The Daughters of Juarez: A True Story of Serial Murder South of the Border
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Daughters of Juarez
  • Compelling story, purple prose delivery
  • Daughters of Juarez
  • Compelling read, but with reservations
  • Thrilling Read
 The Daughters of Juarez: A True Story of Serial Murder South of the Border
Teresa Rodriguez , Diana Montané , and Lisa Pulitzer
Manufacturer: Atria
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

CriminologyCriminology | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Murder & MayhemMurder & Mayhem | True Accounts | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
True CrimeTrue Crime | True Accounts | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Serial KillersSerial Killers | True Accounts | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Violence in SocietyViolence in Society | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
  1. Las Hijas de Juarez (Daughters of Juarez): Un auténtico relato de asesinatos en serie al sur de la frontera Las Hijas de Juarez (Daughters of Juarez): Un auténtico relato de asesinatos en serie al sur de la frontera
  2. Ask a Mexican Ask a Mexican
  3. Secrets in the Sand: The Young Women of Ciudad Juarez Secrets in the Sand: The Young Women of Ciudad Juarez
  4. On the Edge: The Femicide in Ciudad Juarez On the Edge: The Femicide in Ciudad Juarez
  5. If I Am Missing or Dead: A Sister's Story of Love, Murder, and Liberation If I Am Missing or Dead: A Sister's Story of Love, Murder, and Liberation

ASIN: 0743292030

Book Description

Despite the fact that Juarez is a Mexican border city just across the Rio Grande from El Paso, Texas, most Americans are unaware that for more than twelve years this city has been the center of an epidemic of horrific crimes against women and girls, consisting of kidnappings, rape, mutilation, and murder, with most of the victims conforming to a specific profile: young, slender, and poor, fueling the premise that the murders are not random.

Indeed, there has been much speculation that the killer or killers are American citizens. While some leading members of the American media have reported on the situation, prompting the U.S. government to send in top criminal profilers from the FBI, little real information about this international atrocity has emerged. According to Amnesty International, as of 2006 more than 400 bodies have been recovered, with hundreds still missing.

As for who is behind the murders themselves, the answer remains unknown, although many have argued that the killings have become a sort of blood sport, due to the lawlessness of the city itself. Among the theories being considered are illegal trafficking in human organs, ritualistic satanic sacrifices, copycat killers, and a conspiracy between members of the powerful Juárez drug cartel and some corrupt Mexican officials who have turned a blind eye to the felonies, all the while lining their pockets with money drenched in blood.

Despite numerous arrests over the last ten years, the murders continue to occur, with the killers growing bolder, dumping bodies in the city itself rather than on the outskirts of town, as was initially the case, indicating a possible growing and most alarming alliance of silence and cover-up by Mexican politicians.

The Daughters of Juárez promises to be the first eye-opening, authoritative nonfiction work of its kind to examine the brutal killings and draw attention to these atrocities on the border. The end result will shock readers and become required reading on the subject for years to come.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Daughters of Juarez.......2007-10-03

Daughters of Juarez is a disturbing story, but it is a true account of the unsolved mysteries of these young women's lost lives. It is an insight into the poverty and injustice that occurs daily in this border town and surrounding areas.

4 out of 5 stars Compelling story, purple prose delivery.......2007-09-09

I would have to agree with the previous reviewer who said that the story was compelling and important, but the overlong purple prose descriptions of what the families went through and the overly dramatic descriptions of the situations, with speculations on what everyone was thinking mar an important and compelling book.

Some straight crime reporting, an analysis of the facts and maybe some more social analysis (for instance, how do the drug culture, the male dominated hispanic culture, the pervasive corruption of the border towns, etc. contribute to this holocaust against women) would have helped a lot.

Still, there is not much written about this problem, which if it were happening here or in any first world country, would be page one news everyday, so the book is valuable.

So, good subject and investigative reporting marred by overly dramatic writing.

I would recommend it, you can skip over the long emotional descriptions of background, thoughts and other contrived elements.

5 out of 5 stars Daughters of Juarez.......2007-08-26

I live in El Paso and have followed much of this in the newspaper including the two Bus drivers, The FBI coming to help, etc. Now I know it was all lies.

Mexico has been called the most corrupt nation on earth and I've heard the stories and now I see it in action. I have too many chilling stories direct from American victims of the Juarez Police to share here.

This corruption has spread to El Paso with corruption in the Border Patrol, the government, the police and I'm not just saying this, I've talked to people and have examples both from the Newspaper and people in the know. The FBI has been conducting an investigation into the El Paso government for several months and people are going to jail. Halleluiah!

Personally I've been afraid to go across the Border for years based on these stories and now I'll be spreading the word. Do not go into Mexico!

This book hits hard with details that would make a strong man cry. The horrible end to young lives, the Police laughing at parents asking for help and the intimidating of helpless mothers who might "know too much", the framing of innocents, The corruption of "investigations" run by incompetents.

This book is an indictment, a denunciation of a government and society gone terribly wrong. Bribes are necessary just to get your TV cable hooked up and this pattern of behavior climbs to the very top.

