Best Guatemala History
Seized by the reports, American diplomat John Lloyd Stephens and British artist Frederick Catherwood—both already celebrated for their adventures in Egypt, the Holy Land, Greece, and Rome—sailed together out of New York Harbor on an expedition into the forbidding rainforests of present-day Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico. In the tradition of Lost City of Z and In the Kingdom of Ice , former San Francisco Chronicle journalist and Pulitzer Prize finalist William Carlsen reveals the remarkable story of the discovery of the ancient Maya. Enduring disease, war, and the torments of nature and terrain, Stephens and Catherwood meticulously uncovered and documented the remains of an astonishing civilization that had flourished in the Americas at the same time as classic Greece and Rome—and had been its rival in art, architecture, and power. Based on Carlsen’s rigorous research and his own 1,500-mile journey throughout the Yucatan and Central America, Jungle of Stone is equally a thrilling adventure narrative and a revelatory work of history that corrects our understanding of Stephens, Catherwood, and the Maya themselves. “Carlsen’s cogent and well-written dual biography successfully illuminates the fascinating tale of these intrepid pioneers of a lost civilization. ... Ably researching [Stephens and Catherwood] and affectingly describing their friendship, Carlsen makes an exemplary contribution to the lost-cities genre.” (Booklist (starred review) ). “Carlsen’s masterful chronicle of [Stephens and Catherwood’s] explorations is a welcome excursion to a fascinating story set in the golden age of exploration.” (The Missourian).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Mr.Carlsen's writing gives the reader a real sense of the challenges faced by these adventurers, one of whom, John Stephens was a great travel writer and the other, Frederick Catherwood, was a brilliant artist."
"These men collaborated to find and document many of the major ruins left by the indigenous natives of southern Mexico and Central America. Says author William Carlsen: “Today the ancient Maya are recognized for having achieved one of the most sophisticated early civilizations on earth. In the Acknowledgements section of the book, Carlsen states his passion for his work: “I will hold in my heart always the extraordinary Maya people….May you forever keep your rich culture alive for the benefit of us all.”. I’ve personally had the pleasure of traveling in Mexico and Central America. But I really treasure the way “Jungle of Stone” puts the pieces together, capturing the historic details and bringing the people involved in the early explorations to life. Each had extensive travel experience, including in the Middle East, decades before Mark Twain would publish his book, “Innocents Abroad.” Catherwood was a professional architect by trade. Stephens, as an American, dreamed of bringing Mayan treasures back to New York as the foundation of new prestigious museums that would put the U.S. on the world map. The book, Travel in Central America, Chiapas and Yucatan, published in 1841, was met with great success, eventually going through 12 printings and sold all over the world. Stephens’ important conclusion was that the Mayan work was original and without influence of “models or masters.”. The two were off on the trail once again in 1841, this time to focus on the Yucatan Peninsula."
"Fascinating story about Mayan ruins in Central America and the struggles endured by explorers and archeologists to record their findings."
"Well written and part of history and politics that I did not know much about."
"Interesting book on the first explorers who really documented the ruins in Central America with words and hand drawn pictures."
"Loved this book...this is the best I have read on this subject."
"Great story about uncovering the Maya Civilization in 1840s."
"well written with loads of history and events rarely noted."
Now a global bestseller, the remarkable life of Rigoberta Menchú, a Guatemalan peasant woman, reflects on the experiences common to many Indian communities in Latin America. “A moving account of gruesome repression, gut-wrenching poverty and vicious racism ... A call to conscience.”— Nation.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"if you want to learn what really hard work is or if you want to learn how to have a community where people really care about the whole community., then read this book by a brave and thoughtful indigenous Guatemalan woman."
"This is a powerful, moving recounting of the events that happened to Rigoberta Menchu and the other natives in Guatemala during the late 20th century."
"The book gave me a real insight into the lives of the Mayan people who I find to be very peaceful, gentle people."
"Wonderful book about Mayan life and their struggles in Guatemala."
"Excellent book, offers insight into indigenous Mayan culture during the Guatemalan Civil War, a topic that more people should know about."
"i suggest getting a different version, with perhaps the updated intro."
"Details of the struggle and understanding of the culture tell a horrifying tale."
