Central America Books

If one wants to understand the debacle or "quagmire" know as the Vietnam War, look no further than this riveting account! In "The Making of a Quagmire," David Halberstam pin points all of the failures of the system years before the first official U.S. troops splash ashore at Danang, Vietnam. His account, a collection of observations about Vietnam under the Diem presidency, is refreshing while at the same time shocking in its findings. While many observers insisted that efforts in Vietnam were progressing so well from 1961-63, Halberstam sees the light. His expose of all the failings of the system includes candid words about the inept south Vietnamese leadership and the American advisors who grow increasingly frustrated with their mission. Most importantly though, Halberstam offers a glimpse into the life of a journalist caught in his own war of censorship.

Before reading this book, my knowledge of the Vietnam war was limited to the movies I had seen on the subject, until recently when a friend recommended this book to me after a brief discussion of the war, its political agenda and its intrigue. Making of a quagmire is an extensive and thourough account of the events in 1961 and 1962 that lead to the eventual full american involvemnt in Vietnam. Halberstam provides an unbeleivable and at times jaw-dropping first hand account of the political and military events of the period, and translates with remarkable skill the frustration of the vicious circle that was the american policy in Vietnam. A must read for any one with even a slight interest in the subject

Halberstam's work is a classic, outlining the dilemma that Vietnam posed to American policymakers in the early 1960s, and written in lucid, newspaper-reporting style. The author's perceptiveness is particularly striking when one considers that he wasn't even 30 years old when he covered Vietnam.

Unfortunately, this McGraw-Hill edition abridges Halberstam's masterpiece. Most of the essential pieces of the story remain, but much of the rich, colorful narrative, which makes this such a fascinating book, is lost. Hopefully, a complete version will return to print soon.

In the early 1960s, David Halberstam was a New York Times correspondent who initially viewed the U.S. political and military-advisory roles in South Viet Nam as a necessary stance against the Communist menace (as defined by Dwight Eisenhower's "domino theory" in Southeast Asia).

But his pessimism grew during tours of the nation, interviews with American military advisors and his concerns surrounding the corrupt South Vietnamese government of President Ngo Dinh Diem. His criticism became so much of a problem to the Kennedy Administration that the president himself lobbied NYT editors to have Halberstam yanked out of South Viet Nam if his reporting continued to run contrary to the government's optimistic pronoucements.

The abridged edition - to make the text more accessible to those not familiar with this history - is a classic retrospective on how Halberstam grew to question the policies of Diem and Kennedy. It also importantly takes the reader through a journey on how he had to walk gingerly through the web of censorship that is played out between the government & the news media.

I read this book when I was a Cadet at West Point. It changed the way I looked at U.S. policy.

I interviewed Jacqueline Duheme when she was promoting this exquisite book, and one thing remains in my mind that she said about "The Grand Dame, Jacqueline" - that she could have been a painting woman!!!

As an ardent admirer of Mrs. Kennedy for the past 40 years, I have read every book on her that I could get my hands on. "Mrs. Kennedy Goes Abroad" is a refreshing change from the repetitive narratives and recycled photos that are the mainstay of so many other books about her life. Ms. Duheme's illustrations are elegant and sumptuous but also embrace a childlike purity and simplicity which capture the essence of Mrs. Kennedy's persona and mystique. The commentary has the simple charm of a beautifully written children's book. It is obvious why Mrs. Kennedy chose Ms. Duheme to accompany her on her more memorable trips abroad as First Lady. A truly enchanting book.

Mrs. Kennedy Goes Abroad is an adorable little book filled with colorful Fauvist-like illustrations. Anyone who likes Laura Stoddart's simple-chic illustrations for Kate Spade will probably enjoy it. Fans of the recent exhibition at the Met that highlighted Jackie's White House clothes may appreciate it too. The commentary is kept to a minimum and black and white photos from Mrs. Kennedy's travels are included, but the focus is on French artist Duheme's amusing miniature paintings that capture Jackie in all those great pink sleeveless dresses and crisp suits in Paris, India, London and Italy.

As a side note: Duheme and Jacqueline Kennedy became friends who shared similar painting styles, and Duheme was invited to Cape Cod to give the First Lady an art lesson.

This book has wonderful pictures that captures the "facts" from actual photographs and transforms them into scenes of "fantasy". I really enjoyed the background information that accompanies each picture. A real treat of Jackie fans.

"Mrs. Kennedy Goes Abroad" is a beautiful book. The illustrations are lovely to look at, and the book is fun to read. A good choice for anyone to add to their library; especially recommended for those interested in the Kennedys and Jackie in particular. Evokes the fun mood of Jackie's scrapbook written with her sister Lee, "One Special Summer".

