Book Reviews
Many books by New Mexico Book Co-op participants have been reviewed in the media. Below are some of those reviews. They are provided here as a way to help promote local books. These books have been reviewed in Tradicion Revista magazine and in POSH New Mexico.

100 Artists of the Southwest
Douglas Bullis. Published in 006 by Schiffer Publishing, hardback, $39.95, 220 pages, full color with over 400 photos, ISBN 0-7643-2414-4.
First of all in the sprit of disclosure we found a number of our art pieces in this book. We didn’t know that our art would be in here but....... A number of our friends are also in the book: Charlie Carrillo, Sylvia Martinez Johnson, Felix Lopez, Arlene Cisneros Sena, and the late Luis Jimenez. Also included are Luis and Sergio Tapia, Nancy Kozikowski, Ramona Sakiestewa, Florence Pierce, Ada Medina, the Capitol Art Collection, Roswell Artists Residence, and the Santa Fe Art Institute. We tried to find the criteria for selecting the artists and the institutions but could not find it. This is a good start but there could be a second book highlighting more artists and institutions like the Albuquerque Airport Collection. This is a good book but we have heard that some photos of art were played with and the colors changed. This book does show people who are Native American, Hispanic, and Anglo, and art that is photos, paintings, weavings, sculpture, and doesn’t discriminate against crafts. The taste is huge and now that is it begun do a second book! -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Winter 2006

101 Things To Do With Tortillas
Stephanie Ashcraft and Donna Kelly. Published in 2005 by Gibbs Smith Publisher, spiral bound paperback, $9.95, 128 pages, brown & white, ISBN 1-58685-469-0.
101 Things To Do With BBQ
Steve Tillett. Published in 2005 by Gibbs Smith Publisher, spiral-bound paperback, $9.95, 128 pages, brown & white, ISBN 1-585685-698-7.
These are the cutest books and very useful. Someone gets it that cooking is not a clean sport. Spiral allow books to open and plastic protects the book. There are not any pretty, color pictures but the books look very retro. The tortilla book has helpful hints on working with tortillas and the BBQ book has helpful BBQ hints and a bonus section on rubs and sauces. They are great for stockings and as gifts with stuff to cook with. The recipes are great!! -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Winter 2005

A Brave Boy & A Good Solider: John C.C. Hill & the Texas Expedition to Mier
Mary Margaret McAllen Amberson. Published in 2006 by the The Texas State Historical Association (distributed by Texas A&M University Press 1/800/826-8911), paperback, $12.95, 100 pages. 18 illustrations, ISBN 0-87611-230-0.
Let’s first say it is great that a historical society publishes. The books are usually of good quality and are rooted in accurate history. The Texas State Historical Society has been publishing for a century. This is the story of 14-year-old John Christopher Columbus Hill. He left home with his father and brother to join the tragic 1842 Texas expedition to Mier, Mexico. He was then captured and adopted by President Santa Anna. It is a true story and it is especially a good book to give to boys. They have very few role models who are not basketball and football players. The story gets even better. The book has a Bibliography and Notes for each chapter. With teachers and librarians in mind the book also comes in hardback and has an Educator’s Guide ($19.95) or free with a purchase of 20 books. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Summer 2006

A Bridge to the Past: The New Mexico State Monuments
Eliza Wells Smith with Foreword by Governor Bill Richardson. Published in 2005 by the New Mexico State Monuments, softback, 80 pages, b & w and color pictures and illustrations, $16.00.
This is a nice effort by the Office of Cultural Affairs/New Mexico Monuments. Besides being a nice tourists’ book in all of the gift shops this also should be in schools and libraries for a resource for students. Monuments covered are: El Camino Heritage Center, Coronado, Lincoln, Fort Seldon, Fort Sumner, Bosque Redondo, Jemez, and the rest of the State Monuments. There is a chronology, bibliography, sources, and selected reading list. The Introduction is by Jose A. Cisneros, Director of the State Monuments. This is a good beginning with a lot of facts that are not known. How many times have you been sightseeing and there was no information on the monument you saw! -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Fall 2005

A Cliffe Experience
Mary Lou Heaphy
My other top pick is A Cliffie Experience: Tales of New Mexico 1902-1940 by Mary Lou Heaphy. This is a fascinating look at Albuquerque in the early twentieth century through the eyes of Clifford “Cliffie” Myrick, a nurse (yes, she was female despite her name) who arrived in 1918 to care for the tuberculosis patients flocking to the area in search of a cure. She socialized with the likes of Clyde Tingley and Alvarado Hotel architect Charles Whittlesey who also built her home, the Hall Log House now known as the Albuquerque Press Club. An independent woman in changing times, Cliffie was always ready to ‘experience’ the world around her. The author who has shared her story is Cliffie’s adopted daughter. Told with love and humor by her adopted daughter, Albuquerque’s history and the fascinating woman who lived it comes alive in this truly enjoyable read. -- Sabra Steinsiek, POSH New Mexico, Winter 2006

A Guide to Tucson Architecture
Anne M. Nequette and R. Brooks Jeffery. Published in 2002 by The University of Arizona Press, 340 pages, 125 photos, 4 line illustrations, 14 maps, softcover, $22.95, ISBN 0-8165-2083-6.
We actually took this book to Tucson on a trip. Who knew there were so many interesting buildings to look at and to read about. There is a section on Tucson architects. Tucson is a growing city with a lot of construction all around. But in the old sections of Tucson they have taken pains to preserve the buildings that show their history. This is a good book to take on any trip there. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Spring 2005

A is for Airplane/ A es para Avion
Theresa Howell and illustrated by David Brooks. Published in 2003 by Northland Publishing, hardback, ISBN 0-87358-831-2, $6.95, illustrated in color.
We want to rush out and buy a copy for each of the grandkids. When we went to school we were told that French was the universal language and no one would be speaking Spanish when we were adults. Another wrong piece of information! Each page has an item with its name in English and Spanish except for N that has two -- maybe it made the pages come out right. Or it is a bonus. In any case this is a great little stocking stuffer for toddlers. It is not great literature but a great beginning for a new language. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Fall 2003

A Listing of Santos of Spanish Colonial New Mexico
Chester Sandoval Rail, 2000. $6.50. 13 pp.
Santos Coloring Book
Chester Sandoval Rail, 2000. $8.00. 22 pp.
Santero Chester Sandoval Rail of Corrales has come out with two self-published books. The first is a saints coloring book. The nice element of the book is the “design your own santo” at the end. He also has published A Listing of Santos of Spanish Colonial New Mexico, which has lists of santos and associated websites. For information contact Chester at 505/898-7871 or NMSantero@aol.com. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Fall 2000

A New Mexico Influence: Collection at the Residence of the U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain and the Principality of Andorra
U.S. State Department Art in the Embassies Program, produced by INTEL and Friends of Art and Preservation in Embassies. No ISBN, free if you are in Spain. 36 pages in color, paperback.
Granted it is really mean to review this book and have it next to impossible for anyone interested in it to find a copy. We had been trying since October 1, 2000 to get it with no luck. Indeed with the change in administration it probably made the request even more difficult to solve. It was only through a chance meeting with Paula Rodriguez that we were able to see a copy. Then by contacting INTEL we got a phone number in Spain that was able to provide information.
The book is a view into the American Ambassador’s Residence in Madrid, Spain. The home has examples of all types of New Mexican art from Hispanics, Native Americans, and Anglos. The styles are traditional to contemporary.
Some of the New Mexicans artists featured are: Georgia O’Keefe, Dave McGary, Petter Hurd, Maria Vergara Wilson, David Escudero, Elias Rivera, Marie Romero Cash, Maria Martinez, and Angela Delgado Martinez. There is a wonderful grouping of crosses by Star Tapia, Emilio and Senaida Romero, Monica Sosaya Halford, Paula Rodriguez, and unfortunately others that are not identified.
It seems so appropriate that some of New Mexico’s best art should visit Spain. We are proud of the artistic direction we as a State have taken since the Spanish arrived in the Southwest. Ambassador Romero has been instrumental in having a number of New Mexico art exhibits travel through Spain including “Cuando Hablan Los Santos”, “Pilgrimage to Chimayo”, “Caminos y Corozones”, and “Con Sentimiento Desde Nuevo Mexico”. It would be nice if the information on these exhibits and any publications were made more accessible to the locals to also enjoy. So if you want a copy and happen to be in Madrid, Spain, walk into the embassy and we were told there is a pile of the catalogs at the front door, free for the taking. The Art in The Embassies Program really is designed to educate the host country about the art of the United States. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Summer 2001

A Sense of PLACE, a Sense of TIME
John Brinckerhoff Jackson, Yale University Press, New Haven, 1994, 212 pp., black-and-white photos, ISBN 0-300-06397-0.
J. B. Jackson, a pioneer in the field of landscape studies, here takes us on a tour of American landscapes past and present, showing how our surroundings reflect important changes in our culture. Arguing that our urban environment makes us increasingly concerned with time and movement rather than place and permanence, Jackson examines the new vernacular landscape of trailers, parking lots, roads, and shopping malls and traces the devlopment of dwellings in New Mexico from prehistoric Pueblo villages, through the Spanish settlements, to mobile homes.
Jackson’s discussion of the church and the landscape is especially interesting for students of the Southwest. Jackson notes,
“Those who believe in the persistence of a Baroque heritage among the Spanish-American population of New Mexico can take heart in the survival of many church traditions. The cultural, as distinguished from the doctrinal, influence of the Catholic church is particularly strong in northern, predominantly rural counties. Despite a dwindling population, increasing poverty, and an omnipresent Anglo culture, there are still villages which look upon the church and its priest as defenders of a formal Spanish way of life. It is in the church that they expect to hear correct Spanish and to observe correct behavior and dress. It is in the church that they celebrate marriages and baptisms, and where they gather to mourn a death.”
A Sense of PLACE gives the reader a refreshing view of the balance between how we should live with the land and how many have desecrated and scarred our land. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Summer 1997

