Southwest Books of the Year 2014: Bruce Dinges’ Picks

The Making of A Sunbelt Borderland

by Cadava, Geraldo L.

Book - 2013

Historian Cadava’s astute and illuminating study chronicles the post-WWII efforts of conservative trans-national businessmen and politicians, epitomized b...Show more Historian Cadava’s astute and illuminating study chronicles the post-WWII efforts of conservative trans-national businessmen and politicians, epitomized by Sonoran industrialist and governor Ignacio Soto and Tucson department store owner Alex Jácome, to promote a prosperous regional economy and shows how their success, at the expense of cultural and economic minorities, exacerbated tensions that are reflected in current debates over immigration and U.S.-Mexico relations. This is an essential book for understanding where we have been and where we are headed. Show less

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The Morenci Marines

A Tale of Small Town America and the Vietnam War

by Longley, Kyle

Book - 2013

In a book that is both scholarly and intensely personal, Longley tells the story of nine young men (eight high school classmates and one college student) ...Show more In a book that is both scholarly and intensely personal, Longley tells the story of nine young men (eight high school classmates and one college student) from the small mining community of Morenci in southeastern Arizona who enlisted together in the spring of 1966 and went off to war. Only three returned. Like the good historian he is, Longley carefully probes the experiences of the Morenci Nine for what they have to say about patriotism, duty, and the lingering impact of the Vietnam War after nearly a half century. But at the heart of this fine book are the letters of the young men trying to make sense of a senseless situation and Longley’s interviews with family members who still grieve the loss of sons and brothers. They remind us that the wounds of war heal slowly, if at all. Show less

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Requiem for the Santa Cruz

An Environmental History of An Arizona River

by Webb, Robert H.

Book - 2014

Most Tucsonans see the Santa Cruz as just another dry streambed; the authors of this provocative study view it as a case study in desert hydrology and rip...Show more Most Tucsonans see the Santa Cruz as just another dry streambed; the authors of this provocative study view it as a case study in desert hydrology and riparian ecology. The story isn’t pretty or particularly comforting, but Webb, Betancourt, Johnson and Turner—each an expert in desert rivers and arid environment—draw on an exhaustive amount of historic, scientific and photographic data to show how centuries of population growth and agricultural development have lowered the groundwater table in the Tucson basin to the point of no return, drying up the once-flowing river and creating monumental erosion and flood control problems. It’s too late to replace the mesquite bosques that once flourished along the Santa Cruz and Rillito, and many bird species are gone forever, but this impressive study reminds us of what has been lost and offers suggestions for what might yet be preserved. Show less

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Álvar Núnez Cabeza De Vaca

American Trailblazer

by Varnum, Robin

Book - 2014

Cabeza de Vaca’s account of eight years wandering across the continent after an ill-fated 1528 Florida expedition is a classic of southwestern literature....Show more Cabeza de Vaca’s account of eight years wandering across the continent after an ill-fated 1528 Florida expedition is a classic of southwestern literature. Varnum draws on Spanish documents, augmented by current scholarship in a variety of disciplines, to tell the full story of Cabeza de Vaca’s life and adventures, including his observations on geography, flora and fauna, and native peoples encountered in both North and South America, where he endured a turbulent governorship of the Spanish province of Rio de la Plata. Accessible to both scholars and general readers, this excellent biography tells the story of an exceptional explorer, while providing a nuanced account of Spanish motivations and practices in the conquest of the Americas. Show less

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Among Unknown Tribes

Rediscovering the Photographs of Explorer Carl Lumholtz

Book - 2014

Selected by Bruce Dinges as a Southwest Books of the Year 2014 Top Pick. Selected by Bruce Dinges as a Southwest Books of the Year 2014 Top Pick. Show less

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Quiet Streets of Winslow

A Novel

by Troy, Judy

Book - 2014

Selected by Bruce Dinges as a Southwest Books of the Year 2014 Top Pick. Selected by Bruce Dinges as a Southwest Books of the Year 2014 Top Pick. Show less

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Tom Horn in Life and Legend

by Ball, Larry D.

Book - 2014

Selected by Bruce Dinges as a Southwest Books of the Year 2014 Top Pick. Selected by Bruce Dinges as a Southwest Books of the Year 2014 Top Pick. Show less

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The Wives of Los Alamos

A Novel

by Nesbit, TaraShea

Book - 2014

Selected by Bruce Dinges as a Southwest Books of the Year 2014 Top Pick. Selected by Bruce Dinges as a Southwest Books of the Year 2014 Top Pick. Show less

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