One of the better books on dealing with terrorism. I bought the book after seeing the author on one of the interview programs. I was impressed with his vision and ability to simplify portions of the problem. I started the book convinced it was worthy of a 5 star review. However, the loss of a star is the reflection of a persistent bias.

The author does a great job of dividing the threats into those which we must defend against and those which our best defense is preparation to deal with the consequences. The two examples used are bioterrorism and nuclear weapons.

He makes a great case that terrorists are not going to send their one and only , $250 million nuke into the country in a shipping container where they lose control. He misses an opportunity to bolster his argument with the thought of the enemy of intelligence gathering is velocity. The time a ship takes to load cross an ocean at 30 knots and unload ( or detonate in the harbor) is perhaps 20 times the time required to deliver the components via private jet.

To be successful the terrorist organization needs to obtain highly enriched uranium or other materials as they are very unlikely to be able to produce it. Once in possession of the materials the fabrication of a weapon becomes a far lesser challenge.

Bio weapons represent the opposite end of the scale with production well within the capabilities of a small organization using materials commercially available around the globe. Thus the challenge becomes the response to an attack.

Larsen's message that government is not the answer needs to be carried to the four corners of the country. People who would never think of allowing their health, life, car or pet insurance simply refuse to take the few essential steps which will greatly add to their family security in the event of a natural disaster or attack. He uses the example of people waiting in line for water hours after a hurricane has passed in Florida. They are angry that the government has not yet provided them with water and yet they had 3 days warning of the approaching storm and probably left a home with 5 gallons of clean water in the toilet tanks and another 30 gallons in the water heater.

Larsen does a great job in taking the problem from the strategic issues down to what the individual citizen needs to do to prepare for something that is nearly as certain as death and taxes.

My sole reservation is that his bias shows up clearly in the way he describes problems or effective action, depending on which side of the political spectrum is involved.

Recommended read

"Our Own Worst Enemy is the single best thing that has been written on homeland security and, as Randy Larsen suggests, every American should read it. Straight talking, full of common sense and written in an entertaining style that makes it hard to put down, this book asks the right questions and provides concrete recommendations that government officials, corporate executives and every citizen need to understand and apply."

ADM Steve Abbot, USN (Ret)
Deputy Homeland Security Advisor to the President
2001-2003

"Larsen advocates a seldom used tool to fight terrorism--common sense."

Bob Schieffer, CBS News

"Larsen explains how to ask the right questions---from the Oval Office, to the front office, to your kitchen table."

Bruce vanVoorst,
former Senior Correspondent for National Security, TIME

"This book should be required reading for all who are concerned about national security--and that is everyone...An all-absorbing, page-by-page tableau, comprised of provocative ideas, eminently rational concepts, and well-skewered current ideas and initiatives."

Donald A. Henderson, MD, MPH, Professor of Medicine
and Public Health, University of Pittsburgh,
Johns Hopkins University Distinguished Service Professor

"Post 9/11, there are now many experts on homeland security. But Randy Larsen is a pioneer...This is a pragmatic and valuable book for average Americans, not just experts."

John J. Hamre
President and CEO
Center for Strategic and International Studies

"This is a must read for at least one member of every American family. Larsen is an unparalleled expert and tells us all what really matters for our security in this age of lethal unpredictability."

Arnaud de Borchgrave, Director of Transnational Threats,
Center for Strategic and International Studies

This guy knows his stuff! I learned more about how we ARE and ARE NOT prepared for terrorism (as a country and as people) from reading this book than I have from about 2,000 hours watching news programs. He obliterates the sense of helplessness so many of us seem to feel about terrorism. I'd seen Larsen on TV and come to respect his sage opinions, so I bought the book. In it, he simplifies complicated political mumbling and sleight-of-hand into real language about what's going on and what we should do. His position makes great sense. His opinion on immigration, on controlling nuclear supplies and personal preparedness are so logical you'll be wondering how the whole topic ever looked overwhelming. He does it all without talking down to people who didn't spend their time at West Point. It's an immensely readable, deeply grounded, reassuring book. It takes a genius to distill a complicated subject so eloquently. I recommend it most highly.

This was an amazing book which pushes beyond the partisan struggle over policy making in homeland security. He discusses not only the problems, but also the successes and solutions that exist. It will entertain you, enlighten you, scare you, and reassure you. It is a must read for all Americans.

