Mexico Books

Erik Rush has written a thought provoking book that deals with one of the biggest issues of our time. The book is constructed in an easy to understand format and the information really hits home. This is a book for thinkers, for people who care about the future of this country. This is a book that should be on everyone's bookshelf.

Not all who can write are published and not all who are published can write. Lucky readers interested in the boiling immigration issue with Mexico will be delighted to find Erik Rush a masterful writer with an interesting suggestion for solving the immigration problem -- annexing the half of Mexico we didn't take in 1848.

Even if you don't come to the same conclusion, Rush offers solid facts entertainingly presented and reading his book can't help but increase everyone's understanding of this troubling and complex issue.

After reading Erik Rush's new book, "Annexing Mexico, Solving the Border Problem Through Annexation and Assimilation," I am very pleased to post part of a message I sent to him:

"I finished your new book, "Annexing Mexico" last week and thoroughly enjoyed it. About a year ago I began to think that we might do something like "bringing the USA to the Mexicans" as opposed to them invading us illegally. You have done an excellent job of putting those thoughts into words and the history, statistics, charts and graphs concerning this massive problem will be very useful in future discussions with my friends on this subject. I also plan to petition my senators and congressman with this plan as a viable alternative to the futile attempt to seal our existing border. Annexation and assimilation could be a true "win-win" for all of us."

This new approach to solving an on going problem deserves to be considered more seriously by every American citizen before the illegal immigrant invasion gets totally out of control. Our leaders in Washington, DC, would be well advised to study this interesting concept to see how it could solve a very real problem. A very good read.

Cooper F. Hawthorne

These two authors have taken much of the guess-work out of fly fishing new trout waters in Arizona. Their combined experience and knowledge have been put together to aid both beginner and experienced fly fishermen. Virtually every productive trout water in the state is covered, along with tips, techniques, directions, and tackle needed to be productive. The book is both fun and easy to read, plus extremely educational for the fly angler seeking to fish Arizona's trout waters. This is the much needed book that every fly fisherman/woman in Arizona has been waiting for. If you are even thinking about fishing in this state, read this book!

Reading Arizona Trout Streams, I thought my spots were being exposed. But as I got into the feel of the writers tone, I felt as if I were reading something written by a friend who was sharing his secrets. The book is punctuated by Arizona Fly Anglers names, friends of the authors who wrote the book. A nice touch. Certainly most people like to see their name in print, especially a book on our subject. Organized by geographics, the pages move from one stream to another in good form. Not all streams are listed, just the ones that are well known, and a few that aren't. One of my favorite streams is listed. The author gives it a poor rating, and for this I am happy. It seems that his idea of a small stream rating and mine do not closely match. That is ok by me, life is not black and white. There are some streams that I haven't even heard of. I know the area where they drain, but I haven't heard of them through my information channels or in my wanderings. I have a log, even one a little more in depth than I show you online. I check the insect hatches in my notes, and the hatches listed in Arizona Trout Streams is dead on. My knowledge of entomology is limited, but what I do know, I can say that it certainly matches the book. That my friends is a great feeling because I feel so lost when it comes to the Latin part of flye angling. I would have paid more for color pictures, but the black and white photographs are excellent. The pictures in the book look like ones that we have all taken. For instance, the Haigler Creek photograph is what I am talking about. A good look at what the stream really is. There is a section on Lee's Ferry that has been fully researched. The history of Trout strains at this tailwater are discussed along with flys and techniques used. I am impressed that I could have learned so much from a paperback book written on my subject. (my ego, has been deflated! just kidding.) Again, what a great book. Arizona Trout Streams is a must own for every Arizona Fly Angler and anyone who wants to know more about our Trout Streams. If you are thinking about coming to Arizona, go and purchase this book. It will make your knowledge of our streams match even some of us who have fished here our whole lives. Thank you Charles Meck and John Rohmer for making such a great book. I have been sweating it for a long time, and now I know that I am indeed learning many things, along with some new streams.

I would like to commend the authors for a great job on a book that has given the Arizona resident like myself a new outlook on fly-fishing. I am excited about using the plethera of information that I have, and cannot wait until I can put this information to work on my next outing. Thank you Charlie and John for a job well-done!!

very intriguing ways of dealing with common pests - i used the caterpillar solution and it seemed to work very well. nice to have a non toxic solution.

