Writings of the Southwest

There is something about the Southwest that inspires people in a way that no other region does. Perhaps it is the incomparable desert sunsets, the majestic mountain landscape, or the unique and varied wildlife that makes people feel a certain connection to the elements of the Southwest. Whatever the cause of this infatuation, the writers of the 2007 Southwest Books of the Year feel it too.

The University of Arizona library is showcasing their collection of Southwestern literature for free in the "Special Collections" section of the UA Library on the main floor. The exhibit has been running since November 7, 2007 and ends this Saturday, February 2. The exhibit features novels, poems, memoirs, essays, travelogues etcetera by numerous Southwest authors.

At the top of the 2007 list is Billy the Kid: The Endless Ride by journalist and prose writer Michael Wallis. His book chronicles what is known about Billy the Kid from the literature of his time. Another chart-topper is the memoir by University of Arizona creative writing professor Richard Shelton. His book Crossing the Yard: Thirty Years as a Prison Volunteer describes Shelton's experiences in Arizona prisons as a volunteer and workshop conductor for three decades and explains Shelton's rage at society's treatment of prisons as "dumping grounds for problems it would rather not face."

Also featured at the exhibit and as part of the 2007 Southwest Books of the Year were several children's books. The First Tortilla by Rudolfo Anaya and Down the Colorado: John Wesley Powell, the One-Armed Explorer by Deborah Kogan Ray are among the children's books top picks along with Hip, Hip, Hooray, It's Monsoon Day! (Ajua, ya Llego el Chubasco) by Roni Capin Rivera- Ashford which teaches children about the customs of San Juan's Day, the traditional start of the monsoon season, and about thunder, lightening, and the aroma of the creosote bushes that fill the air after a monsoon rain.

Although I wished the books at the exhibit were not just displayed under glass but available to flip through and read, I am intrigued by many of the books on the 2007 list. For more excellent books inspired by the Southwest, sign up for the Pima Public Library's "New Books of the Southwest" newsletter.