Dancing to Pay the Light Bill: Essays on New Mexico and the Southwest

by Jim Sagel

A delightful panorama of Southwestern culture is presented in this collection of satirical and penetrating essays exploring the language, turbulent history, and rich multicultural fabric of life in this unique region.

160 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1991

Reviews

[Terry Mulcahy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I reread this to see what I may have missed, and I'm glad I did. The wealth of details in the stories are more than I could remember. For example, I noted this from a story about a blackout in Northern New Mexico in 1984: "Perhaps we ought to cut the juice at least once a week, and simply listen to the stories unfolding in the darkness. We might just find ourselves there," as Jim Sagel wrote.
I remember when the natural gas pipelines serving northern New Mexico were shut down in 2011 during the coldest, bitterest winter anyone could remember. People dragged their old wood stoves out of sheds and back rooms, because there was a run on electric heaters, and those ran out quickly. People without wood stoves or electric heaters left their homes to stay with neighbors and family with heat. People reconnected out of necessity, again.
The culture of New Mexico in the last 200 years may be slipping away fast, but Jim Sagel did a great job of interviewing people and getting them to tell their stories so they are not completely lost. Some stories go even further back. Some stories started in New Mexico tribal communities, or Mexico, Russia, or Germany. Some stories were just always here, on the land people call "enchanting".

[Bruce Wasserman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful essays that pop out of their time zone for applied relevance today. Distinctly New Mexican, the essays lend their perspective and entertain at the same time. I picked up this copy in a used book store and and am happy to have found this remarkable collection of essays.

[Carol Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the great fortune to take classes in creative writing and in literature taught by the author. I will forever remember his sense of humor and the way he appreciated and encouraged all of his students. I also grew up in Northern New Mexico, and this book is a wonderful insight into some of the cultural quirks of the region.

[Deena Santori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great little book. Funny, entertaining, and educational. I loved it, and highly recommend it.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the characters in these short stories. Sagel catches the essence of NM