Dripping Dry by David Cassuto is a 'must read' for anyone with an interest in in the hydrology of the arid West. Cassuto eloquently examines the history and literature of the reclamation movement, the development of the restoration movement, and the need to develop an alternative: sustainability. He discusses four books concerned with the history of water in the West and the links between the literature and the politics of water (Mary Austin's The Ford, John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, Edward Abbey's The Monkey Wrench Gang, and Barbara Kingsolver's Animal Dreams. In his last chapter, titled Imagining Sustainability, he expands on his vision of the possibilities of sustainability as a workable environmental approach. His vision is fresh and challenging.

Elizabeth Rush

Vroman's photographs are often without equal in their ability to capture timelessness and "being there". Many fascinating faces, personalities almost visible, of Hopi, Zuni, Laguna, Acoma, Navajo peoples, all taken in their pueblos or hogans.

Each photo has a detailed explanation of what is shown, including (often) the story behind it. This is probably the best collection of such photos between covers available on the people of this area, and most were taken between 1895 and 1904.

Smith's biography on Emilio is great. He truly details his life from his origins in Germany and Russia to the end of his life in the United States. I believe the most interesting thing is the fact that the US government used him as something close to a spy during WWI. Any conversation held in German was reported by Kosterlitzky to the government. WOW!

One cannot visit Lee's Ferry without becoming curious about Emma Lee, John D. Lee's courageous and lonely wife, who lived alone at the Ferry while her husband was off fraternizing with Mormon bishops and ending up taking the fall for church leaders in the Mountain Meadow Massacre. Reading her life story, including giving birth alone in the rude cabin on the bank of the Colorado River, her dealings with Lee's other wives, and her steadfast and unswering loyalty to her husband, is a sobering look at the demands of a pioneer, and a Mormon wife.

How amazed but delighted I was to still find this book in print. Having travelled in Utah and Arizona, and being a Tony Hillerman fan, I just picked this up "on spec". The only fault I can find is a bit more detail than I want occasionally on the author's travels, but her photos, altho mostly black and white, are priceless, as much for their historical aspect as anything. Being fascinated with jewelry and crafts, just seeing the old style Navajo jewelry, and noticing the change since the 1930's, was interesting enough. (One of my junior high teachers in the 50's had a huge concha belt and necklace - a rarity on the East coast where I grew up.) I learned some things here I hadn't seen in a much more recent specialty book on Southwest Indian jewelry.Details of spinning and rug making are well written and illustrated with clear photos.

The author, Laura Gilpin, must herself be quite a remarkable person to have managed all the photos in the 30's with such old, large equipment in rough country. Her own personality comes through in her sympathetic yet not condescending approach to the people she meets. Her personal accounts of incidents, people and places are a delight. Certainly her view is positive and presents the people in a view very similar to Tony Hillerman. I would think his fans would love the book. She delves into history, religion, families, attitudes, lifestyle and many more things. Reading it today, it is possible to see the fruition of some of the plans for irrigation and improvement started when the photos were taken. A great source for any Hillerman fan, and a study of a people by a friend of those people.

"Fields" takes the reader from the dusty start of air travel in the southwest and transports him to the age where modern aircraft fill the sky in one of the most congested areas in the world. While working for Long Beach Airport, I contributed to that airport's story to this book and am proud to be a part of a work that brings history to life through vivid photographs and exciting stories.

This Sonoran desert guide to common plants is published by the Southwest Parks and Monuments Assoc. It is an excellent guide to keep in your day pack as you hike southwestern deserts. Black and white illustrations are well done and are a great help in identification. Plants are organized by color of flower blossoms which makes it easier for the everyday hiker who is not familiar with botanical taxonomy. The book includes commons species of cacti, desert trees, shrubs, annuals, and perennials. I particularly enjoy the inclusion of details about medicinal and/or edible uses of the plants by native Americans of the area. My appreciation of our desert plants is greatly enhanced when I understand how the plants have been used -- and can still be used today. I am a 30-year veteran educator, and use information from this book regulary when on nature hikes with students of all ages. The book has only 4 pages of color photos of plants. I would rate the book as 5-star if it had more color-photo pages. Other desert plant I.D. books have more color pages, but are also much more expensive.

We have travelled through Sri Lanka this spring. The guidebook proved to be very accurate and useful in organizing our trip and in assisting us for the different visits. Its practical tips are very true and the historical background is concentrated, without flooding you with too much information. I can highly recommend the guidebook.

This book seems very informative. The maps are a not the best quality but are adequate. The only thing that worries me is that the book is ten years old.