Death Comes for the Archbishop

A solid, historical read about New Mexico in the latter half of the 19th century. Each chapter is like a piece of art to lose yourself in, a landscape to think about. It is based on the true story of Bishop Lame who came to New Mexico and revitalized the Catholic religion there. The author describes his travels throughout New Mexico as he visits several pueblos and Mexican towns. Cather's landscape descriptions are simply breathtaking (of course, I love the Southwest, perhaps that helps me enjoy them all the more). The story gives character and meaning to what you might read in a dry history book, and was deeply touching. A great read, especially for Southwest history buffs.