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, $16.00)
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)
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)
Ancient Peoples of the American Southwest  •  Stephen Plog  •  Amy Elizabeth Grey CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2008 •  PAPER  • 224 PAGES An illustrated introduction to the people, ancient pueblos and cliff dwellings of the American Southwest, ideal for the traveler with an interest in the prehistory of the region. Organized chronologically, it features hundreds of maps, mostly black-and-white photographs, and site diagrams. (USW131, $24.95)
The Archaeology of Ancient Arizona  •  Stephanie Whittlesey  •  James Jefferson Reid ARCHAEOLOGY •  1997 •  PAPER  • 310 PAGES An archaeological survey of the state. The book follows archaeologists as they trek around the mountains and deserts of Arizona, profiling them as well as describing the knowledge so far unearthed. (SWU36, $17.95)
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 Flipmap  •  Universal Map Enterprises MAP A laminated, fold-up map of Arizona, shown at a scale of 1:2,200,000. It overlaps 65 miles north into Utah, including Bryce, Zion and Monument Valley. (USW211, $4.95)
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)
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)
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 the West, An Anthology of Classic Writing from the American West  •  Tony Hillerman ANTHOLOGY •  1992 •  PAPER  • 528 PAGES A campfire collection of unforgettable portraits of the West, this anthology includes excerpts from diaries, news dispatches, travelogues, novels and short stories, selected and introduced by Tony Hillerman. The anthology, which spans the centuries, is organized thematically, taking in travelers, homesteaders, Navajos, government officials, pioneers and authors as diverse as Edward Abbey, Meriwether Lewis, Frank Waters and John Steinbeck. (USW87, $18.00)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
Christopher Columbus and the Conquest of Paradise  •  Kirkpatrick Sale EXPLORATION •  2006 •  PAPER  • 464 PAGES A new edition of this wide-ranging and lucid portrait of the man and the legends surrounding him, originally published in 1990. Columbus is no hero in Kirkpatrick Sale's view but rather a sea-faring adventurer in search of glory, gold and god. (USA134, $15.95)
Colorado Plateau Canyonlands Map  •  Hildebrand MAP A detailed shaded relief map (scale 1:700,000) of the Southern Rockies, including Bryce Canyon, Zion, the Grand Canyon and New Mexico. Features railroad routes. (USW05, $11.95)
The Colorado Plateau Map  •  Time Traveler Maps MAP A very good shaded relief map of the Colorado Plateau, at a scale of 1:1,300,000. 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 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 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)
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)
Crucible for Conservation, The Struggle for Grand Teton National Park  •  Robert W. Righter HISTORY •  1982 •  PAPER  • 200 PAGES A history of the establishment of Grand Teton National Park, taking into account the numerous disputes involving entrepreneurs (most notably John D. Rockefeller, Jr.), conservationists, government officials and local ranchers. (USW307, $8.95)
Death Comes for the Archbishop  •  Willa Cather LITERATURE •  1990 •  PAPER  • 297 PAGES Based in part on the life of Bishop Jean Baptiste L'Amy, this classic novel of missionary life in New Mexico is rich in the texture of Old Santa Fe and New Mexican landscapes. Bishop L'Amy and Father Machebeut struggle to establish their church in the wilderness. (USW79, $11.95)
The Delight Makers  •  Adolph Francis Alphonse Bandelier LITERATURE •  1971 •  PAPER  • 490 PAGES First published in 1890, this novel by the pioneering archaeologist is a fictionalized reconstruction of prehistoric Indian life in the Four Corners area. Bandelier evokes not only the manner and customs and way of life of the Pueblo people but also the landscape and geography of the region. (SWU20, $16.00)
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 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)
Discovering the Desert, Legacy of the Carnegie Desert Botanical Laboratory  •  William McGinnies BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1982 •  PAPER  • 276 PAGES A history of Sonoran desert research, this book is an engaging survey of the geography, ecology and climate of desert life in the American Southwest -- and especially of the pioneering work conducted at the Carnegie Desert Botanical Laboratory. With maps, diagrams and black-and-white photos. (USW103, $11.95)
