The Fabulous Frontier: Twelve New Mexico Items

Description

Author: Keleher, William A.  (1886-1972)

Publisher: University of New Mexico Press

Pub Date: 1962 (Revised and Enlarged edition)

Binding: Hardcover

Condition: Book: Fair.  Binding tight.  No tears, bends or folds.  Inscribed and dated (Christmas Day, 1962) by the author on the half-title page.  Slight wear to lower corners and spine foot.  Map endpapers.  Dust Jacket: Fair.  NOT price clipped.  Several missing chips to upper front edge and upper rear edge.  Spine head and foot chipped.  Edge wear.  Now in mylar.

Notes: Reprint edition, revised and enlarged.  Originally published in 1945 by the Rydal Press of Santa Fe.  The focus of the book is southeastern New Mexico, and the history and mini-biographies of some of the men who figured large in New Mexico history–Eddy, Catron, Lea (all with counties named for them); John Chisum–the cattle king whose ranch was 150 miles wide; John Baxter, Tom Wilson, and Uncle Jack Winters–all of whom struck it rich in mining;  Jack Martin–who brought water to the Jornada del Muerto that eventually led to the Lincoln County War; Washington Matthews, Hubert Bancroft, Adolph Bandelier, Charles Lummis, Eugene Manlove Rhodes, and Lew Wallace–the writers.  I’ve always had a soft spot for Will Keleher’s writing–it’s like sitting down with your grandfather and just letting him ramble about the past.  Keleher was a telegraph operator, newspaper reporter, and lawyer (for more than 50 years) and he tells a good story.