The Anthropology of Turquoise by Ellen Meloy

“Diverse, thoughtful, and humorous.” - Albuquerque Journal “Combine the best of travel writing with fascinating slices of history in an irresistible invitation to open our eyes and our minds, taking beauty where we find it.” - Kingston Springs Advocate “Smart, evocative, and memorable: Nature-writing done right.' -Kirkus (starred review)

the talented Meloy is a Southwestern voice to listen to.” - Santa Fe New Mexican The Anthropology of Turquoise explores Meloy’s beloved Southwest-a region she knows intimately and describes with her trademark sharp wit.” - Salt Lake Tribune “ crafts potent meditations on the desert landscape. “Finely crafted, vigorously descriptive, dazzling in its insights into biology and culture.” - Booklist Powerful and transporting-and funny.” - The Times-Picayune “By the time you lift your eyes from the last page, you’ll be longing to clasp a piece of stone, to be surrounded by blue water. “Meloy’s vision of the world through turquoise-colored glasses is a unique, moving, self-effacing delight.” - The Washington Post Meloy’s gem-studded collection calls us to be mindful of the physical world, to see it-really see it-with fresh eyes.” - Los Angeles Times This book was a finalist for the Pulitzer which makes me wonder what book actually won on this particular year.“Exquisitely rendered.

This book haunted me and forced me, several times, to leave my house to go sit on the patio and just look, smell, hear and feel. From her native California to the Southwest, Latin America, and wild rivers, “The Anthropology of Turquoise” gives us a glimpse into what it means to pay attention. It’s not often I think about the origins of color but this book surely made me do so.Įllen Meloy, who is sadly no longer with us, delivers a finely rendered take on her love of color, land, water, and much, much more. Don’t know how to use oil paint but it does not seem to matter.

For some reason I am a complete and total sucker for tubes of oil paint. Nature writing with a personal, humorous and insightful glare is something to behold, at least to me, and this book had me with the cover art. You will want to keep it and you will want to read it again. Good grief, how did I miss Ellen Meloy? If you have ever read anything by Terry Tempest Williams or Gretal Ehrlich then run, don’t walk, to your local book hawker and BUY a copy of this book.

The Anthropology of Turquoise by Ellen Meloy