Books, Noted
Geography Lesson: Canadian Notes
Allan Sekula, MIT Press, 1997
Sekula photographs the nickel mines of Sudbury, Ontario, and the headquarters of the Bank of Canada in Ottawa, and references the materials and imagery of the monetary currency that connects them, in this striking study of Canadian culture and economics. From an exhibition originally held in 1986.
Los Alamos, New Mexico: An Area Guide for Visitors and Residents
Tom Ribe, Otowi Crossing Press, 1997
A guide to the town and the region, especially notable for its driving tour on the public roads around and through the notorious Los Alamos National Laboratory. Available from the Otowi Station Bookstore: (505) 662-9589.
Oddity Odyssey: A Journey Through New England's Colorful Past
James Chenoweth, Henry Holt and Co., 1996
Stories of some of the lesser known incidents of New England's history, with the associated sites, monuments, and architecture located for travellers. An interesting and eclectic mix, from Viking murder sites to houses made of newspaper.
Boom to Bust: Remembrances of the Grants, New Mexico Mining Boom
George Dannenbaum, Creative Designs Inc, 1994
A first-hand account of the uranium mining era that transformed the area around Grants from the 1950's to 1970's. A locally published book written by a former mayor of Grants, and available from the Uranium Mining Museum, in Grants. The New Mexico Uranium Mining Museum: (800) 748-2142.
On Planet Earth: Travels in an Unfamiliar Land
Photographs by Jan Staller, essay by Luc Sante, Aperture Press, 1997
A large format color book of surrealist industrial photography by Jan Staller. "Non-documentary" lighting, framing, and coloration help to make the already strange sights at locations such as Sandia Lab, Nevada Test Site, and the Tehachapi wind array, look even stranger.
Wasteland: Meditations on a Ravaged Landscape
David T. Hansen, Aperture Press, 1997
A broad selection of Superfund National Priorities List sites, as well as coal mining sites, missile silos, and more, combined with clear photography and the untethered, all-seeing aerial perspective makes this one of the greatest landscape photography books of all time.
Sandia National Laboratories:
A History of Exceptional Service in the National Interest
Leland Johnson, published by Sandia Labs, 1997
An inside job, as the disclaimer inside the front cover states "This study was performed at Sandia National Laboratories." This is actually the second major history of the lab released by the lab, but is more up to date than the previous book, and has many previously unpublished photographs. Available from the National Atomic Museum: (505) 284-3243.
Secrets of Cold War Technology: Project HAARP and Beyond
Gerry Vassilatos, Borderland Sciences Research Foundation, 1996
A history of modern radiative military technologies, such as beam weapons, electromagnetic pulse research, ionospheric manipulation, and extremely-low-frequency waves. Going against the conventional conspiracy grain, the author has some unusual revelations about the lack of Tesla-type technological proficiency by the military. Borderland Books: PO Box 220, Bayside, CA, 95524.
Michael Heizer
Germano Celant, Fondazione Prada, 1997
The catalog of a recent major exhibition of Heizer's work in Spain. With thick pages and weighing in at more than six pounds, the book is a suitable companion for an exhibit composed of around 45 tons of art.