Caribbean Books

I have been cruising the Bahamas for over 30 years. For all these long times there was just one cruising guide available. And it was quite limited in scope. The along came Stephen Pavlidis. He has singlehandedly upgraded the quality and safety of Bahamas cruising . His Exumas Cruising Guide is the most complete information you can get for that area. I wouldn't think of cruising the Exumas without it. Stephen Crow, K4CPX

I have cruised the Exumas four winters on my Jeanneau 41. I wouldn't think of doing it without Steven's wonderful book. He includes, for example, many chartlets not to be found in any other guide. Hence, I was able to find anchorages not well known (and which had, as a result, more lobster!).

Don't even think of visiting the Exumas without this book (or any other area included in his other guidebooks without its associated book).

I found the book to be the Bible for getting in and around the Exuma Cays. More importantly, the book nicely deals with the history, geography, flora and fauna of the cays. There is no way that a person should consider sailing, motoring or paddling into the Exumas without this book in hand. Too bad it was not printed on waterproof paper and bound with stainless steel staples. If your headed for the Exumas be sure to read and bring a copy along. It might also help to secure it in a large zip lock plastic bag.

Gives the facts on why the Cuban resistance won, when so many in the Latin America of that epoch did not. Good summary of Castro's conscious drive to unity of workers and farmers, refusal of any political cosying-up to ruling figures... he really had/has unshakeable confidence in the capacity of ordinary people to fight and win. His 1953 courtroom speech, History Will Absolve Me, is included in the book -- a stirring, sensitive condemnation of the brutality of the dictatorship. Very concrete, educational, seeking to reach the ears of the people to explain why they can move into action on their own behalf.

The Cuban revolutionary experience is something fighters for fundamental social change can benefit from to this day. Fidel Castro began to organize a movement of revolutionaries gathered around a leadership core of militants educated in Marxism years before the revolutionary war that overthrew the dictator Batista was begun. The revolutionaries came to be the uncontested leaders of a broad front of the bulk of the political forces that opposed the U.S.-backed tyrant. When the Cuban equivalents of "our own" Democrat-Republican capitalist hack politicians tried to snatch the leadership away, from Miami no less, they were outmaneuvered by the July 26th Movement and the Rebel Army, and their principled politics and armed struggle. This book, written by a Chilean-Cuban journalist, is a rich mine for the those who choose to resist imperialism's drive towards a New Depression, more and more wars, and fascist barbarism. Most especially, this book is for those who oppose the Empire from inside, which is where the decisive battles will take place. The inclusion of Fidel's masterful defense speech at his trial for insurrection, a classic example for stating the need for revolution-"History Will Absolve Me"-rounds this book out perfectly. Like Fidel said in Chile in 1970 (strongly similar to today's Venezuela), use these revolutionary experiences applied to your own country creatively and intelligently, and you'll win. Provided you have his same confidence in the ability of "average", "ordinary" working people to change themselves and the world through revolutionary struggle.

The thirtieth anniversary of the bloody U.S.-engineered coup in Chile just past in August 2003. So what is the difference between Allende's Chile and Fidel's Cuba? In this little book on "Fidel Castro's Political Strategy," Chilean writer Marta Harnecker takes up exactly this point, how Fidel always sought to mobilize Cuba's revolutionary people. Castro and the July 26 movement always avoided either sterile electoral reform or a simple coup that focuses on the hated ruler-in this case Batista, the U.S. supported dictator of Cuba in the 1950s. Fidel's strategy was always based on progressively mobilizing and inspiring the Cuban people to take the stage of history, and he and the Cuban people have succeeded in defending Cuba's revolution pretty well also. If the Cuban people were not ready at a moment's notice to defend the revolution, do you think it could have lasted a day-and almost forty-five years later, it's still strong. Also of great value in this book is the magnificent speech, "From Moncado to Victory," which Castro gave as his defense before being hauled off to Batista's prison in 1953. While amazon may list this book as unavailable from time to time, it is always available from booksfromPathfinder--click on "new and used" at the top of this page.

excellent review, easy to use. breaks down various types of vacations to the Caribbean, such as emphasis on water sports, site seeing, etc.

This is book #2 of the caribbean that I have purchased, it has great info on where to go, what to see and not spend a fortune. When traveling especially by cruise ship, your time is limited and you want to see all you can without spending it all! Very informative...

