Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Single State Guide for History Buffs, December 16, 2003
I recently, for 10 days, drove around New Mexico (5th largest State among the 50), seeking this and experiencing that, and I took with me five guides (Moon's, Fodor's, Off the Beaten Path, Roadside History and N.M. Sanctuaries, Retreats, and Sacred Places). Though Fodor's was the best guide for selecting accommodations and eateries, Moon's guide excelled in historical and tidbit descriptions.What set this guide apart is the history, superior maps (especially compared to Fodor's) and Stephen Metzger's straightforward, clear, writing style. Metzger's introduction to New Mexico section is outstanding (The Land, Flora and Fauna, History, Economy and the People). This is an important contribution to understanding the State completely skipped by Fodor's. Also, Metzger's history of regions, cities, towns and pueblos is exemplary. Where the guide falters is the weak descriptions of accommodations and restaurants, IE "The hotel is distinctly decorated" or "a discreet little inn with 12 rooms on an alleyway". After reading Fodor's vivid descriptions this was a serious step back. Also few, if any, website addresses for lodgings are found, and in a 2003 publication that is a serious omission. (Fodor's has website addresses). If you are primarily interested in finding the best dining experiences and great accommodations Fodor's is my pick. But, for a State guide that is strong on overview and excellent in the history are you can't beat Metzger (however, also check out Roadside History of New Mexico). Strongly Recommended
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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Handbook the best single guidebook to have, August 8, 2000
As a bike tour leader in the Southwest, I used bought many Moon "handbooks" over the years, buying each new edition as it's published. Metzger's New Mexico Handbook is amongst the best, and if I were to carry only one guidebook with me, this would be it. The Handbook's main drawback is that it's accommodation and restaurant listings are not descriptive enough. To make most of my accommodation and restaurant choices, I go to the excellent Frommer's guides to New Mexico: New Mexico and Santa Fe, Taos, Albuquerque. With the Handbook and a Frommer's guide on hand, you'd have the best combination of guides there is. Plus, the Handbook has an excellent "booklist" at the back for further exploration.
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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
beautifully written , informative and comprehensive, February 28, 2000
By A Customer
Several years ago, I ventured into New Mexico armed only with this guidebook. I experienced several wonderful places (e.g., the D.H. Lawrence Ranch; a native American owned restaurant serving traditional food) only because I had read about them in this book. The author has a gift for conveying vast amounts of information in a very readable (and often humorous) format. I learned not only about the cities, towns, and attractions of New Mexico, but also about its biological, anthropological and historical diversity. Subsequent to my trip, I lost my copy of this book; I am very pleased that a new version of the handbook is due out in May 2000.
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