Mexico Books

This book is just AMAZING- I bought it with "Blessings of Guadalupe"by the same author, and i am really thrilled and impressed by the beauty of this talent; I am sure that Eryk Hanut's name will shine in the history of writing; Buy this book and you will acquire the same belief; His metaphors, sense of prose and lyricism are just matchless- Can't wait for the next book of Eryk Hanut!!

This was a terrific read for anyone interested in La Virgen. I wish all the books about her delivered like this one.

What a thoroughly delightful book. It was an informative and fun weave of history and personal journey. And funny! There were parts which are still causing me to laugh. This book is a treasure.

This book is dazzling- it begins as journalism and ends up as literature; A wonderful pilgrimage- and a wonderful read!!I can't wait for his other books!

This book is just superb! And I mean- SUPERB!!!!!!!!!Poetic,funny, acerbic- and so full of wisdom. I like his style- so irreverent and so deep at the same time. I will reread it often and will give it around.
I strongly recommend it- you got the point, right?
I met Eryk Hanut once- many years ago. I attended an opening for his artwork in Virginia Beach. I was with a friend (who was already sick and has died since)who admired and praised one of Mr. Hanut's Art pieces . She told him so and joked that she couldn't afford it; He left us and came back with the framed photograph that he had just took off the wall- and gave it to my friend. That's the kind of man he is.
Long live authors of his talent and originality!

If you're looking for a muse to inspire you to crafty heights then this is the book for you. Everything Ms. Cano-Murillo does is touched with true originality and makes the reader feel competent and creative. Coupled with delightful, heartfelt, and often very funny writing, you will gobble this book up in one sitting and refer back to it for years to come. The best craft book to date in my library.

Cathy is such a wonderful artist. She found her niche in creating the wonderful Latin-inspired crafts contained in this book. You will love them! Since her books have come out, I have seen many copycat crafts by other authors.

This Crafty Chica is the original and the best! have fun making some of these lovely, cultural pieces, and enjoy learning a bit about Mexican culture as well!

¡Wow! What a great book, even if you are not into crafts. I bought the book, because I was intrigued by Kathy on DIY's CRAFT LAB. I am a Latino, Gifted and Talented teacher, and a professional artist, so her creative/artsy/ethnic persona and projects appealed to me. Although the book is geared towards Latinas, I can understand her witty journal entries. (My wife is Anglo, but I have many feisty Latina members in my family and work primarily with Latinas in a border town.) The crafts are very creative, and Kathy offers a plethora of open-ended suggestions at the end of each project. Many of the projects are also appropriate for males, so are great for classroom use. In addition, the Latino style illustrations created by Kathy's husband, Patrick Murillo, are marvelous! I highly recommend this book.

I LOVED this book. It not only had some great projects that almost made me get in the car and drive to the craft store but it was a fun read. I have enjoyed picking it up several times this summer and looking at the creativity inside. I would recommend this book!

Kathy Cano Murillo, the author of Crafty Chica's Art de la Soul, Glittery Ideas to Liven Up Your Life, has delighted me with her craft book. I don't normally get all excited about making purses out of 50 cent hardbacks (That cool project is called "Hardback Book Purse" and is fabulous!), nor do I relate to holidays such as Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), which I find slightly scary. However, with Kathy as my guide, I understand that this tradition of honoring the dead is similar to the manner in which we honor our ancestors no matter what our ethnic background. After reading what she wrote, I opened my mind and learned what I had never understood before about this holiday, and now I find it compelling and fascinating.

Not only am I willing to learn about a culture which is different from mine, I am totally charmed by this craft book. When I first started reading it, I began giving my husband orders: "Jim: PLEASE go get me a balsa wood box! Please get me a roll of silver embossing tin! I want a knob! A really cool one! Please!(my husband is a builder). Yes, my first project was "The Empowerent Box". I particularly liked this project because it is beautiful and because you store your favorite quotes in it. You hand write them out, place them in it, and keep it next to your bed. I have several favorite quotes. One is "Hope is the thing wth feathers." As a parent with disabled children, I never give up hope. Another is "The buck stops here". Do you have any favorite quotes? A keepsake box, made by you, is such a lovely place to keep treasured words which mean something special to you.

