South America Books

Having just visited Williamsburg, I read The River Where America Began. It brought to life all of which I had just seen, but in clear vivid and historically correct detail. I was instantly immersed into the culture and events of the time. Bob Deans writes beautifully and I can't wait to see whats next.

This history book was very informative. I was born in the area. Very detailed summary of landscape in early times. Well written from political and historical point of view. Easy to comprehend and fully factual. Good book to read more than once.

Hi,

I am reading this book right now and am on page 238 of 287. This is the most readable "history" book I have ever read. I would give it a 4 1/2 out of 5 really. He gets into the baptism of Pochohontas and gets a little sharp with the tongue. Don't pass up on this book though because of a few pages. Everyones opinion still matters. I do like how it's in a storybook format and I do like the authors opinion most of the time. I would say the book is 85% fact, %15 opinion.

Very knowledgable writer. A book that gives you the framework to be educated about American history in discussions with your friends. No thanksgiving story and they lived happily ever after. America was founded by immigrants and freedom fighters, criminals, slaves, and Native Americans obviously.

Thanks. God Bless.

Aaron.

If you didn't take or do well in early American history class, this book will go a long way to help. Bob Deans, informatively and entertainingly, chronicles the first foreign footprints on American soil. In doing so, he sympathetically gives the natives their due, while exploring with reportorial acumen, the inexorable march, good and bad, toward democracy, all of which started "along the James," in Dean's beloved state.

This is a wonderfully written, informative book that focuses on the history that happened on the James River from 1607 to 1865.

Like any good storyteller, Deans illuminates specific characters (John Smith, Pocahontas, Powhatan, Patrick Henry and Abraham Lincoln among them), to shed light on the whole. And the whole is this: That the two original sins of the American experiment -- our near-genocidal treatment of the Indians and our institution of black slavery -- began here, early in our formative years, on the banks of the James River in Virginia. At the very same time and in the very same place, began our very real belief in a democratic government of laws and not of men.

On this river was nurtured the the notion that all men were created equal, even as those who proclaimed liberty and equality denied it (and increasingly codified that denial) to a whole race of men and women.

That such schizophrenia of national psyche could not long endure seems obvious. And the fever that provided the cure finally broke here, too, on the banks of the James in April 1865.

This is a terrific book. However, the publisher, I believe, has let the writer down in two respects: It could use more maps. When Deans writes of someone rounding this point, exploring this tributary or inhabiting that island, I want to have a map close at hand to see for myself. There are a few maps, and they are good, but I would like more.

And here's a thing sure to rankle any West Virginian ex-copy editor: In the chapter on John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry (then Virginia, today West Virginia), it says he was hanged in nearby Charleston. As any Mountain Stater (and probably even some Virginians) know, Charleston, the state capital, is in the south central part of the state. Charles Town, where they have horse racing, is in the Eastern Panhandle. Charles Town is close to Harper's Ferry, not Charleston. (And as any newspaperman knows, Charleston, Charles Town is an AP Stylebook entry. I presume the error is an editor's and not Deans'.)

This book is really exciting to read. I have been trying to find a book on Soviet weapons for a while and came across this book. I must say I was amazed of the amount of content and detail included in this book. The book lists different strategic missiles from the very first ICBM to the latest model that was produced in the Soviet Union. The authors even lists different missile bases and production sites i.e. (closed cities) and warhead depositories, and the nuclear fuel cycle . Even though the Cold War is over I'm wondering if some of the material should still be classified.

This book goes through the early history of the production of missiles, naval fleets, information of strategic aviation sites and production facilites and locations. This book has a section on nuclear tests which lists nuclear explosions. It also describes the decision making process of the strategic nuclear forces in the event of a nuclear war. The chapter that was interesting was the "Strategic Defense" chapter which includes missile and space defense forces, antisatellite and space surveillance the Soviet version of the United States SDI program was interesting. Toward the end of this book includes the present state of Russian strategic forces.

I would recommend this book to anyone that's interested in soviet military thinking and the history of Soviet/Russian weapons systems. A great reference.