I just saw Randall Larsen on C-SPAN's Book TV and I am about to order his book. He puts a healthy emphasis on the fact that the government is not able to help citizens in every situation, nor is it the government's job. To show how far we have come from the self-reliance we need, he told of a well-dressed woman who 36 hours after Katrina was demanding the government supply her with drinking water. She knew Katrina was coming; couldn't she have filled her bathtub, or bought a supply of water?, he asked. How dependent and childish can you get?

He told the story of a sheriff in Texas who is in charge of a county a third the size of Delaware, with 27,000 people. How would he deal with a security emergency? "I'd posse up," he replied. That is, he has all the backup he needs in citizens trained to help in law-enforcement.

Larsen is telling us to "posse up." Become aware of how to keep our families safe, and get training to be a part of law enforcement when the government can't supply enough manpower for our needs. We need to take responsibility for our security and be prepared to act when there is a crisis, instead of expecting the government to take care of us in every situation.

This book pretty much just made me mad. The terrorist group M-19 attempted to take government workers hostage in order to get political consideration. The first time(s) is worked. The "macho" new President decided not to negotiate and a large number (unknown) of the hostages were killed. From the few witnesses left, the terrorists killed some soldiers, but no hostages. The un-identified bodies were buried and had acid poured on their graves to prevent later identification. Fortunately for the Government, an earthquake provided hundreds more bodies to dump over the killed hostages further hindering later identification.

Bottom line, I ain't ever going to Columbia and thank GOD they don't run our police forces. The President allowed the military to kill all of the terrorists and all of the hostages that couldn't get away from the army.

The author is a good investigator and writer. She's also VERY lucky to be here.

"The Palace of Justice" is a brutal story of life in Colombia. Carrigan is a tier-one journalist who lived in Colombia and used many first hand accounts to expose the flaws in the government's coverup.

.
This is an utterly brilliant book.
.
Ana Carrigan provides a meticulously researched and detailed
account of a climactic event in the ongoing Colombian violence.
The significance of this saga is not in its direct effects but
the insight into the workings and priorities of the Colombian
government and military revealed to us by this moment of crisis.
The author gives the critical background to the saga and covers
in detail the political maneuvering and subsequent
Orwellian "official explanation" of what really happened.
.
Read this book. If it's out-of-print, harangue the publisher.

This book is truly the most complete investigation on those two intense and definitive days in recent Colombian history. Told with gripping narrative, it is hard to put down: it took me only three days to read. As a Colombian, for me it is also a source of profound sadness, because the book, through its tale, illustrates all the workings of colombian politics, with all its lies, manipulations, self-interests, and lack of any decent statemanship and generosity. Except for a few personalities, all the actors in this drama show an inmense human mediocrity, from the president of the nation on down. Also, it shows the brutality of an armed force that has always been distinguished by its corruption and incompetence in the field of battle. This book should be mandatory reading for anybody interested in Colombian politics, history and society.

A very enjoyable book about a very bloody and unfortunate event in Colombia`s recent history. As a Colombian I can vouch for the accuracy of the events the author describes. I want to congratulate the author and at the same time recommend this book to everyone.

As a recent traveler to Colombia I found this book to be a truly great reminder of my trip. The wide angle photography gives you a pespective that can only be beaten by being there. It feels like you are truly in the picture. I also like the book because it doesn't focus on one area or on one type of geography. Countyside and City are equally represented. As are the mountains, the coastal regions and the jungle.

This is honestly one of the best ever depictions of such a rich country, not only in culture, art, architecture, history and geographical variety, but in the people, the spirit, the colors and the sharp contrasts that this beautiful country has.
The photographer exposes an intimate and personal view that allows us to be inside the picture, as if living it ourselves. He has entered areas and dangerous zones to show us those existing contrasts, and has exposed us to the magnificense of this varied country. It is a perfect example of being able to see through someone else's eyes, and how beautiful it is.

perfect and beautiful. Any time you want to visit a world of difference, beauty -go to this book. I would reccomend this book to any serious cofee table book enthusiast. Weather you have been to Colombia or not, you will like it!

Probably no country in South America has a greater geographical variety than Colombia. In 2002 I spent a month exploring Colombia (although the terrorists-FARC problem seriously restricted my movement). "Panoramic Colombia" helped me to remember, vividly, what I had seen and get a glimpse the many parts of Colombia I needed to return to see.

Using a roundshot, 360 degree camera, Villegas has done a great job of showcasing the cities and natural wonders of Colombia. Each color photograph captures mountains, jungles, coastal areas, rainforests, moorlands, towns and vibrant cities. Each geographical region is delineated by a map (a nice touch). The reproduction of color is a notch below excellent. Most of the two page panoramic photos are 30 inches long, however, there are twenty photos that fold out into three pages, over 45 inches long!

