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Southwest Books of the Year 2017: Top Picks

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PimaLib_SWBooks

Pima County Public Library

Staff-created list

Southwest Books of the Year Top Picks are books that were chosen as a favorite by more than one Southwest Books of the Year panelist. Formats other than print are listed below when available for the title.

By:

PimaLib_SWBooks

Pima County Public Library

19 items

19 items

The Blinds

The Blinds

by Sternbergh, Adam

Book - 2017

Caesura, a tiny, West Texas town called “The Blinds,” by its four dozen inhabitants, is the ultimate relocation resort. Its residents are killers who, see...Show more Caesura, a tiny, West Texas town called “The Blinds,” by its four dozen inhabitants, is the ultimate relocation resort. Its residents are killers who, seeking a second chance, have bargained to have their memories wiped clean but who still carry the phantom itch of shame. Upon arrival they pick a new name, one from a list of movie stars, the other from a list of vice-presidents, and are given the three rules: no visitors, no contact and, if you choose to leave, no return. But when the suicide of reclusive Errol Colfax (formerly nicknamed “Costco” for his tendency to kill in bulk) is followed by two more killings, outsiders arrive, armed and looking for answers. This is more than an official investigation: it’s a reckoning that escalates into a showdown in which, though the mind is gone, the muscle memory remains. Killers with a conscience are pitted against psychopathic, calculating mercenaries in this crisply-written and fast-paced read. —Vicki Ann Duraine (also selected by Bruce Dinges) Show less

Caesura, a tiny, West Texas town called “The Blinds,” by its four dozen inhabitants, is the ultimate relocation resort. Its residents are killers who, see...Show more Caesura, a tiny, West Texas town called “The Blinds,” by its four dozen inhabitants, is the ultimate relocation resort. Its residents are killers who, seeking a second chance, have bargained to have their memories wiped clean but who still carry the phantom itch of shame. Upon arrival they pick a new name, one from a list of movie stars, the other from a list of vice-presidents, and are given the three rules: no visitors, no contact and, if you choose to leave, no return. But when the suicide of reclusive Errol Colfax (formerly nicknamed “Costco” for his tendency to kill in bulk) is followed by two more killings, outsiders arrive, armed and looking for answers. This is more than an official investigation: it’s a reckoning that escalates into a showdown in which, though the mind is gone, the muscle memory remains. Killers with a conscience are pitted against psychopathic, calculating mercenaries in this crisply-written and fast-paced read. —Vicki Ann Duraine (also selected by Bruce Dinges) Show less

Available in some locations

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Critical Assembly

Critical Assembly

Poems of the Manhattan Project

by Canaday, John

Book - 2017

In a volume that is as audacious and mesmerizing as the events that inspired it, Canaday distills thirty years of research and reflection into more than o...Show more In a volume that is as audacious and mesmerizing as the events that inspired it, Canaday distills thirty years of research and reflection into more than one hundred and sixty poems expressing the thoughts and feelings of scientists, soldiers, and civilians involved in developing and detonating the first atomic bomb. In distinctive voices, nearly four dozen characters grapple with the trivialities of daily life as well as the philosophical dilemma of expanding the boundaries of scientific research to produce the world’s most destructive weapon. Short biographies of the historic characters, a bibliography, and a thoughtful afterword complete this impressive work. Robert Oppenheimer may have been onto something when he turned to the Bhagavad Gita to express his emotions after the successful detonation at New Mexico’s trinity site. In his poetic tour de force, Canaday has shaped his own epic treatment of the twentieth century’s planet- altering moment. —Bruce Dinges (also selected by Vicki Ann Duraine and Christine Wald-Hopkins) Show less

In a volume that is as audacious and mesmerizing as the events that inspired it, Canaday distills thirty years of research and reflection into more than o...Show more In a volume that is as audacious and mesmerizing as the events that inspired it, Canaday distills thirty years of research and reflection into more than one hundred and sixty poems expressing the thoughts and feelings of scientists, soldiers, and civilians involved in developing and detonating the first atomic bomb. In distinctive voices, nearly four dozen characters grapple with the trivialities of daily life as well as the philosophical dilemma of expanding the boundaries of scientific research to produce the world’s most destructive weapon. Short biographies of the historic characters, a bibliography, and a thoughtful afterword complete this impressive work. Robert Oppenheimer may have been onto something when he turned to the Bhagavad Gita to express his emotions after the successful detonation at New Mexico’s trinity site. In his poetic tour de force, Canaday has shaped his own epic treatment of the twentieth century’s planet- altering moment. —Bruce Dinges (also selected by Vicki Ann Duraine and Christine Wald-Hopkins) Show less

Available in some locations

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A Photographer's Life

A Photographer's Life

A Journey From Pulitzer Prize-winning Photojournalist to Celebrated Nature Photographer

by Dykinga, Jack W.