Pavel Podvig's Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces was initially available only in Russian, however when it was finally updated and released in English we received the absolute most authoritative and detailed report on the subject available in the civilian sector.

Podvig's effort is to be highly commended, as he has compiled an impressive amount of research, much of it relating to the technical side, though good write-ups and historical overviews are included. From R&D to production and finally deployment, every Soviet/Russian ICBM, SLBM and Strategic Bomber system is discussed in extensive technical detail, including such well researched and hard to find details such as Circular Error Probability of all Russian strategic systems.

The book is a heavy volume containing nearly 700 pages, none of it filler, so you can imagine the sheer amount of information in this volume for anyone interested in attaining a deeper understanding of the subject. Given the price, it really is a no-brainer. Furthermore Pavel Podvig maintains a frequently updated and detailed web site which continually adds newer information, essentially making this a "living research" project on the subject. You can locate his site here:

Seems Amazon edits out any links in reviews, so to try again Podvig's site can be found at russianforces.org

Once again, for the incredibly low price this book is offered at, you have nothing to lose, and a wealth of knowledge to gain.

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with Mr. Podvig, aside from being someone who has been won over by his dedication and research to the subject at hand.

This book is interesting in some ways but heavily focused on facilities and process rather than the history of development of some of the critical technologies. A good reference but a bit disappointing.

For most readers interested in Soviet missile development I would recommend Zaloga's The Kremlin's Nuclear Sword: The Rise and Fall of Russia's Strategic Nuclear Forces. Covers some of the early debates on missile development and strategy, with special emphasis on competition between the design bureaus.

Note that both of these books only focuses on Strategic missiles, as their titles certainly acknowledge, so there is little detail on short and intermediate range missiles except for the earliest missiles such as the SS-3 and SS-4. If you are looking for Scud information you won't find it here unless you are looking for the submarine launched version.

Mr. Podvig's book, "Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces," is an excellent unclassified look into the world of Russian/Soviet nuclear weapons. The book covers weapon systems, facilities and nuclear tests since the dawn of their nuclear age. The diagrams and tables are clear and concise.

This book was very helpful in allowing an individual to quickly memorize (or 'compare and contrast') different missile ranges and warhead yields. Very useful if briefing American missile combat crews on potential nuclear threats, or if writing 'peace-nik' papers on the evils of nuclear weapons. Honestly, I don't care what your bent is - if you want to know about nukes, this book needs to be added to your library.

Nuclear forces, like other branches of the military, are divided into two categories: Tactical and strategic. Strategic division of the nuclear forces covers the armaments that have a wider scope of effect. These are the forces that have kept the MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction) balance between the superpowers so far. Strategic nuclear forces have air, land and submarine launch capability of nuclear warheads targeted for intercontinental targets.
This book covers every aspect of the Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces from the very beginnings up to post-Soviet restructuring. It covers detailed development phases of strategic bombers, land-based launch platforms and the submarine leg of the nuclear triad. There are detailed data on the organization of the nuclear command, early warning systems and launch protocols. There are also detailed data on the Soviet/Russian nuclear complex and their products. At the end of the book, there is a long list of the nuclear tests undertaken by Russia.
All in all, this book should be read and kept as a reference by all those who want to have a well-balanced look at the Russian Nuclear Strategic Command's capabilities and importance. Readers of this book will appreciate why the latest efforts by the United States for a missile defense system will be highly counter-productive.

Mr. Virtue's book is well-researched and well-documented look at the early days of the Mexican League. There is a lot of historical data that I've never seen before, as well as interviews or quotes from players who played in the league, especially during its classic 1937-1946 period.

I thoroughly enjoyed John Virtue's recent book, "South of the Color Barrier". The insights into how Jorge Pasquel, and his role in the Mexican League, played a vital role in the integration of baseball was eye-opening and insightful.

Virtue has written a great baseball book, that has been thoroughly researched, and offers a fresh perspective on Negro League players and the obstacles that they faced. In addition, it captures the personality of a charasmatic man (Pasquel) who died much too young and has been otherwise ignored by baseball historians.

