like the other two volumes in this series, christine maxa provides extensive detail about what flowers you will see on a good selection of hikes. in fact, she tells you step by step as you go along the trail what specific flowers you will see and exactly where to look. 75% of the pictures are small flower closeups rather than panoramic pictures of flowers in the larger context of a scenic wildplace (a mild disappointment); but the book clearly represents itself as a wild flower guide so i dont feel mislead. the guide has simple directional hiking maps, good detail about elevation, best season, directions to the trailhead, etc. the production quality is among the highest of any hiking guide book series published- use of high photo grade paperstock and graphic design work make this guide very colorful.

Recommended.

This is an easily readable and well balanced biography of a man whose love of the land where he was born enabled him to guide the development of the state to its economic heights of today. Tthe author is a history professor at Arizona State. He has well researched his material and had access to Goldwater's papers as well. A fine gift for Democrat or Republican or anyone interested in the development of the state.

Falcon Press has produced a number of "Best Easy Day Hikes" guides over the past few years. They usually feature hikes under 8 miles with an emphasis on shorter walks the whole family can enjoy. This guide to Phoenix hiking, however, should perhaps be called "Best Short Hikes" as the trails Green recommends are anything but easy. Quite apart from the weather in Phoenix, which makes hiking anytime from the beginning of May until mid October a real chore, many of these trails are incredibly steep. People used to hiking well graded trails such as the Pacific Crest Trail will be stunned at the number of hikes which gain close to (and in some cases more than) 1000ft/mile. At least a third of the trails described in the book exceed the maximum grade that modern trail designers use. This is at least partly due to the Phoenix Parks department simply picking which of the "use" trails they want to designate as official trails, rather than putting in the expense to build good ones.
That said, this guide is thorough, and it does include a number of hikes which even non-athletes would enjoy. Green's trail descriptions are helpful, especially in light of all the unofficial trails which dart in and about the designated routes of the Phoenix Mountains. Finally, his guide is to be commended for the excellent descriptions of getting to the trailhead. Non-residents wishing to hike in Phoenix will find his directions very easy to follow.
On the whole, a good book for winter conditioning hikes. I visit Phoenix regularly, but would not consider most of these trails in the summer.

The Sonoran Desert is a killing place as a Tucson reporter tries to sort out good and evil. The hero is allegedly based on the persona and not so ficticious reporting experiences of southwestern writer Charles Bowden. Other Tucsonans are easily recognizable making this a real hometown book

Burro Bill and Me, a personal memoir, shows the West in the 1930s just as it was changing from an open territory to the settled land it is now. This very literate, funny, and insightful book is a joy to read. Ms Price gave up a life as a nurse to a millionaire to travel Death Valley, Nevada, and the Arizona Strip behind a burro. The characters she meets come to life in this book; from the old prospectors, Mormon farmers, thieves, and people who would give their last bite of food to a couple of strangers. While the book is difficult to find, it's worth whatever you pay for it.

If you're a Phoenix area resident, you're familiar with the Four Peaks and the Mazatzal Mountains to the east. In the pioneer days of Arizona, Camp Reno was established in the Tonto Basin, as an outpost of Fort McDowell on the Verde River. This book is the story of that short-lived, lonely place, and the Yavapai and Tonto Apaches it was supposed to control.

This is the edited journal of a Yankee soldier in El Paso, Texas and Mesilla, New Mexico during the Civil War. George Hand was literate and this gives the perspective of an enlisted man. This talks of southern sympathizers living in El Paso (Franklin) and across the Rio Grande in Mexico. Good read if you like Primary Source material on the Civil War in the West. Same author as "Whiskey, Six-Guns, and Red Light Ladies." The latter book is Hand's life in Tucson, AZ 1875-1878

I would certainly reccomend this book to anybody considering a move to Arizona. It includes useful employment information for most of the larger cities, tax information, population statistics, and much more.

...because that's what you'll get. I've met John Duncklee and he's a charismatic cowboy who's lived more in his life than three men could fit in their's. His charm and sincerity translates on the page to weave a gripping narative of his experiences and revelations as he struggles to make a fortune doing what he loves, roping and wrangling. While the book is educational and engaging on the subject of ranching, herding, and spotting a cheat, it tends to lose the audience if they're not already absolutely fascinated with those subjects.
No one could write about being a modern cowboy better than John Dunklee, but the reader must be in love with cowboys.

Charlie is my uncle and i grew up hearing these stories. It was so very nice to finally have them in print. Although some of the stories are a little far fetched, they are very entertaining. It's a good book to read to learn about the Prescott area.