24/7, Living it Up and Doubling Down in the New Las Vegas  •  Andres Martinez TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 352 PAGES Former Wall St. Journal reporter Andres Martinez takes his $50,000 book advance to Las Vegas to try his luck at blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and slot machines for a month. Written with a sense of humor, this is a day-by-day account of Martinez' frenzied, casino-hopping tour, enhanced by a sharp observation of Las Vegas life and the characters he encounters. Luckily, Martinez's good humor endures to the very end of his trip: when he's left with just a little over $5,000. (USW255, $15.00)
Abbey's Road  •  Edward Abbey NATURAL HISTORY •  1991 •  PAPER  • 198 PAGES Famed as a rascal, misanthrope and cantankerous lover of all things untamed, Abbey's writings reflect the beauty and spirit of wild places. They are also insightful and laugh-out-loud funny. This volume collects his explorations of varied locales around the globe, including the Sierra Madre of Mexico. If you like this book, we also carry Abbey's tribute to the American Southwest, Desert Solitaire. (DES04, $17.00)
Adventures in the West, Stories for Young Readers  •  Susanne George Bloomfield ANTHOLOGY •  2007 •  PAPER  • 302 PAGES • YOUNG READERS (Age 4-8) This collection brings together 26 stories from turn-of-the-century publications The Youth's Companion and St. Nicholas, offering young readers a glimpse into the life on the western frontier. (USW509, $19.95)
All the Pretty Horses  •  Cormac McCarthy LITERATURE •  1993 •  PAPER  • 301 PAGES The best-selling, coming-of-age novel of John Grady Cole, a 16-year-old boy who ventures from his Texas ranch across the Mexican border on horseback. (TEX22, $14.95)
All the Wild and Lonely Places, Journeys in a Desert landscape  •  Lawrence Hogue HISTORY •  2000 •  HARD COVER  • 256 PAGES Portrayed as bleak and inhospitable, the huge expanse of Anza-Borrego desert in the Southern California Rift includes palm canyons, mountains and sandstone gorges that have long been home to the Cahuilla and Kumeyaay peoples. Hogue looks at the notion of wilderness and its historic uses in this lively natural history of the region. (USW338, $30.00)
America's National Parks: The Spectacular Forces That Shaped Our Treasured Lands  •  Paul Schullery NATURAL HISTORY •  2007 •  HARD COVER  • 407 PAGES A stunning photographic survey of the 56 national parks of America, organized by landform. With excellent accompanying text on the parks and the forces that created the spectacular mountains, deserts, glaciers and other natural features of the parks. (USA138, $50.00)
American Indian Myths and Legends  •  Richard Erdoes  •  Alfonso Ortiz LITERATURE •  1985 •  PAPER  • 527 PAGES An illustrated collection of 180 traditional stories from all over North America, gathered by illustrator and author Erdoes and Ortiz, a professor of anthropology at University of New Mexico. (NAM30, $18.95)
American Indian Trickster Tales  •  Richard Erdoes  •  Alfonso Ortiz LITERATURE •  1999 •  PAPER A collection of traditional and contemporary stories from 55 North American tribes by Erdeos, an author and an illustrator, and Ortiz, a professor of anthropology at the University of New Mexico. With 150 illustrations. (NAM31, $15.00)
Anasazi America, Seventeen Centuries on the Road from Center Place  •  David Stuart CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2000 •  PAPER  • 248 PAGES An engaging portrait of the Chaco Anasazi, an agricultural society which at the height of its power in the 11th century dominated much of the four corners region With maps, black-and-white photographs, extensive notes and bibliography. David Stuart, whose course on Ancient Mexico was the inspiration for this book, is a provocative, thoughtful guide to the development -- and eventual collapse -- of Chaco society. Highly recommended for visitors to Chaco Canyon and other messa sites in Southwest. (USW228, $19.95)
Arches National Park Map  •  Trails Illustrated MAP A durable, topographic map of Arches National Park, Utah at a scale of 1:50,000. (USW163, $11.95)
Arizona and Four Corners Region Map  •  North Star Maps MAP A double-sided road map with Arizona on one side and the and the Four Corners region on the reverse. It includes Grand Canyon, Grand Junction, Flagstaff, Canyonlands and Arches National Park, all at a scale of 1:1,000,000. With information on local ghost towns, mining camps and other points of interest. (USW165, $3.95)
Arizona, A Cavalcade of History  •  Marhsall Trimble HISTORY •  2003 •  PAPER  • 368 PAGES A delightful collection of stories about Arizona's rugged history, both informative and entertaining. Trimble covers the legends of Geronimo and well known generals like George Crook and Nelson Miles. With over 80 photographs and maps. (USW274, $15.95)
Arizona/New Mexico Map  •  AAA Publishing MAP A fold-up road map of Arizona and New Mexico, shown at a scale of 1:1,250,000. It includes insets of Alberquerque and Santa Fe. (USW302, $4.95)
Arte Latino, Treasures from the Smithsonian American Art Museum  •  Jonathan Yorba ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 112 PAGES A colorful celebration of 200 years of Latino art in America. With 50 full-page works by artists of diverse Latino heritages accompanied by explanatory texts. (ART32, $19.95)
The Arts of the North American Indian, Native Traditions in Evolution  •  Edwin L. Wade ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1995 •  PAPER 3,000 years of Native American art are studied through art-historical, archaeological and sociological lenses in this collection of essays. These fourteen expert contributors emphasize the diversity of this unique artistic tradition. Includes nearly 278 color and halftone illustrations. (SWU129, $35.00)
Aztec Ruins on the Animas: Excavated, Preserved, and Interpreted  •  Robert Hill Lister  •  Florence C. Lister ARCHAEOLOGY •  1996 •  PAPER In this book, archaeologists Robert and Florence Lister document the history, excavation, and preservation of a satellite community of Chaco Canyon in the Animas Valley. The site was originally excavated in 1916 by Earl. H. Morris, by a young, local archaeologist with the American Museum of Natural History. (SWU135, $13.95)
Barren, Wild and Worthless, Living in the Chihuahuan Desert  •  Susan J. Tweit CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2003 •  PAPER  • 203 PAGES These seven personal essays celebrate the nature and culture of the Chihuahuan Desert. Tweit's topics of choice include ecology, conservation and immigration. (USW431, $17.95)
Basin and Range  •  John McPhee NATURAL HISTORY •  1990 •  PAPER  • 216 PAGES McPhee's illuminating account of travels in the company of geologist Kenneth S. Deffeyes along Route 80 from Utah to California, a volume in his four-book series on North American geology. After this book, you'll never look at this austete landscape -- or a roadcut, quite the same way again. McPhee is a genious at exploring the things we often take for granted -- in this case, how simple road cuts expose aeons of earth's history. (GEO13, $14.00)
