Central America Books

Walking With Grandfather: The Wisdom of Lakota Elders
This is a very special book, in my opinion.It sets out to address the myths that have been propagated because of fear and predudice surrounding the history of the white incursion into what was the territory and traditional way of life of the nomadic and deeply spiritual peoples of the plains of North America.It is a gentle reminder of the imperialsm and arrogance that still pervades in people in the mainstream western society today ,who in the main believe the spiritual life of the native peoples is inferior to that of the white traditions.The indian peoples of the plains are extremely family minded , and have a rich culture of traditional beliefs and are commited ,even in this age, to encourage their children to learn the ethical and moral way of life that encompasses the belief that all inhabitants of the earth should be treated with respect and honour.Joseph Marshall is particularly advocating respect for older people who have gained wisdom and insight purely by living life with all its challenges and also its joys.

Brilliant author with another fascinating piece of work! "Walking with Grandfather" is another example of how the dominant Euro-American culture is lacking its appreciation for the 'study of our ghosts.' Marshall provides a wonderful example of how we must reconnect to our history, our culture and our heritage. He is to be commended for a great book.

In this book, Mr. Marshall takes the reader into a world of wisdom and insight, a world in which he passes along the lessons learned from Lakota elders, including his own grandparents. These stories and lessons are especially important in today's society, where "honor" and "respect" are becoming words with no meaning, and things are considered better just because they are new. Mr. Marshall writes in a way that makes you feel like he's talking to you, maybe around a campfire at the end of a summer day, and the stories he is telling should be taken to heart by every thinking person.

Joseph Marshall speakes to a part of us that lies buried under the workings of modern society. I love his stories and wisdom teachings. They make me feel human.

I have now become a great fan of Joseph M. Marshall recently ordering other books as well as cd's. Even his written word, you can almost hear him speaking to you. A very easy way to learn about the Lakota traditions, its a pleasant journey.

This book is not only a great adventure for middle grade readers, but it is a useful tool for classroom teachers. My class (fourth/fifth graders) read this book for our theme: The Maya. The book gave authentic facts about the Mayan culture and a plausible explanation for the demise of their culture. We used the book as the backbone of several language arts exercises such as: written and oral reports about the Maya, literary criticism of characters, plot, and sequence, persuasive essays on human sacrifice vs. murder and Mayan culture vs. our own culture; and art projects from wood burning to mapping. We studied geography and the rainforest. The students' enthusiasm for this book pushed our curriculum into other disciplines including math. I recommend this book to teachers and to middle grade students.

The Well of Sacrifice by Chris Eboch is an amazing book about a Mayan girl named Eveningstar Macaw who has to save herself and her family from an evil high priest named Great Skull Zero. The story takes place in a fictional Mayan city during the ninth century. Other important characters are Eighteen Rabbit, Eveningstar's father, Blue Quetzal, Eveningstar's mother, Feather Dawn, Eveningstar's sister, Smoke Shell, Eveningstar's brother, Small, the family's Savage slave, and King Flint Sky God, their city's amazing god-king.
I would recommend this book to readers who are interested in other cultures, are studying the Mayans, or just want to try something different. Readers anywhere from ten to twelve years of age would enjoy this book though thirteen and fourteen year olds might like it as well. Girls and boys alike would agree on what an amazing book it is. If you enjoy an easy read, read this book.

I read The Well of Sacrifice, by Chris Eboch, for a school assignment. I thought it was an excellent read. It's about a girl named Eveningstar Macaw. She's a Mayan who lives in the Yucatan Peninsula in the 9th century. While in the jungle gathering plants for her mother, who is a healer, Eveningstar sees a group of savages, probably preparing to attack her city. At the time, Eveningstar's city had been fighting with groups of Indians from islands in the Caribbean, and they called them the savages. Eveningstar alerts her older brother, Smoke Shell, who gathers up a group of men and attacks the savages. Her family is then promoted to noble status, and after the king dies, many people want Smoke Shell to be the next king. But the evil high priest, Great Skull Zero, wants to be king. He makes an order to have Smoke Shell and many other men sacrificed to the gods. Along with her servant, Small, Eveningstar sets out to save her brother and her whole city from the wrath of Great Skull Zero. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone, boys and girls, who is interested in the Mayas or wants a good book to read. I would say it's good for people ages 10 and up, but only because there are some scenes that might frighten younger children. It has a lot of action, and it taught me a lot about the Mayan culture. This was a very entertaining and exciting book.

I read The Well of Sacrifice, by Chris Eboch, for a school assignment. I thought it was an excellent read. It's about a girl named Eveningstar Macaw. She's a Mayan who lives in the Yucatan Peninsula in the 9th century. While in the jungle gathering plants for her mother, who is a healer, Eveningstar sees a group of savages, probably preparing to attack her city. At the time, Eveningstar's city had been fighting with groups of Indians from islands in the Caribbean, and they called them the savages. Eveningstar alerts her older brother, Smoke Shell, who gathers up a group of men and attacks the savages. Her family is then promoted to noble status, and after the king dies, many people want Smoke Shell to be the next king. But the evil high priest, Great Skull Zero, wants to be king. He makes an order to have Smoke Shell and many other men sacrificed to the gods. Along with her servant, Small, Eveningstar sets out to save her brother and her whole city from the wrath of Great Skull Zero. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone, boys and girls, who is interested in the Mayas or wants a good book to read. I would say it's good for people ages 10 and up, but only because there are some scenes that might frighten younger children. It has a lot of action, and it taught me a lot about the Mayan culture. This was a very entertaining and exciting book.