Kathy Cano Murillo is quite an amazing person. Not only does she set you aflame with desire to create her projects, with your paintbrush flying and your glitter shooting sparks all over the place, she writes fun stories. Some are about mishaps she has endured (read the Chocolate incident and you will relate totally!), and some are touching stories about her family. It's a lovely combination: you get projects like "The Mighty Mosaic Address Sign", with has cool marbles and loteria playing cards decorating it, you get tales, suggestions on movies with crafty aspects to them, (this is cool--trust me), fun tips on how to take each project to the next level, and a style of writing which engages you from the first page.

I am not Hispanic, but because of Kathy Cano Murillo, I have a high respect for the family values, the hard work, the humor, the love, and the creativity she offers, here in this book, as an unofficial ambassador for the Hispanic people. She should be very proud of this book. It is superfun and cool.

Other than the projects I already mentioned, several of my other favorite projects are: "Wonderfully Worn Flower Fence", ALL the "Potions for Passion" (and why not!), and the "Love Letters Pocketbook". That one is really pretty.

I think this author is one in a million. Try this book and you will soar--she will be the wind beneath your wings! A great and unique experience! I love this book!

This is by far my favorite book from that genre. I first read it in high school and have gone back several times over the years. I just purchased it again to give to my 13 year old daughter.

I grew up in Santa Fe, reading this book, serving Mr. Bradford coffee at Zook's Pharmacy on the Plaza. Mr. Bradford's book reassured me that my turbulent adolescence was do-able, by lighting the way.
I have not been back there in thirty years. Santa Fe has been taken over by the rich and the entitled and they have squeezed the soul out of what we knew growing up there, though there is plenty of beauty and spirit left to be sucked dry by the commercial people. But if you want to know the siren song of Santa Fe, read this book. Sagrado is, indeed, Santa Fe. This was what it was like there even in the 1960's and 1970's.
I mean, where else could you have that unforgettable horse AND world-class opera AND the mountains AND the humility of entertaining the Native Americans by just being white people on the Plaza?
I read this book, I can smell the pine wood burning in the farolitos, and the breeze in the chamisa after the Summer afternoon cloudbursts.

This is a wondrous short novel. Read it if you'd like to be a teenager again. Buy an old paperback copy showing a teenage boy and girl standing facing each other with their foreheads touching--a very sweet illustration.

Now a good review (recommendation) doesn't have to be long, so let me give you a few lines of description. A boy moves from Alabama to New Mexico during World War II, and while his father is away in the war, the boy finds friends and a home in the small mountain town of Sagrado. One of his new friends is an sculptor who carves stone heads and places them on a hillside.

On the great book cover: Sometimes book covers actually decline in quality with the many printings of a book. This has happened with "Red Sky At Morning," but remember you are buying the book for the story.

Another example of the decline in a book's cover is seen in the early cover for "Summer of Night," by Dan Simmons.Summer of Night (Aspect Fantasy) The 1991 "Warner Book" edition has a window with a cut out. Through the window you can see some boys riding their bicycles at night. When you open the book, you see a mysterious school in the background.

The later covers of "Summer of Night" were not half as mysterious or fun.

As many others have said, it's impossible to get tired of this book. My parents gave it to me when I was 18 and (again, like several others) the first time I read it I found it a little slow and disjointed. It gets better and better with every read - each time I pick up on the subtleties of a scene for the first time.

Rather than boring the reader with a bunch of obnoxious capers and hijinks, Bradford envelops you in his characters' community, and it's this day-to-day banality (which turned me off so much the first time) that really draws you into the story. Josh's adjustment to Sagrado takes time, but when it comes it's so natural and amusing that you're almost completely unprepared for the sobering conclusion of the story.

