Portugal Books

A gorgeous book. Lots of pictures/drawings/photos, all good quality and interesting. This book is for looking at as much as reading, and it is very well done.

If you are going to Seville take the Eyewitness Travel Guide and this Knopf guide. Both books are very good, both colourful and easy to carrry. The Eyewitness guide has better maps, more organized information on hotels and restaurants. The Knopf guide is better on background, culture, architecture, flora and fauna, traditions and way of life. The Knopf guide also has a section, "Seville as seen by painters", and a section "Seville as seen by writers".

I would say the Eyewitness guide is more practical, the Knopf guide more romantic, both very important. You will not be disappointed that you got this book. If you are an armchair traveler, this is definitely a good book.

If you like a travel guide that provides interesting and practical information in an attractive, clear and concise manner, then look no further. Information may contain historical, anthropological, political, cultural, and linguistic references. Indices contain hotel, restaurant, and transportation guides by city. No detail has been missed. Overall a real gem of a book.

This Knopf guide provides the type of information a devoted reader of National Geographic would appreciate - Andalucia is discussed in a historical, political, anthropological, linguistic, and psycho-social context. Beautiful pictures, maps, and illustrations. It also includes a glossary, hotel & restaurant guide, museum schedules, train/airplane schedules and other tips. In short, this is the definitive travel guide and it doesn't compromise on a single point. Someone with some real intelligence pieced together a masterpiece .

For such a small country, Portugal has a wonderfully varied and diverse cuisine. Until now, the only other book that gave it any justice was Jean Anderson's "The Food of Portugal." This book is right-on with regional specialties like the "queijada" of Sintra, and many other delights.

This whole series is good, and I hope it will continue to be, but this one is outstanding. I will use it on my next trip to Portugal, where I have been twice already. The food is one of the things that delights me most about the country.

For such a small country, Portugal has a wonderfully varied and diverse cuisine. Until now, the only other book that gave it any justice was Jean Anderson's "The Food of Portugal." This book is right-on with regional specialties like the "queijada" of Sintra, and many other delights.

This whole series is good, and I hope it will continue to be, but this one is outstanding. I will use it on my next trip to Portugal, where I have been twice already. The food is one of the things that delights me most about the country.

For such a small country, Portugal has a wonderfully varied and diverse cuisine. Until now, the only other book that gave it any justice was Jean Anderson's "The Food of Portugal." This book is right-on with regional specialties like the "queijada" of Sintra, and many other delights.

This whole series is good, and I hope it will continue to be, but this one is outstanding. I will use it on my next trip to Portugal, where I have been twice already. The food is one of the things that delights me most about the country.

The Manipulated is a ton of fun. Nathan Walpow really knows how to pull you in, and once you're there, you don't want to leave. Right from the first chapter, he had me. As others have said, though Joe Portugal has appeared in other novels, you could easily just jump right in here and join the fun! This is one of those books where you suddenly find you've been reading for hours and it doesn't even seem like it.

Can't wait for the next one!

Walpow has an easy and inviting style that once I began reading The Manipulated, I couldn't stop. I have read a couple of the Joe Portugal novels in the past, but past knowledge is definitely NOT necessary when reading this latest adventure. In fact, this is a great one to jump in on. Joe is reaching a turning point and I get the feeling things in the future are going to be different for him, equally engaging, but different.

If you like a good mystery, if you like to laugh, if you enjoy a wholly real and inviting main character, read The Manipulated.

I was recently introduced to Joe Portugal in One Last Hit by a coworker and found it to be a fun and an enticing read, but The Manipulated thrusts Joe and his adventures to a whole new level. The Manipulated is sexier, darker, funnier and all around more explosive. Mr. Walpow's ability to express the relationships and ties between his characters is so powerful and insightful it makes this chapter in Joe's life an impossible one to put down, and leaves you thirsty for more. I'm a fan!

As in my (rave) review for Ms. Kerper's PARIS book, I cannot say too much how much I love this series, and this title, in particular, is spectacular, in that it makes a region that is off-the-beaten-path so entirely enticing. I am planning an upcoming trip to Northern Spain, and unlike other the other (standard) travel guides for this area that I've seen, this book has TRULY helped shape how I wish to spend my time, all the while introducing me to a culture and history I am unfamiliar with (e.g. the long history of pilgrimage in Santiago di Compostela, and the endless seafood offerings of La Coruna and culinary indulgences to be found in San Sebastian). This is not the Spain of arid plains and bullfight arenas. Its a whole new world...to me!

