Central America Books

This book is several books in one. In addition to his varied personal experiences on the road, it includes some well researched history of the countries he visits, both ancient and contemporary. He talks about the big people in history, like Cortes, Clinton, Subcomandante Marcos, Leon Trotsky, Frida Kahlo and Manuel Noriega. He then gives equal attention to the little people he meets along the way, like the Mexican museum curator whose family had been guarding an ancient relic for several generations. He even travels to Paul Gauguin's house with a Playboy Bunny he met in a youth hostel. But he also engrosses the reader with his thoughts about his personal life, most interestingly, his romance with a Nicaraguan girl. Hurricane Mitch, which strikes when he is Guatemala and devastates the region, adds a sinister backdrop to his odd holiday, but in the end he achieves his goals despite numerous setbacks. It is a little bit like a collection of short stories, since it is written in diary form, so each day represents a new thought, and a new mini adventure. The stories about the crocodile and the monkey I almost wouldn't have believed except that he included photos in the book. I especially liked his description of his climbing of the volcano... and was left feeling it is much more enjoyable - and safer - to read his description of it than to attempt such a feat in real life.

Some years past, a colleague suggested a year of travel instead of my intended return to school. It took thirty years to fulfill that suggestion. David Short didn't require any more prompting than a dull, dirty and dangerous job. His destination, prompted by a world-traveling grandfather, became Central America, specifically, the Panama Canal. The journey lasted just short of six months and resulted in this account of his adventures. A spirited read, An Odd Odyssey should inspire anyone of nearly any age to pull up stakes at least once in a lifetime and venture somewhere distant. Short's account shows how richly rewarding travel can be to those willing to make the effort.

There are two kinds of travel books - the "guidebook" with sights, prices, accommodation ideally suited for those seeking comfort instead of adventure. Glossy photos, usually portraying conditions found on movie sets, detailed maps, prices listed. The other type is the personal journal, which, properly done, imparts a far better sense of "being there" than does the guidebook. Short's chronicle is the second type, a vivid sharing of his thoughts, experiences, disasters, even love. The means of travel was by bus. Just finding one was fraught with hazards - timing, crowding or even just running. Once boarded, there was the issue of finding the proper seat: "Sit in the rear. Bandits will shoot through the front window." On a limited budget the "guidebook" hotels were out of the question for Short. Many havens he found for a night's rest became adventures in their own right. Weather, ever a primary topic for travellers, added its own quirks - a major Caribbean hurricane being the most spectacular.

These minor discomforts aside, Short's recital of his travels points up the many benefits of journeying solo. One of these is that you don't remain alone for long. Not every acquaintance is a welcome companion, but none are dull. They bring their lives into his view, and to ours. Short meets former convicts, travellers from Europe, Canada and Australia. Not limiting himself to fellow "gringos" he deals well with the local residents. Although a few are not as friendly as he - he's robbed twice and has the usual tangles with bureaucrats, cheating taxi drivers and sullen hoteliers. Still, he maintains his equanimity, exhibiting strength in adverse circumstances. In this modern age he can turn to internet cafes, at one point spending more on email and 'net surfing than on accommodation and food.

Short is a learner, eager to know the current and historical conditions of the lands he visits. Teotihuacan, Tikal and the world's largest stone sphere. His account leads you along with him in fine descriptive prose. He shares his learning without becoming pedantic or opinionated. His judgments result of thoughtful assessment and it's easy to agree with them. The book becomes not only the tale of his journey, but a guidebook without gloss or sham. By the end of it, we envy his adventures and his ability to relate them. It's hard not to embark on a similar jaunt with the aim of duplicating his effort for your chosen locale.

I was given this cookbook as a present by my Brazilian mother-in-law. It is truly a great cookbook, even though (I must be honest) I rarely cook from it. My husband (in spite of being half Brazilian-with Brazil having the world's longest continuous coastline) doesn't like fish. This book is fairly heavy on fish and seafood, as it should be.