The Well of Sacrifice by Chris Eboch is a very interesting and exicing book. The story is set in the Yucatan Peninsula in the ninth century, and tells about a Mayan girl trying to save her city. Eveningstar Macaw is a brave,adventurous and clever girl. The Well of Sacrifice is about how one Mayan city might have fallen apart.

In the beginning of the book, Eveningstar met a Savage. Though he was an enemy of her people, he was kind to her. Next, the king died and the high priest took over the city. With the help of the Savage, Eveningstar worked hard to save her family and the city, making the high priest very angry. Finally, the high priest threw Eveningstar into the Well of Sacrifice.

The author included many details about the life of the ancient Maya. For example, people in Eveningstar's city worshiped Mayan gods, like Itzamna and Ah Puch. Also, Eveningstar went out into the jungle to gather plants, such as snake root, to use as medicine. In addition, their food included tortillas, corn, fruits, squash and beans.

The Well of Sacrifice is an adventure-filled book. Readers ages nine and up would enjoy reading this book.

This book is the fascinating, inspiring and enlightening true story of a young man who was a political refugee from Kenya. He came to the US, graduated from college,and went on to law school here. He married a US citizen and they had a child. Seems like it would be a sure thing he could stay.....but not so fast! This is the story of his amazing struggle and shows how our system works. (Actually, not so well sometimes.) Anyway, I HIGHLY recommend it for anyone who enjoys a good read!
C. Bates, Eugene, Oregon

I couldn't set this book down. He literally goes through every possibility, facing years of uncertainty, and still keeps trying - and graduates college and law school in the meantime. I cannot imagine going through what he went through in Kenya, then coming to the US as a safe haven, and facing such a drawn-out, uphill battle simply to stay.

His story is not always easy to read but it is very engaging, even if, like me, you are not a lawyer or law student. David Kenney Ngaruri and his friends and colleagues in this book are very inspirational.

This is an eloquent and heartbreaking tale of one immigrant's journey throught the U.S. Immigration system. It reads like a John Grisham novel although the story is sadly true. The author, a 7-foot tall Kenyan, was a political prisioner in Kenya for his role as a labor organizer. He faced imprisonment and torture and was ultimately able to escape Kenya via the promise of a basketball scholarship in the United States. In his quest for political asylum in the U.S. he encouters heartless judges,corrupt officials, State Department bureaucrats, a beautiful "witch", kidnapping rebels, interpid law students and a dedicated and brilliant law profressor (his co-author). I couldn't put it down and felt a mixture of outrage at the U.S. immigration system while in awe of the power of the human spirit to overcome the most dauting of odds.

This is an amazing book that makes plain the unbelievable complexity of immigration law. Anyone with an interest in immigration policy should read this book.

For those of you looking for a good summer read to take to the beach, or just a great book to snuggle up with on a rainy day, I highly recommend opening up the pages of Asylum Denied. It is both informative and inspiring as it tells the story of David Kenney Ngaruri, the political asylee who struggled to stay in America. Although the book is currently being passed around law schools, as the new go-to-guide for asylum law, I am sure it will not be long before it makes the bestseller stands at nation-wide bookstores or grabs a spot on Oprah's booklist. Asylum Denied, written by two authors, the above-mentioned David Kenney Ngaruri and Philip Schrag, the professor of law at Georgetown University, serves both as a law manual and as a heart-warming story of adventure, perseverance, and love. Unlike most law-related books, it reads very smoothly and catches your attention from the first page. Even if this is not the usual type of book you read, I urge you to give it a try. If the face on the cover of the book is not enough to convince you to read it, then I hope this review will.

Wonderful story. It made me laugh & cry.
A must for cat lovers. Kiska the cat is a great
story teller and helps people see life from their cats
perspective. Shows people as Kiska says "that cats have feelings too."

Fun book. It's even more fun when I know the people and cats included in this wonderful story. I do recommend it to anyone. I do hope I get to see Kiska and her parents again- I miss you. Rain City Cats is also very fun. Looking forward to #3 and all that Pam writes. See ya...

WOW! What an amazing book! It make me giggle at times and other times I was reaching for the Kleenex box! I can't wait for Rain City Cats! I now understand why my cats did the crazy things they did. Kiska explains really well the ups and downs of life through her eyes. It is a great book for both kids and adults. And check out those pictures! Great job Naomi with the pictures. They really capture those precocious kitties! Kiska, thanks for your contribution to kid's literature. Meow!

