A History of New Mexico in 100 Objects

“This beautiful book is a five-star addition to the way New Mexico shares its long, diverse, and richly fascinating history. Historian Richard Melzer uses the well-selected images to conjure true stories that make irresistible reading. A History of New Mexico in 100 Objects deserves a place of honor in every bookshop, library, and waiting room from Abiquiu to Zuni.” – Anne Hillerman, New York Times bestselling author
“Anyone with even the slightest interest in New Mexico history will absolutely love this charming, quirky, and endlessly absorbing book. Richard Melzer has plucked from New Mexico’s rich past one hundred iconic objects, and with these he tells the story of our land and its people in delightful and lively prose. I can’t recommend this book highly enough!” – Douglas Preston, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Cities of Gold: A Journey Across the American Southwest
“A History of New Mexico in 100 Objects is just the kind of history book I love. It is both textual and contextual. Richard Melzer does an excellent job of weaving together and winding through the complexities of New Mexico’s rich past and cultural heritages. Be it a Spanish helmet, a textbook printed by Padre Martínez of Taos, or a Buffalo soldier’s saber, the essence of New Mexico’s diverse and fascinating history comes through in both the writing and the images. This book is a journey through thousands of years of New Mexico living: the people, places, and events that shaped this great state. Read it from beginning to end. Or, if you like mixing things up, just open it at random and see what adventure the author leads you on.” – Rob Martínez, New Mexico state historian
“Historian Richard Melzer accepted the daunting challenge of selecting one hundred objects to capture the rich diversity of New Mexico from the age of dinosaurs to the search for life beyond the stars. He has succeeded brilliantly through creativity, analysis, and contextualization of these expressions of material culture. The design and stunning illustrations of the chosen artifacts make this an outstanding example of the art of the book. This is truly a book to savor, to go back over again and again.” – Rick Hendricks, coauthor of The Witches of Abiquiu
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. And a picture is said to be worth a thousand words. Can the study of millions of years of paleontology, thousands of years of archaeology, and hundreds of years of history be told in 100 objects? In the skilled hands of historian Richard Melzer, the answer is yes. Included herein are the state fossil, Coelophysis bauri, sacred earth from Chimayó, ancient petroglyph images, and turquoise from Chaco Canyon, as well as objects of the atomic and scientific history of the state. The objects, selected widely from local and national museums, parks, and archival collections, represent the places and people that created this enchanted land. A History of New Mexico in 100 Objects will engage those nostalgic for the past, as well as those who know we are making history every day.” – Frances Levine, former director of the New Mexico History Museum and author of Crossings: Women on the Santa Fe Trail

Richard Melzer is a Regents’ Professor emeritus of history at the University of New Mexico’s Valencia campus. A former president of the Historical Society of New Mexico, Melzer is the author or coauthor of numerous books, including Ernie Pyle in the American Southwest, Captain Maximiliano Luna: A New Mexico Rough Rider, and A History of New Mexico Since Statehood.

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