North America Books

I can not say if this is the best book on the subject, because I have not read the other books. I can say that this book is absolutely magnificient scholarship. Its subject is the Irish in America, and it gives a masterful presentation of the history of these people, both in Ireland and in America. This book is not a light read. It is very dense, and rather long. For readers with a serious interest in the subject, however, it is very rewarding to read.

I'm not Irish and I didn't have to read this book as part of a course. I read the book because I'm interesed in U.S. immigration, and find it necessary to understand refugee movements past and present. I'm also concerned about the 'problems'in Northern Ireland.

This book is a hard slog but a fairly good read. I read 10-15 pages at lunch every day and finally got through it. It's a very informative book, and quite illuminating.

The British undoubtedly caused many of the problems the Irish experienced in the past and continue to experience today. However, the Irish have had a hard time letting go of the past. What is to be done? One cannot make the past different, only the present. Although one might sympathize with the Catholic Irish, and even the IRA, the future must be different. Protestants are not going back to England or Scotland. In fact, they can no more return than those of British or Scotish descent living in North Carolina can go back to the U.K.

Read this book to better understand the dilemmna in Northern Ireland, and the possible ways peace may be found.

Emigrants and Exiles: Ireland and the Irish Exodus to North America is a well documented history of the emigration of more than seven million Irish people who left Eire for North America in five time periods from pre-Revolutionary days to 1921. Author Kerby Miller's research included more than 750 sources in both public and privately held collections in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, England, Canada, 20 U.S. states and the District of Columbia as well as more than 5,000 emigrants' letters, memoirs, poems, songs and folklore.

Miller begins and ends the book with recollections of Irish oral tradition to help understand the essence of the Irish emigration experience. He refers to Irish poems, songs and ballads from as early as the 11th century to explain an almost original sin-like belief that all Irish are exiles whether they emigrated or not. He explains how the Irish wake became a metaphor for the departure of the emigrants. In the last moments before Maura O'Sullivan left her mother's cottage to begin her journey to America, the old women of the village gathered `round to sing a mournful goodbye that just as easily could have been a funeral dirge: "Oh, musha, Maura, how shall I live after you when the long winter's night will be here and you not coming to the door nor your laughter to be heard!"

By the 1830s, less than 10,000 families literally owned Ireland, with several hundred of the wealthiest proprietors and large tenants monopolizing the bulk of the land. The Irish Diaspora flowed from an extreme concentration of property and power in an agrarian, export-based economy where too many people competed for too few jobs. In 1841, 80 percent of the more than 8.1 million Irish lived in communities of less than 20 houses. Most people were forced to lead lives of impoverished subsistence agriculture, poorly paid urban common labor or to emigrate.

Miller says Irish country people were "preliterate;" that is, they were illiterate while preserving a rich oral tradition and robust cultural heritage through their Gaelic language. Gaelic tradition had been sustained in Ireland by hereditary storytellers and poets who met in "courts of poetry" at farmhouses where established bards judged the compositions of their successors. Hundreds of thousands of Gaelic speakers emigrated to North America.

Music and dancing also played a prominent role in rural Irish culture from whence most emigrants came. Miller says visitors were often astonished that people so poor could exhibit such skill and spontaneous pleasure in song and dance. He quotes a traveling Englishman who observed, "We frog-blooded English dance as if the practice were not congenial to us, but here they moved as if dancing had been the business of their lives."

Prior to 1815, most Irish emigrants either were able to pay their passages or "emigrated for nothing" as indentured servants. After that, overseas demand for indentured servants practically disappeared while opportunities to earn livable wages in Ireland continued to deteriorate. A pattern of family chain migration developed that financed over half of all Irish migration after 1840.

In 1845, Ireland's population was about 8.5 million. Ten years later, after the worst of the Famine, it stood at 6 million. Many had died from starvation and disease, but most had emigrated to North America. Those who arrived in North America were temperamentally as well as economically less prepared for assimilation into their new lives abroad because of their strong peasant heritage. One Irish emigrant wrote, "Had I fallen from the clouds amongst this people, I could not feel more isolated, more bewildered." Another wrote, "We are a primitive people wandering wildly in a strange land ..."

Miller tells us at least 200,000 Irishmen served in the U.S. Civil War, the vast majority for the Union, which paid lucrative bounties to many recruits. He shares a letter from emigrant Thomas McManus to his family in Ireland in which Thomas assured them he wasn't forced to enlist, but "by `Gor' the bounty was very tempting and I enlisted the first day I came here." Thomas sent $350 of the $700 he received for joining up to help his family in Ireland. $700 was more than ten years' wages for an Irish laborer at the time.

