REVIEWS
This section contains reviews of many of our books from a variety of publications that cover Southwest and history-related books. We are proud of these reviews and share them with you here for all to see. We hope that these will assist you in evaluating some of our books.
April 5, 2008 -- WESTERN WRITERS OF AMERICA ROUND-UP REVIEWS NEW MEXICO: A BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY This volume is a home-run for Bullis and the history of New Mexico. -- Round-Up Magazine, April 2008
FEBRUARY 24, 2008 -- NEW MEXICO HISTORICAL REVIEW FEATURES MEMORIES OF CIBOLA This collection of stories ... provides valuable historical insights into rural Hispanic life, especially in northewrn New Mexico. Memories of Cibola introduces the struggles, ambitions, faiths, triumphs, and failures of the remarkable people of these places. Although written in a genuine and folksy style it is not always easy to read. Like many historical sourcebook collections, it has n o smotth narrative flow. Though Memories of Cibola seems like a bit if stew, with a little of this and a little of that, it is a dish well worth sampling. The reader will be more than compensated for the difficuklties in the book by the value of the insights to be gained between its covers. -- New Mexico Historical Review, Winter 2008
February 15, 2008 -- NEW MEXICO MAGAZINE REVIEWS NEW MEXICO: A BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY This volume will be a welcome first-step reference tool for students of New Mexico history -- New Mexico Magazine, March 2008
September 10, 2007 -- MIDWEST BOOKS REVIEWS FEATURES TAPESTRY OF KINSHIP A Tapestry of Kinship: The Web of Influence Among Escultores and Carpinteros in the Parish of Sante Fe, 1790-1860 is a close study of a type of religious art that emerged in New Mexico during the early nineteenth century. Four distinguished santeros of New Mexico's "golden age" of Spanish colonial art became sought-after masters of locally created artworks of faith and devotion. A Tapestry of Kinship particularly examines the kinship and social occupation connections between these artists and several families of carpenters, which worked to foment the surge of devotional creativity. A handful of inset color plates of artworks illustrate this meticulous and scholarly retracing of bloodlines as well as other means of interconnection amid faithful artists and carvers. -- Midwest Book Reviews, September 2007
August 25, 2007 -- KAYE TROUT'S BOOK REVIEWS AVENGING VICTORIO Avenging Victorio is indeed a fast-paced, fascinating, historical novel bound toentertain and educate at the same time. DeWitt's technique of telling this tale from two perspectives--the Apache's and the military--provides a truer sense of history and the cultures. As I live in the four-corners area just north of New Mexico, I personally enjoyed it immensely and highly recommend it to readers who enjoy historical western-type novels. Genre: Fiction/SW History. Rating: Excellent. -- Kaye Trout's Book Reviews, kayetrout.blogspot.com, August 21, 2007
August 23, 2007 -- TRUE WEST MAGAZINE REVIEWS AVENGING VICTORIO Colonel Edward Hatch, commanding the Military District of New Mexico Territory at Santa Fe, learns his constant harassment of the Apache war chief Victorio pays off south of the border. Mexican rifles wipe out the raider and his band October 15, 1880.В But, another Apache chief decides on revenge. In just six weeks the reputedly decrepit Nana leads forty warriors across the Territory killing over fifty Americans.В Then, an officer trailing Nana finds fifteen million in stolen gold in one of Victorio's mountain caches but is killed after informing the Colonel.В Though planning on becoming the richest retired officer in the army, Hatch is finally forced to take to the field after Nana.В Boarding a southbound military train he heads for Fort Selden.В There, fate awaits him. News that Nana has vanished completely reaches Hatch, but he remains unaware of vengeful warriors who prepare to salute his coach with dynamite.В This swiftly moving tale of death and revenge has long needed to be told. -- True West Magazine, October 2007
August 22, 2007 -- NEW MEXICO MAGAZINE REVIEWS AVENGING VICTORIO Fighting the Apaches is not like fighting the Mexicans or the Confederates, it's more like fighting ghosts,” assesses Col. Edward T. Hatch in Avenging Victorio. These comments by the wary officer reflect his frustration in the Army's inability to capture Nana, an Apache war chief who, in retaliation for the death of his fellow warrior, assailed the New Mexico territory in the late 1800s. Author Dave DeWitt effectively fictionalizes the events following the death of Victorio, an Apache war chief who rebelled against the impoverishment and, arguably, enslavement of his people. A newcomer to the historical fiction genre, DeWitt is renowned for his knowledge of chile peppers and has published more than 30 books, most of them cookbooks. Now the "Pope of Peppers" turns his attention to the fiery conflict between the territorial Army and the Apache tribe. DeWitt's storytelling weaves together the perspectives of the opposing sides, providing insight into the events of the period, and the personalities, motivations and cultural differences of the key players in the conflict. Thinking the Apache threat vanquished with Victorio's death, Col. Hatch (for whom the town of Hatch is named) struggles once again to appease the demands of his commanding officer and the governor, protect the citizens of the territory and assuage his wounded pride. Although Victorio's death is the initial impetus for the quest, the mission soon expands to retaliating for other warriors' deaths-such as Mangas Coloradas, protecting Apache rights and ensuring their survival. Nana and his warriors are cunning tacticians, using guerilla warfare to raid for supplies and kill as many "Blue Coats" as possible. DeWitt describes the ceremonial scenes and the relationships between characters with a clear dedication to authentically represent the culture. The dynamic narrative format builds suspense as the reader eagerly awaits the discovery of which strategies will ultimately accomplish each side's goal—defeating the enemy. DeWitt's characters sometimes display a prescience that can only be possible with today's knowledge, such as allusions to the town of Hatch becoming famous for chile and a young Apache's visions that his people would someday profit from gambling, These moments, however, create a kinship between a contemporary reader and the usually intangible characters of New Mexico's past.-- New Mexico Magazine, September 2007
AUGUST 10, 2007 -- MIDWEST BOOK REVIEWS FEATURES DAWSON JOURNAL Compiled and edited by Robert J. Torrez (State Historian at the New Mexico State Records Center and Archives in Santa Fe from 1987 until his retirement in December 2000), "New Mexico In 1876-1887: A Newspaperman's View" is a collection of travelogs and reports by William D. Dawson when he undertook a series of journeys that took him through New Mexico. He embarked upon the D&RG railroad near Fort Garland, Colorado and traveled through the Mesilla Valley, going west to the mining towns of Silver City and Pinos Altos, New Mexico. His reports were published in 'The Santa Fe Daily New Mexican' and provided his readers with informative eyewitness descriptions of New Mexico's towns, agriculture, wineries, mines, farmers, merchants, vintners, miners, soldiers, Native Americans, outlaws, and pretty girls. "New Mexico In 1876-1887" is a unique contribution to the growing body of literate on the 19th Century American West and is especially recommended for academic library American History reference collections in general, and New Mexico State History reading lists in particular.-- MidWest Book Reviews, August 2007
