I knew Joe de Kehoe was working on a book detailing the history of Route 66 and the old railroad towns in the East Mojave Desert. I couldn’t wait to see it. That is an area I have been interested in for years but could only find bits and pieces of information scattered about. Just before the book came out I had the pleasure of hearing Joe talk about it at the Mojave River Valley Museum in Barstow. That night I ordered not one, but two copies and very shortly they arrived. Everything about the book is striking beginning with the cover. I ran my fingers over some of the print thinking it must be embossed, but it wasn’t. Inside I found it carefully arranged by location, so that first night I stayed up too late skipping around in the book to read about particular areas I had always been curious about. Not only were there contemporary photographs of the remains, but historical photographs of the same sites with the structures intact and the people in the photographs were identified. It was an “Oh my – look at that!” experience. The book is full of photographs, maps and copies of old documents. The end notes and additional reading following the chapters make it not only a history book, but a valuable reference book. It isn’t on my bookshelf, it’s on my coffee table. I love it! |
Joe’s Silence is Golden. My husband met the author on one of his desert motorcycle rides while resting at Cadiz Summit. Joe was there to interview relatives of the original merchants at Cadiz Summit. They struck up a conversation and e-mail addresses were exchanged when it was learned that Joe had written a book about the tough people that once lived in this part of the Mojave.Upon receiving our copy, my husband raced through the book and promptly ordered one for our son. Our son is a BNSF conductor and runs through the desert. Many of the old railroaders that our son talked to and shared the book with knew some of these old residents of Amboy and Chubbuck and the like.Now I find myself at the old Catholic church in Amboy, studying the gas station mural at Danby, bouncing along the sand roads from deserted town to deserted town, and trying to picture the people and their lives in this scenic but harsh territory.We have and will continue to use this text as our guide as we explore the Mojave. It is well researched, visually effective, and a must take along if you have time to ride Old 66 and imagine how it used to be. |
Great book and very informative. I lived in Amboy and other places in the area in the 1960s as a small child and have often wondered about the history and the stories of the characters of those places. I’m in Seattle now but have ventured back a couple of times to see how it has all changed. Then along comes Joe with this book and it’s amazing what he was able to dig up. I can’t even imagine how many hours he invested in gathering it all. I very much enjoyed reading The Silence and the Sun and I hope Joe continues his research as I would love to read about other places like Ludlow and Newberry and Baker.
– B. Smith (Seattle, WA)
There’s something about the desert, for those of us who understand such things — the clear sky, the endless horizons, the silence, the subtle but always active plant and animal life. Add to that the evidence of a long-ago human habitation, and the sense of wonder and appreciation for this arid landscape overtakes you. Joe de Kehoe’s book The Silence and the Sun fully captures that desert feeling, with carefully researched descriptions of the towns and the people who once lived along old Route 66 in the Mojave Desert of southern California.Far more than just a recounting of historical records, this book gives life and personality to the people who lived here. De Kehoe has uncovered a bounty of archival photographs, some sourced from families of the people who settled the area, and through recounting the interviews of family members, recreates communities that thrived for awhile and disappeared.Some landmarks are immortalized in popular movies and literature, others are obscure and, if not for de Kehoe’s careful retelling, would have vanished.Incredibly, some of these desert towns were occupied as little as 30 to 40 years ago, yet these outposts, along with older ones from the early 1900s and on, are in many cases now indistinguishable from the bare desert that once lay under them.Especially intriguing are the photographs. In many cases, de Kehoe has restaged photos from the past, from the same location and angle as the originals. One can see just how much, and at times just how little the scenery has changed over the decades.Be prepared to become fully involved in the stories. This is that rare book (and gifted author) that takes you along for the ride. Many books are interesting and entertaining while they last, but The Silence and the Sun will, I promise, make a lasting impression, and leave you wanting more.
