Black Range Tales: Sixty Years of Life and Adventure in the Southwest (A Rio Grande classic) [Paperback]

James A., Ph.D. McKenna (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: Rio Grande Pr Inc (June 1969)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0873801423
• ISBN-13: 978-0873801423
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,038,667 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent history of the Gila area in the 1880's., March 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Black Range Tales: Sixty Years of Life and Adventure in the Southwest (A Rio Grande classic) (Paperback)

This book focuses on life in the 1880's in and around an area of southwestern New Mexico known as the Gila. Much of the area McKenna describes is now protected wildeness and exists today as it did in Mckenna's time. McKenna's brings to life many of the places that today are forgotten points on the map or have fallen of the map completely. He brings insight into the origin of many of the place names in the area, describing how places like Raw Meat Canyon and the Jerkey Mountains were named.

This is also an excellent resource for any one interested in the legendary Lost Adams Diggings.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars As one born in area, loved the stories & charcters fastastic, October 12, 1999

By 

Patrick B. Colvard (Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Black Range Tales: Sixty Years of Life and Adventure in the Southwest (A Rio Grande classic) (Paperback)

I was born in Santa Rita, and grew up in Deming. Went hunting with my father and camped and hiked with Boy Scouts in many parts of the southern Black Range. Have a few minor tales of my own.

I may have even met McKenna as a child when my father visited at the sanatorium where he,(McK) died.

The book really brought the charcters to life as well as many fond memories about the area. -- The historical insights as to the times and laws of the mining camps reads as well as S. Clemons, at times (probably with as much yarn spinning as real truth). Fantastic book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exciting recollections of THE western expansionist era, April 24, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Black Range Tales: Sixty Years of Life and Adventure in the Southwest (A Rio Grande classic) (Paperback)

As a native son of the Gila region in southwestern New Mexico and old enough to have had family and friends who knew McKenna and other settlers, Black Range Tales bring the history and struggles to life. This is the area that Geronimo was born and waged war in; a region that also had a silver mine (The Bridal Chamber) which produced ore 95% pure. The pillars left behind to support the ceiling in the chamber rang when struck with a hammer. McKenna's description of the region and that slice of history is very interesting reading.