Secret Tucson


Book Description

What onetime New York crime boss spent his last decades in Tucson? Which cutting-edge scientific lab is hidden below a football stadium here? Why does the Beatles' classic song "Get Back" include a nod to Tucson? And what on earth is a "stravenue?" To find the answers to some of the most intriguing and entertaining questions about Tucson, look no further than Secret Tucson: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure. You'll learn all about the lesser- known sides to southern Arizona's most dynamic city. After all, Tucson has been proclaimed "the world capital of weird""¬‚¬"and Tucsonans take that as a compliment. So if you've ever found yourself wondering where Bill Clinton wolfed down a five-combo plate of Mexican food, where Hollywood stars go to seek secluded rehab in the desert, or even where you might stumble upon a fabulously rich lost gold mine in the Catalina Mountains, let local author Clark Norton answer these and many other questions about Tucson you never thought to ask. After writing more than a dozen travel guidebooks, he knows how to peek into the unexplored corners of the Old Pueblo to help you uncover the best of Secret Tucson.







A Guide to Tucson Architecture


Book Description

A comprehensive illustrated guide to Tucson's historical and contemporary architectural resources covers all facets of the city's architecture, from one-of-a-kind homes on Main Avenue and historic downtown buildings to destination resorts in the Catalina Foothills and other modern structures. Included are walking and driving tours of fourteen areas, along with maps, and annotated descriptions of individual structures--residences, schools, churches, government buildings, offices, commercial establishments, and others--accompanied by more than 140 photographs.




Greetings from Tucson


Book Description

A coming-of-age story with true love at its core, Greetings from Tucson tells the story of four sisters' lives through the lens of handwritten letters. These long lost letters, found decades after they were penned, once formed a lifeline that held them together when their worlds were otherwise falling apart. In June of 1945, tragedy struck, and Cookie, Frankie, Dottie, and Connie were torn from everything they knew-their parents, their home, and, most importantly, each other. Forced to live thousands of miles apart, they feared their bond would be broken. The sisters began writing letters to each other to celebrate their milestones and mourn every heartbreak. Through those letters, they found a way to strengthen their sisterhood when the odds were so stacked against them. The letters were like prisms, reflecting their lives from childhood into adulthood, as they fell in love or fulfilled their lifelong dreams. That is, until one sister's secret from the past changed everything. Would she break the fragile bond they worked so hard to nurture after their fateful split so many years ago?




Early Tucson


Book Description

Tucson is a history of time and a river. The roots of prehistoric habitation run deep along the Santa Cruz River, reaching back thousands of years. Later the river attracted 17th-century Spanish explorers, who brought military government, the church, and colonists to establish the northern outpost of their New World empire. Later still, American westward expansion drew new settlers to the place called Tucson. Today Tucson is a bustling multicultural community of more than one million residents. These images from the photographic archives of the Arizona Historical Society tell the stories of individuals and cultures that transformed a 19th-century frontier village into a 20th-century desert city.




Secrets from the Center of the World


Book Description

"My house is the red earth; it could be the center of the world." This is Navajo country, a land of mysterious and delicate beauty. "Stephen Strom's photographs lead you to that place," writes Joy Harjo. "The camera eye becomes a space you can move through into the powerful landscapes that he photographs. The horizon may shift and change all around you, but underneath it is the heart with which we move." Harjo's prose poems accompany these images, interpreting each photograph as a story that evokes the spirit of the Earth. Images and words harmonize to evoke the mysteries of what the Navajo call the center of the world.




