BajaNomad - Favorite Baja Book

Favorite Baja Book

ckiefer - 1-30-2009 at 11:24 PM

Our retirement years are spent reading books related to Baja. Just finished a few by Michael Mercer, and now we're onto Cosmic Banditos.
What's your favorite Baja book?

Skipjack Joe - 1-30-2009 at 11:55 PM

Krutch's 'The Forgotten Peninsula'.

Howard - 1-31-2009 at 07:01 AM

Jack Smiths, GOD AND MR. GOMEZ makes laugh every time I read it.

DENNIS - 1-31-2009 at 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Howard
Jack Smiths, GOD AND MR. GOMEZ makes laugh every time I read it.

Excellent choice. I think this book is the singular most influential reason for the interest in Baja from the early days.
Another good read..."The/That Baja Feeling" by Ben Hunter. These arn't scholarly epistles but, fun and informative none the less.

David K - 1-31-2009 at 07:45 AM

Too many!!!
Some of the top 'reading' books, I love (vs. guidebooks):

'There It Is: Baja!'/ 'My Adventures in Baja' by Mike McMahan (same book, republished in paperback with new title)

'Off the Beaten Track in Baja' by Erle Stanley Gardner

'Into a Desert Place' by Graham Mackintosh

'Camp and Camino in Lower California' by Arthur North

'The Kings Highway in Baja California' by Harry Crosby

'Baja Adventures by Land, Air, Sea' by Marvin Patchen

[Edited on 1-31-2009 by David K]

books 045.jpg - 45kB

bajajudy - 1-31-2009 at 07:55 AM

"Almost an Island"-Bruce Berger
"Miraculous Air"-C M Mayo

shari - 1-31-2009 at 08:20 AM

My vote also goes to God and Mr.gomez as it really demonstrates the cultural differences in baja in a humourous positive light...although I belive Osprey's musings are superior....i would vote for his future anthology.

Paula - 1-31-2009 at 08:26 AM

I agree with Judy-- Almost an Island and Miraculous Air

Paulina - 1-31-2009 at 08:30 AM

God and Mr. Gomez by Jack Smith

Journey of the Flame, by Walter Nordhoff

Bouncing Down To Baja, by Bill and Orv Wortman

P<*)))>{

mulegemichael - 1-31-2009 at 08:30 AM

"King of the Moon"....hands down..i've read it three times and each time it brings a tear to my eye

BajaGringo - 1-31-2009 at 08:32 AM

I join the God and Mr. Gomez list. Gives you insight into how things work down here and at the same time is a great read...

Ken Bondy - 1-31-2009 at 09:27 AM

I like all those already mentioned, and will add:

Ray Cannon, "Sea of Cortez"
Ben Hunter, "The Baja Feeling"
Tom Miller, "The Baja Books I and II"
and of course,
John Steinbeck, "Log From the Sea of Cortez"

tripledigitken - 1-31-2009 at 09:44 AM

Here are my three favorites

Michael Humfreville, "In the Shadow of the Volcano"
Jack Smith, "God and Mr. Gomez"
Gene Kira, "King of the Moon"

All three are worthy of multiply reads!

Good Choices all but ..............

bajadave1 - 1-31-2009 at 09:48 AM

For sheer humor, I would add Fred Hoctor"s "Baja Haha" Funniest ever!

:spingrin:

David K - 1-31-2009 at 09:51 AM

So many Baja books.... so little time! :biggrin:

Paulina - 1-31-2009 at 10:10 AM

DK is right.

Bajadave, as I was standing in front of my baja bookshelf, contemplating this thread, I had the same thought. I had an autographed copy of Fred's book that I stupidly loaned out. I still kick myself for that.

Bernie's books and Jimmy Smith's book is along those same lines.

P<*)))>{

Ken Bondy - 1-31-2009 at 10:51 AM

Ooops, I forgot a few:

Barry A. - 1-31-2009 at 11:02 AM

Peterson's "Baja Adventure Book"------

-----and "The Baja Catch" by Kira and Kelly

But they are ALL good and I have many of them.

Barry

Paulina - 1-31-2009 at 11:23 AM

Ken,

LOVE IT :yes:

P<*)))>{

woody with a view - 1-31-2009 at 11:32 AM

i just got "the beaches of baja" #112 of 123 hand bound hardcover and signed by the author.

edit:

fave? "girl from the sea of cortez"

[Edited on 1-31-2009 by woody in ob]

boe4fun - 1-31-2009 at 11:57 AM

Hoctor's Baja Haha has some of the most hilarious anecdotes I've ever read.

elgatoloco - 1-31-2009 at 12:19 PM

Growing up in the LA area Jack Smith's column was a favorite around our house and especially delightful when he wrote about his ongoing experiences at his casa in Baja. We could read his words eye view and commiserate and laugh at the experiences. My mom would save the paper and bring it down to our campo so neighbors who did not get the paper could read the stories. Later when he put together the book and some new gringo family would move into our campo God and Mr. Gomez was reccomended reading for sure.