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)
Enterprising Women, 250 Years of American Business  •  Virginia Drachman HISTORY •  2002 •  HARD COVER  • 208 PAGES Drachman profiles the most important women in American industry, spanning the period from colonial times through the 20th century. Lesser-known entrepreneurs are here, as well as Mary Katherine Goddard, who published the first signed copy of the Declaration of Independence; Madame C.J. Walker, the daughter of former slaves whose hair-care products were the ticket to a better life; and Hazel Bishop, the inventor of "kissable lipstick." (GEN317, $39.95)
A Field Guide to Western Reptiles and Amphibians  •  Robert Stebbins FIELD GUIDE •  2003 •  PAPER  • 533 PAGES This field guide covers reptiles and amphibians found from Northern Mexico to Alberta. With the variety of chuckwallas, whiptails and other localized lizards and snakes in Baja California, it is an indispensable guide to that region. Baja endemics are featured on four of the book's 56 plates. P.S. It's true that Santa Catalina Island has a rattleless rattlesnake -- although it's retiring and hard to see. With color photographs, newly revised range maps and very good descriptive information. (FG08, $22.00)
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)
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)
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)
Gilead  •  Marilynne Robinson LITERATURE •  2005 •  PAPER  • 240 PAGES This long-awaited second novel by the author of Marilynne Robinson follows the fate of an Iowa minister. She weaves a fictional history of Kansas during the years of abolition. Winner of the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. (USW441, $14.00)
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)
The Grand Canyon Handbook, An Insider's Guide to the Park  •  Susan Frank  •  Phil Frank GUIDEBOOK •  2000 •  PAPER  • 232 PAGES A charming guidebook to the Grand Canyon as presented by Ranger Jack, featuring practical travel information, along with historical and cultural background and a section dedicated to wildlife and ecology. Cartoonist Phil Frank provides the maps and illustrations. With black-and-white photographs. (SWU161, $14.95)
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)
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)
Hear That Lonesome Whistle Blow: Railroads in the West  •  Dee Brown HISTORY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 311 PAGES From Rock Island to the Pacific, this is a history of the transcontinental railroad --- and the conquering of the West. By the author of Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, it's a spirited anecdotal history strong on personality and incident. (USW04, $15.00)
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)
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)
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)
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 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)
Journey to the High Southwest  •  Robert Casey GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER  • 578 PAGES An outstanding guide, featuring first-hand observations and step-by-step narrative accounts of travel by auto, raft, or foot throughout the Four Corners, including the Lowry Pueblo Ruins, Canyonlands, Monument Valley and Taos. With an extensive overview of the history and culture of native cultures. Eighth edition. (USW08, $19.95)
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 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, $10.95)
The Magnificent Mountain Women, Adventures in the Colorado Rockies  •  Janet Robertson BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1991 •  PAPER  • 220 PAGES For this satisfying history Robertson gathers excerpts from the journals and letters of Colorado's pioneering explorers, sportswomen, lady botanists and modern climbers, quite a colorful group. She leads off with suffragist Julia Archibald Holmes, the first woman to climb Pikes Peak in 1858. With a marvelous 54-page selection of archival photos and maps. (USW199, $15.95)