Moon 52 Things to Do in Phoenix & Tucson


Book Description

From that blues bar you haven’t visited yet to the desert hike you keep meaning to plan, experience something new right here at home with Moon 52 Things to Do in Phoenix & Tucson. Cool things to do in and around the cities: Kick back at a Spring Training game or squeeze into the grandstands of El Gran Mercado for some lucha libre. Bike the famed Loop in Tucson, kayak Tempe Town Lake, and lace up your boots for an urban hike in the Phoenix Mountains. Support local BIPOC writers at Palabras Bilingual Bookstore and taste what’s on tap at a women-owned brewery. Savor Sonoran-style food like tamales and carne asada or try authentic Tohono O’odham fry bread Day trips and weekend getaways: Dip into hot springs or cool off in a secret swimming hole. Travel back in time in a ghost town or sip your way through wine country. Trek the Arizona Trail, hike the hoodoos at Chiricahua National Monument, pick saguaro fruit, and spend a night under the stars Experiences broken down by category: Find ideas for each season, activities for kids, outdoor adventures, learning about indigenous cultures, getting to know a new neighborhood, and more A local's advice: Whether it’s a wilderness area or a beloved soul food spot, local author Jessica Dunham knows the ins and outs of Arizona Inspirational full-color photos throughout Easy-to-scan planning tips: Addresses and nearby spots, plus tips for avoiding the crowds if you're heading to a popular attraction What are you doing this weekend? Try something new with Moon 52 Things to Do in Phoenix & Tucson. About Moon Travel Guides: Moon was founded in 1973 to empower independent, active, and conscious travel. We prioritize local businesses, outdoor recreation, and traveling strategically and sustainably. Moon Travel Guides are written by local, expert authors with great stories to tell—and they can't wait to share their favorite places with you. For more inspiration, follow @moonguides on social media.




The Secret at Solaire


Book Description

While staying at the exclusive Spa Solaire outside Tucson, Arizona, Nancy and her friends witness a series of strange events, beginning with sabotage and ending with a kidnapping.




Secret Jacksonville: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure


Book Description

You could call Jacksonville the secret city of Florida because even many natives have a tough time pinning down its defining features and best spots. But for anyone willing to dig beneath the surface, there’s no shortage of incredible sights, hidden histories and unusual relics just waiting to be discovered. Want to see the world’s largest Native American woodcarving, chart the roots of Southern rock, or eat curly fries at the barbecue joint that claims to have invented them? Secret Jacksonville: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure is dedicated to telling the stories behind forgotten, mysterious and just plain interesting spots across Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Fernandina Beach, and the surrounding communities. Here you’ll find out where you can see a long forgotten Florida waterfall with connections to Jacksonville’s founder, and learn why there’s a tombstone in the middle of a neighborhood sidewalk. You’ll hear the stories behind local delicacies like Jacksonville-style garlic crabs, datil peppers, Mayport shrimp, and camel rider sandwiches. And of course, you’ll learn what exactly is up with that orange roadside dinosaur everyone’s always talking about. Jacksonville writer Bill Delaney has a deep passion for his hometown and a keen interest in underrepresented stories. From folklore to history and everything in between, join him to explore a side of the Bold City you can only find by leaving the welltrodden path.




No Species Is an Island


Book Description

In the darkness of the star-studded desert, bats and moths feed on the nectar of night-blooming cactus flowers. By day, birds and bees do the same, taking to blooms for their sweet sustenance. In return these special creatures pollinate the equally intriguing plants in an ecological circle of sustainability. The Sonoran Desert is the most biologically diverse desert in the world. Four species of columnar cacti, including the iconic saguaro and organ pipe, are among its most conspicuous plants. No Species Is an Island describes Theodore H. Fleming’s eleven-year study of the pollination biology of these species at a site he named Tortilla Flats in Sonora, Mexico, near Kino Bay. Now Fleming shares the surprising results of his intriguing work. Among the novel findings are one of the world’s rarest plant-breeding systems in a giant cactus; the ability of the organ pipe cactus to produce fruit with another species’ pollen; the highly specialized moth-cactus pollination system of the senita cactus; and the amazing lifestyle of the lesser long-nosed bat, the major nocturnal pollinator of three of these species. These discoveries serve as a primer on how to conduct ecological research, and they offer important conservation lessons for us all. Fleming highlights the preciousness of the ecological web of our planet—Tortilla Flats is a place where cacti and migratory bats and birds connect such far-flung habitats as Mexico’s tropical dry forest, the Sonoran Desert, and the temperate rain forests of southeastern Alaska. Fleming offers an insightful look at how field ecologists work and at the often big surprises that come from looking carefully at a natural world where no species stands alone.