I really liked the book. I plan on buying the second one. Kiska reminded me so much of my cat cuddles. my cat does all those things to his food if he doesn't like it. I also think Canica became a movie star cat. Because all cats have their own little thing that they do, in your case, Canica lifted his Paw. My cat will stick his tounge out when he is happy. Thank you for coming to my school. from, Robbie

I liked the book a lot, My favorite part was the last chapter. Even though we don't have a cat, Kiska reminded me of one of my neighbor's cats that looks almost exactly like her. I hope to see what happens to Kiska in her next book, and I plan on buying it too.Thanks for coming to our school! Angeline

Some books teach you something new. Some books have you look at things in a different light. This book does both. Before reading this expansive historical work, I viewed the 1863 New York riots as a reaction to the draft. This book shows that it was that and a lot more. Schecter's book analyzes the social-political situation in the United States at the time of the riots and shows how much racial relations and fears, and those who preyed on both, played a role.

This book teaches on so many levels. It serves as a 1) an complete account of the civil disturbance in New York City in 1863, 2) an overview of race relations in the United States during the Civil War and Reconstruction, and 3) a history of New York city in this pivotal time frame. It even includes a travel guide for New York, which includes all the sites related to the narrative. Well written and superbly researched, this book is a great precursor to Eric Foner's works on Reconstruction.

This is the best historical work I have read in the last few years.

Schecter's book is a great read that clearly explains the New York City draft riots and the political and ethnic issues that simmered to the point where in July 1863 Irish immigrants protested and rebelled against what they saw as an unfair draft system that had been put in place allowing $300 commutation fees and a recent Emancipation Proclamation which caused them to fear the loss of their jobs to newly freed slaves coming from the south.
It's an excellent book about a rarely discussed topic in our nation's history.

This is a good book that seeks to help desanitize and demythologize American history. Racism is and always has been an American problem, and not relegated to one region, or for that matter, one race. I think a good book to read with this one is Tom DiLorenzo's brave THE REAL LINCOLN, now available in paperback. It does something to show Lincoln's virulent racism and should act as a supplement to THE DEVIL'S OWN WORK.

Thank heavens for independent scholars!

Barnet Schecter is rapidly becoming one of the best chroniclers of New York's history. His previous book, "The Battle for New York: The City at the Heart of the American Revolution", was an eye-opening revelation at how this city was the true "heart" of our separation from England, and how we (and Boston, as well) were that country's main target for conquest in 1776. Utilizing the same narrative style of writing, Barnet Schecter tackles the week-long convulsion in New York City four score and seven years later.

"The Devil's Own Work: The Civil War Draft Riots and the Fight to Reconstruct America" fills a void in most histories of the Civil War: the fighting that took place OFF the battlefields of Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, etc. These were the wars that were waged in newspapers, city halls, and, ultimately, the streets of major cities across America. Mr. Schecter is careful to explain that the New York City draft riots were not the only anti-war, anti-emancipation riots during the Civil War. But it was the largest. It was the worst. (While most New York historians claim that around 100 people were killed during the riots, Mr. Schecter rightfully, I believe, puts the number at 500, at the very least.)

The actual riots occupy only the middle one hundred or so pages of the book. Mr. Schecter devotes an appropriate amount of time to examining the roots of the riots: the racism, the class animosities, the mistrust between Nativists and immigrants, and so on. In the weeks and months immediately before the cataclysm, we see battle lines being drawn: Greeley vs. Marble, Democrats vs. Republicans, poor whites vs. poor blacks; in fact, it seems like it was almost everyone vs. the beseiged African-American population. When the five days of rioting are discussed, the sense of prevailing confusion and chaos--the near anarchy--are as expertly conveyed as the awful scenes of violence. The final third of the book is, in many ways, more tragic than the uprising. It is here where Mr. Schecter discusses the aftermath of the riots over the next two decades. Basically, the reconstruction of America fails. The North and the South do not fully unify. The working class does not get the respect it deserves. (Instead, it is treated with more brutality and unfairness.) Worst of all, African-Americans are not truly emancipated. The enmity and violence visited upon them, because they are never addressed, just worsens. And why were they never addressed? Mr. Barnet just comes out and says it: because most people never really wanted to. Therefore, it would takes decades before America would heal or truly reconstruct.

"The Devil's Own Work: The Civil War Draft Riots and the Fight to Reconstruct America" is a sobering book, true, but it holds our fascination. The details about the quirky politicians, newspapermen, observers and participants breathe life into people who have been dead for almost 150 years. The maps and generous sprinkling of illustrations help us see the people and places more clearly. This is a monumental book for which Barnet Schecter deserves our appreciation.

Also recommended: Iver Bernstein's "The New York Civil War Draft Riots". Although not written in a narrative style, it contains valuable information about the causes of the riots. For a fictional treatment, Peter Quinn's novel, "Banished Children of Eve" is the best I have ever read.

