Central America Books

This is the most significant book written about the South in the last 10 years. Aiken focuses on what he and others sometimes call the "shadow" areas of the Sunbelt -- the Mississippi Delta, Alabama's Black Belt, the lower southern Piedmont of Georgia. Progress came to Atlanta and Birmingham, but it passed over large swaths of the countryside where cotton had been king and poor people, mainly blacks, had been the workforce.

These areas are little understood, either by people who live in them or those who live elsewhere. Aiken, through scholarship and insight, explains how these regions evolved and why their lingering problems still confound politicians, social planners and a world of good intentions.

Aiken's examination of the restructuring of settlement in the cotton plantation South from the Civil War to contemporary times captures the complexities of this region's transformation. In three sections he establishes the post Civil War fragmentation of the plantation as tenancy dominates the region, the twentieth century exodus, and finally the contemporary pattern reflecting the changing social and economic structure of the region. Examining the postcolonial explanation for these changes, he opts for a more realistic combination of Faulknerian human failings and failures. Winner of the J B Jackson prize from the Association of American Georgraphers, this book is the culmination of a mature scholar's life work.

Professor Quirk's Courts & Congress artfully traces the history of our Republic and takes the reader from the founding principles upon which our country was founded to our present state of affairs. Through what the author terms the Happy Convention he shows us how Congress has allowed the Supreme Court and the President to take away the power the founders so clearly wanted to rest with the people through their elected representatives.

Courts & Congress not only gives the reader an insightful analysis of the major Supreme Court decisions but explains to us how in so many cases these issues would have been better decided by Congress. Professor Quirk reminds us that constitutionally the Courts derive their powers from Congress and constitutionally the only cases where the Supreme Court was originally granted jurisdiction were cases between the states and those involving ambassadors. Likewise Professor Quirk succinctly explains how Congress has failed to curtail the President's ever increasing powers. This is notably illustrated by the author by the fact in recent years we have had three very unpopular wars Korea, Vietnam, and now Iraq. Congress easily could have stopped these conflicts simply with the power of the purse or with legislation but did not have the will. The author ably contrasts these wars with World War II when the people through their elected representatives got behind the President and Congress through the constitutional process declared war.

Professor Quirk does a masterful job of providing historical insight not only to the constitutional scholar by carefully citing the founders beliefs and goals (largely from the Federalist Papers) but also brings a practical touch by explaining to the wider audience how the modern day hot button issues would be better resolved by the people through their elected representatives. He reminds us if the people have a say they are more likely to buy in to the result. Courts & Congress is a must read for anyone seriously interested in how we are governed, and how we can return to the type of government the founders envisioned.

Alan Reyner
Columbia, South Carolina

William Quirk's book, "Courts & Congress: America's Unwritten Constitution" reveals the unarticulated Gentlemen's Agreement between the Congress, the highest office of the Judiciary, and the Presidency. The author calls it "The Happy Convention". It is an unspoken arrangement between the U.S. Supreme Court and the Congress who, with the tacit approval of the President, arrange for the members of Congress almost never to have to take responsibility for legislation which might disaffect the voters. The author explains it fully and presents extensive and convincing proofs of its existence and application. A must-read for anybody interested in the duplicitous ways of our present-day Congress and the reason we will never have term limits and an end to gerrymandering.
Professor Quirk even makes a case for making The Happy convention legal by giving the Supreme Court appellate jurisdiction in all constitutional cases - in other words, wherever constitutional questions come into play simply accept the fact that the Supreme Court has supplanted Congress and has become the arbiter - for this reader at least, an unfortunate state of affairs in the evolution of our beloved Republic.
Thomas D. Cherubini MD

Editors Simon Evans, Sarah Carter, and Bill Yeo successfully collaborate to assemble a compendium of truly informative and insightful essays in Cowboys, Ranchers and the Cattle Business: Cross-Border Perspectives On Ranching History. From Terry G. Jordan-Bychkov's "Does the Border Matter?: Cattle Ranching and the 49th Parallel" to Simon M. Evan's Tenderfoot to Rider: Learning 'Cowboying' on the Canadian Ranching Frontier during the 1800s", to Lorain Lounsberry's "Wild West Shows and the Canadian West", the contributors bring their unique perspectives and researches to bear in a series thoroughly accessible, "reader friendly", illuminating, highly recommended perspectives and histories of the ranching business on both sides of the longest, unguarded border in North America from the days of the independent wild frontier down to the present "agribusiness" and global economy environments.