Irish-Catholic immigrants brought their own factions, secret societies, sports and boisterous wakes to their neighborhoods and work sites in North America. Vicious battles over employment opportunities and territory were common among rival bands of workers from different parts of Ireland, as well as between the Irish and workers of other nationalities. The Irish were always sensitive to anti-Irish prejudice, symbolized by the "No Irish Need Apply" slogan, the source of which apparently was a song from England. Irish clannishness was often expressed in allegiance to strong-willed, often stridently Irish priests, to Irish street gangs, volunteer fire companies, political clubs and frequent mob actions against non-Irish competitors. The St. Patrick's Day observance was celebrated to extol Irish Catholic solidarity and build political strength.

This is not to say Irish Catholic immigrants were unified. On the contrary, Miller shows how they were deeply divided in several ways. Significant differences existed between Irish- and American-born generations, between different waves of emigrants in different stages of adaptation and affluence and between those who earned formal educational credentials and those who pursued trades and manual labor. Other factions arose between the English-speaking majority and the approximately half-million who still spoke Irish. Gender equality was also a prevalent issue between Irish men and women. In fact, Miller reports Irish-American women enjoyed significantly greater upward mobility and more successful adjustment to American society than did their male peers.

Kerby Miller's work is unquestionably a rich treasure of outstanding historical scholarship. It should occupy prime space on the shelf of anyone interested in emigration generally or the histories of the United States, Canada, Australia, England and any other country in which Irish emigrants have settled.

Many of us tracing our Irish ancestry will never really know our forebears - we may learn their names and the dates and places of their births and deaths - but we will never know who they really were. It is to sources such as this book that we must turn to flesh out the picture of the Irish emigrant and the forces that drove them from their homes - economic, social, cultural, and psychological, as well as their reactions to and rationalizations of those forces. We must then apply this information on the Irish emigrant milieu to the framework of knowledge of our specific forebears. The book has given me a plausible explanation as to why my County Mayo ancestors did not emigrate until the 1880's while so many from other parts of Ireland came over much sooner. Dr. Miller is quite detailed in his discussion of the differences in the adherence to traditional Irish culture and the Irish language that existed between the inhabitants of western Ireland and the remainder of the island. A must-read for any geneaologist seeking their Irish roots!

An excellent book covering the migration out of Ireland. Miller looks at the different time periods and at the different kinds of immigration, and traces the idea of emigration as "exile." Great background materials are included, as well as good statistical appendices and notes.

This is comparative history at its very best. Elliott superbly describes and chronicles the history of the British and Spanish exploration and colonization of the Americas, as well as the process whereby both the British American and Spanish American colonial societies brought about their independence from the imperial governments. It is a comprehensive, detailed, and yet highly readable overview of the political, economic, social, military, and religious forces at play in the Americas during the time period. Elliott goes beyond the telling of historical events and facts, to provide analysis and interpretation of why history unfolded as it did. The writing is excellent and clearly reflects a highly learned historian who has the ability to tell history in a an engaging manner. His juxtaposition and comparison of British and Spanish America in a single volume results in a very interesting and stimulating way to learn about the two empires. The book contains very attractive end papers, a number of excellent maps and numerous color plates. Very highly recommended.

Elliott delivers the masterpiece that those who study the Atlantic World have been waiting for. The idea of studying history from the perspective of the Atlantic has been growing in popularity and worth taking a further look at. Britain and Spain established mammoth empires and Elliot looks at their rise and fall. He also considers other powers including the French and Dutch but focuses mainly on the first two mentioned. The age of exploration is put in context and in true Atlantic fashion the slave trade and development in Latin America are very important. The revolutions of the Atlantic world are very clearly explained in this book and Elliott leaves you wondering where else this field can go. Elliott writes very well and this book is a must read for those who want to consider how the Atlantic world impacted Europe and the United States.

In Empires of the Atlantic World, Professor Elliot compares and contrasts Spanish colonial America with British colonial America. I am not aware of any other books that take this is their subject, and I think that it is worthy of attention. Elliot presents 2 very different experiences in terms of government, economy, and culture. For instance, the Spanish conquistadors came upon a very highly centralized political structure, which they were able to penetrate (and co-opt for their own rule) with relative ease. This enabled them to retain the tributary labor system of the Aztecs and Incas, which they labeled the encomienda system. The British in North America did not have the same experience, as the Indians there tended to be far more decentralized. This forced the British to pursue a far different strategy in their efforts at conquest. Also, the scarcity of gold and silver in North America forced the British to diversify the colonial economy, leading to a more developed economic scene.

