First Impressions: A Reader's Journey to Iconic Places of the American Southwest

by David J. Weber, William deBuys

Overview

First Impressions: A Reader's Journey to Iconic Places of the American Southwest tells the story of fifteen iconic sites across Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, and southern Colorado through the eyes of the explorers, missionaries, and travelers who were the first nonnatives to describe them. Noted borderlands historians David J. Weber and William deBuys lead readers through centuries of historical, cultural, and environmental change at sites ranging from Carlsbad Caverns, the Grand Canyon, and Mesa Verde to such living Native communities as Ácoma and Zuni. Lovers of the Southwest, both residents and visitors alike, will delight in the authors' skillful evocation of the region's sweeping landscapes, its rich Hispanic and Native heritage, and the sense of discovery that so enchanted its early explorers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780826363558
Publisher:	University of New Mexico Press
Publication date:	04/01/2022
Pages:	368
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)

About the Author

David J. Weber (1940-2010) was the founding director of the Clements Center for Southwest Studies at Southern Methodist University and the author of more than twenty books on the Southwest borderlands.


William deBuys is the author of numerous books, including Salt Dreams: Land and Water in Low-Down California, A Great Aridness: Climate Change and the Future of the American Southwest, and the Pulitzer Prize nonfiction finalist River of Traps: A New Mexico Mountain Life, with photographs by Alex Harris.

Table of Contents

Preface ix

Acknowledgments xiii

Introduction 1

1 Ácoma 12

2 Canyon de Chelly 30

3 Carlsbad Caverns 50

4 Casa Grande 66

5 Chaco Canyon 79

8 El Morro/Inscription Rock 96

7 Grand Canyon 110

8 Mesa Verde 136

9 The Mohave Villages 158

10 Rainbow Bridge 176

11 Santa Fe 194

12 San Xavier del Bac 214

13 Taos Valley 228

14 Tucson 245

15 Zuni 259

Notes 279

Bibliography 307

Index 327

Credits 339

Editorial Reviews

[A] vivid rendering of Southwestern history and culture specific to 15 iconic sites, from Acoma Pueblo to Carlsbad Caverns, from Mesa Verde to Zuni Pueblo, that includes the writings of explorers and indigenous people about their first encounters with each other.”—Jennifer Levin, Santa Fe New Mexican

“Weber (d. 2010) and deBuys's collaboration stands as a culmination of two lifetime's worth of devoted and passionate study. Beautifully written and impeccably researched, First Impressions takes readers through the discovery of 15 incredible places, including Ácoma, Carlsbad Caverns, El Morro, and Rainbow Bridge, among numerous other sites of beauty or historical significance. . . . This book will be a delight to scholars and interested laypersons alike. . . . A masterpiece.”—Choice

“General readers and academics alike will find this to be an engaging and powerful book.”—Benjamin H. Johnson, Southwestern Historical Quarterly

“By blending historical narratives with modern-day insights, the authors have given us a book that crosses the divide of time and broadens windshield-view impressions of these breathtaking landmarks.”—Kurt Repanshek, National Parks Traveler

“Though the book may be an armchair experience, readers should arm themselves with the volume as they visit these 15 sites, regardless of whether they are Easterners, Midwesterners or New Mexicans. The book is a rich lesson in history and self-identity.”—David Steinberg, Albuquerque Journal

Winner of the Outstanding Academic Title for 2018 award sponsored by Choice

“First Impressions is a rediscovery of the Southwest told through the moments of incomprehension and wonder when cultures met and sometimes collided. It is a gift for historically amnesiac America.”—Bill Hedden, Grand Canyon Trust

“A delightful introduction to the iconic ‘American Southwest,’ expertly written and solidly researched.”—Thomas E. Sheridan, author of Arizona: A History, Revised Edition

"From Acoma to Zuni, First Impressions takes us on a journey of mystery, stark beauty, and brutality through the eyes and voices of the first chroniclers of the Southwest. A must-read if you love our part of the country."—Tom Udall, U.S. Senator

“A first-rate introduction to the history and culture of the American Southwest, from two of the most important historians and elegant writers of the Southwest Borderlands.”—Marsha Weisiger, University of Oregon

"I would happily follow Bill deBuys anywhere."—Terry Tempest Williams, author of The Hour of Land: A Personal Topography of America's National Parks

From the Publisher