Against the backdrop of national politics, the realization that the US-Mexico border is so close never escapes you when traveling to Tucson. The work part of my tript included a visit to Fort Huachuca, where locals talked about border proximity, and various enhancements, weaponry and mechanisms of border protection. A quick border patrol inspection stop on the highway back to Tucson provided a real life example of the ever present vigilance. In Tucson, a less militaristic contrast emerged, with lawn signs and graffiti appealing to the humanitarian disaster the dangerous illegal border crossings create in this region, with water jugs being the most prominent symbol of lifeline and hope. The…

There are thousands of worthy books about New York City, I am sure. I have been lucky to read some of the best ones, I think. The three books below truly incorporate NYC’s architecture within their storylines, and with all of them set in the first half of the 20th century, they give the reader an indelible flavor of the city’s unmistakable skyline’s emergent years. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand is set in the early 20th century and tells a story of a young architect ready to revolutionize New York with an unapologetically radical take on shape, form and purpose. Visiting the Rockefeller Center had particularly made me think of…

Written in a genre of magical realism, this book vividly illustrates both the New Mexico environment and way of life. With women at the center of both magic and storytelling, Bless, Me Ultima, is the ultimate story to infuse you with New Mexico magic, stories, smells and sounds. The story takes you through the seasons, introduces you to the tradition of curanderas, and describes the land, traditions and relationships through the eyes of a young boy. (When we stopped at a book store in Taos, and asked for recommendations on books to read about the area, this was the very first recommendation by the shopkeeper!) Paintings by New Mexico Native…

Molokai by Alan Brennert would not be exactly considered a “beach read”, as it deals with a really difficult and graphic page in Hawaii’s history. In the late 1800s, early 1900s, the small island of Molokai, right off the coast of Maui, served as the location for a leprosy colony, and this book describes with beauty and compassion some of its inhabitants, as well as priests and nuns that supported the operations of the institution. I chose this book as one of prerequisites for my Maui trip because it helps a mindful traveler to appreciate the effects of American colonialism. Its inhumane policies largely affected the local population, and it…