Additionally, I found Elliot's side-by-side discussion (between the British and the Spanish) of various other colonial themes to be well-developed. In particular, he goes into considerable detail in contrasting Spain's Catholic-only policy in the Americas with the religious diversity that existed in the British colonies. At the same time, he also explores the very different attitudes that the British and the Spanish had toward the Indians, and how those differing attitudes shaped political and social orders in the 2 regions (look at the large "Mestizo" population that exists in many parts of Latin America today, in contrast to the relatively small population within the United States). For instance, the Spanish sought to bring the Indians into the Catholic Church (witness the significant presence of the Catholic Church in the colonies), and even (theoretically) included a measure of legal protection for Indians within the encomienda system. On the other hand, the British did not make christianizing the Indians a high priority, nor did they concern themselves wth any legal protections for the Indians (a notable exception to this was William Penn).

Elliot gives a great deal of space to discussing how the political and religious regimes that existed in Great Britain and Spain were transferred to these nation's respective American colonies. For example, the British colonists were nurtured, to some degree, by the growing "liberal" ideas that were coming out of Great Britain at the start of the 1700s, while Spanish colonists had no such ideas to turn to (at least none in Spanish). Moreover, British control over its colonies was relatively decentralized (many of the colonies were private or corporate, and all enjoyed a measure of self-government), though Spanish colonies were under the tight grip of the Spanish monarchy. Finally, Elliot demonstrates how both Great Britain and Spain began to "reform" their administrative policies vis-a-vis the colonies, and how those reforms triggered colonial resentment (though the 2 nations had different results in quashing this resentment).

This well written and well organized book is a careful synthesis of the enormous secondary literatures on colonial British America and colonial Spanish America. Elliott provides a pair of parallel narrative overviews of British and Spanish America from their foundings to the revolutions that severed ties to their home nations. The narratives provide the basis for some comparative analysis that recurs throughout the book.

Knowledgeable readers will probably be familiar with much of the narrative about British North America. Much of the information about Spanish North American will probably be new to many readers (like me). For example, the small British settlements of the 17th century were dwarfed by the scope of the Spanish colonial enterprise. When Boston and Philadelphia were modest seaports, Spanish America boasted several large cities. At the time of Harvard's foundation, Spanish America already possessed several universities.

Elliott divides this book into three sections; Occupation, Consolidation, and Emancipation. Occupation is devoted to the initial experience of exploration, colonization, and encounters with the native peoples of the Americas. The chapters in Consolidation describe the development of mature colonial economies and imperial government, the challenge of developing European style societies in radically different circumstances, and the sense of identities developed in these new societies. Emancipation describes the 18th century conflicts between the metropolitan centers and the colonies, particularly as London and Madrid attempted to develop closer control and upset traditional arrangements. All chapters are particularly good combinations of political, economic, and social history.

Elliott points out the common problems faced by both British and Spanish colonial efforts but also how the different features of the home nations and different circumstances in the Americas produced different outcomes. The Spanish, for example, were confronted with very large native populations that they attempted to incorporate into their empire. This fact, plus traditions inherited from the Reconquista, would contribute to the generation of the very racially differentiated society in much of Spanish America. The existence of enormous silver deposits in Mexico and Peru drove the Spanish Crown to exercise considerably closer control of its colonies than the British monarchy would exercise over its colonies.

In his comparative analysis, Elliott deals with the major differences in British and Spanish America, and implicitly how they led to such differing outcomes after the revolutions at the end of the 18th century. Elliott's answers are surprisingly traditional. He stresses the centralized bureaucratic nature of the Spanish empire, the more 'commercial' nature of British settlements, the religious pluralism of the British colonies, and the more liberal/representative political traditions that the British brought with them. Elliott is careful to point out that many of these ultimately beneficial features were essentially inadvertant. If the English crown had been stronger or if rich gold mines had been found in the Blue Ridge mountains, the path of British colonization might well have been closer to the Spanish model.

This was an eye-opener for me as I knew very little on Spain's American territories, besides brief descriptions of some of the conquistadors such as Cortes and Pizzarro. What Elliott has done in this book is to show the comparisons and contrasts between England's New World Colonies and Spain's. There are many fascinating facets underlaying the reasons for acquiring these territories, how both sides viewed their mission and goals, and how they governed them. This is without a doubt a remarkable book that revealed a lot for me.