"This is a wonderful biographic telling, in her own words, of the hardships faced by Guatemalan Indians as seen through the eyes of Rigoberta Menchu."
Seized by the reports, American diplomat John Lloyd Stephens and British artist Frederick Catherwood—both already celebrated for their adventures in Egypt, the Holy Land, Greece, and Rome—sailed together out of New York Harbor on an expedition into the forbidding rainforests of present-day Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico. In the tradition of Lost City of Z and In the Kingdom of Ice , former San Francisco Chronicle journalist and Pulitzer Prize finalist William Carlsen reveals the remarkable story of the discovery of the ancient Maya. Enduring disease, war, and the torments of nature and terrain, Stephens and Catherwood meticulously uncovered and documented the remains of an astonishing civilization that had flourished in the Americas at the same time as classic Greece and Rome—and had been its rival in art, architecture, and power. Based on Carlsen’s rigorous research and his own 1,500-mile journey throughout the Yucatan and Central America, Jungle of Stone is equally a thrilling adventure narrative and a revelatory work of history that corrects our understanding of Stephens, Catherwood, and the Maya themselves.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Mr.Carlsen's writing gives the reader a real sense of the challenges faced by these adventurers, one of whom, John Stephens was a great travel writer and the other, Frederick Catherwood, was a brilliant artist."
"These men collaborated to find and document many of the major ruins left by the indigenous natives of southern Mexico and Central America. Says author William Carlsen: “Today the ancient Maya are recognized for having achieved one of the most sophisticated early civilizations on earth. In the Acknowledgements section of the book, Carlsen states his passion for his work: “I will hold in my heart always the extraordinary Maya people….May you forever keep your rich culture alive for the benefit of us all.”. I’ve personally had the pleasure of traveling in Mexico and Central America. But I really treasure the way “Jungle of Stone” puts the pieces together, capturing the historic details and bringing the people involved in the early explorations to life. Each had extensive travel experience, including in the Middle East, decades before Mark Twain would publish his book, “Innocents Abroad.” Catherwood was a professional architect by trade. Stephens, as an American, dreamed of bringing Mayan treasures back to New York as the foundation of new prestigious museums that would put the U.S. on the world map. The book, Travel in Central America, Chiapas and Yucatan, published in 1841, was met with great success, eventually going through 12 printings and sold all over the world. Stephens’ important conclusion was that the Mayan work was original and without influence of “models or masters.”. The two were off on the trail once again in 1841, this time to focus on the Yucatan Peninsula."
"Fascinating story about Mayan ruins in Central America and the struggles endured by explorers and archeologists to record their findings."
"Well written and part of history and politics that I did not know much about."
"Interesting book on the first explorers who really documented the ruins in Central America with words and hand drawn pictures."
"Loved this book...this is the best I have read on this subject."
"Great story about uncovering the Maya Civilization in 1840s."
"well written with loads of history and events rarely noted."
Best Mayan History
Seized by the reports, American diplomat John Lloyd Stephens and British artist Frederick Catherwood—both already celebrated for their adventures in Egypt, the Holy Land, Greece, and Rome—sailed together out of New York Harbor on an expedition into the forbidding rainforests of present-day Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico. In the tradition of Lost City of Z and In the Kingdom of Ice , former San Francisco Chronicle journalist and Pulitzer Prize finalist William Carlsen reveals the remarkable story of the discovery of the ancient Maya. Enduring disease, war, and the torments of nature and terrain, Stephens and Catherwood meticulously uncovered and documented the remains of an astonishing civilization that had flourished in the Americas at the same time as classic Greece and Rome—and had been its rival in art, architecture, and power. Based on Carlsen’s rigorous research and his own 1,500-mile journey throughout the Yucatan and Central America, Jungle of Stone is equally a thrilling adventure narrative and a revelatory work of history that corrects our understanding of Stephens, Catherwood, and the Maya themselves. “Carlsen’s cogent and well-written dual biography successfully illuminates the fascinating tale of these intrepid pioneers of a lost civilization. ... Ably researching [Stephens and Catherwood] and affectingly describing their friendship, Carlsen makes an exemplary contribution to the lost-cities genre.” (Booklist (starred review) ). “Carlsen’s masterful chronicle of [Stephens and Catherwood’s] explorations is a welcome excursion to a fascinating story set in the golden age of exploration.” (The Missourian).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Mr.Carlsen's writing gives the reader a real sense of the challenges faced by these adventurers, one of whom, John Stephens was a great travel writer and the other, Frederick Catherwood, was a brilliant artist."
