Average customer rating:
- interesting but too much socialism
- Eye-opening look into the past
- Forced to read this and did so in three days!
|
The Jungle (Cliffs Notes)
Richard P. Wasowski
Manufacturer: Cliffs Notes
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| History & Criticism
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Literary Theory
| History & Criticism
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
20th Century
| British
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| Classics
| Comic
| Contemporary
| Literary
General
| Criticism & Theory
| History & Criticism
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Book Notes
| Education
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Writing
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Criticism & Theory
| History & Criticism
| Literature & Fiction
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
20th Century
| British
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| History & Criticism
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Literary Theory
| History & Criticism
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Book Notes
| Education
| Reference
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Writing
| Reference
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
All 4-for-3 Deals
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
All Amazon Upgrade
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Literature & Fiction
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Reference
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Cliffs Notes
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Literature & Fiction
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Reference
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
The Jungle: The Uncensored Original Edition
-
The Jungle (Enriched Classics)
-
The Jungle (Bantam Classics)
-
Steinbeck's the Grapes of Wrath (Cliffs Notes)
-
The Jungle
ASIN: 0764586750 |
Book Description
The original CliffsNotes study guides offer expert commentary on major themes, plots, characters, literary devices, and historical background. The latest generation of titles in this series also feature glossaries and visual elements that complement the classic, familiar format.
With help from CliffsNotes on The Jungle, you explore one of the first American social protest novels. At first look, the novel is a gritty investigation into the meatpacking industry; however, it evolves into a challenge to the policies and beliefs of our political organizations at the beginning of the 20th century.
This concise supplement to Upton Sinclair's The Jungle helps you understand the overall structure of the novel, actions and motivations of the characters, and the social and cultural perspectives of the author. Other features that help you study include
Classic literature or modern modern-day treasure — you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides.
Download Description
On one level, The Jungle is a gritty investigation into the meatpacking industry. On another, it is a serious book of the times, challenging the policies and beliefs of our political organizations at the beginning of the century. This is one of the first American social protest novels.
This concise supplement to Sinclair's The Jungle helps students understand the overall structure of the novel, actions and motivations of the characters, and the social and cultural perspectives of the author.
Customer Reviews:
interesting but too much socialism.......2000-01-14
The first chapter was a little boring as the first chapter of most books are, but then it got a lot more interesting. It was very interesting, but also quite depressing because of the hopelessness of their lives and so many people die. It gets really boring at the end, though, when all it talks about for several chapters is how wonderful socialism is and how terrible capitalism is. These last few chapters are the reason I didn't give this book 5 stars.
Eye-opening look into the past.......1999-11-10
This book was wonderful. I was forced to read it for my Sociology class at Michigan State University. The first chapter dragged on, and I was wondering what I was forced into. Then as the chapters ran on, they became more and more interesting. I didn't want to put it down! Review: gorry, mind-opening, fantastic, almost unbelievable as to what those people had to endure at the turn of the century in Industrial America
Forced to read this and did so in three days!.......1999-02-26
Over one weekend i was forced to read the Jungle, and in three days i had completed the literary work, followed by a five page essay on why it is propaganda...some of the book was alright, but by the time i got "into" it, the story was completed and the last fifty pages of propaganda merely dragged on...
Book Description
The organizers of the Rainforest Alliance present an anthology of compelling, powerful, and sometimes irreverent fiction and nonfiction from the best writers of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, ranging from Edgar Rice Burroughs to Douglas Adams. Tales from the Jungle is a diverse collection of stories by famous authors, biologists, and environmentalists who have been inspired by their experiences exploring jungles from South America to Polynesia. Selections include fiction by, among others, Graham Greene and Joseph Conrad, historical accounts of exploration and adventure, descriptions of rare plants and dangerous wildlife, stories that are frightening and others that are hilarious -- and some that are both. Passionate observations by such rainforest experts as David Quammen and Norman Meyers emphasize the need to conserve the rainforests -- sources of life and renewal for the future.