Mammals of North America  •  Roland W. Kays  •  Don E. Wilson FIELD GUIDE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 240 PAGES A comprehensive guide by two noted mammalogists and featuring 108 color plates, illustrating 442 species. Range maps and descriptive text on ecology, habitat and behavior complement the wonderful paintings. (NAM11, $19.95)
The Man Who Killed the Deer  •  Frank Waters LITERATURE •  1942 •  PAPER  • 266 PAGES A heartfelt tale of a Pueblo Indian in New Mexico by Frank Waters, who wrote two dozen books of fiction and non-fiction set in the Southwest. Waters captures the difficult position of his protagonist Martiniano, straddled between his tribe and white society. It's an award-winning exploration of cultural conflicts and the human condition, rich in details of daily life. (USW265, $11.95)
Mojave National Preserve Map  •  Trails Illustrated MAP A detailed map of Mojave National Preserve, at a scale of 1:125,000. Features very good topographical relief. (USW250, $11.95)
Mormon Country  •  Wallace Stegner HISTORY •  2003 •  PAPER  • 362 PAGES The story of Brigham Young and the Mormon settlement of Utah. Originally published in 1942. This edition has a new introduction by Richard W. Etulain. (USW38, $17.95)
National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Southwestern States: Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah  •  Peter Alden FIELD GUIDE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 448 PAGES A compact photographic guide to the wildflowers, trees, mosses, butterflies, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals of the American Southwest. Apart from its 1,300 photographs, the book also includes an overview of the ecology and habitats of the region and a list of parks and reserves. (SWU14, $19.95)
National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America  •  National Geographic FIELD GUIDE •  2006 •  PAPER  • 502 PAGES From Alaska to Baja California, this field guide published by the National Geographic Society, now in its fifth edition (with tabs!), is the one to carry. Practical to use in the field, it has maps, illustrations and descriptions of the birds on facing pages. The scale of the maps changes with the range of the bird, which means you get a more detailed regional map for those birds with a restricted range. This fully revised fifth edition features nearly 700 color range maps, bigger and better than ever. (FG09, $24.00)
National Geographic Guide to the National Parks of the United States  •  National Geographic GUIDEBOOK •  2006 •  PAPER  • 384 PAGES A compact, informative profile of 58 national parks throughout the United States with good maps and 450 color photographs. Fifth edition. (USA35, $25.00)
National Geographic United States Atlas for Young Explorers  •  National Geographic REFERENCE •  2008 •  HARD COVER  • 192 PAGES • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12) This colorful guide is chock full of readable information for kids. With color-coded maps of each state and region of the U.S., tables and statistics, and 250 photographs, drawings, charts and graphs, this is an ideal atlas for young travelers. (USA93, $24.95)
Native Universe, Voices of Indian America  •  Clifford E. Trafzer ANTHOLOGY •  2004 •  HARD COVER  • 320 PAGES This anthology of personal and historical essays, as well as over 300 color illustrations of Native American art, is being published to accompany the opening of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C. It includes selections from several modern Native American writers, including Louise Erdrich and Sherman Alexie. (USA95, $40.00)
A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert  •  Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum NATURAL HISTORY •  1999 •  PAPER  • 650 PAGES Written with the general reader in mind, the many contributors to this book cover the ecology, flora and fauna of the Sonora in dozens of short articles. Written by the staff of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, it's an encyclopedic, overview of the region and its biodiversity. The book includes 35 color illustrations, 25 black and white photographs, and 450 line drawings useful for identification. (BJA26, $31.95)
A Natural State, Essays on Texas  •  Stephen Harrigan NATURAL HISTORY •  1994 •  PAPER  • 199 PAGES An excellent collection of essays evoking the natural environment of Texas. Harrigan, a longtime contributor at the Texas Monthly, offers a close observation of man's interaction with nature. (TEX23, $14.95)
