BajaNomad - My first Baja book

My first Baja book

ligui - 2-21-2008 at 05:14 PM

First book I bought about baja was ' the baja adventure book ' by Walt Peterson . Had been to baja before i'd read this book , but the next trip, with alittle insight from this great book was an even better trip .

Was wondering what your first/favorite baja book was ?

Looking for old timer baja knowledge .

Thanks ligui :?:

DENNIS - 2-21-2008 at 05:18 PM

Mine was one of the E.S. Gardner books. Can't remember which exactly but his books opened up a whole new world for me.

ligui - 2-21-2008 at 05:25 PM

Was it ?

Hunting the Desert Whale ? 1960

Hovering over Baja ? 1961

Off the Beaten Track in Baja ? 1967

ligui

DENNIS - 2-21-2008 at 05:31 PM

The earliest, for sure. I've read them all, again and again. Havn't seen them for a while. I think they're out of print.

Barry A. - 2-21-2008 at 05:51 PM

Dennis-------Gardner's books: they ARE way out of print, but available on the internet from time to time. I have all that he wrote on Baja, and had to pay pretty big bucks for a couple, and I too have read all of them several times, and often refer back to them.

Lingui------Walt Peterson's "Adventure Book" is absolutely one of the primo books on Baja, especially for the off-road adventurer. You made an excellent choice. There are many, many more-----dozens and dozens to go.

Been going to Baja since 1954, or so. The first book on Baja that I was introduced to was Gulick and Gerhard's "LOWER CALIFORNIA GUIDEBOOK", which is a classic for the off road traveler.

barry

David K - 2-21-2008 at 06:02 PM

Great post ligui...

I was introduced to Baja as a kid riding with my parents in our Jeep Wagoneer. My first Baja book was the Lower California Guidebook by Peter Gerhard and Howard Gulick. It had such a positive impression on me, I followed their example of drawing maps and recording milages on all the roads we traveled.

The next favorite book was Erle Stanley Gardner's 1967 'Off the Beaten Track in Baja'... I can remember asking my mom for it at the bookstore when I was about 10.

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David K - 2-21-2008 at 06:04 PM

Also called the Baja Bible:

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David K - 2-21-2008 at 06:15 PM

After the Lower California Guidebook, this book had the next biggest affect... Soon the correct name Gulf of California, would be replaced by the new popular name:

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fishbuck - 2-21-2008 at 06:50 PM

I read Sea of Cortez as my 1st book. My ex has an early copy. Her dad was a fan of Baja.
My only problem with those old books is that the Baja they write about doesn't exist anymore. Those are history book now. So if you read those thinking that is Baja you may be a little disappointed when you finally get there.
Still fun to read.
Gram Mackentosh has some good books that are a little more current.
Anybody know when the next book signing at the Pyramid is?

[Edited on 2-22-2008 by fishbuck]

David K - 2-21-2008 at 07:01 PM

May 3 for the Pyramid Resort, and Graham's 4th Baja book is almost ready!

David K - 2-21-2008 at 07:24 PM

The term 'Sea of Cortez' is probably as old as Gulf of California, but 'Gulf of California' is the correct, official name for that body of water... Ray Cannon and his wonderful book changed the common name for many... it is a more colorful name! The Mexicans also spell Cortez as Cortes, by the way.

ligui - 2-21-2008 at 07:42 PM

My father wa a science teacher and loved the baja, one book he enjoyed was . The Forgotten Peninsula , Joeseph wood Krutch .

When I think of Baja nomads ..... The book .. Land where time stands still by Max Miller record of a trip overland in the fall of 1941 from San Diego to Cape San Lucas at the tip of Lower California comes to mind.

Paulina - 2-21-2008 at 07:42 PM

My Grandfather was a lover of Mexico and Baja and had many books on the subject.

The two that I remember most are "Tales of Fishing Virgin Seas" by Zane Grey, copyright 1925, and the Sunset book "The Sea of Cortez".

He kept both of them on the coffee table in his den. I would sit and look at the photos for hours.

Reading Zane Grey's book now is like reading a fairy tale. The fishing couldn't have been that good, right?

That's what kept my grandfather going back.

P<*)))><

Log from the Sea of Cortez

Gypsy Jan - 2-21-2008 at 07:45 PM

By John Steinbeck and Ed Ricketts.

While studying for a test in my college library and desperately looking for something else to divert my attention, I found an original edition with the color phtographs and...checked it out.

I read it over and over for the next few days and was seriously tempted to keep it.

Instead, the book was returned, along with a few remarks to the head librarian.

The last time I visited the campus and the library, I found out that the book was under lock and key, available only to "serious academicians".

If you want to read a real literary treasure that describes Baja in more pristine era, you can buy inexpensive reprints on Amazon and eBay.

Steinbeck's prose as he documented their adventure and the carefully recorded descriptions of Ricketts' scientific discoveries still live in my memory.

airmech - 2-21-2008 at 09:02 PM

My first Baja book would have been Senterfitts' Airports of Baja. Of course The Pearl was great but "One Hell Of A Ride " by Lou Federico is a must read.

David K - 2-22-2008 at 09:12 AM

Here is my 1972 edition of Senterfitt...

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David K - 2-22-2008 at 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ligui
My father wa a science teacher and loved the baja, one book he enjoyed was . The Forgotten Peninsula , Joeseph wood Krutch .

When I think of Baja nomads ..... The book .. Land where time stands still by Max Miller record of a trip overland in the fall of 1941 from San Diego to Cape San Lucas at the tip of Lower California comes to mind.

Both great books!

scan0003r.JPG - 50kB

David K - 2-22-2008 at 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gypsy Jan
By John Steinbeck and Ed Ricketts.

While studying for a test in my college library and desperately looking for something else to divert my attention, I found an original edition with the color phtographs and...checked it out.

I read it over and over for the next few days and was seriously tempted to keep it.

Instead, the book was returned, along with a few remarks to the head librarian.

The last time I visited the campus and the library, I found out that the book was under lock and key, available only to "serious academicians".

If you want to read a real literary treasure that describes Baja in more pristine era, you can buy inexpensive reprints on Amazon and eBay.

Steinbeck's prose as he documented their adventure and the carefully recorded descriptions of Ricketts' scientific discoveries still live in my memory.

books

tehag - 2-22-2008 at 10:18 AM

My biggest Baja hook was Cannon's Sea of Cortez.

Note that the B and H keys are faaar apart. That's no typo.

Vermilion Sea, John Janovy, Jr is another title about the Gulf of California; AKA Sea of Cortez; AKA Mar Bermejo.

An old and interesting but hard-to-get read is Towns of Baja California, A 1918 Report by David Goldbaum, Translated and reprinted, Hendricks, 1971

Also probably out of print:

Baja California Overland, Belden
Los Coronados Islands, Ellesberg
Palm Canyons of Baja California, Henderson
Flora of Baja Norte, Kasbeer
Camping and Climbing in Baja, Robinson
Beaches of Baja and Byroads of Baja, Wheelock