Mexico Books

Presumed-dead cousin Veronica calls Claire from Chicago to ask her to unmask the blackmailer who won't let her forget that she murdered a Hollywood producer thirty years ago. Never mind that she did the time for doing the crime--she's built a new life for herself and doesn't want this stain on her reputation. Off go Claire and Caron to Acapulco--but unlike Elvis, they don't have "fun" there. Unless you call getting arrested by the Mexican police (Claire) and kidnapped by some greasy bum (Caron) fun. As Caron would say, Claire simply Asks for Trouble everywhere from Mexico to a convent (!) in Phoenix to her cousin's elegant digs in Chicago. You'll find Claire joining the jet set, Caron's anguish over Yet Another Major Crisis involving Rhonda MacGuire, Farberville High's Queen Bee, and more delightful flirtation between Claire and handsome cop Peter Rosen, in Joan Hess' latest. Have fun. .

This is probably my favorite of the Claire Malloy mysteries because here Joan Hess breaks away from the formula that most of the previous books have followed. Claire is away from the bookstore in Faberville (Acapulco no less) and the usual cast of characters/relationships there (although Caron is along and Peter checks in by phone).

The change of scenery and the unavailability to fall back completely on what has worked in the past seems to have inspired Hess to pen a better written mystery, while retaining all of the humorous touches that distinguish her earlier work. Unfortunatly, this book was a one-off experiment and later installments return Malloy to the predictable but enjoyable confines of Faberville. One only hopes that Hess will someday once again be daring and make another left turn that will breath new life into this fine series.

"Cloudcroft" was a great read. Enough suspense and drama to keep you entertained from cover to cover and a writing style that puts you in the character's shoes. If you've been to the area you will recognize the settings, if you've never been there the book will take you there.

Hanly's way of writing and developing characters is the best I read in a long time. When I finished the book I went back and read it the next week, still enthralled in the imagery and plain speak that makes this book stand out.
This is one of the best books out this year.

Here is the last part of Aztecs' History in CHIMALPAHIN's compiling. It's followed by a precious kind of calendar by CHIMALPAHIN himself. A prime material to understand Aztecs' meaning of life. I'm waiting for the 4 other books of this exceptional collection of indigenous testimonies (Please excuse my bad English: I'm an usual French writer)

There are many "Codices" about MesoAmerica. This one is presented as a translate of primitive nahuatl compiling of Aztecs' History. An important contribution to Mexican History. The total collection counts 6 books; two are now available.

In this superb anthology of six of his short story collections, Moacyr Scliar presents readers with a panoply of themes, such as persecution, exploitation, and how ideologies mold our lives. Many of these themes reflect the times during which Scliar wrote -- a time when literary and other forms of cultural expresson were being surpressed under Brazil's military regime. In the first collection of stories, "The Carnival of Animals," Scliar uses allegory to explore the theme of persecution and exploitation, amongst other things.In his story, "The Cow," Scliar writes of a sailor who, shipwrecked with only a cow for company, comes to rely on that cow for his very survival. Like the loving, maternal tree in the classic, "The Giving Tree," the cow, named Carola, provides the sailor with food, clothing, fuel -- everything.The sailor readily exploits the cow --and ultimately destroys her to save his own life. But though he survives and prospers, the sailor lives a sad, empty life. Thus we are given a brief, anecdotal allegory of how exploitation dooms both the victim and the exploiter. Scliar, a Jew, also writes of Jewish themes, some of which are included in this collection. For example, The Ballad of the False Messiah is an allegory about the Jewish quest for redemption vis a vis a messiah -- and the ultimate futility of that quest. Casting the notorious, historical "false messiah," Shabtai Zvi, as one of his main characters,Scliar uses humor and irony to develop the theme that candidates for the Jewish messiah may come and go, but the Jewish people, with a messiah or without, will prevail. In "The Plagues" readers have an opportunity to see how "the other side fared" during biblical times when God smote the Egyptians with 10 plagues. Here we read of the tribulations of an average, Egyptian family that is arbitrarily being punished for the stubborness of the Pharaoh not to "let the Hebrews go." Again we have allegory, irony, and a true literary gem. Scliar uses biblical parables and elements of that particularly Latin American genre, magical realism, to entertain,enthrall, and enlighten. A wonderful anthology.

This book collects The Carnival of Animals, The Ballad of the False Messiah and The Enigmatic Eye which all are out of print in their English editions with The Tremulous Dwarf, the Dwarf in the Television Set and Van Gogh's Ear which have not to my knowledge been previously available in English. The fact that I would award Moacyr Scliar a Nobel Prize for literature in itself explains why 400 pages of his short stories is just right.

Scliar is a versatile author - Jewish and Brazilean - with a breadth of knowledge of history, medicine, psychology, anthropology and Hebrew scripture that both root his stories in the concrete and give them a universal understanding. He is comfortable in allegory, fantasy, magical realism.

All the traits of his better known novels - The Strange Nation of Rafael Mendes and Centaur in the Garden - are here in minature.

Given my interests, I particularly enjoyed the retelling of the ten plagues of Egypt from the perspective not of the Hebrews but of the Egyptians. However, were I to list all my favorites and explain why I'd exceed the Amazon word limit!

If you aren't up to this thick volume, read Centaur in the Garden ... then you'll want 400 pages more of his masterful writing.

While images of Roosevelt, Dewey and Maine are the most recognized images of the Spanish American War, Geoffrey Hunt provides some very interesting insight into lesser known actions of the war and the subsequent problems of dealing with an insurrection. Further, I found it interesting to see how much the members of the Colorado Volunteers were responsible for sowing the seeds of what would become the largest organization for Veterans, the VFW.