The Bassett Women  •  Grace McClure BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1985 •  PAPER  • 247 PAGES The story of a pioneering family in eastern Utah, drawn from interviews, historical documents and memoirs. "Queen" Anne Bassett and her family were a resilient group who endured the harsh life of settlers in eastern Utah. (USW350, $12.95)
A Beautiful, Cruel Country  •  Eva Antonia Wilbur-Cruce BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1991 •  PAPER  • 318 PAGES An absorbing memoir of growing up on a ranch along the Arizona/Mexico border in the early 20th-century. Wilbur-Cruce evokes the landscape and cultural diversity of her home through memories of cowboys, cattlemen and Papago Indians.With illustrations depicting the rituals of planting, harvesting, roundups and everyday life on her grandfather's ranch. (USW325, $22.95)
The Beauty of Hopi Jewelry  •  Theda Bassman ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1996 •  PAPER  • 64 PAGES This thin book offers readers a glimpse of beautiful Hopi handiwork and the artists who created it. With 66 color photos by Gene Balzer. (SWU122, $15.95)
The Beauty of Navajo Jewelry  •  Theda Bassman  •  Gene Balzer ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2003 •  PAPER  • 80 PAGES This slim book offers a glimpse of beautiful Navajo handiwork and the artists who create it. With color photos by Gene Balzer. (SWU151, $16.95)
Best Easy Day Hikes Anza-Borrego  •  Bill Cunningham  •  Polly Burke GUIDEBOOK •  2000 •  PAPER  • 96 PAGES A compact guide to 20 popular day hikes in the 60,000-acre desert park. (USW337, $6.95)
The Best of Edward Abbey  •  Edward Abbey ANTHOLOGY •  2005 •  PAPER  • 440 PAGES Abbey compiled this generous collection of his fiction and non-fiction in 1984, including excerpts from The Brave Cowboy, Black Sun, and The Monkey Wrench Gang, along with sections of Desert Solitaire and other essays. (GEN336, $16.95)
Beyond the Hundredth Meridian, John Wesley Powell and the Second Opening of the West  •  Wallace Stegner EXPLORATION •  1992 •  PAPER  • 438 PAGES The classic, Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of explorer John Wesley Powell by the great Wallace Stegner, first published in 1954. It's both the stuff of high adventure and an insightful look at the politics of development in the American West. Chosen as one of 13 enduringly significant books by Audubon Magazine. (USW78, $16.00)
Beyond the Stony Mountains, Nature in the American West from Lewis and Clark to Today  •  Daniel B. Botkin NATURAL HISTORY •  2004 •  HARD COVER  • 304 PAGES Naturalist Daniel Botkin traces the route of Lewis and Clark with more than one hundred photographs and maps. (USW496, $38.00)
Big Sky, Wild West Panorama  •  Tim Fitzharris CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2006 •  HARD COVER  • 151 PAGES A collection of beautiful, sweeping full-color photographs from the American west. (USW537, $45.00)
The Big Year, A Tale Of Man, Nature, And Fowl Obsession  •  Mark Obmascik NATURAL HISTORY •  2005 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES Obmascik, himself an over-the-edge birder, recounts with glee and page-turning detail the race to see the most birds in North America in a year, a quest that has his three competitors on the road at a moments notice, heading out in the middle of the night, and combing the beaches. As he so winningly demonstrates, these people are driven. (BRD29, $14.00)
Birding by Ear: Western North America  •  Richard Walton NATURAL HISTORY •  1999 •  CASETTE TAPE (USW444, $30.00)
Birding Texas  •  Roland H. Wauer  •  Mark A. Elwonger GUIDEBOOK •  1998 •  PAPER  • 525 PAGES A site guide to the birds of Texas featuring birding strategies, a list of resources for planning a birding trip, and information on 200 of the best birding sites. The 40-page "Status and Distribution Checklist" provides information on the species occurring in Texas' ten birding regions. With 120 maps and a few black-and-white illustrations. (TEX17, $22.95)
Birds of the Lower Colorado River Valley  •  Kenneth V. Rosenberg FIELD GUIDE •  1991 •  HARD COVER  • 416 PAGES A scholarly, authoritative report on the 400 species of birds occurring along the 200-mile stretch of the Arizona-California border. It features detailed contributions on the status and distribution of local birds, the riperian environment, research, and conservation. Not intended as a field guide, it includes a list of good birding areas, and a few black-and-white photographs. (USW173, $60.00)
The Birdwatcher's Companion to North American Birdlife  •  Christopher W. Leahy  •  Gordon Morrison NATURAL HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 1072 PAGES A handsome, fully illustrated survey of the birds of North America, organized A to Z, covering birds, bird biology, conservation and birdwatching. Published in cooperation with the American Birding Association. (NAM21, $19.95)
Bless Me, Ultima  •  Rudolfo A. Anaya LITERATURE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 290 PAGES The first-person tale of Antonio, a Chicano boy whose life is changed when a mystical woman named Ultima comes to live with his family. Anaya's first novel, this now-classic book is based, in part, on the author's own experiences as a Chicano growing up in New Mexico. It evokes the folkways and beliefs of traditional villages in the Southwest. Anaya has since written dozens of novels, mysteries, stories, plays, and children's books set in and around Albuquerque. Originally published in 1972. (USW264, $13.95)
The Blessing Way  •  Tony Hillerman MYSTERY •  1991 •  PAPER  • 304 PAGES Hillerman's first mystery introduces Detective Joe Leaphorn of the Navajo Tribal Police, as well as Hillerman's now-trademark attention to Southwestern peoples' cultures and histories. (SWU94, $7.99)
Blood Meridian, or The Evening Redness in the West  •  Cormac McCarthy LITERATURE •  1992 •  PAPER  • 337 PAGES The story of a young man's involvement with a gang of marauding bandits set in the glory days of the Wild West. We follow the protagonist, known only as "The Kid," across the desert and mountain landscapes of the southwest U.S. and northern Mexico. The rich cast of characters includes some of the most ghoulish and vivid criminals that have ever been inked, including "The Judge," a hairless giant with encyclopedic knowledge and devilish wit. But the novel truly soars with the depictions of landscape. (SWU31, $14.95)
Book of the Hopi  •  Oswald White Bear Fredericks  •  Frank Waters CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1977 •  PAPER  • 345 PAGES Thirty Hopi elders share their legends, ceremonies, history and language, first published in 1963, as compiled by Frank Waters and recorded by co-author Oswald White Bear Fredericks. The book, which addresses questions of spirituality, is considered a key New Age text. (SWU145, $16.00)
The Book of the Navajo  •  Raymond Friday Locke CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2002 •  PAPER  • 496 PAGES Well written and researched, this in-depth scholarly portrait of the society, culture and history of the Navajo people, originally published in 1976, has long been the definitive account, used in Navajo schools. (SWU228, $8.95)