This is an excellent book on how to control pests without using toxic chemicals or pest control companies. It is full of great ideas and excellent drawings. It is also entertaining when people, especially the school children, list their least favorite bugs. There is even a great short piece on hemp which makes the book a little controversial. Informative, entertaining and controversial equals very interesting. It is worth every penny...

Environmentally safe, effective ways of controlling mice, termites, bed bugs and other common household insects and creatures are revealed in Ask The Bugman!, a guide which uses a question and answer format to impart the basics, and a chapter organization by type of pest ("Biters and Stingers", "Ants") make answers quick to find. An excellent, basic guide to pest control options.

My class really liked the format of this book, and it encouraged them to find out what this culture was about.

Excellent bite sized tidbits of history presented in an interesting format. Inside you will find a map of the Aztec empire, articles detailing every day life of the Aztec from agriculture, the Spanish invasion, war, the ball game, a guide to the ancient city of Tenochtitlan, a girl talk section, food and classifieds that provide an insight to the culture. What a great series! I purchased a copy as a gift for my 9 year old niece and was so impressed that I am purchasing the whole series for her! What a find! A clever and delightful way to introduce history to youngsters.

I am in the process of doing a school project on the Aztec and this book has all the info I need! I would recomend this book to anyone! It has everything enterusting in it, there is not one boring word!

I used this book as one of the historical references for my novels, "Skull Rack" and "Hummingbird God" which tell the complete story of the Conquest of the Mexica. The author's research has produced magnificent artwork of long-destroyed Mexican pyramids, temples and other structures in and around the Templo Mayor. The artwork looks and is modern and I suspect that the actual structures, although wonderful, weren't quite as scenic. Weathering and aging would be factors.

Also, a time-traveller to Tenochtitlan would have noticed things impossible to capture on paper. When the wind shifted there would have been the odors of blood, dismembered corpses and dissolution--mixed, no doubt, with the scent of the numerous flowers growing within and immediately outside of the temple precinct.

Also, I noticed a slight disagreement with the description provided by the old conquistador, Bernal Diaz del Castillo. Castillo noted the presence of two temples on the flat top of the precinct's primary pyramid. Serrato-Combe's work agrees with this. One of these temples was to Tlaloc. Again Serrato-Combe and Diaz are in agreement. The second temple, according to Diaz, had effigies of both Huitzilopotchli and Tezcatlipoca. Serrato-Combe indicates that this was specifically the temple of Huitzilopotchtli. I suspect S-C is right and that Diaz' recollection of events many years earlier may have been muddled. Nevertheless, in my novels I go along with Diaz' descriptions, primarily because his descriptions are so graphic and were, no doubt, partly the products of the terror that any European would have felt when examining these blood-soaked but magnificent structures.

RB

If you have ever been interested in ancient civilizations, and have wondered where/how they lived... this book is for you. The pictures in this book are fabulous and bring you into the lives of this ancient civilization.
I would recommend this for anyone both for it's visual beauty and historical content!

reading from the author all the illustrations are computer generated based on oral and verbal manuscripts and on the actual foundations left behind...

i found the plaza's and home layouts to be of great interest... also his recreation of the ball court is good...

author also touches on the design of the temples... based on what manuscripts we have and the surviving structures...

the chapter on the templo mayor was great... but was hoping it could of been more detailed... author leaves alot of room for possibilities

definitely worth the purchase... if interested in the design of possible configurations of our capital

The discovery of the New World has always been a topic that both fascinated and horrified me. As an American, I recognized that it as the foundation for much of who I am. But as a sensative, caring person, I could not help feeling ashamed of the greed, racism, and cruelty exhibited first by the Spanish conquistadors towards the Aztecs, then by Europeans in general towards all the first nations that were here before us.

By providing a history written by the conquered as well as the conquerors, "Aztec, Death of a Nation" has helped me understand some of the complexity behind the history I learned in school. There are no "good guys" or "bad guys" in this story. Rather, this is really a history of individual human beings.

Some of the people I read about struck me as cruel and barabaric, but because the accounts also provided insight into the social, relgious, and politcial climates and into the personal struggles endured by these people, I came to realize that I couldn't lay blame on any of them. Some of the people I read about struck me as good and kind - more of what I think as as truly civilized - but because I could see that the goodness and kindness came out of individual strength and conviction, I also couldn't judge any of groups of people as being better or worse than any other.

"Aztec, Death of a Nation" is the first book I have found that has been able to help me come to terms with my heritage as a member of the conquering race. Rarely are we given an opportunity like this to see through the eyes of past civilization.

