Thunderhead

Book Description

Since the days of Coronado, explorers have been captivated by the search for Quivira, the fabled Lost City of Gold. Now, guided by a mysterious letter, archaeologist Nora Kelly is about to remount an expedition her father conducted 16 years earlier -- before mysteriously vanishing in the remote canyon country of southeast Utah. For her, it is a journey that could solve numerous mysteries, personally and professionally -- or it could be the last trip of her life.

Customer Reviews:

A different kind of Western.......2007-09-24

Loaded with Native American myth, mysteries, and ruins, Thunderhead takes you on a horseback journey into discovery, treachery, and death. Spooky, informative, and consistently thrilling, Thunderhead is a must read.

Really good fiction where you can learn something.......2007-09-16

I sometimes come across people who say, "I don't read fiction because it's not real, you can't learn anything from it." While this statement can be true with poorly written novels, nothing could be further from the truth with "Thunderhead" by Lincoln Child and Douglas Preston. Not only is this an exceptionally well written piece of fiction where many readers will have the opportunity to sponge up some masterful use of the English language, "Thunderhead" is steeped in historical fact and historical speculation about southwestern Indian/Puebloan civilizations. Oh boy, what a difference this is from Lincoln Child's mediocre solo effort I just read, "Deep Storm." Once again scribing with his partner (whom I think also fails to reach peak form writing alone) they've fashioned a work with dimensional beings, not all good, not all bad, and not all linear; and the journey they take, an archeological trek on horseback through treacherous mountainous canyons and valleys of the southwest, every mile fraught with danger, adventure, and terror, is simply spellbinding. This is the best read I've had in a long while. Highly recommend.

read it twice.......2007-09-01

I read Thunderhead a few years ago, however, I lost the novel in a recent move. I bought it again and spent two days reading it again. Great plot and wonderful writing.

Edge-of-the-seat plot, irritating characters.......2007-07-26

The characters in Preston and Child's books ("The Relic," "Mount Dragon" "Reliquary," "Riptide") may sometimes make you wince but the plots are intriguingly strange and the actions scenes rip.

The Anasazi background of "Thunderhead," provides the hook and the dry-west setting as young, ambitious archaeologist Nora Kelly survives an attack by apparently superhuman beasts at her father's deserted ranch, only to discover, while making her escape, the letter their guttural voices had demanded.

It's from her father, missing 16 years, and contains directions to the greatest discovery since Tutankhamen - the fabled sacred city of the lost civilization of the Anasazi. Nora gets to head up an expedition of older and more obnoxious experts, along with a wisecracking journalist and the expedition funder's gorgeous and talented daughter.

The strife gets irritating (certain of these people could use a nightime visit from the "beasts") but the trek heads into mountainous desert so remote and forbidding, it can be reached only by horses and, finally, only on foot. Treachery, murder, ancient magic, ferocious storms, breathtaking treasures and Anasazi secrets propel the reader through a story that grips.

Another fun book.......2007-06-25

They have done it again! This book has everything we've come to love about our authors. It is intelligent, well-written, and full of adventure. A great read! I love how they overlap their characters throughout their different books. We get more of Smithback and are introduced to Nora Kelly in Thunderhead.

Ancient Puebloan Southwest (Case Studies in Early Societies)

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The "Old Ones" -- from Origins to Spaniards

Ancient Puebloan Southwest (Case Studies in Early Societies)
John Kantner
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0521788803

Book Description

John Kantner traces the evolution of Pueblo society in the American Southwest from the emergence of the Chaco and Mimbres in the AD 1000s through the early decades of contact with the Spanish in the sixteenth century. Based on a diverse range of archaeological data, historical accounts, oral history and ethnographic records, this introduction for students of the Pueblo Southwest is vital reading for any archaeologist concerned with the origins of early civilizations.

Customer Reviews:

The "Old Ones" -- from Origins to Spaniards .......2007-10-10

Mesa Verde, Chaco Canyon, and Wuptaki are three of the best known of the Indian ruins that dot the landscape in the high desert country of New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah. To this day it is difficult to comprehend how these Indians thrived in a region of short hot summers, little rain, and poor soil -- and not only fed themselves but left behind spectacular monumental buildings. Adding to the mystery is their sudden abandonment of their major sites in the 1100s and 1200s.