The Border Trilogy: All the Pretty Horses, the Crossing, Cities of the Plain  •  Cormac McCarthy LITERATURE •  1999 •  HARD COVER  • 1017 PAGES McCarthy's trio of novels chronicle the coming of age in the desert country of the American Southwest. (SWU200, $36.00)
Bryce Canyon National Park Map  •  Trails Illustrated MAP A detailed hiker's topographic map of Bryce Canyon at a scale of 1:37,000, printed on tear-resistant, waterproof paper. (USW143, $11.95)
Burntwater  •  Scott Thybony TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1997 •  PAPER  • 125 PAGES This slim account of the author's travels across the Colorado Plateau slips into history, geology, anthropology, and memoir. Thybony structures his journey as a quest to understand the traditional Na-vajo blessing "Go in beauty." (USW452, $16.95)
Butch Cassidy, A Biography  •  Richard Patterson BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1998 •  PAPER  • 448 PAGES Legendary outlaw Butch Cassidy and the ambiguities surrounding his life and death are examined in this biography, the most comprehensive published in over half a century. (USW355, $21.95)
Butterflies through Binoculars, The West  •  Jeffrey Glassberg FIELD GUIDE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 374 PAGES A photographic identification guide to butterflies found throughout the western United States, from the Mississippi to the Pacific. Range maps and 625 color photos are included, along with short descriptions, information on biology and conservation, and other facts helpful to spotting and identifying butterflies. (BUG11, $24.95)
Cabeza de Vaca's Adventures in the Unknown Interior of America  •  Alvar Nuņez Cabeza de Vaca  •  Cyclone Covey BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1983 •  PAPER  • 160 PAGES An account of Cabeza de Vaca's 16th-century epic adventures in the New World. Only a handful of men survived the eight-year, 6,000-mile expedition across America from Tampa bay to Sinaloa, Mexico. They were the first Europeans to set foot in the interior of Florida, Texas, New Mexico and Northernmost Mexico. (SWU40, $17.95)
The Camel's Nose, Memoirs of a Curious Scientist  •  Knut Schmidt-Nielsen BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1998 •  PAPER  • 338 PAGES • COMING IN The wonderfully readable, lively account of a life in science. Schmidt Nielsen, a physiologist, combines some good science with personal anecdotes, travel and commentary. Even those readers who have never wondered about osmotic balance or life in the desert will enjoy Schmidt-Nielsen's memoir of adventures in science. (SCI57, $26.00)
Canyon Country Wildflowers  •  Damian Fagan FIELD GUIDE •  1998 •  PAPER  • 152 PAGES Published in conjunction with the Canyonlands Natural History Association, this comprehensive field guide covers 190 of the most commonly encountered wildflowers, shrubs and trees of the Four Corners area, including Canyonlands and Arches national parks. The straightforward descriptions are accompanied by color photographs, and habitat and range information. (USW155, $19.95)
Canyon Wilderness of the Southwest  •  Jon Ortner NATURAL HISTORY •  2008 •  HARD COVER  • 240 PAGES Beautifully photographed by renowned photographer Jon Ortner, this deluxe, numbered and signed, limited edition showcases over two hundred images, including seventy-five panoramas, shot in over fifty locations across a 130,000-square-mile area that includes national parks, national monuments, state parks, wilderness areas, BLM holdings, and Native American tribal lands. (SWU251, $195.00)
Canyonlands National Park Map  •  Trails Illustrated MAP A durable, topographic map of Canyonlands National Park, Utah, at a scale of 1:62,000. (USW164, $11.95)
Canyons of the Escalante Map  •  Trails Illustrated MAP This full-color topographic map of Escalante, shown at a scale of 1:70,000 is printed on waterproof paper and includes information on area's major attractions. (USW304, $11.95)
Ceremony  •  Leslie Marmon Silko LITERATURE •  1988 •  PAPER  • 262 PAGES A powerful novel about Tayo, a half-white Laguna Pueblo Indian who returns to his reservation after surviving as a prisoner of the Japanese during World War II. (SWU18, $14.00)
The Chaco Handbook, An Encyclopedic Guide  •  R. Gwinn Vivian  •  Bruce Hilpert ARCHAEOLOGY •  2002 •  PAPER  • 292 PAGES A comprehensive guide to the site and Chaco culture by and archaeologist and an educator, both based in Tucson. With 250 cross-referenced, alphabetical entries, and 100 maps, drawings and photos. (SWU119, $17.95)
Chasing Monarchs, A Migration with the Butterflies of Passage  •  Robert Michael Pyle NATURAL HISTORY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 307 PAGES A memoir of Lepidoptery, combing the entomologist-author's considerable knowledge of butterflies and their biology with a rambling road trip from British Columbia through the Southwest to Mexico. (MEX62, $14.00)
Chiricahua Mountains, Bridging the Borders of Wildness  •  Ken Lamberton  •  Jeff Garton NATURAL HISTORY •  2003 •  PAPER  • 86 PAGES A personal celebration of the geology, landscapes, human and natural history of the Chiricahua mountains (one of our favorite places on the planet). With 14 evocative black-and-white photographs by Jeff Garton. A volume in the University of Arizona Desert Places series. Lamberton devotes one short chapter each to his explorations of West Turkey Creek, cave Creek, and Barefoot Lookout. (SWU148, $13.95)
Cities of Gold, A Journey Across the American Southwest in Coronado's Footsteps  •  Doug Preston TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 480 PAGES On horseback through the American Southwest. In 1989, Doug Preston attempted to recreate the thousand mile journey of Coronado in his legendary quest to find the Seven Cities of Gold. This entertaining travelogue tells of Preston's discoveries and difficulties, as he negotiated the same landscapes Coronado faced, and spoke with the descendents of the native peoples Coronado encountered -- and subsequently fought. (SWU85, $21.95)
Classic Hikes of the World  •  Peter Pottersfield TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2005 •  HARD COVER  • 224 PAGES Pottersfield features 23 treks in this beautifully illustrated volume. Each trip gets an extended photographic essay with a route description, maps and practical details. (WLD52, $39.95)
Collapse, How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed  •  Jared Diamond HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 575 PAGES Big, wildly ambitious, provocative, this is Jared Diamond at his best. He tackles nothing less than the history and fate of civilization in this compelling book in which he offers case studies, present and past, of societies that work and societies that do not. He devotes 100 carefully reasoned pages, for example, to the fate of the Norse settlements in Greenland (climatic change, Inuit) and another big section on Easter Island (deforestation, hubris). It's a fitting follow-up to his Pulitzer-Prize winning Guns, Germs and Steel. (GEN324, $18.00)