Kenneth Pearce's collection of eyewitness acounts of the rise and fall of the Aztec Empire is a book most fantasy fiction readers won't want to miss. This book weaves many short personal stories together to provide an epic tale of power, glory, and the ultimate clash between two races.

It paints a picture of a culture, religion, and history so different from our own that it feels more alien than many stories set on other planets or in other realities, and it is true.

Those of us who love roller coasters do so partly because they are more than just a thrill; They are real, with a hint of real danger. Reading this book provides that same added edge for the fantasy reader. As this book took me on journeys into the underworld, showed me prophecies from the past, ritual cannibalism and invasion from abroad, a spine tingling whisper in the back of mind kept reminding me that it was all true

I had the pleasure of reading an early draft of this book. The detailed and scholarly endnotes were the only reminder that I was not reading a work of pure fiction, but rather the actual words of soldiers, priests, chiefs, even pesants who were present at the downfall of the Aztec empire. "Aztec, Death of a Nation" is a fractured ancient vase carefully restored by a knowledgable archaeologist.

I was a Spanish major in college, but would honestly have no idea how to express myself in a lot of real-life situations to be encountered in the backcountry. So this guide helped me brush up on some of my "practical" Spanish for an upcoming trip to the Sierra Madre, Sonora and Chihuahua. You would probably be better off knowing some basic Spanish before messing with this guide, but it's not 100% essential. The authors use dialogues with topical themes, like "Can I cross your land?" or "Hey, my truck broke down". The dialogues and vocabulary lists highlight colloquial Mexican usage and point out some backcountry "linguistic etiquette" (like addressing people as "amigo" instead of "señor", which is perfectly acceptable in the backcountry). The vocabulary lists here are also great, with a bunch of practical terms arranged thematically.

This isn't just a phrasebook, though. It's also a guide to the practicalities of getting around and enjoying the backcountry and how to behave in situations that most city-hopping tourists just don't encounter. A lot of rural Mexicans (in places like inland Chihuahua, for example) rarely meet tourists and are often offended by arrogant or just plain ignorant gringos who don't necessarily mean offense. This guide addresses some issues like how to ask for permission to cross somebody's land or what to do if you need to ask directions from a woman if the man of the house isn't around. It's also just generally a useful "how to" guide to hiking and camping in rural Mexico.

Great book. Worth taking with you.

It is a great book. It lack grammatical explanations, but it does provide phrases on many subjects, often those you won't find in phrasebooks (e.g. conversations with ranchers on their work). I think not only it may give you specialist vocabulary, but can be a good introduction to conversational language.

Although I speak spanish fairly well, I do not know many of the more technical terms. When my truck broke down in the middle of the Chiapas, I did not know how to begin to tell the mechanic that I finally located what was wrong and what I needed to fix it.

Without the helpful technical phrases abundant in this book, it would have taken me much longer to find the tools and equipment that I needed to repair my vehicle.

I highly recommend it to anyone traveling in the outback in Spanish-speaking countries.

Do you ever wonder why some authors make it to the big time, while other, more talented authors don't?

Well, I can name you a dozen big-time mystery writers who made it to the top that don't really belong there. Meanwhile, Steven Havill's Bill Gastner series cruises right along in relative obscurity.

Do yourself a favor - check out this interesting series. Think of burrito-loving, coffee-guzzling 70-year old insomniac Sherrif Bill Gastner as the Anglo version of Tony Hillerman's Lt. Joe Leaphorn and you've got a good idea of how good this series is.

Rather than go into plot details, let me just say that this book is probably not the book to start the series with. However, it is an entertaining read. Character development is at the heart of this series.

I give this one a grade of A

I have read all the Bill Gastner books and this one is another in a fine, underrated series. The plot is, as usual, well crafted and interesting and the array of characters, both familiar and unfamiliar (including the culinarily-gifted grandson)engaging. This is the book that bridges the gap between Gastner as under-sheriff and his new life and it does not disappoint. The New Mexico setting is also as fascinating as usual. I do not understand the editorial criticism of the plot as slow-moving--I thought it one of Havill's best, most absorbing and exciting. I recommend Bag Limit as a worthy successor to those that have preceded it.

This is eighth and final installment of a very enjoyable series involving Sheriff Bill Gastner and the small county of Posadas, New Mexico. The Sheriff and all the others are back with the Sheriff happily counting down the hours until he gratefully leaves office. He is looking forward to the peace and solitude of his adobe home with absolutely nothing planned to do upon his retirement.