August, 2007 -- READERVIEWS.COM REVIEWS AVENGING VICTORIO Dave DeWitt’s “Avenging Victorio” is a simply splendid account of Apache insurgency in New Mexico in 1881. Although written as a novel, and therefore falling into the category of fiction, it gives the impression of standing firmly on its foundation of extensive research and extraordinary sensibility of the author for a quite sensitive situation. After the death of one of the great Apache chiefs, Victorio, the U.S. Army believes the Apaches to be completely defeated. The event is even celebrated under the thin guise of a Governor’s Christmas party, where the official hostess is no other than Evelyn Hatch, wife of Colonel Edward T. Hatch, former General in the great Civil War. The settlers in the New Mexico Territory expected the danger to be over, convinced that there is nobody strong enough to organize the Apaches again. Little did they know…. Nana, the 74-year-old war chief, takes on the task of avenging Victorio and, with his rag-tag group of warriors, sweeps through New Mexico in a series of guerilla warfare raids, killing civilians and evading the Cavalry as well as the legendary Buffalo Soldiers. The insurgency is a success, the battle is won – but we all know that the war was lost as far as the Indians were concerned. Dave DeWitt created engaging and believable characters on both sides of the conflict, showing their motivation and their beliefs. The parts of the book that truly surprised me and that turned out to be my favorites are those that deal with the customs and traditional ways of the Apaches. There are tales and legends and vivid descriptions of bathing and fighting and dancing…and courting and dreams… and even a hidden treasure. So the book that I expected to be just a historical novel about the early days of New Mexico turned into a well-rounded volume about fighters on both sides of the encounter as well as a very eye-opening read about the Apache culture and customs. I also greatly enjoyed the 16 photographs which wonderfully illustrated both the setting and the participants in this epic confrontation. Dave DeWitt’s “Avenging Victorio” is an enthralling book, which grabs you quickly and does not let go. If you are like me, your only disappointment will be that it ends too quickly. -- ReaderViews.com, August 2007
August 10, 2007 -- BellaOnline.com REVIEWS NAVAJO AND PUEBLO EARRINGS This book takes us back in history, to some early examples of Native women’s earrings, through using Robert V. Gallegos 350 piece unparalleled collection of historic Native American earrings. Through viewing the photos, one can see the progression of style, bringing us all the way up to the mid-century mark, and the introduction of silver as a medium. To be able to view the collection illustrated in this book is a true honor, and the knowledge of the subject brought to the book by author, scholar, and Southwestern jewelry collector Robert Bauver, really brings this collection to life. This is the first book of its kind, illustrating, and discussing the types of earrings and materials used, and giving the history of the largest collection of historic Native American earrings in existence. This book is a must for any collector, be it of Native American books, or Native jewelry, but it is also a very interesting history that is presented here, and as such, is a recommended read for anyone with any interest in Native history, or of the popular silver and turquoise earring styles of today. Props also to Rio Grande Books/LPD Press for the excellent job in presenting this book with it’s many illustrations. They have brought their own distinct style to the book, which makes it a very enjoyable read. -- BellaOnline, August 9, 2007
August 10, 2007 -- BellaOnline.com REVIEWS SAINTS OF THE PUEBLOS There are 19 pueblos scattered throughout New Mexico, each with its own culture and traditions. To put all of this history together into one book seems a monumental task, yet Dr. Charles M. Carillo has accomplished it with great finesse in his book, Saints of the Pueblos. This is no ordinary book. The concept behind it is phenomenal. The author first created authentically made Retablos for each pueblo, depicting their patron saint along with their symbols, as well as an example of the pottery created at the pueblo during the time of the Catholic missions. The design of each Retablo is reminiscent of the pueblo itself, and therefore, no two are alike. Retablos are wooden panels generally created by Hispanic artists that represent the saints. This artwork by itself demonstrates the combined history between the pueblos and the Spanish Catholics of New Mexico. Yet, Dr. Carrillo has taken it a step further. In the book, he discusses the saints of each pueblo, their pottery styles, the history of their missions, or churches, it’s saints and feast days, and gives a little history of the pueblo and it’s people. There are many illustrations of pottery, missions, historical sites, and even a map of the pueblos. The book also includes information on four abandoned pueblos that are now in ruins, the most notable of which are the three sites at Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument. New Mexico is a conglomeration of people living together with a shared history, and nowhere is it more evident than in this book. Written to help to preserve pueblo history, it has done even more. It speaks of the mingling of spiritual forces that have brought the people of this state together, and still holds them together. It celebrates the life that continues in the pueblos, honoring that sharing of history. It demonstrates the artwork of the people of this region, bringing together Catholicism, and Native works. This book is valuable source for New Mexico Native history, as well as that of their Catholic counterparts. This book is published by LPD Press, right here in New Mexico, and they have done an outstanding job of presenting this work of art in book form. I highly recommend this book for its artwork, its history lessons, and for its sheer creativity and genius. I could offer no higher praise. -- BellaOnline.com, August 9, 2007
August 9, 2007 -- BellaOnline.com REVIEWS AVENGING VICTORIO New Mexico author Dave DeWitt, the founder of Chile Pepper magazine, has turned his hand to historical fiction, and has produced a riveting novel that traces the Apache insurgency in the New Mexico Territory in 1881, called “Avenging Victorio”. “Avenging Victorio” is an exciting novel that includes historical figures, Apache customs, and New Mexico events, all put together with a flair for action and adventure, and interesting characters. There’s Lew Wallace, the governor of the New Mexico territory who wrote Ben-Hur, General Hatch, for whom the famous chile town in New Mexico is named, Billy the Kid, Geronimo, Cochise, the Apache War Chief Nana, and of course, Victorio. Included in the book are familiar locations and battles, a glimpse into the past of Santa Fe and its famous Palace of the Governors, and the food that is legendary in this region. Dave DeWitt enthralls us with a tale that is at once fast paced, exciting, and full of interesting historical lore. A thoroughly engrossing tale, that winds around New Mexico like the Apaches who used to roam these lands, and embodies the true spirit of New Mexico culture. The story follows a leftover band of Apache warriors that includes women, children, and elders; they are all that remain of the Apaches that have escaped reservation life. These warriors fight back against the Ninth Calvary, raiding trains, and wreaking havoc on rail lines, telegraph lines, towns, and anything else they come across, while introducing the Buffalo Soldiers to guerilla warfare. The Ninth