Collecting Authentic Indian Arts and Crafts, Traditional Work  •  Indian Arts and Crafts Association GUIDEBOOK •  1999 •  PAPER  • 112 PAGES This guide to Southwestern Indian art is a helpful tool for finding the best jewelry, pottery, rugs, baskets, carvings and dolls. (SWU150, $16.95)
Colorado National Monument Map  •  Trails Illustrated MAP A detailed hiker's topographic map of Colorado National Monument at a scale of 1:24,000, printed on tear-resistant, waterproof paper. (RKY44, $9.95)
The Colorado Plateau Map  •  Time Traveler Maps MAP A very good shaded relief map of the Colorado Plateau, at a scale of 1:1,250,000. It's filled with watercolor illustrations, and information on national parks, monuments and other public lands. Covering from Laramie southwest to Prescott. (USW266, $6.49)
Compass Guide Arizona  •  Lawrence Cheek  •  Carrie Sears Bell  •  Michael Freeman  •  Kerrick James GUIDEBOOK •  2004 •  PAPER  • 304 PAGES A personable and well written overview of Arizona's natural attractions, history, people, arts and architecture. Practical visitor information is accompanied by topical essays on Arizona's Hispanic heritage, cattlemen, miners, the Indian wars and literary excerpts by some of the state's best writers. Cheek introduces the guide with his own experience of moving to Tucson from Des Moines and his initial feelings of annoyance with the desert's bugs, climate and politicians. But his affectionate coverage of the state's canyons, mountains, deserts and forests proves that "in the end, this book is about falling in love." With detailed color maps and photographs. (USW121, $21.95)
Compass Guide Colorado  •  Jon Klusmire  •  Paul Chesley GUIDEBOOK •  2002 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES This wonderfully written handbook features outstanding color photography, good maps and in-depth information on the culture, history and attractions of Colorado. With archival photographs, literary excerpts and practical travel information. (USW200, $21.95)
Compass Guide Nevada  •  Deke Castleman  •  Jeff Gnass GUIDEBOOK •  2000 •  PAPER  • 328 PAGES Castleman mixes literary excerpts with his own descriptions of Nevada, from ghost towns to Las Vegas to the vast natural territory in between in this comprehensive, literate guide to the state. With 200 color photographs, diagrams and maps. (USW223, $21.00)
Compass Guide Santa Fe  •  Lawrence Cheek GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER  • 268 PAGES This wonderfully written handbook features outstanding color photography, detailed maps and in-depth information on the culture, history and attractions of Santa Fe. Cheek introduces the area's ancient Indian ruins, Pueblo arts, adobe architecture and Hispanic heritage, and provides some information on visiting the neighboring Taos. With archival photographs, literary excerpts and practical travel tips. (USW129, $20.95)
Compass Guide Texas  •  Fodor's GUIDEBOOK •  2004 •  PAPER  • 336 PAGES This wonderfully written handbook features outstanding color photography, good maps and in-depth information on the culture, history and attractions of Texas. It includes archival photographs, literary excerpts and practical travel information. (TEX25, $21.95)
Compass Guide Utah  •  Tom Wharton  •  Gayen Wharton GUIDEBOOK •  2005 •  PAPER  • 347 PAGES This handsome guide features outstanding color photography, detailed maps and in-depth information on the culture, history and attractions of Utah. Thorough introductions to Utah's geology, the Anasazi, Spanish explorers and Mormon pioneers are provided along with practical travel information. Full of archival photographs and literary excerpts. (USW130, $21.95)
Coyote Cafe  •  Mark Miller FOOD •  2002 •  PAPER  • 216 PAGES A collection of 150 favorite recipes as selected by the chefs at Santa Fe's popular Coyote Cafe. (SWU193, $19.95)
Crossing Paths, Uncommon Encounters with Animals in the Wild  •  Craig Childs EXPLORATION •  1997 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES Adventurer and naturalists Craig Childs vividly describes 23 meetings with the animals of the American desert, from camel to rainbow trout. Each chapter introduces a new animal, and Child offers memorable descriptions of each in this engrossing travelogue. (SWU170, $14.95)
Crossing the Next Meridian: Land, Water, and the Future of the West  •  Charles F. Wilkinson HISTORY •  1993 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES A discussion of development and conservation in the West, centering on distribution and management of water supplies. Wilkinson, a professor and expert on environmental law, tackles these hotly debated issues with informed opinions and propositions for change. (USW361, $35.00)
Death Valley and the Amargosa, Land of Illusion  •  Richard E. Lingenfelter HISTORY •  1988 •  PAPER  • 662 PAGES An exhaustive history of Death Valley and the Amargosa River, up through 1933 when it was made a national park. Author Richard E. Lingenfelter discusses in detail the myths and folklore that were inspired by and helped shape the region. Filled with illustrations, maps and documents. (CAL10, $34.95)
Death Valley National Park  •  Fred Hirschmann  •  Randi Hirschmann  •  Mark Schlenz NATURAL HISTORY •  1999 •  PAPER  • 96 PAGES One hundred and six color photographs of death Valley by landscape photographers Fred and Randi Hirschmann. It's a good overview of the park, especially recommended for travelers with a camera. (CAL13, $19.95)
Death Valley National Park Map  •  Trails Illustrated MAP A topographic map of Death Valley National Park, at a scale of 1:160,000. Published in association with the National Geographic Society. (CAL09, $11.95)
A Desert Bestiary, Folklore, Literature, and Ecological Thought from the World's Dry Places  •  Gregory McNamee ANTHOLOGY •  1997 •  PAPER  • 192 PAGES From the ant to the wolf, this is a lively, informative tribute to desert animals and their place in literature, folklore and ecology. (DES08, $14.95)
Desert Between the Mountains: Mormons, Miners, Padres, Mountain Men, and the Opening of the Great Basin, 1772-1869  •  Michael Durham HISTORY •  1999 •  PAPER  • 352 PAGES A history of Utah, published to coincide with the sesquicentennial of Mormon arrival in Utah. (USW382, $19.95)
The Desert Cries, A Season of Flash Floods in a Dry Land  •  Craig Childs NATURAL HISTORY •  2002 •  PAPER  • 140 PAGES Naturalist and adventurer Craig Childs's impressionistic account of five flash floods which killed 22 people in Arizona in 1997. (SWU172, $14.95)
Desert Ecology, An Introduction to Life in the Arid Southwest  •  John Sowell NATURAL HISTORY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 193 PAGES A comprehensive but accessible introduction to how plants and animals adapt to desert environments. (SWU246, $17.95)
Desert Light, A Photographer's Journey Through America's Desert Southwest  •  John Annerino NATURAL HISTORY •  2006 •  HARD COVER Annerino's portrays in glorious color photographs the Painted, Sonoran, Mojave, and Chihuahua deserts on both sides of the U.S./Mexican border. (SWU247, $29.95)
