Central America Books

In doing research for our Sunday School mission project on Haiti, I borrowed this book from the local library. I was so impressed with the story line and illustrations that I purchased a copy for the Church library. It brings awareness to the fact that education is a priceless gift and not a guarantee in many countries.

Set in rural Haiti, JOSIAS, HOLD THE BOOK provides a snapshot of life for children in a very different culture. Josias doesn't attend school, instead, it is his job to maintain the family garden. The garden is vital to the survival of his impoverished family because it provides them with food and some of the excess crops provide additional income. His parents work very hard, and have entrusted him with the care of the crops. Josias takes his responsibility seriously, and rises early in the morning to work. Each day he sees many of the children in the community walking to school. His friends often ask him when he will "hold the book," which refers to when he will begin attending school. Each day he waves them off, knowing his responsibilities at home take precedence over school.

One day Josias notices that the garden isn't thriving. After several attempts at remedying the problem, he decides to ask the friends if they can find the answer to the problem in a schoolbook. It is then he realizes the value of an education. After talking with his parents they all agree that sacrificing to send him to school now, may benefit the family more in the long run.

JOSIAS, HOLD THE BOOK is a warm and enlightening story. The muted tones in the illustrations mirror the warmth of the story and add considerable detail. I enjoyed the fact that Josias discovered the importance of education on his own, and then shared the realization with his family and convinced them he was right. He was truly an example of a child leading the family. I also appreciated the fact the author presented rural Haitian culture in a thoughtful way. The parents were not depicted as inadequate because they didn't send their son to school; even the youngest readers can recognize that the parents were doing the best they could under the circumstances. In addition, Josias and his family found a way to compromise; his going to school meant some sacrifice, but once he finished his school day he would still maintain some of his responsibilities in the garden. At the same time, he intended to use the things he learned in school to help his family, reinforcing his commitment to family. Josias is a wonderful example because he demonstrates persistence and the value of hard work. JOSIAS, HOLD THE BOOK is a thoughtfully written and beautifully illustrated book that teaches children about a life vastly different from their own and helps them appreciate education; something many children in the U.S. take for granted.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

This is the story of Josias, a Haitian boy whose family depends on him to tend the garden, which is vital to their survival, instead of attending the local school. When the garden doesn't thrive, Josias and his family realize learning is vital to success with the garden and with life. Author's Note describes a schoolchild's day in Haiti.

I loved the simplicity of the writing. Yet any child that hears this tale will identify with the hero, who dutifully tries to help but fumbles every job. Truly an enjoyable book.

I always enjoy reading different versions of fairy and folk-tales. This a fun Puerto Rican version of the Lazy Jack stories. Actually, I like the ending better than in Lazy Jack. It bothered me that some poor girl would be stuck marrying a fool like Lazy Jack simply because he made her laugh. That could make for a very looooong, trying marriage! But a useful reward, that seems quite appropriate. Anyway, the illustrations are cheery and charming. A nice addition to a folktale collection!

I am a Spanish teacher at the elementary school level and have read this book to children from 5 to 9 years of age and they all adore the ridiculous Juan Bobo. Unlike any other books I've read to them, kids will look for Juan Bobo books in the library and ask to borrow mine. We call each other "silly vaca" like Juan calls the cow that he thinks has turned to stone but which is immobile because Juan has tied his legs together. He was just doing as he was told, tying up the cow before he milks it.

Ahora más que nunca, cuando Cuba aparenta cambios político/económicos en un futuro cercano, la importancia de conocer su historia es fundamental. Porque solo cuando las personas conocen la historia es que pueden aprender de ella para evitar los errores del pasado. El autor recoge con ejemplar claridad este panorama que se vivía en la Cuba desde principios de siglo hasta el año 1959. "La Semilla" nos muestra como todo hecho no ocurre espontáneamente sino que sus causas se pueden trazar a través del tiempo. Y es así que transcurre la trágica historia de nuestro país, ya destinado a fracasar desde que su semilla fue mal plantada y a través de los años aquellos con poder para remediarlo no lo hicieron, ya fuera por ignorancia o por beneficio propio. Este libro no es solo para aquellos interesados por Cuba sino para todo aquel interesado en el futuro de su propio país.