I hope this book helps but in a society that accepts incompetence and corruption as a given I have my doubts. If Mexico is to change it must come from the bottom and it is so instilled in the poverty stricken common people to not make waves how can we expect them to effectively rise up. But enough publicity might send the rats scurrying, we need more books and TV exposes like this.

3 out of 5 stars Compelling read, but with reservations.......2007-08-09

The Daughters of Juarez, by Teresa Rodriguez (with Diana Montané and Lisa Pulitzer), chronicles a series of horrific murders of young women (and teens) in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, over the last fourteen years, the law enforcement/governmental response to them, and the myriad theories as to the perpetrator(s). Over this period, a good part of 400 poor women were raped, tortured and killed, then dumped in desert areas and vacant lots around the city. The book details a rich tapestry of police and governmental brutality, corruption, blatant sexual discrimination, disregard for public safety, and just plain incompetence.

Although many suspects have been charged and held, it is doubtful that any of the murders can ever be considered legitimately solved because of this pervasive and persistent institutional dysfunction. In fact, one can say that this is a glaring example of how not to run a criminal justice system. It's heartbreaking to consider that the families of these slain women will never see justice done. Additionally, it must have been so frustrating for those in law enforcement and government who made efforts to run effective investigations, only to be stymied at every turn by the very system they should have been able to trust, forced out of their jobs because they wouldn't falsify results or analyses, or even physically threatened.

Daughters is definitely a compelling, true tale and Rodriguez does a service to those affected by these horrors by airing them for everyone to examine. The book, however, suffers from a lack of organization: Rodriguez bounces around dates, people and events so much so that it's hard to keep them all straight. Also, she makes a point of maudlin over-description of the women and their families so as to make them more sympathetic. This in my mind is unnecessary; most people will find the thought of someone (not to mention hundreds) being subjected to the extreme violence that these women experienced and the grief (on multiple levels) that their loved ones were forced to endure to be inconceivably horrible - no matter who the reader is. I also think Rodriguez could have used some citations to support what must have been years of research and investigation. In the end, I would recommend this book as a real eye-opener, but with these reservations.

5 out of 5 stars Thrilling Read.......2007-08-05

I stumbled onto The Daughter's of Juarez after having a discussion on the term femicide (the act of killing a woman is a more generic term but this term is often applied to specific mass killings of women). In Juarez, Mexico women from all social classes and with distinctly different family ties have been going missing. Now and then bodies (and the occasional mass grave) of women that have been sexually abused and mutilated show up. The Daughter's of Juarez explores the lives of these missing women, the media blips that have occurred as a result, the political turmoil caused over these cases, as well as the possible answers to what has happened to so many women. After reading about this I was horrified by what had happened and because I had never heard of anything about this prior to the reading. A thrilling and exploratory read of the lives of women in Juarez, Mexico as well as a look at the relations between the U.S. and its border neighbor.
The Ruins
Average customer rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
  • Can't Put Down
  • Plant Rant
  • Should be titled "Zero!"
  • Expectinig More
  • A MASTERPIECE OF HORROR...
 The Ruins
Scott Smith
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

United StatesUnited States | Horror | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Horror | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
SuspenseSuspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
  1. Simple Plan, A Simple Plan, A
  2. The Road The Road
  3. The Book of the Dead (Pendergast, Book 7) The Book of the Dead (Pendergast, Book 7)
  4. The Terror: A Novel The Terror: A Novel
  5. The Keep The Keep

ASIN: 1400043875
Release Date: 2006-07-18

Amazon.com

In 1993, Scott Smith wowed readers with A Simple Plan, his stunning debut thriller about what happens when three men find a wrecked plane and bag stuffed with over 4 million dollars--a book that Stephen King called "Simply the best suspense novel of the year!" Now, thirteen years after writing a novel that turned into a pretty great movie featuring Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton, Smith is back, with The Ruins, a horror-thriller about four Americans traveling in Mexico who stumble across a nightmare in the jungle. Who better to tell readers if Smith has done it again than the undisputed King of Horror (and champion of Smith's first book)? We asked Stephen King to read The Ruins and give us his take. Check out his review below. --Daphne Durham

Guest Reviewer: Stephen King

Stephen King is the author of too many bestselling books to name here, but some of our favorites include: Cell, The Stand, On Writing, The Shining, and the entire Dark Tower series. King also received the National Book Foundation 2003 Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, has had many movies and television miniseries adapted from his novels, short stories, and screenplays, and is a regular columnist for Entertainment Weekly. Keep your eyes peeled for Lisey's Story (October 2006), a new television series on TNT based on Nightmares & Dreamscapes (July 2007), and a graphic novel series based on the Dark Tower books coming from Marvel (2007).

When I heard that Scott Smith was publishing a new novel this summer, I felt the way I did when my kids came in an hour or two late from their weekend dates: a combination of welcoming relief (thank God you're back) mingled with exasperation and anger (where the hell have you been?). Well, it's only a book, you say, and maybe that's true, but Scott Smith is a singularly gifted writer, and it seems to me that the twelve years between his debut--the cult smash A Simple Plan--and his return this summer with The Ruins is cause for exasperation, if not outright anger. Certainly Smith, who has been invisible save for his Academy Award-nominated screenplay for the film version of A Simple Plan, will have some 'splainin to do about how he spent his summer vacation. Make that his last twelve summer vacations.

