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Not of War Only
Two Americans, an idealistic young revolutionary and a sheriff tracking him for the State Department, become involved in the Mexican Revolution and find love in the midst of war
416 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 1994
59 people want to read
About the author
Norman Zollinger
11 books13 followersAlbert Norman Zollinger was an award winning Albuquerque novelist whom fellow author Tony Hillerman called a "Renaissance Man.". To quote Hillermann: "He was a guy that, if you quoted Shakespeare for him, he could give you the whole play, and if you mentioned a poet, he could recite two or three of his poems. He was the most intelligent man I've ever known. Norman Zollinger always had a few kind words for me: "God damn it, when are you gonna start writing again?" He was a man who knew one big thing: if you're a writer, you should write. Nothing else matters. "Unlike some of the rest of us, Norman Zollinger lived this truth. That's a hell of a good thing to be able to say of a man." Hillerman also called his long time friend a "warm-hearted man" who was interested in everybody: "Zollinger liked people and he loved helping "wannabe writers" more than anybody else".
Norman Zollinger was born in Chicago, where his father had built up a plastics business. As a young man he joined the US Air Force, and was an air force pilot in WW II, flying 51 missions as a bombardier on a B-24 in Europe. After the war Zollinger joined his father's Chicago business, and within a year he was running the company, which engineered plastic components for the telecommunications industry.
Zollinger started writing his first novel in 1969, and in 1970 he decided to leave his high paying executive job and move his family to Albuquerque. He had become enamored with New Mexico while he was stationed at Roswell AFB during World War II. He decided to follow his writing dream and opened a bookstore, the "Little Professor Book Center" in Albuquerque. His first book, "Riders to Cibola" was published in 1979.
Zollinger's most recent novel was "Meridian" published in 1997, and contract negotiations were under way for his latest book, "Coyote". His other works included "Corey Lane", "Passage to Quivira", "Lantrec" and "Rage in Chupadera". Two of these books, "Riders" and "Rage" won the Western Writers of America Golden Spur Award.
For seven years, he taught at the Norman Zollinger Taos School of Writing during the summer, as well as teaching a course at the University of New Mexico Honors Program that he and Hillerman had started. Zollinger also offered creative writing workshops for service veterans who were physically challenged, in conjunction with the organization "Very Special Arts New Mexico" and the Veterans Administration. He received the Owen Wister Award for lifetime achievement from the Western Writers of America in 1998. For him, he said, "It may not be the Pulitzer or some of those other awards, but it's the highest honor for a man in Western letters."
Norman Zollinger died in Albuquerque on the 5th of March 1999.
Norman Zollinger was born in Chicago, where his father had built up a plastics business. As a young man he joined the US Air Force, and was an air force pilot in WW II, flying 51 missions as a bombardier on a B-24 in Europe. After the war Zollinger joined his father's Chicago business, and within a year he was running the company, which engineered plastic components for the telecommunications industry.
Zollinger started writing his first novel in 1969, and in 1970 he decided to leave his high paying executive job and move his family to Albuquerque. He had become enamored with New Mexico while he was stationed at Roswell AFB during World War II. He decided to follow his writing dream and opened a bookstore, the "Little Professor Book Center" in Albuquerque. His first book, "Riders to Cibola" was published in 1979.
Zollinger's most recent novel was "Meridian" published in 1997, and contract negotiations were under way for his latest book, "Coyote". His other works included "Corey Lane", "Passage to Quivira", "Lantrec" and "Rage in Chupadera". Two of these books, "Riders" and "Rage" won the Western Writers of America Golden Spur Award.
For seven years, he taught at the Norman Zollinger Taos School of Writing during the summer, as well as teaching a course at the University of New Mexico Honors Program that he and Hillerman had started. Zollinger also offered creative writing workshops for service veterans who were physically challenged, in conjunction with the organization "Very Special Arts New Mexico" and the Veterans Administration. He received the Owen Wister Award for lifetime achievement from the Western Writers of America in 1998. For him, he said, "It may not be the Pulitzer or some of those other awards, but it's the highest honor for a man in Western letters."
Norman Zollinger died in Albuquerque on the 5th of March 1999.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 6, 2019
Zollinger the historian provides an excellent, detailed picture of the insanity of Mexico's multiple simultaneous 'revolutions' set just over 100 years ago.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican...