Customer Reviews:
A great intro to what the rainforest is like as a newcomer.......2001-03-10
Arthur Conan Doyle (Author of Sherlock Holmes), EO Wilson (famous tropical biologist), W. Somerset Maughm, Joseph Conrad, Alfred Russel Wallace (of Wallace's Line), and Henry Morton Stanley (excerpt from "The Finding of Livingstone") are to name but of few of the all-star authors featured in this book. Contains a huge number of excerpts from fiction novels, non-fiction books and essays, most of which are well-written (see above) and ALL of which are well-chosen. I will be teaching a tropical field course for high school students, and this is a perfect literary journey to help them with theirs.
Average customer rating:
|
Baby Soniat: A Tale from the Jazz Jungle
Neal Holland Duncan
Manufacturer: St. Luke's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| 18th Century
| 19th Century
| 20th Century
| African American
| Asian American
| Classics
| Collections & Readers
| Drama
| General
| Hispanic
| History & Criticism
| Humor
| Jewish American
| Letters & Correspondence
| Native American
| Poetry
| Short Stories
| Women Writers
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 091851875X |
Average customer rating:
|
Leaves From the Jungle: Life in a Gond Village
Verrier Elwin
Manufacturer: OUP India
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Asia
| History
| Subjects
| Books
India
| Asia
| History
| Subjects
| Books
| Ancient
Anthropology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
| Cultural
| Ethnobotany
| Ethnology
| Evolution
| General
| History & Philosophy
| Physical
| Primitive
| Religious
| Sociobiology
ASIN: 019562856X |
Average customer rating:
- A family's escape from the Japanese.
- A great tale of survival and the human spirit
- From Paradise to Purgatory
- Paradise to Purgatory
- A magnificent glimpse of the extremes of humanity
|
Through the Jungle of Death: A Boy's Escape From Wartime Burma
Stephen Brookes
Manufacturer: John Wiley & Sons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Historical
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Family & Childhood
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Memoirs
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Myanmar
| Asia
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| World War II
| Military
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Personal Narratives
| World War II
| Military
| History
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0471415693 |
Book Description
A GRIPPING SURVIVOR STORY OF ONE FAMILY'S FLIGHT FROM BURMA DURING THE JAPANESE INVASION
"As uplifting a testimonial to human courage as any to emerge from World War II."—Daily Mail (London)
"A tale of hair-raising adventure, survival, love and loss, shot through with rage, polemic, unlikely humour and a rare spiritual sensibility."—Telegraph Magazine (London)
"Unique and heartfelt . . . a tale of human resilience and bravery in the most desperate circumstances."—The Irish News
"Written with simplicity, understanding, and surprising good humour. It deserves to be read."—The Times Educational Supplement (London)
Customer Reviews:
A family's escape from the Japanese........2004-02-19
This was an enjoyable and quick read. Brookes as a boy escaped with his family from wartime Burma. During the trek north to China, back to Burma, and then ultimately India, Brookes lost his father and saw his family become sick because of malnutrition and malaria. However the boy became a man, and came to understand the struggle of life after seeing death every day. This is a true story of endurance, and why people should never give up.
There is both a sad and happy end to this true story. Brookes becomes a man and raises a large family. His childhood family is destroyed by the war. After the war, his mother goes back to Burma with one of his brothers. He goes to live in Great Britain. The war basically destroyed the family he loved.
This is a great read for those that need to understand the tragedy of war.
A great tale of survival and the human spirit.......2002-10-23
Stephen Brookes has written an engrossing account of his Anglo-Burmese family's flight before the Japanese army in 1942. Plagued by monsoons, starvation, disease and personal tragedy, harassed by the desperate remnants of the Chinese army, and abandoned by the British authorities, it is amazing that anyone survived the long circuitous trek from Burma to India. Scores of thousands did not. Brookes does an excellent job of recounting the horrific journey from the viewpoint of a young boy, but it most definitely is not a children's book. It is a book for anyone who appreciates a fascinating tale of survival in the face of incredible adversity.
From Paradise to Purgatory.......2001-05-28
Expecting a rather grim trek through familiar territory I found instead a remarkable story of loss and endurance told with a surprisingly lyrical and at times humorous touch. A twelve year old Anglo-Burmese boy tells of the flight of the Brookes family from the advancing Japanese army in Burma during the second world war. Fleeing first to China then back through Burma and on to India young Stevie tells of his frustration and anger at being dragged along not knowing what was happening or why.