The Desert Smells Like Rain, A Naturalist in O'odham Country  •  Gary Paul Nabhan CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2002 •  PAPER  • 148 PAGES An ethnobotany, natural history and portrait of the Tohono O'odam (or Papago) people of the desert southwest. A talented writer, Nabhan conveys the everyday life of a traditional desert people in this sympathetic, unsentimental book. Originally published in 1982, it includes a history of government land management practices in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. (USW275, $16.95)
Desert Survival Skills  •  David Alloway GUIDEBOOK •  2000 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES A practical guide to survival in the desert, leavened by Alloway's sense of humor and own experience in the Chihuahuan desert. Topics include finding and conserving water, fire, shelter, weather, plant and animal resources, vehicle repair and first aid. (DES06, $24.95)
Desert Survivor, An Adventurer's Guide to Exploring the Great American Desert  •  John Annerino GUIDEBOOK •  2001 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES A well informed, practical guide and handbook for hikers, backpackers and anyone else who would like to explore the parks and wilderness areas of the Chihuauan, Mojave, Sonoroan and Great Basin deserts of the American Southwest. With maps, drawings, photos, and guidelines for safe travel. Annerino is a popular author, photographer -- and desert rat -- who lives in Tucson. With an excellent overview of the natural and cultural history of the Great American Desert. (USW372, $15.95)
Dine Bahane, The Navajo Creation Story  •  Paul G. Zolbrod LITERATURE •  1988 •  PAPER  • 431 PAGES This is Zolbrod's authoritative translation and transcription of the Navajo creation myth, a staple of the tribe's oral tradition. It's a captivating introduction to Navajo belief and culture. In this translations, the most complete in English, Szolbrod captures the cadences of navajo Storytelling. (SWU79, $24.95)
Dinosaur National Monument Map  •  Trails Illustrated MAP A topographic map of Dinosaur National Monument in Colorado and Utah, at a scale of 1:78,000. (RKY38, $9.95)
Earthtones, A Nevada Album  •  Ann Ronald  •  Stephen Trimble NATURAL HISTORY •  1995 •  HARD COVER  • 66 PAGES An illustrated portrait of the state with six thematic essays by Ann Ronald (who has also written about Edward Abbey) and color photogaphs by desert-lover and naturalist Stephen Trimble (SWU51, $39.95)
Eating Stone, Imagination And the Loss of the Wild  •  Ellen Meloy NATURAL HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 352 PAGES Meloy writes endearingly of her time spent studying bighorn sheep in the canyonlands of Utah. (SWU219, $14.00)
Empire Express, Building the First Transcontinental Railroad  •  David Haward Bain HISTORY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 816 PAGES A magisterial history of the railroad that connected the East to the West -- and radically changed the face of America. It is quite a tale, featuring greed, corruption, disaster and many memorable characters. Based on exhaustive research, the detailed narrative jumps between Union Pacific and the Central Pacific Railroad Company. With photographs and maps. (USW135, $20.00)
Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs  •  Philip J. Currie  •  Kevin Padian REFERENCE •  1997 •  HARD COVER  • 904 PAGES This massive volume may be expensive, but it's certainly comprehensive. Compiled by two prominent paleontologists, it's a reference to major dinosaur research up through the end of the 20th century. The 275 articles cover a range of subjects and feature numerous photographs, illustrations and diagrams. There are also plenty of cross-references, a glossary, a chronology and other helpful information. (SCI29, $148.00)
The Excursion Train  •  Edward Marston MYSTERY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 318 PAGES Another of Marston's mysteries featuring Inspector Colbeck, the Railway Detective. This one, about a rash of motiveless strangulations on the Great Western Railway is a page-turning and authentic historical novel. (SWU248, $15.95)
The Explorer's Guide to Death Valley National Park  •  T. Scott Bryan  •  Betty Tucker-Bryan GUIDEBOOK •  1995 •  PAPER  • 382 PAGES A comprehensive practical guide to Death Valley, detailing day hikes and local attractions, and introduction to the human and natural history of the region. Excerpts from the logs of early travelers and explorers and the author's own observations offer a personal view into the national park. (CAL67, $23.95)
Eyewitness Guide Arizona & the Grand Canyon  •  Eyewitness Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2004 •  PAPER  • 175 PAGES A comprehensive guide to Arizona, complete with over 500 photographs, illustrations and maps, as well as plenty of travel information on where to go, stay and eat. (SWU173, $20.00)
The Far Southwest 1846-1912, A Territorial History  •  Howard R. Lamar HISTORY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 576 PAGES A classic history of the territories of New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Arizona. Yale Professor Howard Lamar studies the effect of national policies on the region, especially their impact on the indigenous population and early settlers. First published in 1966. (SWU166, $29.95)
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream  •  Hunter S. Thompson TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1998 •  PAPER  • 204 PAGES Armed with a convertible full of hallucinatory drugs, the author and his friend Dr. Gonzo end up in Las Vegas--the perfect setting for a helluva time. Certainly a unique tour of an already eccentric city, this is a dizzying chronicle of the duo's drug-induced misadventures and scrapes with the people of Las Vegas. It's also a hilarious commentary on the search for the American dream, first published in 1971. (USW254, $13.95)
Feast of Santa Fe, Cooking of the American Southwest  •  Huntley Dent FOOD •  1993 •  PAPER  • 400 PAGES An easy-to-follow introduction to the cuisine of the Southwest written by a cooking school instructor. (SWU194, $16.00)
A Field Guide to the Grand Canyon  •  Stephen Whitney FIELD GUIDE •  1996 •  PAPER  • 268 PAGES A compact guide to the natural history of the Grand Canyon with 71 handsome color plates, maps and illustrations. Bring it along. (USW06, $19.95)
A Field Guide to the Plants of Arizona  •  Anne Orth Epple  •  Lewis Epple FIELD GUIDE •  1997 •  PAPER  • 350 PAGES A comprehensive photographic field guide to the flora of Arizona covering all the state's habitats, from the deserts and grasslands to the mountains. With nearly 1,000 color photos, it covers wildflowers, cacti, trees and other plant-life, and is color-coded for easy reference. (SWU60, $24.95)
Fire on the Mountain, The True Story of the South Canyon Fire  •  John MacLean HISTORY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES A gripping account of the deadly 1994 wildfire that ravaged Storm King Mountain in Colorado. MacLean (whose father wrote the now classic "Young Men & Fire") brings his talents as an investigative journalist and storyteller to this blow-by-blow account of the catastrophic fire and accompanying mismanagement by government agencies. Fourteen firefighters died in the blaze, which raged for ten days. (USW212, $14.00)
