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Rim to River: Looking into the Heart of Arizona
Tom Zoellner walked across the length of Arizona to come to terms with his home state. But the trip revealed more mountains behind the mountains.
Rim to River is the story of this extraordinary journey through redrock country, down canyons, up mesas, and across desert plains to the obscure valley in Mexico that gave the state its enigmatic name. The trek is interspersed with incisive essays that pick apart the distinctive cultural landscape of Arizona: the wine-colored pinnacles and complex spirituality of Navajoland, the mind-numbing stucco suburbs, desperate border crossings, legislative skullduggery, extreme politics, billion-dollar copper ventures, dehydrating rivers, retirement kingdoms, old-time foodways, ghosts of old wars, honky-tonk dreamers, murder mysteries, and magical Grand Canyon reveries.
In Rim to River, Zoellner does for Arizona what Larry McMurtry did for Texas in In a Narrow Grave and what Wallace Stegner did for Utah in Mormon Country: paint an enduring portrait of a misunderstood American state. An indictment, a love letter, and a homecoming story all at once.
Rim to River is the story of this extraordinary journey through redrock country, down canyons, up mesas, and across desert plains to the obscure valley in Mexico that gave the state its enigmatic name. The trek is interspersed with incisive essays that pick apart the distinctive cultural landscape of Arizona: the wine-colored pinnacles and complex spirituality of Navajoland, the mind-numbing stucco suburbs, desperate border crossings, legislative skullduggery, extreme politics, billion-dollar copper ventures, dehydrating rivers, retirement kingdoms, old-time foodways, ghosts of old wars, honky-tonk dreamers, murder mysteries, and magical Grand Canyon reveries.
In Rim to River, Zoellner does for Arizona what Larry McMurtry did for Texas in In a Narrow Grave and what Wallace Stegner did for Utah in Mormon Country: paint an enduring portrait of a misunderstood American state. An indictment, a love letter, and a homecoming story all at once.
376 pages, Hardcover
Published February 28, 2023
53 people are currently reading
296 people want to read
About the author
Tom Zoellner
22 books106 followersTom Zoellner is the author of several nonfiction books, including Island on Fire: The Revolt that Ended Slavery in the British Empire, and works as a professor at Chapman University and Dartmouth College. His writing has appeared in The Atlantic, Harper’s, The American Scholar, The Oxford American, Time, Foreign Policy, Men’s Health, Slate, Scientific American, Audubon, Sierra, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, The Texas Observer, Departures, The American Scholar, The Wall Street Journal and many other publications. Tom is a fifth-generation Arizonan and a former staff writer for The Arizona Republic and the San Francisco Chronicle. He is the recipient of fellowships and residencies from The Lannan Foundation, the Corporation of Yaddo, the Economic Hardship Reporting Project and the Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
October 4, 2024
I found out about this book at the Tucson Book Festival earlier this year. The author, a journalist, was on a panel with two or three other authors. The book sounded interesting and even though I don't usually buy books at this festival, I bought this one and had him autograph it. The adventurous aspect of him walking the Arizona Trail in 2019 was a draw for me. The Arizona Trail is 790 miles, starts in Utah and travels south through the state to the border of Mexico. But walking the trail was not what most of the book was about. In fact, almost all of the writing were essays on different Arizona topics: the historical, cultural and political aspects of the State that Mr. Zoellner felt were important.
I have mixed feelings about this book. At times I found a particular chapter to be appealing, giving me much to think about my adopted state. At other times, the chapters were dry, a slog to get through, for example the building of the Capitol and antics of various politicians. The topic of water shortages, a current and future fear for many, included fascinating information about a Saudi Arabian company who is leasing land and growing many, many acres of very thirsty alfalfa to send back to Saudi Arabia. And then there was the compelling chapter about some of the major forest fires the state has experienced. There are a number of other essays to include the endless suburban sprawl outside of the Phoenix area; migrants crossing and the huge sums of money spent to fund security at the Border; the history of Mexican food in the State; the copper boom; an unsolved murder and the state of crime in Arizona; traveling Interstate 10; the growth of communities for the elderly; the damming and destruction of the Colorado and Gila Rivers, the building of the steep and scenic road to Mt. Lemmon and more.