I am a big supporter of the Fodor's books - for my money, they are the only travel guides you need. Fodor's Caribbean is a good case in point. This book is for two kinds of travelers: those who already know what island they are going to, and those who want to go to the Caribbean, but are unsure which island(s) to visit.

If you don't know exactly where you want to go, Fodor's will give you the rundown. The "What's Where" section has a map of all the islands and a brief description of each one. Fodor's always addresses issues of cost, atmosphere, and what type of vacationer comes to the island. Next, you have the "Island Finder" - a chart with each island rated in each category, such as "Beautiful Beaches" and "Fine Dining." This is followed by the "If You Like" section, which rates the best in each category. Then there is the "Calendar" telling you when to go and what events happen when.

If you know where you want to go, Fodor's has each of the islands (or island clusters) listed separately. Each entry begins with a few pictures, a map, a brief essay, and everything you could possibly want to know about the island (where to eat, where to stay, what to do) broken down into an easy-to-read format.

IF YOU OWN A PREVIOUS VERSION. I had the 2005 version of this book. It's true, there are changes. The book is physically smaller this year, although there are actually MORE pages (maybe they use a smaller font?). It is organized somewhat differently: the "Smart Travel Tips" section is at the end (not the beginning) which had me fearing they'd done away with it. There are more pictures in this version. However, I've only noticed a few changes in terms of content - an extra hotel or restaurant here or there. If you own last year's book, you may be able to slide by without getting a new one.

I thought that "For the life of Laetitia" was an excellent book. I really got into the story and when her father started to get nasty I really wanted to meet him and slap him! My favourite part must have been when she got to go home with her grandmother and grandfather. But I also liked reading about the fun that her and Anjanee had. I was so upset when Anjanee died. I would recommend this book for ages 12-15 as some of the parts are for older children rather than younger.

This book was very good. It was about a girl, Laetitia (pronouced La-tee-sha) who lives in the islands. Sh got exepted in a secondary school, and lives with her father

"For the Life of Laetitia"is a wonderful book about a young girl who lives in the Carribean. Lacey is the first of her family to go to secondary school. This sparks sudden interest from her father, who she barley knows. Lacey exceeds above all of her class mates at her new school. She meets a new friend who she grows to love and need. In the long run, Anjanee (Lacey's friend) helps Lacey more than she could ever know. This book is essential for young people to read. It tells of determination,pressare, hard ships and struggle. Differances , family, friendships, and the simple things that bring happiness to life.

I've been a fan of Frida Kahlo since high school, and as an artist, I've been on a quest to find a book that includes all of her paintings and portrays their colors and contrast accurately. Many books increase the contrast so much that you can no longer see definition in the dark areas of her painting, but not this one! Likewise, many books only show a few of her more popular paintings, but this large volume dug many up from obscurity and presents them in vivid, full-page detail.

If you would like to own one book that covers all of Frida's works, this is it--look no further! This has a poetically written account of the political and social conditions she grew up and flourished in, as well as details of her paintings that are amazing.

Tired of reading all the Kahlo biographies full of facts in a "documentary style" format..? Then this book is for you. This Kahlo biography, with a splash of Mexican history, presents an in-depth look at the private life of this famous Mexican painter in the style of a novel. This book is written for young adult readers and is very well written, well organized, easy reading and full of tidbits of information not found in other books. Once you start to read it you can't put it down. When you're finished you will know and understand the real Frida Kahlo. Highly recommend this book to readers of all ages.

If you are looking for information on her paintings you won't find it here. Not much is said about her paintings and there are only 6 small color and 3 black & white illustrations of her paintings and 6 black & white photos. In the back of the book there is a very brief chronology.

This book is amazing. If you're a fan of Frida Kahlo, don't hesitate to check it out. For one thing, the book itself is well crafted. Along with the gorgeous prints (and various fold outs to show details), there's a good amount of photographs and a well-written biography.

Another great book on Kahlo is "Frida Kahlo: The Painter And Her Work" by Helga Prignitz-Poda. It has a slipcase so perhaps it'll appear to be "better," but Lozano's book is less than half the price, a bit larger and contains just as much, if not more.

I'd imagine poring over this book is as close as one can get to viewing her work in person without actually being there.

Iris Bannochie was one of the most influential horticulturalists in the Caribbean. This book contains vast amounts of information on plantings in general, specific plants, soil maintainence, pests and recommended plants for various settings and purposes.

This book was written toward the end of Mrs. Bannochie's lifetime of gardening in the Caribbean and contains many, many seemingly insignificant details that are gold to the tropical gardener. Upon her death, she bequeathed her home to the Nation of Barbados, and the site is now the famous Andromeda Gardens.

