The Turquoise Palace

The Turquoise Palace
Reflections on the Eternal but Changing American Southwest

In this heartfelt collection of personal essays, writer Michael Jay Tucker returns to New Mexico—the land of his boyhood—on a 2024 journey with his wife, Martha. First published on his travel blog in 2025, these essays are rich with memory, humor, history, and awe. From sun-drenched mesas to the dazzling collections of Albuquerque’s Turquoise Museum, Tucker captures the spirit of a place both eternal and evolving.

Presented here in a single, beautifully illustrated volume, The Turquoise Palace is a love letter to the Southwest and an invitation to see the familiar with new eyes.