"These men collaborated to find and document many of the major ruins left by the indigenous natives of southern Mexico and Central America. Says author William Carlsen: “Today the ancient Maya are recognized for having achieved one of the most sophisticated early civilizations on earth. In the Acknowledgements section of the book, Carlsen states his passion for his work: “I will hold in my heart always the extraordinary Maya people….May you forever keep your rich culture alive for the benefit of us all.”. I’ve personally had the pleasure of traveling in Mexico and Central America. But I really treasure the way “Jungle of Stone” puts the pieces together, capturing the historic details and bringing the people involved in the early explorations to life. Each had extensive travel experience, including in the Middle East, decades before Mark Twain would publish his book, “Innocents Abroad.” Catherwood was a professional architect by trade. Stephens, as an American, dreamed of bringing Mayan treasures back to New York as the foundation of new prestigious museums that would put the U.S. on the world map. The book, Travel in Central America, Chiapas and Yucatan, published in 1841, was met with great success, eventually going through 12 printings and sold all over the world. Stephens’ important conclusion was that the Mayan work was original and without influence of “models or masters.”. The two were off on the trail once again in 1841, this time to focus on the Yucatan Peninsula."
"Fascinating story about Mayan ruins in Central America and the struggles endured by explorers and archeologists to record their findings."
"Well written and part of history and politics that I did not know much about."
"Interesting book on the first explorers who really documented the ruins in Central America with words and hand drawn pictures."
"Loved this book...this is the best I have read on this subject."
"Great story about uncovering the Maya Civilization in 1840s."
"well written with loads of history and events rarely noted."
Best Panama History
The National Book Award–winning epic chronicle of the creation of the Panama Canal, a first-rate drama of the bold and brilliant engineering feat that was filled with both tragedy and triumph, told by master historian David McCullough. David McCullough has twice received the Pulitzer Prize, for Truman and John Adams, and twice received the National Book Award, for The Path Between the Seas and Mornings on Horseback .
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It covers: - The enormous failure and scandal of the failed first attempt to build the canal by the French who had built the Suez canal. But McCullough gives you perspective as in this example: Theodore Roosevelt asked his attorney general, Philander Knox, to provide legal cover after Roosevelt had fomented a revolution in Panama in order to acquire land to build the Panama Canal."
"It is a story set in the history of the time and Mr McCullough weaves the various threads of medical advance, excavation technology, failures in planning and international relationship into a tapestry of history beautifully."
"This book is outstanding."
"While history can be- at times boring- this well written story of the multiple elements effecting the canal-personal, political, geographical, engineering, etc is intriguing and informative."
"But the whole story - from the creation of the Suez Canal, to the finish of the Panama Canal is an epic."
"It is broken into three parts: (1) the French attempt and failure, (2) the U.S. decision to take over the canal, (3) and the US's success in completing the canal. The slowest and least interesting part of the book was the discussion of the French's failure and the lawsuits and controversy."
"This book should be required reading for anyone planning to transit the canal."
"Read it before you visit the canal."
Best Nicaragua History
In 1940, swashbuckling journalist Theodore Morde returned from the rainforest with hundreds of artifacts and an electrifying story of having found the Lost City of the Monkey God-but then committed suicide without revealing its location. Venturing into this raw, treacherous, but breathtakingly beautiful wilderness to confirm the discovery, Preston and the team battled torrential rains, quickmud, disease-carrying insects, jaguars, and deadly snakes. Suspenseful and shocking, filled with colorful history, hair-raising adventure, and dramatic twists of fortune, THE LOST CITY OF THE MONKEY GOD is the absolutely true, eyewitness account of one of the great discoveries of the twenty-first century. An Amazon Best Book of January 2017: In 2012, author Douglas Preston joined a team of explorers searching for Ciudad Blanca (“The White City”), a legendary ruin hidden in the dense jungle of eastern Honduras. The fledgling Honduran government, having gained power through a military coup, sought to use the discovery to bolster its status with the population, while the academic community ripped the expedition with accusations of Indiana Jones-style exploitation and shoddy scientific methods, cries which could be uncharitably interpreted as sour grapes.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This is NOT a book authored by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child that continues the adventures of Special Agent A. Pendergast and his unique circle of friends and assorted characters. However this is an intriguing and very interesting documentary written by Douglas Preston that takes you inside the planning and execution of a continual search for a mythical lost city (and/or civilization) that until 2015 remained nothing more than rumor and myth(s). You won't find a photograph of Harrison Ford inside the dust jacket but you will see a grinning shot of Douglas Preston bearing an uncanny resemblance to the (deceased) actor Edward Herrmann. A combination of legends and myths, some completely false and yet others bearing an element of truth, have circulated about this area, both intriguing and cautioning researchers and potential explorers."