The writing is very detailed and so wordy at times I felt I needed a dictionary. Because of this style, it seemed to take forever to read this book. Much of the time I couldn't wait to get through the chapters. The other difficulty I found was the negative tone. There was so much about the problems Arizona has faced or is facing. At times, there seemed to be little in the way of optimism or positivity. I started to see it as a drag to the story. For example, "Arizona is still among the bloodier states in the country, thanks to a transient population and a high rate of gun ownership;" or "A striking number of Arizonans, more than half in some surveys, report feeling lonely on a regular basis, disconnected from others and as though their neighbors don't care about them. The U.S. Census reports Arizona comes in last in the country when it comes to spending time with neighbors." Or the comments about a daily community lunch for those with modest incomes in the popular retirement town of Green Valley where "It is not unheard of for a client to collapse in the line and others step over the fallen person. They weren't going to miss out on their mac and cheese." Or in another sentence regarding Green Valley, a financial advisor reports people telling him that he as their financial advisor is their most meaningful social connection.
The book is very well researched and the author has spent his life living in and writing about the state. He is quite knowledgeable about many subjects. I just wish the writing had been better paced.
3-1/2 stars, rounded down to three for the writing style and negative tone.
I have mixed feelings about this book. At times I found a particular chapter to be appealing, giving me much to think about my adopted state. At other times, the chapters were dry, a slog to get through, for example the building of the Capitol and antics of various politicians. The topic of water shortages, a current and future fear for many, included fascinating information about a Saudi Arabian company who is leasing land and growing many, many acres of very thirsty alfalfa to send back to Saudi Arabia. And then there was the compelling chapter about some of the major forest fires the state has experienced. There are a number of other essays to include the endless suburban sprawl outside of the Phoenix area; migrants crossing and the huge sums of money spent to fund security at the Border; the history of Mexican food in the State; the copper boom; an unsolved murder and the state of crime in Arizona; traveling Interstate 10; the growth of communities for the elderly; the damming and destruction of the Colorado and Gila Rivers, the building of the steep and scenic road to Mt. Lemmon and more.
The writing is very detailed and so wordy at times I felt I needed a dictionary. Because of this style, it seemed to take forever to read this book. Much of the time I couldn't wait to get through the chapters. The other difficulty I found was the negative tone. There was so much about the problems Arizona has faced or is facing. At times, there seemed to be little in the way of optimism or positivity. I started to see it as a drag to the story. For example, "Arizona is still among the bloodier states in the country, thanks to a transient population and a high rate of gun ownership;" or "A striking number of Arizonans, more than half in some surveys, report feeling lonely on a regular basis, disconnected from others and as though their neighbors don't care about them. The U.S. Census reports Arizona comes in last in the country when it comes to spending time with neighbors." Or the comments about a daily community lunch for those with modest incomes in the popular retirement town of Green Valley where "It is not unheard of for a client to collapse in the line and others step over the fallen person. They weren't going to miss out on their mac and cheese." Or in another sentence regarding Green Valley, a financial advisor reports people telling him that he as their financial advisor is their most meaningful social connection.
The book is very well researched and the author has spent his life living in and writing about the state. He is quite knowledgeable about many subjects. I just wish the writing had been better paced.
3-1/2 stars, rounded down to three for the writing style and negative tone.
March 19, 2023
I wasn't born in Arizona, but I got there as soon as I could.
I am a hiker, and the title implied I was buying a hiking book about the Arizona Trail which runs from Utah to Mexico along the "ridge of Arizona".
Well, it's not very much about hiking and just a little about the Arizona Trail.
Zoellner has used that trail as "tree" on which he hangs the story of the state. The great riches of the state, the soul-crushing poverty of the state, the heroes and the hoodlums, and a lot of fascinating history.
