A History of New Mexico in 100 Objects
Will be published approx. on 22. September 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
344 pages
978-0-8263-7021-1 (ISBN)
Description
A unique history of New Mexico told through the fascinating stories of one hundred representative artifacts from around the state-from the ancient fossilized footprints recently discovered at White Sands to J. Robert Oppenheimer's revolutionary "gadget" that ushered the world into the Atomic Age.
Historians continually probe archives, museums, libraries, and less conventional sources in search of new ways to understand and explore the past. A History of New Mexico in 100 Objects will, for the first time, explore New Mexico's remarkable history through the lens of material objects.
Distinguished historian Richard Melzer takes readers on a marvelous journey through New Mexico's past, telling the story of New Mexico by way of fascinating objects that reflect the state's ethnic, cultural, social, economic, and political history. Among the artifacts included are:
a Mimbres ceramic pot
a turquoise carving from Chaco Canyon
Don Juan de Onate's inscription at El Morro
healing soil from Chimayo
a steamer trunk carried along the Santa Fe Trail
Geronimo's headdress
Pat Garrett's Colt revolver used to kill Billy the Kid
the Loretto Chapel's "Miracle Staircase"
Georgia O'Keeffe's bighorn sheep skull
Ernie Pyle's typewriter
a World War II Navajo code talker's radio receiver
"the Gadget" developed by the Manhattan Project and tested at Trinity Site
"Dave's Dream" lowrider
A foreword by Alicia Romero, head curator of the Albuquerque Museum, offers insight into how objects are used in the study of history.
Together, the amazing stories of these one hundred objects offer a one-of-a-kind group portrait of the Land of Enchantment.
Historians continually probe archives, museums, libraries, and less conventional sources in search of new ways to understand and explore the past. A History of New Mexico in 100 Objects will, for the first time, explore New Mexico's remarkable history through the lens of material objects.
Distinguished historian Richard Melzer takes readers on a marvelous journey through New Mexico's past, telling the story of New Mexico by way of fascinating objects that reflect the state's ethnic, cultural, social, economic, and political history. Among the artifacts included are:
a Mimbres ceramic pot
a turquoise carving from Chaco Canyon
Don Juan de Onate's inscription at El Morro
healing soil from Chimayo
a steamer trunk carried along the Santa Fe Trail
Geronimo's headdress
Pat Garrett's Colt revolver used to kill Billy the Kid
the Loretto Chapel's "Miracle Staircase"
Georgia O'Keeffe's bighorn sheep skull
Ernie Pyle's typewriter
a World War II Navajo code talker's radio receiver
"the Gadget" developed by the Manhattan Project and tested at Trinity Site
"Dave's Dream" lowrider
A foreword by Alicia Romero, head curator of the Albuquerque Museum, offers insight into how objects are used in the study of history.
Together, the amazing stories of these one hundred objects offer a one-of-a-kind group portrait of the Land of Enchantment.
Reviews / Votes
"Anyone with even the slightest interest in New Mexico history will absolutely love this charming, quirky, and endlessly absorbing book. Richard Melzer has plucked from New Mexico's rich past one hundred iconic objects, and with these he tells the story of our land and its people in delightful and lively prose. I can't recommend this book highly enough!" -- Douglas Preston, #1 <I>New York Times</I> bestselling author of <I>Cities of Gold: A Journey Across the American Southwest</I> "A History of New Mexico in 100 Objects is just the kind of history book I love. It is both textual and contextual. Richard Melzer does an excellent job of weaving together and winding through the complexities of New Mexico's rich past and cultural heritages. Be it a Spanish helmet, a textbook printed by Padre Martinez of Taos, or a Buffalo soldier's saber, the essence of New Mexico's diverse and fascinating history comes through in both the writing and the images. This book is a journey through thousands of years of New Mexico living: the people, places, and events that shaped this great state. Read it from beginning to end. Or, if you like mixing things up, just open it at random and see what adventure the author leads you on." -- Rob Martinez, New Mexico state historian "Historian Richard Melzer accepted the daunting challenge of selecting one hundred objects to capture the rich diversity of New Mexico from the age of dinosaurs to the search for life beyond the stars. He has succeeded brilliantly through creativity, analysis, and contextualization of these expressions of material culture. The design and stunning illustrations of the chosen artifacts make this an outstanding example of the art of the book. This is truly a book to savor, to go back over again and again." -- Rick Hendricks, coauthor of <I>The Witches of Abiquiu</I>More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Albuquerque, NM
United States
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 203 mm
Thickness: 29 mm
Weight
435 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-8263-7021-1 (9780826370211)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Richard Melzer is a Regents' Professor emeritus of history at the University of New Mexico's Valencia campus. A former president of the Historical Society of New Mexico, Melzer is the author or coauthor of numerous books, including Ernie Pyle in the American Southwest, Captain Maximiliano Luna: A New Mexico Rough Rider, and A History of New Mexico Since Statehood (UNM Press).