A Spoon For Every Bite: Una Cuchara para Cada Bocado
Joe Hayes, illustrated by Rebecca Leer. Published in 2005 by Cinco Puntos Press, Softcover, $8.95, 32 pages, full color ISBN 0-938317-93-8.
This book is bilingual and a great New Mexican folk tale to learn about the Southwest and to teach human nature and humility. Joe Hayes recently won the Talking Leaves Literary Award from the National Storytelling Network and the book won the Land of Enchantment Book Award. He is a wonder with kids of all ages. It is a wonderful book for gifts to kids or people trying to learn Spanish. The illustrations will fascinate everyone. This is another gem and recommended for readers!! Read this book while eating tortillas -- it will make sense. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Winter 2005

A Taco Testimony
Denise Chavez. Published in 2006 by Rio Nuevo, paperback, 208 pages, B&W with archival photos, $16.95, ISBN 978-1-887896-94-8.
Denise Chavez is thought to be a First Lady of Las Cruces. Tacos are important to Denise and so is her family. Food and family as well as poetry, stories, and recipes are wrapped in a yummy tale of a Mexican-American family. This book makes you hungry! -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Summer 2007

A Taste of Nature: Edible Plants of the Southwest and How to Prepare Them
Kahanah Farnsworth, Ancient City Press, $15.95 paperback, ISBN 0-941270-93-9, 213 pages, drawings with 16 pages of color.
The Native Americans and Hispanics of the Southwest depended on the indigenous plants to cure what ailed them and to stay well. Cooking with plant material was commonplace, and the secrets to the plants cure were passed down through generations. Everyone has “re-discovered” herbal cures.
This book contains 75 recipes as well as a large number of plant profiles that help even the beginner identify and use the native plants. There are warnings for poisonous plants, and endangered plants are not included. The line drawings are easy to understand and point out individual characteristics. Even if you don’t eat the plants, it will be fun to identify them on a walk and this could be a lot of fun for a family activity. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Spring 1998

Abracadabra: Mexican Toys
Project developed by Mauricio Martinez, Texts by Gutierre Aceves, Raul Aceves, Ruben Paez. Photography by Rigoberto Moreno, Jose Martinez Vera, and Carlos Diaz Corona. Published in 2002, full color, 119 pages, paperback, ISBN 0-89013-423-5, $29.95; distributed by Museum of New Mexico Press.
This is a different sort of book. It is very colorful with large pictures of various Mexican toys. There is a little text about the tradition of toys in Mexico and a lot of poems. For anyone interested in toys or Mexican arts this will be of interest. With the large, detailed photos you can see the papier mache toys in relationship to more crude images in clay or wood. There are some magnificent items to look at; it will be a good item at Christmas especially with small children and if you have some of the toys of your own. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Fall 2003

Abstract Art
Stuart Ashman, artists profiles by Suzanne Deats & Foreword by Robert Ewing. Published in 2004 by Fresco Fine Art Publications, 212 color plates, paperback, 254 pages, $45, ISBN 0-9741023-1-8.
Yes, it is the same Stuart Ashman and he really knows his art. This is a beautiful book. It works nicely for someone comfortable with abstract art or a beginner. The artists’ profiles are substantive and the Foreword good. This is a great book to own to have a grasp on important abstract art. It is a sampling of art in New Mexico but a great beginning. There are many different media explored and all has a taste of New Mexico. We would love to see a few more follow-up books on indigenous art of New Mexico. If you have trouble finding the book call Fresco’s distributor UNM Press 1/800/249-7737. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Spring 2005

Abuelita’s Secret Matzahs
Sandy Eisenburg Sasso and illustrated by Diana Bryer. Published in 2005 by Emmis Books, paperback, $9.99 (also available in hardback & Spanish), 32 pages, full color, ISBN 1-57860-177-0.
This children’s story takes place in Santa Fe and is about Crypto Jews and Hispanics. It is a good way to teach kids that all peoples share backgrounds and can get along together. It is illustrated by Diana Bryer who is well known in New Mexico. This is also great for a classroom. Give a kid and a class a present this holiday season! -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Winter 2006

Across Frontiers: Hispanic Crafts of New Mexico
Dexter Cirillo with Photographs by Eric Swanson, Chronicle Books, 1998. ISBN 0-8118-1774-1 (paper). 0-8118-1793-8 (Hard),160 pages, over 150 color and b/w photos. $22.95/$35.00.
We always wait with great anticipation for a new book on santos. Across Frontiers is very attractive and a nice edition to any library. The work of over 80 contemporary artists is featured. In the Preface it is explained that in 1992 when this project was conceived there was a vacuum to be filled in books about Hispanic arts. We can’t say that today and maybe the statement was a little much. This year alone there are two new books and a reissue.
In any case it is nice to see the non-santo arts displayed. We are however puzzled as to why some arts/crafts were included and some like pottery, ironwork, jewelry, ramilletes, lariets and bonecarving have been excluded. They also have a four hundred year tradition. There are two of Ramon Jose Lopez’ sterling silver boxes in the “Santero Art” section.
We are also puzzled as to the exclusion of the Lucero Brothers in the book with only a slight mention and partial picture of a piece of David Nabor’s. One would think that the recipient of the last two year’s Best of Show Award would have managed to get in the book in a noticeable manner. Alcario Otero also has a minor role. Granted, one can not mention all the artists but these two have paid their dues and have contributed toward moving the quality of art forward in great leaps. Although an author can make their choices it leaves the reader to wonder why some artists got in and some didn’t.
Another picky comment is the use of the term “Santero Art.” We have used for years the term “Devotional Art” and find it is more respectful and descriptive. Charlie Carrillo gave a talk this past spring at the University of New Mexico and asked everyone to stop calling it santero art, folk art, fine art, outsider art, Hispanic art and all the other terms we, primarily Anglos, use. He likes devotional art too.
All this said, Across Frontiers will still become a great reference book on the artistic traditions of New Mexico. The photos are wonderful and it is always nice to see pieces that haven’t been in publications before although there are a number that have been in other books. There is nothing new or breakthrough about this book but it is just another reason to appreciate this wonderful tradition, and it is wonderfully packaged. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Fall 1998

Albuquerque! Feliz Cumpleanos! Three Centuries to Remember
Nasario Garcia and Richard McCord. Published in 2005 by Gran Via Incorporated (La Herencia), softback, 212 pages, many B&W photos, $24.95, ISBN 0974302260.
Who is Juan Tabo and why is stuff named after him? This is the age old question and though this book can’t find an answer, because there might not be one; but it does discuss it in a lighthearted way. The book commemorates Albuquerque’s Tricentennial and is packed with archival photos, bios, and tons of facts about Albuquerque that you never knew. They should have a contest. If you buy one thing to remember the celebration make it this book and not a set of glasses or a hat. It is like a scrapbook already made for you. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Fall 2005

Albuquerque: The Next Boomtown
Cheryl Seas Gorder. Published in 2006 by DollarSmart Books, paperback, $16.95. 168 pages, B&W with pictures, ISBN 0-9720095-2-3.
This is not a scholarly book on Albuquerque but rather a short, readable piece with photos on why Albuquerque is important. It should be required reading for real estate brokers, financiers, and a college text book. It has facts and figures on why the City is growing and a good place to start looking at Albuquerque in a new way. It does put a lot of things in one place and the book covers topics like the film industry, chile, culture, and the other City of Rio Rancho (they need their own book). It is a real estate promotion book but it has some things to say - read it with that in mind. To order dollarsmartbooks@earthlink.net. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Summer 2007

Albuquerque In Our Time: 30 Voices, 300 Years
Debra Hughes. Published in 2006 by Museum of New Mexico Press, paperback, 144 pages, $24.95, B&W with many archival photos, ISBN 13-978-089013481-8.
This is a good way to learn about “celebrities” in the community. They talk about years gone by and what they remember of Albuquerque. The pictures are a hoot! There are essays by Robert Nordhaus, Owen Lopez, Penny Rembe, Robert Stamm, Al Hurricane, Joe Powdrell, Pearl Sunrise, Helen Lucero, and many others. It is a nice way to remember Albuquerque’s birthday and a very good gift that will be kept for a long time. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Summer 2007

Albuquerque Remembered
Howard Bryan. Published in 2006 by UNM Press, paperback, $19.95, 2878 pages, ISBN 0-8263-3782-1.
Howard Bryan is one of the treasures of New Mexico and talk about great timing for this book! This book has little know facts, history, archival pictures, and would be a great gift for people separated from Albuquerque. Combine it with salsa and they will feel like they are home! -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Winter 2006

Albuquerque Tricentennial Trivia Cards
Albuquerque Tricentennial Kids’ Fact Cards
Each pack is $3.00@, 50 cards in a box, full color, visit albuquerque300.org
These packs are great for kids or adults in their stockings. They have facts like: What early streets were named were kids? What is the State animal? When did the Albuquerque Public Schools begin? When was the first Balloon Fiesta? How did Albuquerque get its name? It will cause conversation and the packs are great for days when you are snowed in. If you live outside of Albuquerque visit the website. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Winter 2006