The first colonization was begun by the Spanish in the early 16th Century. The English made their first successful attempt in the early 17th Century. Both South and North America posed different challenges for both governments, i.e. the size of the indigenous populations, the geography and climate, natural resources and so forth. For me, the real fascination was learning more about the Spanish colonies and the establishment of the viceroyalties of New Spain (based in Mexico City) and Peru (based in Lima) with additional ones developing over time. The interaction with the natives, the attempts at Christianization, trade, and many other aspects of Spain's colonization were quite enlightening.

Being more familiar with United States history, I felt more familiar with the material covered on England's planting of settlers in Jamestown and later in New England. However, the real education was in Elliott's efforts to show how each of these two powers (Spain and England) confronted the realities and challenges of establishing their presence in these very different regions. The differences were often quite stark. Some of the points of contrast that most differentiated the two powers included each nation's attitude towards the Indians (including the attempts or lack of evangelization) and the extent of imperial bureaucracy brought over from the mother countries.

Elliott also describes how world events had helped to shape and or guide the developments that occurred in both country's territories. The Reformation, the British Commonwealth under Cromwell, the Restoration, the Glorious Revolution, the French and Indian War, the French Revolution and so forth, all served as factors in shaping the events that transpired in North and South America. The role of various monarchs, religious, military and political leaders, as well as indigenous leaders, are also discussed.

Elliott does try to take an even-handed approach in acknowledging the strengths and weaknesses of both government's endeavors. Of course it goes without saying that the notion of empire, with the connotations of exploitation of natives and their cultures, is unpopular in most peoples minds nowadays. Yes, it was and remains a blot on the records of all nations that engaged in replacing the livelihoods and cultures (sometimes more like extermination) of indigenous peoples, or those who engaged in the slave trade, but we must keep in mind that we have to try to keep modern standards in check for historical purposes.

This is such a broad subject that I find it hard to even begin to touch on more specific details found in this book; I'm just trying to outline the broader contours of Elliott's book. Having some introduction to this time period will help you, but you need not be an expert on this particular topic. An illuminating read.

Totally portable, accurate and inexpensive. I would not venture out in Manhattan without this booklet in my bag.

I bought this book a little over a year ago and have used it for several business trips. It is small and easy to carry, doesn't look touristy, and gives me a lot of confidence getting around Manhattan. The best $ I ever spent. You know how some people just seem to "know" New York even though they don't live there? Well, that's me now.

Certainly veteran New Yorkers will snicker that they don't need "Fodor's Flashmaps New York" to get around town. And they may very well be right. However, as a New Yorker with many international friends I field countless queries about what to do in New York City when you get here. Let's be honest...the Big Apple is gigantic. And no matter how well versed you are about New York City...things change so quickly in this town that it is smart to have this tidy little book around just in case you happen to suffer from brainlock.

And then of course sometimes friends ask for help for things for the kids or for their young teens. Moreover, some queries are specifically for daylight hours, nightlife, weekend activities or happenings in boroughs outside of Manhattan. This text can help. Additionally, Fodor's includes essential telephone numbers for hotels, places of worship, ballparks, schools and universities, airports, transportation, museums, art galleries, parks, shopping, dining, theaters, movies, libraries, consulates, hospitals and hip nightlife activities. Fodor's even provides zip codes but no e-mail addresses.

This book is a great tool. It's small and can easily slip into the inside of your sports coat or if you have a normal size purse, just pop it in and you're set. Or better yet...carry it around in your back pocket (it fits). There are 61 maps and thousands of listings. It will help you walk around, take buses, ride the subways or take railways into the suburbs. In my opinion it clearly is worth the investment for metropolitans or for anyone who wants to visit New York City. One thing is for sure...it will save you plenty of time, and as everyone knows...time is an important commodity.

Bert Ruiz

I donýt know how the conversation started, but I was at the Union Square store of a major competitor of Amazon, letýs just call it FarmStructures & Nobel Booksellers, and the security guard told me that he had relied on this book as a native New Yorker for years. So I bought it.

And now *I* have relied on it for years.

Whether you are looking for where the ýDý train crosses the ý7ý or where exactly Cornelia Street is anyway, this book is excellent. Museums, movie theaters, road maps and highways are all here. The shopping and restaurants sections are good for out-of-towners looking for the classics, less useful for New Yorkers looking for the next new thing, obviously.

Itýs small, convenient, and well-drafted (the maps themselves are different colors so you can readily find what youýre looking for as you flip through ý yellow is street /subway; pink is daytime attractions; black/blue for nighttime attractions). All in all, anybody living in or visiting New York frequently would find this useful. If you are a one-time tourist, though, youýre probably better off going with something more comprehensive like Lonely Planet.

Enjoy!