But enough. The new book is here, and the question devotees of A Simple Plan will want answered is whether or not this book generates anything like Plan's harrowing suspense. The answer is yes. The Ruins is going to be America's literary shock-show this summer, doing for vacations in Mexico what Jaws did for beach weekends on Long Island. Is it as successful and fulfilling as a novel? The answer is not quite, but I can live with that, because it's riskier. There will be reviews of this book by critics who have little liking or understanding for popular fiction who'll dismiss it as nothing but a short story that has been bloated to novel length (I'm thinking of Michiko Kakutani, for instance, who microwaved Smith's first book). These critics, who steadfastly grant pop fiction no virtue but raw plot, will miss the dazzle of Smith's technique; The Ruins is the equivalent of a triple axel that just misses perfection because something's wrong with the final spin.

It's hard to say much about the book without giving away everything, because the thing is as simple and deadly as a leg-hold trap concealed in a drift of leaves…or, in this case, a mass of vines. You've got four young American tourists--Eric, Jeff, Amy, and Stacy--in Cancun. They make friends with a German named Mathias whose brother has gone off into the jungle with some archeologists. These five, plus a cheerful Greek with no English (but a plentiful supply of tequila), head up a jungle trail to find Mathias's brother…the archaeologists…and the ruins.

Well, two out of three ain't bad, according to the old saying, and in this case; what's waiting in the jungle isn't just bad, it's horrible. Most of The Ruins's 300-plus pages is one long, screaming close-up of that horror. There's no let-up, not so much as a chapter-break where you can catch your breath. I felt that The Ruins did draw on a trifle, but I found Scott Smith's refusal to look away heroic, just as I did in A Simple Plan. It's the trappings of horror and suspense that will make the book a best seller, but its claim to literature lies in its unflinching naturalism. It's no Heart of Darkness, but at its suffocating, terrifying, claustrophobic best, it made me think of Frank Norris. Not a bad comparison, at that.

One only hopes Mr. Smith won't stay away so long next time.--Stephen King


Book Description

Eerie, terrifying, unputdownable—Scott Smith’s first novel since his best-selling A Simple Plan (“Simply the best suspense novel of this year—hell, of the 1990s”—Stephen King). The Ruins follows two American couples, just out of college, enjoying a pleasant, lazy beach holiday together in Mexico as, on an impulse, they go off with newfound friends in search of one of their group—the young German, who, in pursuit of a girl, has headed for the remote Mayan ruins, site of a fabled archeological dig.

This is what happens from the moment the searchers—moving into the wild interior—begin to suspect that there is an insidious, horrific “other” among them . . .

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Can't Put Down.......2007-10-10

A book like this comes along only too rarely. Once I picked it up, it went everywhere with me until I finished it, although I hated to have it end. After it ended, I continued to think about it. I am pushing this book on everyone so they can have it in their head like it is in mine. Scott Smith took a long time after writing his first book to write this one (first one,A Simple Plan).I hope he doesn't make us wait this long again.

3 out of 5 stars Plant Rant.......2007-10-10

Ok, so I had high hopes for this book and it kind of delivered, but I was so hyped up about it from different reviews that I was expecting more. It was different, but through out the whole book I just kept thinking that I had read this somewhere before. The premise was decent but it just didn't feel original. I don't know how to describe it, but it was like deja vu when I read this book. It could be shortened by 100 pages or so too because, while character development is good, I could have used a bit less of it. I don't care about all that drama, get to the killin'! I liked the ending, but some of it felt like a cop out.

1 out of 5 stars Should be titled "Zero!".......2007-10-09

No, nothing, nada exploration of the "evil force," or "protagonist," which is central to the storyline of this book. In short, people are minipulated and eaten by a plant????? Would have given it a zero but was compelled by the rating system to give it one star.

3 out of 5 stars Expectinig More.......2007-10-09

As we followed the group throughout the story, I stared to care less and less for them. The book seemed to drag on and on. I was excited at first and really got into the story. The middle lost me somewhere. At the end I was listening to hear what happened, only to be disappointed in the end. The book had such possibility, but just fell short. All in all, an okay book, but I wouldn't bother reading it unless you have some time to kill.

5 out of 5 stars A MASTERPIECE OF HORROR..........2007-10-08

Ever since the since this author blazed across the literary consciousness during the mid 1990s with "A Simple Plan", his blockbuster tale of greed and suspense, fans have been waiting and clamoring for another book by this author. While I was surprised by the author's foray into an unexpected genre, that of horror fiction, having now read it, I can fully understand why the master of the macabre himself, Stephen King, has proclaimed it to be "the best horror novel of the new century". I would not disagree. It is simply a masterpiece.

Two young American couples, Jeff, Amy, Eric, and Stacy travel to Mexico to spend three weeks in August frolicking on the beaches of the Yucatan peninsula before Jeff and Amy embark on their medical school careers. There they become friendly with a young English speaking German tourist, Mathias, and three fun-loving Greeks. All in their early twenties, they hook up and party together.

