BajaNomad

Earle Stanley Gardner Books

chuckie - 3-4-2012 at 06:56 AM

Does anyone know where copies of his Baja books can be found and purchased? I tried Amazon.no luck...Arent there some recent reprints? thanks

ligui - 3-4-2012 at 07:03 AM

I was able to buy some on ebay

DENNIS - 3-4-2012 at 08:34 AM

Wait til DavidK has his coffee. He'll fill you in.
There was a large, used book store downtown San Diego that recently closed, but they had everything. I once asked the proprietor if he had a copy of "God and Mr. Gomez." His reply, "Signed or unsigned?"

There are other used book stores in the area and being close to Mexico, they seem to have large collections of regional material available. Just a thought.

Abe

bajaguy - 3-4-2012 at 08:34 AM

Got mine from Abe Books:

http://www.abebooks.com/

ERLE Stanley Gardner's Baja exploration books

David K - 3-4-2012 at 08:42 AM

Go to used and rare book sources online... AddAll.com is one.

















He had one more Baja book not in my collection: 'Host with a Big Hat'

I also have one of his desert USA books (there are a couple of photos from his Baja explorations in it... this was a gift from a Baja amigo, now Nomad and his esposa!:

chuckie - 3-4-2012 at 09:15 AM

Thanks, I'll try em all..When God and Mr. Gomez first came out, I went there and visited him...Another great book (if not factual) is Fred Hoctors Baja Haha....I think I am one of those people!

David K - 3-4-2012 at 09:20 AM

Off The Beaten Track in Baja is the best (IMO) if you can only get one... It combines a couple of his trips and reviews the cave painting discoveries... It is primarily about the 1966 expedition and forging a road south form Bahia de los Angeles to El Barril when none had existed before, and exploring the far side of Bahia Concepcion where no road existed. A lot is covered in it.

DENNIS - 3-4-2012 at 09:29 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by chuckie
Another great book (if not factual) is Fred Hoctors Baja Haha....


Whoa Nelly.....Not factual?? That's bordering on blasphemy. :saint:

chuckie - 3-4-2012 at 09:32 AM

Hey! I have met Fred Hoctor, at the bar at the Serenidad....

DENNIS - 3-4-2012 at 09:32 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by chuckie
Thanks, I'll try em all..When God and Mr. Gomez first came out, I went there and visited him...



If you're refering to Romulo Gomez, so did I....in his little store.
Never saw Smith, but lived vicariously through his column and book.

It was a wonderful time....for sure.

DENNIS - 3-4-2012 at 09:34 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by chuckie
Hey! I have met Fred Hoctor, at the bar at the Serenidad....


Was that before or after he passed away? It's hard to keep a good man down...ya know. :saint:

David K - 3-4-2012 at 09:52 AM

We were in Baja (Punta Cabras) and had hoped to be there for Fred's services (August, 2001)... we arrived too late, but Paulina was there and told us about it when we arrived at Punta Banda...

chuckie - 3-4-2012 at 09:59 AM

1st time was years ago, he and I may have had some visits since he passed, hard to remember who I talk to when its "one of those nights":rolleyes:

MMc - 3-4-2012 at 10:03 AM

Next week is the Hall Show in Long Beach. At the Vagbundos booth is a guy with plenty of Baja books including many E S books. If you need a excuse to go now you have one.

bufeo - 3-4-2012 at 10:16 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by chuckie
Does anyone know where copies of his Baja books can be found and purchased? I tried Amazon.no luck...Arent there some recent reprints? thanks


I just searched "Hovering over Baja" on www.abebooks.com and found 41 copies for sale. ABEbooks is a good source for many out-of-print books. Lots of Gardner's Baja books available there.

Allen R

chuckie - 3-4-2012 at 10:39 AM

I'll try again, I looked once at ABES for Off the Beaten Track and got no hits...I am in Mulege now on a pretty permanent basis, so the Long Beach thing is out..thanks all..

David K - 3-4-2012 at 10:41 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by bufeo
Quote:
Originally posted by chuckie
Does anyone know where copies of his Baja books can be found and purchased? I tried Amazon.no luck...Arent there some recent reprints? thanks


I just searched "Hovering over Baja" on www.abebooks.com and found 41 copies for sale. ABEbooks is a good source for many out-of-print books. Lots of Gardner's Baja books available there.

Allen R


In Hovering Over Baja...

Erle was fascinated with the palm canyons of Baja and tried to get into them... primarily Salsipuedes Canyon (means 'get out if you can')... To Erle, it meant get in!!!

This is the area between Gonzaga and Los Angeles bays...

When using ropes to lower their scooters into the canyons, or boats unloading them at their end on the gulf, prooved less than ideal, Erle convinced a helicopter company to 'test' their newest copter in the wilds of Baja!

The next book, 'Hidden Heart of Baja' has Erle and his party seeking (and discovering new) cave art in the Sierra de San Francisco using helicopters. So great were their findings that Erle arranged for Mexico's national archeologist to come to Baja and be part of the discovery...

This was all in the early 1960's...

David K - 3-4-2012 at 10:45 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by chuckie
I'll try again, I looked once at ABES for Off the Beaten Track and got no hits...I am in Mulege now on a pretty permanent basis, so the Long Beach thing is out..thanks all..


Try the site I mentioned: http://used.addall.com/

There are 46 copies of Off The Beaten Track in Baja for sale just now!

capt. mike - 3-4-2012 at 11:58 AM

my fav funniest baja books:

baja haja Hoctor.
Jimmy's book
One helluva ride by Federico.

