NEW MEXICO IN BOOKS AND MOVIES
I have always read books about places I've been or are planning to go. Many of the books I have listed here were a big influence on my visiting New Mexico and probably also on my decision to move here. I hope you get a few at your local library or bookstore or from the links I have placed here. And I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.
BOOKS BY ROSWELL AUTHORS
Donald R. Burleson is a resident of Roswell and a professor at the Eastern New Mexico University here. He has written many short fiction pieces and two novels. His first novel, Flute Song was rereleased as The Roswell Crewman for the 50th anniversary of the Roswell UFO Crash. This book, and his second, Arroyo are fictional accounts of an alien survivor of the crash.
In Flute Song he follows the alien during his confinement by the government and his association with a sympathetic translator. In Arroyo, we again find the alien - this time living in a small New Mexico town near Roswell. Having fathered several children and hidden by the townspeople, he is the target of a "Man in Black" investigation. No, I won't tell you the endings!
Both books are worth reading. Burleson's vision of the alien culture is one of peace, harmony and education of our culture dating back to interaction with Native Americans during the time of Coronado. Who knows - it could be an accurate vision! If you have an interest in the Roswell crash, by all means, read these two books!
You can see more about these books and others by clicking here.
BOOKS ABOUT NEW MEXICO
A good starting place (and a fun book) in your search for New Mexico is New Mexico Trivia compiled by Robert Ellis, Mary Clark, and Jim Clark. This book is filled with all sorts of information in the form of question and answer trivia questions. They are grouped into six categories - Geography, Entertainment, History, Arts & Literature, Sports & Leisure, and Science & Nature. You really could play "Trivial Pursuit" using this book! I just think its fun to read these facts.
Q. By what name is Roswell native Henry John Deutschendorf better known as?
A. John Denver
Q. What book, written by a New Mexican, is the only one in history to have editions published by both the
Pope and Sears, Roebuck?
A. Ben-Hur
Here's a really neat book - It Happened in New Mexico by James A. Crutchfield. It has 30 short chapters - about 5 pages each. Each one is about a specific incident in New Mexico history like "The Death of Billy the Kid". Many of the stories are not so well known like "A Confrontation Between Wolf and Man". I found all of the stories to be really interesting. And I learned a lot too! For instance, did you know that Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders were from, you guessed it, New Mexico! It would be a good book for a school project or just for entertainment.
New Mexico (3rd Edition) by Nancy Harbert and Michael Freeman
Start planning your trip (or, in my case, move) to New Mexico with this great book. It contains detailed color
maps to help you plan. It covers all the major cities and towns in New Mexico in detail with essays and listings of the best restaurants, historic inns, adobe B&B's, and elegant ranches. The best book I've read on New Mexico.
New Mexico in the Movies
Did you know that Demi Moore spent her youth in Roswell? But, did you know that Contact with Jody Foster was made east of Datil, NM at the Very Large Array radio telescope?
I just loved this movie. It has a great cast with Jodie and Matthew, a good story, a wonderful message, and a scene that brings 2001 - A Space Odyssey to mind. Or that City Slickers was filmed in various New Mexican towns including Santa Fe and the Santa Clara Pueblo?
Or that Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DaVito's Twins was filmed in Santa Fe, Taos, and Los Alamos?
A Murder in Lincoln County by Stuart Pritchard is a fictional account rooted in the rough history of Billy the Kid country. Stu is a local author and artist who has written an exciting western mystery novel using Sheriff Pat Garrett as the main character. The story meanders around the mountains and hills of Lincoln County through a cattle rustling incident and a romance while still centering on the solving of the murder. The historical references are real and Stu has included several pages of photographs of Lincoln - as it looked then and still does! He adds to the Old West flavor with his sketches of historical buildings and people. This book is a must for Old West and mystery fans. 
Sassy Southwest Cooking by Clyde Casey boasts 160 pages of recipes and information. The book begins with a chapter on New Mexican wineries. I found this very interesting as I never thought about growing grapes in the desert, but it is a tradition that dates back to the missions of the 1600's. His recipes include some of the usual Southwest fare like quesadillas and green chile sause, and some unusual ones like antelope barbeque and Ruidoso Downs pie. A great book for the cook in the family!
Many movies have been filmed in New Mexico. That Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Cowboys, and Young Guns were made in New Mexico should come as no surprise.