Bravo! Mr. Virtue.

Sam Zygner
Co-Chair, South Florida Chapter (SABR)

"South of the Color Barrier" is a wonderful book that shows the great influence of Jorge Pasquel in achieving racial integration in the United States, starting with Baseball. It is a book full of very interesting facts uncovered through a thorough and careful research by the author.

To me, as the daughter of the last Negro Leagues player brought to Mexico by Mr. Pasquel, this book has been a journey of discovery. "South of the Color Barrier" helps us to understand the entire picture about the hard times these players had to endure in the United States versus the many opportunities they found in Mexico and the rest of Latin America. It would be great if we could have another Jorge Pasquel in Mexico to boost baseball again.

Congratulations to John Virtue for such a work well done!

For the history buffs on Baseball's past a definite addition to your library. Jorge Pasquel's story concerns the last major threat on Major League Baseball. Like the others - Players League and Federal League it was a failure also. Unlike a prior book this tome paints a broader picture and more complete story of the life of Jorge Pasquel. For most American we did not know about him and his contributions to Mexico. A very good and plausable theory how Jorge Pasquel helped breakdown the color barrier in organized Baseball. A very good and easy read. Except for two minor errors Mr. Virtue has a very good well researched book. Some very good historical pictures also included.

Virtue has woven the facts and faces of historical figures from Mexican and American baseball of the 1930s and 1940s into dynamite read. In the process, he's uncovered a character that few people know about -- Mexican multimillionaire businessman Jorge Pasquel. Described as a Mexican George Steinbrenner, Pasquel raided the US Negro Leagues to strengthen the Mexican League.

"A man's man," Pasquel is compelling to watch. His drive to create a Mexican team that could bring about a real World Series, coincidentally brought light on racial inequalities in the US. Virtue puts us in the shoes of these great African-American players, who at one time couldn't get served in a dingy Texas diner, but across the boarder were treated liked gods. Willie Wells exclaims: "Here in Mexico I am a man. I can go as far in baseball as I am capable of going. I can live where I please."

Virtue has put Wells back on the field - along with other future members of the Hall of Fame like Monte Irvin, Roy Campanella, Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Ray Dandridge, Cool Papa Bell, Leon Day, Hilton Smith, Willard Brown and Cuba's Martín Dihigo -- and we get to be in the bleachers. Enjoy!

The hardest thing about cooking Chilean cuisine in the States is that many of the ingredients used in Chile don't exist here. This book gives excellent substitutes that are commonly found here. Pretty much any Chilean dish can be found in this book. Great buy.

I was fascinated with this book the moment I picked it up. I loved the way the author brought the recipes to life by sharing his experiences in Chile or telling a bit of history about them. I was pleasantly surprised to find true traditional recipes of which I enjoyed with families and friends while living in Chile. I have not had the opportunity to return to Chile for quite some years but this book help me remember the wonderful food, people and country that Chile is.

As the son of Chilean parents, I now find myself away from my family as adult and longing for those Chilean foods that makes me feel like home. The recipes work well and I was even able to prepare them which is a miracle because I can't cook at all.

I bought this book after a trip to Chile, and wanted to use it to recreate some of the food we tasted there. I enjoyed reading the author's descriptions of Chilean food, especially the cultural references to Chile. I've been quite happy with most of the recipes I've tried, especially the Pastel de Choclo. However, both the recipe for Manjar, and the recipe for Brazo de Reina have problems, and I would recommend against trying them. I've written to Hippocrene Books, asking them to contact Mr. Joelson for corrections, but so far I've not heard from them (which I consider a BIG negative for a cookbook author). If/when I do hear from them, I'll update this review. Chris Braunlich

A well put-together colection of traditional Chilean recipes, along with a healthy smattering of Chilean atmosphere in the form of sayings and literature.