I highly recommend that when you visit NYC you carry a copy of Flashmaps with you. It's a convenient subway and bus map, shows you all the neighborhoods, museums, post offices, etc. But the thing I use the most is the cross street lookup, which I relied on not just while new in NYC but also as a long-time resident.
I discovered the NYC Flashmaps many years ago when I asked a limo driver exactly where a business address was. He pulled out his Flashmaps, turned to the cross street page and told me the exact cross street in well... a flash. He told me no professional driver and no New Yorker should be without it. I bought my first copy that day and have been telling residents and vistors alike for years.

As a book of quotes designed to inspire, this well-designed and user friendly text offers a practical yet unique approach to any challenge life offers. The author's Native American world view enriches by overlaying traditional thought onto contemporary life.

These inspirational messages cover everything from of personal concerns such as love, family, creativity, fear, death to the broader social and political matters. Carefully avoiding the familiar "New Agism" often found with American Indian philosophical treatment, the book also provides some never before expressed views of Indian issues that demystify while clarifying.

In putting the text into four categories that represent each the sacred aspects of the hoop -- generosity, fortitude, bravery and wisdom -- the editor brings us a truth teacher who does not dance around serious matters, let alone wolves.

Rather, he enables us to find our place within these aspects at any given time, and go out into the world with a different, and refreshing perspective.

As a book of quotes designed to inspire, this well-designed and user friendly text offers a practical yet unique approach to any challenge life offers. The author's Native American world view enriches by overlaying traditional thought onto contemporary life.

These inspirational messages cover everything from of personal concerns such as love, family, creativity, fear, death to the broader social and political matters. Carefully avoiding the familiar "New Agism" often found with American Indian philosophical treatment, the book also provides some never before expressed views of Indian issues that demystify while clarifying.

In putting the text into four categories that represent each the sacred aspects of the hoop -- generosity, fortitude, bravery and wisdom -- the editor brings us a truth teacher who does not dance around serious matters, let alone wolves.

Rather, he enables us to find our place within these aspects at any given time, and go out into the world with a different, and refreshing perspective.

As a book of quotes designed to inspire, this well-designed and user friendly text offers a practical yet unique approach to any challenge life offers. The author's Native American world view enriches by overlaying traditional thought onto contemporary life.

These inspirational messages cover everything from of personal concerns such as love, family, creativity, fear, death to the broader social and political matters. Carefully avoiding the familiar "New Agism" often found with American Indian philosophical treatment, the book also provides some never before expressed views of Indian issues that demystify while clarifying.

In putting the text into four categories that represent each the sacred aspects of the hoop -- generosity, fortitude, bravery and wisdom -- the editor brings us a truth teacher who does not dance around serious matters, let alone wolves.

Rather, he enables us to find our place within these aspects at any given time, and go out into the world with a different, and refreshing perspective.

As a book of quotes designed to inspire, this well-designed and user friendly text offers a practical yet unique approach to any challenge life offers. The author's Native American world view enriches by overlaying traditional thought onto contemporary life.

These inspirational messages cover everything from of personal concerns such as love, family, creativity, fear, death to the broader social and political matters. Carefully avoiding the familiar "New Agism" often found with American Indian philosophical treatment, the book also provides some never before expressed views of Indian issues that demystify while clarifying.

In putting the text into four categories that represent each the sacred aspects of the hoop -- generosity, fortitude, bravery and wisdom -- the editor brings us a truth teacher who does not dance around serious matters, let alone wolves.

Rather, he enables us to find our place within these aspects at any given time, and go out into the world with a different, and refreshing perspective.

This inspiring book offers a uique approach to any and all of life's challenges by overlaying the author's Native American world view onto contemporary life concerns. Written in the format of quotes taken from a series of talks, this makes a handsome gift that can be opened and enjoyed quickly.

Organized in four general categories (each covering an aspect of the sacred hoop; bravery, fortitude, wisdom and generosity) each chapter within offers hope for such personal concerns as love, family, creativity, fear, death...to name a few.

Broader social and political matters are also covered, especially as Little Crow demystifies and clarifies current American Indian issues with a refreshing avoidance of trendy "New Agism".

The editor has brought us a truth teacher who does not dance around serious matters, let alone wolves. Rather, he enables us to find our place at any moment, and thus we are encouraged to go about our lives with a new and optimistic perspective.

A compelling storyline full of facinating bits and pieces about North Carolina's coastal heritage. It's a must read for NC fishermen.

This is a very well researched book about the history of charter fishing off Hatteras Island. The author combines archive research with annecdotes collected from his repeated trips to the island. The reader also has a feeling of sadness as the author's wife slowly succumbs to MS while he is doing his research.