Calvary is also followed in this tale, from Santa Fe to Fort Cummings, and everywhere in between, as they try to engage this renegade bunch of Apache warriors. Using Navajos and Apaches as guides, the soldiers attempt to find the Indians, who disappear into thin air, and hide in plain sight. This is a thoroughly engrossing tale that takes the reader on a legendary journey. The story of the hidden Apache cache of gold and jewels at Victorio’s Peak that has been intriguing treasure hunters for decades, is also included in this fascinating tale. It is hard to describe all the myriad details that have been intricately woven into this well researched book, there are so many included. For historical value alone, this book is a winner, yet it will intrigue you with its tales, its characters, and its sense of location, pulling you deeper and deeper into its depths, until you find yourself fully absorbed and engrossed in the territorial history of the late 1800’s, never wanting it to end. I have never enjoyed a historical novel as much as I did this one. It is not at all what you would expect history to be, and is written unlike other history tales, not by the victors, but by all who made the history, no matter which side they were on, are given a voice in this book. This is a true historical account of the Apache Insurgency in New Mexico in 1881. -- BellaOnline.com, August 9, 2007
August 6, 2007 -- abqArts REVIEWS NEW MEXICO: A BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY Both Fun and useful! Don Bullis, well-known for his knowledge of New Mexico history, has recently written "New Mexico: A Biographical Dictionary 1540-1980," an entertaining book featuring a panoply of interesting people--some famous, some infamous, some obscure. According to Bullis, the only qualification for inclusion is that the person has to have "left a mark on the state, for good or ill." In this first volume of two--or possibly a trilogy that will eventually highlight 600 people--thumbnail sketches range from the contemporary newspaper editor Mark Acuff (1940-1994), who I knew, to the 17th century Juan Zuni, a "Hopi Impersonator/Philanderer, a Santa Fe Thief," who I didn't know. It's fun to randomly flip through the pages and peruse the fascinating tidbits on famous people such as Billy the Kid (Lincoln County's outlaw and a "thief of the first order") or the not-so-well-known Mildred Clark "Madame Millie" Cusey (a southern New Mexico brothel owner) who discovered she could make more money as a prostitute than as a Harvey Girl. But it is not just fun to read. It's well researched. With sources, an extensive bibliography, and names indexed both alphabetically and grouped by exploits, the book is a useful reference tool that belongs on the shelves of southwestern writers, historians, genealogists, and anyone else who has an interest in the Land of Enchantment. Bullis has written three non-fiction books and two novels. He is also the editor and publisher for the New Mexico Historical Notebook at donbullis.biz.--Larry Greenly, abqArts, August 2007
July 18, 2007 -- ENCHANTMENT MAGAZINE REVIEWS NAVAJO AND PUEBLO EARRINGS For those interested in jewelry by early native people, this is the first book that explains the different types of earrings and the silver, copper, gold, and clay with mosaics they were made from. ... This book is an unusual angle into a part of Southwestern history that's little known -- Enchantment Magazine, July 2007
June 13, 2007 -- MIDWEST BOOKS REVIEWS NAVAJO AND PUEBLO EARRINGS In Navajo and Pueblo Earrings 1850-1945 author Robert Bauver draws upon his experience and expertise from collecting and studying Southwestern Native American jewelry for more than 30 years. Providing an informed and informative introduction to the different types of Navajo and Pueblo earrings made by Native American craftsmen from 1850 to 1945, readers will learn how these adornments were used as Bauver combines archival photographs and current photographic illustrations of examples in this documented and specialized history of Native American culture. Also available in a hardcover edition (978-1-890689-49-0, $39.95), Navajo and Pueblo Earrings 1850-1945 is a work of outstanding scholarship and a unique contribution to Native American Studies that is especially recommended to the attention of academia and non-specialized general readers with an interest in Native American Studies.--Midwest Book Review, June 2007
June 8, 2007 -- NEW MEXICO MAGAZINE REVIEWS NAVAJO AND PUEBLO EARRINGS If there is one object that seems to typify the beauty of the southwest it might be a Native American earring of turquoise and silver. Scholar Robert Bauver has written an informative and handsomely illustrated book based on one of the most complete collections of Native American earrings ever assembled. Fifty years ago, the market for old earrings was almost nonexistent, as they had little pawn value. As a result, there were many examples in trading posts and Pueblos, in old collections and on the Navajo Reservation. This book brings these earrings to light. The fascinating history begins with the introduction of silversmithing from Mexico. Silver coins were often fashion ed into simple, if weighty, hoop earrings worn by men and women alike. Shell was an original ornamentation, and then the classic turquoise, although Hubbell Trading Post also encouraged the use of glass as a substitute for the stone. Small silver balls were an early decoration, followed by all kinds of innovation from filigree--with its ancient roots in the Mediterranean--to drops and the dangling, small squash blossoms. Anyone who admires and wears Native jewelry will be intrigued to see the development of designs and the similarities to work produced today. He book includes archival photographs, including one of a Zuni cross-dresser, and looks at the veritable renaissance of jewelers at that pueblo. The book is invaluable for collectors, setting a new standard, but there is much here for the general reader as well--not least of all 50 color plates of earrings that are intricate and simple, bold and delicate, silver, turquoise and beyond--but always beautiful--New Mexico Magazine, June 2007
JUNE 8, 2007 -- NEW MEXICO MAGAZINE REVIEWS VILLAGES & VILLAGERS I placed for you on a table, a bouquet of flowers. Maria, don't be ungrateful, Give me your love. This charming and gentle song is one that the author remembers being sung--among many tunes-- in his village. The author's first collection, Memories of Cibola, tells tales of Pena's childhood on his family's sheep ranch near Grants from the 1920s to 50s. Now Pena has followed up the success of his first volume with Villages & Villagers: Stories from New Mexico Villages. Reading this book is like rummaging through an old jewelry box full of treasures, or finding a hidden shoebox of photographs and mementos. One story leads to another in a kind of treasure hunt. Each essay serves as a mini-meditation on a theme. It is often a homey subject, such as chicos, the tasty corn in the husk eaten in pueblos and villages across New Mexico. The first section is on "Villages," the second on "Villagers," then "Ranching" and the final section is titled "Change Comes to the Villages." This is on portraits of people and anecdotes, which are among the book's liveliest bits. There is "Uncle Pat," who received a beautiful Navajo rug from his father-in-law with the instructions to sell it if anything went wrong with the newlywed's marriage, and to send the bride back to her family. We meet people from priests to politicians to prizefighters to family members to just plain folks--not just in the prose but also in the numerous black-and-white photographs that adorn the text. These are fascinating archival images, which despite their formality speak of people and times gone by. The change that comes to the villages may not be unadulterated progress--the last section takes us to the events of Sept. 11--but change is accepted as part of life, from airplanes to the changes in the author's life that took him to Latin America. Although the old-timers may say, "No es como mas antes-- it isn't like it was"--the author takes a gentle philosophic look at times both past and present. A section on the Anasazi--who built, lived and disappeared--makes a strong addition to this section with its discussion of Chaco Canyon and local outliers. There is a useful glossary of Spanish terms at the end. The book preserves a lot of lore and memories of a way of life, and it is also simply enjoyable reading.-- New Mexico Magazine, June 2007