The author surveys the knowledge and theories about the ancient peoples who became the modern day Pueblo Indians. He follows the development of the Anasazi and Mogollon traditions from their beginnings thousands of years ago until the 1700s, after the arrival of the Spaniards. The book is illustrated with more than 100 photos, maps, and charts and 25 sidebars that take up interesting topics such as cannibalism, construction methods, domestic animals, ballcourts, burials, and leadership. The emphasis is on thoroughness as the author briefly describes the findings and gives a hearing to the theories of hundreds of archaeologists and other scholars. The bibliography runs to more than 30 pages.

There is much of environmental determinism here for in the climate of the Southwest small changes in the weather made all the difference in the lives of the inhabitants. Scholars have meticulously reconstructed temperature and precipitation records for the last 2,000 years and the author attempts to correlate the rise and fall of Indian cultures with precipitation and temperature averages.

"Ancient Puebloan Southwest" is probably a bit too dense for the casual reader, but offers those interested in archaeology and the Southwest a thorough and up-to-date account of the Anasazi the Mogollon and the proto-historic Zuni, Hopi, and Rio Grande Pueblos.

Smallchief

Arrow to the Sun: A Pueblo Indian Tale (Picture Puffin)

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Story of trials drawn in a rectangular style
Arrow to the Sun : A Pueblo Indian Tale (Picture Puffin)
Arrow To The Sun By Gerald McDermont
Level 5: Escape the serpents and the room of lightning
Why I love Arrow to the Sun

Arrow to the Sun: A Pueblo Indian Tale (Picture Puffin)
Gerald McDermott
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0140502114

Customer Reviews:

Story of trials drawn in a rectangular style.......2007-01-12

To those who pay attention to the myths of various cultures, the fundamental premise of this book comes as no surprise. The Sun, in this case a god to the Pueblo Indians, sends a spark of life down to Earth and impregnates a woman. The child is a boy who is ridiculed by the other boys because he has no father. He then goes on a search for his father and gets no results until he consults the arrow maker.
The arrow maker understands the situation and turns the boy into an arrow. He then shoots him into the sky so that the boy can converse with the Sun. After he claims to be to be the son of the Sun, the boy is given a series of trials, which he passes. He is then returned to the Earth and acknowledged by all as the son of the Sun. There is great rejoicing among the people as they now appreciate who the boy really is.
This is a delightful tale that is illustrated in the style of the Pueblo Indians. The drawings are made using almost exclusively lines drawn at right angles. Most shapes are made from a combination of rectangular figures, yet so well done that it is still possible to detect the emotions of the characters. It is an excellent story for young children, it will teach them something about another culture and that is always a good thing.

Arrow to the Sun : A Pueblo Indian Tale (Picture Puffin).......2006-01-15

Children in my classroom didnt enjoy this story but it was worth reading.

Arrow To The Sun By Gerald McDermont.......2004-11-18

This is an inside look about Indian heritage and the kinds of myths they had in their times. The reader really gets a feel for how the strange boy feels when he gets picked on because he is different. This is a fictional and adventurous book with such great details that it almost seems real as you're reading it.
This story is set in a little pueblo where a mother is giving birth. Suddenly the God of the Sun sent down an arrow to the women and she gave birth to his son. As the little boy grows up, all the other boys make fun of him because he looks different and has no father. Then finally one day he sets off to find his father and to truly know who he is.
The author does such a fantastic job on his voice and sentence fluency that when you're reading the book it seems like you are the strange little boy. This is my favorite children's book because I read it over and over since I was a kid and I enjoy Indian myths. I also enjoy this book because the pictures are phenomenal and the colors are amazing.
People who like adventure and can relate to the little boy would love this outstanding book. This book is very inspiring and shows that you can do anything you want to if you try. I gave this book five out of five stars and I hope you'll like this awesome book just as much as I did.
By Tanner

Level 5: Escape the serpents and the room of lightning.......2004-11-10

I don't think I can judge Gerald McDermott's 1975 Caldecott winning picture book, "Arrow to the Sun" fairly. You see, I am a child of the 80s. I remember the early days of Colico Vision and Atari. I have very clear images in my head of some of the first arcade games, like Q-Bert, Donkey Kong, and Super Mario Brothers. Why do I invoke such images when I'm (supposedly) reviewing "Arrow to the Sun"? Because like these games, "Arrow to the Sun" suffers for its time period. Author/illustrator Gerald McDermott strived very hard to make this story both deeply original and timeless. In many ways, he has succeeded. But if you, like myself, played a single pixilated arcade game in the late 70s or early to mid 80s then you'll take one look at this book and notice its video game aspects. It's a beautiful story. It's just tainted in the eyes of the children of the 80s.

