Lucero is a licensed psychologist who spent much of his life in New Mexico, and he has written this historical account of two New Mexican families who settled in the region in the 16th century and continued to be guiding cultural forces until statehood was granted in 1912. Written for anyone interested in the history of the southwest United States, this volume covers 12 generations of the Lucero and Baca families to gain insight into colonization, independence, the Plains Indians, the growth of permanent settlements, the territorial period and statehood. This second edition corrects mistakes and typos present in the first edition and incorporates newly found data on the Baca family. Annotation 2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
