Book Reviews in the Durango Herald:
Cortez author Chuck Greaves, aka C. Joseph Greaves, has written yet another notable work with the release of “Church of the Graveyard Saints.” This far-reaching novel covers a wide range of issues that are close to home in Durango and much of the Southwest.
Addie Decker, a young woman who was born and raised in McElmo Canyon near Cortez, is returning home to help bury her beloved grandmother, Vivian. Her family has owned the Triple R Ranch (Red Rock Ranch) for generations. Addie’s ancestors were Mormons, who set out for Utah but moved east to Colorado. Her grandmother will be laid to rest alongside their ancestors. MORE...
Durango author Blake Crouch will launch his newest novel, “Recursion,” at El Moro next week. With “Recursion,” Crouch is continuing his literary journey by blending mystery, thriller and science fiction to pique readers’ interest and then blow their minds – in a fascinatingly good way. MORE...
“Wolf Pack” by C. J. Box is the 19th novel featuring intrepid Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett. One of the best things about a Pickett adventure is that there will always be a mix of domestic drama intertwined with the current criminal intrigue. MORE...
Local author Mandy Mikulencak’s new novel, “Forgiveness Road,” starts off with a bang. Literally. The year is 1976, and the place is Mississippi. It is a sultry summer morning when 16-year-old Cissy Pickering calmly goes and gets her father’s gun from his bureau and shoots him dead as he is leaving for work. MORE...
Our recent snow is a reminder that Santa will be coming soon. Books can be just the right gift because they educate and entertain children over and over again.
Here are some suggestions that will make any lucky child happy: MORE...
Rebecca Clarren has just published her first novel “Kickdown.” She has a strong connection to Durango and will be at Maria’s Bookshop on Thursday. How long ago and for how long did you live in... MORE...
This newest adventure of Walt Longmire, “Depth of Winter” by Craig Johnson, is a huge departure from his previous books. This 14th book in the Longmire series is primarily set in Mexico, and it is... MORE...
This well-researched book, “Food Sovereignty the Navajo Way: Cooking with Tall Woman,” published this year by University of New Mexico Press spans 55 years of work by Charlotte J. Frisbie.
Frisbie, author of two previous books, is a professor emerita of anthropology from Illinois. She did her graduate work at UNM, and during her time in New Mexico had the opportunity to live with Tall Woman, known as Rose Mitchell, in the Navajo community of Chinle, Arizona. MORE...
Local author releases first children’s book
By Leslie Doran Special to the Herald
Saturday, July 7, 2018 5:03 AM
Durango author Kate Siber has recently published her first children’s book, National Parks of the U.S.A. This book is beautifully executed with wonderful illustrations by Los Angeles artist Chris Turhnam.
Siber is a correspondent for Outside magazine and a freelance journalist and has traveled extensively, including to 30 of our 59 national parks.MORE...
Take a journey with Durango author’s debut novel
By Leslie Doran Special to the Herald
Friday, Oct. 27, 2017 2:49 PM
San Juan Sunrise, a debut self-published novel by Edward Lehner, tells the story of Jenny Morse. Lehner, a local, also features Durango as an important character in Jenny’s story. It is always a little thrill to read about places that you know and may pass by every day, and Lehner does a great job describing Durango and Durangoans.
As San Juan Sunrise opens, Jenny is coming down from the mountains after a summer spent backpacking north of Durango. She has spent the time mostly alone and she is comfortable with that. She seems to have a severe case of distrust of her fellow humans, especially men. MORE...
Review: Of Cartography adventurous, playful
By Leslie Doran Special to the Herald
Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017 1:29 PM
Before even opening the pages of Esther Belin’s newest collection of poems, Of Cartography, the multi-talented artist/poet reveals hints about her intentions. Belin’s cover illustration depicts the four sacred colors and mountains of the Diné (Navajo), and those readers aware of her culture will expect to find a rich and fascinating treasure inside. MORE...
In Quality of Mercy, a new crime-fighting duo is born
By Leslie Doran Special to the Herald
Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017 6:28 PM
The Quality of Mercy, a debut novel by Katayoun Medhat, is garnering kudos from across the literary landscape. Comparisons to Tony Hillerman, Craig Johnson and others are being bandied about. This is high praise indeed, and author Medhat has the credentials to assist her in a successful writing career.
This story begins with the bizarre discovery of a young man’s body near Chimney Rock, which is located near the Navajo Nation. The town closest to this crime is the fictional town of Milagro. Sheriff Weismaker shows up on site with K, one of his officers. Readers will learn that K is short for Franz Kafka, and grow to understand that the hero of this novel has probably located himself in the rural Southwest so that most people will not recognize the name. MORE...
New novels bring thrills to West
By Leslie Doran Special to the Herald
Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017 5:37 PM
Paradise Valley’s explosive opening thrusts Cassie Dewell into a hellish situation and thwarts her almost four-year-long attempt to bring a ruthless serial killer to long overdue justice. Cassie, a single mom of Ben, 12, is the chief investigator for Bakker County Sheriff’s Department.
Based in Grimstad, North Dakota, she is originally from Montana, and she is bent on apprehending Ronald Pergram, known as the “Lizard King.” Pergram is a long-haul trucker with a special rig, which he uses to kidnap and torture “Lot Lizards,” prostitutes who troll truck stops for customers. Because he preys on transient women and across state lines, it took law enforcement many years to discover his heinous crimes. MORE...
Review by Leslie Doran
Spagna, using her skills honed on her nonfiction work, introduces an unlikely duo of Charlotte and Larry. As the story opens, 14-year-old Charlotte and her mom, Angela, are packing up their lives in Colorado because Angela has lost her job. They are moving back to Washington state, where Larry, Charlotte’s father, lives. Colorado and the Rockies are the only home Charlotte knows, and she thinks it is the best place in the world to snowboard. Charlotte is a champion racer, and moving down to the dinky Cascades where the tallest mountains don’t even reach 9,000 feet is quite a letdown. So much so, she’s gotten rid of all her gear except her boards. MORE...
Review by Leslie Doran
The debut novel Indelible by Adelia Saunders, who grew up in Durango, is a complex, intriguing and compelling tale. Saunders shares the story of Magdalena, a young Lithuanian woman living in England whose life becomes involved with a father and son who have become disconnected. This somewhat postmodern adventure is told through the viewpoints of the diverse characters of Magdalena, Neil and his father, Richard. MORE...
Review by Jaime Cary
The quest for the simple life is one that has been undertaken by many throughout America’s history. However, in the age of consumption and global warming, we can see that the traditional ways that people have created the good life for themselves can have dire consequences across the globe. In The Unsettlers, author Mark Sundeen wades through the complicated issues of sustainability, and examines many ways we could create a simpler life. MORE...
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