Central America Books

This is an excellent, highly readable book on the cultural meanings behind and around several of the medical "miracles" of postwar America, including prosthetics, plastic surgery, hormones, and sex-change operations.

You do not have to be an academician or versed in medical knowledge to enjoy this look at how these technologies changed the way Americans viewed "the body," and how certain alterations (or lack of) had consequences to one's sexual/gender identity and even one's standing as a good American citizen. This book is perfectly balanced to provide the rigorous research a historian would require as well as the sheer fun a pop culture reader like myself seeks. (Although parts of this book have truly heartbreaking stories, there is also a lot of unintentional hilarity from the "expert" pronouncements of the 1950s medical establishment and the media treatment of individuals.)

Serlin's work is really a view of the 1950's from a unique angle--one that doesn't repeat the same old stereotypes about repressed housewives. He uses fascinating archival sources (i.e., the Hiroshima Maidens chapter includes personality profiles of the maidens by their Quaker patrons plus an appearance on the TV show "This is Your Life" where the maidens, hidden behind a screen due to their 'hideous' burned faces, are surprised with meeting the co-pilot who dropped the bomb on Hiroshima!) and photographs to vividly recreate the 1950s milieu and mindset. The chapter on Christine Jorgenson, the first transsexual "star" is worth the price of the book alone.

As this book explores concepts such as race, gender, sexual orientation, national identity, and all their intersections, I would recommend it to readers interested in disability studies, gay/lesbian/transgender/queer studies, American-Japanese relations, the Harlem Renaissance (amazing story on cabaret singer Gladys Bentley), and of course, the history of the cold war. I'm looking forward to the author's next book!

I really enjoyed Replaceable You. Overall the book was excellent-a well-written, lively, and often surprising mix of insightful analysis of how medical advances had such a huge impact on the American psyche and, above all, body, in the decades following WWII. It's also clear from the start that Replaceable You is, as the first review noted, by no means straight history of science, but rather social history at its best. The conclusions Serlin draws in his four fascinating case studies about how people (often with much societal pressure) wished to remake their identities were quite convincing. In addition, the expert discussions which frame the specific analyses are especially effective in illuminating the larger context of Cold War America, on issues like McCarthyism, civil rights, consumer culture, and prescribed gender roles. Serlin also does a very good job showing how these issues intermingled-both with one another, and perhaps most importantly, within the discourse of what it meant to be "American" at the time. As William Smith says in the second review above, the result is a fresh look at the often stereotyped late 1940s and 1950s. What also made the read so entertaining were the artifacts of popular and high culture the author chose to analyze in presenting his arguments. Serlin doesn't limit himself to written primary sources, but makes skillful use of photographs, advertisements, pamphlets, comics, etc., of which he conducts close readings. In taking this kind of approach, where the reader is guided by the author as they together examine documents for historical meaning, Serlin makes the book not only more accessible to any reader with a general interest in science and society or the Cold War, but also more enjoyable. To go along with the author's vibrant narrative as he looks at the intersection of patriotism and prosthetics, race and hormone therapy, the bombing of Hiroshima and plastic surgery, or gender and Americanism, is to gain a more nuanced understanding of Cold War culture, and more specifically, how as a result of social, political, and medical developments people go about making themselves both look and feel more like... themselves. Replaceable You also struck me as having a special relevance given today's obsession with the body in popular culture, especially evident in television shows like the "The Swan," where plastic surgery is performed on women so as to make them into pageant girls. David Serlin's original book reveals not only that interest in medically changing one's body has been around for longer than we may think (and is ever increasing), but also that this interest has a distinctly American face.

At least in my historical imagination, the 1950s tend to stand out as an extremely stereotyped decade. It reads as the triumph of the (imagined, and demographically limited) white, middle-class, suburban family of extremely confirmative values. David Serlin's Replaceable You is a fine contribution to 1950s socio-cultural studies; it subtly and meaningfully drawing out stories that focus roughly on the fifteen years from 1945 until the end of the 1950s. It fleshes out an array of interesting issues from this period which leaves the historiographical face of this period in a more complex and exciting state than popular imagination (mine included) would normally have it. Moreover, these stories provide gripping and accessible entrance points to larger issues of the era, but without forfeiting either the integrity of the personal stories nor reducing them to merely their historical context. While all the stories involve 'working' on the body in some form (from hormones to prosthetics), David Serlin manages to become neither too scientific nor too specific in his writing (he does not burden the reader with an endless technical vocabulary; instead he deftly crosses issues ranging from race, gender (masculinity, femininity, and stuff inbetween), sexuality, economic location, all the way to architecture. If nothing else and, perhaps, most importantly, David Serlin's book is accessible, readable, and, most laudably, human.