I feel this book is the PERFECT starting point for travellers, ESPECIALLY those who enjoy planning, for it leads one in so many interesting directions. The different voices of the varied collected authors (along with Ms. Kerper's insights) offer a much richer perspective than most typical travel books, by virtue of the diversity (and careful choosing). The excellent bibliography will have you running to the library or bookstore to explore more, all in a much more focussed way.

Thia book is truly a resource (as titled) and a guide and companion in the fullests sense of these words. You are the beneficiary of insider knowledge from an avid traveller, and it all seems so personalized.

Without hesitation I say BUY THIS BOOK, and while you're at it check out the others in this series...honestly PARIS was indispensible to my last trip, and I can't wait to get my hands on VENICE!

This isn't a travel guide, per se, but an excellent descriptive collection of the regions, landscape, and culture of Northern Spain. While it does include some good practical info and some (limited) lodging and restaurant recommendations, what it does best is paint a picture of the region that isn't overly promotional. Just tells it like it is....you feel like you get a good idea of what it would like to be there. And the picture it paints will make you want to travel to Northern Spain -- it worked for us!

I loved this book!!! Having travelled to Spain several times and being interested in learning as much as I about this wonderful country, I found this book to be an extremely valuable resource. I loved the format, it was easy to pick up and put down with the short story format. I found the nature of the stories to be so personal that I felt I was actually travelling with the authors. A highly recommended travel guide!

This book was written by a scientist who is also a mystic who had an out-of-time experience with an historical figure from hundreds of years ago. This would be fascinating if it was just fiction, however I was there. I saw this all unfold and it is amazing to see it spelled out in this crisp, intriguing and lean story. Looking back from this vantage point of years later I can see the impossibility of these things being just "coincidence." This much-maligned historical figure, Juana "La Locca" of Spain, called out into this century to be vindicated -- and she chose a top scientist to entrust her story to. Although I was witness to these events from the outside as they were unfolding, reading this personal journal gave me new insight into the depth and implications of Paul's experience. I'm glad this was presented as just the way it happened and not embellished with interpretations of what all these things meant. Truth is stranger than fiction. This experience of Paul Casey's truly weaves the fabric of our material world with that of multiple dimensions of worlds together in a startling and intriguing tapestry that is absolutely riviting. And it is all true. I highly recommend it for all those who have ever contemplated life beyond this one.

Open the Coffin by Paul Casey is an amazing book by an amazing man. The book encompasses many of his abilities, including his scientific and mystical abilities as well as his special spangled cats and his technical creativity. But beyond all, this book is the story of his psychic abilities intruding into his everyday life and causing him to relive the life of Juana of Spain, a monarch who once ruled the entire world, but still be unable to save her from her fate. Paul's interrelationship with this woman is the main subject of the book. I was kept on the edge of my chair by the suspense inherent in the activities of someone whose life is continuously interrupted by the life of a queen who lived 400 years ago. Once I picked the book up, I couldn't put it down. Don't miss this stimulating and exciting book! You'll really miss out if you do!

Suzy Vaughan

This is the answer to any gift-giving dilemna you may have; the "person who has everything" does not have a book like this! My fascination with royal history as well as my love of cats drew me to this book. It would be a worthwhile read solely for those qualities but it offers so much more! Nearly every reader likes one or more of the categories this book encompasses: history, mystery, humor, intrigue, action, romance, true-life adventure... Paul Casey's supreme storytelling keeps the reader riveted from the first page to the last as more and more amazing events unfold in the true tale of Juana, the forgotten queen of Spain and her presence in the modern world.

