The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 56, July 1952 - April, 1953 Page: 172
641 p. : ill., maps ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Southwestern Historical Quarterly
Gringo; the page quantity is 135, 1oo, and 16o, respectively-a
good proportion. Gringo is a Mexican term of reproach for the
North American. This part of the book starts with the arrival of
Zebulon Pike in New Mexico. But neither of the three parts is
handled in a strictly chronological order; there is a mingling of
the past with the present, a happy arrangement and one that
makes for interesting reading. Some of the material has appeared
previously in periodicals, as Miss Fergusson acknowledges.
The author is at her best in discussing the current scene, relat-
ing it to the past as she does. A life-time resident of New Mexico,
but with considerable travel to give her a broad perspective, she
writes with a sensitive touch concerning the land and people of
her native state. The color of sky and earth, of trees and rocks,
the quiet of the forest, and the song of the stream are too often
overlooked by the traveler in the Southwest, but not by Miss
Fergusson.
The mingling of three cultures with all the friction engendered
is revealed clearly; numerous personal anecdotes and experiences
are drawn upon to make the story more alive and understandable.
Some of the problems dealt with, such as the relations between
the white man and the Indian, are quite complex. The author
has her own opinions on the matter; they are not to be accepted
at face value, and the subject is too involved to be discussed in
a few pages. Sufficient to say that the situation is outlined and
Miss Fergusson takes a stand, her heart leaning toward the In-
dian's side of the story as against the white man, and the Hispano's
against the Gringo. The jacket blurb reads: "The result is a
brightly colored pageant of three peoples which is both affection-
ate and accurate." The last word should be dropped.
Despite carelessness in detail, Miss Fergusson has written a use-
ful book and one that has long been needed for New Mexico.
It is a panorama from cave man to the atomic bomb, and this is
its "good" quality. Numerous fine photographs enhance the book;
a glossary of terms, bibliography, and index are added. The bib-
liography just touches the surface of the subject and the index
is scanty. Two maps, one a relief and the other an outline, are172
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 56, July 1952 - April, 1953, periodical, 1953; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101145/m1/192/?rotate=90: accessed May 5, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.