Southwest Books of the Year 2007: Bill Broyles' Picks

The Letters and Diaries of Frank Hammon, A Lonely Frontiersman in Globe and Phoenix, 1882-1889

by Clardy, Susan

Book - 2007

This special book operates on three levels: a working man’s diary, history of the day, and a relative’s heartfelt search for her family history. Frank Ham...Show more This special book operates on three levels: a working man’s diary, history of the day, and a relative’s heartfelt search for her family history. Frank Hammon was a rancher, small-time businessman, lawman, road hand, and miner, all of which may sound adventurous, but in reality these weren’t glamorous careers, just ways to earn the next paycheck as he and many others scrambled to stave off hunger and survive poverty. Back-breaking work, dollar loans from friends, and lonely days are punctuated with town dances, family celebrations, and occasionally a big payday. His enduring optimism is inspiring, but the barehanded view of frontier Arizona is so authentic that my hands got calloused just turning the pages. Show less

Available in some locations

Place hold

Add to My For Later Shelf On my shelf

Murray Springs

A Clovis Site With Multiple Activity Areas in the San Pedro Valley, Arizona

Book - 2007

Discovered in 1966, the Murray Springs archaeology site in southwestern Arizona was occupied by people of the Clovis Culture. Artifacts found so far date ...Show more Discovered in 1966, the Murray Springs archaeology site in southwestern Arizona was occupied by people of the Clovis Culture. Artifacts found so far date back to 13,000 years before the present. This book is an especially timely, interesting, and readable summary of one of the world’s most important mammoth-kill sites, that may also hold keys to settling a heated and intriguing debate on who first settled the Americas. With its unexcavated strata, Murray Springs is “a worthwhile place to search for pre-Clovis evidence” (p. 227). The illustrations are excellent, and overall the book is an exceptional effort to clarify complicated archaeology for a larger audience Show less

In-library use only in some locations

Add to My For Later Shelf On my shelf

Zero at the Bone

Rewriting Life After A Snakebite

by Toso, Erec

Book - 2007

Ostensibly the self-told story of a man who faces a tough medical journey after being zapped by a rattlesnake, this exceptionally good book evolves into a...Show more Ostensibly the self-told story of a man who faces a tough medical journey after being zapped by a rattlesnake, this exceptionally good book evolves into a universal search for meaning. The author eloquently explores the role of other “serpents” -- danger, family, success, ageing -- in our daily lives. His words are vivid, describing a rattler as “alert as a samurai, still as a stone,” and penetrating -- ‘I walk the last stretch to the house before showering the cold shower of necessity, hurry, and livelihood.” Through it all, this survivor maintains his infectious respect for snakes and his love of desert. Show less

Available in some locations

Place hold

Add to My For Later Shelf On my shelf

The Ribbon of Green

Change in Riparian Vegetation in the Southwestern United States

by Webb, Robert H.

Book - 2007

For my money this is the most significant 2007 book about the Southwest. Its topic is water, our rivers and streams, and if water is not on your mind, th...Show more For my money this is the most significant 2007 book about the Southwest. Its topic is water, our rivers and streams, and if water is not on your mind, then you must have just moved here from Minnesota. The authors compare historic photos of Southwest rivers with recent photos, and then describe and explain what has--- or has not--- changed. The result is an incredible compilation of well-reasoned, well-written, and visual water history. Reading the early chapters on climate, hydrology, and value of riverside vegetation, and the concluding chapters on changes and our future, plus one of the middle chapters on your own favorite river, will be a highly rewarding day for you. Show less

In-library use only at this time in some locations

Place hold

Add to My For Later Shelf On my shelf

What Wildness Is This

Women Write About the Southwest

Book - 2007

A friend recently suggested that we put a ten-year moratorium on self-indulgent, gaggy essays about nature. If so, we’ll need to make an exception for th...Show more A friend recently suggested that we put a ten-year moratorium on self-indulgent, gaggy essays about nature. If so, we’ll need to make an exception for this book, for it is truly exceptional. These collected essays and poems by 82 contributors jump with spirit, keen observations, and satisfying journeys. We can relate and enjoy. The authors, real people worth knowing, include Ellen Meloy, Denise Chávez, Ann Zwinger, Mary Sojourner, Naomi Shihab Nye, and Joy Harjo as well as worthy newcomers. Guys, don’t let the title throw you—you’d be lucky to listen to any of these gals around your campfire or at least read their words by firelight. The book is a bargain read. Show less

In-library use only in some locations

Add to My For Later Shelf On my shelf

The Great Cacti

Ethnobotany & Biogeography

by Yetman, David

Book - 2007

David Yetman, host of the popular The Desert Speaks television series, takes us on a fascinating field trip to meet impressive large columnar cacti—the sa...Show more David Yetman, host of the popular The Desert Speaks television series, takes us on a fascinating field trip to meet impressive large columnar cacti—the saguaros, organ pipes, senitas, and cardons that symbolize Southwest culture. In his endearing Yetman style, the visit is highly informative, relaxed, and fun, and there are far more cacti species to meet than we ever expected. Although the book covers the Western Hemisphere, its emphasis is on the Southwest. This grand book itself is especially attractive and furnishes us a whole new appreciation of these spiny giants with their delectable flowers, nutritious fruits, and statuesque profiles. Show less

Available in some locations

Place hold

Add to My For Later Shelf On my shelf

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

Web Resource

Search

My Borrowing

Collections

Get Help

About the Library

En español

Contact Us