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Tag Archives: American West
Cities of Gold
Cities of Gold: A Journey Across the American Southwest in Pursuit of Coronado© 1992 Douglas Preston (Walter Nelson, Photographs)480 pages Sometimes, history has got to be pursued from the back of a horse. Douglas Preston wasn’t sure what took him … Continue reading
Posted in Reviews
Tagged adventure, American Southwest, American West, Arizona, Douglas Preston, ecology, Native America, New Mexico, Spain, stewardship, travel
5 Comments
The Mexican Frontier
The Mexican Frontier 1821 – 1846: The American Southwest Under Mexico© 1982 David Weber (University of New Mexico Press)440 pages In 1821, the people of Mexico declared their independence from Spain, recognizing that its Napoleonic straits meant that the mother … Continue reading
Posted in history, Reviews
Tagged American Frontier, American Southwest, American West, California, history, Mexico, New Mexico, Spain, Texas
7 Comments
East of Eden
East of Eden© 1952 John Steinbeck580 pages Why did Cain kill Abel? East of Eden explores that question via a family saga, one that stretches across North America, spanning the continent as well as the generations; a story that begins at … Continue reading
Spain in the Southwest
Spain in the Southwest: A Narrative History© 2013 John Kessell480 In the early 1500s, the Spanish triumphed over the Aztecs and established a new Spain — an empire forged out of the new world. The equatorial tropics were only the … Continue reading
Posted in Reviews
Tagged American Southwest, American West, Colonial America, Native America, New Mexico, Spain
6 Comments
The Chinese in America
The Chinese in America: A Narrative History© 2003 Iris Chang558 pages Like most Americans, my earliest notion of the Chinese in America is an association with the Transcontinental railroad. As it happened, their story begins before that, with the California … Continue reading
Posted in history, Reviews
Tagged America, American West, China, history, San Francisco, social history
2 Comments
The Brave Cowboy
The Brave Cowboy: An Old Tale in a New Time© 1956 Edward Abbey277 pages “Where’re your papers?” “My what?” “Your I.D. — draft card, social security, driver’s license.” “Don’t have none. Don’t need none. I already know who I am.” … Continue reading
Posted in Reviews
Tagged American Southwest, American West, Edward Abbey, Man vs State, New Mexico
2 Comments
West of the Revolution
West of the Revolution: An Uncommon History of 1776© 2015 Claudio Saunt288 pages In 1776, the bid of thirteen colonies for independence wasn’t the only interesting goings-on in North America. From Alaska to Cuba, colonial and native powers were fighting, … Continue reading
Posted in history, Reviews
Tagged American Southwest, American West, Colonial America, history, Native America, Russia, Spain, trade
2 Comments
The Spanish Frontier in North America
The Spanish Frontier in North America© 1992 David J. Weber602 pages Although American history books will generally mention the early exploration of North America by figures like de Soto, little attention on the whole is given to the Spanish colonial … Continue reading
Posted in history, Reviews
Tagged American South, American Southwest, American West, Florida, history, Latino, Native America, New Mexico, Spain
7 Comments
The Journey Home
The Journey Home: Some Words in Defense of the American West© 1977 Edward Abbey242 pages The desert is no place for decent men, which is why Edward Abbey likes it so much. Born on the eastern seaboard, on a farm … Continue reading
Posted in Reviews
Tagged adventure, American Southwest, American West, Arizona, Edward Abbey, environmentalism, essays, Nature, New Mexico
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Death Comes for the Archbishop
Death Comes for the Archbishop© 1927 Willa Cather297 pages Poor New Mexico — so far from God, so close to the United States. The Pope can’t help the tide of American — and very Protestant — settlement that is sure … Continue reading