Publisher's Synopsis
Abstract: Monument Valley's Navajo tribal park is the Southwest's iconic altar of sandstone monoliths. Located 22 miles north of Kayenta, Arizona, the valley spreads out and shares its expansive boundary with southeast Utah. This is the heart of Navajo country. It's also where many classic Western movies were filmed. There are fifteen Sandstone Sketches in this nonfiction composition written for adults, each focusing on a facet of Monument Valley's ancient erosional landscape: the geology and how the sculpted monuments, like gigantic figurines, were fashioned over millions of years; an abstract of the Navajo who settled here centuries ago; a tour of the interior's prominent vistas; a road tour of scenic highlights in this vicinity of the Four Corners region; two backcountry backpacking sojourns's (the author's); evocative poetry describing Monument Valley's changing appearance and atmosphere over a twenty-four-hour period; and, of course, celebrated movies filmed here. Overall, the portrayals suffice as an informative tourist's field guide that can be read from cover to cover or select sketches that appeal to one's interest.As a retired educator and instructor for the likes of the Grand Canyon Field Institute, most of what I did for a living for some forty years entailed teaching various geosciences, natural and human history, environmental sciences, zoology, mathematics, and assorted published writings. (246 pages, 8.5 x 11 format)For more background, visit the Amazon site and click on the synopsis or visit my website: www.richholtzin.com