There were several attempts at escape,each thwarted by events or the stubborness of one or other parent,eventually leading into the mountains of Upper Burma. Walking knee deep in mud, fighting off ambushes by renegade Chinese soldiers, or just surviving the malarial conditions of the monsoon jungle, the family trekked and starved along with thousands of others on the same journey, Worse was to come as they eventually reached the so-called safety of a British controlled village. There Dr Brookes came up against colonial racism when he was refused help by an acquaintance he had entertained in happier days - a Burmese wife was acceptable when offering hospitality but not apparently when the roles were reversed. Meanwhile the child had a man's responsibility thrust upon him as he struggled to provide food and medication for his ailing family as his father died. A harrowing tale of tragic mismanagement but also telling of the blitheness and strength of a young boy who had to learn the hard lessons survival yet managed to retain a joy and wonderment at the miracles of nature A brilliant read; even if you only buy one book this year make sure it is this one.
Paradise to Purgatory.......2001-05-28
Expecting a rather grim trek through familiar territory I found instead a remarkable story of loss and endurance told with a surprisingly lyrical and at times humorous touch. A twelve year old Anglo-Burmese boy tells of the flight of the Brookes family from the advancing Japanese army in Burma during the second world war. Fleeing first to China then back through Burma and on to India young Stevie tells of his frustration and anger at being dragged along not knowing what was happening or why.
There were several attempts at escape,each thwarted by events or the stubborness of one or other parent,eventually leading into the mountains of Upper Burma. Walking knee deep in mud, fighting off ambushes by renegade Chinese soldiers, or just surviving the malarial conditions of the monsoon jungle, the family trekked and starved along with thousands of others on the same journey, Worse was to come as they eventually reached the so-called safety of a British controlled village. There Dr Brookes came up against colonial racism when he was refused help by an acquaintance he had entertained in happier days - a Burmese wife was acceptable when offering hospitality but not apparently when the roles were reversed. Meanwhile the child had a man's responsibility thrust upon him as he struggled to provide food and medication for his ailing family as his father died. A harrowing tale of tragic mismanagement but also telling of the blitheness and strength of a young boy who had to learn the hard lessons survival yet managed to retain a joy and wonderment at the miracles of nature A brilliant read; even if you only buy one book this year make sure it is this one.
A magnificent glimpse of the extremes of humanity.......2001-05-07
This book makes clear from the outset that suffering, pain and grief are sure to come. What comes as a pleasant surprise is the ability of the author to convey the process by which the human spirit adjusts to that pain and above all how compassion and love can be found and shine out even when humankind reveals its darkest depths. The mismanagement of the wartime retreat from Burma is one of the greater injustices the British were able to consign to anonymity but Mr Brookes goes a great way to lighting a memorial flame for both his family and the thousands of others who set out on the road to India and safety. His extraordinay journey is punctuated by moments of pure magic - further proof that when approached with an open mind life has many many mysteries still to reveal to us.
Alongside the misery (and the magic), there is a sense of a vanished way of life, not just that of Empire but also of the lost opportunity for a different reality for so many nations that demanded the integrity of independence at the cost of an increasingly fragmented social order.
A heartrending story but an inspiration to us all about just how magnificent and strong the human spirit can be - feed your soul and read this book.
Book Description
In this delightful introduction to the art of Henri Rousseau children explore a tropical jungle while they learn about the colors and themes that make the artist's paintings masterpieces of deceptive simplicity. As a customs official, Henri Rousseau escaped the boredom of his job by creating colorful paintings of a fantastic dream world—a place where apes and lions cavort, snakes slither, flamingoes stroll, tigers hunt, and enigmatic figures entice unsuspecting visitors amid lush, tropical plants and flowers. This book draws children into Rousseau's most famous works, pointing out the many elements and symbols he incorporated, and helping them understand the use of perspective and color that were his trademarks. Biographical information reveals the importance the natural world played in Rousseau's life and the playful text encourages further investigation into the power of imagination and creativity.
Book Description
A witty, insightful tale of adventure, told through the eyes of a mother living abroad with two young children.
