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Rating: 
Summary: Not as good as other Moon handbooks.
Review: As a bike tour leader in the Southwest, I used bought many Moon "handbooks" over the years, buying each new edition as it's published. Metzger's New Mexico Handbook is amongst the best, and if I were to carry only one guidebook with me, this would be it. The Handbook's main drawback is that it's accommodation and restaurant listings are not descriptive enough. To make most of my accommodation and restaurant choices, I go to the excellent Frommer's guides to New Mexico: New Mexico and Santa Fe, Taos, Albuquerque. With the Handbook and a Frommer's guide on hand, you'd have the best combination of guides there is. Plus, the Handbook has an excellent "booklist" at the back for further exploration.
Rating: 
Summary: Handbook the best single guidebook to have
Review: As a bike tour leader in the Southwest, I used bought many Moon "handbooks" over the years, buying each new edition as it's published. Metzger's New Mexico Handbook is amongst the best, and if I were to carry only one guidebook with me, this would be it. The Handbook's main drawback is that it's accommodation and restaurant listings are not descriptive enough. To make most of my accommodation and restaurant choices, I go to the excellent Frommer's guides to New Mexico: New Mexico and Santa Fe, Taos, Albuquerque. With the Handbook and a Frommer's guide on hand, you'd have the best combination of guides there is. Plus, the Handbook has an excellent "booklist" at the back for further exploration.
Rating: 
Summary: Slight mistake in one of the reviews
Review: As the author of this book, I feel compelled to respond to the reviewer from San Diego (May 29, 2002), who claimed that my Carlsbad research was poor, that I recommended White's City, which the locals call a "laughing stock," and that I failed to mention the Stevens Motel. One needn't look too closely at the book to see that I call White's City a "touristy and gimmicky souvenir stop" and do in fact recommend the Stevens Motel (though under accommodations, not under food). Both of these references are on page 194 of the current edition. Thank you.
Rating:
Summary: Great Single State Guide for History Buffs
Review: I recently, for 10 days, drove around New Mexico (5th largest State among the 50), seeking this and experiencing that, and I took with me five guides (Moon's, Fodor's, Off the Beaten Path, Roadside History and N.M. Sanctuaries, Retreats, and Sacred Places). Though Fodor's was the best guide for selecting accommodations and eateries, Moon's guide excelled in historical and tidbit descriptions.What set this guide apart is the history, superior maps (especially compared to Fodor's) and Stephen Metzger's straightforward, clear, writing style. Metzger's introduction to New Mexico section is outstanding (The Land, Flora and Fauna, History, Economy and the People). This is an important contribution to understanding the State completely skipped by Fodor's. Also, Metzger's history of regions, cities, towns and pueblos is exemplary. Where the guide falters is the weak descriptions of accommodations and restaurants, IE "The hotel is distinctly decorated" or "a discreet little inn with 12 rooms on an alleyway". After reading Fodor's vivid descriptions this was a serious step back. Also few, if any, website addresses for lodgings are found, and in a 2003 publication that is a serious omission. (Fodor's has website addresses). If you are primarily interested in finding the best dining experiences and great accommodations Fodor's is my pick. But, for a State guide that is strong on overview and excellent in the history are you can't beat Metzger (however, also check out Roadside History of New Mexico). Strongly Recommended
Rating:
Summary: An easy to read, well-researched travel guide, with humor.
Review: In 1993, I traveled by train to New Mexico and my plans for my two-week tour were based on Metzger's handbook. I traveled only in the north-western quadrant, due to time limitations, but I found the book precise, helpful, fun (he writes so well), and so very informative. I just purchased a copy for a friend who is moving there rather tentatively (she may come back to California). Metzger's book excited me, was my Bible while there; and though I had other books it was my main source. Thank you Stephen Metzger. I am buying the new edition, since I moved a year ago and misplaced the old one.
Rating:
Summary: beautifully written , informative and comprehensive
Review: Several years ago, I ventured into New Mexico armed only with this guidebook. I experienced several wonderful places (e.g., the D.H. Lawrence Ranch; a native American owned restaurant serving traditional food) only because I had read about them in this book. The author has a gift for conveying vast amounts of information in a very readable (and often humorous) format. I learned not only about the cities, towns, and attractions of New Mexico, but also about its biological, anthropological and historical diversity. Subsequent to my trip, I lost my copy of this book; I am very pleased that a new version of the handbook is due out in May 2000.
Rating:
Summary: Not as good as other Moon handbooks.
Review: This is an OK all-around guidebook on New Mexico, its geography, and some of its history. Thank goodness, Moon wised up and included a full-color map of the state in the latest edition. However, the information for an area which I know quite well, Carlsbad, is poor--did the author actually check out his recommendations? For example: he recommends you stay (and eat) at White's City outside of town (a local laughingstock in some quarters); he makes no mention of the Stevens Motel, which is the most popular hotel and all-around restaurant (where even locals enjoy Sunday dinner); and no mention is made of some of the best day-trips. Inexplicably, the author felt compelled to quote some of the Santa Fe's nuclear-storage political views _twice_ in the course of the book. Contrast this with Don Pitcher's flawless Moon handbook for Wyoming.
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