Anyone who reads our posts knows we are totally obsessed with two things: folklore and the American Southwest. That's why this paperback was such a great find. Jack Kutz weaves the stories of old New Mexico along with more recent tales into a web of fables as unique as the land from which they sprung.
The secondary title of this book is "Guide Book to the Genuinely Bizarre in the Land of Enchantment," which is the perfect moniker for this collection. The 17 stories in this book illustrate a land that is truly enchanting, bizarre, and wondrous. Like the landscape itself: rough, lethal, intimidating, and yet gorgeous and awe-inspiring, the stories of New Mexico are legendary.
The book is heavily researched and includes a lengthy bibliography as well as directions to each of the wonders that have physical locations in New Mexico. Some of the tales included in this book are Billy the Kid, stories of witches that haunt these lands, and legends of brave and fierce warriors and prophets.
If you are curious about the folklore and folk heroes of this strange land, I would suggest you read this book. It's a quick, easy read, and it might just inspire you to make your way out to the Land of Enchantment, where you might find yourself truly enchanted by the magic of this place.