Cowboys, Ranchers And The Cattle Business will appeal to any student of American ranching and Western history, covering the work of cowboys and ranchers from early to modern times and providing different, cross-border perspectives on ranching history. The focus contrasts Canadian and American ranching history and developments and provides some intriguing facts in the process of comparing the two countries for differences and similarities.

Un-opinionated, information-rich reference book contains a biography for every U.S. Senator and Representative, as well as information regarding every states' Governor, Congressional Districts, and State Contacts for both the Democratic and Republican Parties. Well worth the money for such valuable information. A + for students studying politics...

For any political junkie, this is so full of obscure facts that it will keep you overinformed, which any politico knows is the only way to be.

In Crack in America, Reinerman and Levine have brought together a wealth of facts and expertise. The authors' chapters are well-written, and hardhitting. Their arguments are carefully composed, and the authors present sensible alternative models. The editors and their contributors have obviously spent time and effort researching the medical, legal and social components of drugs in America and elsewhere. Reinerman, Levine, and their contributors - Loren Siegel and Ira Glasser from the ACLU, Troy Duster, Ethan Nadelman from the Lindesmith Center, Marsha Rosenbaum and Sheigla Murphy, et al, are informed by a sense of social context - the issues of class, race, the economy and popular culture. They are sharp-minded thinkers and writers, who obviously should be involved in the creation of our nation's drug policies. The answers aren't easy, but if we are going to start anywhere we first need to ask the right questions. Levine's and Reinman's book poses substantial questions and issues that must be addressed if we plan to be a more inclusive society, and not a culture that marginalizes and demonizes people in trouble.

I'm telling you this book is really enlightening and shocking. You won't find a better laid argument against our nation's drug policies. Must Read!

I sampled this book on a whim on my Kindle and then bought the whole thing, even though it was a steep $20 plus. Smil does an excellent job describing how critical technologies such as electrical transmission, motors, and lighting actually evolved, far beyond the Edison-invented-the-lightbulb stories we have all heard. I am just a couple of chapters in, but I am confident in saying if you are leaning towards buying this book, you probably should. He goes into more detail than you may want concerning such things as the efficiency of various electrical technologies, yet somehow he makes the story of leaps and steady improvements rather mesmerizing.

Quite striking is his major thesis that the technological revolution before WWI was sui generis, a singularity in its own right. He explains how the technologies developed then are still very much with us and unlikely to be superceded anytime soon. This is a good antidote to the presentism of the Age of Information and AI enthusiasts. Unless you are already an engineer, you are likely to learn a lot about basic technologies we take for granted. IP lawyers may also find the various patent struggles of interest.

I was in Powell's technical book store not looking for anything in particular, when I found exactly what I was looking for! I've always been interested in the history of technology, but often the books/articles seem to miss the big picture. Smil gets the big picture, and presents it in an accessible fashion. He puts an interesting perspective on many of the inventions that you are familiar with, and some that you are not-- providing a thorough discussion on energy related topics, as well as covering steel making and the Haber-Bosch process. His writing has an interesting personal perspective, and he provides detailed documentation and interesting illustrations. What a wonderful book. A must read for anyone interested in technology, and the history behind many of the things we now take for granted.

The novel reads like an adventure story, yet is filled with acurate historical fact. As such, the book works well to help young readers discover an interest in history. The book goes far beyond the dry factual historical texts usually found in the age group.