JUNE 3, 2007 -- LA HERENCIA MAGAZINE REVIEWS DAWSON JOURNAL In 1876-1877, William D. Dawson, a writer for The Santa Fe Daily New Mexican, composed a series of journalistic essays based on his travels through the New Mexico territory. His journeys took him to villages, farms, mines, Army posts and other locations that defined a region that would not be granted statehood until almost four decades later. Robert Torrez, who was the state historian at the New Mexico State Records Center and Archives from 1987 to 2000, has compiled and edited Dawson's accounts to present a fascinating and insightful portrait of New Mexico as it was 130 years ago. Dawson's narratives describe his encounters with a variety of frontier personalities--the merchants, farmers, soldiers, outlaws and hardy frontier women who called the vast open landscape home. His travels would eventually encompass the entire length of the Rio Grande, from the San Luis Valley to Mesilla and west to Silver City and Tierra Amarilla. The most striking aspects of Dawson's accounts are his descriptions of the majestic natural scenery and the stoic, entrepreneurial spirit of the inhabitants of these lands. However, as Torrez points out, Dawson's intended readership was mainly prospective emigrants from the eastern United States; consequently, he devotes special attention to Anglo-American contributions and exploitation of the region, often to the exclusion of the Hispanic participation. Only rarely does he address his attention to the significant influence of Hispanic culture and activity. This underlying attitude of minimizing Hispanic presence in contrast to "American energy and enterprise," as Dawson describes it, provides another kind of insight into the attitudes prevalent in New Mexico during this time. Despite Dawson's somewhat ethnocentric viewpoint, his reports provide an illuminating account of the changing New Mexico environment during the late 1870s. Torrez's compilation adds another perspective to the understanding of how New Mexico developed during this crucial time in its past and will interest both casual readers and scholars of state history.-- La Herencia Magazine, Summer 2007
JUNE 3, 2007 -- LA HERENCIA MAGAZINE REVIEWS VILLAGES & VILLAGERS For many readers of La Herencia, the name of Abe Pena will be familiar because he has written many articles for this magazine. This is Pena's second book on the Cibola area, which today includes the counties of Cibola and McKinley in west-central New Mexico. His first work about the area, Memories of Cibola, was widely read. In his new book, Villages and Villagers, he includes events that occurred in the 19th century and were related to him as stories. The 72 vignettes, first published as columns in the Grants Daily Beacon, are organized into four parts. The first gives a brief history of the area and events such as the cycle of fiestas, the games young people played, the foods harvested and villages that came into existence and then were deserted as people migrated out of the area. In the second part, the author writes about interesting people who played a role in the life of the area or affected the author personally. The third deals with ranching, especially sheep ranching, which the author was involved in. His stories relate the arrival of families who began to homestead or buy land in the area. It also includes ones about priests who had served in the area and were later suspended by Archbishop Lamy. The last section recalls some of the events and modern cultural elements that changed village life. World War II intrudes, the airplane arrives in the area and the author and his family head to Latin America, where he serves in the Peace Corps for 12 years. The book ends with the tragic events of 9/11. Though the topics could have been better organized, and a genealogy of his family would have been helpful, because the book consists of vignettes connected to the area and/or to the author, the book flows well. Pena is a gifted storyteller and writes in clear prose. He has preserved the stories of his villages. It would be of great value if every village or town had such a chronicler to preserve its history.--La Herencia Magazine, Summer 2007
APRIL 10, 2007 -- NEW MEXICO MAGAZINE TO REVIEW MEMORIES OF CIBOLA These stories of Hispanic life in CГbola County, west central New Mexico, are organized into 6 parts for each of the locales covered.В Within each section, for example, part one, focusing on the village of Seboyeta, are stories of the people, places, and activities, essentially between 1920-1950, but some reaching back to colonial times.В Many of the stories, some previously published in issues of the CГbola County Beacon (formerly the Grants Daily Beacon) newspaper, describe aspects of the sheep business, New Mexico's leading industry from colonial times until the mid-19th century but still a viable business in CГbola County until about the mid-1960s, especially in concert with cattle ranching.В In fact, the author points out that under proper management sheep and cattle "do better than either alone." And he certainly knows the sheep business as he studied wool production at the University of New South Wales, Australia, while a Fulbright scholar, returning to the United States where he became foreman on one of New Mexico's largest sheep operations. Village life in San Mateo, San Rafael, Grants, Fort Wingate, the tradition of la matanza (a community-wide event of pig slaughtering for lard for the holidays, held in the late fall or early winter), the Lebanese settlers, various ranches, holidays and special events, people, and many other stories are related in detail in the book. Hardly a traditional enterprise but very significant economically to CГbola County,В Ambrosio Lake, 25 miles north of Grants, produced more uranium from 1950 to 1980 than any other place in the world.В A glossary, index and bibliography round out this interesting book of folk history.В After managing the family ranch at San Mateo the author was director of the Peace Corps in Honduras, then directed Peace Corps and USAID programs in several other Latin American countries. -- New Mexico Magazine