"Panoramic Colombia" is an excellent introduction to Colombia. A great book for anyone who is going to visit, or who has visited, this diverse country. "Panoramic Colombia" would make a fantastic gift for anyone from Colombia or interested in this Latin American gem. Highly Recommended

We purchased the Spanish version of this book while in Colombia. It had been recommended to us by other Colombians who felt it was the best photographic representation thus far of their country. The content is spectacular in that it captures pristine landscapes, beautiful seascapes and candid events. The photo quality itself is slightly imperfect in sharpness and lighting (sometimes the faces are in shadows), but this is understandable with the use of the panoramic lens. I have mostly enjoyed the corresponding eloquent citations from authors describing their impressions of, feelings about or experiences in Colombia.

...this book is definitely for the obsessive. These are pioneers who, for the most part, predate the concepts of stardom. Early recording companies, like early movie studios, were not interested in sharing any revenue with any "stars" that required promotion -- yes, Sarah Bernhardt made a movie or two, and Caruso sold a lot of records, but they were exceptions -- people who had reputations built outside the new mediums. For this reason, you'll find a lack of big-name stars. What you will find is a wealth of information on the practically unknown legions of men and women who were among the first to actually record the sounds and songs from the last two centuries. I found it fascinating, and of value in the obsessive cataloging that often goes hand-in-hand with the hobby of record collecting. It also helped to make a great many names a lot more human to me, and I'm thankful to the author for that. Not for the average reader, but if you have an interest in the acoustic recordings of popular music from the earliest days... well, you'll be as happy as Jones & Hare.

This is a well written biographical dictionary of the key popular (vs. classical) performers featured on early recordings. For example, you can look up "Edison Quartette" and find out that it was also known as the Hayden Quartet and exchanged performers with the American Quartet. Then you can look up the individual singers. I just consulted it this morning to find out about an early recording of John Philip Sousa's band.

While it is not a discography, it has information about selected early records, along with a song index. If you want to get a peek at the style, check out Tim Gracyk's site online.

I don't see how any collector of early popular records could live without this book.

POPULAR AMERICAN RECORDING PIONEERS: 1895-1925, by Tim Gracyk, has detailed biographies of singers/musicians on old records! 444 pages. This is the ONLY book ever published to give biographies of early recording pioneers. Learn facts about the singers who made records of "popular" music before 1925! The book's opening essay gives a summary of the history of the early recording industry, the "acoustic" era. Rare sources were used--trade journals like TALKING MACHINE WORLD, memos from the Edison, Victor, Zon-O-Phone, U-S Everlasting, and Columbia record companies, etc. Following the long intro are detailed encyclopedic articles (organized alphabetically): 100 artists with separate entries in the book include the American Quartet, Billy Murray, Ada Jones, Cal Stewart (Uncle Josh), Nat Wills, Steve Porter, the Original Dixieland Jazz Band (other "jass" bands of 1917 covered, too), Paul Whiteman, George J. Gaskin, Carl Fenton, Sam Ash, Aileen Stanley, Henry Burr, the Peerless Quartet, Arthur Collins, Byron G. Harlan, the duo Collins and Harlan (separate entry--new info!), S. H. Dudley, Al Bernard, Edward M. Favor, Rudy Wiedoeft, Sousa, Walter B. Rogers, Vess L. Ossman, Sam Lanin, Bert Williams, Frisco Jazz Band, Olive Kline, J. W. Myers, Ben Selvin, the Green Brothers, Haydn Quartet (the quartet that sang "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" for Victor), Marion Harris, Arthur Fields, Irving Kaufman, Will F. Denny, Frank C. Stanley, Nat Shilkret, Frank Ferera (did his wife and fellow recording artist Helen Louise die of foul play? she vanished during a ship voyage in 1919!), James Reese Europe (Jim Europe), Victor Military Band, Victor Light Opera Company, Werrenrath, Shannon Four (Revelers), Richard Jose...many more! Rare info here from descendants of the artists, from old letters sent to historian Jim Walsh (some never published by Walsh), from rare primary sources like birth & death certificates, from archives! This is the ONLY book that covers artists who, from the 1890s to the mid-1920s, made records of music that was "popular" in nature, as opposed to records of operatic arias, symphonic works, or concert pieces. A pre-electric method for recording was used, with musicians performing into a horn, not a microphone. This encyclopedia covers American artists who recorded Tin Pan Alley numbers, Broadway show tunes, ragtime, "coon" songs, novelty numbers, quartet arrangements, parlor ballads, early jazz (sometimes called "jass"), blues, dance music, hymns, and early country. This book makes a distinction between stage personalities who happened to make some recordings--when they found time in their busy schedules--and artists who made their living largely by recording regularly, perhaps finding a little time on the side for theatrical performances, vaudeville, or concert recitals. Few stars of the stage made records regularly, exceptions being Bert Williams, Nora Bayes, and Al Jolson--even their output is minuscule compared with that of Henry Burr, Harry Macdonough, Lewis James, Vernon Dalhart, Irving Kaufman, and others who, for a long time, earned a living by recording. Over 100 of these kinds of artists covered in detail, with info available nowhere else! This book has a GREAT INDEX if you want to look up specific records/songs.