North Central New Mexico Map  •  High Highroad Maps MAP A map of North Central New Mexico at a scale of 1:500,000, covering Santa Fe, Taos, Albuquerque, Ghost Ranch, Bandelier, Las Vegas and Chimayo. (USW125, $3.95)
Northeastern Utah Map  •  Utah Travel Council MAP A map of northeastern Utah, containing Salt Lake City, the Green River and Wasatch National Forest, at a scale of 1:357,000. (USW353, $4.95)
Our National Parks  •  John Muir  •  Richard F. Fleck NATURAL HISTORY •  1994 •  PAPER  • 370 PAGES A collection of ten essays on the national parks of the west, including Yosemite, Yellowstone, Sequoia and General Grant. Six of the ten chapters are devoted to Yosemite National Park. Originally published in 1901. (USW272, $26.95)
Out of Work, A History of Wage-Earning Women in the United States (20th Anniversary Edition)  •  Alice Kessler-Harris HISTORY •  2003 •  PAPER  • 432 PAGES A historical examination of the changing role of women in the workplace in the United States. Kessler-Harris focuses on class, race and ethnicity, the relationship with men in the workforce with respect to gender inequalities, and the transformation of the perceived role of women in society, from mothers and homemakers to wage laborers. With a new Afterward by the author for the 20th anniversary edition. (GEN318, $24.95)
Pages of Stone: Geology of Western National Parks and Monuments, Grand Canyon and the Plateau Country  •  Halka Chronic NATURAL HISTORY •  2004 •  PAPER  • 158 PAGES An informative guide to the geology of the Colorado Plateau, some of the most ruggedly beautiful land in the southwest. The book, an oversized paperback, is organized geographically by park or monument, including several pages each on Arches, Canyonlands, Chaco, Grand Canyon, Mesa Verde, Zion and other natural areas. With mostly black-and-white photographs, maps, diagrams and glossary. (USW380, $16.95)
Patterns of Culture  •  Ruth Benedict  •  Margaret Mead CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2006 •  PAPER  • 290 PAGES Essential reading for any anthropologist, this pioneering book compares and contrasts three cultures: the Kwakiutl (Pacific Northwest), Zuni (American Southwest) and the Dobu Island culture (Papua New Guinea). With a preface by Margaret Mead. (PNG10, $15.00)
People of the Red Earth, Native Americans of Colorado  •  Sally Crum CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1996 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES The history cultures, agricultural methods, and other characteristics of Colorado's native inhabitants. (USW381, $19.95)
Poet of the Appetites, The Lives and Loves of M.F.K. Fisher  •  Joan Reardon BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2005 •  PAPER  • 544 PAGES "When I write of hunger," MFK Fisher said in 1990, "I am really writing about love and the hunger for it, and warmth and the love of it and the hunger for it." Fisher chronicled her love for food and travel in more than 30 books over 50 years. Reardon researched Fisher's personal letters and interviewed family and friends to create this biography of the woman who John Updike called the "poet of the appetites." (GEN316, $15.00)
Preserving Nature in the National Parks, A History  •  Richard West Sellars NATURAL HISTORY •  1999 •  PAPER  • 416 PAGES A history of the National Park Service. Sellars presents an academic critique of the National Park bureaucracy and its failure to address good science in making public policy. (USA12, $22.00)
Pueblo Indians of North America  •  Edward P. Dozier CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1983 •  PAPER  • 224 PAGES Having spent his life among the Pueblos in Hopi towns in Arizona and Taos settlements in New Mexico, Dozier writes the story of their adaptation to a changing physical and political environment in this scholarly profile. (USW234, $19.95)
Pueblo Profiles, Cultural Identity Through Centuries of Change  •  Joe S. Sando  •  Regis Pecos HISTORY •  1998 •  PAPER  • 296 PAGES • HARD TO FIND ELSEWHERE A history of the origin and development of the 19 Pueblo Nations, which are scattered across northern New Mexico from Gallup and Taos to Albuquerque. Sando includes profiles of key pueblo leaders, maps and many black-and-white photographs. (USW238, $14.95)
