Description
Foreword by Gordon Weaver. This fourteen stories in this collection are set in the sometimes magical, sometimes brutal Southwest: a multi-ethnic, contemporary West that encourages the reader to see beyond the stereotypes of the Old West. All of the stories depict the emotional and psychological costs of the prejudices and injustices of the Old West that have carried over into the present. Gish’s vivid storytelling utilizes compelling voices and gritty characters, tracing the recognition of remnant violence, racism, sexism, and environmental pollution carried over from earlier generations. Cutting through class and ethnicity, each story illustrates how a land and its history determine a people and are determined by them.

Reviews
"This collection of short stories examines an authentic view of tricultural life: Gish portrays Indians, Hispanics, and Anglos as they live, work, and play in the Southwest. He steers away from the romantic and racist cop outs; instead Gish draws out the life and truth of his characters revealing the quiet beauty of the Southwest and its peoples. Highly commendable." —Jimmy Santiago Baca

"Robert Gish has his finger on the pulse of the West. First Horses is a fine collection of stories about who we Westerners are, how we got here—and where do we go from now?" —James Welch

“To begin to understand the special mix of New Mexico culture, or just to savor some masterful writing, there couldn’t be a more absorbing way than to get quiet and read Fresh Horses.” —Pat Henry Lockhart, Albuquerque Journal, April 18, 1993

"Gish’s characters of color have a gritty feel for what their lives and dreams consist of, what is really possible for them. The whites, who hold a slightly more elevated position in the social structure, are absurdly unaware that their lofty ideas of themselves are fraudulent, flimsy, even capable of provoking murderous rage.” —Robin Ganz, Small Press, Fall 1993

“Gish has a gift for capturing childhood memories in poignant and melancholic frames. He writes of his past but reflects the undercurrents and tensions of America’s ethnic mosaic today. As the changing character of our country is rushing toward a culturally diverse society, the nuances of these stories are most timely.” —Jose Armas

Contents
Contents
Foreword by Gordon Weaver
Preface
Blessed
Hat Check
Blue Danube Waltz
Kimo
First Horses
Leroy
Fiesta
Tulsa Talk
Salvation
Revelation
Rye Whiskey
Neonate
Delfinia
Valediction