Zollinger the novelist created some characters that I first enjoyed meeting over 20 years ago, and am appreciating again spending time with.
His interpretation of Pancho Villa and the other political figures shape my perception of Mexico's tragic history. NZ brings to life some of the real, and competent people that Villa attracted to his campaigns. Talented officers like Felipe Angeles.
The action involves politics of the mercenary USA and German and British involvement.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felipe_...
***
I suggest reading the story after reading NZ's Cibola book. The main character in NoWo first appears in Riders. You can also read it as a stand-alone. Some of the reviews suggest it is a sequal to NZ's 'Corey Lane.' I don't think reading 'Corey Lane' first is significant in context. (Cibola and NOWO are my recommendations for readers curious about the Shakespeare loving author.)
Riders to Cibola
***
(Trump might have hired Henry Wilson.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_L...
***
Here's a review from Kirkus:
"Nineteen hundred and fourteen was a good year for Corey Lane and Jorge Martinez, though neither knew it when Lane, the sheriff of Chupadera County, N.M., chased the fugitive Martinez into enlisting in Pancho Villa's Division Del Norte. By year's end, both would fall in love with Mexico, the Revolution, and beautiful Mexican women. The Mexican Revolution, with its convoluted politics and terrible brutalities, is the context of this novel. Young Jorge, an intelligent and sensitive Mexican-American, joins the Revolution because he believes in it and believes he is a fugitive. Both tough and literate, he is singled out for promotion, rising as the aide to a regimental commander. Corey, lawman, veteran of the Spanish- American War, and erstwhile historian, is tough and romantic. Recruited to spy for the US by a former comrade in arms, he moves through the Mexican Revolution with a diminutive Scotsman, an agent of the British Empire, witnessing bloody battles, fruitless negotiations, and barren embassy affairs. We see the struggle from within and without. Jorge's view is the soldier's: dusty, battle- weary, tense. Jorge, his idealism tempered but not crushed, becomes as much concerned with the politics of the division as with those of the Revolution. Corey's experiences, though adventurous and risky, are those of the outside observer. As much as he wants to influence policy and events, he is locked out. Both Corey and Jorge establish deep friendships with comrades and ardent affairs with women. Jorge's affair with Juanita Duran aids the narrative, while Corey's affair is an intrusion. Generally, Jorge is more interesting than Lane, but both are sympathetic and evolve in credible ways. Two small, interwoven stories within a large and colorful tapestry. "
***
Sample quote:
“He exploded. ’For Christ’s sake, Henry! Do you have any idea what things were like in this country under Diaz and Huerta? Mexico was the most oppressive slave state since ancient Egypt!’ … did you know that in 1909—six years ago—every last inch of the land between Brownsville and Tijuana that abuts the United States was owned by fewer than two dozen families? The hacendados had their own armies, backed by those killers the rurales, and their own private courts and jails. They executed people on their own warrants. The peasants were tied to the land as securely as any medieval serfs. And what the rich didn’t own, foreigners did.’”
“’… Let’s be realistic. Granted that some things need changing, you still can’t turn a sovereign twentieth-century nation over to unskilled illiterates with no experience of
governing. Why, when the Zapatistas finally did show up at Aguascalientes, the newspapers said they arrived like hobos. They begged transport from truckers as if they were vagrants, stowed away in mule trains, and even rode the rods under railroad cars, wearing little more than rags, and I’m told’—Henry shuddered—‘no under-linen … Once there, they couldn’t even look after themselves. General Obregon, an enemy, mind you, had to set up Bowery-style soup kitchens to feed them. Do you honestly think such incompetent ragamuffins could actually rule?’”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican...
Zollinger the novelist created some characters that I first enjoyed meeting over 20 years ago, and am appreciating again spending time with.
His interpretation of Pancho Villa and the other political figures shape my perception of Mexico's tragic history. NZ brings to life some of the real, and competent people that Villa attracted to his campaigns. Talented officers like Felipe Angeles.
The action involves politics of the mercenary USA and German and British involvement.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felipe_...