All That Glitters: The Emergence of Native American Micaceous Art Pottery in Northern New Mexico
Duane Anderson. School of American Research Press, Santa Fe, New Mexico, 1999. 199 pages; 250 color and 5 black and white photographs, maps, and charts. ISBN 0-933452-58-6. Cloth $66.00, Paper $33.00.
The latest book to deal with Native American pottery traditions is All That Glitters by Duane Anderson. First impressions count in the book publishing world. Visually, this newest book published by the School of American Research in Santa Fe, New Mexico, is quite handsome. Unfortunately, a good book is more than pictures. It was obvious in the opening pages that the intention of this book was directed at Native American art pottery in northern New Mexico. Duane Anderson is careful to inform his readers that anything outside of Native American northern New Mexican pottery is not within the scope of the book. That in itself is fine; however, academic standards apparent in most of the books published by SAR are sketchy and lacking in this publication. The very carefully crafted message one comes to understand is that pottery belongs to the Native Americans, despite the recent work by ethnohistorians and archaeologists working in New Mexico that clearly document the presence of a Hispano pottery tradition. A disclaimer sentence or two about the possibility of a Hispanic pottery tradition does no justice to this book. The best academic work always cites the most current data. This book fails to cite the most current work, not only on Hispanic pottery, but also from the archaeological record.
The rhetoric espoused in All That Glitters comes off as a “we” versus “they” agenda. I understand very well that each Pueblo or Tribal group has maintained “mines” since long before New Mexico was settled by Hispanics. Micaceous clay pits or resource collection sites are still in use today. Some of these clay pits are claimed by individual Pueblos; this is their sovereign right. However, because micaceous clay deposits are wide spread and used by a variety of people, no one group can claim that the pottery tradition belongs only to them. There is archival documentation that indicates that Hispanos were mining micaceous clay and trading such clay to a variety of peoples including Native Americans and Hispanos. Some sought out the clay for use in pottery, others sought out the clay for use in home decorations such as wainscot and thumb stencils decorations. More background data is necessary so that the present evolution of micaceous pottery can be thoroughly appreciated. The merits of the artists/potters featured speak for themselves; each is regarded for their artistic excellence. However, it was clear that many of the artists drew a line in the micaceous clay, daring a particular artist not to cross the boundary. He was finally excluded because he was not a card carrying Native American. Anthropologists have told us for at least the last 30 years that you are who you are by your participation with a particular group, not necessarily because of the blood that flows in your veins. I would venture to say that Felipe Ortega, of Jicarilla Apache and Hispanic descent, has done more to advance the knowledge of contemporary wares, than most of the other artists put together. He has shared his knowledge with more Native Americans than any single micaceous artist has done. His research and dedication to the subject of micaceous pottery is unyielding. Although he is featured in this publication, the discussion of contemporary micaceous wares is misinterpreted with his presence.
One final note; the great institution of the School of American Research needs to wake up and consider in its milieu, the fact that the Hispanic presence in New Mexico is 400 years old. Hispanics and other peoples also make up what I define as “American” research. This present volume only tends to perpetuate the ideology of separation, without considering the cultural and environmental context in which micaceous pottery was once made and is again resurfacing albeit in a different context. All that glitters is not gold. -- Charles Carrillo, Tradicion Revista, Winter 1999

Amadito And The Spider Woman
Lisa Bear Goldman, illus. by Amado Pena, Jr.
When young Native American Amadito is teased by the other boys at school, he turns to his family for advice on how to handle his feelings. Father, brother, and mother offer advice but none of it seems to fit until he walks with his Nana who explains the ways of the world. Lisa Bear Goldman’s wise words are backed up by the full-page paintings of Amado Pena, Jr. in a book that gently acknowledges a child’s feelings. -- Sabra Steinsiek, POSH New Mexico, Winter 2006

Ambassador Ortiz: Lessons From A Life of Service by Frank V. Ortiz
Don J. Usner and introduction by Governor Bill Richardson. Published in 2005 by UNM Press, $24.95, hardback, 216 pages, 36 photos, ISBN 0-8263-3712-0.
We won’t get into the controversy about what people liked or disliked about Ambassador Ortiz and why. What is important is that the years that he served the people of America were documented and he did see the book come out before his death. Countries included are Spain, Argentina, Panama, Peru, Ethiopia, Grenada, Mexico, Uruguay, Sudan, and a lot about Washington, D.C. and New Mexico. Ortiz was a thirteenth generation New Mexican who gained international prestige with his years of service. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Summer 2005

An Uncommon Mission: Father Jerome Tupa Paints The California Missions
Holly Witchey, photographs by Terry Ruscin; Published 1999 by Welcome Enterprises, Inc., N. Y., New York, hardback, $19.95, ISBN 0-941807-34-7, 96pp with 63 color illustrations and 21 tinted photos.
Father Jerome Tupa, a Benedictine monk, is not the first artist to be drawn to the California Spanish colonial missions stretching from San Diego to Sonoma. These structures are monuments to the dreams and visions of a handful of devout Franciscan fathers and the labor of thousands of their mission Indian converts. In the past artists tried to recapture a seemingly more glorious lost time in an overly romanticized concept of mission ruins and/or restorations. Father Tupa’s vision is very different, for he is entirely a contemporary artist. He is not at all concerned with a romanticized, or even realistic, vision of the California missions. Instead he approaches and paints the twenty-one missions not as spiritual icons but primarily as very colorful abstract representations. In the process he almost completely distorts the original edifice, transposing portions of the buildings to different displaced settings, painting portions of the buildings upside- down, then causing towers to be on the verge of imminent collapse. Then, his large (up to 84" X 108") canvasses’ are saturated with bold colors any Fauvist painter would die for! All in all, a very bold, almost shocking array of distorted images. A case in point is Tupa’s painting of San Jose Mission (p.62) which after starring at it for ten minutes I could not recognize as THE San Jose Mission I am intimately familiar with. It was only by turning the page to Terry Ruscins’ photograph that I could begin to recognize components of the painted representation.
Nonetheless, this is a nicely designed book with the illustrations well placed and complimenting the text quite nicely. On the right bottom side of the page introducing each mission is a most pertinent and meaningful prayer, presumably written by Father Jerome Tupa. Methinks his prayers are much more compelling that his distorted oil paintings of the California missions! -- Don Toomey, Tradicion Revista, Winter 2001

Aqui Se Comienza: A Genealogical History of the Founding Families of the Villa de San Felipe de Albuquerque
Volunteer members of the New Mexico Genealogical Society, 2007. Limited Edition for $80, b&w, hardback, 623 pages.
This is a monster book packed with tons of information. The members of the society need to be congratulated for undertaking the project and documenting the history. The book was started in the fall of 2003. This is a grassroots force of nature that took their own history and did something about leaving it for their children and their children’s children. There are the original families and all of their descendants and the documentation of each. There are drawings, essays, footnotes, index, and everything you would need to start looking for the founding of Alburquerque. Obviously every library and college needs at least one copy for people to have access to the information. To order or for information 505/877-0026. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Summer 2007

Archbishop Lamy: In His Own Words
Thomas J. Steele, S.J., LPD Press Albuquerque, 2000. 286 pages, 7 photographs. ISBN 1-890689-04-1, $39.95 cloth. The Complete Sermons of Jean Baptiste Lamy. Fifty Years of Sermons (1837-1886), LPD Press 1- 890689-20-3 $29.95 CD-ROM.
Thank you, Father Steele, for your excellent book clarifying, among other things, the fiction in novelist Willa Cather’s Death Comes for the Archbishop. Her novel has caused untold harm because readers have believed the book to be historically accurate and quote from it as fact when in fact its a novel, as you carefully point out.
There are two popular views of Bishop Jean Baptiste Lamy. Both views are based on the great-man interpretation of history that says some individuals make history happen and deserve all the praise -- or the blame. The first view which lasted until about 1960 saw the church history of New Mexico as a positive tale of happy progress. Lamy, although French born, seems during those years to be an infallible New Mexican.
The negative second view has asked where the land-and-person-and-community-centered Hispanic culture of the olden days has gone; who is to blame for its disappearance, you ask It follows, you say, that because he got so much of the credit for New Mexico’s happy days, he has gotten the lion’s share of the blame resulting from the same sense of loss, including his insensitive suspensions of several Hispanic priests from their priestly duties.
Father Steele speaks volumes when he quotes UNM professor Tony Mares in his portrayal of the famous Padre Martinez from Taos muttering, ‘Esa mujer, esa mujer! - that woman!” referring to Willa Cather who put horns on the good Padre based on the questionable opinions of Father Joseph Machebeuf, assistant to Bishop Lamy and no friend of the Hispanic priests.
The first part of the book presents a chronology of events in Bishop Lamy’s life. The second part relates to the prelates question of identity and character, followed by some 35 selected sermons which Father Steele collected that offer insights into the Bishop’s inner being and his spiritual make-up and beliefs.
Willa Cather portrayed him as the shepherd of the flock ready to protect the flock at all costs, including the recruitment of French priests in his native France to replace the Hispanic priests he was suspending from their duties in New Mexico. Willa Cather by her own admission “fell in love” with the Bishop while studying his bronze statue in front of St Francis Cathedral, sanctified him and elevated him to the high heavens while vilifying the others, especially Padres Martinez and Gallegos.
All in all Father Tom Steele has written a balanced book giving readers accurate material on which to base their own conclusion. Hopefully, as we proceed to the future, more readers will recognize Death Comes for the Archbishop as a romance novel rather than historical fact Archbishop Lamy: In His Own Words shows the real and spiritual Lamy, and not the fictional Bishop Latour. -- Abe Pena, Tradicion Revista, Winter 2000
All of us who have read Willa Cather’s Death Comes for the Archbishop, remember her Archbishop Latour is the historical Archbishop Jean Baptiste Lamy. “Fictionalized, of course, we say to ourselves, ‘but still what a wise and sensitive person he must have been” Wrong! There is a greater gap between Latour and Lamy than we had guessed. Should that bother us? It bothers many devotees of Southwest Studies, especially specialists in the history of New Mexico. It particularly bothers Father Thomas Steele, familiar to many of us as teacher, scholar, and thoughtful interpreter of religious life in the area.
In this book, Steele firmly, but with gentle good humor, sets the record straight by presenting Lamy ‘in his own words” from a rich collection of sermons and talks, and by contrasting personality traits of Latour (and Cather) with those of Lamy. In effect there are two distinct projects at work here: The first is the discussion of the manner in which Cather’s fictional stereotype “has muddled the waters of New Mexican history” and the careful attempt to delineate the differences of fictionally constructed Latour and literally reconstructed Lamy with the use of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. The second is the presentation in historical and theological context of a significant selection of Lamy’s sermons and talks. The two projects fit together well but one does wonder whether each is really necessary to the other. The second may be essential to the first but one might wonder if the first is that essential to the second. Both parts are fascinating; however, and the effect is to inform and intrigue the reader.
The first third of the book is Steele’s own suggestive and enlightening writing. He provides a concise chronology of Lamy’s life and work then clarifies the contrast between Cather’s Latour and Lamy. Chapter 3, the longest and most helpful to the general reader, provides the theological and historical background for Lamy’s preaching. Chapter 4 shifts back to the contrast specifically in terms of Myers-Briggs. Chapter 5 picks up from Chapter 3 with a nice short introduction to traditional modes of “spiritual” reading of scripture to further prepare for the sermonic texts that comprise the rest of the book
Chapter 4, Lamy’s Psychological Profile,” is the core of the project of contrast. Steele argues that Lamy fits best the Guardian profile among the Myers-Briggs options. This profile entails four traits, Extrovert (“talks in order to think; energized by being with people; ready to accept challenges; accessible; companionable”), Sensor (“prefers traditional procedures; patiently tames, organizes, makes productive”), Thinker (“principled reasoning; dutiful in advising and reprimanding others; guardian of the past; cool and scholarly; outcome oriented”), and Judger (“step-by-step planning; good at delegating authority; perfectionist; legalistic disciplinarian”). This sounds like any successful cleric. But it does indeed contrast with the traits of Cather’s Latour, who is not Extrovert but Introvert (“thinks in order to talk, refined, reserved, solitary, aloof; introspective; private”), not a Sensor but Intuitive (“visionary; aesthetic, artistic; imaginative and creative; future-oriented”), and who combines traits of Thinker with Feeler (“empathetic, compassionate; sensitive to others feelings; process-oriented”). Steele wryly notes that one might find the same traits dominant in Cather’s own personality.
One can question the legitimacy of such typal systems and their posthumous application, but Steele makes a strong case for the Guardian profile both in his analysis of passages from the sermons and as explanatory factors in major episodes in Lamy’s career -- the Christmas pastoral on tithing, conflicts involving Fathers Juan Felipe Ortiz, Joseph Machebeuf, and Antonio Jose Martinez, and the issue of the Penitentes. In all, it is a readable well-argued case, which introduces valuable material from Lamy’s own hand. A CD-ROM with the complete sermons is also available from the publisher. -- Joseph Pickle, Professor of Religion, Colorado College, Tradicion Revista, Winter 2000