Barnet Schecter's magisterial study of the five day insurrection that erupted in New York City, "The Devil's Own Work: The Civil War Draft Riots and the Fight to Reconstruct America", is one of those historical accounts that illuminate more than just the times the work is set in. By providing a multilayered analysis to the issues that marked this breakdown of social order, and through a deft, perfect-pitch, use of basic sources, Mr. Schecter lets the contemporary voices of those living through these events and, at times, driving them, speak for themselves. The result is a tableau of compelling immediacy that is rarely seen in a historical study. Some of the expected characters are here: Lincoln, Seward and Lee, etc. but it is the less well-known characters of that era that permit the real force of the book to be felt. By knitting together and contrasting the recorded dialogue of the restive ferment of the slums of New York and Boston with the tense interchanges originating in the mahoganied board-rooms of these same cities Mr. Schecter recreates the social tensions of these turbulent times. With what seems to be an unerring sense of how the character of a subject will define for him the peculiar social reality that he may act in, we meet figures who by virtue of the author's skill and sympathy are never rendered as simple, one-dimensional heroes or villains. Landmark works in any field of study require that a sense of scope, sensitivity and balance be observed throughout the effort. But such traits alone cannot mark it as memorable. For this the electricity of personal exchanges in statehouses, boardrooms and back alleys must be captured in their raw force and then be woven in into a narrative that flows with seeming effortlessness, from it its own momentum. This is what Mr. Schecter has accomplished.

A nicely researched and insightful biography of Florence Lawrence, one of the most shadowy yet important figures of early cinema. Many things about Florence's life and career will perhaps always remain vague, but Kelly Brown gives a worthy account of America's "first movie star." It is refreshing to know that Flo is finally getting the recognition she deserves. This book is a must for the true film buff.

This slender volume is fascinating because it finally paints a well-researched picture of the long forgotten Florence Lawrence. I've always been fascinated by her after seeing publicity stills of her from the mid-1900s. She appeared to be warm, charismatic and fascinating. Her greatest tragedy is that none of her films have been shown in eighty years. I have one of her shorts, "Flo's Discipline" which only lasts about twelve minutes but it gives you a hint of how dazzling she was before the cameras. While her cohort, Mary Pickford, went onto a spectacular career that included mind-boggling salaries and a world-famous Hollywood castle, Pickfair, poor Lawrence was living in a small, hotel room, being paid a few dollars a week as an extra at MGM. Her life would make a wonderful movie--and a cautionary tale about the pitfalls of how fleeting fame is, and how fickle is the public when it comes to remaining faithful to the flavor of the month.

Florence Lawrence was "big" before there were movie stars. She was the original "Biograph Girl" before Mary Pickford was given that name by movie fans. After losing her job at Biograph, she was hired by Carl Laemmle's IMP company (later Universal). As a publicity stunt, Laemmle started a rumor that she was dead. Then she made a personal appearance in St. Louis and was mobbed by fans.

Unfortunately she was pretty much out of work in five years. Poor managemet by her husband Harry, as well as a painful injury forced her into bit parts. She was still acting in very small parts into 1938, when she gave up on life and committed suicide.

Kelly Brown has done an incredible research job. Using Florence's surviving correspondence, as well as trade magazine artices and advertisements, she has reconstructed Florence's life. The book has many footnotes noting sources, and there is a very detailed filmography. Instead of a book full of dry facts, Ms. Brown keeps Florence's story interesting. If you are interested in early cinema, or even important women actresses, you should definitely read this book.

Florence Lawrence was an enigma I had always wanted to know about, having been interested in silent films for many years. Information on her was scarce, save for some still photographs in silent movie history books. Kelly Brown really did her homework, in what must have been a difficult task, digging up information about a star whose heyday was almost 90 years ago! Congratulations, Kelly, on a job well done! I can't recommend this book highly enough!

I always enjoy a good biography, especially those of the nearly forgotten silent screen stars. This biography of Florence Lawrence was well researched and had many wonderful photos. The author did a good job with the resources available. Most of the films and people involved in silents are gone now, so the job is doubly difficult. Although pricey, this biography is well worth reading.

I picked up this book primarily from the intriguing cover. The words inside the cover were shocking. This short little book (161 pages of text and 141 pages of notes) is a straightforward account of one of the greatest shames of the century. The extensive research involved gives it the weight of authority. The style of writing was plain reporting and somewhat dry and uninteresting in places. However, I doubt that this book was written to entertain. This work is a must for students of Central American politics and foreign relations. I came away with the growing distrust and dismay of government, including the USA. Patriotism in every land seems to be a diversionary tactic used to orient the populace away from the amoral and often immoral workings of government run by people motivated by greed and fear. I have an equally increasing admiration for the press and good reporting. Free speech and a free press is the conscience, gadfly, and salvation of trusting and sometimes misguided persons.

Mark Danner's short book, The Massacre at El Mozote, is an extremely powerful depiction of not only what can go wrong with US foreign policy, but of the lengths politicians will go through to convince us that what they are doing is, in fact, right. The thoroughness and integrity of Danner's investigation cannot be disputed; on top of that, he is very adept at leaving readers to draw their own conclusions. The book may be the Hiroshima of our times.

While I agree with earlier reviewers, especially the point that what appears to be propaganda should not be immediately dismissed as such, I think the real lesson of the book is that the US, as a leader in world affairs, needs to choose its "friends" very carefully. Danner's book made me realize that while the US likes to shape Latin American policy, in point of fact the powerful "Good Neighbor" to the north is often manipulated by the very regimes it seeks to control. And as citizens of this great country, we have a hard time imagining such a thing.