Neal Johns - 3-4-2012 at 12:23 PM

www.AddAll.com/used is the hot tip for out-of-print books.

Here is a list of vendors that www.AddAll.com/used searches:

AddAll Vendors.jpg - 47kB

Barry A. - 3-4-2012 at 12:37 PM

Wow, thanks Neal and David. What a gold mine!!!

Barry

bufeo - 3-4-2012 at 12:44 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by chuckie
I'll try again, I looked once at ABES for Off the Beaten Track and got no hits...I am in Mulege now on a pretty permanent basis, so the Long Beach thing is out..thanks all..


Just from ABEbooks nineteen copies for sale. Don't know what you did, but here's a LINK.

Allen R

chuckie - 3-4-2012 at 12:59 PM

Thanks Folks for all the help..Got what I needed, and weedled someone to bring em down..Thanks again....

David K - 3-4-2012 at 07:36 PM

Baja books are a treasure! Isn't that right Neal?:light::yes:

dean miller - 3-4-2012 at 09:25 PM

DAVID K

To a bibliophile or collector a book has twice as much value IF it has an intact book cover.

Some of your books have covers which are in terrible condition while others have none.

I would strongly urge that your invest a few dollars in some Broadart center slit plastic books covers and some acid free mending tape to salvage what you have remaining, This will protect the books from further damage.

You can purchase Broadart covers in a variety of sizes at many local book stores and in bulk on e bay

sdm

FYI Many years ago I aquired all of ESG's books in mint condition, they have been protected by Broadart covers and even at this junction in history appear mint...sdm

chuckie - 3-4-2012 at 11:52 PM

mine cost 14.25 delivered...In plastic

David K - 3-5-2012 at 09:12 AM

Thanks... only Off The Beaten Track in Baja has been mine since 1967 or 68 when purchased new for me at 10 years of age... and it is well worn and got water damaged in 1990... However, it (and the others aquired in the past 10 years) have no new damage... they came to me the way you see them above from Internet or used book stores.

I appreciate the suggestion, it is a good idea... I just have so many Baja books, and they are all special to me.

dean miller - 3-5-2012 at 11:12 AM

DAVID,

So do I...and as prized possesions I value them, protect them and use them...You need to spend some money take the time and protect your books with some sort of a book jacket cover.

Suggest you might want to go to a used book store and have a conversation about book protection and book values with and with out a book jacket and or book jacket cover.

Just might be an eye opener for you,

sdm

LaPazGringo - 3-5-2012 at 12:38 PM

I read and enjoyed every word of all the ESG books. Was introduced to them when Larry (Larry & Racquels) in BofLA loaned it to me at about 10pm. At 2:30 I finished it and sent my wife an email to find them all for me. We got them all easily on eBay.

chuckie - 3-5-2012 at 03:51 PM

Thanks to the good folks here, I have found all I want.I still have a bunch of the really old paperbacks..Back Roads of Baja, Baja Overland, couple others that I bought way back...I now need an uptodate topo book...I have one, at the Ranch, lot of good thats does me, that was one of the first ones..NO GPS codes...Had some good sea Charts but they went away in John or Jimena...Thanks again all

David K - 3-5-2012 at 06:00 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by chuckie
Thanks to the good folks here, I have found all I want.I still have a bunch of the really old paperbacks..Back Roads of Baja, Baja Overland, couple others that I bought way back...I now need an uptodate topo book...I have one, at the Ranch, lot of good thats does me, that was one of the first ones..NO GPS codes...Had some good sea Charts but they went away in John or Jimena...Thanks again all


The Baja Almanac was revised in 2009, and made big again, alas but the scale was reduced a bit, rather than increased as it was on the original Baja Topo Atlas...

Here is the 2009 Almanac next to the 2003 Almanac...



[Edited on 3-6-2012 by David K]

David K - 3-5-2012 at 06:16 PM

The original BIG Baja Topo Atlas (1986 & 1991 editions same scale/ size) and the 2009 Baja Almanac and the 2003 Almanac:



[Edited on 3-6-2012 by David K]

805gregg - 3-7-2012 at 06:35 PM

Gardner's books are great, he loved to go to Baja, but you soon realize he had a differnt way of visting Baja. With too much money he flew everywhere sometimes with 2 helocopters, not a down to earth type of guy. I have some of his books, disapointing reading, but maybe collectable.

Barry A. - 3-7-2012 at 06:41 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by 805gregg
Gardner's books are great, he loved to go to Baja, but you soon realize he had a differnt way of visting Baja. With too much money he flew everywhere sometimes with 2 helocopters, not a down to earth type of guy. I have some of his books, disapointing reading, but maybe collectable.


"disappointing reading"????? That's blasphemy!!!! He needed those helecopters (and airplanes) to get his "Perry Mason" revisions back to Hollywood in a timely manner-------the producers were hard task-masters. Besides, he was a "heavy" man, and needed some help gettin around--------

His books are simple, but there sure is a wealth of info there, and he and his team had incredible spirit. Love his books, and I have all of them on Baja and the Southwest USA.

Barry

David K - 3-7-2012 at 06:58 PM

He used helicopters to get to places his land vehicles couldn't get to... He traveled by 4WD all over Baja. His caravans started in Temecula and he drove down the peninsula in 4WDs. Planes shuttled the TV show scripts back and forth to his remote Baja camps. Thanks to Capt. Francisco Muņoz and other pilots for this!

Fernweh - 3-7-2012 at 07:45 PM

Just got my "used" copy Off the Beaten Track in Baja through Amazon.

Somebody noted in there:

"From Marge....Father's Day 1967

A used but still a nice hardbound edition.

Karl