Spain fascinates me for some of the same reasons that intrigued Richard Wright when he wrote this book a few years before his untimely death. Wright ascertains that Spain is a contradiction,a holy nation that does ungodly acts, a superpower from the past trying to find its way in the modern world. Wright's main issue is exploring religion, namely Roman Catholism but along the way divulges his insights into a society plagued by it's past and present which at the time(1954)was still under Franco's influence. One of the more interesting aspects of this book is his discovery of a little book all young women must read and memorize. It turns out to be a sort of indoctrination to being "Spanish." Take an excerpt from Chapter 1, "Spain is a historical unit with a specific role to play in the world." This role is tied to religion and the conversion of all, by any means neccessary as exemplified with the conquest of the Americas; the gold and riches were just a by product of the divine nature of the conquest, a sort of earthly reward. Further on in the book destiny is defined as "all men in a common movement for salvation." In essence the belief is that Spain although no longer a superpower will be fundamental in the salvation of the world.Wright reads chapters of the book throughout his travels and shares them with the reader. Some of the Falangist concepts about Imperial Spain and how it pertains to the current state of affairs is amazing in it's ethnocentrism. The ideas from the Falangist book are worth reading this book for alone. Along his travels Wright sees the contradictions everywhere, racism, sexism and exploitation of women is rampant but sex sells, for it's price. So much for the high morality. One section is entitled " Sex , Flamenco and Prostitutuion" in which he explores this part of Spain that goes against the teachings of the church. Wright tries to live the life as regular people do and see it through their eyes. He buys a poor family a ticket to the bullfights and learns more lessons and observations on Spanish life. I found this book hard to put down and read it over a few brief settings while listening to Rodrigo's "Concierto de Aranjuez" as interpreted by Miles Davis on "Sketches of Spain". The material is fascinating and makes you think about many things especially if you happen to have Spanish heritage in your veins somewhere. Highly insightful and worth reading for the perspective of an outsider. Recommended reading from high school to adult although it might offend some Catholics.

I'm a fan of Wright's but had not heard of this book. It's one of those you start reading and it just fascinates you so you can't put it down. Part travelogue, part social critique, this work of Wright's is refreshing because we see it through the eyes of someone who hasn't be educated or socialized out of believing what he sees. I've always felt that in some places Catholicism is practed in a cult-like way. Wright shows how much power the Church had and what the results were.

This book had, says the introduction, been out of print for many years before being briefly republished several years ago. If anyone is able to purchase or obtain this work, they will find it an insightful view into a Spain still largely unknown by and officially protected from America and much of Europe. It was written in the mid-fifties after Wright had taken three journeys to that country. His argument is that Spain is still pagan: a primitive land untouched by the outside world for better or worse. On one hand, the Spanish practice an almost superstitious, certainly paternalist Catholicism which straightjackets women and suspects the few Spaniards daring to practice Protestantism. More positively, Wright finds, Spaniards have no race consciousness derived from outside sources. Wright notes that though obviously of African background, he was not discriminated against in terms of accomodation, dining, or socializing. He talks with a variety of Spaniards. Many question the Franco regime; are anticlerical and sceptical of Spanish values and history. Wright's descriptions of the often intimidating landscape, of bullfights and the celebration of Holy Week in Seville, are excellent. He maintains a basic criticism of the domination of the Church throughout.This brought adverse reaction when the work originally appeared, during an ultra-conservative era when religion was considered a bastion against communism. Wright 's sympathies for Spanish women, be they housewives, prospective brides or prostitutes, is farseeing. He understands the stereotypes women are subject to, especially in such a traditional society.Wright, an ex-communist, still had nostalgic feelings for the fledgling Spanish Republic. The Civil War is a subject only mentioned in confidence to him, so then recent was that struggle. For anyone wishing a broad-minded, well-written portrayal of a country that has fascinated many writers, "Pagan Spain" would be very worthwhile.

This is the best introduction that one could find to gays and homosexuals in Portuguese and Brazilian history from the 15th century to the 20th. The book examines the lives of a number of them, both at the top layer of society, including one Portuguese king, as well as at the bottom and does so in great detail that never minces words. Much of the information about them comes from Inquisition records since that institution had jurisdiction over what was then known as the "unspeakable sin". The inquisitors did not hesitate to go into minute detail about the acts they were condemning and as a result we are given extensive and valuable information about sexual practices at the time, even including some cases of bestiality. The book has a very useful glossary and an excellent index that make it easy to use. All readers who are interested in homosexuality in history and especially in Portugal and Brazil should find this pioneering book indispensable

This volume that includes important but never before translated studies by Portuguese and Brazilian scholars should prove essential reading material for all courses in Portuguese and Brazilian history.