I had no idea the book was so loved until I read these reviews. There are so many special moments in the story - the big wet snowfalls that ruins Chamaco's fiesta, the horribly backward residents of La Cima, the refreshing "white trashiness" of the Cloyd sisters, even Parker Holmes tearing an elk sandwich apart with his teeth.

I wish these characters existed in real life, and I wish I could be their friend.

I thouroughly enjoyed this book, I do not know how I missed it for so many years. It was recommended in Nancy Pearl's "Book Lust" (which you really should buy if you are an avid reader.) I have never been dissapointed by her recommendations.

Josh, as the narrator in "Red Sky at Morning" is a 17 year old high school senior at the end of WWII. His dry wit mad me laugh right out loud several times. I loved his sensibility and humor. The cast of characters in this book reminded me of some of the characters in "A Prayer for Owen Meany" by John Irving.

This is one of my favorite reads of the year, so much so I will probably hunt down a hard cover edition for my collection.

........ during their first 12 months of "Life in San Miguel". I have not been there yet (in person), but I am sure, it is as helpful for people, who want to visit (like me), for those, thinking to live there more permanently, or even for those who move there for "rest of their lives". I loved the very personal letter-writing style of the authors, and nothing ever felt gossipy. After finishing the book I had a better understanding, what will await me in this wonderful Mexican city, when I can finally visit there next spring. I also enjoyed the carefully deliberate approach of the authors of staying alert to their limits of loving to live there, being a part of the community, and accepting that they may never understand many aspects of Mexican life and history. The authors never claim to be San Miguel experts ... but surely they are San Miguel lovers.

I thoroughly enjoyed Falling In Love with San Miguel! After reading it I almost feel like I've been there and now I can't wait to go there. I picked up information in this book that will make my upcoming visit there much easier and more interesting and will give me a better feel for the people who live there. I'd definately recommend this read to anyone who is planning a visit to San Miguel or who has already been there and would like the inside scoop on what it's like to live there.

This book is great. Carol has delightfully shared her impressions of San Miguel de Allende which have made me hungry for more. Beyond that, she has revealed life lessons learned as well as a few of her own philosophical/ethical views. Carol Schmidt and Norma Hair have stirred up my desire to taste the food, experience the culture and dive deeper into the history of SMA.

I TRULY ENJOYED THIS BOOK !!! IT WAS INTROSPECTIVE AND COVERED ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIFE. I AM CLOSE TO BEING IN CAROL AND NORMAS AGE GROUP AND FOUND THIS BOOK VERY APPROPRIATE. I HOPE TO BE A SUNBIRD WITHIN THE NEXT FEW YEARS (SPENDING MY SUMMERS IN MEXICO) AND FOUND THIS BOOK VERY WORTHWHILE. SHARON A.

This book makes for such enjoyable reading you don't realize how much you are learning about the multi-faceted culture of Mexico and the unique town of San Miguel. We are fortunate two such intelligent and hip women took on this project. The information is down-to-earth and at the same time poetic in expressing a heartfelt appreciation for the beauty of San Miguel and its people. The authors are remarkably non-ethnocentric, a refreshing quality in this day and age. You may find yourself wishing that you too could begin an adventure like this one. Carol and Norma quite strongly tell you, Yes, you can.

I have lived in Mexico for eight years now and have done a lot of cooking, as well as reading other books about Mexican cuisine; This is the all around best I have seen.

Mexico The Beautiful Cookbook contains what it claims: beautiful MEXICAN recipes, which are traditional, therefore not owned by anyone and like all traditional recipes vary from family to family, cooking to cooking. The book is beautifully illustrated and easy to follow. I have used the book over and over and given it as a gift to numerous friends all over the world who all treasure it. Mrs Palazuelos reputation is due to high standards and extremely hard work and with very good reason is considered Mexico's number 1 caterer and now her equally talented son has just opened a hit restaurant of Mex-Thai fusion cuisine, unique in Mexico.

unique cookbook, explains some about the culture and has many true Mexican dishes that are yummy.