Susan Figliulo's delightful guide to Chicago's romantic side is a "must-read" for any out-of-towner seeking romance in one of America's most compelling cities. Gracefully written and focusing on how those of us with romantic tendencies can explore both the geography of a city and our own hearts, "Romantic Days" serves both purposes. As a San Franciscan somewhat proud of my city's reputation as a romantic haven and heaven, I must admit that Ms. Figliulo has presented Chicago as a worthy challenger.

I particularly enjoyed her tempting treatment of romantic sites for bibliophiles; that section alone exemplifies the wonderful range of places that pose romantic possibilities. Though I don't get to Chicago as much as I'd like to, whenever I pass through the Windy City, Susan Figliulo's booklet is a treasured companion.

I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and, oh, how I miss that city! Reading Romantic Days & Nights in Chicago rekindled so many memories. The chapter on the Wrigleyville neighborhood, with its affectionate portrait of the Music Box Theatre, took me back to my first date with the man I would later marry (a double feature: Flying Down to Rio and 42nd Street, with a serenade by the Mighty Wurlitzer in between movies). My husband is a musician and I work in the music industry, so our courtship was filled with music. I especially enjoyed The "Food of Love" chapter, detailing the remarkable spectrum of music available in Chicago, from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra to the folk music scene. My favorite chapter, though, is called "Opera Lovers Tryst." It's all about the romance of attending Lyric Opera of Chicago performances at the gorgeous Civic Opera House. Romantic Days & Nights in Chicago isn't limited to Chicago proper. As a North Shore native, I was overjoyed to read Susan Figliulo's beautiful description of the pastoral drive along the ravines of Sheridan Road. It was almost like being home again. If you know and love Chicago, you'll love Romantic Days & Nights in Chicago. If you're looking for a new city to know and love, this book is your key to a real treasure.

Romantic Days and Nights in Chicago is full of terrific information about all parts of the city. Even as a Chicago native, I found lots of hidden gems and new neighborhoods to visit. This would make a terrific Valentine's present! Visitors to the city will get tons of terrific ideas too. There is even a chapter with romantic ideas at and near O'Hare (and that takes some creativity!)

This book is unlike any other Travel Planning Book. It is descriptive and puts you right in the heart of the atmosphere! I picked this up on a whim with my traditional Frommers Travel Guide. I hardly have used Frommers at all for this upcoming trip. This book is all I need!!!! My husband and I have been reading the "itineraries" aloud to each other in anticipation of our trip. That way we can pop a post-it flag on the activities that spark our interest and plan out our own custom itinerary a few days before leaving. I love this book and guarantee our weekend trip will be more memorable because of this book!!! If you are planning a trip to New Orleans, buy it - you won't regret it!!!

We are new to the area and too busy to explore without something too reference. This has made exploring our new town very easy and exciting. I recommend this book for people coming to New Orleans for a long weekend.

This book turned a stroke of bad luck on our honeymoon into a honeymoon we will remember. Our original plans were to do a 7-day cruise, but after flying to Miami and getting an hour out to sea, the engine on our ship broke and the whole cruise was cancelled. We flew back home the next day and decided we would drive to New Orleans. We picked this book up that night and it helped us plan an entire new honeymoon at the last minute. We stayed at the Hampton Inn as described in Itinerary 16, which is just a block and a half from the French Quarter. Thursday morning we took the excellent Cemetery and Voodoo walking tour found in Itinerary 6. That afternoon we had our own perfumes and colognes created for us at Bourbon French Parfums (Itinerary 3). Friday we attempted to follow Day Two of Itinerary 16. The Zoo is gorgeous and very romantic, but don't get fooled into taking the timeshare tour that they will offer you at the harbor where you get your zoo\aquarium tickets. Saturday we stayed at the Victoria Inn from Itinerary 27. What a great place! It's beautiful and moderately priced. The Bayou boat tour (also Itinerary 27) was the highlight of the trip. We got to see dolphins swimming right along the boat! That night's dinner at Restaurant Des Familles was very good too. All of these ideas came from this book and helped make our honeymoon a romantic and memorable one. If you ever plan on going to New Orleans, or returning, this is the book to have.