Fodor's American Southwest  •  Inc. Fodor's Travel Publications GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  PAPER  • 576 PAGES The up-to-date Fodor's guide features invaluable recommendations on where to stay and eat and what to do throughout the Southwest. Compact and portable, it's ideal for either a weekend trip or an extended visit. (SWU250, $21.95)
Fodor's Arizona and the Grand Canyon  •  Inc. Fodor's Travel Publications GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  PAPER  • 480 PAGES A practical guide in the popular series, saturated with valuable information on accommodation, shopping, sights, and dining. (USW540, $19.95)
Fodor's Santa Fe, Taos & Albuquerque  •  Paul Eisenberg GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES A practical guide in the popular series, saturated with valuable information on accommodation, shopping, sights, and dining. (USW541, $16.95)
Folly and Glory  •  Larry McMurtry LITERATURE •  2005 •  PAPER  • 384 PAGES The fourth installment in a series of historical satires about the Berrybender family, ill-prepared 19th-century British settlers who take on the American West. This story finds them traveling along the Brazos River. (USW451, $7.99)
From the Dining Car, The Recipes and Stories Behind Today's Greatest Rail Dining Experiences  •  James D. Porterfield FOOD •  2004 •  HARD COVER  • 304 PAGES A collection of menus, recipes and wine lists from the dining cars of four American rail services. (USW497, $32.50)
Frommer's American Southwest  •  Frommer's GUIDEBOOK •  2005 •  PAPER  • 627 PAGES A practical travel guide in the popular series featuring excellent annotated listings of what to do and where to eat and sleep. With one-color maps and suggested excursions. (SWU183, $22.99)
Frommer's Colorado  •  Eric Peterson GUIDEBOOK •  2009 •  PAPER  • 480 PAGES • COMING IN FEBRUARY A detailed practical travel guide (with pull-out map), featuring excellent annotated listings of attractions, activities, restaurants, and accomodations. With maps, color photos and suggested excursions. (USW578, $18.99)
Frommer's Denver, Boulder & Colorado Springs  •  Eric Peterson GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER  • 246 PAGES A practical travel guide featuring excellent annotated listings of what to do and where to eat and sleep. With one-color maps and suggested excursions. (USW536, $16.99)
Frommer's National Parks of the American West  •  Don Laine GUIDEBOOK •  2006 •  PAPER  • 680 PAGES A practical travel guide featuring excellent annotated listings of what to do and where to eat and sleep. With one-color maps and suggested excursions. (USW535, $21.99)
Frontiers, A Short History of the American West  •  Robert V. Hine  •  John Mack Faragher HISTORY •  2007 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES Lauded for their lively and elegant writing, the authors provide a grand survey of the colorful history of the American West, from the first contacts between Native Americans and Europeans to the beginning of the twenty-first century, in this revised, concise edition of The American West: A New Interpretive History. (USW531, $28.00)
A Garden of Bristlecones, Tales of Change in the Great Basin  •  Micahel Cohen NATURAL HISTORY •  1998 •  PAPER  • 344 PAGES A natural history and ecological survey of the bristlecone pine, celebrated as the earth's oldest living thing. Cohen, a professor of literature, considers too the cultural significance and aesthetics of the bristlecone. With illustrations by Valerie Cohen. The best places to see bristlecones is Inyo National Forest in California or at several sites in the Great Basin. The tree ranges from California's Wite Mountains, into Nevada and Utah, south into the Sangre Christo mountains. (SWU52, $34.95)
The Gates of the Alamo  •  Stephen Harrigan LITERATURE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 592 PAGES An engrossing, epic novel about the Alamo and such figures as James Bowie, David Crockett, William Travis, and Santa Anna. The climax is a vivid discrepition of the fall of the stronghold as seen through the eyes of both Mexican attackers and Texan defenders. (TEX74, $14.00)
Gathering the Desert  •  Gary Paul Nabhan NATURAL HISTORY •  1985 •  PAPER  • 209 PAGES An ecologist with a particular interest in the origins of foodstuffs, Nabhan interweaves ethnography, biochemistry, natural history and journalism to document traditional uses of 12 Sonoran desert plants: the creosote bush, palm, mescal, sandfood, organpipe cactus, amaranth, tepary bean, chile, devil's claw, panicgrass, and wild gourds. (USW120, $19.95)
Geology Underfoot in Death Valley and Owens Valley  •  Robert P. Sharp  •  Allen F. Glazner NATURAL HISTORY •  1997 •  PAPER  • 329 PAGES This volume describes the geological features one will find in Southeastern California, from the Sierra Nevada to the eastern border of the state. It focuses on the rich landscapes and rock formations of the Death Valley region. (CAL12, $18.00)
Geology Underfoot in Northern Arizona  •  Lon Abbott NATURAL HISTORY •  2007 •  PAPER  • 334 PAGES Geologic features of 20 sites in Arizona, from the Grand Canyon and Sedona to the Sonora. (SWU238, $18.00)
Geronimo, His Own Story  •  Stephen Melvil Barrett BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1995 •  PAPER  • 190 PAGES The autobiography of famous Apache warrior Geronimo, as dictated to S.M. Barrett. Geronimo tells of battles against the Mexicans and whites, and describes the origins, customs and laws of the Apaches. This is a valuable account of the struggle over the Apache lands, giving great insight into the mind of a legendary warrior and scout-shaman. Barrett had to acquire the permission of President Teddy Roosevelt to record the story of Geronimo, who was then a prisoner of war. (USW326, $15.00)
Getting Over the Color Green  •  Scott Slovic ANTHOLOGY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 400 PAGES This anthology and tribute to the American desert features the writing of Charles Bowden, Ann Zwinger and Barbara Kingsolver. Highlighting the work of these and other renowned Southwestern authors, the collection includes more than 50 pieces, ranging from fiction and poetry to essays and field notes. While the pieces differ in style and tone, they all share a passion for the desert. (SWU62, $19.95)
Glen Canyon/Capitol Reef Map  •  Trails Illustrated MAP A detailed topographic map of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Capitol Reef National Park, at a scale of 1:177,000. Printed on tear- and water-resistant tyvek, it's a good choice for planning a hike. (SWU57, $11.95)
Goin' Railroading  •  Sam Speas  •  Margaret Coel HISTORY •  1998 •  PAPER  • 200 PAGES An oral history of two generations of railroad engineers who have worked on the Colorado and Southern railroads beginning at the turn of the 20th century. Sam Speas describes his and his father's experiences along the hazardous narrow-gauge lines, and the real-life adventures, romanticism, and landscape associated with the railroads of the West. (USW204, $19.95)