¿Qué relación tuvo la Guerra Fría con la prematura muerte de un líder azucarero y congresista cubano?¿Qué hizo el estudiante Fidel Castro el día que asesinaron a Manolo Castro, el ex presidente de la Federación Estudiantil Universitaria (FEU)? ¿Qué papel desempeñaba en el escenario político de Cuba el Ministro Plenipotenciario (y, más tarde, embajador) Benjamin Sumner Wells: el carismático estadounidense de trajes impecables confeccionados por un sastre londinense?

Las respuestas a esas preguntas (y a muchas otras) se encuentran en este libro cuyo tema es un análisis crítico que abarca desde 1902, año del nacimiento de la república cubana, hasta principios del año 1959, cuando triunfó la Revolución en ese país. Economía, política y sociedad en un devenir de medio siglo que conoceremos más y comprenderemos mejor gracias a esta obra.

Desarrollada con rigor, inteligencia y honestidad, La semilla (I) se destaca además por un sostenido interés narrativo que combina crónica, testimonio y reflexión analítica.

Escrito con un estilo fluido de novela de acción, este libro presenta una enorme cantidad de información de la historia de Cuba, combinando un enfoque detallado de eventos con el entorno político/social/económico de los mismos.

ELLIOT TIEGEL HAS THE ULTIMATE MASTERPEACE. HE TELLS FOR THE FIRST THE ENTIRE OF THE LATIN MEGA INFLUENCS IN ALL OF OUR LIVE.IT IS A BRILLIANT MAP OF THE HISTORY OF THIER INFLUENCE IN EVERY FIELD.THIS BOOK IS AS UNIQUE AS IT IS BRILLIANT.

Latinization of America -
The book is a real eye opener. It's astounding to learn the impact that the Hispanic population growth is having on the entertainment industry (as well as corporate America). Eliot Tiegel has a command of the subject matter; the book comes across as meticulously researched and gives a real education on the growing influence of this segment of the population.

Full of personal accounts, hard facts and solid news reporting, the book gives the reader an understanding on how the changing demographics translate into more radio stations switching to Spanish formats, increased budgets for advertising aimed at this audience, the emergence of more crossover artists, etc, and the effect this is all having in every area of show business.

Who better than an entertainment journalist who's had a front row seat to all things film, music, radio & television to chronicle the history & inroads of Latin entertainment in the US? And it's the readers who reap the benefits of his 45 years in the business. This book is an important first of its kind, certain to be the go-to reference for years to come.

Living in Southern California, the "Latinization" of Los Angeles was probably the beginnings of what Eliot Tiegel has so eloquently waxed poetic in his new book. From all areas of entertainment, to sports to business...this is the "must-read" bible for anyone interested in how Latin culture and its people have blended into the American melting pot and influenced everyone...everywhere! No other resource has covered the genre so brilliantly and so completely. Grab a Mojito, your favorite cigar and a hammock it's gonna be a long, very enjoyable read.

This book, while serving as an excellent and colorful children's fairy tale, also has some layers that are invisible to the untrained eye, but satisfying for the person with a little knowledge of modern Salvadoran history. Although the concept of the cadejo goes back a long way in Central American culture, Argueta has hidden a subtle commentary on the political history of El Salvador inside this fun-loving tale. It's no coincidence, for instance, that the number 14 occurs in the description of the landowners who send the lead soldiers to teach a lesson to those workers who have the nerve to think they should get to rest once in a while, or eat; look up the reference "fourteen families" (catorce familias in Spanish) to make the allusion emerge clearly within this charming tale.