Ofélia, a kind of Julia Child of Brazil wrote this masterpiece about brazilian cookery as the book of her life.
Recipes are fantastic and easy to do , pictures and lay out are simply wonderful.
You really will have a taste of Brazil with this book

A very beautiful and professional presentation. I am an archaeologist and the imaging and text made it a very enjoyable experience.

If you want to read great articles, look at some great photos and illustrations and learn about the current state of our understanding of the civilizations that became what we call the Olmec, then this book is for you. It is simply fascinating stuff for anyone seriously interested in understanding these people.

If you are considering the military, if you just need some courage in your life, or if you just enjoy American History, this book is a must read. James Kirby Martin will become your mentor, but he will always remain a simple man. The most valuable part of this book is the reality of the American Revolution. It will open your eyes to the hardships that the ordinary soldiers had to go through so that you can sit here and read this review. READ IT...YOU'LL LOVE IT!

"Ordinary" hardly seems to be the appropriate description of one Joseph Plumb Marin. True, Martin never holds any rank of note in the Revolutionary Army, however his contribution to the cause of American independance transcends any momentary action or deed. Martin's greatest donation is this work, loaded with stories of struggle, pain and hardships that make him quite extraordinary. His colloquail style and humor, even in the face of starvation and death, gives the reader a new frame of reference with which to view the War for Independance.

This book was very well written. It provided an in-depth analysis to the politics of Latin America. Francisco Durand is a great writer and also a famous professor of poltical sciences. Good job!

Sweeping changes in many Latin American nations have transformed business elites into key political and economic players. This volume analyzes the extent to which economic and political changes have convinced business elites to strengthen their employers associations to influence the policy process. Also explored are the implications of these changes for the consolidation of democracy.

If anyone has Portuguese or Irish ancestry, whose relatives immigrated to the Cape Cod & Islands in the 1800's, this book is a treasure trove of information.

There are family histories, celebrations, stories about what motivated them, what brought them joy. PLEASE, buy a copy for your children. NO ONE knows this history anymore.

Fran Karttunen has contributed a sumptuous clambake for islanders and the millions of 'coofs' among us, that is, off-islanders of every sort: tourists, summertime residents, historians, artists, fishing enthusiasts, day-laborers, weekend executives. And what do we find?
We discover a meticulously researched story of those who often lived behind the veil. They were those who rarely lived on Main Street where only those who counted resided, those mythical stoic Anglophile Yankee 'CAPTAINS.' But who "pulled Nantucket's oars" aboard the fragile whale boats and who labored behind the scenes, Karttunen asks? Who bunked in the fo'c'sles, hearded the sheep, cooked and served meals, erected homes then and now, lost indigenous property, or were themselves the enslaved property of others? Beyond the island's first people of color were the Canackas, Portuguese, Irish, Azorians, Jamaicans, Germans, Latvians .... They were and are us, Americans of every color and creed who have bonded together in some mysterious way by falling in love with this 'far away isle.' Fran Karttunen, herself of island stock, masterfully and compassionately unvails this untold story of the "other" islanders.

This book celebrates Celia Cruz's life with the reverence this remarkable singer deserves. It's a wonderful book, not only for fans of Celia Cruz, but also for those families and libraries seeking to foster an appreciation for the vibrant latino culture in the Americas.

Though this book is targeted for the early elementary grades, my son, who is 22 months old, LOVES it! The text is rhythmic, engaging, and allows for different layers of depth of conversationg depending on the age of the child. The illustrations are sophisticated and add further layers of complexity to the text. I disagree very strongly with the Booklist review that says that suggests the text does little to invoke the rhythms of salsa. First, the sounds of salsa clearly resonate in the text. Second, the comment seems to come from a limited understanding of salsa music and salsa rhythms. This book is my new "everyone gets this as a birthday gift" for the children in my life!