This book is classic Elizabeth Elliott. It is a memoir of her time on the mission field before her marriage to Jim Elliott and a colorful description of the joys and challenges of working with God in the jungle of Central America. The book reveals the excitement, frustration, joy, and sorrow of mission work through her descriptions of her fellow missionaries and the native people they lived and worked with.
Mission work seems to me to be exotic and a little frightening, but seen through books such as this one, I begin to realize that it is much more like my life than it is different (other than the living-in-the-jungle-with-no-running-water-miles-from-the-nearest-grocery-store part). Missionaries still struggle with motivation, they still experience relationship difficulties, they still wonder if they have truly understood God's leading.
I enjoyed this book very much, as I have EE's other books. It is fun, easy reading, and would make a great gift for someone who is interested in missions, knows someone in the mission field, or just enjoys reading memoirs.

This moving book is the true story of Elisabeth Elliot's first year of missionary work in Ecaudor. Her task was to formulate an alphabet for the unwritten Colorado language. With vivid and often humorous description, she tells of the trials of jungle living and the struggles of trying to help the Colorados who did their best to avoid the influence of outsiders.

During this time, Elisabeth faced several painful lessons, testing her faith in God when it appeared that this faith was in vain. Her missionary work seemed fruitless, yet through this suffering, she learned that it is "in our acceptance of what is given that God gives himself."

This story is hauntingly sad, but Elisabeth's firm belief in the sovereignty of God shines through. She shows that God asks us only to trust and obey. When all the evidence seems to prove your faith in vain, this book will encourage you to continue in faith, prayer, and obedience.

The story of Elisabeth's first year on the mission field has often been glossed over in response to the more well-known facts of her husbands martyrdom.
This book tells the story of that first year in such a vivid and open way that one can't help but connect with her through joys and sorrows, disappointments and triumphs.

In this book, more than any of the others, Elisabeth Elliot seems so real. What an encouragement that someone who wasn't all that different than me should turn out to be such a strong woman of God...

If you, like me, are one of those needing help to go on during a crisis, this is the book for you. Elisabeth Elliot follows Amy Carmichael's (missionary to India) wisdom and "does the next thing" leaving the results with God.

I've always thought Elisabeth Elliot was an exceptional woman. But after reading this book, I have a new found respect for her. It is easy to say God is sovereign.But when you have sacrificed the comforts of modern life and served God on his terms, you earn a whole new level of respect. This is an encouraging book. I am not a missionary, but a homeschooling mom. And this book spoke to my heart. Ms. Elliot speaks of four lessons of faith. They are bedrock. The last paragraph says, "Christ is sufficient. We do not need support groups for each and every separate tribulation. The most widely divergent sorrows may all be taken to the foot of the same old rugged cross and find there cleansing, peace and joy." It is so easy to be overwhelmed with life's situations, to think I am in a rut. This book is an uplifting reminder that we are not to be knocked off course by lifes trials. But to look at them as an opportunity for God to once again prove that his grace is sufficient.

I travelled throughout Bolivia and Peru a few years back and I can relate to this travel diary. I think it is a "Must-Read" for anyone thinking of travelling to Bolivia. I like how they took bits and pieces of blogs and put them in the book and printed the weblink for the addresses. I have surfed around some of the sites and there is a ton of info on them.

Some hilarious stories that any South American Traveller can relate too. It is also filled with great tips and advice. It will come in handy as I am planning on going back to Bolivia next summer.

Unfortunately, I went to Bolivia before reading this book and now realize all the things I missed. I am definetely inspired to return to Bolivia someday after reading this book. Each of the stories has a different style, some I liked a lot and some not so much, but they are all are interesting and extremely informative. You can read about a lot of places that are not found in conventional guide books and get a real sense of what places have a good vibe and are worth visiting and what places to avoid.

Hilburn definitely captured the essence of Bolivia. Whether you are a first time vistor or a long time resident you will enjoy the compulations captured in this great book. A must read for anyone interested in the inside track to the culture of this intriguing land.

I highly recommend this to readers with a soul for adventure and a curiosity not easily satisfied. Entertaining and educational. I definitely will share with my five friends and brothers.