The woman who became my wife and I once headed for the coast north of San Nicolas for an extended exploratory camp trip and I had been carrying around a signed copy of 'King of The Moon' for several months and finally got to reading it and could not put it down. It is a very well written story. As soon as I was finished the wife picked it up and agreed. Later we learned that very stretch of coastline was the inspiration for the setting of the book.

Another favorite at our house is 'Enchilada,Rice & Beans' by Daniel Reveles. His storytelling is superb. Especially the story of El Gato. All his characters end up being people who you wish you had known and you feel like you do.

ckiefer - 1-31-2009 at 12:28 PM

I have been looking for Enchilada, Rice & Beans' by Daniel Reveles; after reading Guacamole Dip and Tequila Lemon and Salt. Read God and Mr. Gomez and also On Mexican Time. All good reads. When we finish Cosmic Banditos the next read will be The Pearl by John Steinbeck.

DENNIS - 1-31-2009 at 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ckiefer
I have been looking for Enchilada, Rice & Beans' by Daniel Reveles; after reading Guacamole Dip and Tequila Lemon and Salt. Read God and Mr. Gomez and also On Mexican Time. All good reads. When we finish Cosmic Banditos the next read will be The Pearl by John Steinbeck.

Here ya go.........

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Enchiladas-Rice-and-Beans/D...

marv sherrill - 1-31-2009 at 05:52 PM

maybe the best is the one not yet written.. my vote goes the Log to the Sea of Cortez - (loved King of the Moon and Mike Hs shadow of the volcano)

lingililingili - 1-31-2009 at 06:48 PM

Mi Baja and Bouncing Around Baja by Bernie Swaim
I loved his stories and could just picture living here back when.

[Edited on 2/1/09 by lingililingili]

805gregg - 1-31-2009 at 07:29 PM

Steinbeck, for sure, I love to dream of how beautiful it was back then, and to go by boat is perfect. Wish the world wouldn't have found it. I knew I had a Sea Of Cortez here somewhere, I finally found it, a first edition 1941, not in good shape but all there.

[Edited on 2-1-2009 by 805gregg]

[Edited on 2-1-2009 by 805gregg]

bajabound2005 - 1-31-2009 at 07:36 PM

There are many, but I truly enjoyed King of the Moon.

Edited for: whoa! That takes me to 2009 posts...and that's the YEAR we are in!

[Edited on 2-1-2009 by bajabound2005]

ckiefer - 2-2-2009 at 12:07 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS

Quote:

Here ya go.........

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Enchiladas-Rice-and-Beans/D...

Thanks Dennis. I was kinda looking for a copy of the book in a book store here. But if I can't locate it, I'll wait till I return.

David K - 2-2-2009 at 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ckiefer

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS

Quote:

Here ya go.........

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Enchiladas-Rice-and-Beans/D...

Thanks Dennis. I was kinda looking for a copy of the book in a book store here. But if I can't locate it, I'll wait till I return.

Here's Daniel autographing Enchiladas, Rice and Beans at The Pyramid Resort's 2005 Book Signing...

A very friendly guy!

[Edited on 2-2-2009 by David K]

Mexitron - 2-2-2009 at 07:27 PM

Steinbeck, of course (although it was mentioned to me some time back that Doc Ricketts was probably responsible for a lot of the depth in the book....).

God and Mr. Gomez--love that book and all his LA Times columns--in 2005 my old girlfriend's son and fiance were looking at houses to buy in the Mt. Washington area and they wanted me to come help check out one of them--it was Jack Smith's house! His wife had just passed away and the kids were selling the place--got to talk to his son who was showing it. Interesting, after reading his column for so many years the place was a lot how I had pictured it--even saw the Airedale's dog run.

805gregg - 2-2-2009 at 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K

Quote:

Originally posted by ckiefer

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS

Quote:

Here ya go.........

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Enchiladas-Rice-and-Beans/D...

Thanks Dennis. I was kinda looking for a copy of the book in a book store here. But if I can't locate it, I'll wait till I return.

Here's Daniel autographing Enchiladas, Rice and Beans at The Pyramid Resort's 2005 Book Signing...