This is a well-written book. The reader feels he is "right there" with Cabeza de Vaca as he endures his hardships, confronts his challenges, and never gives up. This book is more than just a fascinating biography--it is also a story about the indomitability of the human spirit.

Reviewer: luismendez@codetel.net.do from DOMINICAN REPUBLIC It is the first book that i have read which is written by an american who knows what he is talking about. very serious and concern treatment of topics. i like specially the part about latin american writers and their changing ideology

LUIS MENDEZ crazzyteacher@hotmail.com

It is the first book that i have read which is written by an american who knows what he is talking about. very serious and concern treatment of topics. i like specially the part about latin american writers and their changing ideology.

LUIS MENDEZ

The author never jumps to conclusions, but slowly, gathering the clues to lay out a history of the Mayan calendar. It is up to you to decide whether his logic is correct, I could not find any flaws. As the book goes you pick up plenty of astronomical, geographical and historical facts. Very engaging.
The book has gone out of print, but is now posted in a digital format on the author's website. Still it is sad that it did not get wider attention.

Vincent Malmstrom has written a wonderfully entertaining book stuffed full of facts on the Mesoamerican systems of calendrical accounting. I had no idea the history of their calendars went so far back, nor that they were so widely used by such a great number of civilizations. His theories fill in where the facts leave off, as most studies on ancient cultures must, and the facts support his hypotheses. Malmstrom's theories on the origin of the calendar are quite different in some aspects than those of scholars before him -- one major difference is that he does not believe the Olmec developed the calendar. I don't want to ruin any surprises for a reader -- and there are some for those who accept the commonly supported theories of the Olmec as the "father" of all subsequent Mesoamerican civilizations -- so I will stop with just one more comment: If you have any interest in Mesoamerica or the cultures of the Zoque, Olmec, Zapotec, Maya, Mixtec, Toltec or Aztec, GET THIS BOOK!

I was raised in Santo domingo and was 11 years old at the time of the revolution. We were also some of those "evacuated" by the U.S. Navy from the hotel. We lived at Avenida Independencia, esquina Wenceslao Alvarez avenue he speaks of in page #207 in the paperback book. We were also there when Trujillo was killed and we spent the following school year in San juan while things settled down. Dad of course stayed with house and business. The names and memories all cascade through my mind. My dad was the Volkswagen and Studebaker dealer in Santo Domingo, and he had to sell the dreaded black VW Beetles the secret police drove, which for a good period of time cost him a lot of business with the locals for obvious reasons. Sadly that same 1965 revolution took my father's life later that year from the stress of remaining in the island to guard house and business, while his wife and four children were away in Puerto Rico. He was only 46 years old. The book is written very well, and do not let him fool you, his spanish had to be good as he described the island and people expertly. It was hard for me to read as you might imagine. After 5-10 pages I would have to stop and let all the memories pass. I was last there three years ago, and much has changed, from the incredibly horrible traffic to the tall sky scrapers that dot the Capital city. One thing has not changed however, and that is the pervasive poverty and same crooked governments who line their and their friends pockets as the country continues to suffer. I have always been asked what it was like to grow there, so I am ordering 4-5 additional copies to give as gifts to those so inclined to read it, I will also send a copy to my extended "family" in Santo Domingo. These are friends I grew up with, and to this day I call them the brothers and sisters that they are to us.

This book is incredible. MacKinnon follows family history in this incredible piece of literary nonfiction. His uncle was a Catholic priest, murdered by police officers in the Dominican Republic in the 60s. The police were immediately shot by an army officer. Forty years later he tries to unravel what actually happened.

The thing that blew me away most was that I could feel him struggle with a foreign language in a different country. I have lived overseas as well, and his writing took me right back to the feeling of pressure inside my head, as I tried to understand. As the book progresses, the pressure diminishes. Truly spectacular writing.

I tried to take it slow, to savour the book, but I finally gave up and tore through it in a day and a half. I am going to reread it this winter.