Central America Books

As I say, this is a job well done. The story of the discovery and excavation of La Belle is presented in a way that keeps you interested. I have visited 5 of the 7 locations where artifacts from La Belle are housed. The story of the expedition itself is a great read, and the discovery and excavation is even more so. Also there is the great photography. All around a very fine book.

From Emancipation to Catastrophe. The Rise and Holocaust Of Hungarian Jewry.

T. D. Kramer

From Emancipation to Catastrophe is a fine piece of historical research on the Holocaust in Hungary. Written in an admirably clear and readable style, Tom Kramer follows the chronology and places the processes of social integration and acculturation, antisemitism and persecution into their historical context, describing and analysing the various stages, events and key players. Of particular significance is the portrayal of Dr Gyorgy Gergely, a Jewish leader who played a vital yet largely unresearched role during the Holocaust.

The highlight of this comprehensive study is undoubtedly the final section in which the international "rescue matrix" is explored. Drawing on his own archival research and prior historiography, Dr Kramer formulates and brings together controversial explanations of both the Nazi strategies and Allied policies towards the rescue of Jews in 1944-45. His conclusions are convincing and they will set the tone for public debate and future research: "...Jews in Axis countries were caught in a classic lose-lose situation. We are left with the tragic paradox that, for the West, the prospect of successful negotiations negated the very possibility of negotiations. Quite simply, Europe's Jewish remnant remained bound between the relentless German hammer and the impassive Allied anvil."

Professor Konrad Kwiet

Emeritus Professor of German Studies Macquarie University

Deputy Director, Centre for Comparative Genocide Studies Macquarie University

If this is the same book...I read it when I was very young and it made a lasting impression on me. I have never forgotten the illustrations and the drawings of the inside of the ships that brought the African to America. I would be anxious to know the original copyright of this book.
Does anyone know?

This book was first published in 1961. It describes the religious situation of the United States as Littell saw it then. He was very much troubled about 'Protestant nativism' a kind of view that a certain kind of Protestanism was the original and pure form of American religion, and that it belonged to the society as a whole. Littell denies this claim and points to a colonial America far less formally religious than it is today. He too is concerned that a more genuine kind of religious connection apply rather than the 'cultural religiousness' of nativism.
Littrell champions an America in which Protestants, Catholics, and Jews each in their own way develop their own religious institutions and promote authentic religious faith.
Reading this work today forty - five years later I could not help being struck by how the whole tone of discourse, and in fact 'religious street' has changed in this time. Littell writes with civility and understanding of others.
An Evangelical himself I wonder what he would make of the increasing influence of Evangelicals on American politics. I also wonder what he would make of the entrance of other religions into the American mix in a more prominent way, primarily Islam.

This is a very good read for military historians, and anyone interested in the history of guerrilla warfare. It is also a very good read for anyone interested in El Salvador and Latin America.

I've been visiting New Orleans for over thirty years and these two guys found some joints I've never even heard of.

Mr. Semion is a walking plethora of Michigan information. He has fished the Au Sable, skied the Boynes, pheasant hunted in Grayling, hiked its thousands of miles of trails, and snowmobiled the Upper Penninsula in january. if you're looking for something to do year round, besides the obvious Henry Ford Museum/Greenfield Village tour, check out his book. Not only will you know where to find Detroit's historic buildings, he can tell you where to enjoy a famous coney island hot dog!

Imagine a world where governing boards and trustees put institutional interests over their own; where presidents and administrators spent less time protecting the college from the petty politics and cronyism inherent in today's boards; where accreditation agencies advocated for innovation and change, as opposed to forcing colleges to stick to old structures and practices; where those same agencies actually gave the public information they could use, as opposed to hiding it. Imagine a world where faculty acknowledge the real value of tenure (academic freedom) and not view it is a shield from accountability; where colleges are not administered like horizontal plantations, but rather by flattened structures where everyone is committed to the institution's mission and input is actually used, not just listened to. Imagine a college where the focus in on authentic forms of learning, not the usual lecture-test-repeat teaching style found on most campuses; where outdated programs are eliminated to make room for innovation.

This is the higher education world Duderstadt advocates in this book. Change, however, will be an uphill battle. As an example, accreditation agencies are too committed to a system of rewarding mediocracy - virtually any college can be accredited by doing the bare minimum and the substantive results of reviews are NEVER shared with the public. Additionally, the markers of quality they use are based on outdated organizational models (which shouldn't be surprising; the people running these agencies are ancient).

Deep rooted systems that stifle innovation will be difficult to change, but the message of this book is hopeful. These systems, although already rendered irrelevant for the most part, can't exist forever in today's flattened world. In that regard, the ineffectiveness of today's current structures can be seen as a blessing - it is that ineffectiveness that will spawn a new era of innovation and change.

There was a reason that Charles Darwin developed his theory of evolution at the Galapagos Islands, and this book for young adults shows it very well. In this 13 major island archipelago Earth science intersects with animal and natural history. In 45 pages of the most amazing photographs and text, this book tells the story of the islands' formation over 9 million years ago and how their location hundreds of miles from the nearest continent of South America influenced the gradual development of species unique to this locale.

Kids learn first about volcanic action (still very much alive here) and they can see its bald shape and effects. They see lava cones and vents, the century-old pahoehoe on Santiago and ashy landforms on Bartolome.

Next they learn about the trade winds and sea currents that brought plants and animals to the islands and gradually transformed their landscapes. They meet the famous blue-footed boobies, frigate birds in full expanse, fur seals and sea lions and the marine iguanas found no where else in the world. They see dancing Galapagos tortoises (from which the islands took their name) and their unique land-bound cormorants and penguins, as well as the lush hillsides and unique desert flora, including candelabra and opuntia cacti (the latter being relatives of sunflowers).

In these pages, cacti sprout among fresh lava flows. A child's imagination will grow here, too. Alyssa A. Lappen

If you like to view gardens and want a handy, easy to use guide to help you plan long or short trips this book is a great tool. Packed with information that will help you find inspiration for your own garden or a great place to pass a few hours, this is a must for any garden lover.