APRIL 9, 2007 -- EL PASO TIMES REVIEWS NEW MEXICO: A BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY New book out about New Mexicans One of my favorite regional authors happens to be Don Bullis, a Southern New Mexico historian. And his latest book, a softcover item of 300 pages is titled "New Mexico: A Biographical Dictionary: 1540-1980." (Rio Grande Books, Albuquerque). Bullis isn't sure how many volumes there will be, although he assumes at least three. Nevertheless, Volume 1 covers 600 or so entries ranging from A to Z, so Bullis obviously missed a few this first time around, but not to worry ... he will catch up in forthcoming editions. Even so, 600 fascinating personalities the first time around is a whopping number of figures of significance, and each gets at least a paragraph and usually a picture. One is Robert A. Allison, better known historically as Clay Allison, a gunfighter who killed roughly 15 men, later buried near Pecos, Texas after he fell off a freight wagon. Another was Joseph A. Ancheta, a refugee whose family fled Mexico during the 1850s. He graduated from Notre Dame, served in the New Mexico state legislature, but was slain by shots fired through a window probably intended for political boss Tom Catron. And speaking of Thomas Benton Catron, a Santa Fe Ring member and long-time political boss of New Mexico, his biography shows he owned about 2 million acres and had an interest in another 4 million. Catron County, the state's largest, is named after him. He and Albert B. Fall were the only two U. S. senators from New Mexico to be elected by the state Legislature (1911). Nationally known historian Thomas Chavez gets nice coverage, Bullis pointing out that in 1997 he received the Distinguished History Award Medal from the Daughters of the American Revolution. John Chisum, the Cattle King of New Mexico, is covered, as is John Milton Chivington, who saved New Mexico from occupation during the Civil War. Nor does Bullis miss Erna Fergusson, the "Grand Dame of New Mexico Letters," nor Henry Flipper, the first black man to graduate from West Point, a man who served and fought during the Indian Wars. (Flipper also lived quite a while in El Paso, during this period becoming an agent for New Mexico Sen. Fall.) Col. Albert Jennings Fountain, whose death in White Sands is still mysterious, is covered well, as is train robber Black Jack Ketchum. Nearby New Mexico rancher Oliver Milton Lee gets good coverage, as do Gen. Ranald Mackenzie, Susan Shelby Magoffin, James Magoffin, a few Lincoln County War figures such as Henry Antrim, alias Henry McCarty, alias Billy the Kid. Interestingly, even Fred Nolan, born and raised in England and still living there, gets good coverage, primarily because of his books relating to New Mexico's Lincoln County War. And of course, many participants in that war also get described. Even old John Selman, best known as the slayer of John Wesley Hardin, and buried along with Hardin (although in a different area) in El Paso's Concordia Cemetery, is mentioned. For regional readers, "New Mexico: A Biographical Dictionary" is a keeper.--Leon Metz, historian, El Paso Times
MARCH 29, 2007 -- RIO GRANDE SUN REVIEWS NEW MEXICO: A BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY From Smokey Bear to the “Sundance Kid” from Pablita Velarde, Jake Viarial to Jeff Bingaman and Pete Domenici, New Mexico: A Biographical Dictionary is a must read for anyone interested about individuals who influenced our state’s legacy. Historian Don Bullis compiled and wrote New Mexico: A Biographical Dictionary and stated that this book represents “a cross section of people who have had an influence on life – and sometimes death – in the Land of Enchantment.” Hot off the press from Rio Grande Books – publishers of Tradición Revista Magazine - I found the book packed with a wealth of fascinating historical tidbits. New Mexico: A Biographical Dictionary is organized alphabetically by last name and includes a short biographical sketch of each individual listed. In addition, some black and white photographs are included throughout the book. The earliest entry begins with Etevanico, a Moroccan slave, who is recognized as the first non-Indian to enter Pueblo Country in 1539. Although as New Mexicans we recognize the historical legacy of indigenous leaders and presence long before European arrival, Estevanico is a prominent figure because he served as a guide for Fray Marcos de Niza who set out from New Spain in search of the Seven Cities of Cibola. While flipping through the pages I recognized many prominent leaders as well as not so prominent leaders that I would not normally think about when it comes to remembering New Mexico’s influences. For example, some of these include Dennis Weaver, who starred in the long running television series Gunsmoke. Weaver also starred in McCloud as a Taos Marshall named Sam McCloud. Others mentioned are Television Actor Bill Dailey, most known for his role in I Dream of Jeannie, who retired in Albuquerque and the “Rhinestone Cowboy” Glen Campbell who spent time in New Mexico and performed in several Albuquerque venues. I was delighted to read about the legendary Buddy Holly and his New Mexico connection. Holly worked with Norman Petty in Clovis and recorded That’ll Be the Day, which attracted the attention of Decca Records. Among U.S. Presidents, Herbert Hoover is noted for signing the legislation that created Carlsbad Caverns National Park in 1930. And, Abraham Lincoln is noted as making a number of appointments including that of Henry Connelly as Governor of New Mexico. Among Pueblo people President Lincoln is revered for giving each of the Pueblo Governors the “Lincoln Canes” which were recognized as a symbol of sovereignty in the 1860s – which continues to present day. The issuing of canes is not mentioned in the book. And more importantly, readers should remember the biographical sketches are not meant to be exhaustive but serve as citations for further research. From the previous publications by Don Bullis on the Old West it is not a surprise to read about outlaws such as Davy Crockett and William Henry Bonney aka “Billy the Kid.” But, it is quite fitting in New Mexico history and modern day influences to read about folks like the legendary Al Hurricane, Albuquerque Astronaut Sidney Gutierrez and the auto racing Unser Family. New Mexico: A Biographical Dictionary has a good overview of what I call the “classic notables.” These include Po’Pay, leader of the Pueblo Revolt in 1680, Anthropologist Adolphe Bandelier, J. Robert Oppenheimer, Maria Martinez, San Ildefonso Potter, U.S. Senator Dennis Chavez, Rudolfo Anaya and the late Storyteller and Linguist Esther Martinez of Ohkay Owingeh. In the Introduction, Bullis states that this is not a complete work and not all historically significant New Mexicans are to be found in these pages. This is Volume I in what will hopefully become a series of notable individuals who influenced New Mexico. This book represents a significant step to capture notable leaders, artists, outlaws and educators. A future publication should ideally build upon this and include biographical sketches of those who shaped New Mexico history like the first woman Governor of Isleta Pueblo, Verna Teller, and Dr. Beryl Blue Spruce the first Pueblo Indian physician,as well as inclusion of U.S. President Richard M. Nixon who signed over Blue Lake to Taos Pueblo in 1970. Regardless, New Mexico: A Biographical Dictionary offers a valuable step for students interested in pursuing further research about the famous and infamous people who influenced our state. This first volume should and must be read for those interested in New Mexico’s historical and cultural legacy. -- Matthew J. Martinez, Ohkay Owingeh Rio Grande Sun, March 29, 2007
