketch maps of important routes and sites in each park, and brief summaries of the human and/or natural history that caused each park to be established. Recommended.

1 comments about Road Biking New Mexico (Road Biking Series).

1. Full of great ideas for a host of diverse rides! The author has a voice that reaches out and describes each ride. All rides include a precise description of elevations, views, interests, etc.

4 comments about New Mexico's Wilderness Areas: The Complete Guide (Wilderness Guidebooks).

1. This is a guide that the hikers, desert rats, and general wilderness afficionados of New Mexico have long been in need of. It is the first truly comprehensive guide to both the known and "desperately need to be known about and protected" areas in the land of enchantment. Not only does it offer good general info about the areas but their historical significance, why they qualify as wilderness, and how people can access the areas. The more major areas all have some additional text, which is clear and intriguing. Also nice are the authors "favorite hikes" for some areas - they are an excellent starting point for the hiker with a limited schedule. The photos which accompany some areas are also spectacular. I have but a few gripes with the book and they are as follows: Some areas could use a little more description - especially about why they are so ecologically important. It would also be nice if the maps were a little better, but they are quite adequate. However my most major complaint lies not with the book itself, It is such a good guide that my "secret" areas will scarce remain secrets...



2. I honestly don't see why anyone found this book useful. I was totally fooled into buying it by the positive reviews here! The first thing that happened was that I looked at the front page map of the entire state to find out what areas were near the town I will be in for an upcoming trip. The map had lots of highways marked with NO TOWNS OR CITIES. Now maybe New Mexicans all memorized the highway map of their state, but for a visitor the lack of any towns or cities made this key map pretty much useless. The book has lots of nice photos on glossy pages, and gives tons of information on history and ecology of the various wilderness areas. It mentions some hikes and climbs and gives sketchy verbal directions, but if you are looking for a climbing or hiking guide to New Mexico this book is pretty much useless. The "maps" it has for the different areas are not topo maps, but just line maps of some surrounding roads and trails. I bought this book to help me plan some hikes and maybe easy peak climbs while I was in northern New Mexico. If I could return it I would, it will not be useful at all. If you are looking for a climbing guide, or even a guide to serious hiking in New Mexico don't get this book or you will be just as disappointed as I was!



3. Despite reviews by people from out of state, this book is an excellent source of information on the Wilderness areas of New Mexico. I only hope they update it soon with any new information. This is obviously not meant to be a hiking guide and is not the reason i purchased it. Finding a good source of all of the wilderness areas of the state on the internet was troublesome, even for me, who surfs a lot. While i could get a good list of the wilderness areas out of the gazeteer, i couldn't get a list of wilderness study areas. The book also gives some trail suggestions which are very helpful, but in the end, i went to other sources. Maybe my honoroble friend from Colorado should stay up there and leave the wilderness areas of New Mexico to us.



4. This book is good at what it is intended to be: an introduction and overview of the different wilderness and wilderness study areas in New Mexico. No hiker/backpacker should rely solely on this book however, so if that is what you're expecting to be able to do, you will be disappointed. Each section describes the wilderness area, lists the basics (elevations, best season, map references) and lists a couple of hikes, and has a very basic map of the area with the trails, access roads, and campgrounds. Once you've found the area you're interested in based on the author's fantastic descriptions, you'll need to get a topo map of that area in order to actually do the hike (but personally, I'd rather carry a topo map in my pack that is specific to my hike than lug a book around). And no, the overall map in the front doesn't have cities/towns, but really, how hard is it to tell what part of the state you'll be in?

4 comments about Cutting for Sign.

1. In the 21st century, the United States will finally acknowledge that it's a largely spanish-speaking country. Meanwhile, Mexico remains a mystery to many of us. Not after reading this book: Without descending into a morass of facts, we learn about the essence of the place, and its relationship to the US. A well-written treatment with respect for its subject.



2. As a former City Manager of Marfa, Texas, I have observed and experienced first hand many of the incidents described in the book. For instance, the morning gathering of area ranchers at the former Thunderbird Restaurant, totally devoid of Hispanic participants; the persistent overtones of bigotry amoung many of the well established Anglo citizens;and, there are still semblances of the old "Patron" system alive and well.

   While I can't prove that my dismissal from my position as City Manager was based on the fact that I am Hispanic, I have no doubt that the racial aspect played a part in the decision to terminate my services. Many local residents have told me that the Mayor could not stand a smart well-educated Mexcican making him look bad.

   In any event, the description of Marfa and the region surrounding it are all surprising accurate. The author most certainly has a deep sense of morality, and an uncanny method of lucidly describing people, situations, and injustices.




3. I grew up on the Mexican border, and Langewiesche beautifully captures the schizophrenic love/hate relationship entangling the two sides. He writes with the clean, precise lines of the journalist, but gives the end result a spin of philosophy that could only come from really feeling the people and places he visits. Much like his second work, "Sahara Unveiled", this is much more than reportage. It's too bad not more people have read this book...I think it would greatly help Americans' understanding of border relations.



4. A very good read about the tense and diverse relations that exist at the Mexican - U.S. border. Author is a good storyteller, and offers great detail. A must for anyone seeking to understand our neighbor to the South.

1 comments about Backroads & Byways of New Mexico: Drives, Day Trips & Weekend Excursions.

1. Slapdash and disorganized, you will have to study long and hard to gain any information from this book. Certainly not designed for a first time visitor to the area. No maps of routes described, no identification on the poor quality photos. Give it a big miss.