What are some good books to read while traveling in New Mexico?
Asked by
aviona (
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May 12th, 2009
I’m leaving on the 19th to visit some friends on a Southwest road trip. I’m meeting up with them in Albuquerque. I was thinking it would be really nice to have some relevant reading material (either fiction/non-fiction or poetry). Does anyone know of any/has anyone read anything pertaining to New Mexico/the southwest in general?
I guess I would prefer fiction or poetry, but any recommendations are welcome! Thanks!
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16 Answers
The Lonesome Dove books by Larry McMurtry.
I’m not sure what types of books you like, but I read The Whole World Over by Julia Glass while on vacation in Turkey and it made for good vacation reading.
The book takes place mostly in santa fe, NM, and has lots of heavenly food descriptions.
Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey. It’s non-fiction, a memoir of the author’s time as a park ranger in southeastern Utah. He spends three seasons by himself in a trailer inside the park. It was really good.
So crazy @zephyr826! I’m doing a sort of outdoor education program in June and I just got all my required books for it and one of them is the best of Edward Abbey! I’m sure that’s in it!
Thanks @everyone so far :)
Swine flu in your life.Oh sorry,New Mexico.
The Shack by William Young.
“Death Comes for the Archbishop” and “Shadow on the Rock” by Willa Cather. Both are set in the Southwest and Cather is a great limner of landscape.
I haven’t read much NM work (although I live in Albuquerque and can give you plenty of recommendations for other things to see and do). Here are some things that popped up in searches:
Tony Hillerman’s collection of NM essays, plus his usual mystery works.
If you’re coming across on I-40, definitely make time for Acoma Pueblo. I’ve been a few times and am always enchanted by it. (It could also be a day or half day trip from Albuquerque.)
This list although it seems mostly focused on northern NM.
The pueblo revolt is kind of a big deal in terms of the deeper history of the people and cultures of New Mexico.
Here are favorites/influences of prominent New Mexican authors.
This thread is an hour old and nobody’s mentioned Carlos Castaneda yet.
@PapaLeo pssst: maybe you’re dating yourself
Definitely The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge by Carlos Castaneda
The Glass Castle, by Jeannette Walls
Something by Loren Eiseley. Some of his stuff focuses on that region. All of his stuff is good.
And I’ll third Carlos Castaneda.
Les Fleurs du Mal by Baudelaire if you want poetry.
Anything by Asimov for fiction.
Another Edward Abbey book – The Monkey Wrench Gang. Hilarious bit of fiction!
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