– (Bakersfield, CA)
This is An AMAZING BOOK for anyone who has lived in the desert or loves the desert. Joe de Kehoe has brought the areas covered in his book back to life, I know because I grew up not far from these abandoned lost towns, towns that at one time thrived with people, people with families and businesses. Thanks to interstate 40 allot of the little towns along route 66 have been abandoned or graded down to nothing but dirt, the intense time, effort and research the Author has done is commendable and all I can say is Thanks for bringing my memories back to me. I was a little girl in the late 50’s that lived in one of those deserted towns and you can tell the Authors heart and soul went into this book not to mention the extensive research for the history and people who lived there. This book is more then I imagined it to be, I could go on but buy the book and you will see for yourself the rebirth of the Eastern Mohave Desert towns that were once lost are reborn in this book |
More than just another ‘road guide’, this book will take you into the lives of some of the people that used to live along this deserted stretch of Route 66. It is well organized (sorted by each town) and illustrated as indicated in other reviews. There are historical photographs, transcribed oral interviews, maps and of course recent photographs showing what little remains of this facinating area. I like the reproductions of paychecks, school report cards and other historical documents. Through the eyes and ears of the former residents you will be transported to a place and time that no longer exists; you will experience The Silence and The Sun. It is obvious from reading the book that much research was conducted and the results were carefully examined, organized, culled (I hope not too much!) and presented in a connected manner. This results in a book that is easy and captivating to read and yet leaves the reader with greatly enhanced knowledge without the feeling that you just finished a historical textbook. Joe de Kehoe has made learning about Route 66 history captivating and fun! |
My mother, Anna Arizona (Russell/Phillips) Taylor, who is 88 years old, lived on the Mojave most of her growing up years. We gave her this book for Christmas and she has read it several times already. She feels Mr. de Kehoe has done a wonderful job depicting the life as it was in the railroad communities and Chubbuck. Having lived in Goffs, Danby, Amboy and with many relatives in Chubbuck, she remembers many people and places in the book with much joy. She is thrilled that it is so factual. Having heard her stories for all my life, it was fun to read about them, as well. If you are at all interested in old Route 66, railroad communities of the Eastern Mojave Desert, this book is a must read.
I really love this book. It is well written and very informative. Ii have been to most of the places mentioned,and now i know a lot of history of those places.very interesting,great photos.now i have to go to the places mentioned in this book that i haven’t been to. |
Head & Shoulders Above the Ordinary. I’ve been intimately familiar with this piece of God’s Brown Earth only since 1979. Since then…unfortunately…crass vandalism and illegal dumping of toxic waste has blemished what little remains in these outskirts of the CA Desert Conservation area. -This documentary helps preserve the core pioneer spirit of the area and era. First Rate, well referenced. |
This book is PURE GOLD for desert lovers curious about California’s Route 66 history and lore. |
The unique book, The Silence and The Sun, gives a wonderful historical account of personalities and places from a past era. Also included, is useful information for the desert explorer. I highly recommend the book to anyone, but particularly those interested in Route 66 and the Mojave Desert. |
Joe de Kehoe’s The Silence and the Sun captures that forgotten history, detailing the life and times of the many small desert communities that once dotted the Easter Mojave Desert. The book gives an in depth inside look at how rural desert life was throughout the 20th century. These stories come to life as you begin to read the descriptive first-hand accounts from former desert residents and gaze at compelling photographs of the region. The countless number of first-hand interviews with local desert dwellers as well as many referenced primary sources provides clarity and great historical accuracy.
The Forgotten Desert No More. There is something about California’s vast desert lands that has a way of capturing the hearts and imagination of some people. For many the desert is nothing more than forsaken land seen going from point A to point B across freeways . Yet beneath the hot desert sand contains deep and rich history that has shaped and impacted California history. |
Comprehensively illustrated with photos and maps, well-written and very well organized, Joe de Kehoe’s people-oriented historical narrative of the Eastern Mojove Desert is a unique and welcome addition to our Southern California library’s local history collection. |
Before reading The Silence and the Sun I had little knowledge of these Eastern Mojave Desert communities. This was largely due to the fact that historical information on this region remains mostly inaccessible to the average person. However, all the thorough information that the author gathered into this book (much of which is rare) has made this once unknown region much more familiar to me — in fact, I now feel a new found connection to the land. If you are interested in such desert railroad and mining towns as Chubbuck, Cadiz, Milligan, and some of the old Route 66 places such as Amboy, Bagdad, Danby, and Chambless, then you will find this book a beacon of light for a region that has largely remained in the dark.
– A. Eshaiker “Amin E.” (Los Angeles, CA), February 8, 2008.
My brother found this book,I saw it, and wanted it. He works for BNSF near the area where this book’s content originates. The ‘ghost’ towns along the railroad thru the Mojave Desert are finally getting their 15 minutes of fame. Tho, according to my other family contact, who lived along the rails at one time, there are some discrepancies in some of the stories. Other than that, I’m finding the book great reading, and am eager to go out there and see, again, the water stops and lost towns of Route 66. |
The Silence and The Sun is a beautiful and well documented history of the Mojave desert along old hiway 66 between Barstow and Needles with many old photographs of the area before interstate 40 was built. One day you had to be very careful crossing hiway 66 and the next day after 40 was opened up, you could take a nap in the middle of 66. |