In this retelling of an ancient legend (or so the bookflap assures me), we learn about a boy unlike any other. When the Lord of the Sun sent a "spark of life" to earth, it found a young woman in a pueblo. The woman then gave birth to a son who found himself desperate to know his father. The boy leaves home and finally comes to realize from whom he is descended. To prove himself to the Lord of the Sun he withstands numerous video game-like trials and finally is transformed so that he may bring the Sun's spirit to the world of men.

Echoes of this story have been found around the world in everything from the birth of Christianity to ancient Zeus-appears-as-a-shaft-of-light type tales. This particular rendition of such a story is a little more tasteful in its presentation. McDermott has always had a keen sense of storytelling. This is apparent in everything from his fan-freakin'-tastic, "Zomo the Trickster Rabbit" to the more contemporary "Creation". "Arrow to the Sun" has just the right tone of voice and increasing urgency one needs in a good story.

As for the pictures, they look like characters from a Commodore 64 game. According to all-knowing bookflap, this tale, "captures the stylized look of Pueblo Indian art". I'm fairly certain I've seen Pueblo Indian art before. And I'm almost certain it didn't give me urges to go play Load Runner or Frogger. While much of the art in this book is very beautiful (the design on our hero's chest is a lovely geometric shape) it suffers from its form. The colors are beautiful, no question. The designs on many of the pictures is great. But the odd blocky pixel-like look is jarring and (to my mind) overly familiar.

So unfortunately, McDermott ended up doing something he didn't want to. His intentions, I'm certain, were to create something timeless. Instead, he make a picture book that remains firmly stuck in the age of Pac-Man. If arcade settings and characters don't disturb you, you may be the perfect consumer for this tale. If, on the other hand, you prefer your picture books to be a little lovelier and a little less circa 1983, you might want to pass this puppy by. Just a warning to you Gen X parents out there.

Why I love Arrow to the Sun.......2004-02-12

This book just calls to me. I love the words, I love the pictures. Most of the time when I read a book over and over I get bored with the book. But every time I read this book I love it even more. I give it 5 stars. I think it is the best book ever.

What Caused the Pueblo Revolt of 1680? (Historians at Work)

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put out the safety cones: historians at work
Interesting but a Little Racist
History Through Different Windows

What Caused the Pueblo Revolt of 1680? (Historians at Work)
David J. Weber
Manufacturer: Bedford/St. Martin's
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 031219174X

Customer Reviews:

put out the safety cones: historians at work.......2006-06-03

This is precisely the type of history book advocated by James Loewen, the author of "Lies My Teacher Told Me."

Take five scholars, all discussing the same event, and end up with five quite different interpretations of that event. The editors did a great job of introducing each of the scholar's views, pointing out bones of contention, backgrounding the source material. This is how history is supposed to be taught!

I think one reviewer may have mischaracterized this book as racist. To say that only the views of the Spanish were presented, when in fact the only source material available is from the Spanish colonials, is to confuse the viewpoint of the historian with the viewpoint of the 17th century government of Spain.

I'm thinking about buying the whole series of Historians at Work if they are all this interesting.

Interesting but a Little Racist.......2006-01-31

This book had a lot of great information about how the Pueblo Revolt of 1680 affected the Spanish. It tells how they felt, what they did, what they thought, where they went. It even tells about what they thought the American Indians were thinking and feeling at the time. There are even passages citing American Indian quotations that were written by totally biased Spaniards from the time of the revolt! So, if you're interested in hearing just one side of a very important event, this is the perfect book. I think this really would be a good book if it were coupled with another book that attempted to show the other side.

History Through Different Windows.......2000-04-26

Weber has put together a selection of informative essays by different authors, all dealing with the famed Pueblo Revolt of 1680. Given that the (for a time successful) uprising took place, the question for students of history is the standard one: Why?

As the essays in this book point out, there is no one answer to that question. There are, instead, many answers, and additional questions.

In history, it's not so much a case of arriving at the "truth." Rather, it's the journey of discovery that really counts. The essays Weber has collected run the gamut, from turgid academic writing and sniping to refreshingly clearly-stated prose. His introduction is masterly, the bibliographic references invaluable, and the overall effect one of having learned just how complex and diverse the causes of an effect can be.

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Roberts describes the culture of the Anasazi--the name means "enemy ancestors" in Navajo--who once inhabited the Colorado Plateau and whose modern descendants are the Hopi Indians of Arizona. Archaeologists, Roberts writes, have been puzzling over the Anasazi for more than a century, trying to determine the environmental and cultural stresses that caused their society to collapse 700 years ago. He guides us through controversies in the historical record, among them the haunting question of whether the Anasazi committed acts of cannibalism. Roberts's book is full of up-to-date thinking on the culture of the ancient people who lived in the harsh desert country of the Southwest.

