Need some Book Advice

[Onion]

In reading many posts about Spanish trail markers, signs and symbols there have been suggestions of books that would help in understanding them. I have slowly been picking them up as I find them.

Seems a few people have been having trouble getting the Treasure Hunter’s Field Notebook, by "Hawkeye" Pickett. Sorry to hear that. I just bought one off amazon for $3.50 when all the others on there were nearly $49.99. Cost me more for shipping than the book. I expected to get a box of rocks or a cheesy pirated photocopy version, but gave it a shot. I was excited when it arrived and I opened quickly to find a nearly new “real” book. I hope all that are waiting get their copy. It is a fascinating book.

I would also like to get the two Kenworthy books

“Death Traps to Treasure - Spanish and Mexican Mine Traps Warning Signs & Symbols” and “Treasure Signs, Symbols, Shadow and Sun Signs”

I tried to find a comparison of sorts in some past post but didn’t see one. My question is, are Kenworthy’s books different enough from Pickett’s field guide. I have never seen Kenworthy's books but am thinking they maybe go into more detail and would be good to have. Maybe one is better than the other. Funds are a bit tight and just wanted to make sure before I get one or both. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

 

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[Old Bookaroo]

This is a long answer to a short question.

The foundation book on Spanish treasure signs (and a whole lot more, of course) is Coronado’s Children, by J. Frank Dobie (1930). Chapter XIX “Shadows and Symbols” shows almost 40 treasure signs. These have been copied (almost always without attribution) far too many times to count – in other books, magazine articles, treasure map borders, etc.

Thomas P. Terry’s A Pocket Guide to Treasure Signs is basically a reprint of Chapter XIX. I put the book by Thomas Penfield, and several other authors, in the same category. There are far too many of these titles out there.

There are a handful of additional, original, contributions to the genre. William Mahan (a proven treasure hunter) wrote the little Early Spanish Treasure Signs & Symbols (1963). Here is the crux of the matter. Since none of the authors provide source documentation, how does the reader know the information is reliable? All you can do is rely on the reputation of the author. If the author has documented treasure finds, then logic indicates he (generally, although there are a few “she’s”) knows what he is writing about.

I put Dayne Chastain into this camp. His Follow the Signs; A Treasure Hunter’s Handbook (1997) is quite interesting – and, in my opinion, not as well known as it should be. Chastain has been in the field, and has been writing about finding treasure for decades.

As for the remainder of the treasure sign literature? How can you tell the pure ore from the tailings?

Caveat emptor.


Good luck to all,

~The Old Bookaroo

 

[lifes-been-good]

Bookaroo, is dead on in this case. All 'treasure symbols' books I've seen have no primary sources cited. It makes them fairly useless and likely meaningless. The danger is in new books to just rehash secondary sources.

Few understand the difference between primary and secondary sources, author bias, or authority rank. All three are needed to be a good researcher.

Kenworthy books as a whole, are not worth the paper they are printed on. The two I had the unfortunately luck of acquiring had never seen an editor, nor book designer. Any junior high schooler could do better, and be more accurate.

 

[Gold Maven]

After I check Amazon, I always check Alibris....some times they have a lower price. GL