Central America Books

"Growing Up During World War II" is a wonderful compilation of personal stories from real people related in their own words. The vocabulary, thought provoking questions, and activities at the end of each chapter also make this book a useful classroom tool and I would strongly recommend it for families who are home-schooling their middle level children.

Jeanne Manning has created a fabulous resource for students, teachers, and parents to understand what it was like to live and grow-up during World War II. Her engaging style is very reader friendly and allows the voices of the people to be heard clearly. There are helpful discussion questions and relevant vocabulary words are defined.
This book should be in every classroom from 7th grade on up, because it gives a face and a voice to those who experienced World War II. Through the personal stories of young people, you gain a global understanding of life during this world conflict.

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I had a hard timing finding a road map of Guatemala. This is excellent, including being printed on paper that can get wet.

I am an eager map collector mainly of Guatemala and Central America and this is the best map of Guatemala available, it shows all the features like altitude, roads, natural sightseeing, maya ruins, points of interest, caves, air landing fields, etc. It is more complete than the ones developed locally. Great map ! No doubt

Any interested in primitive masks in general and Guatemala's arts in particular must have Guatemala's Masks & Drama: gorgeous full-page full color displays of masks both on wall and in use accompany a detailed discussion of the development of masking, dance and drama in Guatemala. From unique mask and costume rental organizations to folk deities, ritual masks, figures, and celebrations, Guatemala's Masks & Drama brings the reader right into the culture and traditions of the country. Superb!

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

"The book aims to expose both the knowledgeable and novice collector to new levels of understanding." It does this by sharply-focused color photographs of hundreds of all types of Guatemalan masks with annotations in conjunction with Pieper's expert text on the cultural context of masks, guidance on evaluating masks' surfaces for appreciation of patina, dating, and clues as to use, and also spotting repairs, with directions for making repairs of one's own if desirable. The foundation of this distinctive work on the Guatemalan masks which have an integral part in the country's social, tribal, and religious festivities and ceremonies is Pieper's own large collection of masks; which has been exhibited in noted museums. The author is also a noted ethnographic photographer and recognized expert on masks and religious beliefs and practices who lectures on these topics. Masks of jaguars, monkeys, deer, tapers, and other Central American animals go back to pre-Columbian Native American culture. Later masks of Spanish soldiers and nobles evidence Guatemala's colonial experience and the blending of the traditional religion with Catholicism during it. Masks continue to be used in social and religious occasions. Craftsmen still make them, and there are stores which rent them. Pieper opens up this subject for any reader, and in so doing relates much information for collectors in identifying and evaluating masks.

What a wonderful book. My nephew was adopted from Guatemala and wanted to learn about his country. I gave it to him on his birthday and he loved it.
Get book for ages 8-12 years.

We bought this book to have for our 3yo who we recently adopted from Guatemala. What we found was that it was also a great book for our 8yo. She was able to learn so much about the country where her sister was coming from! It tells all types of things Guatemalan - from customs to geography to language - and it hits on many of the key learnings of "what is Guatemala" that are relevent to younger children. Now that our 3yo is home, she loves the book too because of the pictures - she certainly can relate to them. I highly recommend it to anyone adopting from Guatemala or wanting to learn the basics of what a beautiful and culturally rich country it is.

I highly recommend this book for a number of reasons.
If you are just starting to delve into the knowledge about Guatemala's tragic civil war this is the place to start. What this is is an abridged version of the Human Rights report on the atrocities committed by the Guatemalan army. This book is made up of two things: analysis and then personal testimonies from the victims.

What it does for you is reveal that these crimes committed against the indigenous population went far beyond simply stated genocide and ethnic cleansing. There was far more to the army's tactics than massacre and physical torture.

The crimes against the Mayas were highly psychological and I think that this report reveals that and puts it clearly. This book takes what you might already know about the horror and brings you in deeper. By the time you're done you will have a more clear, more concise, more accurate picture of what was done by the army to not only affect these people but to also keep them in silence about a war that not too many people know about.

It also shows why Guatemala is still so devastated by this war, and what it's going to take to ensure that this history doesn't repeat itself. It's difficult in some places to read, but I think you need to. As you sit in your comfortable house reading it, I think it will change your perception on life. It did mine anyway.

This book is a summarization of a human rights report presented in Guatemala in 1998. Through eye-witness testimony, it outlines the military atrocities committed during Guatemala's Civil War and the effect the war has had on Guatemala's indigenous population.

This edition has been edited from the original lengthy report but retains important testimony in smaller quotes where relevant and offers the reader stark evidence of the massive violence as well as the psychological warfare that was perpetrated on the citizens of Guatemala.

The author of this report was killed two days after it was published. His assailant has not yet been brought to justice. This report is a must read for anyone interested in Human Rights, Native cultures, or the history of Guatemala.