Book - 2017

"I was born again in my 71st year," writes Tucson photographer Jack Dykinga in this memoir in images. It was a health, not a road-to-Damascus ex...Show more "I was born again in my 71st year," writes Tucson photographer Jack Dykinga in this memoir in images. It was a health, not a road-to-Damascus experience, but the resolute efforts of a medical team to save his life prompted Dykinga to reflect on others' impact on his professional life. He chronicles his career from dyslexic high school kid winning a snapshot award through staff photographer at the four major Chicago newspapers--during which time he captured a Pulitzer; through his tenure as head of photography of the Arizona Daily Star, freelancing as a nature photographer for Arizona Highways and National Geographic, to teaching and leading photography expeditions. Celebrating bosses and collaborators, describing evolving equipment and photographic techniques, and presenting and explaining stunning images, in addition to narrating a remarkable life, this book also reflects the history of modern photography. —Christine Wald-Hopkins (also selected by Bruce Dinges and Bill Broyles) Show less

"I was born again in my 71st year," writes Tucson photographer Jack Dykinga in this memoir in images. It was a health, not a road-to-Damascus ex...Show more "I was born again in my 71st year," writes Tucson photographer Jack Dykinga in this memoir in images. It was a health, not a road-to-Damascus experience, but the resolute efforts of a medical team to save his life prompted Dykinga to reflect on others' impact on his professional life. He chronicles his career from dyslexic high school kid winning a snapshot award through staff photographer at the four major Chicago newspapers--during which time he captured a Pulitzer; through his tenure as head of photography of the Arizona Daily Star, freelancing as a nature photographer for Arizona Highways and National Geographic, to teaching and leading photography expeditions. Celebrating bosses and collaborators, describing evolving equipment and photographic techniques, and presenting and explaining stunning images, in addition to narrating a remarkable life, this book also reflects the history of modern photography. —Christine Wald-Hopkins (also selected by Bruce Dinges and Bill Broyles) Show less

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Some Rise by Sin

Some Rise by Sin

by Caputo, Philip

Book - 2017

In a small town in northern Sonora, a motorcycle-riding Franciscan priest and a female doctor grapple with the practical and moral ambiguities of a lawles...Show more In a small town in northern Sonora, a motorcycle-riding Franciscan priest and a female doctor grapple with the practical and moral ambiguities of a lawless world that blurs the lines between friend and foe, government and outlaw. Father Timothy Riordan seeks to redeem himself after violating the sanctity of the confessional to inform on a murderous drug cartel, while Dr. Lisette Moreno is compelled to choose between ministering to her impoverished patients or a comfortable life with her artist lover. Caputo succeeds in capturing both the desperate uncertainties of border life and the complex ethical issues at play in modern-day Mexico. —Bruce Dinges (also selected by Vicki Ann Duraine, Christine Wald-Hopkins, and Helene Woodhams) Show less

In a small town in northern Sonora, a motorcycle-riding Franciscan priest and a female doctor grapple with the practical and moral ambiguities of a lawles...Show more In a small town in northern Sonora, a motorcycle-riding Franciscan priest and a female doctor grapple with the practical and moral ambiguities of a lawless world that blurs the lines between friend and foe, government and outlaw. Father Timothy Riordan seeks to redeem himself after violating the sanctity of the confessional to inform on a murderous drug cartel, while Dr. Lisette Moreno is compelled to choose between ministering to her impoverished patients or a comfortable life with her artist lover. Caputo succeeds in capturing both the desperate uncertainties of border life and the complex ethical issues at play in modern-day Mexico. —Bruce Dinges (also selected by Vicki Ann Duraine, Christine Wald-Hopkins, and Helene Woodhams) Show less

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Sycamore

Sycamore

A Novel

by Chancellor, Bryn

Book - 2017

Twenty years after a teenager’s disappearance, the discovery of bones in a gulch outside the northern Arizona town of Sycamore (a fictionalized conflation...Show more Twenty years after a teenager’s disappearance, the discovery of bones in a gulch outside the northern Arizona town of Sycamore (a fictionalized conflation of Clarkdale and Cottonwood) sends ripples of memory through the small community. As the events leading to the disappearance gradually unfold from the alternating perspectives of the missing girl, her friends, family, and acquaintances, readers discover the past’s haunting grip on the present and the indelible scars of guilt and loss. A compelling debut novel. —Bruce Dinges (also selected by Vicki Ann Duraine and Christine Wald-Hopkins) Show less

