Central America Books

If my memory serves me well, a high official in the Brazilian Catholic church stated, "... when I feed the poor they call me a saint; when I ask why the poor have no food they call me a Communist..." "WAR AGAINST THE POOR... " sheds the light on the so-called Reaganite "FreedomFighters" and exposes them for the terrorists they were and the complicity of the US agencies that created them.

Jack tells the reader the painful, sad truth about what the U.S. policy has been in Central America for the last 50 years. As a lay missionary living in Haiti, Honduras, Columbia, etc. I can tell you this horror story is sadly true, - our federal military is guilty of genocide in these countries. I read the book 5 years ago, did not want to believe my federal tax dollars were paying for these horrors. I did not want to believe what I read, so I lived there. Sadly it's true. Someone once said that the only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to remain silent." We know the sins of the Nazis because they lost the war. The U.S. military hasn't lost the war in Central America yet because of their power, but this empire will fall, as all Empires do. God is not mocked, a man reaps what he sows, and so too with nations. As Sandra Price, a North American nun who lived in Nicaragua during the U.S. financed and directed war against the Nicaraguan people said, "Many North Americans will be paying before God and in the afterlife for these crimes." I pray our nation return to God before He strikes our nation down.The nation will fall on this path, we have sown death and terror among our neighbors for decades with the justification of "american interest" and "national security" and "fighting communism." those excuses wont hold up before God almighty who commanded us "Love one another" and for the Christians "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you." May God have mercy on our nation, which has left God so far behind.

I believe William Walker's account of his adventures in Nicaragua demonstrate lucid thinking, an ability to enthrall a reader and a defininite articulacy.

William Walker leaves us with some insight to the level of arrogance he attained during his lifetime. The man betrayed the people who solicited him for support. Only General Munoz suspected Walker's motives, which may have been why the General was murdered. Walker gets 5 stars for the arrogant coward he was and for documenting it.

We just returned from Panama and Costa Rica and this was the best of all the books I got. Far from complete; but none of the resources are, it was the closest to complete. I really appreciated the layout, the amount of information packed into it, the features on each animal such as where you were most likely to see it, the area it covers (all of Central America which is hard to find) and the size being small enough to carry along on a hike. Good purchase and I will keep it!

I brought this book along with me to Central America and am glad that I did. It's a great little book, with detailed information on different species of wildlife found in Central America, where they are most likely to be seen, and so on. There is also detailed information on different parks to visit and what you may see there.

I used this book along with Central America on a Shoestring by Lonely Planet. You might just buy the book to help plan your trip, or to bring along with you as well. I found that the Watching Wildlife guidebook had a lot of extra information on parks and wildlife not included in the Shoestring guide, so was glad I had it with me. You might find more detailed information on parks in other guidebooks, so I would consider my interests and a guidebook's coverage of parks and wildlife in deciding whether to bring this book in addition to another general guidebook. The book is a tad bit heavier than you might expect, perhaps because of lots of glossy photos. On the other hand, this book can help you identify many animals you may see, and because it includes natural history information on different species, it can serve as a travel guide and natural history guide in one.

Not being a student of Panamanian history, I read this book out of simple curiosity. And what a wonderfully-told story I found! Dr. Pearcy has a wonderful way of making the complex quite readable. He moved past stereotypes and looked beyond his own expectations to find "the rest of the story." This is a great example of how research should be done--just reading the endnotes was fascinating--and how it can be made accesible to both scholars and laypeople. Especially with the Canal turnover approaching, this would be an important book to read.

Pearcy's book examines the involvement of the Panamanian military and national police in the evolution of Panamanian politics from 1903 to 1947. Pearcy begins with Panamanian independence, and concludes with the rejection of the Filos-Hines treaty that would have granted the United States more extensive military bases. Pearcy's goal is to also explain the advent of military rule in Panama that ended with the arrest of Manuel Noriega in 1989 following the invasion of Panama by United States forces.While providing a conventional political history, Pearcy also explores related issues that provide the context for political developments. This includes a sophisticated demographic analysis as well as an in-depth examination of Panama's economy. This book is well worth reading, and will hopefully show other scholars how to write political history that contains more than a token background section.

Fantastic book. Excellently written. Perfect for any lower Central American Archaeologist.

A superb collection of some of the best work by the most knowledgeable specialists in the region. The prestige of Dumbarton Oaks is inspiring, and this book will stand for many years as a classic work on the archaeology of the regions between Mesoamerica and the Central Andes.

When Courts And Congress Collide: The Struggle For Control Of America's Judicial System by Charles Gardner Geyh (Professor of Law and Charles L. Whistler Faculty Fellow at Indiana University at Bloomington) is an in-depth, comprehensive, and scholarly study of the history of various checks and balances involved in the procedures of the American court system. Analyzing the influence of the judicial decision-making and control through congressionally appointed judges, When Courts And Congress Collide produces a definitive study of the intricate political power struggle arising from the ideological processes of judicial powers and competing influences throughout the entirety of America political, cultural, and economic life. When Courts And Congress Collide is very strongly recommended to students of American history and political science, as well of the study of the American judicial system in history, in the present, and the foreseeable future.

Given all the recent conservative uproar about Terry Schiavo, and the resulting DeLay/Frist threats to "discipline" the federal courts, not to mention the continuing fallout over Bush v. Gore, this book could not have come along a more opportune time. And a fine book it is irrespective of the timing. The author, currrently a law professor but formerly a judicial clerk, litigator, Judiciary Committee staffer, and judicial branch "lobbyist," is admirably equipped to address this important topic. This is simply the best book on this topic I have seen and an invaluable reference source on this topic.

