Giese, Dale F., Dr. Forts of New Mexico. Phelps Dodge Corporation, 1995.

A fascinating collection of information on the military's presence in New Mexico. You'll need this book for all those times when a Fort or Camp name is mentioned and you need to know more about it.

Hertzog, Peter. Outlaws of New Mexico. Santa Fe, Sunstone Press, 1984.

This small paperback is a little hard to come by but a must-buy when you find it. It's a dictionary of outlaws and baddies from New Mexico, and though the short two- or three-sentence descriptions of each one leaves you wanting more (pictures would be nice too), perhaps that itself is the highest compliment.

Julyan, Robert. The Place Names of New Mexico. Albuquerque, University of New Mexico Press, 1996.

Without a doubt, this book is the best reference on the origin of New Mexico place names. This is the one book I make sure I carry when I'm on the road. It's also just fascinating reading, and as much fun to use as a reference manual on the road as it is just to flip through randomly and read on the couch.

Kutz, Jack. Mysteries & Miracles of New Mexico. Corrales, Rhombus Publishing Company, 1988.

This book is subtitled "Guide Book to the Genuinely Bizarre in the Land of Enchantment," and though I think New Mexico gets a bum-rap in the media as a place where all kinds of strange things happen (cattle mutilations, UFO crashes, etc.), I guess one more book on the subject won't hurt.

Mahler, Richard. New Mexico's Best. Colorado, Fulcrum Publishing, 1996.

A bit heavy on central and northern New Mexico (Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Taos, of course) but a great book nonetheless. It's even fun to see if you agree with some of the "Bests" being chosen.

Pearce, T.M. New Mexico Place Names. Albuquerque, University of New Mexico Press, 1965.

While now largely surpassed by Robert Julyan's book on the same subject, this book is a valuable reference on the origin of place names in New Mexico.  It's out of print and hard to come by, but worth the money when you do.

Shakespeare Ghost Town. A Look at Shakespeare Ghost Town. Pyramid Printing Co, 1993.

This short but highly informative guide to the ghost town of Shakespeare is both a history of the town and a brochure on the location. It includes a list of the films that have been made there and a description of the historical reenactments done in the town each year.

Sherman, James E. and Barbara H. Ghost Towns and Mining Camps of New Mexico. Oklahoma, University of Oklahoma Press, 1975.

Although over twenty years old, this book is a good compendium of information on the ghost towns of New Mexico. It includes several historical pictures which allow the reader to compare and contrast the site as it was then with the site as it is now. Some of the information in the book can be disputed, however, so caveat emptor. The pictures are fascinating and the maps, by Jim Cooper, are also a useful resource.

Smith, Toby. Coal Town: the Life and Times of Dawson, New Mexico. Santa Fe, Ancient City Press, 1993.

Anything by Toby Smith is good, primarily because he focuses on people over places, events or things. This remarkable book tells the history of the town of Dawson, New Mexico. As is true of most of history, it is alternately uplifting and heart-breaking.

Other books by Toby Smith that are definite must-reads include "New Mexico Odyssey" - my favorite book on New Mexico - and "Stay Awhile."

Staats, Todd R. New Mexico Off the Beaten Path. Connecticut, The Globe Pequot Press, 1994.

Don't let the out-of-state publishing company scare you - this book was actually written by a New Mexican with help from other New Mexicans. While it doesn't go far enough off the beaten path to include many ghost towns, it's still refreshing to see a guidebook on New Mexico that isn't simply about Albuquerque, Santa Fe or Taos.

Varney, Philip. New Mexico's Best Ghost Towns. Albuquerque, University of New Mexico Press, 1981.

This book is dubbed "a practical guide" and that is certainly true - information on road conditions, topographical map names and even trip suggestions are included. The anecdotes from previous residents of several towns are fascinating. This is a valuable resource and one of the best ghost town books I've seen on any state.

Weigle, Marta. New Mexicans in Cameo and Camera. Albuquerque, University of New Mexico Press, 1985.

For the longest time, I thought "Cameo" and "Camera" were place names, and wondered where they were in New Mexico and why I couldn't find them on the map. Okay, so I'm not the brightest guy in the world. Once I actually opened the book, I realized the title refers to the work of the New Deal artists and photographers in New Mexico. This wonderful book combines photographs and narratives covering the lives of several New Mexico communities in the 1930s and 40s. If you can't make a trip to the photo archives at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., this book is your next best bet.