This book is beautiful and packed with appealing recipes. The quality of the paper, the vivid photography, and the engaging travel writing combine to make this more than just a book of recipes. It's a book you'll pull out and thumb through while you think about where you want to go in Mexico.

I like Susana Palazuelos, I enjoyed her meal at Izote in Mexico City...and have used her recipes, but I have no idea what she was doing for this book.

In my opinion, this was done when her vision was still quite immature. My main complaint about her recipes is that they are completely Creole Revisionist... in other words they are done from a very Spanish / Euro perspective... the Herb, Chile & Spice combinations have been extremely simplified & you really do not get to understand & appreciate the true genius of Mexican Cuisine. Its like a Spaniard revised all the recipes.

Truly dissappointing.... it should be embarrassing to here that Rick Bayless's books are a bit closer than this one.

This book was extremely disappointing unless you would like to know how many gallons of water it takes to illegally cross from Mexico into the United States. The author takes a liberal and sympathic view of illegals and tries to sway the reader into thinking that breaking the law is OK for these people. Give me a break. Where is the equal-sided journalism? What about the economic drain to healthcare, gang violence and drugs that these people bring into the United States? If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck and swims like a duck then it is a duck. Illegals are illegals are illegals. Don't waste your time on this book.

"A passionate exponent of more human solutions to the problems of illegal border crossings...John Annerino, an Arizona writer-photojournalist, tells the story up close and personal in a gut wrenching, bare knuckle account...His account puts flesh and bones on the story behind the dreams, and skeletons,too," Desert Candle.

There are those who call themselves experts on the subject and those who are. John is the genuine expert. His points on the subject can only be done by being there and doing it. That is John, that is how he is. That is how he lives. A Master photographer, a Father, Journalist. His treatment on the border issue is a no-holds-barred trip into the unknown. He makes it known, he does it masterfully! When I read Dead in Their Tracks I found it to be the best publication on the subject. It should be required reading for those who are studying Hispanic Culture here at the University of Arizona! When one has the folks at ABC News and other News organizations beating on your door for your knowledge on the subject you know it is John Annerino. When you read a John Annerino book or see his imigaes you are guaranteed that you have exposed to the very best in subject treatment. Dead in Their Tracks will take you for a ride you won't soon forget.

-"Photojournalist John Annerino plunges into a world few Americans ever consider, much less confront: a pitiless trek through the southwestern Arizona Desert that can deliver a man to steady work - or to a whimpering death," Laura Brooks, The Arizona Daily Star.

-"Anyone interested in this slaughter should run, not walk, to John Annerino's Dead in Their Tracks," Charles Bowden, author of Down by the River.

-"A passionate chronicle. The story...is gripping and profoundly disturbing," Susan J. Tweit, The Bloomsbury Review.

-"A stunning portrayal of the dangers (including death) faced by immigrants eager to work in the United States," Library Journal.

-"I'm trying to illuminate the lives of those who continue to die in America's killing ground," Annerino said," abcnews.com.

-"A gripping firsthand account of crossing the Camino del Diablo in the company of Mexican nationals...Annerino's evocative words and haunting pictures make the issue impossible to ignore," Donnamarie Barnes, People Magazine.

-"The story is riveting.Annerino's writing is emotional and graphic," Ernesto Portillo, San Diego Union-Tribune.

-"Through cholla cactus and scorpions, along sands simmering at 140-160 degrees, John Annerino and four Mexican companions stumble toward an oasis north of poverty: the American dream," oneworldjournies.com.

-"The book is a testament and a memorial.Thirty pages list the known dead...Annerino deserves praise for putting this story into words and pictures," Will Chaffey, San Antonio Express-News.