It turns out that Mathias, however, had been on vacation with his younger brother, Heinrich, and quarreled with him. Heinrich had apparently met a young woman with whom he had become smitten, and when she left him to go work on an archeological dig in Coba, he decided to follow in hot pursuit. Heinrich left Mathias a note detailing why he was abandoning him and a somewhat sketchy map of where he was headed.

When Mathias decides to go after his brother, he persuades the Americans and one of the Greeks to accompany him. Believing this to be just a day excursion, these six intrepid travelers pack lightly and set out on their adventure. Despite a warning from a well-meaning native not to proceed, they continue on their way, traipsing through jungle. When they arrive at a remote Mayan village, they know that they are close to their objective. Soon after reaching their destination, however, it becomes clear that they wish that they had never set eyes or foot upon the place. What unfolds is simply horrific.

This is a horror novel that is relentless in its pacing, building the tension and suspense slowly, while creating an atmosphere of sheer and utter dread. What makes the story so stunning is the author's description of the events as they unfold within the novel and the perceptions and reactions of those who are living the nightmare. This is a finely wrought work of horror fiction, beautifully nuanced and well-written, that will ensnare the discerning reader and keep that reader turning its pages. I simply could not put it down! Bravo!
Lonely Planet Costa Rica
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Lonely Planet Costa Rica
  • Great Book
  • Conflicted author may depress you
  • Lonely Planet Rocks
  • Pretty good but not enough pictures.
 Lonely Planet Costa Rica
Mara Vorhees , and Matthew Firestone
Manufacturer: Lonely Planet Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

GuidebooksGuidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books
Lonely PlanetLonely Planet | Guidebook Series | Travel | Subjects | Books
Costa RicaCosta Rica | Central America | Latin America | Travel | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Central America | Latin America | Travel | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Mexico | Latin America | Travel | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Travel | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
  1. Waterproof Costa Rica Map Waterproof Costa Rica Map
  2. Frommer's Costa Rica 2007 (Frommer's Complete) Frommer's Costa Rica 2007 (Frommer's Complete)
  3. Costa Rican Wildlife: An Introduction to Familiar Species (Pocket Naturalist - Waterford Press) Costa Rican Wildlife: An Introduction to Familiar Species (Pocket Naturalist - Waterford Press)
  4. Lonely Planet Nicaragua & El Salvador Lonely Planet Nicaragua & El Salvador
  5. Moon Handbooks Costa Rica Moon Handbooks Costa Rica

ASIN: 1741044634

Book Description

Beyond the deserted beaches of the Nicoya Peninsula and the visceral heights of the Monteverde cloud forests lies the real Costa Rica - a land of delicate pathos, forthright purity and hard-won pacifism. Tromp through virgin rain forest - sighting poison-dart frogs and howler monkeys along the way - or simply explore the local lore and laid-back beach scene with this comprehensive guide. LESS IS MORE - expanded ecofriendly coverage and loads of volunteer and learning opportunities make traveling with a conscience easier than ever THE WILD SIDE - spot your favorite rain forest dwellers - scarlet macaws, caimans and more - with our expert-written color wildlife section GAPS ON THE MAP - lose yourself in the seldom-visited corners of this ecological powerhouse with informed do-it-yourself content and more than 80 maps CHARGE IT! - surf the world's longest left at Pavones, hike through rain forest in Corcovado or drop into roaring rapids with our Adventure Travel chapter

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Lonely Planet Costa Rica.......2007-10-04

As always, Lonley Planet doesn't disappoint. All the information you need to plan your trip is here. It is presented precisely and with humor.

4 out of 5 stars Great Book.......2007-09-29

This book was such a useful resource to have while traveling through Costa Rica. The information was very helpful and I would strongly recommend it.



Cean Colcord

1 out of 5 stars Conflicted author may depress you.......2007-07-11

While I agree with the conservationist spirit and general distaste for overrun tourist traps expressed throughout this guidebook by Matthew Firestone (one of the book's two authors), I found his relentlessly negative tone to be extremely off-putting. While the sections written by the other author (Mara Vorhees) are more neutral, informative and generally reflect the high quality I've come to expect from the Lonely Planet series of guidebooks, Matthew Firestone's sections have fully succeeded in dampening my enthusiasm for a trip to Costa Rica before the trip has even begun.

While it may be that the beach at Playa Tamarindo "is full of blubbery North American and European holidaymakers who spend most of their time frying in the sun like beached whales" turning their complexion "from a pasty white to a rosy shade of skin cancer," and while that description does indeed sound like a scene I would rather avoid, I find the author's consistent haughty tone and overriding negativity to be out of place and offensive in a book that is intended for - after all - tourists.

I am still planning what I fully expect to be an exciting and fun vacation in Costa Rica, but now I have to do so in spite of the author of this book's overbearing negativity. It's true, I'm sure, that Costa Rica was once better to visit than it is today, but this book is not for people who knew and loved the country years ago. It's intended for people who have never been there before, and since Mr. Firestone couldn't put aside his sour gripes and focus on what's great about the place rather than bemoaning what's been lost, his words and advice won't be making the trip with me.

This book has been my first disappointment in the Lonely Planet series.

