Land of Enchantment, Land of Conflict: New Mexico in English-Language Fiction (Tarleton State University Southwestern Studies in the Humani)

Caffey, David L.

ISBN 10: 0890968918 / ISBN 13: 9780890968918

Published by Texas A&M University Press, College Station, TX, 1999

About this Item

First Edition, Signed Hardcover with Dust Jacket. 8 vo (6.25 x 9.5 in.) Textured burgundy cloth over boards, stamped gilt lettering on spine. Beautiful condition. Jacket is tan graphical with white and brown accents. Crisp and clean except for slight sun fading on the spine. Cover image is from a print by Tom Lea. Interesting book-length essay on the themes contained in various works by authors such as John Nichols, Frank Waters, Ana Castillo, Elizabeth Tallent and Frank O'Rourke. Many others included. Full of revelations and sections that might lead you to undiscovered titles. Signed on the free front paper"Best to You-David L. Caffey, August 1999." Laid in is a note to one of the book's references, John Nichols.

Seller Inventory # 001024

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Land of Enchantment, Land of Conflict: New Mexico in English-Language Fiction (Tarleton State University Southwestern Studies in the Humani)
• Publisher: Texas A&M University Press, College Station, TX
• Publication Date: 1999
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0890968918
• ISBN 13: 9780890968918
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Condition: Near Fine
• Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good
• Signed: Signed by Author(s)
• Seller catalogs:
  • Taos & New Mexico History

About this title

Synopsis

Is New Mexico truly the "Land of Enchantment," or is it a land of acrimony, where opposing values, backgrounds, and political and economic interests give rise to an atmosphere of conflict? According to David L. Caffey, it is both, and both qualities contribute to the region's appeal as a source of raw material for works of fiction. New Mexico offers the writer a varied landscape, a mosaic of cultures, and a colorful history, but conflict, necessary for fiction, is also found in cultural differences, opposing views on land and water use, and conflicting values concerning individual freedom and social restraint. The result, after more than a century and a half of literary activity, is a remarkable body of literature that has much to offer the reader who wants to learn more about the land and people of New Mexico.

In Land of Enchantment, Land of Conflict: New Mexico in English-Language Fiction, David L. Caffey identifies patterns in the observations of fiction writers concerning relations among cultural groups, attitudes toward the law, the erosion of individual freedom, and the social effects of weather and climate. Caffey also explores variations in historical and literary portrayals of famous New Mexicans and examines various myths concerning the frontier West and its heroes. Fiction of the atomic age and works by contemporary New Mexico writers are considered as well.

The fiction writer operates under assumptions and allegiances that are frequently at odds with those of the historian, social scientist, or journalist. Works of fiction can offer a unique perspective on a time and place and often reveal much about the process of mythmaking. Explore New Mexico with David L. Caffey in Land of Enchantment, Land of Conflict.

About the Author

David L. Caffey, vice president for instruction at Clovis Community College, Clovis, New Mexico, is the author of two books and editor of a collection of the Southwestern stories of Oliver La Farge. He has contributed articles on New Mexican literature to journals and to the Encyclopedia of the American West.