The Race to Save the Lord God Bird  •  Phillip Hoose NATURAL HISTORY •  2004 •  HARD COVER  • 208 PAGES • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12) An engaging and well-researched history of the ivory-billed woodpecker, and the struggles surrounding its survival. It's a suspenseful and entertaining book about modern conservation and environmental issues for middle-school readers, featuring John James Audubon and others. The bird, only recently rediscovered, once ranged across the southeastern United States. With black-and-white photographs throughout. (BRD30, $21.00)
The Redrock Chronicles, Saving Wild Utah  •  T. H. Watkins NATURAL HISTORY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 176 PAGES A natural and human history of the Colorado Plateau, and most specifically southern Utah, illustrated with photographs. Watkins, a professor and frequent traveler in the Southwest, explores the complex geology, human settlement and modern issues concerning the region. Enchanted by the beauty of the area, he also makes a genuine plea for conservation. (USW267, $29.95)
Remember D-Day, Both Sides Tell Their Stories  •  Ronald J. Drez  •  David Eisenhower HISTORY •  2004 •  HARD COVER  • 64 PAGES • YOUNG ADULTS An engaging and well-constructed history of the D-Day invasion for readers in grades 5 to 8, complete with anecdotes from soldiers, black-and-white photographs, plenty of historical information, and an introduction by David Eisenhower which paints a personal portrait of his grandfather, Dwight. (USA96, $17.95)
Return to Wild America, A Yearlong Search for the Continent's Natural Soul  •  Scott Weidensaul NATURAL HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 416 PAGES Weidensaul follows in the footsteps conservation pioneers Roger Tory Peterson and James Fisher in this homage to their 1953 journey, modern travelogue and eye-opening report on wilderness in America. (USA123, $15.00)
Rising from the Plains  •  John McPhee NATURAL HISTORY •  1986 •  PAPER  • 213 PAGES Few nature writers are as vivid or compelling as John McPhee. A great storyteller and reporter, here he profiles U.S. Geological Survey scientist David Love while simultaneously writing a sophisticated, elegant and accessible description of the geology of Wyoming and, by extension, the northern Rockies. (USW18, $15.00)
Sacred Objects and Sacred Places, Preserving Tribal Traditions  •  Andrew Gulliford ARCHAEOLOGY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 328 PAGES From the director of the Center of Southwest Studies at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado comes this scholarly study of the preservation of Native American artifacts and sites. It is the first national book on tribal historic preservation and includes maps, illustrations and an extensive bibliography. (USW269, $34.95)
The Sagebrush Ocean, a Natural History of the Great Basin  •  Jennifer Dewey  •  Stephen Trimble NATURAL HISTORY •  1999 •  PAPER  • 136 PAGES A classic natural history of the Great Basin, the huge temperate desert which stretches between the Rockies and the Sierra Nevada. Organized by habitat, Trimble evokes the mystery, beauty, geology, and life of the region. With a map, 44 color, and 92 black-and-white photos. Published here in a 10th anniversary edition. (USW365, $39.95)
Santa Fe Indian Market, Showcase of Native American Art  •  Bruce Bernstein  •  Mark Nohl ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1993 •  HARD COVER  • 224 PAGES A celebration of Santa Fe's most famous traditions, the annual Indian Market, with 400 color photographs. With text by Smithsonian anthropologist Bruce Bernstein. (USW230, $34.95)
Santa Fe, History of an Ancient City  •  David Grant Noble HISTORY •  2008 •  PAPER  • 155 PAGES A history of Santa Fe to the mid-nineteenth century, featuring essays by ten scholars and hundreds of archival photographs, drawings and maps. (SWU15, $19.95)
Scats and Tracks of the Desert Southwest  •  James Halfpenny  •  Todd Telander FIELD GUIDE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 176 PAGES An essential pocket guide to tracks, scats and signs of not just the mammals of the region but also the reptiles, amphibians and birds. Each of the species gets a double-page spread with line drawings of the animal, scat and track, range map, and description. With shaded pencil drawings by Todd Telander. (SWU61, $9.95)
The Southwest Inside Out, An Illustrated Guide to the Land and its History  •  Thomas Wiewandt  •  Maureen Wilks GUIDEBOOK •  2004 •  FLEXI-BOUND  • 208 PAGES An excellent oversize, illustrated guide to the Southwest for anyone with an interest in the geology, minerals, landforms and geography of the region. The book features a handsome selection of color photographs by the author. Rather than focus on specific locales, it gives illustrative examples of landscapes modified by volcanism, wind and water. With a pull-out full color map of the region, photographic tips, and annotated list of parks. (USW345, $24.95)