Don't get me wrong -- if you want your child simply to read this story as a fairy tale, that will be possible, even easy to accomplish. The story stands on its own two (four?) feet without any need to introduce the allegorical aspects. All the same, there's a good reason this story was excerpted for an intermediate college Spanish textbook ... there's a lot more going on here than meets the eye.

i'm currently living in El Salvador and found this book online when looking for traditional Salvadorean legends on which to base a drama production. I was delighted by the story, which is accessibly presented in both English and Spanish, and which features enchanting details to make adults smile as they read to their children. The beautiful illustrations add to the enjoyment of this story - I intend to buy a copy to send to my 2 year old godson in England - he will adore it.

This is an excellent story, well told with colorful illustrations. It opens children's eyes to compassion, offering a story of hope and reconciliation. Excellent for children and for adults, too - it went over well in a class in Hispanic culture at Wofford College.

This is my favorite book! We were living in Mexico and had the opportunity to travel to Guatemala and and visit the Museo Ixchel in Guatemala City, where we found Carmen Pettersen's beautiful book. We also had the wonderful opportunity to see some of Carmen Pettersen's original water color paintings of the Mayans in their "traje," or indigenous apparel, in a friend's home in Antigua!

The water color depictions of the "traje" are incredibly detailed, and the text so intimately describes the culture of the Mayans. It is amazing how much the indigenous dress tells about the ancient and "modern" life of the Mayans.

Every traveler to Guatemala would benefit immensely by reading this book--easy to read and with sixty water color pages (some are fold-out pages) and thirteen photographs to guide the reader through the daily life, religion, and cultural practices of the Mayan families in their villages.

The Maya of Guatemala is THE classic book on the "traje tipico" (native dress) of the Mayan Indians of Guatemala. The exquisitely beautiful paintings produced by Carmen Pettersen over many years constitute the best illustrations ever done of the Mayan "traje". The sixty colorful full page paintings face parallel texts in English and Spanish telling about the particular "traje" and the customs of the Mayan people. Pettersen writes the informative text rather like a diary of her travels to the various towns so while concentrating on the traje and traditions we see something of the individuals and the writer. The paintings, the real point of the book, succeed better than photographs because the detail of the "traje" is not obscured by light and shadow. While accurately detailing the "traje," the paintings at the same time are intensely personal portraits of the individuals. Although there is no book yet which shows the traje of all the different Mayan towns in Guatemala (and Mexico), this book illustrates more than any other. It is my book of first reference to find out about the "traje" of a particular town. If among the many books I have on the Mayan culture I could keep just one book this book would probably be it.

Carmen Pettersen, born in Guatemala of an English father and Mexican mother, learned to paint in England. As a young woman her family moved back to Guatemala where she lived among the Mayan Indians for the rest of her life. The paintings and the text reveal the high regard she had for the Mayans. The original gouache paintings now reside in the Ixchel Museum of Traje in Guatemala City.

Joseph Johnston, Curator, Arte Maya Tz'utuhil

www.artemaya.com

As the curator of artemaya has pointed out this is the book to have. I concurr with everything he has said and find this book indespensible when studying the ancient or modern Maya. Without a doubt this is my favorite book on the subject and even after twenty three years in my possession I still open it up and gaze upon the magnificent pictures. Carmen Pettersen's paintings were done in the early 1970's and are of the highest and utmost quality. Her personal observations on the culture reflect her sensitivity to the subject which in turn is refleted in her art. For example, when describing the toursist hot spot Chichicastenango, with its beautiful marketplace and church where pagan and Christian religion is practised, she comments on the "disintegration of this tribe" and "the complete degeneration of the people who wrote the Popol Vuh" as "the older people and leaders stand fast and steady, suffering silently with sullen hatred in their eyes." The models used in the book are of such exceptional quality and life like that it is as though they will begin moving . She depicts her subject matter as strong and proud, in spite of a humbling history of European influence. Pettersen obviously was in tune with her subjects in art as the expressions on their faces come to life. The details of the clothing are superb and exquisite artistry. The pullouts pages have even more detail as she shows an entire village scene like a marketplace or the people gathered in Chichicastenango. If you are familiar with Maya clothing and the various tribes that continue the ancient traditions, including embroidery sewn with a bone needle, you are probably aware of of colorful and intricate patterns achieved on these textiles. These are not the products sold to tourists but the authentic attire that the people themselves wear. Nothing is lost or compromised in the paintings and are exact reproductions of authentic dress. If you are planing a trip to Guatemala it is highly recommended that you get this book before you go or if nothing else before you leave country to return home. It is preferable to have the book before so you can understand what you will see as you step back in time and enter the remote jungles and ancient customs of the Maya. This is THE BOOK on the contemporary life and dress in Guatemala. If you have anything more than a passing interest in the people of Guatemala than this is the book to have, get it NOW, you will not be dissappointed.