Arizona Sheriffs
Jane Eppinga. Published in 2006 by Rio Nuevo Publishers, $16.95, 192 pages, 52 B&W photos, paperback, ISBN 978-1-887896-21-4.
Any book that has a blurb by Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio gets our attention. This is a great idea. So much history went unreported and this book sets the record straight on what happened in the Wild West. Yes, women are included in this book! A must for libraries, schools, and western lovers. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Summer 2007

Around 505
Legacy Media, Inc. PO Box 92575, Albuquerque, 87199. 1/505-856-0426 www. around505.com
Magazine Review -- It has been a crime that a city as large as Albuquerque has no magazine. We used to. There is a Santa Fean and one for the State -- New Mexico. Around 505 isn’t really Albuquerque but it has an Albuquerque look. It is a magazine that comes out six times a year and the current special is $9 for a subscription. Buying it by the issue is $3.95 but we went to five places before we found it at Newsland on Central.
It is a slick magazine with 58 pages. It is also very politically correct with articles on Native Americans, Hispanics, and Anglos. It has some lush photos that try to be New Yorkish. There are articles that are very different. We liked the locals at events-semi-candid pictures. We found the maps a distraction. They were good in the first issue but why have them in the second? Or maybe a small map applied to the story.
As all magazines try to find their way with the first few issues so will 505. It is interesting and we will try it for the first year. For those out of New Mexico it will keep them in touch. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Fall 2002

Arroyo Hondo
Joseph A. Garduno. Associated Publications, 1999, softcover, $15.95, ISBN 0-9608806-2-3. Black & white with archival photos and charts, 184 pages.
When first reading Arroyo Hondo you notice that this book doesn’t have some of the fine points of publishing evident. It seems self-published and the layout is a bit amateurish and the writing less removed than it should be but in other ways it is a wonderful idea and book. The book is filled with “little” stories about resident of the past and present. This gives the book a true local flavor.
This is a view of a small town in northern New Mexico (north of Taos) that involves friends, family and history. Researchers should love this documentation of a village, its families, settlers and buildings. It is done with loving care and the author, with help from family and friends, has included pictures and information that would be difficult for researchers to find. Genealogist should also find this a goldmine.
There are some rough spots in the book but many years from now there will be scholars who are very happy that it was done. The residents are probably also proud of it. Wouldn’t it be nice if all small New Mexican villages with a rich history had someone among them who took the time to document their history. Note: In case it is difficult to find this book, the mailing address for Associated Publications is PO Box 728, Glendora, CA 91740. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Summer 2000

Art and Faith in Mexico: The Nineteenth-Century Retablo Tradition
Edited by Elizabeth Netto Calil Zarur and Charles Muir Lovell. University of New Mexico Press, 2001. Hardback, ISBN 0-8263-2325-1, $50.00 , 359 pages, many color plates.
When El Favor de los Santos opened at the University Art Gallery at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces in 1999, we were very disappointed that the book was not available. Well, it is now out and for anyone who likes Mexican tin retablos, studies them, or likes devotional art of the Southwest, this is the book to buy this spring. It is a major publication -- probably one of the best UNM Press has done in a while.
It has essays by many of the major researchers in the field of Mexican art: Ramon Gutierrez, Marcus Burke, Claire Farago, Solange Alberro, and others. The book highlights the tin retablos donated to NMSU but also brings in other examples from museums to visually explain various ideas. There are also two New Mexican wooden retablos on loan from the Museum of International Folk Art. There is a glossary, exhibit schedule, timeline of Mexican history, and essay on the conservation of the tin retablos. The plates are full page, full color, and wonderful.
The exhibit will be in San Jose, California, when this issue is released, then on to Chicago, Miami, and finally to the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque in 2002. It has been touring in Mexico. The exhibit is worth seeing and the book will be a mainstay for enjoyment and research for years to come. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Spring 2001

Guide Texas: Museums, Art Centers, Alternative Spaces, and Nonprofit Galleries
Rebecca S. Cohen. Published in 2004 by University of Texas Press, bound softback, $24.95, 480 pages, black and white, 131 photos, ISBN 0-292071230-8.
Yes, we know this is Texas. We don’t know if the other states do this but it is the best source we have seen for art. New Mexico should do this and every state as well. Not only useful for professionals but it is organized regionally for travelers who like art. There is contact info, hours, locations, fees, and a description. It should be on every museum and library shelf. It is fabulous!!!!! -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Winter 2005

Art of the Boot
Tyler Beard and Jim Arndt
If you’ve never considered the modern cowboy boot as art, Tyler Beard and Jim Arndt’s Art of the Boot is sure to change your mind. Beard’s text, including a “cowboy boot biography” perfectly complements Arndt’s color photos of the often exquisite and sometimes bizarre in cowboy and cowgirl footwear from the major makers in the field. -- Sabra Steinsiek, POSH New Mexico, Summer 2007

Art of the State - New Mexico
Cynthia Bix. Harry N. Abrams, Inc.1998. ISBN 0-8109-5553-9 Hardcover.133 illustrations, 118 color, 96 pages. $12.95.
This little book is part of a fifty-state series by Abrams. The first released are New Mexico, California, Iowa and Maryland. For art buffs collecting the whole series will be fun and this is also a great gift item.
All that said we have a great problem with this book. If it is supposed to show fairly, equitably the various contributions to the art community in New Mexico then why is the Hispanic contribution so small. The overwhelming number of illustrations have to do with Anglos - transplanted Anglos. Next are the Native Americans and followed by Hispanics with only four illustrations. Marie Cash, her parents, George Lopez and colcha by Maria Vergara Wilson are included. They were lucky to have made it in! There is no illustration of the historic period of New Mexican devotional art. And what really makes us mad is in the back list “Great People” the only Hispanics mentioned are Rudolfo Anaya and Senator Montoya. No artists were “great.”
While this book is very attractive, even with its very small print and tiny pictures, we think the author must have researched this from afar. Even some of the illustrations (paintings and photos) of Hispanic life were done by Anglos. The rich devotional art traditions of Hispanic New Mexico are dumped in with fetishes. We guess it is lucky when Hispanic art is even mentioned in a book out of New York but sometimes don’t you just get tired of the treatment? -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Fall 1998

Arte Caliente! Selections from the Joe A. Diaz Collection
Catalog for the exhibit at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. Full color, paperback, 55 pages, published in 2004 by the South Texas Institute for the Arts.
This is a catalog to go with the exhibit. There is a list of pieces in the exhibit at that time, an interview with Joe A. Diaz, information about the exhibit, and information about the artists. The color pictures of some of the work are great. Remember as a private collector Joe Diaz added to the exhibit and what is at the NHCC includes some new pieces. If you have trouble finding it call the STIA at 361/825-3500. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Winter 2005

Arte Latino: Treasures from the Smithsonian Museum
Jonathan Yorba. 2001, Smithsonian Institution and Watson-Guptill Publications, paperback, $19.95, 112, 50 color photos, ISBN 0-8230-0321-3.
Any time we can see and appreciate some of the wonderful things that Smithsonian has in its collection, it’s a good day. I only wish this book had been available when we saw this traveling exhibit in El Paso. But the exhibit will be in Santa Fe at the Museum of Fine Arts from late June until September. So we will get a second chance to see the pieces with the background information.
The exhibit has art from many Latino origins: New Mexico, Puerto Rico, Mexico, California, Cuba, Guatemala, and maybe others but only three of the fifty artists are identified as to place of birth. Odd? But in any case the book is very nice and the color photos of the pieces are wonderful. Some of the New Mexicans represented are: Pedro Antonio Fresquis, Gloria Lopez Cordova, Charlie Carrillo, Ramon Jose Lopez, Felix Lopez, Horacio Valdez, Irvin Trujillo, Luis Tapia, Jose Benito Ortega.
For those who love to see New Mexican devotional art in the context of international Latino art, this is a well done and quality publication. Get it at the Museum of Fine arts store in June. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Spring 2002

Artists At Home: Insprired Ideas From The Homes of New Mexican Artists
Emily Drabanski with Foreword by Elmo Baca. Published 2003 by New Mexico Magazine, paperback, $24.95, ISBN 0-937206-66-0, 65 color pages, 104 pages.
This is a cute and attractive book. It features the homes of some of New Mexico’s great artists: R.C. Gorman, Miguel Martinez, Michael Hurd, Ford Ruthling, Bernadette Vigil, Tavlos, Elias Rivera, and Nancy Kozikowksi. It has a glossary and is great to get decorating ideas. Many of the views into artists homes are from articles in earlier New Mexico Magazine editions. The cover and foreword pictures of Luis Tapia’s house are a little misleading because it doesn’t have a chapter in the book. In any case this would be nice for a gift for someone moving here or who misses being here. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Summer 2003

