I am going to visit Santa Fe for a few days and to do a job interview there. I wanted a book that would give me all the information I needed about Santa Fe and the surroundings so that I could come up with a list of places I wanted to visit, restaurants I wanted to eat at, and so on. I definitely recommend this book for those who want to be able to have a clear picture of where they want to go once they reach Santa Fe!

I love Santa Fe and have been there numerous times. I'm always looking for new aspects of the city to see. I like this guide book because it is not mearly a list of places to stay and eat. I agree with the places recommended as some of the highlights of the city. I look forward to my next trip to enjoy some of the new things I've read to do in Santa Fe and the surrounding areas.

We just got back from Santa Fe. This book was wonderful! It has history, what to see (museums, ruins, architecture), where to eat (an interesting list -- we didn't particularly use it because we had personal referrals). It had great tips -- like buy the 5-museum pass for slightly more than a one-museum, one-day pass. I was very pleased I'd read it BEFORE I went and it was very useful while we were there.

This incredibly detailed and cross-referenced "handbook" is also a fine "literary work"that will delight anyone from novice to active archaeologist. Vivian's lifelong professional involvement with Chaco and Hilpert's facile expertise for public information clarity have made a perfect merger of technical information and spellbinding narrative. Add in wonderful illustrations (many of Vivian's photos and drawings) and time lines and charts, and you have everything one needs to understand, and better yet, REMEMBER AND TRACE, up-to-date info on Chaco. This really goes into the heart of the entire realm of SW PreHistory even beyond Chaco culture. As an active "amateur", I use the gloriously wide margins to record notes from all the good references the book provides on Chaco. Others of less intense interest in Chaco have found gift copies especially rewarding: my son's wife has seen only Mesa Verde, yet she found that this book explained general Anasazi life "at last" in a clear and direct manner; my sister fell in love with the Hopi culture on a visit to the 3 Mesas, and she now feels informed "about the whole idea of the Prehistory of the area" (Hopi and Zuni have their own topics in the book); and my 94 yr old Aunt was here in the 50's and loves SW PreHistory -- but now is quite blind -- so her daughter reads from this handbook to UPDATE her on the whole info range and latest Theory base of the Anasazi/Chaco world. She says the narrative is SO EASY TO UNDERSTAND that she can "build the pictures in her mind". We have been given a fine gift from Vivian and Hilpert. AND CHECK OUT VIVIAN'S LATEST BOOK FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. It includes -- for young people and adults-- a charming personal history on Gwinn Vivian.

Chaco Canyon, site of one of the most remarkable civilizations in North America prior to the European invasion, has long been the subject of speculation, fantasy and intense scientific exploration and study.

The mystery of its origins may never be unraveled, which is perhaps the enduring lure of the Chaco Phenomenon. Visit the ruins of an English castle, or a coastal monastery destroyed by Vikings, and the origins and fate are readily available. At Chaco, the Great Houses built from about 850 AD to 11 AD were the highest stone structures built in the Americas until at least the 18th century.

For Navajos and New Agers, like the English of 850 AD when called on to explain Roman ruins, the structures were built by gods. The reality is more prosaic, Chaco was built by the ancestors of today's pueblo Indians. The mystery is "Why ?"

The Chaco Handbook doesn't attempt to solve the mystery. Instead, it provides a concise handbook of Chacoan studies, illustrated with more than 100 maps, drawings and photos, plus definitions of 250 of the common terms relating to more than a century of exploration and investigations. On the basis of my personal visits beginning in the 1960s, it is the best single volume introduction available to explain Chaco.

It's up-to-date, covering some of the latest original and provocative work by longtime professionals such as Thomas Windes and Steve Lekson. It also mildly debunks the sensationalism of Christy Turner who caused a brief flurry of revulsion with his suggestion it was an ancient pueblo cannibalism center.

It's a handy reference for anyone who has visited, an invaluable resource for anyone who plans to visit and a perfect introduction even for those unable to visit. Instead of the usual detailed archaeological minutiae, "The Chaco Handbook" is ideal for average readers. Written by two consummate experts with decades of professional experience, it is an excellent introduction to visiting and thinking about Chaco.

After reading this book, dozens of other books are available which range from professional reports and analysis of excavated sites to esoteric speculation that varies from Aztec warlords to visitors from outer space. Once again, based on personal experience, this book is the next best thing to living there for several months.