-"A gripping work of investigative reporting," Nicole Davis, National Geographic Adventure.

-"Seen on CNN and featured on CNN Bokchat, John Annerino has worked on the border for Newsweek, ABC Primetime, National Geographic Adventure, and America 24/7," KmG

This book is poorly written, _utterly_ disjointed, and has a cloying sentimentality that is really annoying. By that I mean it's not at all analytical: it includes random snippets of poems, etc. that serve only to confound the reader looking for some meat. Plus, there are certain phrases like "cutting sign" that I hadn't the foggiest idea about until I looked it up. Help the reader out here.

Yeah, it's hot as hell in the desert, and it's doggone handy to have water. It sucks that people are dying in the desert and the forces that draw them to _El Norte_ are highly complex and not necessarily their fault. Still, they are breaking the law from the word go, and well they know it, and it seems to me there are worse tragedies involving truly innocent people. Plus, it peeves me to no end that these illegals have largely trashed some of the most beautiful and exotic wildernesses in the U.S. So my sympathy is just not all that deep.

The photos are for the most part of lousy quality as well. Why it took carrying several cameras, as the author claims, to produce these pictures is beyond me.

Lastly the book is VERY short, with a ridiculously long appendix addressing every single death that has occurred in this area ... newsflash: no one is going to read that.

How could the editors have allowed a book like this to go to press? It's absolutely amateurish, despite being driven by sincere emotions.

Great book for the intermediate to advanced ufo enthusiast. The book reads more like a research paper filled with detailed notes on the alleged locations of the underground cryogenic tanks, and the history and engineering of the underground tunnels constructed at LANL and Wright Patterson. Robert also gives the reader a first hand look inside the secret Aviary group with background data of some its less publicly known yet highly powerful members. Robert discusses the controversial subject of Project Serpo. While he supports the existence of a USAP such as Project Serpo he is untrusting of the details of the project which he found to be laden with disinformation. Like a good crime investigator Robert Collins identifes the suspects, locations, and aquires first hand accounts from informants on the inside. The book provided fresh data and detailed personal accounts which this reader found captivating. I commend Robert for his hard and important work to uncover the truth.

Maybe the people who authored this book have the inside track on the truth of the last 70 year period of ET visitation, the reader will never know. There are some many cross avenues in the detective game to find the truth of this ever reaching subject. If only 10% of this book is the actual and real truth, then the whole UFO subject is more amazing that we have thought. I found the book extremely interesting and thought provoking and would recommend it to any party interested in the greatest cover-up of the 20th century and of today.

Although I have read countless articles and books related to the UFO, EBE phenomenon for the past 10 years...I have never been motivated to write a review...until now. This book "Exempt from Disclosure" that your considering as you scroll through countless reviews, is an ABSOLUTE must read. This book includes information on The MAJ-12 documents and affiliated members, JFK, Area 51, President Eisenhower, Bob Lazar, Project Serpo and how they all tie together in this fascinating world that the author (Robert Collins) reveals. This book provides information that only individuals in high ranking positions of elite groups are privy to. Now, the secrets are released and we are privelged to know what very few human beings even know exist.

Thank you very much for writing this book Mr Collins!!

If ya like Bob Collins (and I do)you'll love this book (which I did.) Kit Green is quoted somewhere in this book as stating to the effect that, 'you should always believe what Rick Doty has to say about UFOs.' Whether you regard Dr. Green as an honest broker or an agent of disinformation the fact that he's seen fit to add this tidbit makes the book an interesting read.

Hopefully this new edition addresses all the distracting grammatical and punctuation errors in the first edition. It's my understanding that Victor Martinez was recruited for this editing work. Curmudgeon that he is- he writes well. After all he's a school teacher.