Having traveled Bolivia and falling in love with the country, i was curious to see what this book was all about being the skeptic that i am. However i was pleasantly suprised upon reading the anecdotal humor that Hilburn uses so eloquently. Even if you have no plans to ever visit Bolivia, the stories in this book are alone well worth the purchase. Its very easy to read and you will be very happy you did. Next to the Bible, this is one of my all time favorites. Adam Rosenfeld

Hard to put down. Reads from a journal prospective of many adventurous sojourns to Bolivia. I can appreciate that because it gives a lot of different takes on various desitnations, all from individual travellers. Witty, humorous, and full of incredible experiences; but also some well learned lessons and places to avoid. This book has enlightened me to the romance and adventure of taking the back road while backpacking on my forthcoming trip to Bolivia.

I made copies of some of the poems to put on the overhead for my classroom of middle school students. Some of my Spanish speakers "volunteered" (at my urging) to read aloud, and all the kids loved it! The art selections are appropriate and the readability level is good for this age (even in the Spanish) A great addition to any teacher's bookshelf.

I found this book a valuable resource for getting young children interested in poetry. I have used this book for three years now and the response from my 2nd and 3rd graders has been fantastic. Many of the poems in this book, the kiddos can associate with making for interesting reading. This is a must buy for anyone trying to introduce poetry in the classroom.

This is a wonderful book . The pictures work the imagination and the poems are beautiful. The dual language format will intrigue young readers and just may get them interested in a 'different' language. In addition this will expose youngsters to some of Mexico's rich culture. I know several college professors who have adopted this book to use in their Children's Literature and reading courses. Truth be told, I liked it so much I bought it for myself several years ago and have been 'advertising' it ever since.

This book may turn out to be my all-time favorite book of bilingual poetry. The frosting on the cake, so to speak, turns out to be the art work accompanying the poetry. Each time I read one of the poems I like it better than the last time. And these are carefully selected, excellent quality poems: with writers such as Octavio Paz, Alberto Blanco, Rosario Castellanos (and many more) how could they not be terrific? A lasting gift for any occasion, especially for someone interested in bilingual stories from Mexico.

Being a beginning self-taught student in Spanish with a special interest in Mexican Spanish by way of my residency in Texas, I took a chance on purchasing this bilingual book and was more than delighted by what I found inside. The convenient side-by-side text of the poems and short stories makes it easy to follow the translations and improve language skills. However, the real treasures in this book are discovered slowly, as one peruses the glowing artwork by various Mexican artists in conjunction with the inspiring words that seem to interweave themselves into the pictures. This is a book to sit back and savor during personal quiet time, or to read to your children. The melodic rhythms of both the Spanish and English texts rock the heart and soothe the soul.

The sincere/passionate message of service and human accountability to help your fellow man, whether that man(or woman) is homeless or simply has not had the gifts that you may have may have recieved in life, is found throughout this wonderful and inspirational book. I have read it more than once, whenever I need some "perspective". I have asked my teenage children to also read this book as well. My daughter read and analyzed this book in her ninth-grade english class and I would applaud any teacher (high-school or college) to do the same. I guarantee teachers will get a reaction and hopefully that seed of conscience toward human accountability for service will be nourished. I am lucky to know Dr. Greer and the sincerity and integrity that he carries out his calling in life is real and can be validated by anyone who has met him.

I purchased and read Dr. Greer's book and was expremely impressed with the details that were modestly included. I did see his presentation on cable TV and his image is is as modest as the book is written. I feel that he is an asset to the medical profession and writing profession and would sincerely like to see more work by him in literature. I would like to stresss here that I have read this book 4 times and still pickup different things while reading this text. The book is an excellent credit to his modesty, profession, humbleness, an sincerity to society.

The book was exellent. It made me really see what goes on with the homeless. Dr. Greer has struggled with giving the homeless medical service, as well as becoming their friend. The same way Dr. Greer has learned from the homeless, we all should learn from him and help him in this.