The butchers of the El Salvador government, trained and financed by the US, knew that they could commit whatever atrocities they wished so long as they opposed the socialist rebels. Consequently, in December 1981, they murdered 767 people at El Mozote and in surrounding villages with impunity because they understood that the political stakes were much higher in Washington once the Reagan administration had committed itself to supporting the status quo. In its frantic attempts to dispute or to ignore the details of the massacre, the Reagan administration-which liked to portray itself as hard-line-really appears as the spineless weakling in this whole affair. Truly, the "tail wagged the dog."

This is an important lesson to bear in mind as the US conducts a new war on terrorism (the Communists having been vanquished years ago). Is our country going to find itself supporting human rights abusers once again because our leaders are afraid of political fallout, by appearing to be weak on combating terrorism or inept at finding WMDs? Human rights--and especially the right to life itself--should be the criteria our government considers when it decides to throw its support behind a foreign government.

I read this book for a college course I am taking that focuses on the struggle between colonizing nations and those nations that are colonized. Looking through this perspective, Danner writes a meaningful account of the massacre at El Mozote, El Salvador that captures enough emotion but still maintains some distance to avoid a blatant bias (towards the guerillas, namely).

This read is not for the weak stomached, as Danner does go into detail as to how many of the townspeople of El Mozote and the surrounding areas were killed. In order to emphasize the brutality that the government allowed, he does recount the slaughter of babies and young children. However, he does later make up for these descriptions through the dealings with the military and its leaders, the relationships of the US and El Salvador, and globally speaking, a fight (perhaps) between the US and the USSR.

This book is well written and easy to follow. Danner does a good job of getting everything said succinctly and it gives an interesting perspective in the minds of many of those involved with the happenings of El Salvador at the time, mainly major leaders from both the guerilla side and the military side. His interviews with these significant people help Danner depict a scene that goes beyond the scope of this one massacre that happens in the small town of El Mozote. He broadens the scope to include the implications this event would later have on the future.

This is probably one of the best books I've read in a while. I had to read it for a history class at Furman University, but it's one I definitley would have read on my own as well. It tells a heart-wrenching story, but gives the facts as they are. Not necessarily an easy story to hear, but one that I feel everyone should know about. It's fairly easy to read and isn't too history-like (a lot of facts, no emotion, confusing to follow). I recommend this book for anyone willing to learn about Latin America, and especially the part that the US plays in allowing things like this to happen.

I read The Massacre at El Mozote immediately after finishing Mark Bowden's Killing Pablo (I was clearly in the mood, at the time, for books revolving around U.S. military/political affairs in Latin America). I absolutely loved Bowden's book but only liked Danner's. I found the prose in El Mozote to be rather dense and fleshy, especially in the first 30 or so pages of the book. Danner's overuse of comma-offset clauses tends to muddle his sentences. But once he cut to the chase, it was much easier to follow along and really get into the action. Overall, it was an eye-opening read, well researched and presented. I really do think that reading Killing Pablo immediately prior to picking up El Mozote colored my opinion tremendously, since I literally was enthralled by Bowden's fast-paced, detailed, page-turning prose and thus somewhat put off by Danner's paragraphs-long sentences.

Salmon Without Rivers is a great book of historical facts. It includes many issues like; original salmon locations/populations, "Economy over Environment" issues, and the ineffectiveness of large decision making commissions/agencies. However, with all his good background information the book does not propose any solutions nor investigates today's coastal human communities as they relate to the salmon and/or habitat.

This is a must read book for anyone interested in salmon, rivers and the ecology and history of the Pacific Northwest. Excellent information and a good read.

This is an excellent book that documents the history of salmon, how native Americans viewed them and how modern Americans view them. It focuses on why the pacific northwest is facing a salmon crisis, and our failed attempts to replace what we have lost. Great read for anyone who is concerned about environmental issues.

A thoroughly researched and impassioned presentation including the history of salmon, their decline, why billions of tax dollars in restoration efforts have had paltry returns, and insights into the where we should go from here. A complex issue is examined from many perspectives in an easy to read and compelling book. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in salmon.

As a freelance author writing a piece about salmon for a California-based magazine, this book was indispensible and eye-opening. It is unfailingly sensitive and intelligent about salmon, discussing the fish as fellow creatures in the "natural economy" in which we all live, rather than as mere commodities in the "industrial economy" that has transformed the West in the last 150 years. It is fascinating about the geology that shaped the salmon's environment, the evolutionary history of the fish, the relationship between Native Americans and salmon in the Northwest, and it provides a detailed history of the many factors that have led to the salmon's decline, including habitat destruction, misbegotten hatchery programs, overfishing, dams, mining, grazing, irrigation. If you like to read books about ecology, the creatures of the earth, fish, or the Northwest--you can't go wrong. This is a wonderful book.

'Andean Awakening' was a great read. If you are planning a trip to Peru- or have been there-read this book. Mr
Delgado's intimacy with the Inca culture, traditions and sacred sites of his homeland adds a dimension to this book that will transport you to the land of the condor.
Peru is playing a pivitol role in the current shift of consciousness being offered to mankind at this time. The author offers a simple yet profound explanaton of the mystical energies one may encounter in her mountains, valleys and waters. There's more to see than Machu Picchu!
The book is not just a journey through the sites, but also the fantastic story of one man's awakening to his culture and his spirit. Mr Delgado's personal story reveals a humble and balanced man enlightened by his Self discovery.