In any case the revelations contained in this book are both startling and delicious and it is my fondest wish that Captain Bob makes a few bucks from his efforts. Buy this little book- you'll have no regrets.
Kim

I've been interested in UFOs since I was a young child. I'm 46 years old now. Over the years I've read many books and seen many films and T.V.shows that have attempted to explain this phenomenon. The facts are: There is a multitude of evidence that exists that has confirmed not only that UFOs are real,but also that the ETs have lived here on this planet and the government knows all about it. There are a number of reasons why this subject is "above top secret",and they're all in the name of "national security. It would seem that our government is reluctant to disclose the truth because they're afraid it would cause a "world wide panic". They base this on a report that was written back in the forties. Apparently the government has been "conditioning" the public to help prepare them for when the time comes to disclose the truth. I guess they must still think we're not ready. How many generations have to be "conditioned" before they're ready to tell us? Time will tell. However,in the meantime,Mr Collins and Mr Doty have been kind enough to provide us this this book. In my opinion,of all the books I've read on the subject,this book is by far THE BEST. It's all in here. I couldn't put it down. Fascinating stuff. Ultimately,you have to be the judge as to the validity of what has been written. But all I can say is,after reading it,I've come away with a new perspective. I truly believe what Mr Collins and Mr Doty have claimed is the truth. I had the pleasure of corresponding with Mr Collins via e-mail. He is an awesome guy.I asked him if he would be willing to answer some questions. He was happy to do it. Granted,a lot of the answers he doesn't know(this subject is after all,still Top Secret,so I wasn't all that surprised)But what he did know,he was happy to share with me. In fact,he encouraged me to share the answers to these questions with as many people as possible(if you e-mail me,I'll be glad to forward you the e-mails). I highly recommend this book.

Our recent trip to Mexico City was greatly enhanced by our reading of "An Opinionated Guide for the Curious Traveler". Its perspectives on Mexican culture, art, architecture and food are presented with humor, perceptiveness and intelligence by Jim Johnston. The "Guide" made our visit to a city which can seem overwhelming and frightening to the first time visitor more manageable. It focused our sight and attention on aspects of DF we otherwise would have missed. Post trip, I find myself re-reading sections to better appreciate aspects of the city and to plan for a return visit. We also purchased National Geographic's "Traveler Mexico" which I also liked very much.

Jim Johnston's book gives you the personal approach you would get from a friend who moved to Mexico City years ago and is willing to take you around to his favorite spots. It's not comprehensive, nor does it try to be. But - first time or multiple-time visitors who want to get a feel for the unique cacophony, artistry and paradox that is Mexico City will find a helpful guide that addresses practical issues and throws in some quirky delights, too. My husband and I fell in love with Mexico City 7 months ago and just returned to get another fix, using Mr. Johnston's book as our primary reference. We were also pleased to see that he updates information on his web site, so we checked for closings, openings, etc. before the trip. Maybe most important is that the ethic and personality of the author come through, revealing him as someone you would like to know - and you will, with this book.

Jim Johnston's guide to Mexico City took us off the usual tourist path and led to parts of the Centro Historico we would have missed. The walking tours are easy to follow and include some not so heavily visited sites. We followed #3 in the Centro and had a great time finding the places mentioned and finding other interesting places along the way. This guide will be a permanent part of the Mexico City bookshelf. And now we know what "pb" means in the elevator!

We travel to Mexico twice a year for business and pleasure (shouldn't travel always be a pleasure?), and we are always looking to explore more deeply this great world-city. I would recommend this book for both novices as well as experienced visitors, as Mexico City has so much and is so vibrant, that you take away something new each time. Jim's arrival tips and hotel listings are great, and I cannot wait to check out the walking tour and dining insights on our upcoming trip. The size is great as it is easy to carry around without looking like too much of a tourist. It is also a great book to use to take off the intimidating edge for a first-time visitor.