5 out of 5 stars Lonely Planet Rocks.......2007-07-05

In my travels I have come to rely on Lonely Planet for sound advise - they've never led me astray. Prior to travel I always check out their website as the feedback from other travels that is posted there is also outstanding.

4 out of 5 stars Pretty good but not enough pictures........2007-05-31

This book is very detailed but it can be hard to use without so many pictures of what they are describing. Some of the information was a little out dated or incorrect, but on the whole, a useful resource. I used it in conjunction with the DK Eyewitness Travel Guide which has more pictures but less detail. Using the two, we were able to get a a more comprehensive guide for our excursioins.
Mexican Everyday (Recipes Featured on Season 4 of the PBS-TV series "Mexico One Plate at a Time")
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Disappointed
  • Wow, just incredable and great tasting recipes!
  • Tasty, very tasty
  • Just Like The Homeland, same taste but less work!!!!
  • To easy to be this flavorful
 Mexican Everyday (Recipes Featured on Season 4 of the PBS-TV series "Mexico One Plate at a Time")
Rick Bayless , and Deann Groen Bayless
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

GeneralGeneral | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
MexicanMexican | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
  1. Mexico One Plate At A Time Mexico One Plate At A Time
  2. Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen: Capturing the Vibrant flavors of a World-Class Cuisine Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen: Capturing the Vibrant flavors of a World-Class Cuisine
  3. Authentic Mexican 20th Anniversary Ed: Regional Cooking from the Heart of Mexico Authentic Mexican 20th Anniversary Ed: Regional Cooking from the Heart of Mexico
  4. Salsas That Cook : Using Classic Salsas To Enliven Our Favorite Dishes Salsas That Cook : Using Classic Salsas To Enliven Our Favorite Dishes
  5. The Best Recipes in the World The Best Recipes in the World

Accessories:
  1. Rick Bayless Bean and Soup Pot, Sol Rick Bayless Bean and Soup Pot, Sol
  2. Rick Bayless Cacerola, Sol Rick Bayless Cacerola, Sol
  3. Rick Bayless Comal Griddle, Sol Rick Bayless Comal Griddle, Sol
  4. Rick Bayless Cazuela, Sol Rick Bayless Cazuela, Sol
  5. Rick Bayless Pepper Roaster Griddle, Salsa Rick Bayless Pepper Roaster Griddle, Salsa

ASIN: 039306154X

Book Description

At last, a cookbook that brings Mexican food within easy reach, companion to the all-new PBS series.

In his previous books, Rick Bayless transformed America's understanding of Mexican cuisine, introducing authentic dishes and cooking methods as he walked readers through Mexican markets and street stalls.

As much as Rick loves the bold flavors of Mexican foods, he understands that preparing many Mexican specialties requires more time than most of us have. Mexican Everyday is written with the time sensitivities of modern life in mind. It is a collection of 90 full-flavored recipes—like Green Chile Chicken Tacos, Shrimp Ceviche Salad, Chipotle Steak with Black Beans—that meet three criteria for "everyday" food: 1) most need less than 30 minutes' involvement; 2) they have the fresh, clean taste of simple, authentic preparations; and 3) they are nutritionally balanced, full-featured meals—no elaborate side dishes required. Companion to a thirteen-part public television series, this book provides dishes you can eat with family and friends, day in and day out. Color throughout.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Disappointed.......2007-07-30

I was disappointed when I received this book from Amazon and searched through for something to cook that night. The recipes have too many ingredients (involving an extra trip or more to the grocery store) - and just not realistic for the working people of the world. Mind you, the food was good, but I don't have time in my life for a majority of the recipes in this book.

5 out of 5 stars Wow, just incredable and great tasting recipes!.......2007-07-07

I've learned so much from this book! The recipes aren't only delicious but also healthy and affordable. It feels like a real treat with every new meal and even the regulars! I would recommend this book to anyone who would like to learn how to cook mexican with everything from the herbs and spices to where to find some of the hard to find items. I read the book from front to back and really got the full lesson you wouldn't normally get just jumping from recipe to recipe like I did for a while. I'll never look at Mexican the same!

4 out of 5 stars Tasty, very tasty.......2007-06-08

This is what I call traditional mexican food, for real, I am mexican by the way, and the flavor of the real mexican food has been captured in these recipes, although I must say that using masa harina in some of the recipes is not such a great idea, I know in some areas of Mexico it is used, but its taste overpowers everything else, so I would not use it, I would use corn starch instead, plain and simple. Besides that detail, the book definitely is worth it, if you like traditional mexican food; some dishes brought me back to my childhood years.

5 out of 5 stars Just Like The Homeland, same taste but less work!!!!.......2007-03-28

A must for your collection of Mexican cooking. You will re-live the mornings at home when the aroma chocked you to death but when you sat and ate it was all worth it!! If you truly love Authentic Mexican food will you understand what i am saying.

