THE NEW MEXICO DRIVER’S SURVIVAL GUIDE--For Visitors and "Locals"
By Jim Terr, illustrated by Toby Konno.

94 pages, 33 illustrations, 48 topics. "How to live long enough to enjoy New Mexico’s natural wonders." Discover how New Mexico’s famous Artistic, Spiritual and Mystical qualities explain New Mexico driving (or at least justify it). $7.95. ISBN # 0-929830-02-4

Ordering Information

New Mexico is one of America’s top tourist destinations, but its unique culture presents some distinct traffic hazards which are described in detail in this witty book. 33 hilarious cartoons and 48 topics, including "The Mid-Street Stop-and-Chat," "Santa Fe’s Bermuda Triangle" and "The Top Ten Signs of a New Mexico Driver." Applicable to other southwestern states as well, this book explains "How to live long enough to enjoy New Mexico’s natural wonders," and "How New Mexico’s famous artistic, spiritual and mystical qualities explain New Mexico driving--or at least justify it."

"Hilarious...hits home...funny guide tells it like it is" --Taos News

"Tongue in cheek humor and gratifying explanations...cool and clever illustrations." --Pasatiempo (Santa Fe New Mexican)

"A great job--funny stuff--the illustrations are a hoot--

you’ll want this book!" --Chris Jackson, KKOB Radio

(No comment - no literary value) --Albuquerque Journal

"Witty exposé...fun, insightful...worth buying"

-Carlsbad Current-Argus

"A really fun book--a great book!" --KRSN Radio, Los Alamos

"A lot to love in this amusing book."--Las Cruces Sun-News

"A New Mexico classic" --"Mr. Hot Lix," KUNM-FM Radio

"You will laugh, you will cry" --Prime Time newspaper

(Actual letter received by someone in New Mexico who sent a gift copy of The New Mexico Driver's Survival Guide to a friend in Texas): "Thanks for the Survival Guide. While I was observing various scenarios (while driving in New Mexico) in shock and amazement and with raised eyebrows, he was seeing the humor in all of it! The world needs more like him. I had a lot of laughs remembering the exact scenes which he described so very well, scenes we have all encountered many times if we've been in New Mexico very much. He has captured the essence of New Mexico along with its beauty. Horray!"

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NEW MEXICO DEALERS:

Albuquerque: Page One, Borders, UNM Bookstore, Bound to be Read, Treasure House, La Montanita, Sagebrush Gifts (Airport). Santa Fe: Garcia Street Books, Railyard Books, Borders, Hastings, Collected Works, Travel Bug, Five & Dime, Inn at Loretto Gift Shop, Carson & Steed, El Dorado Hotel Gift Shop, Carson & Steed, Masha’s at the Railyard, Captain Kid Toys, Agroura General Store, Simply Santa Fe, Wild Oats, Alfalfa’s, Market Place. Raton: Rubin’s. Las Vegas: Tome on the Range, Horizon Pharmacy, Inn on the Santa Fe Trail. Bernalillo: Home at the Range. Los Alamos: R Books, Ottowi Station. Chimayo: Leona’s. Taos: Brodsky, Moby Dickens. Deming: Teapot Dome.

 

"Driver’s Survival Guide" Targets New Mexico Driving

(Santa Fe) A new 94-page paperback book called "The New Mexico Driver’s Survival Guide--for Visitors and Locals" combines a tongue-in-cheek analysis of "How New Mexico’s famous artistic, spiritual and mystical qualities explain New Mexico driving--or at least justify it," with serious traffic safety intent.

Subtitled "How to Survive Long Enough to Enjoy New Mexico’s Natural Wonders," the book was written by Santa Fean Jim Terr and illustrated by Terr’s nephew, Toby Konno, a 19-year-old art student in Phoenix. Both Terr and Konno were raised in Las Vegas, NM.

The book’s 48 subjects and 33 cartoons include such humorous topics as:

"Turn Signals, the Key to Understanding New Mexico Driving," "Stop Signs and Red Lights: For Your Consideration Only," "The Mid-Street Stop-and-Chat," "DUI: A Short History," and "New Mexico’s Safest--and Most Dangerous--Driving Snacks," as well as several more serious subjects like "The Reason to Walk on the Left Side of the Road" and "A Word about Littering."

The book is dedicated "to New Mexico’s police officers, for doing a nearly impossible job with humanity, courage and occasional good humor," as well as to New Mexico’s bicyclists, "for their bravery in driving the edges of New Mexico’s streets and highways."

In order to ensure factual accuracy, Terr consulted Javier Lopez, an 11-year staff attorney at the state Department of Motor Vehicles, "and other friends I could count on to give me a reality check." Terr is a nationally-broadcast singer/songwriter and actor, and produced the nationally-acclaimed video documentary, "In Their Own Words: 12 New Mexico Veterans of World War Two," which aired last year on public TV stations in New Mexico and was distributed to all New Mexico secondary schools and libraries. He also wrote and produced the popular "Toss No Mas" and Ken Ashner radio and TV jingles, and a school drop-out prevention poster on view in most New Mexico secondary schools.

The book, which retails at $7.95, is available in bookstores and gift shops in major New Mexico cities (and has sold out repeatedly in many), or may be ordered by calling (505) 989-9298. The book debuted at a booksigning on April 24 in Santa Fe, where 100% of the book sale proceeds were donated to Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Santa Fe.

(Note: Illustrator Toby Konno has occassional artworks on our humor page.)