Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather is a fine example of Southwest Literature. Cather is of a very high calibre in her depiction of the culture and landscape of the local region, and her writing epitomizes a clarity and simplicity that does justice to the true figures her characters are based upon. Any who are interested in the cultural history of New Mexico and Arizona should give this book a read; while it's not exactly a fast-paced read, its digressive style is perfect for slow afternoons.

"One might almost say that an apparition is a human vision corrected by divine love. I do not see you as you really are, Joseph; I see you through my affection for you. The Miracles of the Church seem to me to rest not so much upon faces or voices or healing power coming suddenly near to us from afar off, but upon our perceptions being made finer, so that for a moment our eyes can see and our ears can hear what is there about us always."