Well worth the time to read.

HATTERAS BLUES: A STORY FROM THE EDGE OF AMERICA is part biography and part regional history: it uses the experiences of one long-time fisherman on North Carolina's outer banks to reveal the issues of a fading industry and the development of Hatteras Village in the heart of Hurricane Alley. Tom Carlson's involvement with his subject leads him to the heart of a family and a town's struggles and faith in a warm first-person survey which at times reads with the quiet drama of fiction.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Great book. I love to hear the stories of the people in this book, of course the fishing is always good. The weather and the constant movement of the cape was and is totally intriguing.

I have been visiting the North Carolina outer banks since 1970. I did not think anyone had as much love or reverence of this special place as I, but I was wrong. Tom Carlson in Hatteras Blues has established himself as a true devotee of these narrow islands off the Carolina coast. He captures the lure of isolated and wind-worn beaches and ever-changing off shore waters where fishermen (and women) from the smallest North Carolina towns to the largest international cities have searched for prize bill fish, bull drum, cobia and a host of other species for several decades. The reader is absorbed in the story of the Fosters and others who fought the harshness of life on the outer banks to create a thriving charter fishing industry that today is being challenged by corporations and those uncaring of the outerbanks special culture. Carlson is a waterman by birth and a "Banker" by choice. Hatteras Blues is a heartfelt story of great loss, love, spirit, transformation and hope set in one of the most magical places on planet Earth. Rates with Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea for bringing to life the conflicts, the turmoil and the serenity of what it means to be a part of the sea and the coast. Highly recommended.

Keepers Of The Children: Native American Wisdom And Parenting by Laura M. Ramirez (whose husband is a Pascua Yaqui Native American recently inducted into the American Indian Hall of Fame for his successful career in baseball), is the first "how to" parenting book that draws upon Native American concepts and teaching stories to show just how to raise children to know themselves and their strengths, as well as creative for themselves productive and meaningful lives. Of special value for Native American parents, Keepers Of The Children is informed and informative reading that can confidently be recommended to the attention of any parent, regardless of ethnicity or racial background, wanting to instill enduring family values into the character and lives of their children in our multicultural world.

There are many books on the market that give advice on parenting, but Keepers of the Children is much more than that. It is a book that expresses a living wisdom meant for nurturing the soul of every human being, child or adult. Laura Ramirez writes words that are like a flowing river. They move through us and impart a remembrance of who we really are and why we are here - to see the wondrous potential in one another, and to help bring that seedling to healthy growth and full bloom. In the process, she reminds parents that we are entrusted with a sacred mission, and in that we do not impose what we believe our children should be, but learn to listen and see the clues they provide to help us guide them to their own highest and best good. As we do this, we are given the opportunity to observe ourselves and grow with the children.

The chapters within the book are full and satisfying.(read them on Amazon's look inside the book). You can see from the headings alone that this is more than a "how to" book. It is full and rich in texture and content. I highly recommend Keepers of the Children to all parents, grandparents, relatives, teachers, and caregivers. This is a book about living a worthwhile life, and the wisdom within is relevant for all of us.

In her book Keepers of the Children, Laura Ramirez has combined her expertise in child development with her understanding of Native American perceptions and the customs and rituals that have grown from them to produce an analysis of the art and science of successful parenting that's both comprehensive and highly original.

This is much more than a 'training manual' for the aspiring parent. It's a deeply spiritual book that explores important issues of human nature and development that transcend both Native American and 'western' cultures. It will appeal to parents of all races and creeds who desire to expand their abilities beyond the mere mechanics of 'child management' to the attainment of true parenting success.

Laura Ramirez writes knowledgeably and with passion about the necessity of having a clear vision for our children and of understanding the sacred nature of our part in their lives; of the importance of honouring our children as unique individuals and of constantly promoting their wellbeing and development even as we work on ourselves to become the best role models for them that we can be.

This book, once read, can be referred to again and again for good ideas, for comfort and support, for hope and inspiration. Virtually every page is a reminder of something we can do as parents to make the world a better place for our children and for ourselves and others.

A work of meaning with its heart very much in the right place, Keepers of the Children is a very welcome addition to my personal library of parenting books and I'm sure it would be to yours, too.

Buy yourself a copy and join Laura in her mission: to raise a generation of children who use their strengths to create a sense of belonging, meaning and contribution. "Such children will grow up to be adults who are lights unto our world."

Keepers of the Children is an innovative parenting book that everyone young or old should read. Whether you're a parent or not, you will find words of wisdom that will touch and enlighten you with its sensitive natural approach. It will help to explore and deepen your understanding of life and how it can be led to the fullest of your potential.

