11 essential Arizona history books to add to your shelf
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We asked our readers for their recommendations on great Arizona history books, and they delivered. Photo: Jeremy Duda/Axios
Looking to build up your home library or read the essentials on Arizona history? We've got you covered.
State of play: Last month, we asked for your recommendations on must-read Arizona history books, and with your help, we've put together a strong list.
- This is by no means definitive, and we know there are plenty of other great books on our state's history.
"Arizona: A History," by Thomas Sheridan
- A solid, single-edition overview of Arizona history, which reader Trevor H. described as "required reading for anyone new to the state."
"A Brief History of Phoenix," by Jon Talton
- A former Arizona Republic columnist, Talton lays out the history of our capital and largest city.
"Tucson: A History of the Old Pueblo from the 1854 Gadsden Purchase," by David Devine
- Because Arizona is more than Phoenix.
- For more history on southern Arizona, check out Edwin Corle and Ross Santee's, "The Gila: River of the Southwest."
"The Grand Canyon Expedition: The Exploration of the Colorado River and Its Canyons," by John Wesley Powell
- Read Powell's account of his famous 1869 expedition in the Grand Canyon, the first recorded voyage of the world wonder that gave Arizona its nickname.
"Doing What the Day Brought: An Oral History of Arizona Women," by Mary Logan Rothschild and Pamela Claire Hronek
- Far too often women aren't given their due in history. This oral history aims to change that.
- Also check out "Winning Their Place: Arizona Women in Politics, 1883-1950," by Heidi Osselear, and "Holding the Line: Women in the Great Arizona Mine Strike of 1983," by Barbara Kingsolver.
"Geronimo: My Life," by Geronimo
- Geronimo lived decades before Arizona became a state, but is still one of its most famous residents.
"The Saga of Jack Durant," by Mabel Leo
- Nothing says "old Phoenix" like Durant's steakhouse, which opened in 1950 and is still popular today.
"Power Lines: Phoenix and the Making of the Modern Southwest," by Andrew Needham
- The story of the electricity that powered the Southwest, the Native American coal that fueled it and the inequities that resulted.