I began planning an upcoming trip to Mexico City and went looking for some current information about the city. The mainstream guidebooks are fine, but seldom up to date. I came across a positive reference about this book on [...] and checked it out on Amazon. Luckily, I bought it.
The author apparently knows and loves his city, and shares it the way a friend would. The level of detail is great, from how to get "there" (landmark, restaurant, museum, etc.), to what to expect, to what you might want to look for around the corner afterwards. I've explored Mexico City several times and thanks to this book I have many new intriguing options to augment my old favorites. This is the guidebook I'll take with me on my upcoming trip, and one I'll recommend to anyone I know who might be planning visit the City, and to some who haven't considered Mexico City as a destination - yet.
As a bonus, the author has a website where he posts updates: [...] . A revised walking tour of the area behind the cathedral (revised due to the exit of the throngs of street vendors) is already posted there.
Great book. Buy it.

This wonderful book tells the remarkable story of one of the most interesting women of all time. It is wonderful "read" and as colorful as Frida herself.

I read this book when it was first published and it changed my life, the way i looked at art and the way I approached my own art. Frida was an enigmatic personality, a genius of the surreal emotions we have. I adore her and her art. The book by Hayden Herrera was so thoroughly researched that if you end up visiting Coyocan, you will feel familiar with it and the cultures that surround it. Wonderful biography, well written, well researched and what a great service the author has done in educating us on an incredible artist that would have otherwise been hidden behind the shadows of her husband.

This is a paintakingly detailed biography, yet rather than making for tedious reading, it flows smoothly from the pages...Hayden Herrera has done an incredible job with the story of Frida Kahlo, the most famous Mexican artist in history.

Written in the late 1970s' (when many of Frida's friends and intimates were still alive to interview), this excellent book combines letters (to and from Kahlo), first person anecdotes and historical records (along with a decent selection of photos and paintings), to create a sweeping portrait of a very, very interesting life.

Everything you ever wanted to know about Frida (and maybe some stuff you didn't), is in this book.

"Frida" is highly recommended to anyone who enjoys Frida's work or just wants to know more about a very interesting, opinionated, talented, brutally honest (especially with herself), yet very vulnerable) woman.

I learned about Frida when I took art history in college. I always wanted to know more about her because of her art work. She was so passionate! Although she was considered an abstract artist. Her art was very REAL. You can feel what she feels by looking at her art. This book really helps you understand what happened in her life and attached the painting that went along with that specific period in her life. Very well written.

I bought this book after re-watching the movie taken largely from this exhaustive biography. As someone who has read many bios, let me say that this is a refreshing and encouraging alternative to the fawning and excessive grocery store drivel and/or the dull and fact-filled dissertations that describe most biographies. Hayden Herrera manages to combine a staggeringly comprehensive detailing of Kahlo's life with an easy prose that makes for an engaging read. I know far more about this artist than I could've imagined and it is largely first-hand accounts either from the pages of Frida's own diaries and numerous letters or the people who were there. Herrera keeps her personal opinions regarding the events to a minimum and allows the events to speak for themselves. The life of Frida Kahlo needs no additional padding or maudlin tricks to engender a connection to anyone with a heart and soul. When the author does speculate, it comes from someone who has clearly studied her subject thoroughly and backs up her theories with a wealth of compelling evidence and sensible arguments. While her appreciation for Kahlo is obvious, Herrera does not stop short of being critical, questioning Kahlo's motives, and revealing the stark humanity and insecurity that Kahlo tried to obscure with her public persona as the confident, outspoken, provocative enchantress sporting her exotic Tehuana finery.
However, the best use of Herrera's research and the clear compassion and empathy she has for this incredible woman is when she analyses Frida's paintings. I found myself continuously turning back and forth from the detailed observations and interpretation to the paintings and trying to understand what the author is talking about. It was fascinating reading and a wonderful exploration that shed light into the depths of Frida's intensely personal art.
Two last notes: First, the version I bought does not sport Salma Hayek on the cover but instead one of Frida's many self-portraits. Apparently the publishers corrected this unfortunate decision based on movie marketing. Second, I was fortunate enough to take in the amazing exhibit of Frida Kahlo at the Philadelphia Museum just a few weeks ago and it was a moving and special day. Seeing the actual frames dripping blood, the size and grandeur of some of the works juxtaposed with the smaller works, and the sheer emotionally gravity of her art was something I'll never forget. Having read much of this biography by that time, I was able to bring that much more to that exhilarating opportunity.
Frida Kahlo was not just an extraordinary artist but was moreover an extraordinary person. Herrera's heartfelt, deeply researched, and brilliantly written biography allows those of us who never knew her to feel as if we have and to share in the universal quality of her painful work. That alone makes us better people for having experienced it.

