Bound For Excellence: From Romantic Getaways to Inspired Landscape Photography, Round Out Your Library With a Few New Arizona Titles

Desert Living Magazine
January/February 2003

ARIZONA GETAWAYS FOR THE INCURABLY ROMANTIC
Pamela Swartz

Valentine's Day provides the perfect excuse to escape for a weekend of indulgence. Fortunately, Pamela Swartz has compiled the definitive resource for an amorous rendezvous with Arizona Getaways for the Incurably Romantic. Promising "45 sensational destinations for lovers," it delivers with suggestions for all personalities and price ranges. From the best rooms with views to intimate tables, to moon-lit walks, this well-researched guide uncovers unique spots sure to impress that special someone.

THE DESERT HOME
Tamara l. Hawkinson Essential for anyone interested in desert design, The Desert Home profiles the unique styles and inventive construction techniques of Southwestern living. This Kokopelli-free survey is devoid of the coyote trappings and pastel colors typically associated with the Southwest. From a luxury Texas ranch just north of the Rio Grande to a Palm Springs mid-century Modernist hideaway, the lavishly illustrated book not only highlights interior design, but also historical architectural trends, native landscaping, and outdoor living spaces.

LANDSCAPE OF THE SPIRITS
Todd Bostwick & Peter Krocek
Minutes south of Downtown Phoenix sits the world's
largest city park, the 16,500 square-acre South Mountain Park. While its central location and pristine desert trails make it a hiking mecca, the park also offers an equally spectacular, if less well-known attraction - Hohokam rock art. Landscape of the Spirits: Hohokam Rock Art at South Mountain Park provides a comprehensive inspection of this ancient Native American artwork with straight-forward descriptions, brilliant photography, and detailed maps and drawings. In addition to documenting the many animal, human, and geometric shapes, Phoenix City Archaeologist Todd Bostwick decodes celestial and calendrical markings at key sites throughout the park, making Landscape an ideal hiking companion.

VAST & INTIMATE
David Muench & Lawrence W. Cheek
Vast & Intimate creates a category of its own in the crowded field of Southwestern photography books. Acclaimed photographer David Muench captures the vast, open spaces of the Southwest's landscapes, then focuses on the smallest and most intimate of details. The book's clean design allows the bold colors and dynamic compositions of Muench's photographs to saturate the pages, while Lawrence Cheek's text explains the geological and historical significance of the natural subjects. Published by the gurus of photography, Arizona Highways, Vast & Intimate is worthy of your coffee table.