Care for some speculation ? Chaco was abandoned after 1100 AD when the Southwest was hit by a decades-long drought; I've studied quality reports of Chaco groundwater which is laced with high levels of natural pollution that can cause mental retardation. The decline roughly coincides with the introduction of the Kachina religion, still a vital part of Zuni and Hopi societies -- two good reasons to start over someplace else.

When we consider why people do things -- such as build Chaco in the first place, or abandon it after 250 years -- we're looking at some fundamental ideas about the origins and fate of societies. Why migrate to Chaco and build Great Houses ? Look at it this way -- Why should Europeans migrate to America and build a Great Society ? Chaco is a metaphor for our world.

This is the fun of studying and speculating about Chaco, a rich and materialistic society that offered far more than a marginal or subsistence life. The Chaco Phenomenon was a vast construction project lasting hundreds of years, with a profound impact on the regional ecology. It leaves the enduring question, "What inspired these Pueblo Ancestors to such greatness ?"

Granted, this book doesn't delve into such idle and sometimes amusing speculation. But, it offers a concise and comprehensive background for those who ponder such issues, and I recommend it as the best introduction available. It's part of the charm of studying Chaco, the temptation (by amateurs at least) to combine facts with "What if ?" speculation.

"The Chaco Handbook" is the best introduction you will get.

Superb handbook for two reasons: it covers just about everything you could ever think of regarding the wonders and mysteries of Chaco Canyon -- from "Abandonment" to "Zuni Spotted Chert." But best, each entry is linked and cross-referenced to other entries that further explain a concept, and then, further explain THAT concept. And so on.

Example: If you look up PUEBLO BONITO, before you know it, you've learned what a GREAT HOUSE is, why they call it DOWNTOWN CHACO, how TOM WINDES used DENDROCHRONOLOGY on core samples from wood beams to identify the building's construction dates, the mystery of those Chacoan ROADS that went to OUTLIER communities -- and you haven't even taken your second sip of coffee. This makes it extremely useful for a wide range of readers, from a first time visitor, to someone doing serious research in the field.

My two favorite Chaco books are CHACO HANDBOOK (Vivian & Hilpert) and NEW LIGHT ON CHACO CANYON (Noble). Both of them get to the basic necessary facts, and the controversial theories, quickly. This handbook has lots of information in one tidy place.

first read this in 1979-80. truly an experience that stays with you. only one other book has had a lasting effect on the depths of my being: robert pirsigs'zen & the art of motorcycle maintanence'. every 'man' needs to explore Frank Waters gift. every 'man' needs to give this to his 'son'.

It helps to have visited the village of Taos to appreciate this novel dealing with the tribes sacred Blue Lake and metaphysical power. Given the circumstances of the plot, its unfolding has intense meaning to all who seek their souls true identy. The narrative insidiously leads from one attitude to another, from what was learned to what is felt. Going "back to the blanket" is an imperceptible reunion with the customs of the past that moves man to become what he really is and/or wants to be. The beauty of the idea can affect deeply readers searching for their own unincumbered identity and peace.

This is a subtle, poignant novel which explores cultural conflicts and personal struggles for identity and interbeing. It concludes with an awareness of the inevitable oneness of all people within the rhythms of the earth. The novel made me contemplate my own values and relationships. It moved me to tears and quiet joy. It gave me a strong sense of my place as a human being in the web of life. I did not want the book to end. Martiniano, the man who killed the deer, is a vivd, honest character who will remain in my mind

I enjoyed both the art work and the text in this short but well-written book. It certainly gives an outsider real information about the lives of Indians living on the reservation today. MS Hotvedt is able to convey in her block prints something of what the dances and traditions must mean to these people. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in contemporary Indian life.

These wonderful woodcuts and related text take the reader into a world vastly different from mainstream culture. The images are taken from Kris Hotvedt's own experiences as she partakes in Pueblo and Navajo life. Owning several of the actual color woodcuts depicted in the book has given our family great pleasure. We especially love "The Coming of the Rivermen" (Cochiti Pueblo), a tradition not observed in any other New Mexico pueblo. This book is a highly recommended look at Pueblo and Navajo traditons as they are still practiced today.

A wonderful little book featuring original woodcuts, by the author, along with informative text explaining each illustration.