A very friendly guy!

[Edited on 2-2-2009 by David K]

Very cool, I love signed additions, I have a signed and dedicated "Sea of Cortez" by Ray Cannon, it's a 1973 edition dedicated Hotel San Lucas. Anyone know of a Hotel San Lucas in 1973? I was at the tip in '73 and I don't remember that one.

Ken Bondy - 2-2-2009 at 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mexitron
Steinbeck, of course (although it was mentioned to me some time back that Doc Ricketts was probably responsible for a lot of the depth in the book....).

Ricketts obviously had great influence on Steinbeck, but I think the narrative writing was all Steinbeck. Steinbeck and Ricketts co-authored the original work, "Sea of Cortez: A Leisurely Journal of Travel and Research", which included both the narrative and the scientific descriptions of the animals. After Ricketts died in 1948 Steinbeck dropped the scientific stuff and republished the narrative as "The Log From the Sea of Cortez" with himself as the sole author and a eulogy to Ricketts.

A really interesting description of the trip "With Steinbeck in the Sea of Cortez", was written by Sparky Enea, a crew member on the Western Flyer. It was published in 1991 by Sand River Press in Los Osos, CA.

[Edited on 2-3-2009 by Ken Bondy]

LaTijereta - 2-2-2009 at 09:08 PM

Nice thoughts :?:

For images that never get old = Ray Cannon's "Sea of Cortez"

For land adventure = 1960's Marquis McDonald's "Baja:Land of Lost Missions" is set before "Uncle Earl's" adventures.

For water adventure = 1930's "Enchanted Vagabonds" by Dana & Ginger Lamb has them sailing down and around the Baja and Sea of Coretz in a 15' boat.

Both books credit their research/ information from Arthur W. North's "Camp & Camino in Lower California" from his exploration through Baja in 1908.
He provides a great description of Baja, and the turn of the century history that unfolded in Lower California....

vacaenbaja - 2-2-2009 at 10:35 PM

Any works By our very own Humpheville, Smith and Swaim
"The Long walk to Mulege" by Hale
"Hardly Any Fences" John Hilton
Tom Millers various works
Any Mike McMahan Baja book

David K - 2-3-2009 at 09:08 AM

805, there was/ is the Hotel Cabo San Lucas... Never heard a hotel without the 'Cabo' in it... in 1973... and it wasn't even in Cabo... It was 10 miles from Cabo/ 14 miles from San Jose del Cabo, in El Tule, near Puerto Chileno.

jodiego - 2-3-2009 at 09:28 AM

I love all the Erle Stanley Gardner books, if for no other reason than they are about a time and a place when baja was truly was, "The Land of Shorter Shadows." He has to be the original Baja Nomad.

David K - 2-3-2009 at 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by jodiego
I love all the Erle Stanley Gardner books, if for no other reason than they are about a time and a place when baja was truly was, "The Land of Shorter Shadows." He has to be the original Baja Nomad.

Big 10-4 on that!

Pepper 021.jpg - 49kB

Ken Cooke - 2-3-2009 at 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K

'Baja Adventures by Land, Air, Sea' by Marvin Patchen

'Into a Desert Place' by Graham Mackintosh

"Baja Adventures by Land, Air, Sea" - Marvin Patchen

"Into A Desert Place" - Graham Mackintosh

My two favorite books related to Baja.

Favorite Baja Book

Marla Daily - 2-3-2009 at 09:51 PM

Harry Crosby's LAST OF THE CALIFORNIOS gets my vote!!

Extremely hard to find these days!

BajaWarrior - 2-3-2009 at 10:15 PM

Definatley God and Mr. Gomez.

I was so inspired by the book that I planned a trip to see this place, so I jumped into my little Toyota and headed down that 16 mile dirt road to the coast of La Bocana. Funny, weve all seen the turnoff for it, I had never gone there being too busy heading to San Quintin or Erindira.

I read the last chapter of the book lying on the grass near the river/lagoon just south of the store. I met with Sergio Gomez moments later and after some chit chat I secured a lot and began building my new Baja home.

Eventually I sold that home to a dear friend and neighbor from my Campo in Playa Hermosa and turned a tidy little profit for my efforts. Believe me, I think about that experiance all the time. The sunsets lasted forever...

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BajaWarrior - 2-3-2009 at 10:21 PM

the sunsets lasted forever...

r.BocanaSunset.JPG - 19kB

fdt - 2-4-2009 at 05:10 PM

Anyone have a copy of the "Log from the Sea of Cortes" in spanish? It's called "Por el Mar de Cortes"