South America Books

It's worth picking up a copy, alot of information in there. Good thick book. Glad i bought it.

This book must have taken a life time of research and work. It is the most comprehensive and complete work on the Maya I have read. I was particulary interested in the Maya Calendar history and their methods of working the calendar.

This is by far the most comprehensive book about the ancient Maya. There are several excellent shorter ones; this is the go-to book for thorough reference. It has become almost as "classic" as Maya civilization. Sharer reminisces about being "hooked on" Maya studies by the third edition (by Morley and Brainerd, 1956); so was I, back when it was newly minted. How much has changed since. Scholars can now read Maya. We now can match written history, sculptured portrayals, and archaeological findings to identify the actual skeletons of some of the greatest and most famous Maya kings, such as Yax K'uk' Mo' of Palenque. We have entire dynastic lists covering centuries, for many of the major cities. We can use bone chemistry to find out what the Maya ate. All of this was almost beyond the wildest dreams of the 1950s.
The Maya turn out to have been as brilliant, original and creative as anyone ever thought, a truly homemade civilization, one of the few in a tropical forest environment. They are said to have "collapsed" due to ecological maladjustment, but this book notes that modern research shows the civilization lasted well over 1,000 years before the "collapse" around 900 AD, and it was a fairly local phenomenon. This local collapse was due to drought, warfare, and some ecological overshoot--too many people doing too much (including burning too many trees to make lime for stucco and cement). The Maya kept on. They took on the Spanish and often won. The last independent state held out till 1697, and Maya continued holding out in remote backlands; in 1846 the Mexican Maya rebelled again, and created an independent state, finally reconquered after 1900 and turned into the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. As for what has happened since, suffice it to say that 3 days ago I saw an election sign painted in huge letters on a wall in central Quintana Roo: "PRESERVE YOUR PRIDE IN BEING MAYA!"
There are very few errors in this book, but some need correcting in the 7th edition. Most are in the very early sections, and are often left over from previous editions. Page 5, 16th-century Europeans are said to be "secure in the knowledge that they alone represented civilized life...." No, they revered China, and knew plenty about India, Persia and Arabia. P. 9, coffee is said to have come "soon" with the Europeans; not till the 19th century, at least as a major crop. 23, Nahuatl loanwords reflecting rise of central Mexico in the Postclassic: Well, a lot of those Nahuatl loanwords came with the Spanish (who had Nahuatl soldiers with them). Page 33, caiman: The book confuses the animal called "caiman" in English, an alligator-like creature not found within hundreds of miles of Mayaland, with the crocodile, which is called "caiman" in Mexican Spanish; also, pythons are claimed as native to Mayaland! The nearest they get is Africa; evidently "boa constrictors" are meant. Then nothing till page 640, where a typo (apparently two decimal places missed) has given us a preposterous yield figure for beans (in the table at the top of the page). The yields of maize are also pretty high, though not ridiculous. There are a few other errors in the book, but nothing of consequence that I can pick up.
The book uses the "new" transcription system for Maya languages, but sometimes slips and uses the "old" system, and sometimes mixes them up in the same word (e.g. "dz'onot" on p. 52). One related annoyance--not Sharer's fault; alas, it is becoming standard--is respelling "Yucatec" in the new transcription system. "Yucatec" is a SPANISH word, with no excuse in Maya, and should not be respelled. (For the record, the Spanish coined "Yucatec" from a misunderstood Maya phrase and a Nahuatl ending. They also popularized some Nahuatl ethnic names for Maya peoples. These names, like Huastec and Aguacatec, should be spelled in whatever system in now standard for Nahuatl--not in a Maya system. Better yet, they should be replaced with the actual Mayan names, like Teenek for Huastec.)
The one place I would respectfully disagree with this book is on ancient Maya population. Sharer has "tens of millions" of Maya in the 700s AD and around then. On the basis of some years of field experience with (mostly modern) Maya agriculture, I don't think this is possible. Granted that the old myth of purely-swidden agriculture is long dead, "tens of millions" would require agricultural intensity of a sort found, in preindustrial times, only in the wet-rice lands of east and southeast Asia. Mayaland is small, and only some of it is at all fertile. Sharer's evidence is a couple of surveys showing high densities of settlement in particularly favored areas; not only are they atypical, there is no guarantee the houses discovered were all occupied at once. I would guess the peak total for Mayaland was between 5 and 10 million; at least, the agriculture I know would support that many, if it had some additional intensification of the sort well documented. Beyond that, all is speculative.
One more thought. The Maya were supposed to be "peaceful" back in my student days. Then, with reading the Classic Period texts, scholars found they were pretty warlike. This led to some exaggeration the other way. Fortunately, Sharer is far too careful and comprehensive a scholar to fall for either the "peaceful" or the "warlike" view. The "warlike" view was justified by the big monuments in the Maya city squares. These commemorated wars and victories, just as do those in town squares in the midwestern US. Alas, we lack the ordinary writings--the equivalent of midwestern newspapers, with their record of marriages, births, corn and hog prices, store openings, and the like. Surely the Maya had their equivalents. What interests me here is the incredibly long life spans of Maya kings. Many lived, and even reigned, for 50, 60, even 70 years. Compare that with the Roman or Chinese emperors or the kings of France. Clearly, Mayaland in its glory days was a pretty peaceful, healthy place--though, indeed, not the paradise dreamed by romantic archaeologists of the early 20th century!
The ancient Maya are still a pretty mysterious lot in many ways, and there is a huge amount to learn. We had better do it soon. Sharer provides a long, excellent, very disturbing account of the looting that has destroyed much of the Maya heritage and will destroy all of it (at least in Guatemala) if a massive effort isn't mounted soon.
On the other hand, nothing is more heartening than the number of Maya who are becoming archaeologists and ethnographers, and studying their own past. More power to them.