One greatly appealing aspect of this book is its simplistic depiction of Pueblo and Navajo life. It is an ideal learning tool for adults and children alike.

include Mexican revolution history as their history? I just started laughing. I said, ay mami! I said, do you consider me Mexican, she said yes, i said do you consider me American, she said yes, I said, do you consider me both, and she said yes, and I said, then both histories are part of my history, except that my history is different that just american history, so this book shows in pictures people I need to learn about, and stories I need to hear. She said, ok mija.... but anyway, this book is great. An old High School Teacher from El Cajon High School in San Bernardino teaches his spanish class with this book. It was $25 dollars back then, but this book is wonderful. It teaches us how we learn most easliy. I mean, most people like me who come from indigenous backgrounds learn orally and visually their traditions, and this book helped me learn about my history visually and literally too because it is bilingual. It has great poems from I am Joaquin to excerpts from Gloria Anzaldua, and of course all your favorite farm labor activists, and chicano activists from the 70's. I love this book. Its definately a must buy for all chicanos who want to teach their kids about their history. z

This book was very eye opening, it opens the minds of people to ideas that are not in the our American "HISTORY" books. Besides reading about the struggles that Chicanos faced, it also has pictures (to visualize). The book is not only informative but empowering. Anyone working for Justice should read this book, because it encourages the reader to fight the fight.

This book has tons of color and B&W pictures and some of the best pictures of the southwest ruins you are ever going to find. It also has numerous site maps illustrating the ruins and their vicinity. The pictures are not just your everyday tourbook photos. They are spectacular. The author mixes numerous aerial shots that show you overviews of the sites and mixes in a generous amount of detail shots to help you see what the sites look like when you are there. There are also sketches and conceptual drawings which tell about the history. Just because there are a lot of photos, do not think the text is lacking. The book has all you would ever need to know about the sites including history, archeological finds etc. It accomplishes this amazingly enough without boring the reader. The most important thing about this book is that it is comprehensive. An example is its description of Mesa Verde park which is 44 pages of text and pictures. The section includes a detailed description of the stops you can make off ruins road as well as maps and pictures of sites you can't even access. Overall, this is the book you want to have when you plan your trip and the one you want on your coffee table to show your friends and family where you have been. A must have for anyone fascinated by the Anasazi culture.

I have found this to be an excellent resource for finding sites of interest and a faithfull companion for exploring the site once I have arrived. The information provides a nice addition to any anasazi library

The Kokopelli Theory held me in suspense from the first page to the last. This was by far the best medical thriller I have read to date. I found the characters to be captivating, the plot fast-paced, and the topic horrifyingly realistic! I highly recommend this book.

A fantastic book that would make an awesome movie. I couldn't put it down. A suspence thriller with a real life thread that anyone could imagine. This was the first book that I've read in a long time that captivated me. I eagerly await Mr. Correa's next edition.

This book was a real "page turner" . There were many loose ends which tied together in a very entertaining way. It had me guessing and guessing how it would all come together. A very easy and enjoyable read. this book has "Movie" possiblities.

The Chaco Meridian is strictly for those already familiar with studies and locations in Southwestern archaeology. The author's theory about a common meridian linking Chaco and Aztec (N.M.) and Casas Grandes (Mexico) is interesting and well-argued, but far-fetched.
The book is cluttered with hundreds of references placed in middle of the text, which make for choppy reading. Many of the references are to Dr. Lekson's own work.
Four Corners archaeology has been studied by many, many scientists for many, many years. The result is a cloud of literature which turns over stone after stone; potsherd after potsherd, attempting to justify the cost of each new study. There is lots of dust, not much pure light.
Dr. Lekson raises more dust, pointing out the coincidence of three major sites on (almost) the same meridian. Hundreds of other sites don't line up with anything. One can connect any two sites with a straight line. Extended far enough, the line will probably strike something else. My hometown is on almost the same meridian as Oklahoma City and Waco. So?
To his credit, Dr. Lekson gently slams the fetish of Chaco astro-archaeology and its limitless imagined alignments of doorways and rocks with certain stars on certain nights. Most of the "alignments" are pure Hohokam. The bend of a creek (we don't have mountains around here) viewed from my attic window lines up perfectly with sunrise on May 17. You have to stand on a chair in just the right spot to make everything line up. Is this a magic place, or what?
I'd like to give Dr. Lekson five stars for this clever work, but it grinds too fine.