Customer Reviews:
Living a dream.......2006-09-29
Great story. This woman and her children lived an adventure we can only dream about. She must be a very courageous and giving person. I hope the inhabitants of Costa Rica realize the compassion and good will she has for them. Ms Kohan and her family will enjoy a life time of memories from this experience.
What an adventure!.......2006-02-07
I very much enjoyed reading this book about a typical American mom who gave up everything and traveled to Costa Rica with her two kids. We get so caught up in how we live our lives, we forget that in other countries and other places life is totally different. What a brave person to leave all that is normal to travel to a foreign country and live without all the modern conveniences we take for granted. I hope Ms. Kohan has the opportunity to go back to live in Costa Rica; it certainly sounds like she loved it there.
Book Description
Drawn to the mysteries of tropical rain forests and fascinated by life in the treetops, Meg Lowman has pursued a life of scientific exploration while raising her two sons, Edward and James Burgess. This book recounts their family adventures in remote parts of the world (Samoa, West Africa, Peru, Panama, India, Biosphere 2, and others), from the perspectives of both kids and parent. Together they explore tropical rain forests, encounter anacondas and piranhas, eat crickets as hors d’oeuvres, discover new species, and nurture a family ethic for conservation.
The chapters of the book focus on field biology questions, the canopy access methods developed to answer the questions, and conservation or education components of each expedition. Lowman enumerates the challenges and joys of juggling parenthood and career, and the children reflect on how their mom’s work has affected their lives. A rollicking, inspiring book, It’s a Jungle Up There is an upbeat portrayal of how a parent’s career can imprint children, and how children in turn can influence the success and trajectory of their parent’s career.
Customer Reviews:
Be warned.......2007-02-14
I suppose it depends what you're expecting. I felt a little deceived having read 'It's a Jungle Up There', not that it's Lowman's fault. The packaging, press and quotes suggested it might be something more, say along the lines of E O Wilson. But this is not an original look at man's relationship to the world. It's more of a cheerleading exercise for the mixture of motherhood and biology. It's filled with enthusiasm for nature, but also with personal asides and exlamation marks. ("Happy Anniversary Michael!"). At the risk of sounding like a real grinch, the book is unforgivably padded by pages written by her two sons. All of these essays, of which there are many, read like college applications. It's a thin book, aimed perhaps at a younger generation. People looking for meatier stuff should keep on looking.
"Canopy Meg" is the Perfect Role Model for All of Us.......2006-05-11
What a really terrific read! In this book Dr. Lowman has co-authored with her sons, we find a beautiful story of developing a conservation ethic for families. The tone is so positive and inviting, I felt like I was up in the canopy with them.
One of the really captivating elements of this book is the wonderful journal notes and essays by her sons. Their authentic voices make this a great book to share with young people. For example, her son's last touching essay in the book summarizes their family quest to combine science and spirituality in efforts to expand scientific research into a more global sense of responsibility through conservation. This is a topic seldom touched in science writing. What wise thoughful teenagers!
What I loved most about this book was that many parts of Lowman's story are the story of women in science, my story, about the challenges of balancing a career and the rest of our lives. Lowman's book is just the ticket for inspiration AND some reassurance that we can have a well-lived life that combines a passion for science with family and community. I am in awe of the courage it must have taken to share such a personal story, filled with adventure, challenge, adversity in the work place, loss, humor, and quite a few poisonous snakes. We could use an Earth of sons and daughters raised by her.
Lowman really is a role model for parents to become stewards of all of Earth's creatures, and her passion and work efforts certainly have made inroads to this goal. Through this story, Dr. Lowman and her sons will inspire and mentor thousands of current and future naturalists, both boys and girls. As I finished the last pages of this book, I decided I need to find my copy of her earlier book "Life in the Treetops" and read it again. What a terrific adventure.
I highly recommend "It's a Jungle Up There" and will be giving copies to all the young people I know for birthdays, graduations, and other celebrations. And I believe I will share it with a few adults who could use a great read, and a little vicarious adventure.
Notes On Meg's Book.......2006-02-28
Notes on Margaret Lowman's book, "It's a Jungle Up There---More tales from the Treetops," with Edward and James Burgess. Yale University Press, 2006.
