Central America Books

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.

When I started this book while researching the peace movement in the 1960s, I already had an admiration for these great women. After I read Swerdlow's book, I felt even more inspired and moved. This book is entertaining, factual and intellectual. Swerdlow writes a fantastic narrative of how these women turned the tide of the McCarthy Era and broke out of an era of domestic containment (read the chapter "Ladies Day at the Capital" to see what I mean). Using motherhood as a method of protest, these women truly were pioneers of their time. When we think of the 60s and protest we often think of the youth in SDS or SNCC, but Swerdlow shows that protest in the 60s was more complex and more ordinary than we think. As a future teacher, parts of this book would also work well in a lesson about why stereotypes of the 60s don't always reflect reality.

This history of Women Strike for Peace, a creative bold, and effective women-led grass-roots political movement for an end to nuclear testing and against the Vietnam War is particularly relevant today as women seek to register their opposition to U.S military policies. Gloria Steinem advised: "No historian, activist, or self-respecting women should be without this book." Anne Davidon in the Philadelphia Enquirer stated:"Amy'Swerdlow's throughly researched book is a crucial piece of too-easily forgotten recent history. Swerdlow, a history professor and former director of the graduate program in women history at Sarah Lawrence College was a founder of WSP. While her personal involvement provided motivation for this literary labor or love, her clear eyed sense of history enabled her not to be blind to the movements limitations." Particularly fascinating are the chapters on the peace women's rout of the House Un-American Activities Committe and on Bella Abzug's role as legislative director of the movement and how it led to her decision to run for Congress.

Now in an updated and expanded second edition, Women Who Kept The Lights: An Illustrated History Of Female Lighthouse Keepers continues to be a unique and informative contribution to Lighthouse histories and studies. In an occupation dominated by males, Mary Louise and Candace Clifford reveal the names of 141 women who received official keeper appointments in the lighthouse service. More than twice that number received appointments as assistant keepers. Most of this number were wives, widows or daughters of former keepers, beginning with Hannah Thomas at Plymouth Light on the Massachusetts coasts in 1776 (her husband went off to fight the British), and ending with Fannie Salter, who tended the Turkey Point Light on Chesapeake Bay from her husband's death in 1925 until she retired in 1947. It was only with the introduction of automated lights by the U.S. Coast Guard in the 20th Century that the lighthouse keepers became obsolete and passed into history. "Must" reading for lighthouse history enthusiasts and women's studies groups, Women Who Kept The Lights wonderfully details the careers of 30 of these vigorous women.

Until I found this book listed by Amazon.com, I never realized women *were* lighthouse keepers. Clifford and Clifford's book will banish forever the image of the lighthouse keeper as crusty old batchelor, and will bring a renewed sense of awareness of the many accomplishments of which women are capable. The careful research done by the authors brings out a rarely publicized image of the women who tended the big lights, carefully pollishing the reflectors and the glass, keeping the lighthouses clean and functional, welcoming and educating visitors and doing their part - often heroically, to keep the vital paths of sea and lake open and safer by running these lights (often operating more than one beacon), running foghorns(either through mechanical devices or by hand), even saving lives. Through each vignette, a larger and more complete image emerges of the lives of the women who tended lighthouses, often while caring for invalid fathers and husbands, as well as bearing and raising children in these often-isolated locations. I must admit, I wish there had been more material on the west coast of America, and hope there might be a sequal. The photographs and sidebars added substance to this excellent publication. This will be a worthwhile addition to any library, especially if the reader enjoys American history and the role of women in American culture.

I live in Chicagoland and I consider this an essential guide to area restaurants. Chicago is blessed with so many good places, I rely on Zagat to guide me to the best ones. Whenever I travel, I always get the Zagat guide for the destination city. I have used the guide from Paris to San Francisco, and never had a bad recommendation. If you eat out, you need this book. I have already pre ordered the 2007/2008 edition, due out in July. I am egarly awaiting the arrival of the San Diego guide which has been out of print for a while.

Wow, what a good update on the restaurants in Chicagoland. I use this Zagat reference as I don't live "in" Chicago but am close to it and eat there fairly often in what could be referred to as the higher-end places. This Zagat guide rates the eateries as I would do so in choosing where to eat.

Zagat got it right in Chicago based on how I dine there and dine in other cities.

I have no financial interest in anything I rate.

100 Hispanic-Americans Who Shaped American History by Rick Laezman is a remarkable collection of informative biographical capsule portraits introducing one hundred Hispanic men and women whose lives profoundly affected America. From the governor of Spanish Louisiana who secretly aided the Americans during the Revolutionary War, to the entrepreneur who made the Coca-Cola company a sensational success, 100 Hispanic-Americans Who Shaped American History is an amazing and eclectic collection of fascinating figures, each of whom is given a one-page biographical summary enhanced a black-and-white photograph or artistic portrait.

I bought this book in 1969, just as it had been reprinted, I think, for the first time since 1886. Its the great big hard bound version, with the slip-over photograph cover. I still have it and read it every so often. It you are a real Historian and/or a lover of crime stories, you will want to add this book to your collection. It was written by the New York Chief of Police, Thomas Byrnes, and he writes each description like he's writing a novel. The photographs really help to make the book great too. Most photographs of 19th Century people all look pretty much the same. These are old-time mug shots,and a lot of the men and women are expressing their attitudes in their pictures. Once again, This book is a great addition to anyone's Historical crime book collection.

2020 America 2 is extremely thought-provoking. This work is a proposal for an improved American government, that eliminates corruption and immorals, while keeping the positive aspects the country was founded on. It is a proposal and an invitation. It is a proposal to begin constructing a new framework for America, while recognizing the need for more individuals ideas in order to become effectively refined. It is written so that it is not a know-all, tell-all, but a collection of thoughts from an educated individual. This is an essential work for anyone who sees that America is not perfect, and would like to see positive changes in its structure and practice. Excellent.