Had this book been less than half its size readers would end up learning much more about the Maya from it. Unfortunately, there's much too much that belongs in an Archeology 101 class here and by the time you get to some discussion of the Maya, you're half asleep. Those of us who are not reading archeology for the first time will wish the author had just kept his discussion to the Maya, as the title suggests he will, and assumed we understood the basics.

Personally, I'm still looking for a book on the Maya so that as I travel from site to site in Quintanaroo, Yucatan, Guatemala and Honduras, I will have a basic understanding of the site I'm driving to. I just booked a trip that will book me in the area of Chac Mool soon. I'll see what I can find.

By far the most thorough book on the Ancient Maya I have ever seen. It covers all the history and gives a great deal of arceological information. There is also a lot of information on the religious, social, and economic life of the Maya. The book covers in great deal the history of each Mayan polity and it is very well organized. If there is anything you want to know about the Maya it will be in this book.

This is a wonderful collection of poems by Neruda in a bilingual edition. I'm planning to use it in a course I'm teaching in Fall '08.

Que bueno la traduccion y el original... Neruda es lo mejor de los mejores. Un libro exquisito.

I was a rookie when it comes to reading stylized writings like that of Pablo Neruda. I ordered the book as a friend suggested thinking it would be an impressive addition to my library not realizing that I would really enjoy his deep, thought-provoking and yet whimsical poems. My recommendation is to try it, you'll like it!!

Neruda was my companion during a 7 months journey and i remember clearly as water how many times i took this book with me to read it in front of the ocean. I am not very fond to poetry but with Neruda its impossible not in fall in love with the magic of words. You should have this book in your hands and heart.

I actually got this collection to study up on my Spanish, and I found myself emmersed in his tangible words. I found it interesting that some of the translations seem slightly weaker in English, but maybe that's just me.

What I like about Neruda is that his poetry can really talk to a general readership without sacrificing the aestheticism of poetic language. He seems to have an uncanny way of being brutally raw with his lanugaue, while letting the images, hard as they are, float softly, like flower petals.

Maybe I'm in love with the guy. Oh to be a poet.

I heard about this book in Brasilia, Brazil earlier this year, from a citizen of Brazil. It is a very good insight into the nation and the "accidental president". I learned a lot about this important country and why it looks to Europe and why the USA is less important to it. I recommend this book highly for persons wanting to learn about Brazil and for those who enjoy politics.

In The Accidental President of Brazil, Fernando Henrique Cardoso provides an entertaining look at his unusual career, from his privileged childhood by the beach in Rio, to his sociology research in the shantytowns, to his exile during the military dictatorship, to his entry into politics and taming of Brazil's runaway inflation. An engaging and personable narrator, Cardoso provides fascinating contextual details of Brazilian history as well as the colorful personalities who have shaped it, like Emperor Dom Pedro II, Getulio Vargas, Janio Quadros, and Lula Da Silva. Throughout the book, Cardoso's love for his country and commitment to the poor are apparent, as is his conviction that sensible leaders, guided by good will and tempered by serious policy debate, actually can solve large problems in large countries.

This is an intriguing and informative political memoir, and I would highly recommend it to anybody interested in recent Brazilian history and politics. First of all, let me share the observation that there really don't seem to be many good books on contemporary Brazil. I am a non-specialist when it comes to Brazil and so I've been searching for some journalistic accounts, travelogues, etc. I was kind of led to this book because it was about the only thing I could find on recent Brazilian politics, but it ended up being a very rewarding read.