Utilizing a blend of psychology and Native American methods, Ramirez has written a common-sense guide for parents to use in raising emotionally healthy children.

There is much here to help all of us as we deal with any inner demons from our own childhoods. She emphasizes the importance of adults working to identify the failures they personally experienced during their own childhood development. By doing so, they are able to ensure they do not pass on that cycle of failure to their own children.

We are reminded that as parents, we must first recognize ourselves as guardians and teachers rather than just mothers and fathers.

Through encouraging and practical examples in an easy-to-use format, Ramirez focuses on how being a parent is more than just raising a child. She stresses the need to cultivate and nurture our children, both physically and spiritually, so they may reach their fullest potential with the inner strength and skills to appreciate their own unique abilities--thus allowing them the ability to be a happy and productive force in society.

Armchair Interviews says: Overall, Keepers of the Children is an extraordinary guide that provides parents with thought-provoking strategies, information and skills to empower their children while assisting them to find their own identity and instill values which will help them flourish and grow throughout their lives.

Keepers of the Children is written with great love, wisdom, and sensitivity and is a book I would recommend to any parent of any child. The principles are psychologically sound, and the writing is almost poetic in its eloquence.
Highly recommended!
Sandra McLeod Humphrey
Retired Clinical Psychologist, Author, and Character Education Consultant

This book is a wonderful help if you are planning on traveling to NYC. It breaks the city up into sections and has large detailed fold out maps of each section. It also has a subway map that can be a help; although it is not up to date I still found myslf using it to find subway stations and general information. Although if you are in NYC you should grab a subway/bus map right away and just use this as a backup.
The maps are on thick paper and easy to write on as well.

Best travel guide bar none. Fits your pocket or small purse.. Visually great looking. There are actual pictures .... All high recommended hotels different prices..Great maps.. hard to get lost . Great recommends for food I am a shopper.. Absolutely great & unusual shops ..None of the bad tourist gear only the styling gear.. .I am familiar w/ New York but I still use this guide. This is the one I get around with...I do not go anywhere without this guide if there is one available for the destination Im will be traveling to....

This is the most ergonomically designed useful city guide I've seen.
100 percent portable, no batteries, internet connection and user friendly.

I went to New York for the first time for two weeks. This map is great. It's small, easy to carry, and easy to read. You won't feel so obvious if you have to pull it out on the street corner or on the subway. It was so much better than the full size map that I got from the hotel. Beware, it only covers Manhattan. So if you have to travel to the outer boroughs (Brooklyn, Bronx, Staten Island, Queens) you'll need a different map. However, since all the siteseeing, shopping, and eating I wanted to do was located in Manhattan, it was the only map I needed.

The first time I went to New York, my mom bought this for our trip. It's been a life saver since. The maps are very detailed but small enough to carry with you without looking obnoxious. The subway map is detailed as well and when you use them with your sectioned maps, it completes the whole picture. This is a must have especially for first time visitors as the maps are very easy to read. I'm going on my third trip in two months and had to pick up another copy of this, as I can't seem to find my older one. I couldn't imagine a trip to NYC without it!

I purchased this for my 3 1/2 year old. He loves it. Most of it was pretty easy for him, but I am so glad I got it. He loves stickers so the first few pages were a neat way to get started. The one on one time with Mom is wonderful and he looks forward to it every day. We usually did 3-4 pages each day. It is bright and colorful and the paper is very sturdy.

My son received this book for his second birthday and absolutely loved it! He wouldn't put it down. We have had a similar experience with the other Kumon books we have purchased since then. Highly recommend.

My son and I went through the entire book last night -- he loved it! I'm going to buy the More Sticker & Paste. He really enjoyed the gluing. I thought this would be a great book to bring on a trip with the exception of the need for scissors (which wouldn't work on an airplane).

This is an excellent book for teaching fine motor skills to little ones. I am a teacher and I highly recommend this for toddlers. My three year old loved it and wanted to do the whole book in one sitting.

My 2 year old loves this little book!! We're working through this and Let's Color simultaneously, and she asks (to put it mildly) for them everyday. It starts off very simply, placing a colored, shaped (circle, triangle, square) sticker over a coordinating blank spot in the middle a picture of an apple, watermelon, etc. I explained to her that the goal is to place it very carefully to try and cover the entire white space with the sticker. The paper and stickers are excellent quality, and can endure a couple of retries if she's not satisfied with her first attempt.
Of course you have to cut out pieces for the pasting portions. That's where the coloring book is coming in handy. She can do one of those while she's waiting for me to cut out the pieces for her next project. The pasting starts off similarly to the stickers, but advances to gluing features on a face, decorating a birthday cake, and 2-4 piece puzzles. Her first face was rather picassoesque, but the next day her panda was pandalike with no prompting at all.
This is my 4th child and I've "home pre-schooled" them all. I wish I'd had these available sooner. I love the incremental approach to more challenging activities. We've recently ordered the "More Let's Sticker and Paste" and "More Let's Color" and we're going to try "Let's Cut Paper" as well.