Going Back to Bisbee  •  Richard Shelton TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1992 •  PAPER  • 329 PAGES Poet Richard Shelton's meditations on the history, landscape and wildlife of Bisbee, Arizona. Elegantly written, this narrative of a day trip from Shelton's Tucson home to the old mining town is an excellent introduction to the region's human and natural history. (USW324, $17.95)
Going Places, Transportation Redefines the Twentieth-Century West  •  Carlos Arnaldo Schwantes HISTORY •  2003 •  HARD COVER  • 419 PAGES A narrative history of the relationship between transportation and the history of the modern American West. With over 100 photographs. (USW494, $29.95)
Gone to Texas, A History of the Lone Star State  •  Randolph Campbell HISTORY •  2004 •  PAPER  • 512 PAGES A rich political history of the state with some welcome emphasis on its Mexican, African American, and Native American history. (TEX75, $39.95)
Grand Canyon, Travelers' Tales  •  James O'Reilly  •  Larry Habegger TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 281 PAGES A diverse collection of excellent stories and essays, mostly modern. Organized by topic, the selection includes Barry Lopez, Terry Tempest Williams, Ann Zwinger, Colin Fletcher, Edward Abbey and other greats. It's a highly readable introduction to the nature, history and people of the Grand Canyon. (USW333, $17.95)
Great Basin National Park Map  •  Earthwalk Press GUIDEBOOK •  2001 •  MAP A waterproof hiking guide and detailed topographic map of the park at a scale of 1:48,0000 (1 1/4 inches equals one mile). With trail descriptions and back country information on the reverse. (SWU54, $5.95)
Great Lodges of the National Parks, Volume Two  •  David Morris  •  Fred Pflughoft  •  Christine Barnes ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2008 •  HARD COVER  • 175 PAGES A second volume of gorgeous pictures from the most impressive and historically important lodges in the US. It features histories, floor plans, and archival and color photographs of lodges all over Yellowstone, Grand Teton and the west coast, but also in Alaska, Hawaii, Boston, and Atlanta. An award-winning companion to the PBS television series. (USW568, $35.00)
Great River, The Rio Grande in North American History  •  Paul Horgan HISTORY •  1991 •  PAPER  • 1020 PAGES In this two-volume, epic history of the Rio Grande, Horgan masterfully examines the Indian, Mexican, Spanish and Texan cultures nourished by the river, from pre-Columbian times to the mid-20th century. First published in 1954, this classic book won both the Bancroft and the Pulitzer Prizes for history. (TEX21, $32.95)
The Great Taos Bank Robbery, And Other Indian Country Affairs  •  Tony Hillerman LITERATURE •  1997 •  PAPER  • 192 PAGES Nine fast-reading short stories based on daily life in contemporary New Mexico, written by the author of best-selling mysteries set in the Southwest. (USW132, $13.00)
Growing Up Latino  •  Harold Augenbraum  •  Ilan Stavans ANTHOLOGY •  1993 •  PAPER  • 340 PAGES A wonderful literary anthology that celebrates the diversity of experience on a single theme, growing up Latino in America. Includes selections from celebrated Latino/a authors including Sandra Cisneros, Gloria Anzaldua, Gary Soto and others writing on "Imagining the Family," "Gringolandia," and "Songs of Self-Discovery." A great introduction to Latino culture in America. (USA58, $15.00)
Guide Map to Lake Powell and Glen Canyon  •  North Star Maps MAP A colorful, folded map of the region at a scale of 1:270,000. (SWU188, $7.95)
Hear That Train Whistle Blow!, How the Railroad Changed the World  •  Milton Meltzer HISTORY •  2005 •  PAPER  • 176 PAGES • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12) Metzer explains how the advent of rail travel has influenced almost every aspect of society. For readers aged 9-12. (USW493, $8.95)
Hiking Canyonlands and Arches National Parks  •  Bill Schneider GUIDEBOOK •  2005 •  PAPER  • 226 PAGES A comprehensive guide to the hiking trails and backcountry roads of Canyonlands and Arches, published in cooperation with the National Park Service. With a section on trip preparation, black-and-white photographs and maps. (USW154, $16.95)
Hiking Death Valley  •  Michel Digonnet GUIDEBOOK •  2004 •  PAPER  • 542 PAGES A comprehensive guide to hiking in Death Valley, written by a veteran traveler and adventurer in the region. With 65 topographic maps, and hundreds of options for walks and scenic drives, it provides thorough coverage for independent travelers. With details on wildlife, safety tips and histories of the mines, ranches and ghost towns found throughout the park. (CAL68, $19.95)
Hiking Great Basin National Park  •  Bruce Grubbs GUIDEBOOK •  1998 •  PAPER  • 88 PAGES A brief guide to exploring the high desert, canyons, forests and mountains of Great Basin National Park on the border of Nevada and Utah. With suggested easy and more difficult day hikes and overnight excursions. (SWU184, $9.95)
Home Ground, Language for an American Landscape  •  Barry Lopez NATURAL HISTORY •  2006 •  HARD COVER  • 480 PAGES Barry Lopez (Arctic Dreams) assembles 45 writers known for their intimate connection to place in this annotated glossary of American geography. Each of the 850 entries by Gretel Ehrlich (Wyoming), William Kittredge (Montana) Terry Tempest Williams (Colorado Plateau) and other luminaries deftly sketches a distinctive physical feature from 'a'a (Hawaii's rough lava floes) and aquifer to slot canyon, slough, tableland, wharf and woodlot. With 100 line drawings and quotes for the works of American authors including by Willa Cather, Truman Capote, John Updike, Cormac McCarthy, and others. (USW488, $29.95)
Hopi Basket Weaving, Artistry in Natural Fibers  •  Helga Teiwes ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1996 •  PAPER  • 200 PAGES The beauty of Hopi basket weaving rituals is explored in full detail in this colorful book. 128 photos accompany the text describing the technique of the craft, its transmission across the ages and the ceremonies in which the baskets play an integral part. (SWU128, $22.95)
Hopi Kachina Dolls, With a Key to Their Identification  •  Harold S. Colton REFERENCE •  1979 •  PAPER  • 150 PAGES Over 250 figures are presented in this kachina collector's reference. Colton offers an introduction to the craft as well as tips for identifying your kachina. Color photos and line drawings accompany the descriptions. (SWU124, $18.95)
Hopi Kachinas, The Complete Guide to Collecting Kachina Dolls  •  Barton Wright REFERENCE •  1985 •  PAPER  • 152 PAGES A wealth of information on Kachinas, organized by type. Includes descriptions of 150 dolls accompanied by a buying tips and their significance. (SWU121, $14.95)
The House at Otowi Bridge, The Story of Edith Warner and Los Alamos  •  Peggy Pond Church BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1979 •  PAPER  • 149 PAGES The well told story of Edith Warner, who lived beside the San Ildefonso Pueblo in New Mexico and hobnobbed with the nuclear scientists of Los Alamos at her bridge-side house. (SWU17, $15.95)