This book is an excellent read. It provides great estimula for both mind and eyes. As I have lived and worked among poor Mayan peasants for many months, I have been suveying the market of books that describe the situation of the Maya of today. Who they are, how they live, how they think. This book shows you it all, without pretending to be an anthropological monograph.

The advantage of this book is that it does not try to submit its message to the reader in didactical terms. Instead, the photos and the accompanying essays elegantly unfold a series of descriptions, episodes and profound insights that together make it possible for the reader to grasp what Mayan life is like today, and how it evolved from the 1960's and 30 years ahead.

The "photo-essay" chosen by Everton as the form of presentation is a brilliant choice. Everton, author and photographer, lets the reader see a series of facets of Mayan everyday life from the point of view of individual Mayan friends of Everton. The solidarity and love with which Everton shows us scenes from Mayan everyday life do not undermine the books credibility. All general conclusions are based on individual examples. The care for precision in details and the interest taken in describing the common episodes and daily chores of Mayan peasant life make it possible for us to get close to Everton's friends. I have not come across any other book that equals Evertons work in this respect.

Perhaps the greatest advantage of the book is the way it reveals to the reader how the book came to be. Already the introductory chapters pose the problem, how we should think about the concept of Mayan culture. It discusses how Mayas are usually portrayed in the Western world, and it contemplates how this idea can be refined.

Some 20 Mayan peoples of today are the descendants of the ancient Mayas who built the famous pyramid temples. But we must consider that the Mayas have a present and a future as well as a past. Otherwise, we will not be able to understand the dynamics of contemporary Mayan life, says the book. In this respect, the ever changing Mayan culture is just like any other human culture in history.

Everton's photo essays form a persuading defense of the value of what he calls the "cultural diversity" of the world. Everton shows us that cultural diversity may be just as necessary for the survival of the human race as is the biological diversity found in our surroundings.

Everton profiles several Mayan families and follows their lives, in words and pictures, for twenty years. The results are compelling and the black and white photgraphy is stunning. He presents the changes that are taking place in their culture due to the demise of the hennequen and chicle industries and the rise of the tourism industry. The message is one of hope. The Maya have survived through thousands of years of change and they will continue to do so. Having met some of the people profiled in the book in person, I can tell you it is genuine in everyway. A must have for anyone interested in the Maya people and the survival of indigenous cultures!

This book is an excellent read. It provides great estimula for both mind and eyes. As I have lived and worked among poor Mayan peasants for many months, I have been suveying the market of books that describe the situation of the modern Maya of today. Who they are, how they live, how they think. This book shows you it all, without pretending to be an anthropological monograph.

The advantage of this book is that it does not try to submit its message to the reader in didactical terms. Instead, the photos and the accompanying essays elegantly unfold a series of descriptions, episodes and profound insights that together make it possible for the reader to grasp what Mayan life is like today, and how it evolved from the 1960's and 30 years ahead.

The "photo-essay" chosen by Everton as the form of presentation, is a brilliant choice. Everton, author and photographer, lets the reader see a series of facets of Mayan everyday life from the point of view of individual Mayan friends of Everton. The solidarity and love with which Everton shows us scenes from Mayan everyday life does not undermine the books credibility. All general conclusions are based on individual examples. The care for precision in details and the interest taken in describing the common episodes and daily chores of Mayan peasant life make it possible for us to get close to Everton's friends. I have not come across any other book that equals Evertons work in this respect.

