Tucson, Arizona, is a city with a rich history, and its story can be told in many ways. From the history of its university to the mystery of a disappearance, Tucson’s landscape emerges as a quiet protagonist in four new books.
Books on Tucson’s History
The books, including “The University of Arizona: A History in 100 Stories”, “The Arizona Triangle”, “The Bean Trees”, and “Storied Property: María Cordova’s Casa”, offer a glimpse into the city’s past and present. “The University of Arizona: A History in 100 Stories” tells the story of the university’s evolution, from its founding to its current status as a leading research institution.
“The Arizona Triangle” is a mystery novel that follows a queer private investigator as she searches for her childhood best friend who vanished without a trace. The investigation takes her through Tucson and a small fictional town in southern Arizona, exploring themes of identity, relationships, and loyalty.
“The Bean Trees” is a classic novel that explores themes of friendship, motherhood, and belonging. The story follows a young woman from rural Kentucky who becomes the caretaker of a 3-year-old Indigenous girl and finds a new sense of purpose in Tucson.
“Storied Property: María Cordova’s Casa” reconstructs the history of La Casa Cordova, an adobe home in the heart of Tucson that has been presented as one of the city’s oldest buildings. The book draws on court records, newspaper archives, and María Cordova’s own testimony to tell the story of the woman who lived in the house and fought to preserve her legacy.
Original reporting: Arizona Luminaria — read the source article.