This is an exhaustively researched investigation into the the First Colorado Regiment. These troops enlisted in the army in the aftermath of the descruction of the battleship Main in 1998. They had just finished training and were assembled with other units in San Francisco when Admiral Dewey destroyed the Spanish fleet at Manila in May 1981. Having a shortage of infantry, these units were rushed to the Philippines rather than to Cuba.

At the end of the eighteen hundreds the Americans were beginning to think of building an empire like those of the European powers. The First Colorado was put to fighting in the Philippines to take over the Spanish colony. They then found themselves as conquerors of the Philipine people and were fighting to subject them to American rule.

The Spanish American war occurred at a time when the world was in a period of dramatic change. The American Army was still following the mentality of the Civil War, while the technology of quick firing artillery and machine guns were rapidly changing the battlefield. This new book covers a little reported, little understood part of American history.

COLORS bring optimism into our lives. In this book the first drawings introduce BLANCO with white skeletons & masks, etc., that are used to decorate for a favorite celebration, the Day of the Dead. Those pictures should keep the kids turning the pages!

Then they'll see & read about verde, azul, cafe, amarillo, negro,ojo, oro, purpura. My winner is NARANJA - - ORANGE, even though it's the hardest for me to pronounce. It is illustrated with a boy surrounded by Monarch butterflies. They migrate to the Sierra Madre in the millions. THINK ABOUT IT ! MILLIONS spend their winters there & then return to the North.

Enjoy Janice Lee Porter's COLORS - - her interpretations of this important segment of our sense of SIGHT, and our lives. Look up titles of other books she illustrated & pusue them. She is not stuck in one style by any means & that makes reading & owning any books much more enjoyable. "SERIES" books are not necessarily all 'Blue Ribbons' but everyone can learn to choose what is better & learn what it is that makes books that way!

Reviewer mcHAIKU recommends "THE COLORS OF MEXICO" by Lynn A. Olawsky as a good beginner's introduction to a country our children should continue to study. And we can help geographically deficient kids by setting an example of staying on the path to being as *bright* as Mexico's colors.

My students enjoyed this culturally informative book, but all my Spanish speaking students said in one voice, "MORADO" when I read the entry for P?rpura aloud. Other than this we enjoyed this book.

Compiled and edited by Nasario Garcia (Professor of Languages, New Mexico Highlands University), Comadres: Hispanic Women Of The Rio Puerco Valley is a unique and ground breaking survey of Hispanic-American women and their manifold contributions to the evolving culture of New Mexico, especially during the first ten years of statehood. Ranch life, the evolution of Spanish dialects, the struggles to birth and raise children, and so much more are accessibly covered in this unique anthology of vignettes, anecdotes, and revealing glimpses into New Mexican daily life. Black-and-white photographs enhance this outstanding collection of brief yet personable tales, each of which is rendered in both Spanish and English. Comadres is a very strongly recommended addition to Women's Studies, American History, and Southwest Regional Studies academic reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Compiled and edited by Nasario Garcia (Professor of Languages, New Mexico Highlands University), Comadres: Hispanic Women Of The Rio Puerco Valley is a unique and ground breaking survey of Hispanic-American women and their manifold contributions to the evolving culture of New Mexico, especially during the first ten years of statehood. Ranch life, the evolution of Spanish dialects, the struggles to birth and raise children, and so much more are accessibly covered in this unique anthology of vignettes, anecdotes, and revealing glimpses into New Mexican daily life. Black-and-white photographs enhance this outstanding collection of brief yet personable tales, each of which is rendered in both Spanish and English. Comadres is a very strongly recommended addition to Women's Studies, American History, and Southwest Regional Studies academic reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Comida Sabrosa: Home-Style Southwestern Cooking is a spiral bound compendium of outstanding recipes celebrating New Mexico's culinary heritage and traditions. From New Mexican Hot Chocolate; Nana's Green Chile Sauce; Southwestern Tamale Pie; and Beefed-Up Chile Casserole; to Taco Frijoles para los Ninos; Zesty Appetizer Meatballs; Dorito Casserole; and Arroz Dulce (Sweet Rice Pudding), Comida Sabrosa will prove a family favorite of easy to prepare, mouth-watering, appetite satisfying delights. A glossary is included, as are very useful instructions for microwave adaptations.

WIth no previous experience cooking Mexican food, I've become an expert flour tortilla maker - not to mention that my family devoures the cheese enchiladas. Thanks!

Hey amazon! There's a new edition of this book (actually there have been 2.....) The newest comes out in February, with completely updated info and pictures. You should order it!

My husband and I were traveling by motorhome through the Southwest this winter. I bought this guide and it made our trip to New Mexico so much more meaningful. It provides exactly the kind of cultural and historical context I like to have in a very user friendly format. I have used other guides including Insight, Smithsonian, Mobil, etc. If the others in the series are as well done, this will be my guide of choice. It also has beautiful photos and helpful maps.

I received the book much sooner than I had expected, and was very pleased with the book and the shipping time.

Daniel Tyler was a dedicated member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He participated in many of the "critical" events of that Church from it's beginnings. His first person account of the march of the Mormon Battalion is a day by day account of the "longest recorded march in military history." A lengthy introductory by John Taylor, president of the Church, a poem by Eliza R. Snow and a recount of the First General Festival of the Battalion with speeches by Brigham Young and others, makes this a very readable and valuable addition to any history library. Scholars will find numerous mistakes in roosters and some facts. But this is to be expected from someone who didn't have access to anything but diaries and other somewhat less reliable resources. It is a biased account. He was as I have said; a dedicated member of the Church. He most definitely give his views on various people and events. But that is what makes this such a good read. It's not a watered down politically correct account. It was writted by someone who was there. I recommend it without reservation.