***
I suggest reading the story after reading NZ's Cibola book. The main character in NoWo first appears in Riders. You can also read it as a stand-alone. Some of the reviews suggest it is a sequal to NZ's 'Corey Lane.' I don't think reading 'Corey Lane' first is significant in context. (Cibola and NOWO are my recommendations for readers curious about the Shakespeare loving author.)
Riders to Cibola
***
(Trump might have hired Henry Wilson.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_L...
***
Here's a review from Kirkus:
"Nineteen hundred and fourteen was a good year for Corey Lane and Jorge Martinez, though neither knew it when Lane, the sheriff of Chupadera County, N.M., chased the fugitive Martinez into enlisting in Pancho Villa's Division Del Norte. By year's end, both would fall in love with Mexico, the Revolution, and beautiful Mexican women. The Mexican Revolution, with its convoluted politics and terrible brutalities, is the context of this novel. Young Jorge, an intelligent and sensitive Mexican-American, joins the Revolution because he believes in it and believes he is a fugitive. Both tough and literate, he is singled out for promotion, rising as the aide to a regimental commander. Corey, lawman, veteran of the Spanish- American War, and erstwhile historian, is tough and romantic. Recruited to spy for the US by a former comrade in arms, he moves through the Mexican Revolution with a diminutive Scotsman, an agent of the British Empire, witnessing bloody battles, fruitless negotiations, and barren embassy affairs. We see the struggle from within and without. Jorge's view is the soldier's: dusty, battle- weary, tense. Jorge, his idealism tempered but not crushed, becomes as much concerned with the politics of the division as with those of the Revolution. Corey's experiences, though adventurous and risky, are those of the outside observer. As much as he wants to influence policy and events, he is locked out. Both Corey and Jorge establish deep friendships with comrades and ardent affairs with women. Jorge's affair with Juanita Duran aids the narrative, while Corey's affair is an intrusion. Generally, Jorge is more interesting than Lane, but both are sympathetic and evolve in credible ways. Two small, interwoven stories within a large and colorful tapestry. "
***
Sample quote:
“He exploded. ’For Christ’s sake, Henry! Do you have any idea what things were like in this country under Diaz and Huerta? Mexico was the most oppressive slave state since ancient Egypt!’ … did you know that in 1909—six years ago—every last inch of the land between Brownsville and Tijuana that abuts the United States was owned by fewer than two dozen families? The hacendados had their own armies, backed by those killers the rurales, and their own private courts and jails. They executed people on their own warrants. The peasants were tied to the land as securely as any medieval serfs. And what the rich didn’t own, foreigners did.’”
“’… Let’s be realistic. Granted that some things need changing, you still can’t turn a sovereign twentieth-century nation over to unskilled illiterates with no experience of
governing. Why, when the Zapatistas finally did show up at Aguascalientes, the newspapers said they arrived like hobos. They begged transport from truckers as if they were vagrants, stowed away in mule trains, and even rode the rods under railroad cars, wearing little more than rags, and I’m told’—Henry shuddered—‘no under-linen … Once there, they couldn’t even look after themselves. General Obregon, an enemy, mind you, had to set up Bowery-style soup kitchens to feed them. Do you honestly think such incompetent ragamuffins could actually rule?’”
January 24, 2017
A very powerful read about a period of history (1914-16). I knew more than the average person about Mexican history after living in Tucson for 35 years, but the stories of Jorge Martinez and Corey Lane put a lot of pieces in place. Don't let the Spanish words put you off. They give salsa to this powerful story of love, honor and war.
August 23, 2010
This captivating novel is centered around Sheriff Corey Lane (a Spanish-American War veteran and New Mexico lawman) and his tracking of a Mexican-American fugitive who has fled across the border to a Mexico convulsed in revolution. Lane also meets a variety of characters from members of Pancho Villa's army, a British arms merchant, a U.S. government agent, and a wealthy, mature Mexican woman with whom he falls in love.
I came across this book purely by chance at a Barnes & Noble in the early 1990s and absolutely love it.
I came across this book purely by chance at a Barnes & Noble in the early 1990s and absolutely love it.
August 31, 2017
I couldn't even finish this it was so boring I'm not gonna read the rest of it it put me to sleep
July 12, 2021
Zollinger's books are a great way to learn New Mexican and Mexican history. In this case, the focus is on Pancho Villa's role in the Mexican Civil War.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews