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In the Arms of Saguaros: Iconography of the Giant Cactus
An essential—and monumental—member of the Sonoran Desert ecosystem, the saguaro cactus has become the quintessential icon of the American West.
In the Arms of the Saguaros shows how, from the botanical explorers of the nineteenth century to the tourism boosters in our own time, saguaros and their images have fulfilled attention-getting needs and expectations. Through text and lavish images, this work explores the saguaro’s growth into a western icon from the early days of the American railroad to the years bracketing World War II, when Sun Belt boosterism hit its zenith and proponents of tourism succeed in moving the saguaro to the center of the promotional frame.
This book explores how the growth of tourism brought the saguaro to ever-larger audiences through the proliferation of western-themed imagery on the American roadside. The history of the saguaro’s popular and highly imaginative range points to the current moment in which the saguaro touches us as a global icon in art, fashion, and entertainment.
In the Arms of the Saguaros shows how, from the botanical explorers of the nineteenth century to the tourism boosters in our own time, saguaros and their images have fulfilled attention-getting needs and expectations. Through text and lavish images, this work explores the saguaro’s growth into a western icon from the early days of the American railroad to the years bracketing World War II, when Sun Belt boosterism hit its zenith and proponents of tourism succeed in moving the saguaro to the center of the promotional frame.
This book explores how the growth of tourism brought the saguaro to ever-larger audiences through the proliferation of western-themed imagery on the American roadside. The history of the saguaro’s popular and highly imaginative range points to the current moment in which the saguaro touches us as a global icon in art, fashion, and entertainment.
232 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 28, 2024
If you love history and Tucson nostalgia in this book is for you. I learned a lot about the Tumamoc Hill and the Carnegie desert laboratory that was there and all the people that have visited over the years. Just about every page has an old photo that is sure to spark your nostalgic tendencies.
The book is about the iconography of the cactus but not so much about the cactus themselves, so if you're looking for a biology book on the topic you might search elsewhere. I never knew that so many different cities had Arizona desert gardens and here we are living in one!
This is a great coffee table book that people can just look at at any time since it has so many awesome pictures.
The book is about the iconography of the cactus but not so much about the cactus themselves, so if you're looking for a biology book on the topic you might search elsewhere. I never knew that so many different cities had Arizona desert gardens and here we are living in one!
This is a great coffee table book that people can just look at at any time since it has so many awesome pictures.
January 26, 2024
Great and lavishly illustrated book.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews