The Navajo Nation: A Visitor's Guide [Paperback]

Patrick Lavin (Author), Joan Lavin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 2008

This guide to the Navaho nation provides visitors with all they need to know including attractions, accommodation, routes, together with a guide to camping and hiking. It is also an account of the Navaho people, their culture, history, language and religion with stories and descriptions of individual places.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Travel books generally provide a brief historical overview of the locale being examined, but this one devotes almost a third of its space to Navajo history and culture. Readers may come away feeling like they've taken an accelerated college course on the topic. I would call this a superlative travel book...this book, with its cavalcade of information, will be a helpful companion when visiting this truly unparalleled area." --Paul Wine, Tuscon Weekly, December 25, 2008

About the Author

PATRICK LAVIN is the author of several books and articles, including Arizona: An Illustrated History (Hippocrene Books, 2001) and The Celtic World: An Illustrated History 700 BC to the Present (Hippocrene Books, 1999). Lavin is a graduate of California State University, Northridge, and is retired from a career with the federal government.

JOAN LAVIN graduated from California State University, Northridge, earning BA and MA degrees in English Literature. She holds teaching credentials with a specialization in secondary education from the same university.

Product Details

• Paperback: 283 pages
• Publisher: Hippocrene Books (August 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0781811805
• ISBN-13: 978-0781811804
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #428,088 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Patrick Lavin is an avid Celtic history enthusiast who devotes his retirement years to researching Celtic history and writing nonfiction books and magazine articles

Patrick was born in County Roscommon, Ireland. He immigrated to Toronto, Canada in 1954 and has lived in the United States since 1960. He graduated from California State University, Northridge and has studied government administration and congressional affairs at the National Institute of Public Affairs in Washington, D.C. He is retired from a career with the United States government.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This hit the spot!!!, November 19, 2008

By 

critters - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Navajo Nation: A Visitor's Guide (Paperback)

I was looking for more than just listings of restaurants, accomodations, etc, and this book is IT!! Yes, it has listings, but so much more--history of Navajoland, beliefs of the Navajo people, visitor etiquette, safety information, Navajo language translations, and much, much more. Timelines, appendices, glossary, references, and index complete this excellent work, not to mention a good number of full-color scenic photographs. I highly recommend this book for multi-faceted information about "Navajoland" and its people.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A useful collection of information about the Navajo Nation, November 7, 2009

By 

Robert C. Ross (New Jersey) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Navajo Nation: A Visitor's Guide (Paperback)

At outset it's important to recognize that this is not a tourist's guide in the traditional sense. The maps are sketchy and there are no detailed suggested itineraries. It is essential to obtain an excellent map of any areas of interest so that you can find your way to your destinations and back home again.

That said, there are real treasures here, describing in clear and detailed language many of the aspects of Navajo culture. The official Navajo website invites the visitor to explore the Nation:

"The Navajo Nation extends into the states of Utah, Arizona and New Mexico, covering over 27,000 square miles of unparalleled beauty. The Navajo Reservation is home to more than a dozen national monuments, tribal parks and historical sites, and is peppered with a dozen lakes and ponds - Lake Powell alone has 186 miles of Navajoland shoreline.

"Here, you can step back in time and see how the ancient ones - the Anasazi people - lived thousands of years ago. The Navajo Nation has an array of ancient ruins, including the world renowned Navajo National Monument and the tranquil Chaco Culture National Historical Park. From the towering formations of Monument Valley to the majestic red sandstone walls and lush green valley floor of Canyon de Chelly, this is a land of great contrasts. We invite you to Discover Navajo."

The official site describes the Nation from the perspective of Native Americans; Patrick Lavin does so from the perspective of a visitor from a different culture. His Irish gift of language makes his descriptions even more interesting. For example, he provides a glossary of words and phrases and a bit of advice: '"Navajo speakers will appreciate your interest, chuckle at your efforts, and then will go out of their way to help you pronounce the words."

My advice: read the book, visit the official website [link in the first Comment], print out the official Guide, get a detailed map of any areas of personal interest, and learn about a fascinating culture.

Robert C. Ross 2009

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Guide to Navajo History and Culture, December 18, 2011

By 

1-Onion - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Navajo Nation: A Visitor's Guide (Paperback)

I first read this book on Kindle. It was well worth a print copy as a resource for returning to the Navajo Lands and northern Arizona as a tourist. Well organized references to trips in the area.