Margaret Lowman is a remarkable woman scientist. I say this not only after reading this book and her first book, "Life in the Treetops," but because I had the rare opportunity to be her Executive Assistant for 8 months during 2002-2003 while employed at the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota, Florida. Meg is an inimitable, intriguingly interesting scientist, enthusiastic about canopy research, ecology, and her family. This excitement exudes from within her into one's very own, and no matter what one does, it cannot be ignored.
Likewise, "It's a Jungle Up There," is also enthralling. Her many scientific pursuits are entwined with her two boys' experiences in the field with her, into a wonderful and educational view of the world, its ecology and the workings of the world's ecosystems. For many single parents, Meg sets the stage as a fine example of "get up and go," and "leave no stone unturned." There appeared to be no obstacle that could not be overcome by personal persistence, with the end result of reaching the goal. Even small setbacks were used as stepping stones to move forward and to be used to a positive advantage.
Her chapters on canopy research, canopy walkways, encounters with internationals, and environmental ethics for families, educate the novice in this comparatively new research area. Providing her children with an always new and exciting way to experience life through nature is certainly an example parents and teachers should emulate.
The book is comfortable to read, has a glossary of terms and a selected bibliography for further reading on each chapter. An index of names and places referred to in the text also assists the reader for quick reference.
Both Meg's books are fine examples demonstrating what a person can do if willing to accept the challenges offered. Do some self-promotion and be cognizant of an ever-increasing need to be a guardian of the world's biosphere. As her Executive Assistant for even a very brief time, I am proud to have shared some of the pages of "the padded chair" with her, and will always recall Meg as a fair, straight and honest supervisor.
Susan A. Jarzen CPS
Secretary, Florida Museum of Natural History
February 27, 2006
Wonderfully Inspiring for Young and Old Alike.......2006-02-27
This book is a great read. Written by a mom-scientist and her two sons, it offers a captivating look into some of the most interesting natural environments around the world-all viewed from the treetops. Armchair ecologists, parents, kids, teachers, and tree climbers interested in adventure, science, and/or world travel will thoroughly enjoy this book. It's the perfect follow-up to Life in the Treetops.
Many of the anecdotes are laugh-out-loud funny (like hiding "the possible" in Samoa) while others are extremely touching. The photographs and drawings make this book feel like a family album of the most extraordinary kind.
Although the author and her sons have spent much time high in the tree tops and in the stratosphere of world-famous scientists, they come across as extremely down-to-earth, likeable folks. Our kids especially enjoyed hearing what the author's sons have to say about their own experiences as well as their reflections on religion, their mom's career, and our imperiled environment. We all came away with a new respect for plant ecology and a greater love of science and scientists.
Another Exciting Trip to the Treetops.......2006-02-14
It's a Jungle Up There is dedicated to parents "who struggle to balance career and family." The author, an internationally acclaimed scientist, gives a forestful of hope that it can be done.
The essays contributed by Eddie and James Burgess as they work in exotic locations, side by side with their Mom's rainforest research teams, show their path to Princeton University that is paved with respect for nature and for their fellow travelers on this fragile planet. Dr. Lowman informs and entertains on every page, making the reader understand how much better our daily lives can be with just a little bit of willingness to consider the interdependence of all human and natural ecosystems.
The authors write with wit and insight about navigating through all of the (natural and man-made)jungles of life. It's a great read.
Average customer rating:
- What can I say...
- review of The Story of Colors
- The Story of Colors
- Make Rainbows, not War
- Fresh air for the kids!