5 out of 5 stars To easy to be this flavorful.......2007-03-22

Full of flavor and easy to make dishes...if you cant find ingredients locally check out the riffs for substitutions and alternate preparations. If you don't like this book write your own.
Mexico: The Beautiful Cookbook
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • good recipes
  • Not recipes of Author
  • I love this cookbook series!
  • Very, very Dissappointing
  • a great book
 Mexico: The Beautiful Cookbook
Susanna Palazuelos
Manufacturer: Beautiful Cookbooks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

HistoryHistory | 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
GeneralGeneral | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
MexicanMexican | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Mexico | Latin America | Travel | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
  1. Southwest: The Beautiful Cookbook Southwest: The Beautiful Cookbook
  2. Tuscany: The Beautiful Cookbook Tuscany: The Beautiful Cookbook
  3. Thailand: The Beautiful Cookbook Thailand: The Beautiful Cookbook
  4. The Best of Mexico (The Best of ...) The Best of Mexico (The Best of ...)
  5. France: The Beautiful Cookbook France: The Beautiful Cookbook

ASIN: 000215949X

Book Description

The drama of Mexico's tumultuous history--the rise and fall of the Olmec and Maya civilizations, the magnificent Aztec world that greeted Cortes, the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors, and the turbulent revolutionary years--is vividly reflected in the cuisine of this vast country. Mexican food is history itself, a culinary marriage of native Indian foods such as corn, beans, squash, chocolate and chiles with the Spanish contribution of wheat, rice and meats. The merger resulted in one of the world's most intriguing and least understood cuisines.

Mexico the Beautiful Cookbook captures the fascinating culinary heritage of Mexico in one stunning volume. The recipes, prepared by Acapulco-based Susanna Palazuelos, represent a vast selection of authentic Mexican dishes, from all of the states of Mexico. Many of them are unusual regional dishes that have been passed along by word of mouth, such as garlic chicken from Veracruz, and San Luis Potosi's own version of enchiladas. The traditional favorites are here--chiles en nogada, tamales, pozole, tortilla soup--along with some contemporary surprises such as tequila mousse, cilantro soup and lobster crepes. With pine nut sauce. Other well-known Mexican cooks have also contributed their own special recipes to the book.

All 250 recipes have been photographed by Ignacio Urquiza, one of Mexico's foremost food and travel photographers. He also provided the scenic photographs, which lead the reader through the regions of Mexico, revealing the markets, the countryside, the way the people live and eat in this varied and beautiful country. Marilyn Tausend's text provides an informative accompaniment to the recipes and photos, exploring Mexico's dramatic history through its food.

Mexico the Beautiful Cookbook is the essential cookbook for anyone interested in Mexico and Mexican food.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars good recipes.......2007-10-10

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

1 out of 5 stars Not recipes of Author.......2007-09-19

I have known and worked with Susanna Palazuelos over a period of 15 years while I lived in Acapulco. To what I was told these are NOT her recipes, but that of assistants and friends. She shouldn't get the glory for something that is not hers. Its just her name and reputation that got her name in this book. A previous reviewer also stated he was disappointed with this book since he tasted her catered meals before. Its not a mystery the rightful "owners" of the recipes are a combination of many individuals and not Susanna Palazuelos. I hope she shared the profit from these book sales. It would only be right to have done that. Shame on you Susanna. Also I want to note that Eduardo Wichtendahl is her son, who made a review of her book on this very page of reviews. Tsk, tsk, tsk.... I do think its a beautiful book with the photography, and the recipes are adequate to what I've known over the years. However, the recipes are not high in substance but do show the true authenticity of meals from the different regions. I must add that I love Rick Bayless and Diana Kennedy who have gone into the history of Mexican cuisines and have an actual passion for the cooking. Unlike Susanna who by her success in the catering industry just did this for the money since there is no passion in the book from her end.

4 out of 5 stars I love this cookbook series!.......2007-05-19

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

1 out of 5 stars Very, very Dissappointing.......2006-10-07

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

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

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

4 out of 5 stars a great book.......2006-08-26

this was a terrific book with lots of beautiful pictures and easy to follow recipes. there was something for everyone from novices to chefs. its great!!
In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Fantastic
  • A Captivating Read.
  • one of the best maritime disaster books I've ever read
  • great book!!!
  • If only I could give this six stars!!
 In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex
Nathaniel Philbrick
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

MexicoMexico | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | 19th Century | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Ships | Transportation | World | History | Subjects | Books
Ships & ShipwrecksShips & Shipwrecks | Ships | Transportation | World | History | Subjects | Books
HistoryHistory | Ships | Transportation | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
  1. Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War
  2. Sea of Glory: America's Voyage of Discovery, the U.S. Exploring Expedition, 1838-1842 Sea of Glory: America's Voyage of Discovery, the U.S. Exploring Expedition, 1838-1842
  3. Over the Edge of the World: Magellan's Terrifying Circumnavigation of the Globe (P.S.) Over the Edge of the World: Magellan's Terrifying Circumnavigation of the Globe (P.S.)
  4. Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time
  5. The Loss of the Ship Essex, Sunk by a Whale (Penguin Classics) The Loss of the Ship Essex, Sunk by a Whale (Penguin Classics)

ASIN: 0141001828
Release Date: 2001-05-01

Amazon.com

The appeal of Dava Sobel's Longitude was, in part, that it illuminated a little-known piece of history through a series of captivating incidents and engaging personalities. Nathaniel Philbrick's In the Heart of the Sea is certainly cast from the same mold, examining the 19th-century Pacific whaling industry through the arc of the sinking of the whaleship Essex by a boisterous sperm whale. The story that inspired Herman Melville's classic Moby-Dick has a lot going for it--derring-do, cannibalism, rescue--and Philbrick proves an amiable and well-informed narrator, providing both context and detail. We learn about the importance and mechanics of blubber production--a vital source of oil--and we get the nuts and bolts of harpooning and life aboard whalers. We are spared neither the nitty-gritty of open boats nor the sucking of human bones dry.