Customer Reviews:

Much to ponder while standing in the dusty gloom inside Perfect Kiva..........2007-09-22

David Roberts is my favorite outdoor adventure writer and this, in my opinion, is one of his best works.

Mystery will always surround the Anasazi. The land on which the remnants of their habitations remain is hauntingly beautiful and desolate. For me this book brought back many memories of trips I've made to these areas since childhood and also rekindled the desire to return for more. Natural Bridges, Grand Gulch, Mesa Verde have always been special places for me.

David does an excellent job providing a broad spectrum of thought and research into how the Anasazi lived and why they seemingly disappeared. He also provides a fascinating look at his own travel adventures in southern Utah and the other four-corner states.

I highly recommend this book to all David Roberts fans, southwest canyoneers, Anasazi enthusiasts, or armchair adventurers!

Come Along And See With Your Mind's Eyes.......2007-07-13

For anyone with a passing interest in the Anasazi and the southwest, this is a great read. It's not a scientific archeology book but instead an easy to read guide to some of the Anasazi ruins of the southwest and the description of the author's hikes and explorations. He touches upon various theories of the fate of the Anasazi and current issues relating to the remaining ruins and National Parks. It has a few B&W photos (could definitely had more). It is a very easy read and to be honest I'm writing this review after having read it for the 3rd time. I have visited many of the sites that he writes about and for anyone who has been to any of the Anasazi sites and National Parks you will truly enjoy this book and have a better understanding of the history and of the ruins of this vanished (or moved) people.

For those who love the Southwest...........2006-01-07

If you have ever wondered what it would be like to explore the far reaches of Anasazi territory, this book takes you there! If you enjoy armchair travel there isn't a book that puts you there better than this one. David Roberts describes in detail his adventures through many Anasazi sites in the Southwest. Even those ruins that many people will never see because of their remote location.

Excellent adventure without leaving your couch.......2005-06-27

Not being from the Southwest this book acted like a walking guide to the mysterious disappearance and the researched history of the ancient civilization inhabiting the canyons. It was a good, easy read, with lots of references for more research. I would read more of his work without hesitation. I just wish he'd put in some maps to give an overview of the canyons he was hiking.

Vicarious vacations.......2005-04-20

This book reads like a lengthy article in a men's outdoorsy magazine. The author goes on an endless series of camping trips(often with companions who range from greenhorns to backwoods experts) to find Anasazi ruins in the southwest that most of us will never see, nor according to the author should we ever see them, because too many people would destroy them, but this author gets his thrills going to see them anyway. Along the way he discusses this and other controversies surrounding the famed old ones of the Four Corners region, stories of other explorers who came before, and the occasional eerie thrill of discovery. A helpful appendix explains the different periods archaeologists use to discuss Anasazi history ("Basketmaker I", "Pueblo II," etc.) but there is precious little Anasazi history or achaeology per se in this book, which is a more personal take on the region. We are left with the same appreciation and fascination for the Anasazi which led us to pick up the book in the first place, and some understanding of the problems of this field of inquiry, but not much more understanding of the Anasazi themselves; who they were, where they came from, how they lived, what they believed, etc. Admittedly much of this information is murky and unknown, but, well, it still is after reading this.

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Very Enjoyable!
Cultural obsession
A voyage into native culture
Can't Say Enough Good Things
Save Your Money

Wild Indigo
Sandi Ault
Manufacturer: Berkley Hardcover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0425213692

Book Description

INTRODUCING JAMAICA WILD-AND THE BEGINNING OF A THRILLING NEW SERIES.

The high desert of New Mexico becomes the backdrop for this debut novel of ancient rituals, restless spirits, a desperate female Fed, and a crime that could destroy an entire culture . . .

Bureau of Land Management Agent Jamaica Wild has witnessed the death of a Tanoah Pueblo man trampled to death by stampeding buffalo. The tribe has declared the incident a suicide, the FBI concurs, and the body is hurried to ceremony before the sun can go down on his spirit.

But Agent Wild suspects foul play. Haunted by the memory of the welts on the man's body, and the strange ecstasy in his eyes, she pursues her own investigation, which leads her into a labyrinth of clandestine Pueblo religious rites, peyote cults, and Hispanic and Tiwa witchcraft. But Jamaica has promised the mother of the victim, the beloved matriarch of the Santana family, that she will find out what really happened to her son. Until Anna Santana took her in long ago, Jamaica was a stray, much like the wary wolf pup she has just rescued.

