Talking to the Ground: One Family's Journey on Horseback Across the Sacred Land of the Navajo

Previously, Preston (Cities of Gold) had traveled on horseback along the ancient roads of the Anasazi, retracing Coronado's search for the Seven Cities of Gold. Three years ago, he took his fiancee, Christine, and her nine-year-old daughter, Selene, on a 400-mile horseback ride across Navajo land on the sacred path of the Navajo deity Monster Slayer. Starting at Navajo Mountain in Utah, they set out eastward for Monument Valley in Arizona. The route led them through sparsely settled country where water and shelter were scarce. They learned to depend on each other and on the hospitality of the Navajo for their lives. Preston deftly blends adventure with local history and Navajo culture for an engrossing story. Photos not seen by PW. (July)