This book offers a rare insight into Andean life, a life in which animals are part of the extended family, stones are living beings and the apus (spirits of the mountains) speak. The author, Jorge Luis Delgado, is an Aymara chacaruna who grew up and still resides in Puno, Peru and whose mother is a healer. Delgado has written a compelling account of his spiritual adventures as he moves from a man of science, facts and technology to a man who resonates and communicates the essence of the sacred places of the Highlands of Peru and Bolivia. Integrating the spiritual into one's daily life achieves balance. Following a spiritual path, he notes, does not preclude one from becoming successful in the material world; he now owns several hotels and his own travel agency. "...the more I listened to my spirit, my heart, the more I succeeded in everyday life and my business." The book opens with a description of a recurring dream he had and his attempts to locate in the physical plane the pink sandstone landscape he saw in his dream. When he found the landscape, he discovered Aramu Muru, a sacred site at Bebedero del Inca, Peru close to Lake Titicaca. This book is so densely packed with information that I wished for an index. The lack of an index, however, gave me the opportunity to read the book three times, each reading resulting in a new insight, a new perspective. The chapters contain a wealth of details about the ceremonies, traditions, culture, sacred sites, cosmology, community life and legends of the Andean people. The author brings to life the three Inca principles of love (munay), wisdom (yachay) and service or work (llancay) by sharing with the reader his mystical initiation into the three principles, which occurred after an early morning meditation at Machu Picchu. Later that day, he is presented with three opportunities to interpret his mystical experience - to a fellow guide, to a friend and owner of a shop in Aguas Calientes and to the tour group he was leading. Delgado did not intend to follow a spiritual path. He did not ask for the experiences that unfolded for him, even though he opened to them and embraced them. They were the result of Spirit seeking him. Spirit's goal is not to overwhelm, because it never asks more of us than we can handle; its goal is to open our hearts. The author became a chacaruna, a bridge person, one who helps others to understand the traditions of the Andean world or to cross from one state of consciousness to another. He emphasizes that just as each chacaruna is unique in how he bridges the sacred for others, each person's spiritual awakening and spiritual path are also unique. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Andean spirituality, in Andean traditions or who is planning a trip to Peru.

I liked this book very much because it is the first book I read about a person with actual Inca blood figuring out more about the tradition. It is a refreshing departure from all these stories about sheltered Americans who venture out into the unknown world of them scary Indigenous people because of this or that. But like many stories about people connecting with something different, I felt that the book didn't really speak to me. I enjoyed learning more about the Inca traditions, since I myself am part Inca, but there was something missing. Could it be because the author makes a living bringing tourists to the same locations he talks about in the book? Not sure. I do think that he is honest in his spirituality and wishes to share it with the world, and since he has experience with tourism, well.... But I was hoping that the book would not be so much another story of personal discovery, but that in reality it would be the Guide To Mystical Peru the title offered.

The book is well written, and the story interesting and compelling. The author vividly and accurately describes the areas in a very enticing manner. This is why I am giving it 3 stars. I liked very much learning more about the Lake Titicaca area, and thanks to this book I now hope to visit the region. Maybe some of you would rate it higher. But this book was not what I was hoping for when I bought it.

"Andean Awakening: An Inca Guide To Mystical Peru" by Jorge Luis Delgado a modern descendent of the ancient Incas) presents (with the assistance of MaryAnn Male) an illustrated guidebook to Peru's mystical and spiritual Incan heritage. This 'spiritual tour guide' takes the reader to the most powerfully spiritual places in Peru including Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley, Lake Titicaca, and most especially, the legendary Inca doorway of Aramu Muru. A welcome, illustrated, and highly recommended addition to Metaphysical Studies reference collections in general, and Peruvian Studies reading lists in particular, "Andean Awakening" is enhanced with the history, culture, mythos and magic of the old Incan empire, inspiring places and enduring legacies left by the 'Children of the Sun' that are still accessible to visitors today.

I had the honour and pleasure of travelling with Jorge Luis Delgado this past May. It was with much anticipation I awaited to purchase my copy of this amazing shamans book. The Andean Awakening is a most pure reflection of mystical Peru narrated by Jorge. As the images of my travels fade I need only open the pages of this book to bring the stories and places alive again. He is a gifted shaman, teacher and narrater. He is a true Chacana - bridging the north and the south. I would recommend to anyone in search of spritt in Mystical Peru.

This seering uncompromising volume is one of the most important books published in the past thirty years.

The many excellent chapters penned by world-class historians and analysts destroy the mendacious rationale for the welfare-warfare state, that monstrocity at war with America itself and the world.

In particular, Murray N. Rothbard's two essays, "Two Just Wars: 1776 and 1861" and "World War I as Fulfillment: Power and the Intellectuals" are especially crucial to understanding how this messianic drive for empire and regimentation came about.