When the tribal government and the local paper make allegations that Jamaica caused the stampede, she soon finds herself banned from the Pueblo, suspended from her job-and allied with an old, reclusive curandera who induces trances and casts spells. Ultimately, Jamaica will discover that the answer to the mystery is contained in another secret, perhaps the greatest secret regarding Tanoah Pueblo-one that threatens its future and its past.

Customer Reviews:

Very Enjoyable!.......2007-07-09

Sandi Ault's debut with Wild Indigo is beautifully crafted. The characters are so appealing, I find myself missing some of them as I would dear friends. Her descriptions of the landscapes paint such pictures, that I felt as if I could step into them. I'm intrigued by Ms. Ault's knowledge of Pueblo life, and admire how she was able to weave subtle story lines and believable mysticism together to reach the exciting climax. The main character, Jamaica, is a multi-layered heroine who strives for truth, and is sensitive to the needs of her wolf-companion, Mountain, and respects and honors the Native Americans with whom she interacts. Highly recommended!

Cultural obsession.......2007-06-28

Jamaica Wild is part of the federal bureaucracy known as the BLM and like the stereotypical bureaucrat, she collects a paycheck but doesn't actually work. The novel is set in a remote southwest desert location near a Tiwa Pueblo village.

At the Tiwa village, it is a religious time, a time of quiet contemplation of ancient wisdom and ritual. Outsiders are forbidden from entering the area, but this doesn't stop Jamaica. She spends her abundant free time sneaking into the Tiwa village. Out of a personal sense of loneliness or alienation, she has developed an obsession with the tribe. A few of the Tiwa women tolerate her but the tribal leaders resent her and view her intrusion as an attempt to steal their culture.

Jamaica's other obsession is her young wolf, Mountain. Mountain has severe separation anxieties. When left alone, he is driven by fear of abandonment to ransack the cabin and destroy clothes, furniture, woodwork, and walls. Jamaica is sorry that Mountain spends his days in fear and misery. In fact she is so sorry that every day she leaves him alone again to proceed with her stalking of the Tiwa.

An altogether unsatisfactory novel featuring several thoroughly unlikable characters. My advise, Skip Wild Indigo and try one of Nevada Barr's or Beverly Connor's novels.

A voyage into native culture.......2007-03-15

In the wild and majestic beauty of northern New Mexico, Sandi Ault takes you on a journey into Native American Culture delving into the mysteries, spells, potions and idiosyncrasies of the Tiwa tribe of the fictional Tanoah Pueblo, located a few hours north of Taos, New Mexico.

Jamaica Wild is an agent for the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. When she happens upon Jerome Santana, a local Tiwa, standing stoically in the midst of a herd of corralled male buffalo, she instinctively knows the situation is potentially deadly. The buffalo, tense and skittish with the human in their presence, are moments away from stampede. As Wild continues to lure Santana away, the herd spooks and Santana is trampled to death.

Thus begins Jamaica Wild's voyage into the depths of Tiwa culture within the Tanoah Pueblo, and her exposure to a life foreign to her own. With the help of Momma Anna, an old Tiwa woman to guide her, Wild is gradually exposed to the customs and closely guarded ceremonies that ancient traditions requires of the tribe after the death of a tribe member.

Throughout it all Wild feels there is something amiss. Though not a trained investigator her gut tells her she must dig deeper to uncover the truth. She is deflected by the members of the pueblo at nearly every turn. The help she does receive is cryptic and beyond her knowledge. When she attempts to clarify it with the few members of the pueblo willing to talk, she is thrown off the trail with threats the Tiwa see clearly, but Wild neither perceives nor understands.

The author has crafted an intricately woven web of deceit and mystery that lead into a culture that very will ever be exposed. Her research is extensive, although the characters are fictional, her knowledge of the culture and the location is vividly expressed in her writing. The characters are genuine, the scenes are set dramatically set and wonderfully crafted.

Armchair Interviews says: If you are looking for a mystery that has car chases, lots of weaponry and hard-nosed detective work, Wild Indigo is not for you. If you want a great piece of literature that also includes a mystery, this is your next book.