Philippe Girard's book about the chaos and utter hopelessness of Haiti makes for mesmerizing but disheartening reading. It seems that for 200 years, Haiti has been plagued by voodoo-like bad luck. Haiti's slaves may have staged the first and only successful uprising against one of the most brutal (French) occupations, but this did nothing to improve their lot. But as Girard makes clear, international racism is NOT the cause of Haiti's never-ending troubles! Haiti's problems are directly due to the unspeakable ineptitude and corruption of political leaders who expressed utmost contempt for the very people they were elected to Govern. Papa Doc Duvalier may have been one of the most vicious dictators, but he was in fact just one in a very long line of political leaders who have systematically stripped Haiti of whatever potential it once had. Sadly, Haiti now seems forever destined to retain its status as the poorest, most desolate nation in the western hemisphere.

Girard splendidly details Haiti's history from colonial to present-day. He writes of Haiti's entangled and complicated racial history, the abdication of the French, the contempt that the remaining ruling class of mulattoes (of mixed race and lighter skin) had for their illiterate and ill-informed darker-skinned countrymen; the US occupations; the unrelenting exploitation, pollution and pillaging of land, resources and foreign aid; the brutal repression, violence and callous indifference of politicians to building an infrastructure that would allow the country to advance from an antiquated rural-based economy to one more modern and service-oriented.

I was expecting to receive a thick, heavy history book--one that is usually issued in high school or college, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that this book is a very SLIM volume and a very quick read, the better to showcase Mr. Girard's beautifully concise and lively writing style. I highly recommend this book to anyone remotely curious (as I was) about why Haiti continues to be the pariah of the carribean. "Paradise Lost" is a real page-turner, worth every penny and more!

This is likely to be the most ground-breaking book on Haitian (or even Third World) history in a long time. Refuting the tired "this is the white imperialist's fault" that is still the Haitian mantra 200 years after independence, Girard shows that the disastrous rule of Haitian dictators like Duvalier and Aristide is the main reason why Haiti is such a mess today. One might expect a racist diatribe with such a premise, but the book is well documented, surprisingly civil, and often funny as well.

An excellent compendium of leading thinkers on the ills that plague us. Not only do they accurately point out the flawed policies that have gotten us into the mess we are in right now, they give us solutions that work. A must read for anyone who cares about the future of this country.

We are making all the wrong decisions. It is our democracy. We have to take it back. The sound-byte political debates offer slogans and marginalize comprehensive thinking. It is a very dangerous time. America is being aggressive to "spred" democracy around the world with our out-of-control materialism. It can't work. One can't spred democracy with military violence and nonsensical materialism. Does the rest of the world really need 25 brands of toothpaste, but without adequate affordable dental care as we have in the United States?

If you want a great book for your child and want him or her to learn a bit about history and the triumph of good over evil, get this book!

This story is a beautifully crafted, multi-dimensional epic saga about a little girl named Emmy. Emmy is the daughter of an eccentric aristocrat living between 1958 Havana and the Colorado Rockies.

Set against the backdrop of the Cuban revolution, like Gone With the Wind, she and her family live through political upheaval and change, and the reader learns the difference between a society that is free and one that is not.

Some of the story follows along the lines of Don Quixote of La Mancha, with Emmy's father, Mr. Agostini being obsessed with Don Quixote, their valiant pet rooster, Don Quixote, and a subplot involving their Boston Terrier, Frito, and his own quest for freedom.

Emmy's mother, Jona Lee is a selfish spoiled Southern Belle who becomes more wicked as the story progresses. However, it is Emmy's close relationship with her loving Cuban nanny that sustains she and her siblings throughout the story.

The story is told through the eyes of Emmy, who, like her father, is often caught up in her own daydreams.

According to the back cover, the unproduced screenplay version won a Gold Award at the WorldFest International Film Festival. It should be made into a movie.

As it winds its way from the mansions of Havana to the windmills of La Mancha, it paints clear and searing portraits of wickedness, cruelty, unconditional love, sacrifice, chivalry, and those ephemeral characteristics of hope and optimism in the face of difficulties.