From mountain shrines to lowland oases, ethnobiologist Gary Nabhan takes us on a series of journeys with contemporary Papago Indians, the Tohono O'odham, or "Desert People." From these journeys we discover how much the Desert People know about the dynamics of their arid homeland in Arizona and Sonora, Mexico. The Desert Smells Like Rain offers insights into the natural history of desert plants and animals as it documents a dying agricultural tradition that has enriched the biological diversity of the Papago's seemingly harsh environment. Drawing on his extensive scientific research and study of Papago folklore, as well as his years of work among the Desert People in village gardening and nutrition programs, Nabhan portrays a desert-adapted way of life that has persisted despite the pressures of modern civilization.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Review
"Gary Nabhan's compassionate observation of Papago land ethics is important work, capable of broad application. He is a naturalist in the full sense of the word, because he has not forgotten the people."--Barry Lopez
"He manages, in a series of spare and sometimes tantalizing selections, to convey a real sense of people and their environment."--The Village Voice
"His eyes are those of a scientist, his prose and vision a poet's: spare, evocative, respectful of both facts and mysteries."--Orion Nature Quarterly
"His sensitive and compassionate portrayal of the Papagos is a real contribution."--Rep. Morris K. Udal
"He manages, in a series of spare and sometimes tantalizing selections, to convey a real sense of people and their environment."--The Village Voice
"His eyes are those of a scientist, his prose and vision a poet's: spare, evocative, respectful of both facts and mysteries."--Orion Nature Quarterly
"His sensitive and compassionate portrayal of the Papagos is a real contribution."--Rep. Morris K. Udal
About the Author
Gary Paul Nabhan is an ethnobiologist and natural history writer working in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona. A cofounder of Native Seeds/SEARCH, he works with native farmers throughout the Southwest and northern Mexico to conserve traditional food plants and their associated folklore. He was awarded the John Burroughs Medal for nature writing in 1976, following the publication of his second book, Gathering the Desert. He and his family currently reside in Tempe, Arizona, near the Desert Botanical Garden, where he serves as Assistant Director.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Read This Book,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Desert Smells Like Rain: A Naturalist in Papago Indian Country (Paperback)
Nabhan has written a beautifully eloquent book about the Papago people of Arizona. The book focuses on the importance of rainfall to these desert dwellers and the way that it has become a key part of their culture and their celebrations. But this book is more than a simple study of desert climate and agriculture. It is an exploration of the beauty of the desert and of an ancient culture that is stuggling to live on their traditional lands in spite of the seperation from their families across the border in Mexico, and despite the lessened rainfall. In the desert the rain is a magical thing, and Nabhan has captured the feeling of the first raindrops after a long dry-spell. A beautiful work.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
When I miss the desert,
By diomedea "dio-sam" (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Desert Smells Like Rain: A Naturalist in Papago Indian Country (Paperback)
I worked out in the Sonora for a few years and learned to love its wide open, quiet spaces, the sizzle of a cicada and the smell right before thunder breaks and rain falls in big warm drops.Living in Seattle, when I long for open grey-white land, the shade of the palo verde, the shuffle of a zebra-tail, I go down to the basement and find this book. Pure magic! Culture, nature and philosophy, this book has it all.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A pleasant look into the Sonoran desert.,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Desert Smells Like Rain: A Naturalist in Papago Indian Country (Paperback)
If you know how creosote smells after a desert rain, this book is for you. If you don't know, this book will help you to understand the appeal of the desert.A nice look into the Papago lifestyle of the '80s, some history, some desert lore, some naturalist bent. A nice read, recommended.
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