Can't Say Enough Good Things.......2007-03-11

I can't say enough good things about Sandi Ault's Wild Indigo. I first heard about it when the New York Times praised it and called it a striking debut. That made me buy it. When I read this book I was completely transported to Taos and life among the Pueblo people. This is a wonderful book and a very unusual mystery, and the characters in it are so memorable that I feel like I know them personally. Especially Jamaica's wolf, Mountain. After I read the book, I was so taken with the story and the writing that I got online and went to the author's website and I read everything I could find about her and her wolves. She is a very interesting person who leads a very wild life. Her website is beautiful and has great music that the author wrote herself. If you want a taste of wildness, if you want to make a total escape into a wonderful story, if you want to read the best new author out there, then don't even think about it - buy this book.

Save Your Money.......2007-03-10

Sandi Ault knows her subject and writes well. I should have loved Wild Indigo, and I probably would have if she hadn't given the heroine a wolf for a pet. Her constant descriptions of the wolf shedding, the wolf drooling, and the wolf peeing on the heroine's clothes after he has ripped them up, made me want to hold my nose and run outside for fresh air. The heroine has a boyfriend who drops in from time to time unexpectedly. He must be really desperate because her apartment must smell to high heaven.

Ault gives the reader a lot of very interesting information about the Tewa culture. If she writes more books in the series, I hope she returns the wolf to the wild.

Photographs at the Frontier: Aby Warburg in America 1895-1896

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Photographs at the Frontier: Aby Warburg in America 1895-1896

Manufacturer: Merrell Holberton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Images from the Region of the Pueblo Indians of North America

ASIN: 1858940672

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The Death at Awahi
Harold Burton Meyers
Manufacturer: Texas Tech University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0896725995
Release Date: 2007-03-01

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It s 1923. The U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs and its educational arm, the Indian Service, are under fire for a Christianize and civilize policy that seeks to draw Native American children from their ancestral cultures.

The school principal at the fictional New Mexico pueblo of Awahi has been caught slipping government property to a missionary. The Indian Service seeks to still a Congressional uproar by giving the principal's job to Quill Thompson, a critic of Christianize and civilize. Awahi is an isolated, inhospitable post. Quill is advised to pack a gun and stay indoors at night. His wife, Jane, a nurse, decides it is no place to start the family they both want.

For centuries Awahi has managed by guile and flexibility to keep its rich culture intact, despite Spanish conquistadors, Franciscan and Protestant missionaries, the Indian Service, and the teacher who might have had Quill's job had she not been a woman.

When a white man is found dead, Quill faces an ethical dilemma. Should he allow Awahi to mete out justice the Awahi way? Or should he call in outside forces that he fears will destroy an ancient society before it can adjust to an encroaching modern world?

The Serpent's Tongue: Prose, Poetry, and Art of the New Mexican Pueblos

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The Serpent's Tongue: Prose, Poetry, and Art of the New Mexican Pueblos
Paula Gunn Allen , Willa Cather , Frank Hamilton Cushing , Tony Hillerman , Oliver La Farge , Oliver Littlebird , Barry Lopez , Leslie Marmon Silko , Simon J. Ortiz , Joe S. Sando , Rina Swentzell , and Frank Waters
Manufacturer: Dutton Juvenile
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0525455140

Book Description

This peerless compendium, voted best nonfiction book of the year by the Mountains and Plains Booksellers' Association, pays tribute to one of North America's most enduring cultures, offering a rich sampling of works by noted Pueblo and non-native scholars, writers, and artists. Carefully selected from an exhaustive catalog of sources, the more than one hundred text selections include works of prose, poetry, autobiography, and historical narrative. Seventy-five unusual illustrations--from a rare drawing by D. H. Lawrence to striking portraits by photographer Edward S. Curtis and the brilliantly colorful paintings of Pablita Velarde and Helen Hardin--illuminate life in the pueblos, recording ceremonies, symbols, and spaces.

Lavishly designed in five colors, this eminently readable volume offers a story and mood for everyone and an authentic introduction to the cultural legacy of the ancient peoples of the Southwest. Fully annotated with bibliography, source notes, maps, and biographical entries, and with an inviting thematic organization for the casual reader, this beautiful book will find a permanent place in homes, libraries, and collections across the country.

Contributors include:

Paula Gunn Allen
Willa Cather
Frank Hamilton Cushing
Tony Hillerman
Oliver la Farge
Harold Littlebird
Barry Lopez
Simon J. Ortiz
Joe S. Sando.