MARCH 9, 2007 -- FOREWORD MAGAZINE REVIEWS VILLAGES & VILLAGERS In the villages we get up early. Old timers used to say, вЂNos levantamos con las gallinas.’ We get up with the chickens,” the author writes. Residents and ex-residents of northwestern New Mexico will probably recognize, or even share, many of the names of those who settled the small town of San Mateo. In this, his second book, native-son PeГ±a enriches and deepens the story of a band of pioneers who, in 1800, undertook the trek from the settlement of Albuquerque across wild country to occupy a land grant in what was essentially Indian country. With the help of the U.S. Army, the area designated as the “Merced de Cevolleta” was settled by its thirty grantees, and just about the time Seboyeta was becoming a center of growth, a few families, attracted by vast grasslands on the side of Mount Taylor, gradually developed both sheep and cattle ranches. This later exodus collected settlers from the new area to form the village of San Mateo, the origin of most of the tales in the new book. There’s no quicker way into the heart of a culture than to hear it retold in the voice of someone who’s been steeped in it since childhood, and former rancher and foreign service officer PeГ±a has just that voice. Inserted throughout the book, stacks of photos back up his story to illustrate not only the life and times of the author, but chronicle a way of life and the changing environment that supports it. Any story that follows the development of a new community, from its first straggling pilgrims, through the establishment of schools, local government, and plans for work and recreation, is going to have its sorrows, its minor and major tragedies, and its petty squabbles, but on the whole this is a jolly book, and among its jolliest parts are the many “dichos” (pithy statements in traditional language, often rhymed) bandied about daily by the population and often quoted in the local news, a custom with Hispanic roots that creates laughter with a touch of wisdom and often a heavy dose of sarcasm. Early in the book there’s a chapter devoted to local usage, which sets a tone that pervades daily life, family values, and a community level that combines respect for everyone and a humorous approach to the fallibility of personal endeavor. “No hay atajo sin trabajo (There’s no herd without sweat)” warns that ranching doesn’t just happen, and that “de los dos no se hace uno” (referring to the fact that two incompetents don’t add up to one good worker).” These “dichos” are part of daily life wherever Spanish is spoken, with a history that extends back beyond Ferdinand and Isabella and will no doubt carry forward a love of life and language to the last Hispanic community on the last frontier in the world. -- ForeWord Magazine, May/June 2007
MARCH 7, 2007 -- PRIME TIME MAGAZINE REVIEWS VILLAGES & VILLAGERS В В Longtime Prime Time readers will remember Abe Pena's easy, warm, down-to-earth narratives of the world in which he grew, learned, married, ranched and observed his neighbors. Many have read Memories of Cibola, his first, respected book. Now Rio Grande Books in Los Ranchos has reprinted that volume and Abe's latest work, Villages & Villagers. I have read only Marc Simmon's foreword, in which--after describing Abe as storyteller, folklorist and historian-- he writes that Abe "shines as a keen observer of the human condition." Don't wait for me-- pick up one or both.--Arthur Alpert, Prime Time, March 2007.
FEBRUARY 10, 2007 -- NEW MEXICO MAGAZINE REVIEWS DAWSON JOURNAL   In December 1876 The Daily New Mexican newspaper, in Santa Fe, sent one of their reporters on a nine-week trip to southern New Mexico to file dispatches on his observations, which were subsequently printed in the paper. In September 1877, he took a similar trip throughout northern New Mexico, Placed in context with contemporary promotional literature encouraging settlement of New Mexico by citizens from other parts of the country and immigrants—actually the relative dearth of such material—Dawson’s submissions were important in that they provided current information on New Mexico’s communities, industries, forts, residents, and geographic features. They are as interesting to read today as encapsulations of New Mexico history.   Dawson’s articulate images of the string of communities along the Rio Grande in southern New Mexico are picturesque: the villages of Alamosito, La Joya, Rio Puerco, Polvadera, Soccoro, San Antonio, San Marcial, and others are described. The Jornada del Muerto (Journey of Death), the desert stretch of El Camino Real basically from Socorro to Las Cruces, is covered in good detail. Dawson and his party visited Fort McRae, Fort Selden, and Fort Cummings, and he portrays the Mesilla Valley as the “garden spot of New Mexico.”   Dawson’s impressions of his northern New Mexico trip are equally detailed, even including a chemical analysis of the mineral spring water at Ojo Caliente. He describes how the Taos Valley was impacted by a two-year grasshopper infestation.   The author is well-known to northern New Mexico as the former state historian at the New Mexico State Records Center and Archives, and author of UFOs Over Galisteo and Other Stories of New Mexico’s History (UNM Press, 2004). Rio Grande Books, an imprint of LPD Press, is a regional publishing company featuring books on Southwestern history and culture. -- New Mexico Magazine, March 2007
November 12, 2006 -- ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL REVIEWS NEW MEXICO: A BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY Dictionary Illuminates Noted New Mexicans At last a dictionary I can read without being accused of spending time at a pursuit my wife finds laughable. I infrequently open a tattered Random House unbridged dictionary, flip through the pages, look up words strange to me and learn their definitions. Don Bullis has come to the rescue. He's researched and edited the first volume of a biographical dictionary containing people who lived in New Mexico— or whose names are linked to what was a territory and what is today the state— over a period of 440 years. There are the famous and infamous, the historically noteworthy and those worthy of obscurity. The famous and infamous include people you'd expect to be here— William Henry Bonney (aka Billy the Kid,) 16th century Spanish explorer Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca, mountain man/soldier Christopher "Kit" Carson, writer-historian Manuel Ezequiel (Fray Angélico) Chávez, Ohkay Owingeh storyteller Esther Martinez and San Ildefonso Pueblo potter Maria Martinez. Two bits says most readers probably haven't heard of many others in the book's listings. Julian "Paddy" Martinez? The book says he was a Navajo from McKinley County whose tombstone refers to him as a uranium pioneer. Or John Milne? He was superintendent of Albuquerque Public Schools from 1911 to 1956. Milne Stadium is named for him. His APS tenure, Bullis writes, is reportedly the longest of any superintendent of any larger school district in the country. Or José Maria "Joe" Gonzales? After serving as Guadalupe County sheriff in the mid-1940s, he was night marshal for the town of Santa Rosa. Thirteen days into that night job he was stabbed and killed. You'll find plenty of lawmen in this dictionary; many names Bullis draws from his own compilation "New Mexico's Finest." Bullis gives an explanation for his approach in organizing the new book. "My purpose was to include an eclectic mix of the people that I've found interesting, and significant, over nearly 40 years of daily reading and research into New Mexico's past," he writes in his introduction. Bullis promises a second volume and perhaps a third to make the effort more inclusive -- David Steinberg, Albuquerque Journal November 12, 2006
November 2, 2006 -- ANOTHER SOLID REVIEW FOR NAVAJO AND PUEBLO EARRINGS Reference and Research Book News- University Press Book News (November 2006 Volume 21, no. 4) has given Navajo and Pueblo Earrings a solid review, noting, "A longtime student of Native American culture and collector of Southwestern jewelry, with knowledge gained first-hand from Navajo silversmiths, shares his expertise on earrings made from the mid-19th to mid-20th centuries. In what is presented as the first book to focus on the different styles, materials, and techniques used of this jewelry whose value is being rediscovered, Bauver provides examples of some 300 pairs of earrings in archival and new photos (including 49 color plates) in cultural context."