Aunt Carmen’s Book of Practical Saints
Pat Mora, Beacon Press, Boston, 1997, $20 hardcover, 128 pp, 33 color photos, ISBN 0-8070-7206-0.
This book of delightful poetry by renowned Chicana poet Pat Mora is brought to life in the voice of her elderly aunt Carmen, who knows her santos intimately. The book is formated as a series of poetic prayers begining with her first poem at the age of sixteen. In “Oracion a los Santos” a young Carmen wishes for a good husband and invokes the help of twenty-seven santos to achieve her desire, with the ending addressed to St. Stephen. We learn that Carmen is now eighty and has been cleaning the church for years, and that she absolutely delights in the priests’ fear of her, and in “La Sagrada Familia” we learn of her marriage to a sober teacher. We also become aware in the poem “Santa Rita” that she worries about her friend Alma who is physically abused by her husband. Finally, in the last poem “La Buena Pastora,” Carmen is led to beauty and joy.
Pat Mora’s poems of her aunt Carmen present an affectionate portrait of a proud independent woman humbled by her resolute faith. Utilizing traditional forms from sonnets to childhood lullabies, in Spanish and in English, Mora captures the essence of Aunt Carmen’s private devotions.
Each of the poems is accompanied by a relevant photograph of a bulto, retablo, painting, or colcha embroidery from the collections of the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe. Included are the classic works of some of the nineteenth century New Mexican master santeros in addition to works by contemporary santeras/santeros including Victoria Lopez, Charlie Carrillo, Frances Graves, Jose Mondragon, Zoraida and Eulogio Ortega, Ellen Chavez de Leitner, David Gonzales, Donna Wright de Romero, and Luis Tapia. At the end of the book there is a section of “Notes on the Saints and Their Feast Days.”
This is a beautifully crafted book begining with an attractive dust cover, well positioned photographs, and varicolored pages with the poems produced in very readable type. Beacon Press is to be congratulated on this treasure of a book that will appeal to afficionados of the Southwest and its Hispanic traditions. -- Don Toomey, Tradicion Revista, Spring 1998

Ay Pollito
Candace Vargas, J&R Vargas Productions,PO Box 3982, Fairview, NM 87533. (505) 753-1623. 2002; $15.
We saw Nick Herrera at the National Hispanic Cultural Center’s Chile Festival and he said here is a present for you -- it’s great. So never discounting anything Nick says we listened. Candace lives in Fairview, New Mexico with her parents Joel and Ruth Ann. We called to get more information on the young lady. The CD is a nice taste of New Mexico music from a young voice. Steve Chavez has put together a back up band that is really fun to hear. The CD is a local product and may be hard to find. It may make a nice Christmas present for an aspiring singer in your house. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Winter 2002

Baby Coyote Counts/Bebe Coyote Cuenta
Neecy Twinem. Published in 2004 by Luna Rising, hardback, $5.95, 10 hard pages, ISBN 0-87358-868-1, full color.
This is a great book for a small child or a gift. It is colorful and a nice addition to the English/Spanish collections in the classroom or library. Because of the heavy-duty construction it is good for toddlers. Small children will love it or someone older learning Spanish. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Winter 2004

Baby Gecko’s Colors
Neecy Twinem (ISBN 0-87358-867-3) Published in 2004 by Luna Rising - Moon Rising, $5.95@, 10 pages each in full color.
Baby Snakes Shapes
Neecy Twinem. (ISBN 0-67358-866-5) Published in 2004 by Luna Rising - Moon Rising, $5.95@, 10 pages each in full color.
These are board books for young kids that are bilingual. They teach shapes and colors and each part of the text is in Spanish and English. These are great little stocking stuffers or an inexpensive way to teach basic Spanish. The small, cute size in bright colors will appeal to kids of all ages. Buying them together gets someone off and running in a new language. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Winter 2004

Baking at High Altitude: The Muffin Lady’s Old Fashioned Recipes
Randi Levin. Published by The Muffin Lady Inc. in 2003, hardback $26.95, 269 pages, B&W with illustrations and some color plates, ISBN 0-9745008-0-1.
Muffins were a subject of the old Steinfeld show on tv. You can’t bake in New Mexico or anyplace else that has high altitudes using traditional recipes. It just doesn’t work. This book not only has recipes for muffins but, brownies, breads, pies, cakes, cookies, and other good stuff. It has tips for baking at high altitudes, substitutions and equivalents, and a places to write more recipes and notes. The recipes are yummy -- where to start! This would make a great gift to someone in a high altitude or a baker who is struggling in high places. The book was the winner of the Gourmand Award. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Winter 2005

Bandelier National Monument: Home of the Ancestral People
John & Cassidy Olson. Published in 2005 by Schiffer Books, paperback, $12.95, 32 pages, all color, ISBN 0-7643-2318-0.
This is a souvenir book-- it says so right on the back. But, with that being said, it certainly has information, great photos, and it is better that a hat to take from Bandelier. It is also a great gift for someone going to Bandelier so they will know what they are looking at. Bandelier is a national treasure and knowing why it is important. And for anyone in New Mexico they should visit Bandelier. This is a great little book with a lot on the people and great pictures. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Summer 2006

Barefoot Girl
Paula Griffith Paul will be releasing her twenty-first published novel, Barefoot Girl, in April 2006 under the pseudonym of Catherine Monroe. The novel tells the story of Saint Margaret, Patroness of the Abused and is based on facts and traditions. Margaret, forced into an early marriage to an abusive, powerful husband, searches for her destiny with her faith to support her. Escaping poverty to riches, she turns her back on those comforts. Her devotion to the poor and abused is beautifully told in a story that enfolds the reader in its rich details. No previous knowledge of the saints or of religion is required as Ms. Paul fills in the details as she goes along. The first of several novels on the lives of saints, Barefoot Girl will certainly touch the hearts of readers. Paula’s most recent book, Crazy Quilt, was released in October 2005. The novel traces one woman’s journey through breast cancer and is a powerful and universal telling of the experience. A third of the royalties from Crazy Quilt benefit the University of New Mexico’s Cancer Treatment Center. Paula can be reached through her website http://www.paulapaul.net. -- Sabra Steinsiek, POSH New Mexico, Summer 2005

Barelas: A Traves De Los Años, A Pictorial History of a Community
A companion book to the interactive exhibit of same name at the National Hispanic Cultural Center of New Mexico. Published by NHCC in 2000, curators Carlos Vasquez, Michael Miller and Mo Palmer. 72 pages, b/w, many photos, $7.00 paperback, no ISBN.
The National Hispanic Cultural Center of New Mexico located in the neighborhood of Barelas. It is very fitting that one of the inaugural exhibits and publications of the Center highlights the long history and the people of Barelas. Everyone involved with this projected is to be applauded. It is almost a certainty that without the Center and its vision this documentation of the neighborhood would not have happened for a long time.
Some say the Center has disrupted the neighborhood. Others say it has brought it back to life. It has helped the residents remember the past and be proud of it. Every aspect of the day-to-day life of Barelas is documented. Photos have come from archival collections, as well as individuals. There are essays by the curators. The book asks for help too. Not all of the photos are completely identified, so there is a mail-back form if you know who some of the missing are.
Documenting old photos and the history they represent has now become a priority for many organizations in New Mexico. The photos are deteriorating so any effort will help preserve history. With everything else going on to get the Center open it is amazing this got done. It truly should be done for every community with this kind of background.
The book is probably not available in any bookstore besides the store at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. Without an ISBN it makes ordering difficult. Call the NHCC store at 505/766-9858 or 1-888/531-4107 or fax 505/766-9665 and finally email MNoskin@hcfoundation.org -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Spring 2001

Beatles Art: Fantastic New Artwork of the Fab Four
Linda & Jeffrey Webb. Published in 2006 by Boxigamy Books, paperback, $29.95, 212 pages, 150 full color pages and 10 B&W pages, ISBN 0-9754176-2-2.
Yes, a Beatles book in TR. But there is method to the madness. Richard and Theresa Montoya of Santa Cruz have work in the book. The Montoya’s got their start in Spanish Market as a result of Gloria Lopez Cordova. This is a book for true Beatle lovers and has art around them and their songs of all media. The Montoya’s did Beatles retablos for the Beatle songs. A good book for a fanatic! They say they are giving a $1 to every book sold to Adopt-A-Minefield, Paul McCartney’s favorite charity. It may not be his favorite since he is in a nasty divorce. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Summer 2007

Bedtime in the Southwest
Mona Hodgson and illustrated by Renee Graef. Published in 2004 by Rising Moon/Luna Rising, hardback, $14.95, 32 pages, full color, ISBN 0-87358-871-1.
This is another cute kids book from Rising Moon in Flagstaff. If you have a small one who doesn’t know what to do when it is bedtime this is the perfect book for you. The story is based in the Southwest and has critters from the Southwest. It is an attractive book that kids will love over and over. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Spring 2005

Beloved Land: An Oral History of Mexican Americans in Southern Arizona
Patricia Preciado Martin and photographs by Jose Galvez. Published in 2004 by the University of Arizona Press, $17.95, paperback, ISBN 0-9165-2382-7, 150 pages, 57 b&w photos.
They say in the publicity from the publisher that this book was written in response to the potential loss of a way of life. In any case, oral histories of any people are important. This is a beautiful little book that documents the lives of 10 pioneers with photos from the Pulitzer prize winner to historic photos. Their stories talk about food, work, family, music, and their love of the land that is being bought up by developers and lost; it is a story that needs to be told. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Summer 2004