House Made of Dawn  •  N. Scott Momaday LITERATURE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 240 PAGES Winner of the 1969 Pulitzer Prize, this novel tells the story of Abel, a young Tano Indian who returns from World War II army service to his home village, Walatowa, only to discover that he has entered a hell between two cultures. (SWU19, $13.00)
How the Canyon Became Grand, A Short History  •  Stephen J. Pyne HISTORY •  1999 •  PAPER  • 199 PAGES From worthless real estate to marvel of nature, the history of the Grand Canyon and our appreciation of the wilderness is documented by environmental historian Stephen J. Pyne. Author of Fire on the Rim, his story of his time as a firefighter at the Grand Canyon, Pyne is an erudite, stimulating author. (USW76, $15.00)
I Am the Grand Canyon, The Story of the Havasupai People  •  Stephen Hirst CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2007 •  PAPER  • 276 PAGES A history and celebration of the 20,000 year history of the Havasupai people, from their arrival in North America to their struggle to regain lands taken from them in the 19th century to their present way of life in and around the Grand Canyon. With 65 color and black-and-white photographs. (SWU227, $18.95)
In a Narrow Grave, Essays on Texas  •  Larry McMurtry CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1989 •  PAPER  • 173 PAGES First published in 1968, this is a wide-ranging collection of essays on the Texan character. McMurtry covers topics such as rural Texas sexual behavior, cowboys, southwestern literature and country music. From the author of "Lonesome Dove." (TEX20, $14.00)
In Search of the Old Ones, Exploring the Anasazi World of the Southwest  •  David D. Roberts ARCHAEOLOGY •  1997 •  PAPER  • 271 PAGES An exuberant, engaging account of archaeological adventures in the desert Southwest. Roberts, a contributing editor at Men's Journal with a fondness for the outdoors, travels throughout the four corners region, talking with the locals and visiting ancient sites. He investigates the factors that may have led to the demise of the Anasazi civilization -- and looks into longstanding controversies such as the reputation of Richard Wetherill, and whether the Anasazi committed acts of cannibalism in warfare. (USW157, $14.00)
Indian Rock Art of the Southwest  •  Polly Schaafsma ARCHAEOLOGY •  1986 •  PAPER  • 379 PAGES A comprehensive, nicely illustrated survey of rock art, cultures context, and range of styles. (SWU136, $39.95)
Indians of the American Southwest  •  Steven Walker CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1994 •  HARD COVER  • 63 PAGES An excellent overview of the Indians of the Southwest, including the Anasazi, Hohokam and Sinagua. (SWU10, $8.95)
Insight Guide National Parks, Western United States  •  Insight Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER  • 413 PAGES A volume in the award-winning Insight series, this guide is noted for its wonderful photography, superb production and informative short essays. It is a thoroughly illustrated, comprehensive guide to the national parks of the western United States, including Arches, Yosemite, Yellowstone, Zion, the Grand Canyon and the Petrified Forest. (USW181, $24.95)
Introduction to Grand Canyon Ecology  •  Rose Houk NATURAL HISTORY •  1980 •  PAPER  • 56 PAGES A short overview published by the Grand Canyon Association. (SWU211, $6.95)
Killing the White Man's Indian, Reinventing Native Americans at the End of the twentieth Century  •  Fergus M. Bordewich CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1997 •  PAPER  • 400 PAGES Journalist and writer Bordewich addresses Native American myths, stereotypes, policies and politics, reservation life and reality in this provocative book based on interviews and field work across America. (USA112, $15.95)
Kingbird Highway, The Story of a Natural Obsession That Got a Little Out of Hand  •  Kenn Kaufman BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2006 •  PAPER  • 336 PAGES Kaufman's absorbing account of coming-of-age as a Wichita teenager on the road in 1973 with a summer's pay in his pocket and the goal of seeing as many birds as he could in a year. He tallied 671, impressive by any account and extraordinary if you count birds per buck. He did it all for $1,000. This cult classic was originally published in 1973. (BRD27, $14.00)
A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains  •  Isabella Bird TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2003 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES Isabella Bird was an inspiring -- and intrepid -- Victorian traveler. This book collects her letters home to her sister Henrietta during travels through the Colorado Rockies in 1873, a side-trip she made on the way home from Hawaii. Henrietta was so entranced by her sister's descriptions of foreign life that she proposed joining her in Hawaii, an offer which prompted Isabella to abandon the islands altogether. Her letters from Colorado are as evocative as those from Hawaii, but something about their content -- one-eyed suitors, hikes to 15,000 feet -- dissuaded Hennie from pressing her case. (USW44, $7.95)
The Land of Little Rain  •  Mary Austin  •  Terry Tempest Williams NATURAL HISTORY •  1997 •  PAPER  • 107 PAGES In this turn-of-the-century desert hymn, Austin -- a writer and naturalist who accompanied her husband on assignment to Death Valley in the 1890s -- finds a vibrant ecosystem where her forbears saw wasteland. An illuminating natural history, this slim book is also a meditation on things spiritual and an activist report on race relations in the desert. Originally published in 1903, this Penguin Nature Classic edition includes an introduction by fellow desert rat Terry Tempest Williams. (CAL66, $13.00)
The Last Cheater's Waltz, Beauty and Violence in the Desert Southwest  •  Ellen Meloy TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES A naturalist's travels through the desert Southwest of her youth, reflecting on native peoples, landscape and ecology. Meloy explores Los Alamos, Trinity National Historic Landmark, and White Sands Missile Range -- including the impact of the laboratory and bomb testing on the environment. (USW292, $16.95)
The Laughing Boy  •  Oliver La Farge LITERATURE •  2004 •  PAPER  • 193 PAGES This Pulitzer Prize-winning 1929 novel sets the love story between Laughing Boy, a proper Navajo youth, and Slim Girl, raised at an Indian school, against the setting of a fast disappearing way of life in the American Southwest. An ethnographer and archaeologist, La Farge captures the flavor of the landscapes and ways of life in Northern Arizona in the early 20th century in this evocative short novel. (USW240, $11.95)
Left Handed, Son of Old Man Hat: A Navajo Autobiography  •  Left Handed  •  Walter Dyk BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1995 •  PAPER  • 379 PAGES An oral history of Left Handed, a Navajo born in the 19th century, who looks back on his life and Navajo customs from the vantage of 1938 as told to Walter Dyk. It's a classic, popular in anthropology