October 9, 2006 -- POSH MAGAZINE REVIEWS NEW MEXICO BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY BOOK Bullis is well known for his knowledge of New Mexico history, which he shares weekly as editor and publisher for the New Mexico Historical Notebook e-zine www.donbullis.biz. Following and expanding the tradition of his earlier 99 New Mexicans ... and a few other folk, this first volume of a planned multi-volume set features 600 New Mexicans from the famous (the Unser family) to the infamous (Billy the Kid) to the historic (Lucien Maxwell) and the unsung (Henry Love) with the only basic qualification, according to the author's introduction, being that "they left a mark on the state, for good or ill." Indexed and annotated to serve as a research tool, this book is equally interesting to those interested in dipping into New Mexico's unique history. -- POSH Magazine, Fall/Holiday 2006
October 9, 2005 -- CATHOLIC SOUTHWEST REVIEWS FAT VICAR The Catholic Southwest, A Journal of History and Culture has reviewed Wake for a Fat Vicar in its Volume 17, 2006. The review notes: This is a most interesting read not only becasue of the colorful story, the people and the times, but also because of its historiographical vigor and vividness. History is important when it is true to the sources from which it is creatively written. Prejudice is not a lovely word, nor is it a lovely perspective. In completing this final volume of his deceased uncle's revisionist trilogy about the Catholic Church in the nineteenth-century New Mexico, and three of the prinicpal native clergy in that story, the author has offered a history which suggests that bias, historical and otherwise, intentional or unintentional, is an easy temptation, but withal a transparent and vulnerable temptation: Let's look at the sources!
October 9, 2006 -- TODAY'S BOOKS REVIEWS NAVAJO AND PUEBLO EARRINGS BOOK Today's Books has given Navajo and Pueblo Earrings a "Must Read!" review in its October 2006 Best of Publishing List.
October 9, 2006 -- POSH MAGAZINE REVIEWS NAVAJO AND PUEBLO EARRINGS BOOK Replete with photos, the book chronicles the history of Native American earrings using Gallegos' twenty-year collection. A short, well-written history opens the book and the bulk is made up of photographs paired with captions discussing the genesis of the earrings pictured. A comprehensive index makes the book attractive to the scholar while the photos will attract the casual browser. This is the perfect book for anyone who has succumbed to the enchantment of silver and turquoise. -- POSH Magazine, Fall/Holiday 2006
August 3, 2006 -- MIDWEST BOOK REVIEWS GIVES HIGH MARKS TO NAVAJO AND PUEBLO EARRINGS BOOK Navajo And Pueblo Earrings 1850-1945: Collected By Robert V. Gallegos by Robert Bauver (a dedicated collector, expert and scholar of Southwestern jewelry for more than thirty years) is a photographic and descriptive showcase presented especially for collectors and aficionados of Navajo and Pueblo jewelry. Full-color photographs and extensive text entries for over 300 pairs of earrings allow the reader to experience the masterwork and subtlety in Navajo and Pueblo creations as surely as if seeing them in person. A brief introduction and history of Navajo and Pueblo earrings rounds out this respectful collection.
July 31, 2006 -- abqARTS PROCLAIMS NAVAJO AND PUEBLO EARRINGS A MUST FOR COLLECTORS Navajo and Pueblo Earrings 1850-1945 is a beautifully illustrated book featuring more than 120 pairs of earrings chosen from the 350-piece earring collection of Robert V. Gallegos--the most complete collection of historic Native American earrings in existence. The book opens with the history of personal adornment. Archival photographs (including an Edward Curtis on the cover) and contemporary magazine illustrations offer glimpses of what was popular at the time. Color plates of detailed, close-up photos--complemented with their history and useful information--of a progression of earrings round out the book. Endnotes and references then complete the book. Author Robert Bauver has collected Southwestern jewelry for more than three decades. As a scholar, he consolidated all existing information on the subject and added his own first-hand knowledge concerning Navajo and Pueblo artisans. And kudos to the publisher for the overall quality of the book. -- Larry Greenly, AbqArts, August 2006
JUNE 1, 2006 -- ANGLICAN AND EPISCOPAL HISTORY FEATURES HOLY FAITH OF SANTA FE If readers of Anglican and Episocpal History think that there are enough local studies of parishes and therefore conclude they can skip this new addition to the genre, they need to revise their thinking. Good parish studies connect what happens at the congregational level (the people in the pews) with national and international movements and events. Lehmberg's background as a distinguished scholar in the field of English church history gives him an unusual frame of reference for examining the history of a parish church in the American Southwest. It is a lens that has resulted in his writing a comprehensive and well-researched parish study that goes beyond the local and speaks to the contemporary unresolved crisis in national and international Anglicanism. It is an example of how the analysis of local church history can illuminate our understanding of the major trends and challenges that face Episcopalians in the United States today. -- Anglican and Episcopal History, June 2006
December 31, 2005 -- NEW MEXICO HISTORICAL REVIEWS FEATURES SAINTS OF THE PUEBLOS Carrillo provides brief historical background on each pueblo and its patron saints and then describes the salient characteristics of the pottery produced at the pueblo. His insights into this subject are thoughtful and provocative. The book serves as a poignant and useful reminder of the Catholic traditions of the Pueblo Indians meshed as they are in subtle ways with traditional indigenous spiritual practices. The book is attractively designed and produced. -- William Wroth, New Mexico Historical Review, Winter 2006
December 31, 2005 -- NEW MEXICO HISTORICAL REVIEWS REVIEWS TAPESTRY OF KINSHIP Over the past seventy years there has been a great deal of scholarly interest in the origins of the distinctive tradition of New Mexico santos (painted and sculpted images of saints) and the different styles that became prominent in the florescent period of New Mexican image-making, ca. 1800-1860. The most recent and exciting research in this field appears in A Tapestry of Kinship by Jose Antonio Esquibel and Charles M. Carrillo.The authors combine exhaustive documentary research in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe Museum and Archives and the Spanish and Mexican Archives of New Mexico with stylistic and technical analysis of actual peices. Existing documentary records concerning the early arts in New Mexico are few compared to those of other regions. However, by diligent search into the extant records the authors have oput together a convincing picture of the close network of relationships that existed among families of carpenters and image-makers in Santa Fe prior to 1860. Further, they have suggested possible new identifications of the artists responsible for existing bodies of work, thereby beginning to solve questions which have concerned scholars for many years. With the density and complexity of documentary data presented here, this book is geared toward the scholar and aficionado of the art of the santero, rather than the general public. The publishers are to be congratulated for publishing such a scholarly work, with obviously so limited an audience. While the book is focused on the work of a small group of carpenters and santeros, implicit in it are larger issues concerning the fabric of life in Santa Fe. Using the methods so ably employed by Esquibel and Carrillo, a much fuller picture than we currently have could be drawn of the cultural and socio-economic history of early-nineteenth-century New Mexico. -- William Wroth, New Mexico Historical Review, Winter 2006
December 17, 2005 -- MIDWEST BOOKS REVIEW SHOWCASES RELIGIOUS ARCHITECTURE OF NEW MEXICO The December 2005 Small Press Bookwatch contains a review of Religious Architecture of Hispano New Mexico By Tom Lucero and Father Tom Steele. The review notes, "Architect Thomas L. Lucero and scholar Thomas J. Steele, S.J., present Religious Artchitecture in Hispano New Mexico, a slender yet detailed study of the structure and architecture of churches. Setting forth a classification system that can prove most helpful when comparing distinct types of Hispanic religious architecture in New Mexico, this book is filled with black-and-white diagrams and photographs as well as extensive text description, historical summaries, and more. A thoroughly researched and invaluable guide for architecture students, designers, and scholars seeking to better understand the form, purpose and function of Hispanic New Mexican places of worship."