Mary Lu Abbott rounds up Lone Star lodgings, restaurants and sightseeing with lovers in mind. Recommendations are organized regionally and introduced with a brief history of the locale. Among the romantic stays are rooms in a former stagecoach stop; among the memorable restaurants is the palatial Mansion on Turtle Creek Dining Room in Dallas. The book includes major festivals and strikes a nice balance of activities, sightseeing and recreation of interest to both genders.
Chicago Tribune

The updated second edition of Romantic Weekends: Texas covers places to get away for a romantic weekend in Texas, outlining both popular areas and hidden places which can be easily accessed in a long weekend. From central Texas and the Southeast to the Panhandle, the regional breakdowns make it easy to look up particular areas, while specifics on restaurants and accommodations make this a winning set of recommendations.

This book offers the best places for romance in and around Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Dallas/Fort Worth, Corpus Christi, the Rio Grande Valley and the Mexican border. Only those lodgings with special appeal have been selected, and all have been visited by the author - former Houston Chronicle editor.Table For Two sections profile the most intimate places to eat, where ambiance and service are as important as the food. But this is more than a guide to the best places to stay and eat. Activities that a couple will remember forever are also covered - balloon rides over the desert, romantic strolls under a starry sky, horseback trails into the wilderness. Contact names, telephone numbers and website addresses are given. Maps, index and photos, plus hand-drawn sketches.

I love the book, simply yet lovely. The art work is so glorious, in all of its color, and really fits the folklore them, makes me feel I am in that particular country. It is a great tale to read to children, short yet sweet.

A great humorus book. All children would understand the logic behind the events that occur. To hear all of the characters say "No I won't. Why should I", Gave the book a good sense of childish humor. Makes a great sequencing activity for students.

As a teacher I love folk tales. This one if one of my favorites. The story is about a rooster who is on his way to his uncle's wedding. He is dresses in his finest until he gets his beak dirty. Children will love the event series as one event leads into another. The pictures are very beautiful and colorful. This is a story that children of all ages will want to read again and again

This is a really good story about how Sammy Sosa grew up in the Dominican Republic. There are lots of pictures from his home in the Dominican Republic, and it tells a lot about how he learned to play baseball and went to the United States to play professional baseball.

I read Latinos in Baseball (Sammy Sosa) by Carrie Muskat. This book was full of information and excitement. It tells everything anyone would like to know such as his batting averages, homeruns, teamscores, childhood, and problems in his life. I liked this book because it reminded me of all the obstacles that go on in other people's lives. People who are baseball fans would like this book. I really admire Sammy Sosa because of the way he plays the game; he plays for fun, not for money or fame. I'd recommend this book to baseball player's and fans of Sammy because it tells how he expected more out of himself and didn't expect his teammates to make up for him.

This was, without a doubt, the best Sammy Sosa book I have read. The author did an great job telling every aspect of Sosa's life from his childhood in the Dominican Republic to his success as a baseball player. Reading this, I felt as if I were talking to Sammy himself. Excellent writing and a must-read for any Sosa fan!

I love this book -- it's a great inspiration to travel in my own backyard. Too often we spend our weekends running errands, doing the laundry, cleaning house, etc. Do yourself a favor -- next weekend pick a chapter from this book and go somewhere! Each itinerary is easily done in a day. The maps are helpful and the descriptions of each location include some historical flavor. Instead of speeding through small towns on your way to somewhere else, you get a chance to explore for hidden gems. Even the smallest towns have an antique shop, BBQ joint, or interesting historical site that's worth a stop. Happy trails!

