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You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on
bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Santa Fe, History of an Ancient City
by David Grant Noble (Editor)
A revised edition of of this classic history of Santa Fe to the mid-nineteenth century, featuring essays by ten scholars and hundreds of archival photographs, drawings and maps.
The Lost World of the Old Ones
by David Roberts
A fascinating look at prehistoric civilization in the Four Corners region. Roberts goes deep into the Southwest backcountry to find yet-undiscovered ruins of the Ancestral Puebloans, known by their modern descendants as The Old Ones.
Fodor's In Focus Santa Fe
by Fodor's
A practical guide in the popular series, saturated with valuable information on accommodation, shopping, sights, and dining.
Indian Arts of the Southwest
by Susanne Page
Featuring color photographs of the basketry, pottery, weaving, jewelry, and carvings of 200 noted artists, this book is both a collector's guide and cultural history of the Navajo, Hopi, Zuni, Pueblo peoples and other native peoples.
The Myth of Santa Fe, Creating a Modern Regional Tradition
by Chris Wilson
By exploring Santa Fe's architectural style, public ceremonies, historic preservation movement and cultural traditions, Eilson unravels the complex interactions of ethnic identity and tourist image making.
Dark Beauty, Photographs of New Mexico
by Jack Parsons
Southwest photographer Parsons presents the rugged landscapes and the people of New Mexico, exploring religious iconography, far-flung ranches, small towns and wide open spaces in this full-color coffee table book.
Traditional Arts of Spanish New Mexico: The Hispanic Heritage Wing at the Museum of International Folk Art
by Robin Farwell Gavin
This compilation of more than 100 items from the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe offers good insight into Spanish colonial art in New Mexico.
New Mexico, A History
by Joseph P. Sanchez
This cooperative effort between three native New Mexicans is the first complete history of New Mexico. It charts the state’s development from 16th-century Spanish colony to frontier province, from its 1912 American statehood to a hub of (often classified) scientific research. A vital source for anyone seeking to understand the complex history of the West.
Feast of Santa Fe, Cooking of the American Southwest
by Huntley Dent
An easy-to-follow introduction to the cuisine of the Southwest written by a cooking school instructor.
The Metropolitan Opera Stories of the Great Operas
by John Freeman, Beverly Sills (Introduction)
A two-volume, boxed collection of the complete plots for 225 operas, authorized by the Metropolitan Opera.
Death Comes for the Archbishop
by Willa Cather
Based in part on the life of Bishop Jean Baptiste L'Amy, this classic novel of missionary life in New Mexico is rich in the texture of Old Santa Fe and New Mexican landscapes.
The Penguin Concise Guide to Opera
by Amanda Holden
An essential reference for the opera enthusiast. Well organized, with short descriptions of plots, characters, performances and historical background.
A History of Opera
by Carolyn Abbate
Filled with insights and arguments, meditations and composer biographies, this passionate genealogy of opera has been praised by the Times of London as "The best single volume ever written on the subject."
The Spell of New Mexico
by Tony Hillerman (Editor)
A selection of 12 thoughtful essays on the New Mexico state of mind by great writers, including C.G. Jung, Mary Austin, D.H. Lawrence and Lawrence Clark Powell. Hillerman succeeds in communicating the lure of the desert Southwest in this wonderful, literate introduction to the state.
Santa Fe
by Gene Peach
Filled with the dynamic culture of Santa Fe (a uniquely wonderful piece of the USA) this book of images moves through the seasons, capturing summer’s low-rider cars, autumn’s harvest, spring’s bursting of color and much more in The City Different.
Santa Fe Map
by MapEasy
A plastic-coated, fold-up map of Santa Fe, including Taos and Albuquerque. Size: 18x27 inches.
Opera 101, A Complete Guide to Learning and Loving Opera
by Fred Plotkin, Placido Domingo (Introduction)
A well-written introduction to opera, this volume includes a brief history of the art form, a guide to operatic terms and a review of 11 famous operas.