This book deserves five stars because it is the only gardening book extant that covers issues and concerns important and specific to Caribbean gardening. Had Mrs. Bannochie lived to see her book published, it is quite probable that it would have been far more comprehensive.

Chapter Two is invaluable for providing information on how to propagate specific climate appropriate plants. Chapter Four continues in the same vein, providing a comprehensive listing of tried and true favorites and pointers on how to grow them. My only criticisms are that the photographs (plates) in the center of the book are not of better quality and larger, that the tables at the end of the book fail to evaluate soil type on all the islands, and that there are so few diagrams or illustrations generally. Of course these paltry concerns may be remedied in a future revision. It is apparent that the co-author, Marilyn Light, faced a significant challenge in completing the book, and she is to be complimented for remaining true to Bannochie's vision.

Bannochie's writing style can be compared to having a conversation with an experienced, hands-on gardener while she strolls with you through her garden pointing out her favorite plants. Thus, I believe that one can actually sense which parts of the book were written by Marilyn Light after Bannochie's untimely death.

My copy of this book was lost or water damaged when my home was destroyed by hurricane on two different occasions. That I searched for and purchased it three times, is an indication of how important a reference it is for obtaining a general knowledge of not just Caribbean gardening, but gardening in any similar tropical climate.

This book deserves five stars because it is the only gardening book extant that covers issues and concerns important and specific to Caribbean gardening. Had Mrs. Bannochie lived to see her book published, it is quite probable that it would have been far more comprehensive.

Chapter Two is invaluable for providing information on how to propagate specific climate appropriate plants. Chapter Four continues in the same vein, providing a comprehensive listing of tried and true favorites and pointers on how to grow them. My only criticisms are that the photographs (plates) in the center of the book are not of better quality and larger, that the tables at the end of the book fail to evaluate soil type on all the islands, and that there are so few diagrams or illustrations generally. Of course these paltry concerns may be remedied in a future revision. It is apparent that the co-author, Marilyn Light, faced a significant challenge in completing the book, and she is to be complimented for remaining true to Bannochie's vision.

Bannochie's writing style can be compared to having a conversation with an experienced, hands-on gardener while she strolls with you through her garden pointing out her favorite plants. Thus, I believe that one can actually sense which parts of the book were written by Marilyn Light after Bannochie's untimely death.

My copy of this book was lost or water damaged when my home was destroyed by hurricane on two different occasions. That I searched for and purchased it three times, is an indication of how important a reference it is for obtaining a general knowledge of not just Caribbean gardening, but gardening in any similar tropical climate.