|
The Story of Colors/La Historia de Los Colores: A Bilingual Folktale from the Jungles of Chiapas
Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos
Manufacturer: Cinco Puntos Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
History
| Subjects
| Books
| Africa
| Americas
| Ancient
| Arctic & Antarctica
| Asia
| Australia & Oceania
| Books on CD
| Books on Cassette
| Europe
| Gay & Lesbian
| Historical Study
| Large Print
| Middle East
| Military
| Military Science
| Russia
| United States
| World
Native American
| United States
| Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Literary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Spanish
| Foreign Language Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Folklore & Mythology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Spanish
| Foreign Language Nonfiction
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Infantil y juvenil
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
4 a 8 años
| Infantil y juvenil
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
| General
| Libros con Dibujos
Estados Unidos
| Cuentos de Hadas, Cuentos Tradicionales y Mitos
| Literatura
| Infantil y juvenil
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
General
| Literatura
| Infantil y juvenil
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
Historia
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
| Africa
| Antigua
| Asia
| Australia y Oceanía
| Ciencias Militares
| Estudios Históricos
| Europa
| Las Américas
| Medio Oriente
| Militar
| Mundial
| Rusia
Contemporánea
| General
| Literatura y ficción
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
Literaria
| General
| Literatura y ficción
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
Folclore y Mitología
| Ciencias Sociales
| No-Ficción
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Questions and Swords: Folktales of the Zapatista Revolution
-
Our Word Is Our Weapon: Selected Writings
-
El gato en el sombrero/ The Cat In The Hat
-
The Upside Down Boy / El niño de cabeza
-
In My Family/En mi familia
ASIN: 0938317458 |
Book Description
This wonderful folktale reveals some of the down-to-earth wisdom of the indigenous peoples of Chiapas. At the same time, it provides us with a fresh perspective on the struggles of the people there. They fight to conserve their culture and a vision of the world which they see as flowering with holiness-a holiness that cannot be measured in dollars or defined by politics.
The text for La Historia de los Colores is taken from the communique dated October 27, 1994 from Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos to the Mexican People. Originally published in Mexico with illustrations by Domitila Dominguez as La Historia de los Colores © 1996 by Colectivo Callejero, Guadalajara.
Who is Marcos?
Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos is the military strategist and spokesperson for the Zapatistas, an indigenous guerrilla movement in Mexico. It is his person, more than any other factor, that has pushed the Zapatista movement and the plight of the indigenous people in Mexico onto the international scene. Marcos continues to be the focus of media attention-in Mexico, in the States, and internationally, despite the Mexican government's attempts to discredit him.
On New Year's Day, 1994, Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos and the Zapatistas, wearing their trademark ski masks, erupted on the world scene by declaring war on the Mexican government and attacking military installations in San Cristobal, Chiapas. Since that time, Marcos-because of his charm, intelligence and mystique-has become a post-modern revolutionary hero. In his communiques to the Mexican people, he has often related folktales and stories that reflect the culture and wisdom of the indigenous peoples of Chiapas.
But no one seems to know who Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos is. The Mexican Government claims he is Rafael Guillen, but they're literalists. He says he's a Mexican like any other, born somewhere between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and between the northern and southern borders. He says he wears a ski mask because he is no longer whoever he was.
"As citizens of the United States, our apathy, over-consumption and lack of moral political conviction has created situations all over the world similar to the
Customer Reviews:
What can I say..........2005-03-18
...that hasn't already been said? I love this book. Buy it, you won't be sorry.
review of The Story of Colors.......2002-08-14
We want to share our experience as parents upon purchasing this book for our daughter so that others are not deceived into thinking that this is a children's book, when, in fact, it is not. A book supposedly geared towards 4-8 year-olds should not have as subject material "making love" between the characters (three times in the story) or smoking cigarettes and pipes as the story unfolds. It is not that it is not a good book, but that it is not good for children. Fortunately we read the book before presenting it to our daughter and saw what was written. It is disappointing that Amazon.com would qualify this as a children's book. We will be returning the book.
The Story of Colors.......2002-01-29
I learned of this children's book while watching a documentary of Subcomandante Marcus on World Link TV. I was excited to see that this book was available for purchase on amazon.com. After reading it's glowing reviews I was excited to order a copy for myself and one for my niece's birthday, she would be turning 5. The book is recommended for children ages 4-8. Upon receiving the books and reading it's contents, I have to disagree. I do not believe that the contents are appropriate for young children. There are several references to both smoking cigarettes, pipes and making love. There is also a photograph on the jacket of Marcos in his signature black ski mask (perhaps scary to a 5 year old girl) The story by Marcos is both beautiful and engaging and the illustrations by Domi are exquisite. I decided to keep one copy for myself (and LOVE it), but returned the one for my niece.
Make Rainbows, not War.......2001-03-22
Who was that masked man?
Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos has crafted a different kind of revolution and with it, a different revolutionary story. This isn't another boring tome, that competes with the author's Kalishnakov repair manual for dreary tedium. In this book, targetted at children (and those who were once children), we read of colorful birds and quarrelling gods. More powerful fare than class warfare or guerrilla strategies.
The book begins with a walk up a hill in Chiapas. Well, actually, we read "I light my pipe, and after three ceremonial puffs, I begin to tell you--just the way old Antonio used to tell it--"
Already we are invited to a different world, a world where stories don't appear in living color between commercials, as a means of inducing consumption. If we accept this invitation, succeeding pages take us up a hill where "el viejo Antonio" takes time out from a journey to share a more colorful universe with the "Insurgente."
The masked revolutionary turns back and sits down with the old one, who ignores his concern about reaching the village before the rain falls. Rain only endangers evil witches in Oz. Here in Chiapas, something more important bursts into our constructed reality, and we are transported to a world of black and white. No real colors. Only grey, to keep the black of night and the white of day from bumping into each other too hard. This is a world where the seven gods who created all things have disappeared. In this bleak landscape, only blind people and quarelsome, sleeply gods remain.
In the course of the story we learn many things. We hear the story of an unfamiliar culture. It's a fun story, playful, suitable for children. And it's a fable, a morality play about many practical things--looking where you're walking, not climbing too high, just about everything except running with a machete in your hands.
But, beneath these relatively harmless layers, lies more substantial material. The story evokes archetypes largely ignored by our plastic Ken & Barbie culture. We seek comfort and security over nearly every other goal. La Historia de los Colores insinuates that breakthroughs come only when comfort is disrupted. The theme of the story, moving from a perspective of Black and White (with a little gray buffer zone) to Full Spectrum Color, well, many a doctoral dissertation could be written about the philosophical, psychological, sociological and political implications. But let's not engage in that level of intellectual masturbation. Read the book. Hear the story. Allow the brilliant illustrations to color your day.
Why are you still reading this review? El viejo Antonio isn't going to sit on that hilltop forever, catching his breath. The rainbow will fade and Insurgente Marcos will reach the village. Then the only colors you'll have will plaster the screen of your TV, encouraging you to buy something to make you forget that you just missed out on an epic spiritual experience masquerading as a children's book.
Fresh air for the kids!.......2001-01-29
This book is for those who come after, for those whose world we, adults, are supposed to help build. This is to tell them: "Yes, it is possible. Dreams are necessary and possible." And when the time comes to defend your dreams, just do it. For those with bare Spanish the writing style may look a little startling, as it is carefully crafted in the Mayan undertaking of Cervantes' language. Yet, this adds up to the charm and magic of Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos' book. If this wasn't enough there's the individual story of this book published after the wimpy Nat'l Endowment for the Arts withdrew its support. Domitila's colored images are the perfect envelope for La Historia de los Colores. I wish I was 5 again and that someone would have given me this book... How much would I have learned!
Books:
- The Lost Boys of Sudan: An American Story of the Refugee Experience
- The Lost German Slave Girl: The Extraordinary True Story of Sally Miller and Her Fight for Freedom in Old New Orleans
- The Magic Flute (Russell, P. Craig. P. Craig Russell Library of Opera Adaptations, V. 1.)
- The Memory Book: A Novel
- The Miracle Ball Method: Relieve Your Pain, Reshape Your Body, Reduce Your Stress
- The Norton Anthology of Short Fiction
- The Perfect Shoe (Urban Soul) (Urban Soul Presents)
- The Pragmatic Programmer: From Journeyman to Master
- The Raj Quartet: The Jewel in the Crown/the Day of the Scorpion/the Towers of Silence/a Division of the Spoils
- The Secret
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Food and Beverage Cost Control
- Chief of Station, Congo: Fighting the Cold War in a Hot Zone
- The Trajectory of Change: Activist Strategies for Social Transformation
- The Couple's Guide to Love & Money
- The Wages of Destruction: The Making and Breaking of the Nazi Economy
- Better: A Surgeon's Notes on Performance
- "You Can't Enlarge the Pie": The Psychology of Ineffective Government
- Econometric Models and Economic Forecasts
- The Second Slump : a Marxist Analysis of Recession in the Seventies
- Knit One, Kill Two
