r/NewMexico • u/the_wires_dun_moved • 1d ago

Looking to learn more about NM history

With yesterday being the 113th anniversary of Nm statehood I realized I don’t know as much as I would like to know on the history of New Mexico. I’m looking for good suggestions on books that go into the history of the state, looking for a general history, as well as books that cover the history of indigenous peoples in the state.

20 Upvotes

88% Upvoted

12

u/Belnak 22h ago

Enchantment and Exploitation - The Life and Hard Times of a New Mexico Mountain Range - William deBuys

Blood and Thunder - Hampton Sides

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u/joel352000 16h ago

I recently finished both books. Outstanding histories both of them.

6

u/FoolsGoldMouthpiece 22h ago

Some of my favorites:

Adobe Kingdom

Kiva, Crown, and Cross

Revolt

Black Range Tales

Heaven, Hoe, and Hell

Chasing the Santa Fe Ring

Red Shirt

The Witches of Abiquiui

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u/Important_Ad_3664 1h ago

Have you read: Winter of the Metal People?

Hard to find but really good even though half of it if fictional it really is an attempt at telling the Coronado expedition from both sides.

Looking into these ones you suggested.

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u/FoolsGoldMouthpiece 1h ago

I will check that out, have always been interested in learning more about Coronado's expedition. Always thought that story would make a good movie.

6

u/dreezxlivefree 21h ago

Poeh Cultural center up north and Indian pueblo cultural center in Albuquerque. I believe there is one in jemez and there is one in zuni also. Visit the pueblos when you get a chance throughout the year.

8

u/Long_Dong_Silver6 23h ago edited 23h ago

Not books but videos sorry.

For some ancient history I'd recommend this from Ancient Americas:

Chaco Canyon and the Chaco Phenomenom - https://youtu.be/aB6AUYr6Ecs?si=_azcVMoKo-jtCUxR

For more recent stuff here are some other good videos:

Spanish Land Grants and Coexistence in Nuevo Mexico - https://youtu.be/KCU1vzq3aCg?si=7ublUWSy_vJGpXqj

Acequias: The Legacy Lives On - https://www.pbs.org/show/acequias-legacy-lives/

I'd also recommend "The West" from Ken Burns. It gives a solid base layer of understanding of post european settlement of the U.S. west. It's also 12 hours long.

Edit: if you can get out and about in your free time I would recommend visiting historic sites throughout the state. There's also those brown signs on the side of the road throughout new mexico that usually give some good info you can take and go down a rabbit hole with.

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u/the_wires_dun_moved 8h ago

I do love me some videos so thanks for those!

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u/ivyidlewild 22h ago

the devil's butcher shop, by Roger Morris

politics of a prison riot, Adolph Saenz

these are books on the prison riot in santa fe, in the early 1980s. politcs of a prison riot includes some history of the dept of corrections and the state as well.

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u/oldschool-rule 21h ago

Bygone days of the old west by Fred Lambert.

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u/Substantial_Scene38 19h ago

New Mexico: An Interpretive History by Marc Simmons is pretty informative.

The Day the Sun Rose Twice is a great look at Los Alamos and the bomb.

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u/WonderfulWalrus45 18h ago

An Illustrated History of New Mexico by Thomas Chavez

The History of New Mexico by Brandon Morgan

Chasing the Santa Fe Ring by David Caffey

I saw Hampton Sides pop up. Personally, I avoid his books but it is your reading list.

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u/the_wires_dun_moved 8h ago

Why do you avoid Hampton Sides?

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u/WonderfulWalrus45 1h ago

Well, I’m not a fan of frontiersman worship as so many history buffs tend to be; in this case, Christoper H “Kit” Carson.

I met him at a conference in 2010. We were on the same panel. The level of disrespect he displayed to us was quite revealing not to mention the condescension he exhibited toward the audience. Further in 2024, he gave a talk for his new book at another conference. Now I was not in the room, but I heard from several peers that he got defensive when he received fairly mild criticism and a few pointed questions.

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u/Dosdesiertoyrocks 18h ago

In basic college level history courses they'll start with "New Mexico, an Interpretive History" by Marc Simmons

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u/Altruistic_Visual479 13h ago

“New Mexico” by Erna Fergusson.

“It Happened in New Mexico” by James Crutchfield.

“Lost in the Land of Enchantment” by Art Latham.

The trilogy by Michael McGarrity “Hard Country,” “Back Lands” and “The Last Ranch.”

That’ll keep you busy and well informed.

And then there’s this http://www.outdoorsnm.com/

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u/Classic-Increase2980 8h ago

Following this thread so I can get book names

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u/integrating_life 21h ago

If you can find "So Far From Heaven" by Bradford, you will get a good sense of some of NM history from the 1950s and 1960s. It's historical fiction, but reasonably accurate.

Blood and Thunder is not NM only, but is a nice historical romp through the region.

1

u/TheMastaBlaster 10h ago

New Mexico was named BEFORE Mexico. Both named after the Mexico Valley (I think?). Mexico was New Spain previously.

1

u/MaoTseTrump 20h ago
  1. Animals ran free
  2. People came and got down out of the car
  3. Flowers grew, crops grew, people worked hard and had a coke
  4. Irrigation developed the people ate a lot of fish out the river
  5. Other people approached the first people about moving in
  6. First people said eff that, GTFO. Get ready fo fightin'
  7. Second group ran away but had way more ability to fight, came back and eventually won
  8. First folks said "Bro, I don't think so. Not that easy" Share with us or we will urinate on your crops
  9. Coronado swung through on a spring break tour, acted like a diva
  10. Several figures who were praised in their lifetimes, have now been deemed too evil to celebrate anymore
  11. Opie Taylor is the mayor of Abbakerky, Ladyboss at the Roundhouse
  12. Chile starts to lose flavor and aroma
  13. Heat death of Universe