Only having less than a week to visit this beautiful, stunning area of CA, I found this book to be indispensable. It made a short trip a quality trip by the descriptions of everything in and around Monterey. I loved the photography as well! Although my trip was nearly 2 years ago, I still flip thru this book on occasion to dream about my next trip, and YES I'm going back! There is so much I that I missed due to my short stay, but thanks to this book I got to see my preffered highlights and I wouldn't change a thing.

Monterey is a very visually stunning area, my absolute favorite having visited in the US so far, and this book is a great way to ensure you see what you want to see.

I have lived in Santa Cruz County for 15 years and thought I knew the Monterey Bay coastal zone very well--that is, until I read Jerry Emory's Monterey Bay Shoreline Guide. This Guide is the best--it covers both familiar territory and less well-known aspects of the Monterey Bay and its coastal towns. I've found myself consulting it whenever I make any kind of shoreline jaunt, from discovering where one can walk one's dog on a beach in Carmel to locating the best on-shore whalewatching sites. The photos are beautiful as well as informative. The organization of the book, which includes sidebar articles on specific topics, lends itself to easy access for both the casual and serious reader.

I have lived in Santa Cruz County for 15 years and thought I knew the Monterey Bay coastal zone very well--that is, until I read Jerry Emory's Monterey Bay Shoreline Guide. This Guide is the best--it covers both familiar territory and less well-known aspects of the Monterey Bay and its coastal towns. I've found myself consulting it whenever I make any kind of shoreline jaunt, from discovering where one can walk one's dog on a beach in Carmel to locating the best on-shore whalewatching sites. The photos are beautiful as well as informative. The organization of the book, which includes sidebar articles on specific topics, lends itself to easy access for both the casual and serious reader.

I received this book as a gift and was immediately taken by the depth and breadth of this book. If you are traveling from Ano Nuevo to Monterey get this book! The author and photograper bring this spectacular shoreline alive with great descriptive copy and super photos(you've got to see page 136). Hidden beaches and other great spots that I would never have known existed. Great information about how to get there, what to do and how it got there. Get the family together, pack a lunch and bring this book. Guaranteed great day!

I thought I knew the Monterey region fairly well until I was given this book as a present! It is packed with great "bites" of information: natural history, human history, and how to get to all the beaches and parks. The writing is easy to understand, friendly in a way, and even fun. The maps are very helpful, and the book even has resource sections with phone numbers, website urls, and directions. AND, the photographs are stunning. A great gift for visitors, home libraries, or the glove compartment of your car.

This is an easy read text, organized well for quick reference and very helpful in counseling.

Excellent book, those written more recently have different agenda, but this book was excellent in terms of creating a way to understand issues specific to Native people and counseling.

This book gives a brilliant insight into the issues that Native Americans are facing as a colonialized people. I don't believe America as a whole has come to the realization of just what it did to the indigenous people and the traumatizing effect the American Dream has had on the original inhabitants. To make matters worse, these people are normally treated by individuals that only come from the Newtonian-Descartian worldview of present day mainstream psychology. When treating people from another cultural background, you need to take into account WHERE they are coming from, and what their worldview are. To not do so, is just to continue the cultural genocide that has been going on for far too long. A highly recommendable book.

This is one of the best books that I have ever read. I see it as basic material for any counselor or therapist. While the focus is on Native Americans, it is relevant for work with clients of all cultures. The discussion of intergenerational trauma and the soul wound is particularly well done. Highly readable and it can change the way you practice. Profound!

It's been many years since the first time I read this book, it was, and remains, a very powerful and very relevant analysis of anger turned inward in the Native American community. It is, nevertheless, a work that confronts a very sensitive issue in the United States of America - the impact on current generations of genocidal colonization practices against long-established Native American communities by European colonizers. Do not read this book if you believe the Americas were pristine, unpopulated lands waiting to be "discovered" by Columbus, or Erikson, or any other European. Do read this book if you want to understand why other colonized cultures have turned to violence and dogma to seek revenge for the foreign imposition of arbitrary and intentionally destructive rulerships.