Greater Phoenix: The Desert in Bloom (Urban Tapestry Series)

"Hugh Downs, coanchor of ABC's 20/20 and author of the introduction to Greater Phoenix: The Desert in Bloom, writes that his chosen hometown is somewhat misunderstood: "Outsiders think that Phoenix is a dusty and hot backwater, a cowboy town that clings to its Wild West heritage. A quaint place to vacation, perhaps, but not a place for civilized people to live."

They're wrong, Downs insists. And they're right. Vestiges remain of the days when Greater Phoenix was an old-style western outpost. People wear six-shooters, drive pickups, and usually aren't kidding when they tell you to watch out for rattlesnakes. But, the area is also now the sixth-largest community in the nation. It's definitely big-city, with an array of amenities, jobs, housing, and cultural offerings to attract newcomers in record numbers. And it's a sports town, where recreational activities, spectator events, and surviving the summer heat all rank as favorite pastimes.

Mainly, though, Downs writes that Phoenix is a good place for just about anyone to visit, or to make a home. "The sunsets are unrivaled. The friendliness of the inhabitants world-class. And the feeling of being at home doesn't require being born here. Any time you sink a taproot in Phoenix, you know that in time you will become a native."