This fine book could only have come from an author who has lived for years in a place, loved it, devoured its history, and visited every canyon. . . . Reading it is akin to sitting around the campfire with a witty, knowledgeable storyteller.
—Journal of Arizona History
His history of the region he loved reveals not only his personal connection to it but also his thorough research, his years of listening carefully to the old-timers (even as he inevitably became one) and his ability to set down vividly what he learned.
—Books of the Southwest
Will evoke appreciation for those who wrested security and community from an incredibly rugged setting. . . . Conveys the author's eye for human nature and ability to tell a story.
—Southwestern Historical Quarterly
The reader could be sitting on the loafers' bench in front of the Portal store, listening to stories that are told time and again. Hayes shares his connections with this area, and the pages yield rich details of everyday life pulled from interviews with descendents of the folks he wrote about.
—Tucson Guide
An affectionate history of a place that is as remarkable as the man was . . . a gem of a book.
—Sierra Vista Herald