Benigna’s Chimayo Cuentos From The Old Plaza
Don J. Usner as told by Benigna Ortega Chavez. 2001, Museum of New Mexico Press, Santa Fe, ISBN 0-89013-381-6 (cloth), $39.95; ISBN 0-89013-382-3 (pbk) $19.95, 153 pages, B/W photos and sketches, in English and Spanish.
This bilingual work is decidedly a family endeavor representing three northern New Mexico Chimayo generations. Benigna is the storyteller; Benigna’s daughter Stella Chavez Usner, and Stella’s daughter Carole Usner-Hunt transcribed and translated the cuentos, and were faced with the task of dealing with the old New Mexico dialect of Spanish, characterized by surviving words from the 16th. and 17th. centuries (called archaisms). Stella’s eldest son Arturo created the sketches, while son Don J. Usner wrote the book and produced the charming photographs of ninety-two year old Benigna. Yet the cuentos themselves came to Chimayo and into the 20th. century through eight generations of the Ortega family. Cuentos are an integral part of the oral tradition that go back to the earliest settlers on the northern frontier of New Spain. Today, cuentos are regarded as folklore, something that is rather unsophisticated, and not entirely applicable in the 21st century. Yet, when Benigna (born 1898) was growing up cuentos were inseparable from the fabric of her everyday life. They gave her a sense of adventure, and instilled in her the basics of a strong moral background that she has steadfastly held to throughout her long life.
Don J. Usner, like all of Benigna’s grandchildren, took turns staying with his grandmother in Chimayo each summer. This began when he was five years old and continued until he was well into his high school years, and was later extended when he moved back to Chimayo as an adult. For Benigna those summer visits gave her the opportunity to nurture the children with stories of her life. The children never seemed to tire of listening to her family recollections, and to the cuentos she too had been nourished on so many long years ago. The cuentos brought to life the landscape of the Chimayo Valley with its old buildings and ruins, and the inhabitants who lived out their lives over the generations. But, as the author so adroitly noted, “The written word also leaves out the work of the storyteller, and grandma was a master of this art. She never told the same story twice; each was a spontaneous recreation.” As a consequence the author had the task of putting into the book those personal bits and pieces of each cuento that he vividly remembered from his youth, in addition to including those all-important descriptions of the actual setting in which he originally heard the cuentos. He has accomplished this with great skill.
Like folklore the world over most of the Chimayo cuentos tell of poor people attempting to seek out and find wealth and happiness, eventually fulfilling the dream of living out their lives in happiness with a beautiful loved one. Benigna’s fourteen appealing cuentos adhere to this general motif including such favorites as: ‘Juan Tonto,’ ‘El Caballero de la Pluma,’ ‘Los Tres Bueyecitos,’ ‘Juan Rodajas,’ and others. All of the cuentos carry the reader on a delightful folkloric journey.
This is a well designed and organized book with an informative introduction, followed by the stories in English, each preceded by a marvelous photograph of grandmother Benigna Ortega Chavez, lovingly taken by the author. This section is followed by the cuentos in Spanish, each of which is preceded by a relevant sketch by artist grandson Arturo Antonio y Chavez as he remembered the cuentos. The book concludes with a nostalgic epilogue of family remembrances with fulfillment, and hope that the cuentos will persist into the future and not become historical artifacts. -- Don Toomey, Tradicion Revista, Fall 2001

Behold the Women: A Tribute to Sisters and Nuns of the Catholic Church in the United States and Other Countries
Daniel Thomas Paulos, St. Bernadette Institute of Sacred Art, ISBN 0-9627900-4-4, 1997. 198 pages. 217 B/W photos. $26.95 hardback.
Having spent the large part of my schooling under the watchful eye of the Sisters of Mercy or the School Sisters of Notre Dame, a book on nuns wasn’t something I would go out of my way to look at. However, Dan Paulos has done a nice job of bringing together a lot of warm memories and historical photos to illustrate the value and work of the religious women in America and abroad.
There is an impressive list of contributors: Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Father Daniel Berrigan, Pedro Ribera-Ortega, Norman Vincent Peale, and many others. There are also archival pictures from parishes and archdioceses all over the world. There are even photos of Mother Theresa.
Most nuns do not wear the elaborate habits that many of us were used to forty or more years ago. Seeing the pictures is a great step back into all those adolescent fantasies about nuns and Dan Paulos has a funny personal story about what was under one nuns headress. The pictures also bring back memories of classes that were very well behaved and reflect that in their group pictures. The photos show a way of life for religious women that is all but gone.
This is obviously a work from the heart for Paulos and is a great addition to any research library on Catholic religion primarily in America. It would also be a great gift for someone who had their knuckles rapped a few times in school by a teacher in flowing black and white. It is sometimes sad, but mostly happy and uplifting. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Summer 1998

Bernadette
45 minute documentary video on the life of St. Bernadette of Lourdes and Nevers, France (1997), produced by Dan Paulos of the St. Bernadette Institute of Sacred Art, P. 0. Box 8249, Albuquerque, NM 87198-8249, Tel. (505) 265-9126, Fax (505) 266-4678. $19.95 +postage.
This inspiring video was produced by the renowned silhouette artist Dan Paulos, Director of the St. Bernadette Institute Of Sacred Art, as an integral part of the institute’s overall mission to artistically reveal God’s gifts of love and compassion to the faithful.
This documentary film briefly and faithfully depicts the life of the young Bernadette whose eyes exchanged glances with the Mother of God. The video carries the viewer on a guided tour to the sacred sites of Lourdes and Nevers, France, all interwoven with Bernadette’s simple history. For those already included in Bernadette’s friendship the film serves as a reminder for others to petition her prayers and intercessions. As Dan Paulos says, “In times of mortal discouragement, it will uplift the spirit and unite our spiritual joys with those of this special saint --- patroness of all who suffer.” Hopefully this video will inspire viewers to follow Bernadette’s example to find peace of heart and mind, even in the midst of chaos. -- Don Toomey, Tradicion Revista, Winter 2000

Beside the Rio Hondo
Phaedra Greenwood. 2007, Sunstone Press, 112 pages. ISBN 978-0-86534-518-8
Home is where the heart is. And for author Phaedra Greenwood it’s the quiet little community of Arroyo Hondo, north of Taos. Hers was not an easy journey, though. Like many, she rolled into this area as a hippie during the counter-culture invasion of the 1960s and, like many, she encountered good times and bad, but she wound up staying. And along the way, she wrote. And wrote, and wrote, filling an 8-foot high stack of binders with journal entries recording everything like “fresh details for novels, essays, and memoirs, shaping the material to tell the story of my life.” It was painful and grueling, but she carefully gleaned a nicely crafted chunk of this into her first published book, her dream come true titled “Beside the Rio Hondo: A Memoir of Rural New Mexico.” Anyone who thinks they can just come here from somewhere else, buy a pretty little adobe in a small community like Hondo and start living the romantic life of a rustic New Mexican has another thing coming. And, Greenwood did when she and her then-husband purchased a house on a hillside above a creek that starts in the high mountain springs of an area that was once known as Twining. In this region, the land is tied to the history of your neighbors. It’s connected to traditions bound up in the water and centuries-old cultures. You can’t just move in and expect to instantly be one of the folks. It takes time, sometimes decades, sometimes even generations. But Greenwood was different. When she saw this area, she knew this was home and knew she never wanted to leave. This was it, and hell or high water, she was going to stay. Greenwood calls her book a piece of “creative nonfiction,” which means “everything happened,” but she’s condensed some events, altered others to bring out the drama, and has changed the names of some characters to protect their privacy. It is structured loosely to follow the seasons, of the place and her life. It starts in 1992, when she moved back to Hondo after separating from her husband, “Aaron,” in order to establish her own identity at age 49. He gives her a year to see if she can make it, then, if not, they can sell their house and share the proceeds. What follows then isn’t an exact chronology. It‚s a kind of episodic impression of what it takes for a woman of “a certain age” to make it in a place where she has to chop wood for heat, help maintain the community acequia, participate in re-mudding the village church, and get along with her Hispano brethren. Through it all, she displays a remarkable humility, expressed in keen observations about the people she meets and the nature she works so hard to preserve. In subtle ways she says she is no better or worse than anyone in the valley, and yet by virtue of putting words to the intangible she is quietly elevated to importance. Communities like this need people like Greenwood, and Arroyo Hondo is lucky to have her. There was some trepidation, though, when it came to letting her neighbors find out what she wrote about them. To help allay any fears, she hosted a small gathering to introduce the book, which, to her surprise was well received. With one hand over her heart, Hondo's Ida Martínez said, “I love your book. It makes me feel closer to you. I’m reading it all over again.” Greenwood said she offers her “heartfelt thanks to all my friends and neighbors who have helped me over the years to sustain a life of voluntary simplicity in this unique rural community. And thanks to my enemies, too, who helped me define what I really care about and who I am. I am grateful for all the twists and hidden nooks along the path. The older I get, the less I know for sure. Life is so interesting!” -- Rick Romancito, Taos News

Big Moon Tortilla
Joy Cowley and illustrations by Dyanne Strongbow. Boyds Mills Press, 1998. Hardback, ISBN 1-56397-601-3, $14.95, 30 pages in color.
This book has the setting of a Tohono O’odham village in Arizona but the similarities to Hispanic New Mexican village life. There is a strong Mexican influence. This book is beautifully illustrated and will appeal to kids age 6-9 years. The parental figure in the book is Marta’s grandmother and will reinforce any family that has a non-traditional base. We recommend it as a gift for a child living outside the Southwest and with it should be a package of the wonderful flavored tortillas from northern New Mexico. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Summer 2001

Black Widow, White Lies
Another mystery is Margaret Tessler’s Black Widow, White Lies, the latest in her lawyer Sharon Salazar series. This one takes place in Chama when Sharon and husband Ryan plan a romantic getaway to the very real Parlor Car Bed and Breakfast. Like most Salazar plans, this one expands to include the rest of the Salazars, a funny and close family that will remind you of your own. While Black Widow, White Lies reads well on its own, I found myself wondering about the antagonist who had obviously appeared in a previous book. You might want to start with Tessler’s Tangled Webs and Class Disunion so you don’t have to go back and find out later. You’ll want to read them anyway to get more of this great family. -- Sabra Steinsiek, POSH New Mexico, Summer 2007

Blanca’s Feather
Antonio Hernandez Madrigal and illustrations by Gerardo Suzan. Rising Moon by Northland, 2000. hardback, ISBN 0-87358-743-x, $15.95. 25 pages in color.
Rosalia has lost her pet chicken, Blanca, and it is time for the annual blessing of the pets for Saint Francis of Assisi Day. This is the story that brings an annual custom alive for children. It is a cute story with wonderful illustrations. It would have been easy to make the pet a dog or a cat but a chicken brings in new cultural perspectives. Children will love this happy story. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Summer 2001

