Arizona author Roger Naylor has released his latest book and love letter to Arizona, “Awesome Arizona: 200 Amazing Facts About the Grand Canyon State.”
Originally from Ohio, Naylor came to Arizona in 1975 to attend Northern Arizona University and fell in love with the state. He recalled that after making the dean’s list his first semester, his academic life paled in comparison to his experiences of the nature around him. He was on academic probation by the second semester, playing hooky and hitchhiking to the Grand Canyon.
Naylor knew he was going to be a writer from the age of 13, when he was overwhelmed by the power of language in a collection of Mark Twain’s essays.
“I knew right away I was going to be a writer and by the time I came out to college I knew I was going to live in Arizona,” Naylor said. “Those were the two important truths in my life.”
Naylor has lived a life sustained by freelancing, often writing for Arizona Highways magazine and the Arizona Republic newspaper. He now focuses on writing books that show the beauty and wonder of Arizona.
Naylor had also made a tradition of posting fun facts about Arizona to his Facebook page, and when the COVID-19 pandemic occurred and he restricted his travel, he decided to compile his list of Arizona trivia into a book.
“Awesome Arizona” contains a mix of general facts about the state mingled with strange, lesser-known tidbits. Naylor explained his preference for the quirkier bits, and then went on to recount the story of Arizona’s version of Lady Godiva: Climax Jim, aka Rufus Nephew [1876-1921], an outlaw notorious for his jailbreaks. Climax Jim’s most famous escape came about when the jailers believed he was due for a bath. Leaving him stark naked with a bar of soap, they led him to a horse trough to bathe in, but Jim jumped on a horse and rode out of town in his birthday suit.
Another fun story Naylor turned up deals with Bisbee’s first high school. Stuck in the sloping hillside of Bisbee, the four-story building is the only such structure in the country where visitors can enter each floor from ground level.
Other general Arizona facts include:
- Arizona is the sunniest state in the country.
- Arizona is the only state that contains one of the seven natural wonders of the world.
- Arizona has more national monuments than any other state.
Some Verde Valley Related facts include:
- The world’s largest kaleidoscope store is in Jerome.
- Sedona is home to the only McDonalds with turquoise arches.
- The world’s largest Kokopelli can be found in Camp Verde.
“I just felt like somebody needed to come out and say it, Arizona is awesome,” Naylor said. “I knew that as soon as I arrived all those decades ago. With this book I give you 200 reasons explaining why. I wanted to dispel some myths, clear up some misconceptions. This is a collection of travel tips, historical tidbits, information, trivia, humor and some great stories, and it’s very much a celebration of the 48th state. Part love letter, part encyclopedia. I think it’s a really great book for anyone who cherishes the state like I do, or who wants to learn more about it.”
Signed copies of the book are available on Naylor’s website. He will be speaking at the Sedona Public Library at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, March 7, and at the Cottonwood Public Library at noon on Saturday, April 8.