There are two primary reasons that Mr. Cardoso's memoir succeeds so well. First, the subject matter, modern Brazilian political history, is intrinsically interesting. Second, and most importantly, however, Mr. Cardoso is a truly engaging and oftentimes humorous writer. This is somewhat of a surprise given his academic background. Mr. Cardoso was a fairly successful sociologist before entering politics, and I half expected that dry academic language to show up now and then in his memoirs, but that is certainly not the case. In fact, Cardoso has a very good sense of humor regarding his academic disposition, and how it has both helped and hindered him in political life.

One point that might be of relevance to those considering whether to read this book: you might be somewhat disappointed if you are only interested in very recent Brazilian history. Practically the first two-thirds of the book detail Mr. Cardoso's life BEFORE he assumed the presidency. Cardoso brings a very interesting perspective to Brazil's turbulent political history, as he was born into a very powerful military family. His grandfather was a leader of the revolt that brought down the monarchy, while his father was an influential figure under the Vargas regime. Cardoso expertly explains the various elite conflicts that kept Brazil in a state of perpetual political instability for much of the 20th century. As a result of a military coup after WWII, Cardoso was forced into exile, as were many other intellectuals. He spent some of this time in Chile, and one episode recalls a party he attended at Pablo Neruda's house, where he met not only the host but future Chilean president Salvador Allende. He was eventually allowed to return, but his dissatisfaction with the military regime that refused to relinquish control induced him to enter the political fray as an opposition figure.

Roughly the last third of the book covers Cardoso's time as president. Cardoso here describes the challenges he faced reforming Brazil's inflation-addled economy (and protecting Brazil from the global financial crises of the late 1990's), fighting corruption, and fixing some of the country's endemic social problems. The latter include the HIV crisis, in which one can reasonably say that Cardoso's administration was successful, and agrarian reform, a problem which still persists to this day. There are also several sections in which he details his troubled and fluctuating relationship with Lula, Brazil's current president. Finally, some of the more interesting episodes recounted in the book are Cardoso's encounters with and impressions of various other world leaders. He had a very close relationship with President Clinton (who, incidentally, writes the preface to this book), and while his praise for the ex-American leader is undoubted sincere, it might to some seem a bit excessive. His impression of George W. Bush is evidently less favorable, and Cardoso even recounts one conversation in which our president asked in surprise, "Do you have blacks down there in Brazil, too?"

In sum, pick this book up if you are interested in Brazil, Latin American politics, or political memoirs more generally.

I picked up this book to begin a lesson in the history of Brazil, of which my boyfriend is a citizen. This is by far the best history book I have ever read. Fernando Henrique does a wonderful job of telling the story of his country intertwined with the story of his family, giving the reader a better understanding of his unique perspective of his country. It is informative and entertaining at the same time. Highly recommended.

I really enjoyed this book. Cardoso tells the story of his rise to power in a very humorous manner and fills the gaps with Brazilian political history. Cardoso comes off as a very likable man and treats opponents with a fair hand. Cardoso was obviously the right man at the right time for Brazil. He beat Lula twice and Brazilians can be happy for that. Cardoso introduced the real, redistributed farm lands to poor families, brought free HIV medicine to Brazil, fought against corruption, and privatized the phone company - allowing hundred of thousands of Brazilians to get connected. By the time Lula was finally elected, he had no choice but to accept Cardoso's policies because they work for Brazil. Cardoso brought Brazil into the modern age. I love Brazil and have gained a great deal of respect for Cardoso. Excellent read.

The sub-title of this book is 'On Horseback Out of Patagonia, A Life Journey.' The book chronicles the deeply personal and very unique life journey of Elly & Nathan Foote with four horses and a dog from the end of South America to Texas in the early nineteen seventies. Descriptions of people and places abound, but this is more than a travelogue; it is a story of overcoming obstacles and having the courage to open oneself to a world of new experiences, both very good and unthinkably bad. Take the opportunity to live this journey vicariously with Elly & Nathan, and share the thoughts and emotions that they had along the way. In the end, you may be glad that you played it safe and never undertook such a life changing journey of your own, or it may just make you wish that you had. Either way, your mind will be broadened by sharing their experiences, and you will be glad that you took the trip, if only by reading this book.

I found this book by chance one day when casually meandering through reviews and links at Amazon. How strange to discover such a profoundly moving book in such a manner! It is easily one of the best books I've read in the past 10 years, yet I almost missed it entirely. My copy is now littered with "footprints" as I marked passage after passage of wisdom that the Foote's acquired and shared, such as this: "Years of travelling, always wary, taught us that all you control is your own reaction. And that is how you can control a situation." But the book shares much more than wisdom acquired on the trail. It also shares the pain and joy and intensity of an incredible journey.