This book is an amazing look into the gay life of Portugal and Brazil over a period of almost six centuries. It ranges from "outings" of two Portuguese icons, one a king, to studies of noble homosexuality as well as that of ordinary folk. Brazil is not neglected and Mott and Vainfas's contributions cover that nation well. Notable also is Johnson's "outing" of Prince Henry the Navigator, a masterly piece of historical detective work. The collection also contains unique translations of three superb studies by Luiz Mott, and overall is a really valuable contribution to understanding the gay life in Portuguese speaking countries. Highly recommended to all those interested in the social history of Portugal and Brazil.

The Rough Guide to Climate change was a surprising masterpiece. It presents complex scientific concepts in a highly readable manner. It is extremely informative, with more perspectives on the climate change debate than other sources I have checked out. And it makes sense of the diversity of opinions in the scientific community about the ways in which global warming is and will be effecting the world. In this sense, it is a very balanced sourcebook. Most of all, it is incredibly interesting. Not only does the formatting make for constantly intriguing reading, but the content itself is very interesting. Is it too much to say that on top of it all, Henson is a great writer. Making a book like this a Rough Guide really downplays what a gem this book is. Even if you already know a lot about climate change, this book will have a great deal to teach you.

I am using the Rough Guide to Climate change in a college course that I am currently taking about global warming and climate change. The second edition wasn't out when I started the class, so I started with the first edition and then switched when this edition did come out.

The book is a perfect example of how to write a science book for nonscientists. I have a degree in environmental science, but climate science involves so many disciplines that it is hard for even a trained professional to keep up and digest the information from all the various fields. Henson has done a remarkable job of taking the science and laying it out in an easy to understand way and in a very logical sequence.

The book is broken into parts in a flow that works well. The first section is about the basics of climate change, the second is about the symptoms we are or will be seeing as a result of climate change, the third is about the actual science behind climate change and the fourth presents a nicely balanced set of solutions and some of the detractors from those solutions. There is also a very comprehensive further exploration section at the rear.

The book is up to date and is, by far, the best source of scientific information available to the general reader about global warming. Buy it now...it might change your mind!

What a remarkable book this is - disguised as a simple guide to climate change, but actually a very sophisticated, balanced, thoughtful analysis of the many aspects of climate change: the physical causes of climate change, the symptoms of a warming planet, what the average person can do, and the politics surrounding the entire issue.

Loaded with great information and highly readable, although it never talks down to the intended audience, which is aimed at everybody (may be too difficult for people under the age of 12). Lots of photographs and charts to help explain what climate change is, what causes it, and what the symptoms are.

The only weakness of the book, which is ironically one of its strengths, is that it is refreshingly free of a certain preachy tone that can creep into some books on the environment - however, because the book is studiously non-political, only half a page is dedicated to "lobbying for change" in the chapter titled "What You Can Do - Reducing Your Carbon Footprint and Lobbying For Action". Most of that chapter is dedicated towards small things everybody can do (adjust thermostat properly, drive hybrid cars, walk or bike, etc.). However, real change will probably only happen when entire countries set policies and laws into place that mandate fewer greenhouse gas emissions. (This is a scholarly bureaucrat writing this, after all.)

Having pointed out a minor weakness, I can wholeheartedly recommend this book to anybody wishing to learn more about climate change and global warming. The book doesn't actually let "big business" or current government leadership around the world completely off the hook - the book duly notes that conducting business as usual has gotten us into this mess, and that most businesses, and most governments have no real reason to change business as usual - after all, if they are still in business, or still in power, the status quo must be working well for them.

An excellent introduction to Mexican politics and the reasons behind the 1994 Zapatista uprising. Torti's story skillfully examines the economic and racial oppression of Mexico's indigenous populations and exposes to the reader an ugly side of Mexico known only to few Americans.

-Should be required reading for anyone unclear as to why thousands risk their lives each year trying to cross U.S. borders.

This book is so wide in it,s scope; a must read for anyone wanting to know something about present day Mexico. I love the writing style; personal and credible.

Don't miss it if you want to start knowing a little of what Latin America is

The sin of Father Amaro is one of the best books I've ever read. Simple, realistic, the picture of the society made by Eca de Queiros is perfect.

I WANT TO READ IT AGAIN BUT IN PORTUGUES

A classic, incredibly powerful book. How has it remained outside the group of classics widely read and taught here in the U.S.? It seems that the English-speaking world has been ignoring Portugal to its detriment! Both a rich, descriptive and entertaining novel and a scathing indictment of the hypocrisy of 19th century Catholic Portuguese society. I wish I could pass several copies of this book on, so more people could come to know this great author!