Revenge of the Saguaro

I've been really getting into travelogues lately, mostly because I cannot afford to travel nearly as much as I'd like. The American southwest embodies a mythical place in my head. I suppose it's because whenever I fly to Nevada or California (via a short layover in Phoenix, which I never get to explore), I'm awed at how much of this country is truly and utterly empty. Which of course makes me want to 1) learn all about it; and 2) move there pronto. Barring the latter, as Ohio is not yet done sucking the life out of me, I've had to settle for the former. This is some serious southwest - not the midwestern housewife's dream once she's realized she'd rather be doing something else, something involving crystals and flowy clothes (a la Taos, NM). This is the southwest where the border with Mexico is just a vague idea, and people eek out a meager living in the middle of the freakin' desert. Miller writes with Edward Abbey's fondness for this last American frontier, and even includes his own meetings with Abbey in the narrative. Where Miller differs though is that he writes about the people of the southwest, and their intimate relationship with the land, and each other (the section on Bisbee is particularly engaging). I couldn't put this book down, and after completing it, the American southwest is still a mystery in some ways - something that can only be experienced first hand. Though I did learn the likely origin of the dreaded black velvet painting.

Miller weaves a wonderful tale from several personal (and at first glance unrelated) experiences. Enchanting ramblings about the American Southwest will influence anyone's opinion about this spectacular region of North America. This book provides a great read and much anecdotal knowledge that encourages readers to share these stories with others...sometimes as if they had lived these experiences themselves!