WHEN I PURCHASED THIS INSPIRATIONAL BOOK ON THE PRACTICE OF MEDICINE, I NEVER SAW THE DAY WHEN I WOULD BE READING AND RE READING A BOOK FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME. BOOK HAS IMPACT ON ANYONE INTERESTED IN SOCIETY AND IT'S ENHANCEMENT AND IMPROVEMENT. THERE SHOULD BE MORE OF DR. GREER'S KIND OF LITERATURE AND FEELINGS EXRESSED IN WRITING. THE TEXT IN GENERAL IS NOT HEAVY READING BUT HAS CONSIDERABLE EMOTION AND GRAPHIC DEPICTION OF AN INDIVIDUAL WITH A WHITE COAT SERVING HIS COMMUNITY ESPECIALLY WITH THE ENDORSEMENT OF HIS WIFE AND FAMILY. THE DOCTOR IS ALSO TRAINING DOCTORS HOW TO BECOME SENSITIVE TO THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY. THE MEDICAL PROFESSION SHOULD BE USING THIS TYPE OF BOOK AS A METHOD OF TEACHING AND EDUCATING OTHER DOCTORS WITHIN THEIR HALLS OF ACADEMIA. AS AM INSTRUCTOR AT AREA COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IN BUSINESS, I WILL INCLUDE THIS BOOK ON MY SUGGESTED READ LIST FOR ETHICS IN BUSINESS AND AREAS WHERE THEY ARE DEALING WITH PEOPLE.

DR.PEDRO JOSE GREER,M.D.-REKINDLED THE PHRASE BY PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY-ASK NOT WHAT YOUR COUNTRY CAN DO FOR YOU-ASK WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR COUNTRY."THE COMPASSION THAT THIS MAN SHOWS TOWARDS THE LOST AND FORGOTTEN SOULS IN AMERICA NEEDS TO BE REKINDLED IN ALL OF US.IT REMINDED ME OF THE TIME I SPENT AT THE LOS ANGELES FREE CLINIC DURING THE EARLY 70'S.DR.GREER SHOWED US THAT SOCIAL AWARENESS AND COMPASSION MUST BE AVAILABLE 7 DAYS A WEEK -24 HRS/DAY.TACKLING MEDICAL PROBLEMS IN AMERICAN SOCIETY CAN BE ACHIEVED IF ALL OF US WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM FOR THE BETTERMENT OF A HUMAN BEING.

This is a very nice book, another amazing collection of (anti)poems and visual artefactos by Parra.

Remarkable translation of Liz Werner.

This is an english edition, but since some of these poems have not appeared previously, this book will also be a must-have for Parra followers in the spanish community. But even for old poems, is a very interesting experience to read the antipoems in a different language and to see them find their way in the intricacies of each language. It is necessary to say, however, that in the introduction Werner clearly states that Parra thinks that these are not really translations, because antipoems cannot be translated, so these are rewrittings. But probably the best possible ones.

Parra style, for those that have not heard about him, is better understood by reading it than by using descriptions:

TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT

To make a long story short
I leave all my possessions
to the Municipal Slaughterhouse
to the Special Forces Unit of the Police Department
to Lucky Dog Lotto

So now if you want you can shoot

This book is truly magnificent. Parra has one of the most clever minds in poetry today. His antipoems are very attractive as they move away from the old traditional poetic style. I understand Parra will be proposed for the Literature Nobel Prize next year (2001). I couldn't agree more.

There are a wide variety of translations here; in both quality and fidelity to the original spanish. The fact that the poems are presented with both the original and the translation makes this book worth it. The Miller Williams and William Carlos Williams translations are wonderful, but some translations, like those by Ginsberg suffer from perhaps too much beat aesethetic co-oped into the work. Still, Parra is wonderful, full of grit and strange images; yet the Spanish, aside from a few words that are only found in Chilean Spanish, is clear and easy to read. I have even translated some of these poems myself. This is amazing work.