Still an insomniac as much as ever, he relishes taking his police vehicle and driving up in what passes for mountains in his area and contemplating the scene below in the dark hours of the night. From his perch, he sees the beginnings of what appears to be a routine police chase of a drunk driver. However, the driver flees and is soon headed up toward Sheriff Gastner as the vehicle follows the switchback mountain road steadily higher.

Sheriff Gastner happens to be sitting on a small gravel turnoff that few know about and is not visible to traffic on the road. Matt Torrez is the drunk driver of the vehicle containing himself as well as two other teenagers and he knows the little road as well. Thinking that he is going to escape from the fleeing officer, who turns out to be his cousin as well as the most likely new sheriff after the election, Robert Torrez, Matt turns down the little used road.

Before he can stop, he rams Sheriff Gastner's car driving it precariously close to the edge. Matt escalates things further by refusing to surrender and instead, fleeing into the scrub brush where he soon vanishes. His companions are not so fortunate.

Soon, the chase is on to figure out where Matt is and why he is running from a simple traffic stop. Along the way, Sheriff Gastner will also find himself tangled up in a the middle of a cattle rustling case as well as election year politics, family problems, and what to do after he leaves office. To detail more would simply ruin the work as many things in this novel are interconnected as well as connected to previous novels.

This final installment is another very good read and numerous loose ends are tied up. While Mr. Havill does not plow any new ground with these characters, it is a real pleasure to welcome back old friends. After eight books, this reader feels like he has known these character all his life and I will sorely miss this series and its easy familiarity with readers. While this was the final Gastner book, the new series, which started with "Scavengers" has turned out to be a very good read as well.

Baja fever is a wonderful book. I loved reading about the author's experiences and I felt that I was right there beside him when he had his adventures. Now I want to drive around the penninsula, go camping and look for hidden beaches, and mission churches. When I go, I will be taking this book along. For anyone who is interested in Baja, this book is required reading. But a warning should be issued, Baja fever is contagious!

A truly terrific book on Baja. Greg Niemann captures the incredible drawing power of Baja, through his personal experiences of years of travel throughout the peninsula. I really enjoyed the detailed descriptions of the places Greg has visited. I love this book!

I couldn't put this book down! Greg Niemann's detailed explanations of the things he's seen in his many years of Baja travel make this a gem of a book to own! Having caught "Baja Fever" a few years back, all this book did was raise my temperature to new heights! Baja Fever is one illness I really want to keep!

This book is an example of the new attention ethnographers are paying to writing. Not only is it wonderfully written but it is an honest account of Zuni lives today. Tedlock went to the pueblo with her husband Dennis Tedlock (author of the "Popol Vuh" and the "Rabinal Achi") as a painter and after a number of visits and encouragement from Zuni women she decided to become an ethnographer. During her graduate education she also did work in Guatemala, see her classic book "Time and the Highland Maya." There is now a new book about to appear "The Woman in the Shaman's Body: Reclaiming the Feminine in Religion and Medicine." I've seen the advanced copy and it is fabulous! All these books are must reads for young documentary writers and spiritually alive women and men today!

This is a beautifully written, honest, book about a young woman ethnographer coming of age. She first went to Zuni Pueblo as a young woman painter with her anthropologist husband and fell in love with the people and place. As a result she went on to get graduate degrees in Ethnomusicology and Anthropology herself and began working with the Maya in Guatemala. Since then she has written a book on women shamans worldwide: The Woman in the Shaman's Body. These books are worth the time to read.

I really enjoyed reading Tedlock's work. The writing reverses the notion of "participant observation" to the "observation of participation." Instead of a removed, monological account, we are offered a polyphony of voices, including the authors. In fact, the ethnography reads much like a novel; however, these are real people with real stories to tell. The text offers a rich and evocative account of the Zuni people and their experiences in the borderzone between the past and present. Tedlock's work and writing strategies were central to the writing of my own ethnographic account of a Southeastern Native American Tribe in search of a visible past--the Pee Dee of South Carolina (Title: Native Americans in the Carolina Borderlands: A Critical Ethnography, Carolinas Press, 2000). Tedlock's ethnography is a must read for those on the verge of engaging ethnography, no matter the methodological bent, and students and academics interested in Native American Studies, Cultural Studies, Cultural Anthropology, and alternative ethnography.