Blanket Weaving in the Southwest
Joe Ben Wheat and edited by Ann Lane Hedlund. Published in 2003 by the University of Arizona Press, hardback, ISBN 0-8165-2304-5, $75, 440 pages, 191 color plates, 115 b/w.
No, we haven’t lost our minds and are reviewing a book on Native American blankets. This book is so good that it also covers the influence and types of Hispanic weavings. It is the must have book and be all and end all of weaving in the American Southwest. It is a fantastic book that will be good for reference, galleries, collectors, and any other purpose you can name. The photos are beautiful and the explanations turn identification into a science not an art. Joe Ben Wheat of the University of Colorado Museum in Boulder died in 1997 but his protegee Hedlund finished the project. Besides blankets there are ponchos, serapes, Diyugi, mantas, dresses, chief’s blankets, and shoulder blankets. It contains an unbelievable Bibliography. Do yourself a favor and spring for this book if you collect or love to look at textiles of the Southwest. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Winter 2003

Blanton Museum of Art: Handbook of the Collection
Published 2006 by University of Texas Press, paperback, $20, 264 pages, full color, ISBN 0-9771453-2-8.
The Blanton Museum is in Austin, Texas. We love when a museum endeavors to show the museum collection in a book. It is good for research and for patrons. Not enough museums do it. This is a handsome, utilitarian book that can be used by anyone. It is basically divided in three sections: European, American, and Latin American. There are Old Masters, contemporary, and western works represented in the book. Featured is the Mari and James A. Michener Collection of American Art. Artists include Picasso, Frankenthaler, Johns, Rubens, Rembrandt and Durer. It is a great beginning and they can add on books for their collection of 17,000 works. If you can’t find it call 800/252-3206. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Summer 2006

Blanton Museum of Art Latin American Collection
Gabriel Perez-Barreiro. Published in 2006 by the University of Texas Press, paperback, $40, full color, 432 pages, SBN 0-9771453-0-1.
If I had to do it I might do this book as the same size as the Blanton Handbook to add on to the previous volume. There may be good reasons not to do it like there are a large number of pages. But it is something to think about. As is, this book is a wonderful coffee table edition that documents an important Latin American collection. 102 artists are featured with much text about each. If you like Latin American art this is the book for you with its essays and pictures of great art. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Summer 2006

Blessings of Guadalupe
Eryk Hanut. Published in 2002 by Council Oaks Books. Foreword by Tey Marianna Nunn, Ph.D., hardback, $14,00, ISBN 1-57178-113-7, 48 pages, color illustrations and photos.
We have to be honest and what initially caught our eye at the bookstore was that Tey Marianna Nunn did the Foreword on Guadalupe. We took a second take and ran home to request a review copy. Their web sight didn’t work and there was no information on the book so we went back and bought it. It was cheap and there are other uses for it. It is a gift book -- small in size and perfect for gifts. Actually it would be fun to include all the things Tey points out with it: Guadalupe plates, Guadalupe aerosol room freshener, Guadalupe nail clippers and on and on. There are photos and original art. It is cute. But we wonder about the motivation and to date there has been no press on the book. If you want it try Bookworks on Rio Grande. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Fall 2002

Blue Lakes & Silver Cities: The Colonial Arts and Architecture of West Mexico
Richard D. Perry. 1997, Espadaña Press, 272 pages, B/W, many illustrations , paperback, $25.00, ISBN 0-9620811-3-2.
After you get On Mexican Time and decide to move south, you then need the books of this small press to sightsee. The explanations go into great detail and the illustrations are quite nice. The format is very much like a large tour book. There is a bibliography, glossary, and plenty of maps.
This particular small press does books on subject matter that has not been done in English; the publishers seem to do it out of love for the area. We have great empathy for small, husband and wife publishing houses and applaud those who do books that can be of real use to the traveler and researcher. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Fall 2001

Bone Justice
Elizabeth Fackler, published by Western Star, 2006, 341 pgs, 0-977385-0-7, $24.95.
Elizabeth Fackler has been publishing novels since the early Eighties. Her career has been divided between crime and western fiction. She is equally at home and equally exceptional in both forms. The latest Fackler is called Bone Justice and continues her Seth Strummar western series with a storyline that is in equal parts horrific and romantic. Fackler's crime fiction has always been celebrated for its low-key but hard-boiled drama. Her careful and evocative prose depicts the outlaw Strummar trying to figure out if his partner has turned into a man who deals in women. In the course of the book we get to know the life stories of three different women who, while true to the era in which they're alive, also hold significance for today, especially in the way Fackler demonstrates the violence they have to endure. Fackler tops herself here by setting the youngest woman on an unspoken spiritual quest--and a believable one--that will redeem a broken life. There are so many fine writers who deserve more notice and acclaim than they receive. For me, Elizabeth Fackler is right at the top of that list. She has a unique approach to the novel and speaks in a voice all her own. Arson and Barbed Wire are two of the toughest-minded small-town novels I've ever read. They deserve serious rediscovery as major pieces of crime fiction. The same can be said for all her westerns, most of which are now out of print. In both genres she does the same thing, takes familiar elements and makes them seem startling and new through the dazzle of her prose and the humanity of her forgiving gaze. -- Ed Gorman’s Blog, 12/29/2006

Breakfast Santa Fe Style: A Dining Guide to Fancy, Funky, and Family Friendly Restaurants
Kathy Barco & Valerie Nye. Published in 2006 by Sunstone Press, $19.95, softback, b&w, many photos and illustrations, 128 pages, ISBN 0-86534-501-5.
In the spirit of disclosure we met Kathy and Valerie in the New Mexico Book Co-op and Kathy is probably one of the world’s best promoters. This is a cute book to give to someone coming to Santa Fe on vacation or new move-ins. Old time Santa Feans have their favorite places. What makes this book different is the recommendation of local books that go with each restaurant. It has great information on price, location, and the kind of food served. At the end of the book is a list of the books and the restaurants. It is cute; it is easy; and, it makes a great gift. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Summer 2006
I had a tie for my top pick for grown-up readers. The first is the perfect gift for yourself and those out-of-state friends. Breakfast Santa Fe Style by Kathy Barco and Valerie Nye is a “dining guide to fancy, funky, and family friendly restaurants” in the city different. The restaurants are coded as to price and the restaurants “kid component” and the introduction gently explains the state question of “red or green?” for those who are visiting the Land of Enchantment. From drive-thru restaurants and those little places you’ve wondered about to fancy hotel dining rooms and museum cafes, the authors have courageously sampled it all and given us the lowdown. Barco and Nye, both librarians, have added a literary twist to their guide. Each restaurant is paired with a book -- Tortilla Flats on Cerillos Road is paired with Joe Hayes' The Day It Snowed Tortillas, Richard Bradford’s classic Red Sky At Morning is perfect for the Plaza Bakery on East San Francisco, and La Plazuela at La Fonda Hotel is perfect for reading about La Fonda’s interior in Arnold Berk’s Mary Colter: Architect of the Southwest. A total of fifty-eight restaurants are included. Written in a chatty style with unreserved enthusiasm, Breakfast Santa Fe Style is sure to pique your interest and appetite. -- Sabra Steinsiek, POSH New Mexico, Winter 2006

Brujas, Bultos, y Brasas: Tales of Witchcraft and the Supernatural in the Pecos Valley
Nasario Garcia with Foreword by Marc Simmons. Western Edge Press, 1999, 232 pages, 36 b/w photos. Bibliography and glossary of regional and Spanish terms. ISBN 1-8899-21-03-3, paperback $16.95.
Dr. Nasario Garcia has traveled to the upper Pecos Valley to record the oral histories of the elder Hispanics and taken the stories of witches, devils, the evil eye, and other scary things for the 26 stories in his newest book. These stories would be lost if not recorded. The book is bilingual and contains a glossary of terms both in regional and traditional Spanish as well as a list of common northern New Mexican terms. He also has included a bibliography and a list of “Creencias” -- his childhood superstitions.
None of the stories are long -- just short stories that would have been told to the children, in front of the fireplace. Each story contains a picture of the storyteller and some basic biographical information. For the most part it seems like a group of grandmothers and grandfathers who would pass on local folklore.
This book will be valuable to students of regional folklore as well as linguists. It is an effort that is dear to the author’s heart and helps to record a part of New Mexico history that might otherwise fade away. Read some of the stories to your own kids next Halloween! -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Winter 1999

Brujerías: Stories of Witchcraft and the Supernatural in the Southwest and Beyond. Nasario García. Texas Tech University Press, Lubbock, 2007. 373 pages. ISBN: 10: 0-89672-607-X. $34.95 Cloth.
One of the rich facets of Latino oral history in the American Southwest and beyond is the vivid and colorful body of folklore about magical and supernatural occurrences in the lives of Hispano people that has been passed down through several generation. To be sure, many of us grew up hearing some version of tales about brujas, balls of fire, el diablo or el mal ojo. These stories were transmitted by grandparents, parents or childhood friends as we sat spellbound, casting nervous glances over our shoulders. Don’t you wish you could recall these gems and pass them along once again? Nasario García has done us all a real service in this regard. He has meticulously gathered spine-tingling accounts from 64 narrators of various backgrounds ranging in age from 17 to 98. Their stories come from Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas as well as Spain and Latin America. García’s books is more than a collection of supernatural yarns—it reflects the magical essence of Hispano culture that links Spain to Latin American to the United States. The stories are presented in both Spanish and English translation, making them easily accessible to native readers and speakers of both languages. Also included at the end of the book are biographical information about the narrators and a glossary highlighting the regional Spanish dialect of northern New Mexico and southern Colorado. Pull up a chair prepare to enter the frightening world of La Llorona and her cohorts in García’s fine book. -- Andrew Lovato, La Herencia, Winter 2007.