It was nice hiking with you, Tom.
I am a hiker, and the title implied I was buying a hiking book about the Arizona Trail which runs from Utah to Mexico along the "ridge of Arizona".
Well, it's not very much about hiking and just a little about the Arizona Trail.
Zoellner has used that trail as "tree" on which he hangs the story of the state. The great riches of the state, the soul-crushing poverty of the state, the heroes and the hoodlums, and a lot of fascinating history.
It was nice hiking with you, Tom.
May 24, 2023
Rather appropriately, just days after purchasing this book we completed a Rim-to-River-to-Rim hike at the Grand Canyon in what proved to be a brutal mental and physical test. Along the way, the beautiful scenery sparked an interest in the means by which the canyon formed, and subsequent adventures exposed us to the lives of the present-day Navajo and to some of Arizona’s cultural mainstays.
This is not a book about a hike, let’s get that out of the way immediately. This is a thoroughly-researched oral history of Arizona dating back to pre-statehood, peppered with personal anecdotes from a longtime resident of the state and journalist for a major Arizona news organization. There are certainly elements that describe the hike (a 700+ mile trek from North Arizona to the Mexican border), but all of those are used to segue into passages about the rich history of the state, the areas Thomas walked through, and the people he met along the way.
Having recently passed through the area, I found this to be extremely enjoyable even as a non-resident. For anyone experiencing the natural wonders that Arizona has to offer, I would strongly recommend this book as a companion to that adventure.
This is not a book about a hike, let’s get that out of the way immediately. This is a thoroughly-researched oral history of Arizona dating back to pre-statehood, peppered with personal anecdotes from a longtime resident of the state and journalist for a major Arizona news organization. There are certainly elements that describe the hike (a 700+ mile trek from North Arizona to the Mexican border), but all of those are used to segue into passages about the rich history of the state, the areas Thomas walked through, and the people he met along the way.
Having recently passed through the area, I found this to be extremely enjoyable even as a non-resident. For anyone experiencing the natural wonders that Arizona has to offer, I would strongly recommend this book as a companion to that adventure.
July 24, 2023
Arizona, the state, intrigues and dismays in equal measure. Its natural landscape inspires awe; its built landscape often horrifies. Is there any writer out there who has embraced the state's contradictions more heartily than Tom Zoellner? Part travelogue, part history, part personal exploration, this book will reward the attention of those who want to better know Arizona. I lived in the state for 13 years and practiced journalism there, explored corner to corner, and still call the place one of my heart-homes. Yet this book revealed secrets I could never have imagined about the great puzzle that is the Grand Canyon State.
July 20, 2024
Rim to River promises to be the Arizona equivalent of Bill Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods, but it falls short. Zoellner, a journalist, covered the political and crime beats, and this feels like political diatribe. I would have been far happier had he subtitled this "How Republicans have destroyed Arizona," because that's what he writes about more than anything else, and then I wouldn't have been blindsided.
August 29, 2024
Felt a bit dry—I DNF’d but I don’t think this is a bad book! Just not the book for me. I think this is a great book for anyone interested in AZ history and really diving into the nitty gritty details.
June 5, 2023
Disappointed in author's negatively judgmental tone throughout the book. Not surprising, since he has worked for the AZ Republic newspaper. When I looked at the references on the back cover, I also noted that the groups who endorsed this book are liberal groups looking for publicity. Enjoyed learning things about my home state. I was disappointed that there was hardly anything about his experience on the trail. I finished as soon as I could because it felt like a waste of time- not what I expected.
October 19, 2023
This is an Arizona history book written by someone who was born here, lived here, worked here, and walked the length of it on the Arizona Trail. I really enjoyed reading about half of it but some was ancient history I didn’t care about and some was just too lengthly and failed to keep my attention. There were also topics he wrote about that were just mundane and I felt really didn’t belong in the book. However, if you are a die hard AZ native in search of the true history from it’s beginnings, this book is for you!