"On February the 14th, 1985, the winds whistle over an open pasture where the waters of Gros Islet Marina flow deep into the land. At the water's edge, a fishing vessel, manned by six youths, is quietly set afloat into the Marina. The captain and co-captain are no more than 20 years old, while the rest of the crew range in age from thirteen to nineteen."
Thus starts an epic voyage that will end in tragedy with only one survivor. This is a really wonderful story about a real life event. It follows in the tradition of great "cast-adrift" stories, but the navigators in question are all from the small fishing village of Gros Islet in St. Lucia. Some are young fishermen, three are school kids, kicked out of school for the day because of rowdy behavior. It is a tragic story, but one with light and optimistic moments, and by concentrating at the end on the survivor (whose troubles are far from over when he staggers ashore and collapses in Columbia), it is book that will affect you emotionally, but leave you on a high note. I have read quite a few "adrift" accounts, and none have left me with such a feel for the humanity and simple kindness of the characters as this.
The first part of this book paints a picture of Gros Islets as experienced by the author as a child. Some of the main preoccupations are school, church, and sports, especially cricket. During this section we meet and watch the main characters growing up.
This is a tragic tale of young men pushed into a situation for which they were totally unequipped in both knowledge and gear. What is even sadder is even today many fishermen loose their lives this way in the Caribbean every year (I heard about 4 boats that were lost from one island alone last year, one with six people on board). It has always amazes me that fishermen will go far offshore with a single outboard, no radio, no flares, and sometimes a cell phone (but often without bothering to make sure it is fully charged).
Given that fishermen may well end up at sea with little water, a broken outboard and no other means of propulsion, our Caribbean education and fishing traditions completely fail to provide them with the knowledge they need to survive, even though the methods have been known since 1952 when Bombard set off on a 62-day voyage across the Atlantic without food or water. He lived off what the sea provided, along with the rainwater he caught, just to show mariners that they could survive indefinitely at sea.
These young men had at most half a gallon of water with them, when that ran out they started drinking saltwater. Drinking saltwater alone, is a sure recipe for disaster causing dehydration and ultimately, sickness, hallucinations, madness and death. The behavior of the youths in this voyage who went crazy, attacked their mates and swam away from the boat, is the same as in other similar sea stories where salt water was drunk.
This young group also had the means to survive; they caught fish and dried them in the sun as a food source. They needed instead to eat the fish whole and raw, and to squeeze the blood and juices out of them and drink it. Such juices are not very salty and can provide the much needed fluids. It is sad that such simple knowledge is not part of our maritime culture.
Religion plays a role in this story, even the boat's name is "IN GOD WE TRUST", and Therold himself regards the emergence of Kennedy Phillip (the survivor) as a miracle. I find this attitude interesting in light of Therolds early attitude towards the church.
"Father "H" may not know this but those marble steps are from the contributions of many who have since died in extreme poverty, after donating all their land and money to the Church. In fact, I have sometimes wished that someone would tell him about the sacrifices that were made, and about the many lives that were affected, instead of feeding him the gossip about the private lives of fellow parishioners. Maybe they can begin by telling him the story of Mr. Styles, and how his mother had left her only son to languish as a pauper, after giving her property and all her money to the efforts of constructing the church".
Therold himself, who had received communion, was thrown out of the Catholic Church, because his mother left the Catholics to join the Seventh Day Adventists, and this angered the priest who was apparently intent on passing the sins he perceived in the mother onto the son. At some points Therold sees with clarity that the role of the church, and that of the English colonial administration were often far from benign. Yet at the same time the Catholic tradition was such a dominant force in his youth it colors all his perceptions:
"Among "the wise (meaning communicants) is a very old woman who stands with a pink and purple mushware (head-band) over her head. She is barefoot and seems to walk in a state of absolute absorbtion. By this time I am not the only one who is distracted; so are George, Kennedy, Ronnie, and countless other children who know her quite well. In fact the whole church knows about her and what we know is not pretty at all. Today in the house of the Lord, and in broad daylight, the proxy of the devil is at work."
Therold and his friends think that is that this is an evil women working obeah with religious sacraments, a charge that could easily be based on nothing more than that she is very strange, possibly the result of a psychiatric problem. We have burnt witches for less.
Ultimately Therold comes to terms with the Catholic Church and sees the newer priests as being more in touch and community minded. If he has given thought to, and struggled with, such issues as: the subservient role of women in the church, and how they face the same kind of lack of opportunities as did black people in the earlier colonial times, or to the effect the ban on contraception has on the fight against aids, he does not mention it here.
Was Therold right in considering Kennedy's survival a miracle? If God wanted a miracle, why not save all - a little change in the currents or winds would have done it. Giving God the credit for anything good and never the blame for anything bad lacks logic. It is a bit like having a tailor in town, and every time he sews a wonderful suit that fits perfectly, praise the tailor. Every-time he produces an ill-fitting or badly sewn garment; blame the thread or the sewing machine.
Therold's book is a great tribute to Kennedy and his crew, and by extension to all the other Caribbean fishermen who have been lost at sea, whose life and death struggles have gone unregistered except by a small story in the local paper. Walcott's Omerous is a tribute to St. Lucia fishermen at the poetic and mythical level, this book does it in a down-to-earth simple story.

Reviewed by Danielle Feliciano for Reader Views (1/06)

Glory Days and Tragedy is the true account of 6 young men who become lost at sea during a routine fishing trip. However, it is much more than that. It is a story of lifelong friendships, loyalty, and of the will to survive. And, it is ultimately the story of how to rebuild your life after tragedy has hit.

Mr. Prudent begins this tale by bringing the reader into his childhood in the St. Lucian town of Gros Islet. It is there that we get to know the author and his friends, and are treated to a small taste of island life. This book is so detailed and clearly written that it is easy to picture the town as you are reading the book. You become immersed in the lives of Mr. Prudent and his friends, which makes it all that much more heartbreaking to read about the tragedy that follows.

The second half of the book focuses on a routine fishing trip taken by 6 young men from the island. It tells the story not only of what happens on the boat, but also the story of what happens to those left behind. You are with the people of the town as they learn the young men are missing, as they attempt a rescue, and as they slowly come to grips with the reality of what must have happened. At the same time, you are with the men on the boat, suffering fear, illness, starvation, thirst, and hope. It is impossible not to mourn the loss of each of the young men as they succumb to the circumstances. It is also impossible not to celebrate when hope no longer seems false and rescue seems imminent.