By sticking to the tried and tested Longitude formula, Philbrick has missed a slight trick or two. The epicenter of the whaling industry was Nantucket, a small island off Cape Cod; most of the whales were in the Pacific, necessitating a huge journey around the southernmost tip of South America. We never learn why no one ever tried to create an alternative whaling capital somewhere nearer. Similarly, Philbrick tells us that the story of the Essex was well known to Americans for decades, but he never explores how such legends fade from our consciousness. Philbrick would no doubt reply that such questions were beyond his remit, and you can't exactly accuse him of skimping on his research. By any standard, 50 pages of footnotes impress, though he wears his learning lightly. He doesn't get bogged down in turgid detail, and his narrative rattles along at a nice pace. When the storyline is as good as this, you can't really ask for more. --John Crace, Amazon.co.uk

Book Description

The ordeal of the whaleship Essex was an event as mythic in the nineteenth century as the sinking of the Titanic was in the twentieth. In 1819, the Essex left Nantucket for the South Pacific with twenty crew members aboard. In the middle of the South Pacific the ship was rammed and sunk by an angry sperm whale. The crew drifted for more than ninety days in three tiny whaleboats, succumbing to weather, hunger, disease, and ultimately turning to drastic measures in the fight for survival. Nathaniel Philbrick uses little-known documents-including a long-lost account written by the ship's cabin boy-and penetrating details about whaling and the Nantucket community to reveal the chilling events surrounding this epic maritime disaster. An intense and mesmerizing read, In the Heart of the Sea is a monumental work of history forever placing the Essex tragedy in the American historical canon.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Fantastic.......2007-09-24

I am a big skeptic when I read these types of books. I always assume the author is filling in the substantial blanks in the story with his own interpretation & fluff. I did not feel that way with this authors version of the story.

The story was really entertaining. It was a page turner that kept me up too late on work nights. I think I read the last 1/3 of it without putting it down.

Highly recommended. You will learn a lot about whaling and Nantucket, both of which I surprisingly found captivating.

5 out of 5 stars A Captivating Read........2007-08-17

Knowing that this was not a fictional story added an element of intensity as I read this book. Truthfully, this would have made for good fictional reading as well. I enjoyed the character development and the way in which the story was told. I was on the edge of my seat, and looking forward to getting to the book every morning while reading this. In the Mr. Philbrick's words, "The Essex disaster is not a tale of adventure. It is a tragedy that happens to be one of the the greatest true stories ever told."

5 out of 5 stars one of the best maritime disaster books I've ever read.......2007-08-13

What a fantastic story told in a fascinating way. I've read many books about maritime disasters, and this one has gone to the top of the list. Nathaniel Philbrick is a great story-teller and meticulous researcher. I'm very, very impressed.

5 out of 5 stars great book!!!.......2007-08-04

Wow, this is a great book. The author is very skilled in telling historical facts and journal entries but into a story that is easy to read, full of factual informative information, and has great structure. If you like this book I would definitely suggest reading "Skeletons in the Sahara" another phenomenal book, it's not written by Nathaniel Philbrick, but also another amazing author who tells a tragic story of a crew and his captain lost at sea near Africa and the story of the few that survived.

I also bought Nathaniel Philbrick's Mayflower but haven't had a chance to read it yet but look forward to doing so now since i've read In the Heart of the sea.

5 out of 5 stars If only I could give this six stars!!.......2007-07-10

This is a phenomenal book. I am putting it in my top five. It is that rare bit of nonfiction that keeps you on the edge of your seat. I am an avid horror reader, and although technically this book doesn't fit that genre, I am making a place for it on my horror shelf. This truly is a tragedy, and the depths of Captain Pollard's misfortune is staggering. Granted he wasn't a "fishy man," but he is a character you rooted for. Chase, more captain than first mate, was the true leader. He kept an almost obsessive watch over the rations and kept his battered boat in sailing shape despite the seemingly insurmountable odds set before his crew. This is an outstanding book. Philbrick is an excellent writer. I particularly like the way he handled the explanation of starvation and the effects on the psyche. I've heard some call the section about cannibalism gruesome, and it was, but in order to understand the sheer power of this tragedy, it was tactfully and, I think, brilliantly handled in this regard by Philbrick.