Theodor Adorno claimed that to write poetry after Auschwitz is barbaric. If so, then Parra is the one man who can justifiably escape the charge of barbarity. What Parra writes is nothing less than a full-scale assault on poetry, or as he calls it, "anti-poetry". Parra's work stands in violation of everything that poetry has ever been. If you are used to lyricism and poetic embellishment and will accept nothing less, you will hate this book. Either that, or it will revolutionize how you see the poetic art. Parra is for poetry what the WWF is for entertainment: it is raw, crass and, as people say, "in your face". It is also brilliant. It is not poetry, but it is, in its own unique way, poetic. And like much of the best poetry always has been, it is immersed in life. Its themes are those we all recognize: crooked police, pestering grandchildren, the morning alarm. It expresses for us what we would all like to express but do not or will not. I suppose one could call it catharsis through anti-art. And perhaps in our post-holocaust world, the most genuine art IS anti-art.

This is it, this is where poetry had to go after its many incarnations and its eventual and fateful death. Parra takes (knowingly or unwittingly) Derrida's concept of differrance and uses it to sledge hammer away his words into his `antipoems'. You'll find no Byron in his pages, or even any Cummings, not to mention any particular style per se. There's so much experimenting -and simplifying- with the word here one doesn't know what one is reading anymore... poems? random (though coherent within themselves) thoughts on paper? cooking recipes? jokes? straightforward reflections on banal life? political commentary?.. yes, all of this.

If there is anything `anti' here is anti-boredom, each `piece' jumps out of the page with offhand easiness, and pomposity is reduced to the reader's own dull lack of imagination. Parra does so much away with droll academic stodginess and allows the invigorating flow of his... expressive, often hilarious and profound, communications; for it is this in the end that comes through -to which anyone at any reading level can enjoy. There are even some `poems' done in a cool artwork-doodle style. What a stimulating and inspired work of art.

I have always been interested in Latin America, particularly when its regarding it's metropolises. The sheer economic, social, and cultural contrasts these metropolises display is exciting and appealing to me, more so due to my interest in politics, sociology, and economics.

However, Buenos Aires: El Escenario Urbano is an excellent book depicting Buenos Aires in all its dimensions. It covers this amazing South American capital in all angles and points of views. It's well balanced giving the reader glimpses of what life is like for the denizens of Buenos Aires, while at the same time it does not neglects some of the urban social/economic problems the city faces. Despite this, the problems are presented in such a way that its not depressing at all! The author is truly impressive in his way of accomplishing such a well rounded book of a metropolis worth discovering.

The photos are incredible!

This book is a perfect introduction to anyone planning to visit Buenos Aires, anyone who lives in Buenos Aires, or anyone who simply likes to travel from the comfort of a couch and simply let the imagination do the work by reading about other places on earth!

I hope Sebastian Letemendia starts a series of "El Escenario Urbano" about other Latin American metropolises such as Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro, Santo Domingo, Caracas, and others.

A rare view of Buenos Aires, from an insider's perspective. Having read a number of books on Buenos Aires, it seems that many authors only think of La Recoleta and Palermo as the only interesting places in Buenos Aires. Mr. Letemendia shows his readers the beaty and complexities of a great city. A great read.

We bought this book as a gift to an English-only speaker, but to our regret, we are returning it, because the English part of the book comes as an addendum at the end of the book. It would be great if it is published with Spanish and English side by side.

Once again, Mr. Letemendia produces a powerful book which immediately pulls the reader in. The photographs are outstanding! They represent not only the beauty of the city, but also a feeling for how people live in the city. In addition to being an exceptional photographer, Mr. Letemendia is also a talented writer. His portrayal of the city's history and development give the reader an understanding of and appreciation for the complexity of Buenos Aires. I have never been to Buenos Aires yet now I feel I know it. The book is a great enticement to visit Buenos Aires. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it!

If you like - or think you might like - Buenos Aires, then this is a book worth having. As opposed to the typical great picture approach that makes every place look like paradise, the author's photographs reflect the city as it really is, balancing the typical beautiful views with others that depict every day life and even less pleasant ones that also form part of every city.

At the same time, the author explains in very ammenable text, how and why Buenos Aires got to be what it is, thoroughly analyzing in each chapter a different component of the city's life.

This beautifully assembled combination of text and pictures conveys a very truthfull and wholesome idea of Buenos Aires.

Worth buying and keeping!