In the end, this book runs the reader through a gamut of emotions, leaving you optimistic about the chances of the survivors, and the island, to go on with their lives in the wake of such tragedy.

Detailed and engaging. Therold Prudent subtly reveals man's search for meaning and the culture which helps create that meaning. One sees that the drama of youthful dreams begins the path to our destiny. A good source for literary analysis for the classroom.

The author is a professor at the art school I go to and I got the priviledge of seeing her book and hearing about the process of making it. It is, perhaps, the most beautiful children's book I have ever seen. All of the art is made from sewn fabrics and has the most brilliant colors. The story is fun, and most importantly, cultural. Every kid should have this book, and adults too. I am 20 and I already put it on my Christmas list!

This book is amazing. I've never seen anything like it. Its both cultural, smart and wonderfully done. U should buy it.

This is a beautiful tale from the islands with lush illustrations written in the wonderful language of St. Thomas. A must read.

In this book four men from very different backgrounds tell the story of how they were won to the Cuban Revolution and devoted their lives to defending it. In the first interview you'll get a fresh perspective on the question of land mines and the never-before-revealed story of how Cubans training in the SovieUnion reacted to the October 1962 Missile Crisis. It just gets better after that.

When these generals published their longer memoirs, it caused a sensation in Cuba. We learned of how they were won to the revolution, and of struggles of Cuban soldiers from the Bay of Pigs, to Bolivia, from America to Vietnam, and in Cuba itself. Those memoirs and these interviews are a clear sign that the Cuban revolution and its leadership, especially the armed forces that the US has tried to get to subvert the revolution were holding true to the revolution, and they explained some previously unknown achievements of the Cuban military. Read these interviews, done by Socialist activists from the US, and see why. The interviews in this book explain the stories of the leaders of Cuba's armed forces, the stories of fighters who changed themselves and the world and continue to want to fight.

While this book is not always available on Amazon, it is always available from BooksfromPathfinder, an Amazon Z store that you can get to by clicking on New and Used further up this page!

Revolucionarios cubanos y norteamericanos plactican
La gente 'común' que hicieron la revolución cubana está retratada en este libro pequeño y poderoso. Son entrevistas conducidos por dirigentes socialistas norteamericanos (¡sí, existimos !) con generales de las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Cuba. Los oficiales explican como fueron reclutados inicialmente al Ejercito Rebelde y el Movimiento 26 de Julio, sus experiencias en la guerra contra Batista, la batalla de Playa Girón y la crisis de octubre de 1962, sus misiones internacionalistas en Angola, Argelia, el Congo y Bolivia bajo el mando de Che Guevara, en Siria y otros países. En el curso de las entrevistas, los conductores resuman sus experiencias en actividades en defensa de la revolución cubana en los EE.UU. durante esos mismos eventos históricos, además de sus experiencias hoy en día de los militantes de un partido obrero revolucionario en distribuir libros y periódicos en inglés y español que dicen la verdad sobre Cuba y plantean el ejemplo de la revolución cubana para la clase trabajadora la sigue algún día dentro de las entrañas de la bestia imperial yanqui. A veces, este titulo no está disponible en amazon ( dice " not available on amazon") pero siempre se puede comprar de booksfrompathfinder"; imprime el frase "new and used" encima de la pagina al lado del titulo del libro.

This amazing author just got my attention. He writes in a way I have never seen before. He caught my eyes to the book cover, and its content. Good poems, which tell us how gay man lives in Brazil. A country side city can both gives you a real lover, as put your sexuality in doubt... How to go on living, if you do not accept to be as you are??? Find answers in this wonderful author words.

...Dear writer, You were SO lucky when God choose you to write poems for the gay people. It is the most amazing book I ever saw and maybe it won't appear another similar book... You are so hearty when you tell about your lovers throu poems. Thanks God for that gift and keep writting, because you OWN the tool.
Your book was so helpful to me: I was crying my pains and now I am smiling when I open the book and see poems like "My Love Gel" (page 18). (...).

Do you know when you read a book and you can not stop reading and even when you read it all, you don't realize the book is finished??? That was my impression to this book. I read and read it again and now I will pass to my nephew (he is an not open gay) and hope it can bring him some strengh to come out from the closet, just as Valdeck did.