At first glance, RITW might be considered a book about the incredible endurance of horses in extreme environments. Perhaps the casual reader will believe this book to be about 2 people out to "find" themselves. Recent dovotees of "Ecoquests" and endurance sports would no doubt find some connection to this tale. In my opinion the authors reach much deeper and explore fundamental life questions as much as provide rich description of some of the most challenging terrain on the planet. This book is no rehash of a diary. Nor is it a "travelouge" describing the really cool things to do during the day and the jacuzzi stops at night. Observe: Nathan and Elly's journey took place over 30 years ago - RITW was published in 2003! Life has continued for Nathan and Elly. This book was written certainly to entertain and astound but with wisdom that comes from much reflection and organization of thoughts. All of this, but I am fairly certain that any reader will cheer, imagine the bugs, smell the vegetation, cry at losses, "squoosh" in the mud, learn from the anguish and subsequent (though not necessarily inevitable) perserverence to recovery, dabble into the politics of the time, and complete the book fully satiated. Oh, and yes, this book most exquisitely and beautifully describes horses, horsemanship and the bond human beings can share with these marvelous creatures as well as our canine friends. Elly and Nathan didn't set out to set records or change the world (perhaps in retrospect!); but they did write a book of lessons all the more relevant in today's "snippet", get-it-done-fast society.

One moral - live in the moment (I think Yoda said something like that to Luke...)

The short version: great read with stuff that you'll think about a long time following!

As the author of the movies "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron,"
and "Hidalgo," I have a passion for stories about unbroken
spirit and the courage to follow one's dreams into uncharted terrain (not to mention stories about remarkable horses).

"Riding into the Wind," is such a book and more. Elly and Nathan Foote write with the same vision and conviction that they live their lives by, and they have that rare gift of transporting the reader onto the unbeaten path with them. It will inspire you to reexamine your life and reconnect with your dreams no matter how impossible the conformist world tells you they are.

This is by far the best equestrian travel book I've read and a
ride you'll remember forever.

Nathan and Elly Foote are true adventerers who conquered distance, foul luck, hard times and thousands of miles, proving that with real mettle, you can follow your dreams. The book is a must-read for horsepersons, and a treat for horse trekkers the world over. The fact that they did it with America's First Horse--Criollos and Spanish Mustangs--just makes it that much better. If you saw Hidalgo and want to know more about the Gilbert Jones Mustangs mentioned at the end of the movie, here's a great place to read about their toughness in actual distance work in modern times. Hats off to Nathan and Elly!

Don't be misled by "sour grapes" contributors here. They have their own agendas, and it isn't the buyer's edification, you can be sure.

Rita's book is the best guide book written to date. We found it very informative and the coupons in the back were wonderful! We used most of them. The maps were extremelty helpful! We copied them and handed them out to all our family members. We have been going to WDW twice a year for seven or eight years, and have purchased many books, this book is outstanding!

After being disappointed by other guidebooks, I finally bought Aero's book and was amazed by the wealth of planning insight. This book is nothing short of empowerment for family vacation planning. For the first time we enjoyed a vacation where we all equally loved the hotel, restaurants, and rides. This book is a vacation saver.

We thought this guide book the best of the bunch - it is well laid out and easy to read with great maps of every area in the 'World'. Best of all, buying it enables you to access Rita's great Website, which is chock full of up-to-the-minute, detailed tips and trip reports as well as updates on attractions and happenings at WDW. A great plus!!

Having been to WDW several times, and always purchasing a guidebook before leaving to get recent updates, I came upon Rita Aeros book, Walt Disney World for Adults by accident. I initially purchased the book for the coupon values and was disappointed when discovering they were no longer valid. I intended to return the book after discovering the expiration of the coupons but decided to check out the website before I did. This was the BEST decision I could have made. Not only did I keep the book and read it thoroughly, but I have discovered a wealth of information on her web site. It is truly the most informative, user friendly web site you could possibly find anywhere. I have already saved hundreds of dollars using the information I have gleaned. This book and its accompanying web site are unsurpassed for value. Rita Aero's book has done a marvelous job in breaking down all the different areas of WDW (hotels, transportation, restaurants, theme parks, etc.). with honest evaluations, in an easy to read and comprehensive style.

This is the book that has it all. Resorts, Restaurants, Parks, Attractions, Night Clubs, Sports, Kids, Family, Groups, Discounts, Charts, Ratings, Reviews, Tips, Tricks, Secrets, etc, etc.