May 28, 2023
I have been hiking segments of the Arizona Trail so was drawn to this book. What I found was so much interesting history and color about Arizona that I created lists of other things to experience in the State. I thoroughly enjoyed the book but I would have liked more about his actual trail experience.
May 28, 2023
Thoughtful and evocative. Anyone who has ever passed through Arizona or lived here for any length of time would enjoy this book. Well-written!
July 21, 2024
Having grown up in the state of Arizona, I was instantly captivated by "Rim to River." The book's vivid descriptions and rich history of the various places along the Arizona Trail brought back many cherished memories. I could almost see the landscapes and hear the stories as I remembered my own experiences driving I-10 from Phoenix to Tucson and exploring different parts of the state, including sections of the Arizona Trail. One of the aspects I loved most about this book is how it mirrors my own curiosity. Just as I often find myself wondering about the origins and histories of the small towns I pass by, this book delves into the fascinating stories behind the names and communities along the trail. It offers a deep appreciation for the heritage and changes these places have undergone. I also appreciated the author's perspective, having grown up in Phoenix and later moving to Tucson. This duality provides a comprehensive view of the state that resonated with my own experiences. A delightful surprise was the mention of Bill Carter and his book "Boom, Bust, Boom." Bill is a friend of mine, and seeing his work acknowledged added a personal connection to my reading experience. "Rim to River" also raises critical points about water management, a topic of utmost importance for Arizona. The book emphasizes the need for a 100-year plan for water sustainability, highlighting that our current water plan might not be sufficient to avoid future crises, especially with the state's rapid growth and the new TSMC chip plants that will significantly increase water usage near Anthem and the highway 303. This book not only reignited my desire to hike the entirety of the Arizona Trail but also inspired me to learn more about this unique state. "Rim to River" is a compelling read for anyone interested in Arizona's history, its future, and the intricate balance of nature and progress.
December 1, 2024
I found the book disjointed with frequent meandering and irrelevant stories. Having lived in Arizona my entire life, there wasn’t a lot of information I didn’t already know (though it was fun recognizing the landmarks of my childhood (e.g. the birdcages on the side of I-10)).
The author lost me early when he related “picking the stickers off of a prickly pear fruit and eating it in two bites”—as someone who grew up in the desert of Tucson, I can tell you that didn’t happen: (A) The glochids (minuscule stickers) on a prickly pear fruit are not something you just “pick off”, (B) the skin is tough and would still have glochids that would lodge in your tongue and roof off your mouth, and (C) inside a prickly pear fruit are rock-hard bb sized seeds. I suppose if you want to learn a lot about random bits and pieces of AZ myth, politics, and culture, you might enjoy this book, but I had a hard time finishing it.
The author lost me early when he related “picking the stickers off of a prickly pear fruit and eating it in two bites”—as someone who grew up in the desert of Tucson, I can tell you that didn’t happen: (A) The glochids (minuscule stickers) on a prickly pear fruit are not something you just “pick off”, (B) the skin is tough and would still have glochids that would lodge in your tongue and roof off your mouth, and (C) inside a prickly pear fruit are rock-hard bb sized seeds. I suppose if you want to learn a lot about random bits and pieces of AZ myth, politics, and culture, you might enjoy this book, but I had a hard time finishing it.
August 8, 2023
I’d heard great things about this book and I was not disappointed. The author takes us on a journey along the Arizona Trail, which is peppered with a series of well-researched stories about the history of the Grand Canyon state and the characters who shaped it. Rim to River is both a love letter and an unflinching critique of the 48th state. The storytelling is wry, humorous, and mournful with fascinating stories about water, retirement meccas, and corrupt politicians. I particularly appreciate the author’s spot-on perspective on Arizona’s “killing fields,” the deadly result of our failed border policies. It’s a must-read if you live in or want to understand all that is Arizona.
June 6, 2024
A love letter to Arizona. While I don't know if there is any writer alive who can fully capture the beauty of the Grand Canyon State in writing, Zoellner comes close at points. The history is fascinating - I went to Arizona public high schools from K through 12, but I never knew of the union busting shenanigans in Bisbee. My gripe is with the terrible editing - far too many times throughout the book, I had to stop and re read sentences because of the grammatical typos.