"Not the typical Preston book, this one is incredibly detailed and informational in the factual telling of a real expedition from the last two years."
"Love this book.....true story and fascinating."
"Nicely paced for a true story...recalls the romance of discovery in a more innocent time...the ending is a bit disjointed...and it begs for a follow-up."
"Excellent read that had me in the edge of my seat like a nicely written action/fantasy fiction novel...and this one is true."
"Great true story."
"The author describes his experience of discovery in a clear and articulate style, putting it in the context of history."
"Great book and fascinating."
Best Costa Rica History
In this humorous and witty account, Nadine Pisani shares what it is like to follow her dream of quitting her job and starting a new life under the sunny skies of Costa Rica. "One point Nadine learns from her experience is that we are all allowed to choose how we ingest what life deals us and I thank her for reminding me.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It is a quick, funny, entertaining read...whether you live here, vacation here or just need a day to Dream of a different but tranquila Costa Rica life..."
"The story of their move, the tribulations, and the beauty all made for a great tale and I intend to reading the sequel."
"I've never been to Costa Rica, and it does sound beautiful."
"After I read the first page, I stopped and found my wife in the bathroom to tell her about the book. But Nadine Hays Pisani, and her husband Rob, left us inspired."
"Her writing style makes it feel more like you’re having a conversation with an old friend rather than staring at a bunch of words on a page written by a stranger. This is down to earth, real-life stuff that most of us regular folks can relate to, which makes it even funnier. It doesn’t matter whether you are planning on moving to Costa Rica, visiting Costa Rica, or simply wanting to laugh and escape the reality of jobs, kids, bills, and the daily grind."
"In addition to being a funny, charming, and very honest account of an overworked couples move to Costa Rica, Happier Than a Billionaire opened my eyes to all emptiness I had been feeling in my own life. We had always dreamed to moving to Costa Rica "someday," Nadine gave us the extra push we needed and I can not thank her enough."
"I bought your book thinking it would add to my research for my trip to Costa Rica next Fall when I intend to live there for 6 months. I'm scared, yes, nervous, unsure of how I will let go of all that must go, but certain of one thing...I must step out of this environment that serves no better purpose than the sawdust filler laden food we expect to satiate us."
Best Belize History
EASY BELIZE How to Live, Retire, Work and Buy Property in Belize, the English Speaking, Frost Free Paradise on the Caribbean Coast by Lan Sluder is the complete guide for anyone considering relocating or retiring to Belize, and for anyone thinking of buying property or building a home in Belize. This is the fully updated, revised and expanded Second Edition for 2016-2017. Among Lan Sluder’s Belize books, besides Easy Belize (original First Edition in 2010 and completely revised and expanded Second Edition for 2016-2017), are Fodor’s Belize, Living Abroad in Belize, Adapter Kit: Belize, San Pedro Cool, Belize Islands Guide and Belize First Guide to Mainland Belize.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This book was written by someone who is familar with Belize, and provides you with the truth as to what you will encounter when you arrive, not some rosy sales pitch."
"This book is awesome!"
"Easy Belize was a good book with lots of information the Rough and Ready guide to Belize was an excellent book the Mexico map was good moving to Belize not me was fair the two little maps on the plastic were disgusting I thought they would be good maps that you could fold out and they'd be big enough to read those two weren't Worth $0.02 to me."
"Very discouraging on moving to Belize, but packed with great info."
"No one book will have all the answers but this is a good place to start."
"Recommended by a friend in Belize very informative."
"Gives a good overview of this beautiful country."