While I have great respect for Jack Kerouac, I am not all that impressed with his writing. I never really got into The Beat writers, although by all accounts I should have in late high school when I was interested in "automatic writing." That stream of consciousness, punctuation-less thought that comes from your mind when it can't quiet itself. I think I have the same assessment of many of the Beat writers and poets, and I did have the unique experience of going to City Lights Book Shop in San Fransisco, which is owned and run by one of the original Beat poets. I respect their art and their way of expressing it, but it never really hit me as anything profound. I enjoyed Tristessa some, but not as much as I was hoping I would. I had heard so much about Kerouac from my best friend, who loved On the Road, but I was never hooked. If you are interested in esoteric topics presented in slurred poetry then this is for you. I don't care much for some performance art, and much of what I have read from the Beats seems like a literary version of that. Perhaps I haven't read the right things, so I may not have a good grasp on them. I'll have to try and read some from William S. Burroughs. I hear he had some great books.

In Tristessa, Kerouac writes about his time on the road in Mexico City. The book is broken down into two parts, a year apart. It is a sort of love poem to Tristessa, the morphine addicted prostitute that he is in love with.

In true Kerouac fashion we once again live vicariously through his vivid writing of his experience on the road. His ability to bring the reader right into the middle of his world is the reason I keep coming back to him again and again.

Jack Kerouac describes his low-budget meanderings within the slums of the Prostitution and Drug Culture in 1950's Mexico City. His descriptions of the hovels that his "compadres" live in, is quite engrossing... it reminds me somewhat of the activities in the neighborhoods of modern-day Tijuana (short all the pets and chickens and so-forth)... I wouldn't recommend anyone attempt these same "feats" in modern-day Mexico City, as it has become a much more dangerous place for tourists over the last 50 years.

The fact that Kerouac is able to travel and live among the bohemian under-culture is one thing, but that he is able to describe it with his running dialog style on a typewriter is quite unique (a style that is something close to what I'd independently come up with at 14 in 1973, while capturing a dialog between a good friend and my sister on my Mom's old manual typewriter).

I can`t really review the whole book yet as I`m only on page 16, but so far this book is thick, and dripping in poetry. Kerouac is genius, unmistakable. I should have read this sooner--by page 16 it`s already more highly beautiful then 1000 other books combined. I`ll read the rest of it and write more later--Hopefully it`s more of the same

Tristessa by Jack Kerouac *****

Tristessa may just be the best thing Kerouac ever wrote. Yes I know On The Road was, and still is one of the greatest and most important books of all time, but I must say I don't think Kerouac ever felt what he wrote as much as he did when he wrote Tristessa. You can feel his heart aching in the literature, something that is very, very rare to find, but very rewarding when you do.

Tristessa follows a man in Mexico City, Mexico who is completely infatuated with a women named Tristessa who is a junky, to say the least. This tortured story follows these two along with a revolving door of assorted men, and her fellow girlfriends over the course of about a year and a half. These two love each other but the narrator can't bring himself to give into her because of her addictions and flighty ways, but he also is conflicted and can't leave her in this condition because he really does love her so, and her him.

This is a gut wrenching tail of love, loss, and not being able to let go. If this is not the most prolific thing Kerouac ever wrote it sure is close, and wins my pick for his best.