Building the Village: Flow Of the River Volume II
National Hispanic Cultural Center, 2000. 72 pages, paperback, color & B/W.
Is it a book or a marketing tool? We think it is a souvenir. This is a guide to understanding why the National Hispanic Cultural Center was built and the 400 years of history and tradition it builds upon. It is an attractive book with a few flaws that can be overlooked. Our copy had an out of register centerfold that was quite unfortunate.
Flow of the River was published in 1988 with a second edition in 1991. It was the beginning of the Hispanic Culture Foundation’s effort to build awareness and start the ball rolling on the new Center. Flow I was put together by a lot of really significant people like Rudolfo Anaya, Helen Lucero, and Sabine Ulibarri to name a few. Mostly staff worked on Flow II. Both books are in Spanish and English.
Flow II talks about the effort to get to the opening in October; the building, the neighborhood, the features and programs of the Center, and ways to give money. It is a very attractive book but the type is small and may be hard to read by some. One thing that drove us crazy is that none of the pictures have captions - you have to flip to the back and find the picture on a long list. Not reader friendly. We found it odd that some photos appear in both books - like there are not enough examples to have new photos?
But it is a milestone of a long struggle and people who want a remembrance of the opening will be able to take this home. It has to be mentioned that with everything the staff had to do to get ready for the opening in October it is amazing that this got done at all. But it shows that priorities happen.
There is no ISBN or Library of Congress number so anyone wanting this book will have trouble getting a bookstore to order it. It probably will only be for sale in the National Hispanic Cultural Center Museum Shop when it opens. We will try to give out that number when we get it. Flow I sold for $19.95 when we bought it a few years ago and the Museum Shop may have some of those left to sell too. This will be a collectors item and a great gift to those interested in the Center or Hispanic history outside of New Mexico. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Fall 2000

C is for Coyote
Andrea Helman with photos by Art Wolfe and Gavriel Jecan. Published in 2002 by Rising Moon, hardback, ISBN 0-87358-79-7, $15.95, 32 pages, all color photos.
Alphabet books for kids are great gifts. This one covers from A to Z but in Southwestern style. L is for lizard, I is for Indian ruin, V is for vulture, and all the way through. the photos are simple, clear, and easy for kids to understand. Kids in the Southwest will identify a book just for their region and kids in other parts of the worlds will like the new slant on the usual alphabet. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Fall 2002

California Colonial: The Spanish and Rancho Revival Styles
Elizabeth McMillian, Ph.D. and photography by Matt Gainer and Elizabeth McMillian. Published 2002 by Schiffer Publishing, hardback $49.95, ISBN 0-7643-1460-2, 240 pages, many color and black and white photos.
The thing about Schiffer books is they are either fun with funky subjects like microcomputers or Bakelite jewelry or lush books on art or architecture. This book on California is beautiful in every sense of the word. The exteriors are fabulous and the detail shots of shelves, switchplates, and lamps are truly helpful to a decorator, builder, or collector. There is history, old black and white photos, a glossary, a resource guide, and a bibliography. There are a lot of things in the book that those of us who have nosed around California will say, “I remember that!” A great gift for someone in California or someone who wants to be there. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Spring 2003

Carlos and the Skunk, Carlos and the Squash Plant
Jan Romero Stevens, illustrated by Jeanne Arnold. Northland Publishing Company (Rising Moon imprint), , 1997- 1995, ISBN 0-87358-591-7/ 0-87358-625-5, 32 pages. $14.95, color.
Hopefully this series will have even more additions. These are wonderful cuentos that children will love. The stories take place in the Española Valley. The illustrations are beautiful and have a real feel for the Hispanic family. The books are Spanish and English on the same page. Aside from the fact that this is a great gift, it is also a nice aid for anyone of any age trying to learn to read Spanish. There are recipes in the back of each book so the child and parents can have the true flavor of the story.
There are words in the books that children will ask about like: arroyo, tumbleweeds, and piñon nuts. Some words are explained while others aren’t. This will cause quality conversation around the dinner table. If you give this as a gift, make sure to include packets of New Mexico squash and chile seeds for a long-lasting experience. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Summer 1998

Carlos Digs to China:Carlos excava hasta la China
Jan Romero Stevens and Illustrated by Jeanne Arnold. Rising Moon by Northland, 2001, hardback, ISBN 0-87358-764-2, $15.95, 29 pages in color.
This is the last (we assume) in the Carlos series. The author passed away in 2000. It is a nice set of five books that give a glimpse into the life of Carlos. Carlos is excited about the prospect of having Chinese food anytime he wants. To him is is better tasting than the beans he is used to. So he digs. This book is bilingual and has two recipes to try. A nice book for boys who love to dig. The entire series is beautifully illustrated. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Summer 2001

Casa Guatemalteca
Katia Niesiolowska. Published by Villegas Editores with second printing 2001. 245 pages in color with many photos, ISBN958-9393-71-3, hardback, $65.
This would be an elegant holiday present for someone’s coffee table. This book shows the gardens, houses, and interiors of Guatemala. It is elegant. There is a bibliography and the background material on the traditions and area is impressive. Unfortunately the resulting impression of the book is to get on a plane a good see for yourself. There are grand vistas from elegant rooms. If you do anything with interior decoration or just love to look at beautiful houses and rooms, this is a book for you.
Editors Note: This book and the one before may be a little difficult to find but call Hispaniae at 505-244-1533. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Winter 2002

Casa Mañana: The Morrow Collection of Mexican Popular Arts
Susan Danly, Introduction by Ilan Stevans. 2002 University of New Mexico Press, Hardback, $32.95, ISBN 0-8263-2805-9, 211 pages, 34 color photos and 90 B&W.
Dwight Morrow was Ambassador to Mexico from the United States in the late 1920s. He and his wife Elizabeth fell in love with the folk art of Mexico and collected it while there. Casa Mañana was their weekend home in Cuernavaca, Mexico. In it was their textile, pottery, and lacquerware trays. In 1955 one hundred and fifty-five pieces of their collection were donated to the Mead Art Museum at Amherst College.
This book is not picture heavy but does have a pictorial checklist of the Collection as well as some beautiful plates of the pieces and political memorabilia of the time. There are essays by Jill Meredith, Ilan Stevens, Susan Danly, James Oles, Anthony Lee, and Rick Lopez. There is an extensive bibliography as well as in depth notes. The book is a must for students of Mexico and Mexican art. It does more of a job of putting the art in context than other similar books. It reminds the reader that there was a fluid political and social climate that influenced everything that went on in Mexico. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Spring 2002

Castle Lark And The Tale That Stopped Time
Zelda Leah Gatuskin
This tale of magic and the future, for teens and sci-fi/fantasy buffs, begins with “Nothing about space travel was quite like Fasha had expected, and the surprises were not happy ones.” The story follows two twenty-second century teens on their journey to discover and reactivate an ancient spell. -- Sabra Steinsiek, POSH New Mexico, Winter 2006

Catholic Traditions in Crafts
Ann Ball. Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division, 1997. ISBN 0-87973-711-5.Paper- $16.95,189 pages, B/W photos.
This is the ultimate craft book for anyone Catholic. There is something for every holiday on the Catholic calendar and for every season. It will bring back memories of Sunday School and parochial school.
There are safety warnings, explanations of materials, and the different items that cross cultural boundaries. Many of the projects are great for kids to make and give as gifts. There are retablos to paint and items for Day of the Dead. There are also patterns for non-drawers. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Summer 1999

Cecilia’s Year
Susan & Denise Gonzales Abraham. Published in March 2007 by Cinco Puntos Press, paperback, $11.95, 216 pages, sepia toned photos at the beginning of each chapter, ISBN 1-933693-02-9.
It is so nice to give a young adult a book that is better and has more depth than some of the dribble out there. This is a book that the story is told in brief episodes tied to the months of the year--a different approach. At the beginning of each chapter is an archival photo. Cecilia is 14, loves books, a great student, and dirt poor. This book will appeal to girls especially who like Laura Ingalls Wilder (Little House). The Author’s Note tells about the real life Cecilia and the Glossary has Spanish dichos. A great gift for girls especially during reading time in the summer! -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Summer 2007

Celebrating Guadalupe
Jacqueline Orsini Dunnington with photographs by Charles Mann. Published in 2004 by Rio Nuevo Publishers, $15.95, hardcover, ISBN 1-887896-55-4, 84 pages, 50 color photos.
There is no profound new research though this is entertaining and a great gift for our Guadalupe challenged folks. There are some neat picutres of work by Kathleen Sais Lerner, Eulogio and Zorida Ortega, the Truchas Master, Jose Rafael Aragon, and others. It is a simple book that celebrates Guadalupe here and across the border. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Summer 2004

Centuries of Hands: An Architectural History of St. Francis of Assisi Church
Van Dorn Hooker with Corina A. Santistevan, Sunstone Press, Santa Fe, NM, 1996, 160 pp, 105 b/w photos, 53 illustrations/line drawings, ISBN 0-86534-234-2, $18.95
St. Francis of Assisi Church in Taos, NM is one of the most widely recognized buildings in the United States. It has been photographed by thousands of people who have visited it including professional photographers, and painted by scores of artists in various media. Since its original construction in the early nineteenth century, it has gone through many remodelings. Hooker, with the help of Santistevan, followed the restoration of this church since 1965 and his collection of notes and photographs made this volume possible. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Winter 1996

Ceramica y Cultura: The Story of Spanish And Mexican Mayolica
Robin Farwell Gavin, Donna Pierce, and Alfonso Pleguezuela. Published in 2003 by the University of New Mexico Press, hardback, 356 pages, $49.95, 240 color and many b/w photos, ISBN 0-8263-3101-7.
Robin Gavin was right when she said ‘ceramics mirror culture.’ The pottery of the people reflects the art, food traditions, and decoration styles they used. This book is beautiful and full of pottery information, maps, pictures, and designs. There are many essays by museum curators and collectors including Gloria Giffords. There are all sorts of uses of pottery, tiles, every sort of food container, and even altars. The book was partially funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. For anyone interested in ceramics/pottery this is a useful book for ideas and history. And of course the link between Spain and Mexico is undeniable. It is a very concise book on the history of mayolica. -- Barbe Awalt, Tradicion Revista, Spring 2004

Cesar’s Way
Cesar Millan with Melissa Jo Pelteer. Published in 2006 by Harmony News, hardback, $24.95, b & w with some photos