"Book is great in everyway but one....maps....maps certainly would have helped as we read about all the various places/activities."
Best Honduras History
In 1940, swashbuckling journalist Theodore Morde returned from the rainforest with hundreds of artifacts and an electrifying story of having found the Lost City of the Monkey God-but then committed suicide without revealing its location. Venturing into this raw, treacherous, but breathtakingly beautiful wilderness to confirm the discovery, Preston and the team battled torrential rains, quickmud, disease-carrying insects, jaguars, and deadly snakes. Suspenseful and shocking, filled with colorful history, hair-raising adventure, and dramatic twists of fortune, THE LOST CITY OF THE MONKEY GOD is the absolutely true, eyewitness account of one of the great discoveries of the twenty-first century. An Amazon Best Book of January 2017: In 2012, author Douglas Preston joined a team of explorers searching for Ciudad Blanca (“The White City”), a legendary ruin hidden in the dense jungle of eastern Honduras. The fledgling Honduran government, having gained power through a military coup, sought to use the discovery to bolster its status with the population, while the academic community ripped the expedition with accusations of Indiana Jones-style exploitation and shoddy scientific methods, cries which could be uncharitably interpreted as sour grapes.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This is NOT a book authored by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child that continues the adventures of Special Agent A. Pendergast and his unique circle of friends and assorted characters. However this is an intriguing and very interesting documentary written by Douglas Preston that takes you inside the planning and execution of a continual search for a mythical lost city (and/or civilization) that until 2015 remained nothing more than rumor and myth(s). You won't find a photograph of Harrison Ford inside the dust jacket but you will see a grinning shot of Douglas Preston bearing an uncanny resemblance to the (deceased) actor Edward Herrmann. A combination of legends and myths, some completely false and yet others bearing an element of truth, have circulated about this area, both intriguing and cautioning researchers and potential explorers."
"Not the typical Preston book, this one is incredibly detailed and informational in the factual telling of a real expedition from the last two years."
"Love this book.....true story and fascinating."
"Nicely paced for a true story...recalls the romance of discovery in a more innocent time...the ending is a bit disjointed...and it begs for a follow-up."
"Excellent read that had me in the edge of my seat like a nicely written action/fantasy fiction novel...and this one is true."
"Great true story."
"The author describes his experience of discovery in a clear and articulate style, putting it in the context of history."
"Great book and fascinating."
Best El Salvador History
In December 1981 soldiers of the Salvadoran Army's select, American-trained Atlacatl Battalion entered the village of El Mozote, where they murdered hundreds of men, women, and children, often by decapitation. After 11 years of investigation, political pressure, and intense lobbying efforts by human rights groups, civil libertarians, and concerned individuals, the truth of what really happened in 1981 in this remote Salvadoran village finally began to emerge, a flashback to the infamous My Lai massacre of the Vietnam War. The situation in El Mozote was similar: villagers caught in the political crossfire between rival groups during a brutal war, trying to remain on friendly terms with their own soldiers while fearing to alienate the opposition.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Beyond the book itself, I was reminded of the chapter in "Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media" on the press treatment of the rape and murder of the four U.S. churchwomen some months before the massacre. Dr. Long's central thesis - that Latin American governments exercise significant but generally underappreciated influence on the U.S. in their bilateral and multilateral relations - kept ringing in my head as I read this book. Finally, as someone who works with foreign militaries and the apparatus of the U.S. government, this book helped viscerally demonstrate the "why" behind the Leahy Vetting process, as tedious, glacial and extensive as its requirements can sometimes be for those at the action officer level."
"In my junior year, I joined up with a bus full of strangers from Austin, and we headed to Georgia for an annual protest designed to force the closure of the School of the Americas (later renamed the Western Hemispheric Institute for Security Cooperation). Danner writes his account in a journalistic style, giving the reader not just a graphic and nauseating play-by-play of a small group of Salvadoran soldiers storming into a town full of civilians and murdering hundreds of them in gruesome ways, but also a historical context of why the atrocity took place."
"This is a required text for my Modern Latin America course."
"I knock off a star for its journalistic slant which nudges readers into drawing odious conclusions without the basis of facts."
"I lived in Central America in the 80's but until recently, was not aware of the level of atrocity that prevailed in nearby events and governments."