Anyone who collects old 78s knows how frustratingly difficult it can sometimes be to learn about the musicians responsible for making the recordings. This book spotlights dozens of acoustic-era (1890s-1920s) recording stars, in most cases providing the most complete and detailed biographies I've found anywhere. The introduction is particularly helpful, providing an overview of the recording industry in its early years, examining how recording limitations dictated what and who was recorded, offering glimpses into the studios where these records were made, and a valuable note about estimations of record sales. This introduction nicely balances the individual accounts that come after and helps us see how these musicians fit in the "overall picture." If you've got moldy stacks of old 78s by Arthur Fields, Irving Kaufman, Ada Jones, The Sannon Quartet, Joseph C. Smith, or others like that, you might just find yourself cleaning them off and playing them again after reading this book. I find these old acoustics are much easier to enjoy once I know something about the people who made them.

This isn't a sit-down-and-read-like-a-novel book, it's more like an encyclopedia, with 1-10 page articles about individual musicians and groups. At times, the articles feel a bit "choppy," but on the whole they are quite readable and there's plenty of information. Unfortunately, the binding of this paperback version is rather poor (the sheets are just glued directly to the flimsy spine, not sewn together), maybe the hardcover version is better bound? So far, my paperback is still intact, but for how much longer, I can only guess. This is a book I pull off the shelf often to answer many of the questions that come up when I listen to my 78s. Gracyk and Hoffman will give you a whole new appreciation for these old records! Highly recommended!

POPULAR AMERICAN RECORDING PIONEERS: 1895-1925, by Tim Gracyk, has detailed biographies of singers/musicians on old records! 444 pages. This is the ONLY book ever published to give biographies of early recording pioneers. Learn facts about the singers who made records of "popular" music before 1925! The book's opening essay gives a summary of the history of the early recording industry, the "acoustic" era. Rare sources were used--trade journals like TALKING MACHINE WORLD, memos from the Edison, Victor, Zon-O-Phone, U-S Everlasting, and Columbia record companies, etc. Following the long intro are detailed encyclopedic articles (organized alphabetically): 100 artists with separate entries in the book include the American Quartet, Billy Murray, Ada Jones, Cal Stewart (Uncle Josh), Nat Wills, Steve Porter, the Original Dixieland Jazz Band (other "jass" bands of 1917 covered, too), Paul Whiteman, George J. Gaskin, Carl Fenton, Sam Ash, Aileen Stanley, Henry Burr, the Peerless Quartet, Arthur Collins, Byron G. Harlan, the duo Collins and Harlan (separate entry--new info!), S. H. Dudley, Al Bernard, Edward M. Favor, Rudy Wiedoeft, Sousa, Walter B. Rogers, Vess L. Ossman, Sam Lanin, Bert Williams, Frisco Jazz Band, Olive Kline, J. W. Myers, Ben Selvin, the Green Brothers, Haydn Quartet (the quartet that sang "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" for Victor), Marion Harris, Arthur Fields, Irving Kaufman, Will F. Denny, Frank C. Stanley, Nat Shilkret, Frank Ferera (did his wife and fellow recording artist Helen Louise die of foul play? she vanished during a ship voyage in 1919!), James Reese Europe (Jim Europe), Victor Military Band, Victor Light Opera Company, Werrenrath, Shannon Four (Revelers), Richard Jose...many more! Rare info here from descendants of the artists, from old letters sent to historian Jim Walsh (some never published by Walsh), from rare primary sources like birth & death certificates, from archives! This is the ONLY book that covers artists who, from the 1890s to the mid-1920s, made records of music that was "popular" in nature, as opposed to records of operatic arias, symphonic works, or concert pieces. A pre-electric method for recording was used, with musicians performing into a horn, not a microphone. This encyclopedia covers American artists who recorded Tin Pan Alley numbers, Broadway show tunes, ragtime, "coon" songs, novelty numbers, quartet arrangements, parlor ballads, early jazz (sometimes called "jass"), blues, dance music, hymns, and early country. This book makes a distinction between stage personalities who happened to make some recordings--when they found time in their busy schedules--and artists who made their living largely by recording regularly, perhaps finding a little time on the side for theatrical performances, vaudeville, or concert recitals. Few stars of the stage made records regularly, exceptions being Bert Williams, Nora Bayes, and Al Jolson--even their output is minuscule compared with that of Henry Burr, Harry Macdonough, Lewis James, Vernon Dalhart, Irving Kaufman, and others who, for a long time, earned a living by recording. Over 100 of these kinds of artists covered in detail, with info available nowhere else! This book has a GREAT INDEX if you want to look up specific records/songs.