The information in this edition is still fresher and more accurate than any 1999 guidebook, and I should know, I visit WDW at least four times per year. Other guidebooks are just repackaged every year with a new cover.

Note: I found the Animal Kingdom chapter in this edition to be a bit weak, but I found marvelous AK information on the book's website.

This is the only book to have ever included useful coupons, but they expired recently. The book's website has lots of good electronic coupons in the Readers' Clubhouse. The clubhouse has excellent information and wonderful community! I saved $768 last trip. NO other guidebook (and I have them all) can match the quality of Rita Aero's work, and no other major guidebook has a website or a supporting author. This one is a MUST HAVE!

Thanks for the magical vacations, Rita!

This book provides an excellent overview of the arc of Diebenkorn's painting style, from abstract to figurative and then to his final amazing abstracts. This is a good starting point for understanding Diebenkorn's art, with large beautiful color prints of his paintings. And, because it's a paperback edition, it's pretty affordable for an oversized, color fine arts book.

Great reference on Diebenkorn with lots of color plates and in-depth text on the process of his work. It was recommended by my professor and I keep it by my easel!

If you love the Bay Are Figurative movement as much as I do, this book is the definitive volume.

Richard Diebenkorn has finally achieved the status of Modern Master, but his success was only secured later in his life and after his death. Although he was at first an Abstract Expressionist artist who painted as convincingly as Still, Rothko, Kline and Motherwell, he was too much identified with the Bay Area, and therefore he did not have the imprimatur of the New York critics. Then, in the 1950s, he was viewed as having betrayed the New York Abstract Expressionists, when he turned to figurative painting with David Park and Elmer Bischoff. Eventually, until his death, he returned to abstraction with his much-acclaimed "Ocean Park" series. And then the critics finally realized what had eluded them for years: That Diebenkorn painted abstract realism, leaning more to one and then the other, all his life.

Jane Livingston does a fine job of portraying the life of Richard Diebenkorn through his stunning paintings, which exemplify fire beneath the calm. Be sure to read the Norland book as well, since his book is still the seminal book on Diebenkorn.

This is a great collection of Diebenkorn's work through the years. Though it's a paperback, the book is big, sturdy, and will last a long time. The color plates are very true to his original works.

A must read. A great selection of non-fiction material. If you know and like Borges you know you'll be pleased, if this is your first time reading Borges I guarantee that it won't be your last, you'll keep buying all his work. Borges wasn't a man, he was a library, a portal to knowledge and wisdom.

Enjoy

To read Borges, you become Borges. You see yourself in his mirrors, you regard the books you read as the books he reads. You appreciate what he appreciates, loving the literature he has absorbed, finding your way through the complex interweaving of his passions: Romantic English Poetry, Shakespeare, H.G. Well, Edgar Allan Poe, Dante, Icelandic Sagas, German Idealism, the Kabbala, Schopenhauer, Bergson, English Empiricism, Sufism, etc... All literary roads lead to Borges.

He lived a long, rich life. He is the Librarian you might meet in heaven. If only he were still alive to guide the reading public. If only he lived today and had a website, to think of all the books he might recommend. And wouldn't it be wonderful, to learn about his opinions on modern writers.

With the Collected Fictions, this book is a testament to the literary critic/philosphical wanderer in us all. Each essay is a delicate delicacy. This book is for you if you're a gourmand of good writing, great thinking and the pleasure of exploring the vast expanding world of literature. This book is rich, complex and wondrous. His writings on Dante and Shakespeare, his reviews, his philosophical essays... just read the book and become Borges becoming you.

Eliot Weinberger has done a real service to the world of literature by selecting, and translating these pieces. They show the range of interest, the incredible ability to make inventive creative cross- connections of one of Modern Literature's true masters, Borges.
Borges covers worlds in his writing, worlds of Literature , worlds of the Argentinean society he and some of his ancestors grew up in, worlds given in a universal encycopediac reading, which seems to cover all continents and all cultures.
Borges greatest work is considered to be his ' Ficciones'. But his signature is present in all , in a single page of a book- review or a philosphical meditation.
For him worlds mingle and combine, and are retranslated in such a way as to reappear as Literature.
He also in this work reveals himself to be a decent and courageous opponent of Fascism.
He confounds and surprises us at times with these strange mixings of things, but the poetic and parable- like element is so strong in this work that it engages us, and forces us to question our own small pictures of reality.
What a great and interesting writer. What a pleasure to have this work to enrich our minds with.

Because Borges lived and worked in Argentina, few have heard of him in the English-speaking world. Those that have are probably most familiar with his fiction stories. This book of non-fiction essays shows the vast knowledge and wide variation of interests of Borges. Therefore, this collection really does have something for everyone. Unfortunately, there are also many essays that are unreadable, some annoying repititions, and some essays are just plain dull.