Sandstone Spine: Seeking the Anasazi on the First Traverse of the Comb Ridge

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Good Travelogue
Disappointing.
Amazing reading..simply outstanding!
One-Part Cultural Exploration of the Anasazi (with a little Navajo as well) and One-Part Adventure Story
See a slice of the Four Corners and existential hiking as part of a travelogue

Sandstone Spine: Seeking the Anasazi on the First Traverse of the Comb Ridge
David Roberts
Manufacturer: Mountaineers Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1594850054

Book Description

Three friends bound by love of the Southwest's canyonlands undertake the first traverse of the Comb Ridge, in search of the lost civilization of the Anasazi • A cultural pilgrimage as well as an athletic one • Story blends personal adventure, middle-aged angst, the beauty of a landscape, history of exploration, and mysteries of the rise and fall of an ancient culture • By a critically acclaimed travel and adventure writer also famous for his exploits in Alaska's mountains • Includes photos by Greg Child of the landscape, Anasazi and Navajo ruins and rock art On September 1, 2004, three middle-aged buddies set out on one of the last geographic challenges never before attempted in North America: to hike the Comb Ridge in one continuous push. The Comb is an upthrust ridge of sandstone—virtually a mini-mountain range—that stretches almost unbroken for a hundred miles from just east of Kayenta, Arizona, to some ten miles west of Blanding, Utah. To hike the Comb is to run a gauntlet of up-and-down severities, with the precipice lurking on one hand, the fiendishly convoluted bedrock slab on the other—always at a sideways, ankle-wrenching pitch. There is not a single mile of established trail in the Comb's hundred-mile reach.

The friends were David Roberts, writer, adventurer, famed mountaineer of decades past, at age 61 the graybeard of the bunch; Greg Child, renowned mountaineer and rock climber, age 47; and Vaughn Hadenfeldt, a wilderness guide intimately acquainted with the canyonlands, age 53. They came to the Comb not only for the physical challenge, but to seek out seldom-visited ruins and rock art of the mysterious Anasazi culture. Each brought his own emotions on the journey; the Comb Ridge would test their friendship in ways they had never before experienced.

Searching for the stray arrowhead half-smothered in the sand or for the faint markings on a far sandstone boulder that betokened a little-known rock art panel, becomes a competitive sport for the three friends. Along the way, they ponder the mystery, bringing the accounts of early and modern explorers and archaeologists to bear: Who were the vanished Indians who built these inaccessible cliff dwellings and pueblos, often hidden from view? Of whom were they afraid and why? What caused them to suddenly abandon their settlements around 1300 AD? What meaning can be ascribed to their phantasmagoric rock art? What was their relationship to the Navajo, who were convinced the Anasazi had magical powers and could fly?

DAVID ROBERTS is the author of On the Ridge Between Life & Death, Escape From Lucania, In Search of the Old Ones, and Escape Routes among other titles. His adventure and travel writing have appeared in Outside, National Geographic Adventure, The New York Times, and other publications.

Customer Reviews:

Good Travelogue.......2007-08-23

After reading David Roberts other book "In Search Of The Ancient Ones", I had to pick this one up as well. As a native Southwesterner and interested in ancient southwestern Indian history, I was eager to read about his trek across the "The Comb" with two friends. There was some interesting tidbits on how they went about placing their water caches and meetings with some of the locals before and during their trip. It was a fairly interesting read if you are an outdoors person but I as far as the Anasazi ruins, while several are mentioned, it would have been more interesting if more photos were included. Like a few previous reviewers I did find it annoying to read about David's arguments with his fellow companions as they all seemed to be instigated by David himself. I got the impression that he thought he was the "leader" of the group and the others were supposed to listen to him and follow "his" rules. It wouldn't have been too bad except he brings it up about 4 or 5 times throughout the book which I thought was a little excessive. Also, he makes a few remarks about others he has met or traveled with in the back country of the Southwest which, to me anyways, he thinks that we are not worthy of visiting these ancient ruins. Because others have vandalized ruins (which has been going on for about a hundred years now)does not mean that there some of us who are just as interested in the Anasazi and want to experience the thrill and wonder of finding an undiscovered site on our own or visit some of the ruins that are accessible, without looting them or damaging them. He gave me the impression that he is one of the "elite" who is one of the few who is knowledgable and because he's done some extensive backcountry travelling, "qualified" to visit these sites. Overall I thought the book was a good read. Not as good as his earlier one, "In Search Of The Ancient Ones." (Which I highly recommend). You should consider "House Of Rain" by Craig Childs.

Disappointing........2007-06-26

I enjoyed reading "The Secret Knowledge of Water" and "House of Rain;" both books written by Craig Childs. So,I bought and read this book because Greg Childs acted as photographer in this traverse of Comb Ridge. And, Indeed, the photos are good. Unfortunatly, David Roberts, the author and traverse participant, comes off as needing total control of his hike companions. The writing seems choppy and more a personal journal than an adventure.

