Review of Arizona Across 400 Years

Post by **Mallory Porshnev** » 13 Jan 2022, 18:15

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Arizona Across 400 Years" by John Philip Wilson.]

4 out of 4 stars

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Arizona Across 400 Years by John Philip Wilson is a brief history of Arizona, but it is much more than that. It is a collection of stories that paints a picture of a land that was once and still is quite wild. The stories follow a chronological order and range from tales of Coronado's first exploration of the area to reports of the discovery of oil in the area. There are short musings about the ostrich industry and stagecoach robberies as well as legends and folklore. Topics of land scouting, homesteading, and railroad building are all discussed. So much is covered in just a few short chapters.

John Philip Wilson clearly is familiar with Arizona and its surroundings, and his eagerness to share his knowledge of the land comes across in his writing. I enjoyed reading this collection of short stories. I have visited Arizona many times in my life, but I did not know a lot of its history. I feel I learned a lot from this book. My favorite parts of this novel are the maps and photographs that are included to help the reader get a better understanding of the time period and the stories that are being told. I appreciated all of the references the author took the time to include. It is obvious that he did his research.

It is difficult to find negative things to say about this book. It was written very well and was thoroughly researched. If I had to pick a least favorite aspect, it would be that some of the stories are less interesting than the others. For example, one story is simply about the building of horse corrals. However, this doesn't really take away from the book as a whole. All of the stories are short, and one can easily be skipped without compromising the reading experience.

I give this book 4 out of 4 stars. I did not find a single editorial error. It was a fast and enjoyable read. I learned some unique stories about an interesting place. The added photos helped to give me an idea of what life was like in Arizona throughout the ages.

I would definitely recommend this book to people who live in or have been to Arizona. It is also something you might want to pick up before taking a trip there as well. It will help shed some light on the area's history. Fans of journalistic style writing will also appreciate this book. However, if you do not care for nonfiction, I wouldn't recommend it. If you do give it a try, I think you will be surprised by how much you learn.

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Arizona Across 400 Years
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