Lekson, an expert on Southwestern archaeology, presents a provocative thesis about the civilization that produced the great houses in New Mexico's Chaco Canyon. He proposes that Chaco Canyon was one of three successive capitals of a politically integrated region. According to Lekson, a ruling elite emerged at Chaco and perpetuated itself by moving a ceremonial city along Chaco's meridian. Lekson writes in an engaging and often deliberately provocative style. This is as fun as serious archaeology gets, though Lekson sometimes repeats his points. The book is well illustrated with diagrams and black and white photographs.

hintzer@msn.com from Virginia, USA , 21 May, 1999 Provides provocative new views of the Anasazi culture A book that breaks the mold of most published archaeology literature. "The Chaco Meridian" takes an entertaining world view approach to the Anasazi culture, building a case for long distance interaction between Chaco, Paquime and further south into Mexico. Lekson presents information in a way that is refreshing and thought provoking (the book was difficult to put down once I began to read). Lekson discusses architectural and archaeological relationships that appear to be very obvious, yet he is one of the first to openly package Chaco, Aztec, Paquime and the general southwestern US into a common culture, and make these ideas available to the general public. There are no geopolitcal or academic borders in this book. Thanks for the good reading !

My mother read this book to me when I was a child, and I remember loving it, but hadn't seen it in probably 15 years until I bought it for my nephew. It is as good as I remember.

I can attest to the fact that the high contrast, brightly colored drawings are mesmerizing for a small child. The best part of the book is when the boy must complete four tasks for the sun god to prove himself. The tasks are not narrated, you get to see how the tasks are completed from how the drawings change. It's so cool! I felt very smart as a little kid being able to discover what he did and figure it our for myself.

On a cultural note, the narrative is similar to the Christ story. Mother gives birth to the boy (a virgin birth) after the sun god sends a ray of energy to her. The boy grows up and wants to know who his father is, and goes on a quest to find him and prove that he is indeed the son of the sun god. (That's why he becomes an arrow to the sun!)

I think it's good for a child to be exposed to this story to begin to understand the universal elements of religion and that all cultures have a lot in common. Even those that seem strange are not so different from our own.

The story here is a Native American Pueblo tale. It begins when "Long ago the Lord of the Sun sent the spark of life to earth." "It traveled down the rays of the sun, through the heavens, and it came to the Pueblo." "There it entered the home of a young maiden." "In this way, the Boy came into the world of men."

Growing up alone with his mother, the boy is derided by the other boys. "Where is your father?" Finally, the boy could take it no more. He left to find his father. The Corn Planter and the Pot Maker could not help him. But the wise Arrow Maker could. The Arrow Maker made the boy into an arrow and shot him into the sun.

The boy claimed to be the son of the Lord of the Sun, but the Lord of the Sun demanded proof. Tests were involved, but the boy was not afraid. He successfully went through the four kivas of lions, serpents, bees and lightning. After the kiva of lightning, he was transformed and was filled with the "power of the sun." The father and his son rejoiced.

The Lord of the Sun said, "Now you must return to earth, my son, and bring my spirit to the world of men." He was sent back as an arrow. "The people celebrated his return in the Dance of Life."

As you can see, this story is a very conceptual one that deals with spiritual matters involving cultural traditions that are probably unfamiliar to your child. The book will be easier to understand if you explain a little about the religious beliefs of the Pueblo Native Americans before reading this book to your child. You will also need to explain the point about how not having a father present can create a stir. The arrow transfers can be explained as magic, and the search itself can be likened to a quest of the sort that knights often undertook. The spiritual connection can be explained in terms of your own religious beliefs or tradition.

The story is also a metaphor for the planting cycle, as well as the cycle of life and death.

The key reason to read this book is to see some of the most remarkable modern renderings ever created of classic southwestern Native American pictograms. These pictograms are built from stylized geometric components combined into other geometric forms in a palette built mostly from yellow, orange, red, brown, and black. As accents, turquoise and green are added. These images are created with gouache (a thick form of water color) and preseparated black lines. These geometric shapes take literal beings and turn them into spiritual, conceptual ones. If you are like me, the transformation of the boy into the power of the rainbow against a sky of black will take your breath away. Not surprisingly, this book won Mr. McDermott the coveted Caldecott Medal in 1975 as the best illustrated children's book.

After you finish enjoying the story of the book, I suggest that you also help your child understand some of the legends of other peoples in other times about planting and harvesting, as well as the manhood tests. If you are not familiar with any, The Golden Bough can be a good source for you. I remember being impressed as a child by how similar the beliefs are across cultures about common experiences like those related to agriculture. That impression helped me be more open about what appeared to be differences when I met people from other cultures. I was inclined to assume that we had more in common than our different clothes, manners, and languages would have suggested.

Connect to the funamental way the sun serves as the ultimate source of food and power for us all!

I was yesterday in a Jungian workshop when suddenly there was this man who began to tell us a story. I felt like I child listening to the storyteller of the tribe. He was Gerald, and his story of the arrow from the sun.I love the story and this worderful person with his own myth behind the books.