~The Costs of War: America's Pyrrhic Victories~ is a compelling and powerful anthology directed against the imperial psychosis of our times. It offers a sweeping indictment of the costs of war in terms of loss of life, the effect on morality in the aftermath, inflation, mounting debt, statism, the loss of civil liberties and economic freedom. A multitude of collaborators have contributed to this powerful anthology including John Denson, Samuel Francis, Thomas Fleming, David Gordon, Paul Gottfried, Robert Higgs, Justin Raimondo, Murray Rothbard, Joseph Stromberg, Clyde Wilson, et al. In the words of Justin Raimondo, the "noninterventionist movement" has been "relegated to the margins of American politics, confined to pacifists and extreme leftists, on the one hand, and extreme rightists, including libertarians as well as members of the John Birch Society, on the other." Many of my nominally conservative friends have been of the mindset that a martial obsession is a novel conservative value. However, if they study history more objectively than they will find that there is nothing particularly conservative about being "warlike" and obsessed with "militarism," particularly within the Old Right conservative tradition at home in America. The neoconservative interlopers have led them astray. Notwithstanding our present-day abandonment of the non-interventionist tradition, its roots go back deep into America history. The founding fathers enshrined their commitment to non-interventionism in the Neutrality Act of 1793. "The Great rule of conduct for us," proclaimed George Washington, "in regard to foreign Nations is in extending our commercial relations to have with them as little political connection as possible... It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world." Thomas Jefferson further lauded the virtue of strategic independence, in proclaiming: "Peace, commerce and honest friendship with all nations; entangling alliances with none." John Quincy Adams surmised, "America does not go abroad, in search of monsters to destroy. She is the well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all. She is the champion and vindicator only of her own." Some of our "monsters" in recent years whether Osama Bin Ladin or Saddam Hussain were actually considered our allies. Moreover, these "monsters" were foreign aid recipients and are actually "monsters" of our own countenance at one time. In my humble opinion, America's security lies in a foreign policy based on strategic independence and armed neutrality, not in reckless intervention abroad or in countless foreign entanglements, alliances, and commitments to international bodies like the United Nations.

Many people see the Second World War as a defining case against non-interventionism, but if they studied history more objectively than they would see how American intervention in the so called war to end all wars, the Great War, in fact paved the way for the Great Crusade in the Second World War. Woodrow Wilson's intervention in the Great War and his campaign to "make the world safe for democracy" actually served to make the world safe for both Hitler and Stalin. The seeds of Nazi Germany were planted by the forced abdication of the Kaiser and the vehement economic retribution perpetrated by the Western Allies like England and France against Germany, which only served to destabilise Germany and radicalise her body politic.

John Denson astutely surmises, "The greatest accomplishment of Western Civilization is arguably the achievement of individual liberty through limits on the power of the state. In the war-torn twentieth-century, we rarely hear that one of the main costs of armed conflict is the long-term loss of liberty to winners and losers alike." War for America, despite our overwhelming victories, has been one Pyrrhic victory after the other. "Beyond the obvious costs of dead and wounded soldiers, there is the lifetime struggle of veterans to live with their nightmares and their injuries; the hidden economic costs of inflation, debts, and taxes; and more generally the damages caused to our culture, our morality, and to civilisation at large." With this erudite anthology, Denson and many others illustrate the costs of war and the heavy toll that an imperial mindset unleashes on a nation. To encapsulate some of the brilliant content therein: Richard Gamble takes on the perennial champion of imperialism in the nineteenth-century Abraham Lincoln in a terse analysis of his sordid legacy, his war of aggression; Richard Raico sketches the costs of America's needless involvement in the Great War, in an essay entitled `World War I: The Turning Point;' Robert Higg's profound essay entitled `War and Leviathan' sketches a history of how war preparedness has led to a continual aggrandisement of power in the hands of the state while proving itself to be detrimental to freedom; and Paul Gottfried asks the most heterodox question of our time, in his essay `Is Modern Democracy Warlike?'

This book squarely challenges the prevailing myth that our sustained history of war in the twentieth-century has made us freer and secured more freedom at home. War is an engine for aggrandisement of power in the hands of state, centralisation, as well as sweeping cultural and moral changes. After WWII, Americans became acclimated to payroll withholding, a hefty income tax, and a mammoth centralised bureaucracy. Nonetheless, the idea that there is somehow salvific cleansing power in the spilt blood of the America G.I. continues to prevail. I whole-heartedly recommend this book. Thomas Woods put it best, "The Costs of War is easily one of the most important books to emerge from American conservatives in a generation." I whole-heartedly recommend this jewel, which is a reminder of the costs of war and a defender of the non-interventionist tradition which must be recovered.

_The Costs of War_ thoroughly examines how the US has gone from being a peaceful republic to the empire it is today. From the Civil War to the Spanish-American War and the World Wars, the essays in this volume tell you about the individuals who deliberately turned the country against its long-standing isolationist tradition, and how and why they did it.

More importantly, in keeping with its title, the book also describes the high price we've paid for the warfare state, not only in human lives, but also in damage to the economy, the culture, and especially liberty.

This book is essential for anyone who wants to understand what's going on in the world today in the context of what has gone before. The information and ideas here are extremely important, now moreso than ever, and I give the book my highest possible recommendation.