So, what does Borges write about? He covers some metaphysical ground on the nature of time and infinity. He defines heaven as an infinite library, and then goes into the nature of infinity. On the more mundane end, he reviews movies and gives capsule biographies of authors - King Kong, Citizen Kane, and more obscure (and not necessarily Hollywood) films. He writes on contemporary (at the time) politics - Nazi Germany, the curators of the national library, etc. He gets intensely personal - there is one essay on the progression of his blindness. But if there is a main theme that permeates these pieces, it's his love of literature in all languages - Spanish, English (old and modern), German. He has an abiding love of the Greek classics (Homer, Virgil) and great admiration for Joyce, Poe, and Chesterton.

Unfortunately, those of us with a less classical education cannot keep up to everything that Borges says - I, for one, will never have the time to learn ancient Greek! - which makes certain essays difficult. There are other essays (especially early on) that are simply unintellegible (this may be the fault of the translators, especially since there are times when two or three essays cover the same ground with increasing degrees of murkiness). But it always happened that a real gem would appear just when I was getting frustrated with a series of uninteresting essays.

On the balance, about a third of the essays are not interesting (or badly translated, or repetitions), a third are interesting if not spectacular, and the final third have at least one moment of sheer brilliance. It's well worth buying, but it's unlikely you'll read it from cover to cover without taking a break - I took many breaks to read other things, and it took me over 1.5 years to complete the whole book. But you know what? - on the balance, I like his non-fiction better than his fiction

Borges claims in one of these articles that he was "more proud of the books he has read than the books he has written." I imagine I would feel the same way, had I written any books! And I think this statement captures the unifying theme of this compendium. Herein Borges will astonish and charm you with the breadth, variety, and whimsy of his literary taste.

The book is a compilation of critical essays, social commentary, reviews of the fledgling film art, and other oddities published in various media from throughout Borges's literary life. Each offers you new horizens for literary pursuit and further reading, and all are executed with Borges's renowned concision.

What I like most of all is that Borges is more interested the kinds of books people really enjoy reading, such as Bradbury, HG Wells, Lord Dunsany, and Kipling, rather than the fossilized academic "classics." One of my favorite features are the several recommended reading lists, in which Borges passes on his own most pleasurable reading experiences. There is also a refreshing eclecticism in Borges's taste--for example, this book lead me to Mathematics and the Imagination, a fun popular math book. Another personal highlight is the essay on Edward Fitzgerald.

This volume is not something one would read from cover to cover in several sittings, but rather a treasure trove to be mined from time to time, like the famous cave discovered by Ali Baba in that book so dear to Borges's heart!

Well-researched and well-written, this book looks at just about every aspect of the southern soldier: recruitment, messing, billeting, leave, camp life, etc. An excellent book and one that has remained on my shelf ever since I read it. Useful as a reference and entertaining as a good read... how many books can say that?

Few books are written of the common soldiers of the wars. Most are written of the battles they faught in and the generals they served under. This is a nice exception.

A most insightful and highly informative study of the common soldier of the Confederacy. Well written and very well reseached.

A must have for anyone interested in the Civil war.

Bell Irvin Wiley (1906-1990), a scholar of the American Civil War, is best known for his two early books describing the lives of common soldiers in the Union and Confederate Armies. His book, "The Life of Johnny Reb" appeared in 1943 and was followed in 1952 by its companion volume "The Life of Billy Yank". At the beginning of his career, Wiley tended to concentrate on the Confederate War effort and wrote his book on "Billy Yank" as a result of the fascination he developed from writing his initial work with the common soldier. Ironically, Wiley's book on "Billy Yank" is the stronger of the two in terms of detail, organization, factual material, and analysis. His book on the Confederate soldier remains an important effort, essential to understanding the Southern Civil War experience.

In the Preface to his book, Wiley points out the fascination that the campaigns and personalities of Lee, Jackson, Stuart, and other Southern leaders exert (and continue to exert) on students of the Civil War. He aimed in his book to discuss the life of the soldier "as it really was" including among much else "how the hungry private fried his bacon, baked his biscuit, smoked his pipe". His book succeeds in that aim. Wiley's book gave me a good picture of life in the Southern Army with all its privations and hardships. He does not romanticize his subject or, for all his affection for the Southern soldier, fall prey to "Lost Cause" mythology.

The book opens with a discussion of the enthusiasm of the Southern soldier during the early stages of the War -- largely resulting from the conviction that the War would be short and that the Yankees would go home. He discusses how the dream of a short, decisive conflict quickly faded and how the troops were left with the dangerous, boring, and dehabilitating business of soldiering. Some men continued througout with their convictions and enthusiasm but for most the War became something that could not end soon enough.

