Cities of Gold - A Journey Across the American Southwest (Douglas Preston, 1992)

Nelson and Preston

Book club selection (via CPG; session held April 24, 2016).

Didn't know much about the American southwest when we moved to Arizona in 1986.  This was one of the earlier books that I read on the topic; had forgotten how much I enjoyed it.  Was very happy to have an occasion to re-read.

This book definitely had given PJ and I some ideas about road-trips - there were many trips to eastern, north-eastern, south-eastern Arizona in the mid-1990s, with five so-young children in tow - wonderful memories.

Preston got the idea that it would be useful to travel the route that Coronado took - in 1540 - up from Mexico into what became the United States.  And decided that doing it on horseback was a more faithful re-creation.  He hired "Eusebio" - a wood-cutter posing as a wrangler.  But the main companion was photographer and jack-of-all-trades Walter Nelson.

I keep thinking this book should be required reading for anyone residing in the State of Arizona - it's a travel tale (with plenty of horsey misadventures) that threads in so many elements of the state's history and geography.  He wanders around a bit - both with the horses and the editorial choices - but wasn't that the point here?

There truly is nothing like the New Mexico scenery.

San Pedro; Salt River; Coronado Highway; ranchers; tales of Apache, Navajo, Zuni, Hopi; visiting the pueblos where rather unfortunate encounters took place.  Spanish were of course looking for the seven cities of gold - this was just a few years after Cortez and Pizarro hit it big.

I found the dialogue - the voices - very authentic.

Just like the first time I read it - all I want to do is get out there.  Don't know how to make that happen however.