Customer Reviews

My Penitente Land: Reflections on Spanish New Mexico

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Fray Angelico Chavez takes us on a tour de force ride through the landscape of the Southwest and especially of New Mexico. This is a magical romp through history of the New World as pertaining to the New Mexico, which is the land, where Fray Angelico Chavez feels at home in. This is a fictionalized historical account, which seems fantastic at time, and it is very addictive read, considering that it deals with history, but does so in very entertaining, and magnetic way. Anyone interested in the Southwest should read this book as it will enlighten, and educate. It contains classical, biblical, and native american allusions, references, and influences. The brethen of Don Quixote also make appearance, and seem very much at home in the strange landscape of the new world. Penitentes walk through bearing their crosses. Read it, and you will never look at the Southwest in quite the same way again.

Too much Bablyon and bible quotes for me.....Not much historical info...More of an essay....The guy is a friar, so I guess I should have expected a lot of religion...If you want philosophical type history on New Mexico, you might like this book....If you are into mestizo and coyote commentary there is some of that too...