December 10, 2005 -- NM MAGAZINE REVIEWS RELIGIOUS ARCHITECTURE OF NEW MEXICO The January 2006 issue of New Mexico Magazine contains a review of Religious Architecture of Hispano New Mexico By Tom Lucero and Father Tom Steele. The review notes, "This little book is a concise discourse on the structure and architecture of New Mexico’s old Catholic religious structures: churches, chapels, and moradas (chapter houses of the penitentes), written by an architect and a New Mexico religious history scholar. The book comes with its own classification system for ranking New Mexico’s ecclesiastic buildings: by presence or absence of characteristic traits such as side chapels, clerestories, raised floor altars, and other features. After reading the book and examining the drawings and photos, the reader will undoubtedly come away with a new understanding of New Mexico’s Hispanic adobe sanctuaries, after only 48 pages, not counting the endnotes and a glossary."
July 26, 2005 -- WESTERN HISTORICAL QUARTERLY REVIEWS WAKE FOR A FAT VICAR The Western Historical Quarterly has reviewed Wake for a Fat Vicar in its Summer 2005 issue. It notes, "Chavez and Chavez seek to overturn the standard interpretation of Ortiz as an obstinate and corrupt man who selfishly resisted losing his leadership post among Catholics in New Mexico. More than a biography, this book is a rejoinder to the Anglo-centric historiography that commonly portrays mid-nineteenth-century New Mexico Catholics as hopefully superstitious and ignorant. The authors convincingly show that Lamy and Machebeuf arrived in New Mexico from France in 1851 more disposed to believe descriptions of New Mexico written by anti-Catholic or racist Americans than they were willing to learn about the region from its own inhabitants."
July 25, 2005 -- TAPESTRY OF KINSHIP REVIEWED IN SW MISSION REVIEW The Southwestern Mission Research Center SMRC Revista has reviewed A Tapestry of Kinship by Jose Esquibel and Charlie Carrillo in its Spring issue. The review notes, "The authors’ research into the identification and genealogies of New Mexican santeros, “saint-makers,” has resulted in this careful, scholarly examination of the relationships between sculptors and carpenters. This well-documented text, which includes genealogical charts of the Aragon, Casados, Ortega, Lucero, Dominguez, and Benavides families, would seem to leave no doubt of their thesis. Included are color illustrations of bultos of saints by members of the Aragon, Benavides, and Casados families. This is a lovely little book, one that all who have an interest in the religious art of New Mexico will want to read."
July 23, 2005 -- WEEKLY ALIBI REVIEWS RELIGIOUS ARCHITECTURE BOOK Steven Robert Allen of the Weekly Alibi has reviewed Religious Architecture of Hispano New Mexico by Thomas Lucero and Thomas Steele. He notes, "A new book put out by LPD Press, a local outfit based in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, claims to be the first major explanation of the architecture of New Mexico's Hispanic churches since George Kubler's landmark publication in 1940. At the heart of this new book is an intriguing method of classifying New Mexican Hispano architecture based on the increasing complexity of architectural elements, from the simplest residence to the most elaborate mission church. The book is informative, and it offers a classification system that would probably be useful to many amateur and professional enthusiasts of New Mexico's Catholic architecture."
April 25, 2005 -- HOLY FAITH OF SANTA FE REVIEWED BY HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF EPISCOPAL CHURCH The Historiographer of the National Episcopal Historians and Archivists and the Historical Society of the Episcopal Church reviewed Holy Faith of Santa Fe by Stanford Lehmberg, noting "his expertise ... has resulted in a balanced and detailed history. All these aspects of Santa Fe are evident at Holy Faith, which makes its history so interesting to read."
January 11, 2005 -- SOUTHWEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR SELECTS FOUR LPD BOOKS The Southwest Books of the Year 2004, sponsored by the Tucson-Pima Public Library, the Arizona Historical Society, and the Arizona Humanities Council, have selected four books by LPD Press for inclusion in the prestigious annual list of the most important books about the American Southwest published in 2004. The books include Saints of the Pueblos, A Tapestry of Kinship, Wake for a Fat Vicar, and Holy Faith of Santa Fe. All four books are available in the Mercado section of this website.
January 11, 2005 -- SAINTS OF THE PUEBLOS REVIEWED BY TODAY'S BOOKS Today's Books of Sacramento, CA, reviewed Saints of the Pueblos, Must Read!
January 3, 2005 -- A TAPESTRY OF KINSHIP REVIEWED A Tapestry of Kinship by Dr. Charles M. Carrillo and Jose Antonio Esquibel has been reviewed by the Reviewers Consortium. "A Tapestry of Kinship: The web of influence among Escultores and Capinteros in the Parish of Santa Fe, 1790-1860 by Jose Antonio Esquibel and Charles M Carrillo is a scholarly research into identifying four Escultores and Carpinteros of the nineteenth century. While historical documents do not exist, Esquibel and Carrillo research is a compilation of visual memory weaving it to families and kinships. These two scholars' backgrounds meld their expertise in genealogy, history, and teaching with the addition of Carrillo's worldwide recognition as a leading santero artist. This exquisite book will interest anyone who loves history, Hispanic culture and art, Santa Fe and all that the Southwest has to offer. I highly recommend this book." People of God, the monthly publication of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, also reviewed A TAPESTRY OF KINSHIP. The Consortium Reviews, Santa Fean Magazine, and the Santa Fe New Mexican also reviewed A TAPESTRY OF KINSHIP -- "It's a serious work but written invitingly so that everyone from the most devoted collector of art to the once-in-a-