John V. Denson edited a useful anthology that undermines the "popular history" (popular nonsense)of recent U.S. History and the rise of empire which is a term the Establishemnt does not like because empire is an honest definition. Denson chose excerpts which deal with the rapid growth of centralized government, the disintegration of constitutional rights, and an ever increasing national debt all of which is related to unnecessary war since the Civl War or the War of Southern Succession.

Denson's introductory essay is worth reading. This essay gives the reader a glimpse of the book's theme, and his essay is a good introduction to the rise of militarism in the United States since 1860. Denson's introduction presents the reader with a cause-and effect relationship between war and the erosion of rights.

The essays that examine the Civil War, especially Murray Rothbard's essay, gives a view of the Civil War that reveals that actual origins of this tragedy as opposed to the childish convention that somehow the Civil War began over the issue of slavery. Readers should note that Gen. "Stonewall" Jackson was opposed to slavery. Gen. Robert E. Lee emancipated his slaves. On the other hand, Gen. Grant had to free his slaves to take command of the Army of the Potomac. Gen. Sherman of the Union also owned slaves. As some of the essays clearly state, Pres. Lincoln antagonized the Southerners with manacing military actions especially on Virginia's border which resulted in the Virginians joining the Confederacy.

The essays dealing with World War I and World War II should be of particular interest to those not familiar with actual the origins of these wars. Textbook writers give the false impression that Pres. Wilson and U.S. authorities were neutral prior to April 6, 1917 when members of the U.S. Congress voted to declare on the Germans and their allies. The facts were that American bankers and powerful political fugures had given money and resources to the British and French espcially after 1915. Pres. Wilson had U.S. supply vessels sail into war zones to assist the British and French and to deliberately antagonize the Germans into provocation.

Murray Rothbard's essay regarding World War I is instructive. He chides Walter Lippmann for being a ferocious advocate of U.S. entry into World War I as well as a proponent of military conscription (slavery). Yet, when Mr. Lippmann realized that he was of draft age and in good health, he used his connections with Felix Frankfurter to avoid having to face angry gunfire. Lippmann's excuse was that he wanted to help shape the post World War I United States in line what the "intellectuals" thought was necessary for everyone else. Mr. Lippmann annointed himself as one of Plato's philosopher kings. This anecdote is indeed instructive. This is line with the adage that, "War hath no fury as that of the non-combatent." One should note that the current group of armchair patriots have never seen combat. Vice President Cheney had five (5) draft deferments and never saw one he did not like. Yet, he is similiar to Walter Lippmann in that Cheney wants war but never wants to face war's dangers. Lippmann and Cheney fit Andy Jacobs' descriptions of War Wimps and Chicken Hawks.

The essays dealing with the costs of war reveal that the plutocratic rich benefit from military expendatures, but the public never gets to see the bills until later when they come due. Those who prefer to remain ignorant and comfortable about the costs of war only protest when taxes and inflation damage their economic status. Yet, these folks may hold a key to stopping the war machine as suggested in one of the essays if they alerted their U.S. Senators and Representatives.

The appeal to "Demokracy" to initiate wars is ludicrous which Messers Gottfired and Hoppe make very clear. The fact is wars in the name of democracy or wars in the name of the people are the most destructive. A point well made is "Vox populi Vox Dei" applies to war. Modern political views state the voice of the public, no matter how stupid or wrong, is a substitute for reason and knowledge.

Mr. Denson's book is useful for those who are puzzled by the rise of the military state. Readers should also consult the bibliogrphy in this book. Harry Elmer Barnes' anthology titled PERPETUAL WAR FOR PERPETUAL PEACE and James J. Martin's REVISIONIST VIEW POINTS are especially useful. Mr. Denson's THE COSTS OF WAR is timely and well worth reading.

Although soundly invested in the critiques provided in each of the contributions to "The Costs of War: America's Phyrric Victories," I find the refusal by Mises intellectuals to entertain extending the franchise of soldiering to the ruling classes (and even, now, to the comfortable middle classes) by way of compulsory service a hollow defense.

Mr. Stromberg (whose analysis here, as in his articles dating back many years, speaks truth to power most lucidly) himself has been heard dismissing the James Fallows assertion. To paraphrase: that until the mothers of soldiers in comfortable white suburban towns are ringing the phones off-the-hook screaming at their Congressmen "YOU KILLED MY BOY!" the lives of Fallows' working-class "Chelsea boys" will continue to be defiled in the name of state sponsored phyrric misadventures as they are marched off to slaughter.

What other than placing the incidence (costs) of warfare squarely in the laps of the decisionmaking class will stall the state-led rush to war? Surely not the scorn of intellectuals. Surely not the "mature restraint" shored up by our shuddering constitutional system, increasingly torn to shreds by means of "unitary executive" assertion. Alas, surely not the thoroughly "professionalized" "all-volunteer" armed forces, marshalled by increasingly unaccountable yes-man officers, themselves at the beck and call of revolving-door insider-intellectuals, presidents, congressmen, and captains of industry as they engage in the lapping up of the "political means to wealth"--the overwhelming majority "exempted" from their service on the battlefield.