Title: New book unveiled to public
Author: Robert E. Kimball
Publisher: Nogales International
Date: 7/22/09
The book-signing was to start at 10 a.m. Saturday morning.
Three Betty Barr book lovers were at the doors to Pioneer Hall at the Sonoita fairgrounds when the author and her helpers arrived at 9:30 a.m. to set up for the signing of her latest work, "Around Sonoita."
By 1 p.m. Barr had sold 69 copies of the book as well as several copies of her previous books. The final tally: 94 copies of "Around Sonoita" sold and 13 editions of her other books.
She signed them all. Carol Schmitt from High Noon, Tina Letarte of the Mini Mart and Susan McDonald of Buffalo Gals all reported brisk sales, Barr said.
Folks came from Nogales, Tucson, Patagonia, Elgin, Sierra Vista, Canelo, Rain Valley, and Vail for the signing. Barr added that several people called and reserved copies.
"We must have had at least 150 people come through the door," Barr said. "I think people also enjoyed the opportunity to view the new history center (at Pioneer Hall) and meet Bob Bowman, who started collecting local histories years ago. "Around Sonoita" is dedicated to him.
Lupita Santillan from Nogales told Barr, "This is such a wonderful thing you are doing, preserving the past of this area."
Doug Robinson and Barbara Barkley from Sonoita leafed through their copies of the new book. "Doug and I are so thrilled," Barbara said. "We both found pictures of our fathers in "Around Sonoita." My dad was an extra in a John Wayne movie and Doug's managed the Circle Z Guest Ranch."
Barr sold the last copy of her first book, "Hidden Treasures of Santa Cruz County." Total sales of the book hit 2,000 copies. Her second book, "More Hidden Treasures of Santa Cruz County" has sold nearly 1,000 copies, she said.
Barr's first two books were self-published. Her success is the result of her ongoing efforts to promote her books"book signings, keeping her Web site up to date, networking with groups like the Cowbelles and running ads in local newspapers.
"Around Sonoita" has 215 black-and-white photos, which were obtained from pioneer families and local historical archives.
"Around Sonoita" is published by Arcadia Publishing and is available at www.arcadiapublishing.com for $21.99.
Title: Take a trip back in time, learn history of this area
Author: Robert E. Kimball
Publisher: Nogales International
Date: 7/14/09
Betty Barr is on her way to becoming the historian laureate for this unique corner of the American Southwest.
Located in the high grassland valleys southeast of Tucson surrounded by the Santa Rita Mountains, the Mustang Mountains, the Huachuca Mountains and bordering on Mexico; it's an area rich with homesteading, mining and ranching history.
In her two previous books, "Hidden Treasures of Santa Cruz County" and "More Hidden Treasures of Santa Cruz County," Barr focused on the people who made that history " homesteaders, ranchers, miners, cowboys, school teachers, doctors and law officers. She obtained detailed biographical information by interviewing descendants of pioneer families.
Her new book, "Around Sonoita," features 215 black- and-white photos, which Barr obtained from pioneer families and local historical archives.
If a picture is worth a 1,000 words then the photographs are equal to 215,000 words, about 700 pages. The only words to read are Barr's preface, her introductions to the seven sections and her captions under each photo.
Brief, concise
Each introduction gives a brief and concise history relating to the photos that follow. The captions supply what the photos can't " the names of those in the photos, where they lived, what they did, whom they married, who their children were and when the photos were taken.
The photos show what is often hard to describe in words " the sparse one-room homestead homes and equally sparse one-room schools. Outhouses abound. Nearly everyone is wearing a hat. Horses are the primary means of transportation.
My favorite photo is on Page 110. It shows a young Gene Hummel in the 1920s amusing his friends by riding a pig like a cowboy would ride a Brahma bull.
Not easy
You might think writing a book that is mostly pictures would be a snap.
"Not so," says Barr. "Researching the information for the captions and making each fit the publisher's format of 40 words each was a nightmare. Sometimes I had more information than would fit. Other times not enough. Add to that the tight deadline I was working on and I nearly went nuts."
Needs a map
One thing missing is a map showing the locations of the homesteads, mines and ranches. Even those who know the area well would find a map useful.
If you want to know the people and how they lived in this part of the country during the late 1800s and the first half of the 1900s, Barr's books are a must read.
Signing
Barr will sign copies of her new book on Saturday, July 18, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Bowman & Stradling History Center at the fairgrounds in Sonoita.
Arcadia Publishing publishes "Around Sonoita," which sells for $21.99 at www.arcadiapublishing.com. For more information about Barr and her books, check her Web site at www.BrockingJbooks.com.