Twenty years after a teenager’s disappearance, the discovery of bones in a gulch outside the northern Arizona town of Sycamore (a fictionalized conflation...Show more Twenty years after a teenager’s disappearance, the discovery of bones in a gulch outside the northern Arizona town of Sycamore (a fictionalized conflation of Clarkdale and Cottonwood) sends ripples of memory through the small community. As the events leading to the disappearance gradually unfold from the alternating perspectives of the missing girl, her friends, family, and acquaintances, readers discover the past’s haunting grip on the present and the indelible scars of guilt and loss. A compelling debut novel. —Bruce Dinges (also selected by Vicki Ann Duraine and Christine Wald-Hopkins) Show less

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The Talker

The Talker

Short Stories

by Sojourner, Mary

Book - 2017

The bio of fiction writer, journalist, and sometime NPR commentator Mary Sojourner says she "believes in ... Healing through writing." In this c...Show more The bio of fiction writer, journalist, and sometime NPR commentator Mary Sojourner says she "believes in ... Healing through writing." In this collection of short fiction, it feels as if she's writing to heal characters, as well. Sketchy, stretched, beaten up or beaten down, wrestling with personal demons--drugs, booze, gambling, bad partner-choices--they seem one final reckless move away from really doing themselves in when Sojourner conjures up a little magical grace. Featuring aging hippies, security guards, restaurant staff (plus one books and articles writer, buried mid-collection) who drive old pickups or travel by train, Sojourner's stories bring to life high desert blue collar America. But the one element that consistently doesn't need healing? Nature: A star-studded desert sky. Elegant blue heron. Shimmering aspen grove on Hart Prairie. Whiff of creosote in the rain. Juniper smoke. —Christine Wald-Hopkins (also selected by Helene Woodhams) Show less

The bio of fiction writer, journalist, and sometime NPR commentator Mary Sojourner says she "believes in ... Healing through writing." In this c...Show more The bio of fiction writer, journalist, and sometime NPR commentator Mary Sojourner says she "believes in ... Healing through writing." In this collection of short fiction, it feels as if she's writing to heal characters, as well. Sketchy, stretched, beaten up or beaten down, wrestling with personal demons--drugs, booze, gambling, bad partner-choices--they seem one final reckless move away from really doing themselves in when Sojourner conjures up a little magical grace. Featuring aging hippies, security guards, restaurant staff (plus one books and articles writer, buried mid-collection) who drive old pickups or travel by train, Sojourner's stories bring to life high desert blue collar America. But the one element that consistently doesn't need healing? Nature: A star-studded desert sky. Elegant blue heron. Shimmering aspen grove on Hart Prairie. Whiff of creosote in the rain. Juniper smoke. —Christine Wald-Hopkins (also selected by Helene Woodhams) Show less

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Tortillas, Tiswin, and T-bones

Tortillas, Tiswin, and T-bones

A Food History of the Southwest

by McNamee, Gregory

Book - 2017

It would be hard to find a food history of the Southwest more informative and entertaining than this lively volume. Tucsonan Greg McNamee, who has written...Show more It would be hard to find a food history of the Southwest more informative and entertaining than this lively volume. Tucsonan Greg McNamee, who has written extensively on southwestern subjects, now turns his attention to the food we eat and how it got to our table, a journey that began thousands of years ago in Mesoamerica. With keen insight and a raconteur’s gift for surprising anecdotes, McNamee artfully weaves together the strands of history, science, culture and migration that combined to result in our daily bread -- and tacos, and barbecue and sushi. His knowledge of foodways is edifying, but it’s the details in this fine book that are a pure delight: who knew, for instance, that the stately saguaro is a distant cousin of spinach? Or that the legendary Kit Carson’s dying wish was for just one more bowl of chili? We are what we eat – and in the diverse and culturally-rich Southwest, that’s a good thing. —Helene Woodhams (also selected by Bill Broyles) Show less