Wiley gives good pictures and stories of the tedium of life in the camps during the winter and during the long periods when the armies were not in combat or on the march. He describes the bad food, shoddy clothes, and low pay that were the lot of the Confederate soldier. He discusses the various ways the troops spent their time. ranging from the sins of gambling, drink, and vice to the repeated attempts at religious revivials. Wiley is sensitive to the instances of cowardice and fear in the Confederate war effort but he rightly praises the valor and courage, overall, of the Confederate soldier. They fought tenaciously and hard. Wiley discusses the loneliness of soldier life as the men in the lines went to great efforts to write letters home and thought of their wives and sweethearts.

I thought Wiley's discussion of the unsanitary conditions of the camps and the toll taken by disease and poor medical treatment among the best sections of the book. He also discusses well the ambivalent relationships that frequently developed between Johnny Reb and his enemy in blue. Although it became a total and brutal combat, the Civil War was marked by attempts at fraternization, and what later writers have termed the "brotherhood of men at arms." The feelings the combatants developed for each other became important in the reconciliation efforts following this devastating conflict. Wiley also offers a good discussion of the various types of shoulder arms used by the Southern troops during the war, their manufacture, and their limitations.

There is a great deal of anecdotal material in this book. The text is repetitive at times. But this book and its companion volume remain essential Civil War reading and will give the student a feel for life in the lines.

Bell Irvin Wiley seems to have been the first historian/writer to realize that the Civil War was not just about Lee, Pickett, Grant or Stuart or any of the other guys with stars on their shoulders. The real truth about what happened on those battlefields had to do with the guys in the tattered uniforms and the rotted shoes, trying to fight with defective rifles.

As in his companion book, "The Life of Billy Yank", "The Life of Johnny Reb: The Common Soldier of the Confederacy" is an unflinching look at the seemingly endless plight of a Confederate soldier. This is a very sobering account, and some of the letters the soldiers wrote home are nothing short of heartbreaking. Even as defeat was becoming more and more apparent, the courage and determination of these men did not waiver. This is a truly admirable account of men who were more than common soldiers. I believe they were really common heroes.

I read this book for a military history class and came away very glad I did. The book really lets you know what it was like to be a common soldier in a Confederate army. I agree with another reviewers sentiments that the book reads very much like a research paper, but a well written one at that. You won't always feel like you are right there, but you will come away knowing exactly what these men did, how they did it, and why. To understand the common Southern soldier in the Civil War, start here. Other books have been written since Wiley's, but this is still the place to start.

Daniel Alarcon's "Lost City Radio" is a transporting, evocative, richly poignant depiction of the chaos of war. What is most surprising about it is that it lacks every cliche of what you might think a "war" novel is about. The protagonist is a female radio host, Norma, who becomes an unexpected surrogate mother to a young boy. He has heard her radio show in the remote village in which he grew up, the weekly reading of "names of the lost" acting as a beacon for people looking for missing loved ones. The boy sets off to the city to meet the woman after his mother is killed. Their relationship in the present contrasts with flashbacks from their previous lives: hers as the wife of a political dissident (now missing) and his as a boy in a jungle town. We also learn quite a bit about Rey, Norma's missing husband.

The prose here is top notch. Sights and smells come alive; the reader is taken away to a world you may know little about but will come to understand deeply. This is a very good novel, worth seeking out.

This has been one of the most engaging works of fiction I've read recently. Beginning with a made-up country and a fictitious civil war, in simple language Alarcon takes us through what feel like real dilemmas of people involved in a time of crumbling government and rural flight. But beyond this, the story is intriguing - a radio host, a hidden history, a mysterious boy. Enough to drive the story. Unlike many other books read recenly this doesn't just start well - it keeps the momentum going through the end of the book.

I was astonished by this novel. I thought it started off a bit slow, I thought the main characters Norma and Rey a bit dull at first, and some of the main plot twists were foreseeable. But even if the main characters didn't enthrall at first, many of the secondary ones did. Adela, Trini, Rey`s father and even the ambiguous Zahir and Manau are touchingly rendered. For me, the book really started to pick up during the first full chapter in "1797" - the jungle village were key events involving Adela and and her son Victor happen. But towards the final chapters the tension builds and even Norma and Rey grow in humanity: the last chapter in particular is devastating. The at times semi journalistic style with which the wartime events are described is also very effective.

