With A Place of Thin Veil, Bob Rosebrough has earned a permanent spot in the pantheon of Western writers. This entrancing and deeply moving memoir is a love story between one man and Gallup, a western New Mexico town that for many travelers is just one more forsaken exit off the Interstate. Rosebrough’s deft story telling skills brings the town alive. Its little-know history and memorable characters make for page-turning reading. A Place of Thin Veil is a long-overdue tribute to Gallup and to Rosebrough’s indefatigable dedication to leave this remote spot a better place than when he found it.
—James McGrath Morris, author of Tony Hillerman: A Life
This fascinating story of a uniquely complicated place—Gallup, New Mexico—and a man who came to appreciate its eccentricities, captured my attention from the first page. Author Bob Rosebrough explains his decades-long love affair with his adopted home town in graceful, energetic prose. Told with honesty, humility and careful research, his memoir beautifully affirms the universal need for cooperation, patience, time spent in nature, and a robust sense of humor. I loved it.
—Anne Hillerman, author of the Leaphorn/Chee/Manuelito mysteries
Bob Rosebrough knows firsthand that as much as things change—or don’t—there is a strong anchor to the conflicts of the past. These continue to influence the present, especially when it comes to the legacy of alcohol abuse, water shortages, land use pressures, and one of Gallup’s most infamous events. A Place of Thin Veil is an exceptionally well-written introspective journey through the good and bad of a special place that is both culturally insightful and intensely personal.
—Walter R. Borneman, best selling author and American historian
Gallup, New Mexico may be the toughest and wildest town that most Americans have never heard of. It is almost unique in terms of cultural diversity, deeply-embedded moneyed power, and a resistance to change that must rival the Kremlin. This is a great story, well told, like a wild-west novel. You know Bob can’t win, you know he should walk away, but he doesn’t do that, regardless of the cost.
—David Crow, author of A Pale Face Lie
In Thin Veil, Bob Rosebrough writes a love letter to his adopted hometown of Gallup, New Mexico, a multicultural town in a gorgeous setting. And like all big loves, this one has its share of heartbreak and betrayal, pain and sadness. Especially enlightening—and disturbing—is Rosebrough’s portrayal of the city’s exploitation economy, headed by the all-powerful local liquor industry which refuses to loosen its grip, regardless on the scores of lives it has ruined and taken. This is a powerful insider’s look into the workings of an iconic Southwestern city.
—Jonathan P. Thompson, author of River of Lost Souls, Behind the Slickrock Curtain and Sagebrush Empire
An eye opener that reveals Gallup’s inner workings. A Place of Thin Veil: Life and Death in Gallup, New Mexico provides a glimpse into the challenges—both good and bad—faced by the town’s diverse citizenry.
—Dr. Joe Shirley Jr., Navajo Nation President, 2003-2011