Southwestern Homelands  •  William Kittredge TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2002 •  HARD COVER  • 176 PAGES A lyrical meditation on the land, geography and personality of the American Southwest by William Kittredge (who makes his home -- and his written extensively -- in the northern rockies). A volume in National Geographic Directions, a series of small books by famous authors on favorite places. (SWU78, $20.00)
Southwestern Utah Map  •  Utah Travel Council MAP A map of southwestern Utah at a scale of 1:375,000, covering Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon. (USW124, $4.95)
The Spanish Frontier in North America  •  David Weber HISTORY •  1994 •  PAPER  • 579 PAGES Here's the definitive history of the Spanish colonial period in America, from the settlement of St. Augustine in Florida to the missions of New Mexico. This splendid volume provides an understanding and appreciation of this 500-year-old cultural legacy -- and the role it has played in the American experience. Weber interweaves Spanish colonial, Native American and "Anglo" history in this fascinating account of what was once a "Spanish" frontier. (NAM01, $28.00)
The Spell of New Mexico  •  Tony Hillerman ANTHOLOGY •  1984 •  PAPER  • 105 PAGES A selection of 12 thoughtful essays on the New Mexico state of mind by great writers, including C.G. Jung, Mary Austin, D.H. Lawrence and Lawrence Clark Powell. Hillerman succeeds in communicating the lure of the desert Southwest in this wonderful, literate introduction to the state. (USW134, $14.95)
Stolen Continents, 500 Years of Conquest and Resistance in the Americas  •  Ronald Wright HISTORY •  2004 •  PAPER  • 464 PAGES A powerful history of imperialism and resistance in the Americas, with a focus on the Aztec, Maya, Inca, Cherokee and Iroquois. Wright's illuminating account, told largely from the point of view of the losers, details the rapid collapse of cultures and societies in the Americas following the arrival of the Europeans in 1492. Wright draws on an impressive range of archival material in reconstructing this classic account, originally published in 1993. Wright is also the author of Time Among the Maya. (NAM20, $17.00)
A Symbol of Wilderness, Echo Park and the American Conservation Movement  •  Mark W.T. Harvey NATURAL HISTORY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 400 PAGES The classic story of the hard-fought battle in the 1950s to prevent the government from damming Utah's Green River, which would have flooded the Green River Valley and threatened Dinosaur National Park. A "Weyerhaeuser Environmental Classics." (USW352, $19.95)
Talking With the Clay, The Art of Pueblo Pottery  •  Stephen Trimble  •  Tom Ireland ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1987 •  PAPER  • 116 PAGES A portrait of the Pueblo people as revealed through pottery traditions. With 75 photographs and insightful text. (USW235, $17.95)
To See Every Bird On Earth: A Father, A Son, And A Lifelong Obsession  •  Dan Koeppel NATURAL HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 304 PAGES Ostensibly about birds and birdwatching, this enormously appealing book is a memoir by a talented writer of his father, a father who happens to be in the elite cadre of major birders. Dan Koeppel chronicles his father's growing interest in birds in this enormously appealing memoir of a life devoted to birds. Richard is a member of an elite group who have tallied more than 7,000 species. Koeppel includes his own travels tagging along and brief profiles of other eccentric listers. (BRD28, $14.00)
Trains of Discovery, Western Railroads and the National Parks/Collector's Guide  •  Alfred Runte HISTORY •  1998 •  PAPER  • 128 PAGES A celebration of the romance of rail travel, this book features wonderful period advertisements, archival and modern photographs, showing how the railroad contributed to the development of the National Park System. An illustrated tribute to American railroads and national parks, featuring period advertisements, posters and memorabilia of Glacier, Grand Canyon and Denali National Parks. (USW56, $19.95)