All in all, this was a fantastic book. I look forward to more by Alarcon. Readers who enjoyed this book are encouraged to try Nathan Englander's "The Ministry of Special Cases" - an equally engaging, impecabbly written and emotionally gripping novel set in somewhat similar context of Latin American political instability.

Daniel Alarcon's debut novel chronicles the lives of three people -- Rey, Norma and Victor -- in an unnamed country, probably Peru, where Alarcon was born, during the monstrous 10-year civil war in the 1980s. Norma works at a radio station where she hosts the program "Lost City Radio," which lists the names of people lost in the brutal conflict. Rey is her husband who goes missing when the police nab him for not carrying ID. Victor is a street urchin who gives a list of the missing to Norma. Alarcon's prose is very well written, terse and visionary. The chronology of the novel is nonlinear, which makes it difficult, at times, to follow what happens and when. And since the name of the country and time period are not given, the historical context of the story cannot be provided. Of course, if this novel is meant to be applicable to all such conflicts throughout the world, who needs a context? However, I wanted one, though this is not necessarily a failing in the novel. Altogether, it was refreshing reading an American novel(Alarcon was raised in Alabama and graduated from Columbia University) with little or no figures of speech, slang or cliches. The best praise I can give the novel is that it could be considered "literature." Look for more material from this very talented young man!

This is a very good book, is easy to read and catches your interest as soon as you start reading so that you cannot stop! I had to read it in a couple of days cause I needed to know what came next in the plot...
When you have lived in Peru during those years, you get the feeling of this story, it has also used an actual radio program as a model but the mastership of the author is to join all those stories and create a new one that have a little bit of multiple stories but is in itself different but very nice. I highly recommend it.

gave this book to my mom as a b-day gift, per her request and she loves it. the pictures are beautiful and it was a great armchair travel!

"Markawasi: Peru's Inexplicable Stone Forest" by Kathy Doore is an impressive compendium of more than four hundred full-color and informatively captioned photographs, illustrations and maps showcasing the 'sacred mountain' country of Peru. This unique photo guidebook is more than just a collection of interesting images as the author has arranged for an engaging and informative two-page Foreword by Peter E. Schneider, followed by an extended Preface, an Introduction, and historical background to Peru's Markawasi Stone Forest complete with a map and hiking routes. The rest of this elegant 176-page coffee table book is devoted to 'Temples of Light and Shadow' (showcasing specific elements of interest); then 'Superbatolite Circompacifigue'; 'Faces & Sculptures'; 'Sons of the Ray'; 'Fiesta del Agua'; 'How to Go!' (with festivals, village life and outfitting for the mesa); 'Nature's Gift' (medicinal plants of the mesa); and 'Voices of the Mesa'. Of special note is the bibliographic list of suggested reading for further study. Perfect as a preparational reading for onsite visitors and an ideal browse for armchair travelers with an interest in something 'off the beaten path', this superbly written, organized and presented compendium is very highly recommended for personal, academic, and community library collections.

Kathy Doore is an exceptional human being who has lived years beyond her age. The book is truly a legacy and affirmation of the depth of her perception about the light and energy of Markawasi and Peru in general.
We are blessed to have Kathy living in this time warp. I am delighted that I own being one of her best friends. To know her is to understand her genius and dedication...
May we all be blessed by this profound work of brilliance and love for a country that owns our soul.

Patricia

In this stunning book Kathy Doore has put together a gift fit for everyone.
If your interest is photography, graphics, sculpture, painting,
anthropology, history, mysticism, story telling, South America, Peru,
geology, Hiking, traveling or book collecting, I am sure that you will love this book. There's even a travel guide on how to get to this far-out sculpture garden up in the Andes.
It's one of the coolest and hippest books I've seen in a long time. The reading material is super interesting. If you prefer you can just flip through the pages full of awesome pictures and beautiful illustrations. I highly recommend it.

I found Markawasi to be completely inspiring. A must read for any seasoned traveler, or dreamer who has yet to embark upon a journey of discovery. This book combines both an impressive expanse of research as well as another element, missing in so many guidebooks: the human element. The author combines a notable array of research, practical traveler's advice, as well as a richly woven tapestry of human experience and personal revelation. This book encourages not just a physical trek to this spot, but also a spiritual quest in order to explore the mysteries of this ancient culture. Complete with amazing photography, colorful descriptions of life in San Pedro de Casta, and inspiring stories of personal growth, the author allows a glimpse into her own connection to this place of profound depth. The author's own revelations provide a token of authenticity, we as readers, can begin to unravel and understand why this place holds such importance to so many, and this helps to break down the barrier between author and audience. Overall, an incredibly well thought out creation. Be prepared for an experience in reading this book. Definitely a testament to the transformative power of travel and exploration.