Perhaps the greatest advantage of the book is the way it reveals to the reader how the book came to be. Already the ntroductory chapters pose the problem, how we should think about the concept of Mayan culture. It discusses how Mayas are usually portrayed in the Western world, and it contemplates how this idea can be refined.

Some 20 Mayan peoples of today are the descendants of the ancient Mayas who built the famous pyramid temples. But we must consider that the Mayas have a present and a future as well as a past. Otherwize, we will not be able to understand the dynamics of contemporary Mayan life, says the book. In this respect, the ever changing Mayan culture is just like any other human culture in history.

Everton's photo essays form a persuading defense of the value of what is called the "cultural diversity" of the world.

As a traditional Native, I rarely read anything like this. I wouldn't have even ordered it, except the author is a modern Native striving towards his own roots. I thought that I would be offended, but was pleasently suprised.

The sweat lodge is a very sacred place and this book does a great job of illustrating that. From the history to the legends it is fascinating and well rounded. Many traditions are represented in the stories and I really enjoyed reading them as seeing both the differences as well as the commonality. Highly recommended reading especially for anyone interested in participating in a sweat lodge. Respect and Reverence.

If you don't even know what a sweat-lodge is you might not get what you are looking for reading this book. However, for those who would like to learn more about Native American spiritual practices, it's a rich supply of knowledge. The book sets forth the history of the Sweat-lodge in many cultures, and also tells some great ancient tales of the lodge--great for telling in the lodge, or around the fire.

I agree with both previous reviews. Cannot really add anything other than it was completely enjoyable to read and certainly sheds new light on many aspects of how we have viewed and are now viewing the Maya and their spectacular civilzation...so nice toknow that the longer the culture existed the better off the lot of the common people.

There are many books written on the subject of the Maya civilization. What sets

Jeremy Sabloff's book apart from the rest is how he approaches the subject. He refers

to his book as a story, and provides his reader with a very concise overview of the Maya

civilization. The clarity of his text enhances the usefulness of the book, which in turn

broadens the audience from anthropology students to anyone interested in learning

about the Maya. Sabloff sets out his `story' to combine history, theory, methods and

fieldwork and best describes the text in his own preface, an "attempt to explain how

early archaeologists arrived at the `traditional model' of ancient Maya civilization that

was popular in the first half of the century and how fieldwork has given birth to new

discoveries of the Maya." (Sabloff, preface). The text is broken down into six chapters

and in each chapter he uses subheadings to organize his interpretation of the

information and to reveal an accurate knowledge of Maya studies.

Using Maya archaeology as an extended study, Sabloff uses relevant sites

during specific time periods as case studies to examine the area he wishes to describe

to his reader.

The first chapter is entitled `Growth of Modern Scientific Archaeology',almost

beginning were the preface left on in terms of what Sabloff views as the `traditional

model' of early Maya archaeology. This begins with the idea of what stream of

questions the archaeologist should ask. In the `traditional model', Sabloff shows that

the `what' and `where' questions of the past are no longer as relevant as the newly

replaced `why' and `how' shift. It is in this chapter that Sabloff introduces the first of

many different scholars to emphasize each section. Schiffer and Binford are discussed

as well as one of their more popular methodological issues of the past, linked cultural

activities.

The next two chapters give the reader a contrast with the `traditional model' of

ancient civilization and new views of the classic period. With these topics, Sabloff

refers to the findings of Morley and Thompson in chapter two and Willey and

Proskouriakoff in the following section. The way he introduces these scholars is one of

respect. Sabloff does not bash the early ideas of archaeologists (knowing now that the

information is not thorough), he describes their work prior to the archaeological

revolution as successful and that many of their ideas were not wrong, just not

developed enough. With regards to the later of the four scholars, Sabloff explains

Proskouriakoff's remarkable findings from the Usumacinta River sites of Piedras and

Yaxchilan and the breakthrough idea that Maya texts record history. What Sabloff

seems to stress is that with each decade, the scholars and the information they have

gathered help the next generation of archaeologists in their quest to better understand

Maya civilization.