Amazing reading..simply outstanding!.......2007-06-12

From the moment I saw this book on the shelf, I couldn't wait to get to a computer and order it from Amazon. I neglected to write down the name, but was able to find it with a search. This book is one I had a very hard time putting down. Roberts is a fine writer, however, some terminology will most likely have you pining for a dictionary! Roberts has you feeling the burn of the climb and the heat of the desert, along with the blisters on ones' feet! I am just about done with it, and already ordered "In Search of the Ancient Ones" for my next read.

One-Part Cultural Exploration of the Anasazi (with a little Navajo as well) and One-Part Adventure Story.......2007-05-07

Overall, I really enjoyed *Sandstone Spine*; nothing overly ground-breaking here - no new revelations or significant finds in regards to the Anasazi were accomplished on the trip. But, that doesn't necessarily matter. Between the party's discovered and revisited sites there is something to learn about the Anasazi for those not already deeply versed in the history. The most interesting parts of the book in regards to the history are the tangents Roberts takes talking about previous historical understanding and research, and some of the local history surrounding the Comb Ridge. In the beginning, the reader also gets a peak at the Navajo Nation off the beaten path.

As for the trek itself, it is essentially a 100+ mile hike in late summer in a sometimes unforgiving landscape. The party's adventures have the usual desert travel moments of having to find water, a safe place to camp, and how to travel across a varied terrain. But, in the end, it is merely interesting and not too adventurous. This is not the fault of Roberts and his traveling companions; though the Comb Ridge is a fantastic example of the geology of Colorado Plateau that presented some challenges to the traverse, it is not all that daunting to the experienced backcountry travelers on this adventure (this is not to say that it wouldn't kill the unprepared).

At times I found myself frustrated along with David Roberts when he spends moments in this book complaining about how his friends travel in relation to his expectations - mostly about one of the friends. On one hand, I completely agree with him; when a travel companion goes off on one's own and especially doesn't communicate what he or she is doing, this is absolutely annoying! And dangerous in the backcountry - even for experienced hikers. And one of Roberts' co-hikers does this often. But, I don't know that it really adds to the book any; except maybe at the end (I won't give away why or how). Or, maybe I just relate so well to it in regards to someone I used to travel often with that I can't take it any more than Roberts can.

In the end, a good read; but, maybe not quite up to the same level as some of Roberts' other books in regards to history or adventure - essentially, not the fault of the three travelers, just the circumstance of the Comb Ridge and the high skill level of the hikers. I would classify this as essential for anyone interested in backcountry travel in the Comb Ridge area; and a good quick read for everyone else.

See a slice of the Four Corners and existential hiking as part of a travelogue.......2007-04-18

This is a good book in many ways. Let me list just a few of them.

First, you get David Roberts' intimate love of the Four Corners/Colorado Plateau, as well as that of his two fellow hikers. Second and related is Roberts' and their appreciation for the Anasazi ruins and artifacts they encounter, and the appreciation to not disturb them.

Related to that, you can learn the basics about their "museum of the outdoors" ethos that is a cornerstone of this care to not disturb these remains. Not everybody fully appreciates this; it is part of what motivates the trio to get snarky about people's trail register comments. But, this isn't an "environmental" book or an "archaeology" book; it's also a travel book. And to fully appreciate this book, I think you have to understand that. If you want "just" an archaeology/hiking book, there's always "In Search of the Old Ones."

Beyond that, you get a sense for the vastness and ruggedness of this land, both today and 700-7,000 years ago as it confronted the Anasazi and their various forbearers.

But, wait, that's not all.

You also get the story of the 61-year-old Roberts, wondering how much major hiking he has left, the 53-year-old Vaughn Hadenfelt, fearing he'll soon be stuck behind a desk rather than guiding people around the Plateau, and the 47-year-old Greg Child, a new father. You get the three of them trying to not wear on each other's last nerve through a couple of weeks of hiking with almost no human contact. The "whining" that some people may note, I rather saw as the personal wrestlings of three aging hikers knowing they are approaching turning points in their lives. I think it misses the point of this book to "just" look for nature photography or Anasazi ruins.

Finally, you get Roberts' exquisite writing ability, and 16 pages of full-color photography by Child. A definite winner.

I've driven through Comb Ridge and hiked areas of Cedar Mesa and Grand Gulch; I deeply appreciated this book.

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