It would be hard to find a food history of the Southwest more informative and entertaining than this lively volume. Tucsonan Greg McNamee, who has written...Show more It would be hard to find a food history of the Southwest more informative and entertaining than this lively volume. Tucsonan Greg McNamee, who has written extensively on southwestern subjects, now turns his attention to the food we eat and how it got to our table, a journey that began thousands of years ago in Mesoamerica. With keen insight and a raconteur’s gift for surprising anecdotes, McNamee artfully weaves together the strands of history, science, culture and migration that combined to result in our daily bread -- and tacos, and barbecue and sushi. His knowledge of foodways is edifying, but it’s the details in this fine book that are a pure delight: who knew, for instance, that the stately saguaro is a distant cousin of spinach? Or that the legendary Kit Carson’s dying wish was for just one more bowl of chili? We are what we eat – and in the diverse and culturally-rich Southwest, that’s a good thing. —Helene Woodhams (also selected by Bill Broyles) Show less

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Where Dinosaurs Roamed

Where Dinosaurs Roamed

Lost Worlds of Utah's Grand Staircase

by Sadler, Christa

Book - 2016

If you are looking for one book for the whole family, look no further than Christa Sadler’s Where Dinosaurs Roamed. It has something for everyone and scie...Show more If you are looking for one book for the whole family, look no further than Christa Sadler’s Where Dinosaurs Roamed. It has something for everyone and science for all. Dinosaurs, fossils, geology, paleontology: each illustrated with maps and clear explanations of interest to readers of any level. It can be read around the kitchen table, perused in an easy chair, or carried as a guide to the Four Corners area, especially Glen Canyon and Escalante-Grand Staircase. Each page is a delight with color drawings, splendid photographs, and maps, all enlivened by essays linking the geography, biology, and climate, as well as stories about scientists behind the discoveries. The many fossil photos and panoramas of dinosaurs showcase how paleontologists imagine they looked and lived. With rich comparisons to modern species, such as crocodiles and turtles, your imagination will run wild! Where Dinosaurs Roamed punctuates why we need Escalante-Grand Staircase National Monument. —Bill Broyles (also selected by Helene Woodhams) Show less

If you are looking for one book for the whole family, look no further than Christa Sadler’s Where Dinosaurs Roamed. It has something for everyone and scie...Show more If you are looking for one book for the whole family, look no further than Christa Sadler’s Where Dinosaurs Roamed. It has something for everyone and science for all. Dinosaurs, fossils, geology, paleontology: each illustrated with maps and clear explanations of interest to readers of any level. It can be read around the kitchen table, perused in an easy chair, or carried as a guide to the Four Corners area, especially Glen Canyon and Escalante-Grand Staircase. Each page is a delight with color drawings, splendid photographs, and maps, all enlivened by essays linking the geography, biology, and climate, as well as stories about scientists behind the discoveries. The many fossil photos and panoramas of dinosaurs showcase how paleontologists imagine they looked and lived. With rich comparisons to modern species, such as crocodiles and turtles, your imagination will run wild! Where Dinosaurs Roamed punctuates why we need Escalante-Grand Staircase National Monument. —Bill Broyles (also selected by Helene Woodhams) Show less

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The Blinds

The Blinds

by Sternbergh, Adam

eBook - 2017

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The Blinds

The Blinds

A Novel

by Sternbergh, Adam

Downloadable Audiobook - 2017

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The Blinds

The Blinds

A Novel

by Sternbergh, Adam

Audiobook CD - 2017

Add to My For Later Shelf On my shelf

The Blinds

The Blinds

by Sternbergh, Adam

Large Print - 2018

Available in some locations

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Some Rise by Sin

Some Rise by Sin

A Novel

by Caputo, Philip

eBook - 2017

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Some Rise by Sin

Some Rise by Sin

A Novel

by Caputo, Philip

Audiobook CD - 2017

Available in some locations

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Add to My For Later Shelf On my shelf

Sycamore

Sycamore

by Chancellor, Bryn

Large Print - 2017

Available in some locations

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Add to My For Later Shelf On my shelf

Sycamore

Sycamore

by Chancellor, Bryn

eBook - 2017

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Add to My For Later Shelf On my shelf

Sycamore

Sycamore

A Novel

by Chancellor, Bryn

Downloadable Audiobook - 2017

Check out

Add to My For Later Shelf On my shelf

Sycamore

Sycamore

A Novel

by Chancellor, Bryn

Audiobook CD - 2017

Available in some locations

Place hold

Add to My For Later Shelf On my shelf

More Southwest Books of the Year

https://www.library.pima.gov/browse/genre/local/southwest-books-of-the-year/

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