My Husband and I visited Houston, San Antonio & Austin, we only had a couple of weeks in which to fit in as much as we could. This book was a brilliant way to get the most from a short time. It helped us to enjoy our visit to the full. We hope to visit more of the USA and shall certainly use this type of book again.

I really enjoyed using Day Trips from San Antonio and Austin to plan several recent weekend excursions. I found the book very helpful and used it to plan a trip to Corpus Christi and another to the Hill Country. Even though I have lived in this area for over 20 years, I found many hidden treasures thanks to this guide!

Latin American Research Review
Inter-American Relations And Encounters: Recent Directions in the Literature
June 22, 2000:
Kyle Longley adopts the interaction between the two types of birds as a metaphor for the relationship between the United States and another small Central American country, Costa Rica. Like the sparrow, such countries rely on evasion and manipulation in their dealings with the hawkish powers of the world. Longley develops his thesis by using U.S.--Costa Rican relations during the period from 1942 to 1957 as a case study.

Basing his arguments on voluminous printed and manuscript sources, including documents from Costa Rica's Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Longley begins by reviewing the relationship during the administration of President Rafael Calderon (1940-1944), who proved a cooperative ally during World War II. Calderon's close ties with the Communist Party (the Vanguardia Popular) aroused little concern during the war. But U.S. officials became alarmed when his successor, Teodoro Picado (1944-1948), although staunchly pro-United States, failed to distance himself from a connection that was viewed with increasing disfavor. As a result, when Picado attempted to impose Calderon as his successor in 1948 and ignited the revolution led by Jose Figueres, the U.S. government favored the rebels despite reservations about Figueres.

With the triumph of the revolution, Figueres headed a junta that gave way in 1949 to the presidency of Otilio Ulate. In 1953 Figueres himself was elected president. Figueres and his associates (who formed the Partido Liberacion Nacional in 1951) undertook policies displeasing to Washington, such as nationalizing the banking system and negotiating a more favorable contract with the United Fruit Company. What most alarmed U.S. officials was Figueres's material and moral support for the Caribbean Legion, which was dedicated to the ouster of dictators in the region. Figueres did not waver, however, and criticized U.S. support for the dictators, going so far as to boycott the 1954 inter-American meeting because it was held in Caracas, where President Marcos Perez Jimenez held sway.

Longley shows that Figueres pursued a nationalist agenda and at times defied Washington while retaining U.S. support when regimes that threatened U.S. hegemony (like those ruling Guatemala and Iran) faced extinction. Longley attributes Figueres's success to several factors, but above all to his anticommunist posture and to his preference for accommodation rather than confrontation. Figueres and the PLN also benefited from Costa Rica's favorable image in the United States and from a network of sympathizers, such as Adolf Berle and liberal members of the U.S. Congress. Longley might have undertaken a more extended comparison of the Costa Rican case with that of Guatemala, or better yet, with that of Bolivia, whose 1952 revolution also received benevolent treatment and substantial economic assistance from the United States. Cole Blasier's study of U.S. responses to twentieth-century revolutions in Latin America, The Hovering Giant (1985), pointed out the essential moderation of Victor Paz Estenssoro and other B olivian leaders and their skill in cultivating advocates in Washington.

In the conclusion to The Sparrow and the Hawk, Longley generalizes beyond the Costa Rican case to that of small countries in their dealings with major powers. Adapting the thesis of James Scott's Weapons of the Weak: Everyday Forms of Peasant Resistance (1985), Longley argues that subordinate states, like peasants, can devise nonviolent strategies that enable them to shape their relations with the United States. Thus Longley, like Gambone, aligns himself firmly with those who assign agency to peripheral states.

The Sparrow and the Hawk is one of the most beautyful books I ever read. It explains how Jose Figueres was able to flirt with socialism and capitalism, but at the same time he knew both extremes were bad. Figueres's tactis enabled him to calm the F.B.I and the C.I.A., in times were the common enemy was communism. Above all this, Longley can be regarded as an authority on El 48.The people of Costa Rica than you (Longley)for contributing with such a work to our history. Certainly, the younger generations of ticos will not forget for what our ancestors fought.

