Indespensible guide to Southwestern ruins Gordon and Cathie Sullivan have done an outstanding job of describing many of the more accessible ruins and rock art sites of the Southwest. The text gives a succinct overview of each site and what is known about its history. The color photography is outstanding, and the production qualities of the book are first-rate. This has clearly been a labor of love by two people who have really done their homework.
I own many books on prehistoric ruins and rock art of the Southwest. None can cover everything. This book focuses on the more easily accessible sites (not always well known) and a few well-known but less accessible ones like Keet Seel and Betatakin. It also doesn't go into a lot of detail about what you will see when you get there. But as an overall introduction to prehistoric Indian ruins and rock art, there is none better.
Where to Go and What You'll Find There Last Week I was driving east of Flagstaff, Arizona when I noticed a sign saying Walnut Creek National Monument. I had no idea what was there, but turned off to go see. It was fascinating. A collection of cliff dwellings from the long ago Sinagua indian tribe. It was only by accident that I went there.
Then I found this book that describes and pictures all or nearly all of what remains from these early cultures in the four corners area. It is beautifully done, both the writing and the pictures. Using it we were able to find numerous points to visit that we simply wouldn't have thought about otherwise.
The book talks about a lot of places such as Walnut Creek as well as the larger, better known sites such as Mesa Verde. It covers my own favorites of Hovenweep, Chaco Canyon and Canyon de Chelly quite well. This is, foremost a visitors guide. It is not a book on the people, where they came from or why they left. It doesn't cover things like why do experts think that people didn't really live at Chaco Canyon. It tells you instead that Chaco exists, how to find it, and what's there.
Perfect companion to your SW visit I reviewed this book for the Gila Cliff Dwellings bookstore that I run down here in Southwest New Mexico and am extremely pleased with this publication and thrilled to add it to my stock as a "Staff Pick." For the SW visitor (or resident!)interested in exploring ruins and sites here I encourage the purchase of this book not only for the outstanding photography that captures the essence of this area but for the research and accurate content, which is often hit-or-miss with travel books. The authors have included many obscure sites along with the popular ones.
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