A marvelous insight into John Steinbeck and his mentor/pal, Ed Ricketts ("Doc" of Cannery Row fame.). Their obvious affection and respect for the other threads throughout the text. Contains wonderful lines such as," ...in six weeks in Baja, we collected about 3000 specimens of beer.", and of course there is the Hansen Sea Cow. Their musings about a world going crazy (Hitler is on the rise in Europe during the time of the voyage) are superb. The science and biology at the back of the volume is just the icing on a most delectable cake.

This imaginative book is a lovely introduction to the variety of opportunities in the southwest. Well organized and cross-indexed, it presents an inviting description of not only where, but also when, to find spectacular natural events. The well-written Seasonal Guide is a pleasure to read and indispensable for planning an itinerary.

This must be the BEST Junior League Cookbook around. It is beautiful, with wonderful Southwestern illustrations. It's layout is unique and easy to use with great tips and hints. All the recipes were thoroughly tested by local families. But the best part of all is the great Southwestern (Mexican) recipes that are easy to follow - no weird ingredients unless reasonable substitutes are listed. And they are absolutely delicious. This is a cut above. It sounds like I'm in Junior League, but I'm not - I just LOVE the cookbook. I found it here because I want to send one to a friend in another part of the country. It's a real favorite of mine.

The photographs, in The Secret Gardens of Santa Fe, offer a glympse of a very special place in the western states. Sydney Leblanc does a fine--brief--job descibing the history of Santa Fe, and the reasons the gardens of this unique area do so well. Charles Mann has the touch when it comes to photography. He captures the mystery, the spectacular colors and design, and the fabulous art that adorns many of the gardens. A terrific book that makes one want to visit New Mexico, and see for one's self the magic of the high desert.

I highly recommend Shroyer's Secret Mesa. In a thought-provoking way, the author introduces the reader to the fascinating world of Los Alamos, research center AND town. Never dry, the book relates history and present day projects with a human interest focus. Frankly, I couldn't put the book down, and learned a myriad of new things by reading it. If you're looking for a unique read, pick up this one.

What makes a German professor get interested in writting a tremendous book about the Mexican Revolution and get to be a book about international politics around the first war world? It beats me. The fact is: This book is an outstanding piece of historical war literature that can be compared with the best in the field. It is thoroughly documented and researched. Obviously the author has made a very exact analysis going through an enormous work of investigation that has taken a good deal of time. So if you are wondering why Mexico had a revolution that started around 1910 and lasted around 11 years, here is the place to look. It will also explain you in detail the many faces of this revolution that touched so many aspects of the life of people from all social and economical ranges. The outburst of the revolution was like a chain reaction originated mainly by the unjust and unfair situation which most people were having that exploded at the same time in most states in Mexico, each one of them with different leaders, armies and political affiliations. So the whole thing was quite complicated. That is why this book is amazing. It manages to tell the story in a most pleasurable way and it is very exciting reading indeed. All the main historical characters are very well described, in both their relationship and motivation with the revolution. Madero who started it all, Victoriano Huerta the villain and putschmaker, Emiliano Zapata the revolutonaty peasent who fought for land and liberty, Pancho Villa, once the chief of Northern Armies, but who was him? was he good or bad?, Carranza the non elected president, and at the end Obregon and Calles the first leaders and many others. But that is not all, here is described in all detail how and why England, Germany, Japan, France, Spain, and the United States got involved and which part each one of them played in this part of history which had dramatic results for the future, mostly because of the outcome both of the world war that started in 1914 and of the mexican revolution in 1910. It is worth mentioning the exactitude with which every aspect of this history is told, the author has not spared anything to accomplish a documentation which is well based in historical evidence and at the same time has made an exciting history book that can almost be read as a novel. Highly recommended.

For once, a graphic book that lets the images speak for themselves. Outstanding printing, true to the essence. Highly recommended!

this book gives a remarkable crosssection of the alternatives for fine art that photography holds. excellent examples from straight documentary photography to mixed media collages incorperating found photographs. the book is also put together in a remarkable manner with each well written essay first written in spanish and then in english. essays are informative as introductions to the artist being reviewed and to their ideas and the culture that helped form the. the introduction of the book sort of traced the history and progression of photography as an art in mexico and any one interested in photography or culture should find it fascinating.

This book is a must for any Billy The Kid, or Lincoln Co. War buff. Mr. Lavish gets to the point, and backs up what he says. It is very different than your average run of the mill book on the Lincoln County War, and gives a very different view. If this subject is where your interest is, then this is a MUST READ BOOK.