For 2020 my interests for reviewing are U.S.-Mexico border, Mexican history, and anything related to Texas and especially Far West Texas. Nonfiction only, please.

Please query first by email.

A few of my recent book reviews:

...West of the Revolution by Claudio Saunt for Literal Magazine

...Reading Mexico: Recommendations for a Book Club of Extra-Curious and Adventurous English-Language Readers for Madam Mayo blog

...Bitter Waters by Patrick Dearen for Madam Mayo and Marfa Mondays blogs

...In Plain Sight by Heribert von Feilitzsch for Literal Magazine

...Dreamland by Sam Quinones for Literal Magazine

...Nut Country by Edward H. Miller for Washington Independent Review of Books

...Lone Star Nation by Richard Parker for Madam Mayo blog

...The Pecan by James McWilliams for Madam Mayo blog

...Complete list of all book reviews.

Please be aware that although I have published reviews with the LA Times, Literal, Washington Independent Review of Books, Wilson Quarterly, etc., mainly I write reviews for my own blogs.

More detail on my reviewing policy, in case you were wondering:
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If I genuinely admire a book I might write a review for a magazine or, more likely, one of my blogs. But it's nano-likely because I am mega-busy with reading the next book in my ever-towering pile and with my own writing.

As for not so admirable books, when I discover one, unless I need to glean from it some essential information or it has value as an edition and/or as part of a collection, I stop reading immediately and leave it in a public place or, sometimes, and especially if it is larded with malarkey, toss it in the recycling bin. I do not feel the need to inform the world about its crappiness because there is more than enough crap in this world, and no need to add to any blathering about crap, and anyway, if anything is truly crappy, why, anyone with a brain cell can figure that out for himself.

Time is scarce and books are plentiful, so I believe that the best way to enjoy and benefit from them is to not to waste time criticizing them, but rather, luxuriate in their abundance, knowing that as mediocre and, alas, crappy as most books are, gems do gleam in the ever-flowing Niagara!

As Gabriel Zaid put it, "The truly cultured are capable of owning thousands of unread books without losing their composure or their desire for more." Ha! And desire for more bookshelf space, too.