State of Esperanza Paperback – December 17, 2025

What a delightful book. The characters are very engaging and they take you through some of the southwests most notable history and development since statehood. The book is well researched and the story lines are based on actual events. A fine addition to my library. Marylou Morrow, Flagstaff photographer and historian. I was glad to see the author address some of the issues faced by minority workers in the state after WWII. Were they were heroes one day then a miss- treated labor force the next. The 'red scare' tactics used by many at that time to detract from labor issues was effectively documented. The authors description of the dynamics of small town New Mexico brought back many memories for me as well. John Arsola relations consultant The story follows the journey of a war orphan adopted by three US soldiers from war torn Germany in the closing days of WWII. The setting is in New Mexico and encompasses events from Statehood in 1912 until the 1970's. This period of New Mexico history saw the emergence of many national events such as labor union organization, women rights, oil and gas development, modernization of farming, communist spy rings with McCarthyism, and the development of the atomic bomb at Los Alamos. The story also includes the challenges faced by the Navajo Reservation during a period of modernization in post WWII New Mexico and Arizona. The author uses very good character development and a sense of humor to weave a very engaging story. Publishers comments... scan or click here to see book trailer. Read more