Flores-Galbis has a background in art and this is evident in his writing style. Raining Sardines is replete with figurative language and imagery. He illustrates the adventures of two young Cubans, Enriquito and Ernestina, very picturesquely. This is certainly a book that will appeal to young readers. I am currently using this novel with my advanced/gifted middle school students and, needless to say, they have developed and expressed a significant level of interest in this work.

"Raining Sardines" is just a wonderful, fantastical story. While the title references a unique phenomenon in some Latin American countries in which the skies occasionally open up and rain down sardines, hamsters, frogs, and the like, the title is a tad misleading. The story is actually about the adventures of the two principal characters (children) in their quest to save their small town from a brutish land-baron who's family has been bullying the townsfolk for decades. Flores-Galbis writes with a confident and easy prose that is both colorful and poetic. "Raining Sardines" is a fast-paced and engrossing story that is perfect for pre-teens and early teens alike... and for their parents who also love a good, whimsical adventure.

I was one of Enrique's first friends when he came to America with his three brothers. There are parts of this book that i remember him talking about when we were playing. After reading the book, I have ordered books for the elementary school back home for their library. I treasure the autographed copy I have at home, we recently saw each other again after almost 40 years, it was like we had stayed in touch all these years.

Enrique Flores-Galbis takes you on a colorful adventure that keeps you at the edge of your seat! DO NOT start this book without leaving time to read it all the way through! Too hard to put it down! My new favorite book!

Enrique Flores paints a vivid world with his words in "Raining Sardines". This book is a fun, great read for "young" readers of all ages. I highly recommend it - que chévere.

Max Milligan is an international art photographer. Widely exhibited, his work hangs in private and corporate collections worldwide. All his photographs are naturally lit without the use of flash or filters, and with no subsequent manipulation. You can see an extraordinary collection of his photos, including many from this book, on his website. Google Max Milligan .

REALM OF THE INCAS was published by HarperCollins in 2001. "The Times" [of London] listed it as one of its Top Ten Travel Books of the Year. This edition sold out quickly, but it has been republished by Idlewild. I believe the two editions are identical.

"New Scientist" wrote that this is a "stunning visual odyssey of Inca past and present. It presents nine beautifully conceived photographic essays." I agree completely. The first edition from HarperCollins is a great bargain; if you can't find it, do yourself a great favor and buy the Idelwild edition.

Robert C. Ross 2008

Max Milligan's "Realm of the Incas" is described as a celebration of the extraordinary diversity at the heart of Tithuantinsuyo, or, "Land of the Four Quarters", and that's true, but it is more, much more, for Max is a man deeply in love, in love with a majestic, mysterious and beautiful country and its people. We, the readers of this book, are privileged, privileged to be presented with such a breathtakingly beautiful and wonderful perspective from one so passionate about his subject.

Max Milligan is an outstanding photographer and his magical photographs take us places we've never been before, and make us want to go to them just as soon as we can. His text continues to entice us - to know more about the majestic moments of past and present in Peru's fabled Realm of the Incas.

If your interested in the myths, beliefs and customs of the wonderfully diverse inhabitants of areas such as the Andes, Cuzco, the Amazon, or the Sacred Valley of the Incas, and their rich biodiversity, this book is definitely for you!

This is an excellent book. We did extensive travel in Peru and the book clearly captured what we had learnt.

Wonderful succession of photographs of Inca country accompanied by very personal observations by the photographer, whose love for the region shines through in his text as well as his pictures. Though not a photographer myself, I particular enjoyed some of his comments on how and where certain shots were taken. I can vouch for the accuracy of the depictions, which provide a fine overview of one of the more fascinating parts of the planet.

For those who've been to Peru, this book is a terrific souvenir. The photographs are stunning, interesting and some are unusual, almost abstract; the text is informative and clever and the book covers much of Peru... For those who have not been to Peru, this is an invitation. The book sold out in England. Very worth the price. Top notch.