Basically, the author contends that the various methods we usually associate with legislative control of the judiciary--including impeachment, control of jurisdiction, budget, etc. -- have, with one exception, not proven effective. That one exception is, as recent Supreme Court and Circuit Court nominee hi-jinx illustrate, the power of the Senate to confirm judicial nominees. The central reason for this sitution, the author demonstrates, is a long-run recognition by Congress of the importance of judicial independence resulting in a marked reluctance to interfere with sitting judges and their decisions.

In order to explore this relationship, the book first looks at the origin of judicial independence before and at the constitutional convention, the Judicary Acts of 1789 and 1801, five key periods of stress between the courts and the presidency and congress, and the development of a self-regulating and discipling judiciary (e.g., the Judicial Conference, the Rules Enabling Act, and the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts). Separate chapters address impeachment (perhaps a bit too much in detail) and appointments, appointment being the sole way to exercise control unrestricted by concerns for judicial independence. A very strong chapter discusses the ways in which courts can avoid or mitigate conflict, including the Aswander rules and Bickel's "passive virtues" among other topics.

The author suggests this "dynamic equilibrium" may be shifting due to congressional interference through such devices as sentencing guidelines. For its part, the Rehnquist Court cut back the margins on long established congressional power in several areas. Moreover, the judiciary has developed an interesting technique of lobbying congress for or against changes, and striking down as unconstitutional those legislative changes with which it disagrees. Hopefully, the author is overly pessimistic--it would be a shame to have radicals of whatever persuasion controlling the federal courts to suit their own agendas. An outstanding discussion, superbly researched, and skillfully written (though a bit overly detailed in sections).

I have a five year old, Diego, that absolutely loves this book. I am originally from Costa Rica and was looking for books that would interest him while teaching him something as well. This book reminds us that there are many wonderful ideas and theories that explain the beginnings of the Earth and that it is wonderful to share in others' thoughts (on this and other subjects). The illustrations are amazing. The colors are vibrant and the characters are each beautiful in their own way. I now have a 7 month old daughter, Sofia, and I can't wait to share it with her.

I am a mother of two small children ( 2 & 3) and they really enjoyed listening to this story being told aloud at a recent book signing. The colorful art on every page keeps my children very interested in this wonderful book.

Now in a completely updated sixth edition, Wisconsin Off The Beaten Path: A Guide To Unique Places is an exciting travel guide to enriching one's Wisconsin vacation, whether one is relaxing for a single afternoon or weeks on end. Divided by region, and offering maps, unusual accommodations and attractions, as well as lists of county and state parks and unique museums, Wisconsin Off The Beaten Path is an excellent and enthusiastically recommended guide for any Wisconsin native looking for an entertaining day trip or weekend adventure, as well as the out-of-state vacationer looking for something fresh and new in what the Badger State has to offer!

Now in a fully updated and expanded fifth edition, Martin and Daniel Hintz's Wisconsin: Off The Beaten Path continues to be the premier guide to the unique places of the Badger state, often referred to as "America's Dairyland". Like the earlier editions of this invaluable guide and reference, Wisconsin: Off The Beaten Path is replete with detailed, user- friendly maps; chapter listings of restaurants, accommodations, annual events and popular attractions; a "fact block" provider at-a-glance information about the state including major newspapers, recommended reading for kids, public transportation, climate overview, population figures, and fun facts. Wisconsin: Off The Beaten Path is enhanced with numerous sidebars listing historical facts, geographical tidbits, stories and legends about various attractions, trivia, suggested day trips, and first-person anecdotes about the authors' experiences while researching their guide. Whether you are a vacationing traveler just passing through, or a born-and-bred native looking on a little recreational excursion, don't leave home for any Wisconsin destination without your own trusty copy of Wisconsin: Off The Beaten Path.

In a new and expanded edition, Women & Guns: Politics And The Culture Of Firearms In America by Deborah Homsher is enhanced with primary source material as she lays out the contemporary phenomena of rapidly growing numbers of women in the United States who are arming themselves with guns for personal protection. Women & Guns is neither pro- nor anti-gun control, but a clear, balanced, methodical, insightful examination of what is happening with respect to this hot button social issue. Highly recommended for academic and community library reference collections, Women & Guns throws a spotlight of information and resources on the pressing danger and allure of guns in American society today.

For me personally, target shooting is a fun sport that has an added benefit of relieving stress. There's nothing like the thrill and excitement of hitting a bullseye.

Self defense is a whole other area women can get into after learning safety and the legal responsibility that goes along with that education.

This book interviews women from every walk of life, average citizens in a variety of situations from sport to self defense. The book removes the stereotypical pro or anti-gunner and lets the reader explore the cultural of firearms.

Don't be alarmed by the title. This is not a hysterical, feminist book. Bruhns and Stothert simply fill in the blanks in history by revealing why these omissions were made in the first place and why engendering history is important. The theoretical aspects of the book are accompanied by many (although more would be better) illustrations and detailed analysis of artifacts.

The book has a great bibliography section which makes it a great resource for additional research in the field. Besides being valuable as a college textbook, it would be a great book to read if you wish to update your knowledge about gender roles in the Americas.

Women in Ancient America represents the first comprehensive coverage of women in precolumbian American cultures, describing their roles and relationships and utilizing key archaeological works to revamp traditional historical perspectives about the times. From the origins of agriculture to the development of social and religious systems, this provides many important, unique insights.