Donald Stokes has many field guides which give one or two page descriptions of interesting details about various species. I would recommend any of them. This guide covers virtually anything you would be likely to notice in the winter. It is divided into chapters on: weeds, snow, trees, insects, birds & nests, musrooms, tracks, and evergreens. In each chapter various species are arranged alphabetically by common name. The book is simply chock full of fascinating information. I will read several sections (or even chapters) at a time, and then am dying to get outside and look for these things. Highy recommended.

A Guide to Nature in Winter is an un paralleled introduction to the wintertime natural world. Nature is never dormant: on close observation, a silent, snow- blanketed winter landscape reveals itself as the setting for intense and purposeful activity in the plant and animal worlds. Because natural activity is greatly simplified in winter, though, it is the ideal season to introduce oneself to the complex series of relationships that tie the natural world together.

Perhaps this volume is better described as eight comprehensive field guides in one. Donald Stokes covers thoroughly the eight prominent aspects of winter most easily studied in the field: winter weeds, snow crystals, wintering trees, evidence of in sects, birds and abandoned nests, winter mushrooms, tracks in the snow, and ever green plants. For each topic, he provides a general introduction, a key to field identification of items within the topic, and a natural history description of each item (arranged alphabetically, by common name).

The 485 stunning pen-and-ink drawings that grace these pages make accurate field identification easy and convey a feeling for nature in its entirety. A Guide to Nature in Winter will inform and entertain nature lovers, winter walkers, cross-country skiers, campers, birdwatchers, armchair naturalists - in short, everyone interested in understanding the marvels held by nature in winter. The combination of an expertly organized text and splendid illustrations enables readers to see, clearly and piercingly, the winter landscape as a bountiful whole.

Donald Stokes is a naturalist and teacher. Deborah Prince is a freelance artist. Both live in Massachusetts.

This book is a must-have for anyone involved with youth and/or multi-cultural projects. The crafts featured are not pipecleaner-pom pom stuff, rather they are works of art reflectling cultural history and traditions. Wonderful photographs and easy to follow instructions. Templates, clay recipes and brief, but interesting facts included for each project. Both children and adults will enjoy the activities. I've checked this book out from the public library so many times, I decided that I needed my own copy!

I purchased half a dozen craft books looking for Latin American themed projects, and this is my very favorite. There are more than 30 crafts - ranging from New World Contributions, Maya, Aztec & Inca Activities, masks, jewelery and decorations. There is something for every age group from 2-adult.

All Cubans dream of returning to Cuba someday, but sadly the Cuba of the 1950s, when Havana was truly the Paris of the Caribbean has been lost. Gone are the days when Cuba was truly an international destination with first class hotels and hundreds of bars, restaurants, and night clubs -- from sketchy little neighborhood joints to fabulous casinos. Here you could hear Olga Guillot at the Tropicana and see spectacular stage shows under the stars. As today, the streets were filled with the latest American cars; only at that time, many were fresh from Detroit assembly lines. Buildings in even the poorest sections of the city were well kept and crisply painted.

Someday, Havana may regain some of its lost luster. Until then, a new book "Havana Before Castro" takes you back in time to relive this great city at its prime. Author Peter Morruzi has put together a great collection of vintage photos in both color and black and white. The book documents life in Cuba from the beginnings of the Cuban republic to the glory days when locals and tourists packed Sloppy Joe's Bar and La Floridita -- "the cradle of the daiquiri."

In "Havana Before Castro," you'll get a taste of a dynamic city where popular nightspots abounded along the Prado, central Havana's promenade, and along Calle 23 in Havana's Vedado district. A chapter on the Havana Riviera provides stunning images on this resort casino where Cuban sculptors created beautiful pieces of art. The Riviera's lobby is itself a work of art with a breathtaking circular staircase and architectural details that present the best of 50's modern.

We especially liked the chapter on "Life as an Habanero." You can almost smell the aromas of fresh Cuban bread, strong café cubano, and fritas frying on a street corner grill, all carried along the streets of Havana by swift, sea-scented breezes.

"Havana Before Castro" is well researched and well written, providing an engaging read that goes beyond the beautiful photos. For those who remember these glory days, the book is truly a trip back in time. For those who never experienced Cuba before Castro, the book is a revelation: Havana was truly a beautiful, world-class city!

Hope and pray that it can happen again...


THREE GUYS FROM MIAMI
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Three Guys from Miami Celebrate Cuban: 100 Great Recipes for Cuban Entertaining (Three Guys from Miami)

Three Guys from Miami Cook Cuban

My wife and I escaped Cuba during the early sixties. Almost certain that we might be returning within a month or two (50 years ago) we did not bring along photographs, memories, or keepsakes of any kind.
"Havana Before Castro" is the best collection of memorabilia ever to touch my hands.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. You've made my day!
Andrew J. Rodriguez, author of: "Adios, Havana" a memoir.

The author is the student who excelled at the University of Toronto, where Thomas F. Homer-Dixon is a professor (and himself author of "Environment, Scarcity, and Violence"), and is now a professor at the University of Southern Florida.

Although the Central Intelligence Agency got this right in the 1970's, clearly warning U.S. policymakers that AIDS and related diseases were "the" catastrophic threat to national security and regional stability in the closing quarter of the 20th century, and although the United Nations and its various agencies have clearly understood the relationship between disease, environmental degradation, and instability--with all that instability brings in terms of crime, forced migration, and so on, the author gets five stars for doing an absolutely brilliant job of putting all of this knowledge--and his own original contributions--into a readable volume that can be understood by the most loosely-educated policymakers we have, as well as the voting public.

The author does a superb job of both crediting others (e.g. Laurie Garrett, whose stunning book "BETRAYAL OF TRUST: The Collapse of Global Public Health" we reviewed last year) while weaving his own insights into the story. ERIDs are "emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases." They matter more now because, as the author summarizes it, modern man is in a very different situation today: "individuals can travel around the world rapidly by airplane, and overpopulation and the growth of megacities have created entirely new 'disease pools' that will allow new pathogens to emerge and flourish."

The author has done a fine job of documenting how "human-induced worldwide environmental destruction" is both releasing pathogens from their hiding places in rain forests, launching new microbes that wreak havoc on aquatic life, and proliferating resistant strains of micobial terrorists we do not understand. Bacteria, in brief, are a thousand to a million times more deadly that any terrorist gang, and we would be wise to get our priorities straight as we set about pretending to govern.

As a general statement, the author appears to have done very very well as identifying intervening variables that could be analyzed, and his conclusions on what needs to be done are "President ready." He not only makes his case, he ends by calling for a massive increase in "health intelligence," and thereby demonstrates a wit lacking in most academics.

The notes are excellent, there is no bibliography, and the index is so mediocre it might as well not have been included--there is also no biography of this talented author, a grevious lack. The book should be reissued with this deficiencies being corrected.

For vexing reasons, political scientists have long neglected the role of health in understanding societal stability and regime transitions. Price-Smith begins to fill this void by offering this excellent genesis for the field of health security. Using some of the models developed by Thomas Homer-Dixon regarding nonrationality and complex causality, Price-Smith critically examines how HIV, malaria and TB, among other, could have potentially devastating consequences--for the developing and the developed world.

What makes this book all the more useful is that Price-Smith goes beyond the anecdotal or journalistic accounts that have dominated our understanding of public health's relationship to politics. He provides both rigorous statistical analysis and compelling case studies to prove his points. His writing style is clear and unassuming, a welcome approach for those without an extensive public health/biology background.

This book made me think of Julian Simon's book "The Ultimate Resource" because they both build the argument that ordinary people determine the fate of nations. That is they build the successful societies, the very few free and prosperous nations that have shown the way for others to follow. In the early days of growing economies the drive and motivation of all citizens works for the common good. Climate and natural resources are secondary to the genius of the people who will always find a way if given the chance "to make it happen." That is why Julian Simon calls them "the ultimate resource." The stories of such individuals make up the basis of this very enlightening book by Lodge and Roosevelt.

The brief biographies of these uncommon commoners shows how the brilliance of American freedom found expression in its ordinary citizens. The authors avoid the failings of the academics who seek to rewrite history to accomodate current agendas--the latter deliberately manipulate history in order to manipulate the future course of their country. Too many current books paint the pioneers of America with their anti-American brush. But in these stories, Lodge and Roosevelt strip away all that modern re-write and clearly reveal the great opportunities and upward mobility that was available to all and that served the nation so well. Each story is full of new information about the lives and times of the characters and demonstrates the past strength of our cultural and religious beliefs.

There is a growing theory that the lesson of history--the explanation why some societies Rose and others stagnated, is simply a question of whether the bulk of the ordinary people had economic freedom. Only in free and open societies can all the people strive to contribute to the nation's success. And that massive and combined effort is what brought success. This theory has been summarized and dubbed "The Radzewicz Rule" in my recent book COMMON GENIUS: Guts, Grit, and Common Sense: How Ordinary People Create Prosperous Societies and How Intellectuals Make Them Collapse That book like the biographical stories by Lodge and Roosevelt recognizes that the famous and powerful characters of history often did more harm than good, and that the overwhelming forward progress was driven by the genius of common people.

This is definitely a book to read and re-read. It is a refreshing look back to the times when we had heroes--people who acted based on strong principles rather than expediency. It is to be noted that all those selected did good things--such individuals, fiercely independent and self-reliant, built the nation. (They never looked on themselves as "victims" of asked for a hand-out.) Such people do not ever cause a nation to decline, stagnate, or Fall. Today there is a new elite that have usurped the role of ordinary people, and that may be our downfall, but in this fine volume you can relive the exploits of those who helped create our great "city on a hill." Bill Greene

I learned so many possible things that TR has done for us and his country. In my opinion, TR was a hero. He established U.S. leadership in the world as no other president had before. He was truly amazing.