This book that is great to give to new families starting out their library. The rythm of this story makes it so fun to read and for the kids to listen to- over and over and over again. Its simple enough for the youngest child to have fun with and fill in the fun sounds, or a life lesson in getting, or not getting, your work done for older kids.

My 7 month old loves this book. His face lights up when he hears the rain "plinka, plinka" and the wind "Wooya, Wooya". He also loves the pictures. I know this will always be one of his favorites.

The talents of the prolific Nancy Van Laan ("In a Circle Long Ago," and many others) and illustrator Yumi Heo ("Sometimes I'm Bombaloo") combine in this cheery retelling of a Brazilian folktale about blackmouth monkeys. The monkeys frolic through the Brazilian rainforest, swinging from vine to vine, and, most importantly, climbing the thorny tall trees:

Still they climb, UP-UP!
And they slide, Down-Down!
They sing, "Jibba-jibba-jabba."
swinging round and round

JUMP, JABBA JABBA,
RUN, JABBA JABBA,
SLIDE, JABBA JABBA,
Tiny monkeys having fun!

But these same trees keep them from having a comfortable home, unlike their neighbors the armadillo and the toucan. The monkeys SAY they're going to build a house, but fun and delicious things (e.g., bananas!) keep them from doing it!

The short rhymes and wonderful animal and nature sounds make this a very fun book to read out loud. The rhythms are musical, and the capitalized sounds (e.g., PLINKA PLINKA, WOOYA WOOYA, GURR-YUH GURR-YUH) are your cue to turn up the narrative volume for your little one. They'll eat it up. Slightly older toddlers may also enjoy the monkeys' priorities of fun and food over practicality. Yumi Heo has an unusual palette: I love the blues in her bubbling river and stormy sky. Her repetition of the playing monkeys nicely complements the repeated sounds of the text, and her flat, "folkish" drawings, filled with repeated designs and iconic imagery, evoke the teeming rainforest. The book was included in "The 3rd Edition of The New York Times Parent's Guide to the Best Books for Children." A simple but superb performance by van Laan and Heo.

Both my three year old daughter and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's rhyming verse is fun to read and the pictures are captivating. The actual story of how the carefree monkeys avoid making their night-time nests is light-hearted and amusing. My daughter and I borrowed this entertaining book from our local library. We liked it so well that I intend to buy it for her collection of favorites.

Never mind the review that says this for age 3+. My 14 month old won't go to bed until we've read this at least three times. He's barely talking but he picks up the books and says "Whee!" And his older brother (age 4) chimes in with the "Jibba Jibba Jabba" every time!

Martin Prechtel is perhaps the most capable of sacred story telling of today's authors. His respect for the power of language is immense and this book where he is retelling an ancient Mayan myth as it parallels his own experience is stunning in its capacity to illuminate todays world in all its contrasts. It is the third in an autobiographical trilogy. However, if you have not yet read the first two, don't worry, it stands completely on its own. This book was previously released under the title "The Toe Bone and the Tooth".

You wouldn't think it possible to say "this is Martin Prechtel's best book yet" because they are all so exceptional. If you are interested in current Mayan culture, indigenous peoples, love, life, Central American politics... this book is a tour de force. Martin Prechtel is one of the most truly amazing, talented, gifted, wise, insightful people you might ever hope to meet. On top of this, he is an extraordinarily gifted writer. Buy the book. Buy them all.

It might help readers to know that this book and "The Disobedience of the Daughter of the Sun" are written to be read aloud. When you do this the prose has a rhythm that is part of the meaning of the book.

"In much wisdom is much grief" says the Preacher in Ecclesiastes, "and he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow." There is much wisdom, grief, knowledge, sorrow, and finally joy in Martin Prechtel's new book. You don't have to read his previous three, *Secrets of the Talking Jaguar,* *Long Life, Honey in the Heart,* and *The Disobedience of the Daughter of the Sun* to understand and appreciate the message of *The Toe Bone and the Tooth* - but it helps.

This is a story about keeping the Great Story alive - "An Ancient Mayan Story Relived in Modern Times: Leaving Home to Come Home."

It starts out with Martin's return to Guatamala in 1992 after many years in exile from his adopted country, where his village of Santiago Atitlan had been destroyed and 1800 of his friends and villagers slaughtered by American-backed death squads in the 1980s. He was picked up at the airport by three teenage boys (who had been small children when the devastation took place) and smuggled back to the village under a truckload of Mayan squashes. Along the way, the boys were eager to hear the story of the Toe Bone and Tooth that had been outlawed (as well as their language) by the various and many invaders of their country. Landmarks of the Story were everywhere (much as Australian Dreamtime stories are dependent on the land for the telling).