The importance of history lies in the knowledge and the lessons that, we men, have learned throught our existance. Certainly, El 48 and it's aftermath is the turning point point in Costa Rica's history. Longley is able to explain how Figueres's policies sought the well-being of the people, without employing extreme capitalistic or socialistic measures. Figueres, the man in the middle of socialism and capitalism was able to convince the ticos and the americans that his policies were necessary for such a poor country as Costa Rica.

I bought a book back in 1992. Used it for travels to Asia and Afrika. Handy size can always fit your backpack, no matter how light you must pack. I used it for rough trips, as well as for trips around Europe with kids. The book covers all essential aspects that you will need for your travel: (i) which vaccinations to take before you go and what to pack, (ii) what precautions to take to stay fit and healthy, (iii) what to do in case you get sick and (iv) what is the bottom line when you really need to stop being your own doctor and need to find a physician. The book is well structured and you find in a second the topic you are looking for. I strongly recomend the book to travelers who are serious about staying healthy.

I found this book to be very informative. It showed the vaccines that you should get but not only that. It told about the bugs and "creepy crawlies" that you should stay away from in your particular country you are going to. It told of the plants that are poisonous and to stay away from there water unless you have a purifier. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone who is goind to a third world country!

I have travelled and lived all over the world and I always have this book with me. Not only does it cover how to protect yourself, but if you do get sick it helps you to get better. I love that it includes different drugs for you to take for different bugs, and it tells you the exact dosage. This comes in handy when you are living in the bush in Africa, no doctor for hundreds of miles, but a well stocked pharmacy near by. I HIGLY recomend this book or anyone planning to travel or live overseas.

I could hardly put this book down. The battle being fought is truly a life and death matter, alliances and strategies evolve on both sides, and the Tobacco Industry uses their multi-million war chests to mislead the public over and over and over again. Even when you think you can relax after a victory by the anti-tobacco forces, in the next chapter the Tobacco Industry is lurking behind yet another door with a butcher's cleaver, which ends up being wielded by tobacco funded politicians and the California Medical Association to cut tobacco education funds and to weaken the anti-tobacco media campaign. Really this book is about much more than California and its battle with the tobacco industry. It is the best book I've ever read about why we need campaign finance reform and effective sunshine laws. You are shown all the nitty-gritty details, the back room deals, the closed-door bargaining. You'll emerge from this book well-prepared to detect lies in future wars, and to read between-the-lines in daily newspaper coverage.

"The Tobacco War" is part social and political history, part "how-to" manual. Not a dry catalogue of events, but written with a sense of the human drama surrounding each twist and turn of the tale. Co-author Stan Glantz, involved so deeply in the movement, offers the most incisive, comprehensive, and definitive perspective on the California anti-tobacco effort available. I was astounded to read of the intrigue and jaw-dropping audacity of the Tobacco Industry and its allies in the State government on one hand, and the incredible courage and tenacity of those fighting it in the most aggressive and effective way in history on the other. The growth in political savvy and will of the American Lung Association, the American Heart Association, and the American Cancer Society is catalogued in detail, as are the machinations of the State legislature, the governor's office, and lobbyists and pressure groups when money comes up for grabs. This is an outstanding text for the social or political scientist, activists of any type, and anyone in state local politics. It is a remarkable and practical instruction manual for anyone in tobacco use prevention today. These heroes have not left the field. Their enemy, the Tobacco Industry, is immortal.

The tobacco industry is one of the most evil industries allowed to operate in America. From child labor to seductive advertising to distribution of a deadly product and ending in mountains of money in political bribes, The US Tobacco Industry has just about every imaginable negative attribute of corporate America, all rolled into one, neat package.

Tobacco War puts a face on a faceless industry, and it is not a very pretty face. From exposing the hidden truths of the seductive advertising schemes and the green blood that flows through the veins of America's political system in every level, Tobacco War doesn't simply archive news stories, lawsuits and events, but connects the dots and presents the reader with a realistic picture of how big tobacco operates.

Likewise, tomorrows activist are reading this book today to gain the edge in a climate of misinformation. Provides grass-roots information for activists to develop and deploy campaigns.

Think your cigarette maker cares about you? They have you hooked, and you are the least of their worries. They are working to reel the next generation of smokers in for the kill.

And so far, the catch is coming in... wallet and all.