Chapter four evaluates new views of the Pre-classic and Post-classic period.

Sabloff introduces specific case studies such as the areas of Chichen Itza and

Cozumel. By focusing in on these areas, Sabloff is able to convey to his reader an

understanding of what archaeology can accomplish.

The remaining two chapters analyze the emergence of a new model and takes a

look at archaeology under this new modern world. Sabloff highlights the scholars

Webster and Gonlin and their research on the emergence of more distant rural

areas among the Maya subareas.

With each chapter, Sabloff gives the reader a new finding in terms of Maya

civilization. He frequently looks for parallels between ourselves and the Maya which

make this civilization even more real and exciting to the reader. The `story' concludes

with Sabloff asking questions to the reader, and having read the book, the questions

encompass so much information in only a few lines. Sabloff leaves the reader thinking

as well as feeling confident enough to ponder the questions himself.

After the final word has been read, there are ten pages of further readings listed

by chapter, which include everyone mentioned in the book and then some.

`The New Archaeology and the Ancient Maya' is lavishly illustrated with

photographs, site plans and maps all of which are in colour. All of these visual aids in

conjunction with the accurate read, help to summerize this complicated subject with

success. Sabloff hits his target perfectly with how he feels this story should be told,

his story is "to understand the development of a past culture, not find lost arks".

I found this book very informative. It demonstrates how much archaeology and our knowledge of the Maya has changed since the Mayan ruins were first 'discovered' in the 19th century.

The cultural biases of the early archaeoligts now explain many of the 'facts' put forward in early books on this subject. Acutally many of these 'facts' were just guesses, but because they were put forward by prominent people they were taken on face value. Much of the work, especially since the 1960's has disproved or changed out of recognition these early 'facts'.

The last overview book on the Maya I read had them as peace loving people in lovely cities in the jungle, who just "gave it all up for no decent reason". This book completly changed my view on that. It made me realise on how slim a foundation many of the earlier works lay.

I'd reccomend this book to anybody who wants to know how much archaeology has changed - and why what these people have discovered is not only in the past, but also has a bearing on us today..

There's an implicit question raised by The Other Game, which is relevant to all of us. Which is the game we want to play? Dahl-Bredine and Hicken depict lives that are productive and rich in meaning, wisdom, and sharing. They demonstrate how the unwritten protocols of this Oaxacan village keep the society tending towards a more inclusive distribution of wealth. This is accomplished through festivals of generosity, self-funded and rotating leadership roles, and work projects in which everyone contributes to the community's well-being.

In an interlude at the center of the book, the authors detail the unwritten assumptions by which we operate. I found this a good common ground for discussion.

This book is particularly useful for those of us trying to figure out how we can be *individually* such good people and *collectively* doing such terrible things. We're focused on winning a game whose rules benefit the casino owners. It's time to walk outside and see how the other 80% lives. It will prepare us to walk back inside and change the game.

There is much to learn from other cultures. We can look at them and then examine ourselves to see what's really important. "The Other Game: Lessons from How Life Is Played In Mexican Villages" is an historical survey focusing upon villages that have existed for thousands of years, and a look at their inhabitants and their way of life. Alternatives to our culture are presented to make a better future for ourselves, and while it is far from being a romantic view of the past and in the Mexican villages, it is simply meant to offer another option for life. Recommended for religion and social issue community library collection shelves, and those who seek to learn about how others live day to day.

Authors Dahl-Bredine and Hicken have given us a very clear description and analysis of the situation in the Mixteca Alta Region of Oaxaca, Mexico. They show in a detailed and documented fashion the damage done by agricultural policies and trade practices coming from the North. Then based on the life experiences and stories of the local people, they show us another way to live and produce food. Reaching back to the wisdom of the Mixtec ancestors they offer a vision of hope for the future.