Why New Mexicans Love New Mexico

Although the title would seem directed only at the people who live in New Mexico, this is in fact a usually funny and sometimes poetic evocation of the landscape and people of almost anywhere in the Southwest. It begins with a witty rewrite of the creation myth, then goes back a century and a half to a touching baptism at one of New Mexico's most sacred spiritual shrines. Then back to the presence with "The Menu of the Hands," a hilarious spoof on wily waiters taking advantage of the naiveté of summertime visitors. Never, anywhere, has a meal ever been served with this much elán and chutzpah. Finally there is a beautiful evocation of the near-mystical effects the Southwest landscape can have on locals and visitors alike. Behind those magnificent mesas and mountains, the stones have a voice you can hear--if you listen the right way.