Travelers Guide to the Geology of the Colorado Plateau  •  Donald L. Baars NATURAL HISTORY •  2002 •  PAPER  • 296 PAGES An outstanding survey of geology of the canyonlands of the four corners region. Baars, a professor of geology and guide, includes a geologic account of a rafting trip down the Grand Canyon. (SWU32, $25.00)
Tucson Southeast Arizona Map  •  North Star Maps MAP A map of Southeast Arizona covering Saguaro National Park, Tucson and the Chiricahua Mountains. (USW123, $3.95)
USA Southwest, Southern Rockies Map  •  Hallwag MAP A map of the Southwestern United States at a scale of 1:1,200,000 with roads, parks and topography. (SWU21, $12.95)
Utopian Vistas, The Mabel Dodge Luhan House and the American Counterculture  •  Lois Palken Rudnick HISTORY •  1996 •  PAPER  • 401 PAGES A cultural history of the Mabel Dodge House -- and the community of avant-guard painters, writers and intellectuals who have visited over the years. Designated a national historic landmark in 1991, the house is today a center for alternative education. Since its origins in 1918, the house has provided shelter to some of America's most influential writers, photographers, painters, and choreographers. Rudnick has also writen a biography of Mabel Dodge. (SWU30, $22.95)
The Verb to Bird, Sightings of an Avid Birder  •  Peter Cashwell NATURAL HISTORY •  2003 •  PAPER  • 269 PAGES A memoir of the birding life, its pleasures, obsessions and pitfalls. Based in the Carolinas (where he teaches English), Cashwell recounts in these essays the birds he's encountered, the why and wherefores of the birding life and some very entertaining anecdotes. Along the way, Cashwell traces his own development from casual novice to life lister (with a desire to see all the birds of North America). (BRD26, $14.95)
The Walker's Literary Companion  •  Robert Gilbert  •  Anne Wallace  •  Jeffrey Robinson ANTHOLOGY •  2000 •  HARD COVER  • 352 PAGES A diverse sampling of literature on the pleasures of walking, representing philosophers, naturalists, outcasts, athletes and intellectuals from Plato to Frank O'Hara. (WLK08, $24.00)
Walking  •  Henry David Thoreau REFERENCE •  1994 •  PAPER  • 92 PAGES You may want to carry this small volume in your daypack for inspiration. In it, Thoreau offers his meditations on the spiritual benefits of this most civilized form of travel. (WLK04, $9.95)
Wild Plants of the Pueblo Province, Exploring Ancient and Enduring Uses  •  William Dunmire  •  Gail Tierney FIELD GUIDE •  1995 •  PAPER  • 304 PAGES A plant ecologist and an anthropologist teamed up to write this accessible guide to the diverse plant communities of the Pueblo people, a rich source of information on the plants and human ecology of the high deserts and mountains of New Mexico and surrounding regions. With a laminated paper cover and sturdy spine, this book is meant to be taken in the field. With color landscape photos and individual drawings of 60 important plants. (USW09, $22.50)
Windows into the Earth, The Geologic Story of Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks  •  Robert B. Smith  •  Lee J. Siegel NATURAL HISTORY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 240 PAGES A well-illustrated, lively geologic history and tour of the northern Rockies, particularly Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. With 50 color photographs, suggested geologic points of interest and an outstanding, crystal-clear overview of the geologic formation of the region. (USW356, $29.95)
Wisdom of the Elders, Sacred Native Stories of Nature  •  David Suzuki NATURAL HISTORY •  1993 •  PAPER  • 274 PAGES A global look at the relationship of people and nature. Organized thematically, each vignette juxtaposes western and native perspectives on ecology, land use and spirituality. It includes traditional tales of the Sioux, Hopi, and Navajo peoples. (GEN156, $19.00)
The Yellowstone Story, A History of Our First National Park, Volume 1  •  Aubrey L. Haines HISTORY •  1996 •  PAPER The first entry in a two volume history of the park, covering prehistoric times through early exploration and on to the late 19th century. Volume two is also available (USW384). (USW383, $22.95)
The Yellowstone Story, A History of Our First National Park, Volume 2  •  Aubrey L. Haines HISTORY •  1996 •  PAPER The second entry in a two volume history of the park, covering from the late 19th century to today, with information on the military management of the park and it's present state as one of the most visited destinations in our National Park Service. Volume one is also available (USW383). (USW384, $24.95)