Martin was welcomed in Santiago Atitlan as the Shaman and healer that he was for many years. He had had a Mayan wife and three sons there (one son died) and his little family had barely escaped with their lives.

The ancient story of the Toe Bone and Tooth is inserted here - the Story of a mortal, Raggedy Boy, who fell in love with the Water Goddess, the story of her death after bearing him two corn children and being forgotten when her husband returned to the mortal world. When he did remember her through dreams, he had to re-member her, gathering her bones with the help of Coyote (who had the toe bone and tooth) and descending into the underworld to retrieve her heart. He was helped by an old magical couple. Re-membered, she became an ordinary woman and he became an ordinary man, and from them, all humans are descended.

The next few chapters chronicle the story of Martin's first arrival in Santiago Atitlan - how he'd been lost in a blizzard in his American homeland of Northern New Mexico in his youth, and how he was saved by a mare named Morningstar and an old Spanish lady who cured him of an almost fatal fever with bear grease and herbs. During his convalescence, he had 11 dreams of Santiago Atitlan and Nicolas Chiviliu Tacaxoy, who was to become his teacher, friend and mentor and who had called him through dreams for three years before he finally arrived in the village. Says Prechtel, "Though I was blond and born far away, we were the old and young generation of throwbacks from other times and layers of existence in which a humble dynasty of people in service to the remembrance of the Dismembered Goddess was continued from century to century."

Another chapter tells of Martin's defense of a young Mayan seminary student, Gaspar Culan, who was accused of worshipping idols because he had participated in an ancient Mayan sacred ceremony involving Holy Boy, whom the Catholic Church had branded as a devil but is actually a Christ figure. Martin (who speaks English, Spanish, and Mayan fluently) was to be Gaspar's advocate. Holy Boy had been called a Jew by the Church. Martin pointed out that they had dubbed the deity a Jew (and a devil) because Jews were at least considered to be human and therefore were subject to the 16th Century Inquisition. Mayans hadn't been considered people before that, so if their God was a Jew, the Inquisition could persecute and prosecute them. Martin won his case, and Culan was ordained as the first Mayan Catholic priest.

Several chapters are devoted to the Prechtel family's nothing-short-of-miraculous escape from Guatamala. Martin's teacher had ordered Martin to stay alive at all costs so that he might carry the seed of the story to the U.S. and preserve it for the Mayans whose history and culture had been outlawed.

When Martin got back to the U.S. and his old homeland in New Mexico, he and his family lived in poverty and difficulties for several years, but in Santa Fe he met a homeless couple who were like the old couple in the Story. Here, the narrative goes into the third person as the old couple tell Martin's story and do for him what he had done for countless people in his life - re-membered him for the holy amnesiacs (all of us). Martin's story mirrors the Great Story - "the story of ordinary people, extraordinarily in love and the story of the struggle of what it takes to be graced with such love is the story from which all humans are descended."

The author dedicates this book to the "deer-eyed daughter of the mountain, the mother of the great diversity" and to "all those peoples, plants and animals who have been and continue to be forcibly uprooted, rerouted, relocated, corralled, cut, branded, burnt out, burned down, burnt up, crushed, eradicated or driven from their homes in infinite diasporas of all types, to live where they may be unwelcome, while still trying to keep alive their seed capsules of cultural memory in hopes to regrow a home again. May their descendants be carved by the inherited grief of their ancestral loss to become feeders of what is holy in the ground, dedicated to something bigger than their need for justice and the pursuit of revenge."

This is a fantastic, exciting but true story, and in my opinion, this is a life-changing book. Read it!

TV, more than any other medium, has become America's storyteller. Sometimes that's not so bad; other times it presents shallow and false values to impressionable minds. When I'm hungry for ultimate truths, I've often found it best to go to other cultures and borrow their stories. One of the very, very best is "Stealing Benefacio's Roses." Within this story you will find your heart and be surprised at how strong and lovely it is. You will find your soul and come to know your true self. It's a story that works on the surface level of "Once upon a time . . ." yet also touches the deeper realms of mythology, spirituality, psychology, history and the many varieties of love. The writing is superb. Here's a quote: "Onto the floor I dropped to sleep, drifting on the tossing sea of my aching heart in a little canoe of Gustavo's friendship, into dreams filled with the unkillable perfume of Benefacio's roses." To understand and savor the last five words, buy the book and enjoy the revelations. This is the one you will keep to reread over time.