If you have a soft spot for Arizona - or want to develop one - definitely recommend.
If you have a soft spot for Arizona - or want to develop one - definitely recommend.
September 18, 2024
“Love is complicated. Love is rarely clean or explainable. Like a romantic partner whose greatest flaws make them attractive and mysterious, Arizona baffles and beguiles and will never leave my consciousness.”
This mentality is also, coincidentally, how I felt about this book. Some parts were interesting and entertainingly descriptive, while others just dragged on and on about topics I didn’t necessarily care about. Overall though, it did succeed at giving a glimpse into “the heart of Arizona.”
This mentality is also, coincidentally, how I felt about this book. Some parts were interesting and entertainingly descriptive, while others just dragged on and on about topics I didn’t necessarily care about. Overall though, it did succeed at giving a glimpse into “the heart of Arizona.”
October 9, 2023
As an Arizona kid who was growing up here at the same time as Zoellner, I delighted in his recollections and learned far more about my home state than I have ever done studying Arizona’s history as a student. I share Zoellner’s conflicted relationship with my home state: I love Arizona as much as I’m infuriated and confused by it. You don’t have to have grown up here to love this book, though. It’s delightful and beautifully written!
September 21, 2023
This is a great read that brings the history of the state alive and gives an understanding of what daily life for a native of the state must be like for those of us who don't match that description. Nevertheless, the author seemed to exhibit a persistent sense of negativity about the people and places described in his book, which left a bit of a bad taste.
February 29, 2024
I was captivated by this book! Though I had expected it to delve deeper into the Arizona Trail, the author's exploration of historical paths and personal musings was like reading a voyage of self-discovery. I was especially moved by the author's poetic reflections on the majesty of the Grand Canyon, which reminded me of the limitless beauty of nature.
March 26, 2024
3.7 stars. While this did give me a more thorough understanding of Arizona, allowing me to associate anything at all come to mind when this state or its cities are mentioned, I felt the book went on several rants. The walk part on the Arizona Trail was so randomly mentioned. I do want to visit the state now more than ever
October 10, 2024
“The name Arizona—that good oak tree of the silver mines—may one day not appear in any atlas, and the United States itself may fade away and be replaced as a country with different labeling, but the Vishnu Basement Rocks at the bottom of the Grand Canyon will still be here, marking time. So too will the words that made Arizona. The words survive us.”
June 26, 2024
As someone who is still getting used to being a fulltime resident of Arizona, I found this book to be a bounty of descriptive information, both of the landscape and history of the state. I have a lot more places here that I wish to explore.
November 11, 2023
Perspective
It's important to understand the past of the present to make decisions that will impact the future. Arm chair hikers can explore and ponder as they read.
It's important to understand the past of the present to make decisions that will impact the future. Arm chair hikers can explore and ponder as they read.
January 2, 2024
Such a wonderful exploration of my beloved home state. So well told. This is not a book about backpacking the Arizona Trail.
April 16, 2024
I’m not a native but have been here half my life. I thought I knew a lot about my adopted state, but Tom took me to places and states of mind that I’d never considered. Thank you for that.
June 11, 2024
One of the best tours of Arizona. The “Notes on Sources” is worth it alone.
April 14, 2025
A well-written and deeply-researched collection of essays on the topic of the 48th state of the US, connected by short passages describing parts of the Arizona Trail.
April 4, 2024
Wanted to really like this book. I love travelogues and I spend a lot of time enjoying Arizona trails. However, there was very little written in this book about the 800 mile Arizona Trail. The majority of the book was a collection of the author's essays on his opinions of different aspects of Arizona history and cultural events. The excerpt on the Grand Canyon which was published in a recent edition of Arizona Highways piqued my interest in the book, but unfortunately, it was the only really interesting section of the book that relates to his hiking venture.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews