Central America Books

The Prairie Tides: The Ebbs and Flows of an Era is the saga of the author's grandfather, who emigrated from Europe to find a new life and the changes of the Kansas society around him. Warmly written with gleams of insight into the wry intricacies of human nature, and illustrated with black-and-white photographs, The Prairie Tides is a gentle story of love, determination, finding one's place and raising a family. An exploration of how progress can come and go in cycles, and the satisfaction of hard work that far outshines the fanciest luxury, The Prairie Tides is down-to-earth wholesome American reading.

THE PRAIRIE TIDES is a simple, uncomplicated walk back in time. Author Don Larsen shares his memories and anecdotal snippets from a past he can still feel in his soul.

One handred and twenty years ago, Don's grandfather arrived in Kansas from his native country of Denmark. Andy became a farmer on the vast prairie and managed to support a family with his hard work and stamina. This book is the creation of an absorbing chronicle of family life told with humor, honesty, and facts.

It easily takes one back in time when gas was only two cents a gallon. Times seemed much more simple then. Young boys pulled pranks and most cars could only go thirty miles an hour. Most extended families lived in the same house and depended on each other. But things changed in the Midwest. Food production changed, children and grandchildren moved away. This story gives the reader a glimpse into the details that shaped Don's life. For readers wanting to feel like a part of the past and have some chuckles along the way, this one is for you.

I got this for my 2 year old Guatemalan adopted daughter. It is a great addition for her collection of books and means a lot that it is a Guatemalan variation of a well known theme.

In The Race Of Toad And Deer, American Latina author Pat Mora has deftly written a poetic adaptation of the Mayan version of the tortoise and hare fable specifically designed for children ages 2 to 5. The arrogant deer Venado boasts of his strength and speed. The wily toad Sapo challenges deer to a race. All the jungle animals (jaguar, tapir, armadillo, and toucan) watch the race take place. Toad may not be as large as Venado, but he has many friends to help him. Sapo wins the race and proves the value of brains over brawn while doing so. Domi's wonderful artwork is the perfect enhancement for Mora's entertaining and highly recommended version of a classic Mayan folktale for children.

London is a giant whose life squeezed in 40 years is astounding. Raskin, like a perfect docent walks the reader through first a beautiful intro capturing the texture and issues of his subjects life related to his politics then introduces each subsequent anthologized writing providing a comfortable and antipated view of the London texts. It is wonderfully modular allowing start and stop in bites. The ennui is palpable. It is a joy to read and ponder given the haunting presience and utter relevance to today's agonizing realities. William Bronston, MD

Jonah Raskin has put together what's been missing for all of us Jack London readers: a magnificent selection of London's writings on war and revolution all in one place. Raskin shows the paradox and political side of Jack London (who ran for Mayor of Oakland twice on the Socialist ticket) and gives introductions accessible both to people who have only read Jack's "dog books" and also to the expert on Jack London who is looking for an additional resource to expand his or her knowledge into a side of Jack we rarely see. I would highly recommend this book to the general reader who is into Jack London, the Jack London enthusiast (a must-have) and also to college instructors who teach Jack London's writings (or to professors who teach cultural studies courses on the America of London's time period). Bravo, to Raskin for having the boldness to show the real Jack London, a person of depth, thought and paradox.

Photographing Innovation Art is considered one the wonderful natural world books. In this book, Art Wolf mirrors the virgin reforents area in elegant manner. Art Wolf knows quite well when and where to boast these rare places, animals, and plants that live in. His representation style is unequal to any other works, particularly in clear views, which express the theme he wants to convey in detailed natural views. It looks like hand made artistic works. Art Wolf has high skills and capabilities in views production. His views are wonderful and have natural beauty, which makes you feel, taste, and sees natural elegance and expressive views as we have seen in his previous works. The text and photo are complementary to each other. Both seek to achieve one goal- to save the area from surrounding danger as depicted in Wolfs work. Generally it is a wonderful book indeed by art Wolf. It makes us astonished by its expressive and moving pictures. He allows us see the photos from any angles to get different impression. This book is recommended for those who love unique natural world and high standards photos

A book that is spectacular to look through and educational in content. A Christmas gift that was truly special.

Rainy Season is an awesome book. If you havent yet read the editorial reviews on this page, DONT. this book will take your breath away, but they give away something important.
Rainy Season is immensely realistic- it is painted with the kind of details one notices in every day life. Lane's thoughts especially are written ultra naturally- ms. griffin doesnt try to emphasize the important ones or censor the less focused ones, they just come out the way anyone's would.
some of the reviews made a big deal about the whole panama canal issue in the book, maybe im just ignorant about the importance of it but i didnt find it to play an enormous part in the plot. It and the conflicts were definitely mentioned and described, but in the way that any 12 year old girl would describe her surroundings.
i don't want to give too much away, but i can't suggest enough that you read this book. it is meaningful and haunting and also just a fast-paced, enjoyable read. i found it randomly at the library years ago and read it without knowing really what it would be about, and therefore was stunned to find the story unfold. I know that I for one often am forced to be careful about what I read, trying as hard as I can to guarantee I'll enjoy a book before investing time in it. This is one book you can take the chance on without needing to know the specifics of what you're getting into. The book's more meaningful if you discover each page.
Enjoy :-)

Adele Griffin is a master of dialogue and puts together an incredibly compelling children's novel in a fascinating place -- the Panama Canal zone. The book is so well paced it just really builds steam... A fantastic book!

Is radio doomed by the Internet? When was its golden age? Is it a triumph of capitalist business or government planning?

In the course of telling tale after absorbing tale, Jesse Walker answers these questions and dozens of others in "Rebels on the Air."

Unlike most people who talk on the radio, however, Walker writing about radio doesn't come across as a simpleton. He is a very thoughtful appreciator of excellence as well as a fine diagnostician of failure. He understands the theory of radio as a business enterprise, and is unencumbered by a narrow ideology. He knows what happened; he is a master of fact. And he has insight into what might have happened; he is the master of the counterfactual. Further, being informed and no fool, he is as reliable prophet as any; it pays to listen to what he says.

From the beginnings of radio as point-to-point communication through its strange evolution to broadcasting, winding up in recent dispensations of "piracy," micro radio, community radio, and even the Citizens Band, Walker ushers the reader through a rogue's gallery of fascinating revolutionaries. Radio, it turns out, is not just a humdrum affair. It has featured strange people saying odd, perceptive and occasionally wise things, playing music other than top 40 or classical warhorses, turning listeners on their ears.

To most people, commercial radio and NPR delimit the narrow confines of the medium: to these, Walker's history will come as a revelation. To the knowing few who have heard (or at least heard of) Firesign Theater or Jean Shepherd or The Crazy Cajun Show, Walker is a sensible surveyor of diversity on radio, the ideal defender of both idiosyncratic entertainment and responsible "enlightenment."

Radio may usually be boring, but Walker's book is not. For anyone who cares about the medium or its messages, "Rebels on the Air" is indispensable.

So many other radio 'history' books just tell you all about what programs were on which corporate network and which DJs were indicted for payola -- without bothering to explore how radio broadcasting came about, where the innovations came from, and how and why most of the current spectrum has become so bland in the last twenty years. Jesse Walker gets into all this and more: he gives just about the best and most complete history of radio broadcasting's *true* pioneers, from spark-gap to internet: the underground and alternative radio movement. I thought I knew a lot about the subject (at least regarding pre-1980 radio), but Walker's book has five times more in it than I even knew existed -- and extends right to the end of the 1990s. I highly recommend this book!

I was first introduced to this book through a children's literature class years ago. It later became one of my daughter's favorite books. The pictures are well done and eye-catching. I'd highly recommend the book either as part of a classroom library or as part of a home children's library.

I especially like that the story is just a matter-of-fact story that happens to be in Puerto Rico. It's a good multicultural story that isn't focused on any any perspective, it's just telling a story. Highly recommended!

This is a great book about how villagers helped slave runaways to hide and start a new life. It has beautiful illustrations, good humor and it's based on historical facts. My daughter loves it!!

I bought this book out of my interest in Indian literature, but found that it resonated as deeply with my non-Indian womaness. Simple and clear, the writings take you all over the place and bring you back to yourself. Thanks to my Indian sisters.

I teach Native American literature. Since the publication of this book I have been unable to exclude it from my syllabus. Students almost unanimously have endorsed this choice, even when they had to shell out the money for the hardcover. Now that it is in paperback, no one should exclude it.

I only regret that an anthology of similar quality of organization, focus, and selection does not exist for male and female Native writers.

This is the best book so far on recent political developments in South America. Although concise at 249 pages, it provides answers to the most important questions raised and a fair and objective interpretation of well documented events. Having lived and worked in Ecuador and followed political developments there over the past five years, I can attest to the accuracy of the data presented and the clarity and objectivity of the interpretations. One might not consider these developments "revolutionary", but Kozloff describes them accurately and well.

This book is packed with information about the changing social and political situation in 6 major South American countries. Personal observations and reflections are woven throughout, as well as interviews with a wide range of characters. The sea change in our hemisphere is one of the major events of this time in history, but has been largely ignored or misunderstood by our media. Revolution: South America and the Rise of the New Left is an invaluable contribution to a discussion which has just begun.