Kudos to the author and kudos to the lucky reader who picks up this book!
The Devil's Highway: A True Story
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • The Devil's Highway - a must read!
  • Urrea's Masterful Narrative
  • The Rabbit
  • An Everyday Tragedy in the Southwest
  • Great personal view of immigration
 The Devil's Highway: A True Story
Luis Alberto Urrea
Manufacturer: Back Bay Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Emigration & ImmigrationEmigration & Immigration | Administrative Law | Law | Subjects | Books
CriminologyCriminology | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
U.S.U.S. | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Emigration & ImmigrationEmigration & Immigration | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Sociology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Hispanic American StudiesHispanic American Studies | Special Groups | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Political Science | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
  1. The Hummingbird's Daughter The Hummingbird's Daughter
  2. Across the Wire: Life and Hard Times on the Mexican Border Across the Wire: Life and Hard Times on the Mexican Border
  3. By the Lake of Sleeping Children By the Lake of Sleeping Children
  4. Enrique's Journey Enrique's Journey
  5. Coyotes: A Journey Through the Secret World of America's Illegal Aliens Coyotes: A Journey Through the Secret World of America's Illegal Aliens

ASIN: 0316010804

Book Description

In this work of grave beauty and searing powerone of the most widely praised pieces of investigative reporting to appear in recent yearswe follow 26 men who in May 2001 attempted to cross the Mexican border into the desert of southern Arizona, through the deadly region known as the Devils Highway, a desert so harsh and desolate that even the Border Patrol is afraid to travel through it, a place that for hundreds of years has stolen mens souls and swallowed their blood. Only 12 of the men made it out.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars The Devil's Highway - a must read!.......2007-08-26

As a long-time resident of Tucson I was fascinated and horrified by this book. I thought that I knew a lot about "entrants" and the problems of our southern border but this book really opened my eyes. Such a complicated issue!

The book is well-written, absorbing, amusing, informing and very readable. Anyone who is at all interested in our immigration and border policies, or who has an interest in the desert and borderlands, should by all means read this book! Or, read it just because you like a good (true) story.

5 out of 5 stars Urrea's Masterful Narrative.......2007-06-13

Touching story about everyday life at the border.

5 out of 5 stars The Rabbit.......2007-02-20

Once upon a time, there was a rabbit and he was rather licious. lol...Good review...Don't strangle the chickens or choke them.

2 out of 5 stars An Everyday Tragedy in the Southwest.......2006-11-11

As a resident who has lived in Yuma, Arizona for the past nine years and read the daily paper and watched the nightly news giving scant details about one or two bodies found here or there, presumed to be those of "illegals" -- Urrea brings to the reader the faces and lives of the human beings behind the numbers. I often think of the deceased that are briefly mentioned in these news blurbs and wonder where they came from, whom they have left behind and what dreams of theirs did the desert kill? And is the desert what really killed them? Or was it some errant Border Patrol agent or a frustrated and pissed off Minuteman? Just what are they so pissed about, anyhow?
Regarding the immigrants and their motivations for leaving their beloved behind for the north, Urrea certainly answered some of my questions. No, America, they are not all criminals, drug runners or people out to get your top jobs! They just want to make enough to feed their families and if they're lucky, save enough to buy a little building material for a house or to start up a small business. I have yet to hear any of my friends or acquaintances get excited about applying for jobs in agriculture or plucking chickens!
This book should be recommended reading for our government leaders, the INS, and ALL law enforcement agencies - they might just be able to figure out a plan for immigration reform! Just be sure to read the interview of Mr. Urrea in the Reading Group Guide at the end of the book -- the numbers (profits) will amaze you. As this book painfully demonstrates, fences are not going to do anything but make death in the desert an even more certain fate for crossers.
Thank you, Mr. Urrea, for giving the world a clear and concise picture of what is really going on in our corner of the country and our part of the globe, for that matter. As I drive along I-8 going to either San Diego or Phoenix and offer my usual prayer for those who have died so close by, I can promise that the names of Edgar, Abraham, Jose and Reymundo will not be forgotten. I will even have a prayer for Mendez.

4 out of 5 stars Great personal view of immigration.......2006-11-02

Urrea brings us up close and personal by sharing the real lives of those who risk crossing the border and the Border Patrol officers that try to stop them. A painful story, well told.
The Course of Mexican History
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Alright for a text book
  • typical college text
  • The best place to start to learn about Mexico's History
  • First-Rate History
  • Best book on Mexican History
 The Course of Mexican History
Michael C. Meyer , William L. Sherman , and Susan M. Deeds
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

GeneralGeneral | Central America | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
MexicoMexico | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | World | History | Subjects | Books
All TitlesAll Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:
  1. The Mexico Reader: History, Culture, Politics (The Latin America Readers) The Mexico Reader: History, Culture, Politics (The Latin America Readers)
  2. The Death of Artemio Cruz: A Novel The Death of Artemio Cruz: A Novel
  3. The Underdogs The Underdogs
  4. The Broken Spears: The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico The Broken Spears: The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico
  5. Judas at the Jockey Club and Other Episodes of Porfirian Mexico (Second Edition) Judas at the Jockey Club and Other Episodes of Porfirian Mexico (Second Edition)

ASIN: 0195148193

Book Description

Mexico's political, social, and economic landscapes have shifted in very striking ways in recent years, and the country now moves cautiously into the twenty-first century. The Course of Mexican History has been updated and revised to address these remarkable transformations. This seventh edition offers a completely up-to-date, lively, and engaging survey from pre-Columbian times to the present. New sections cover the dramatic 2000 election of Vicente Fox to the presidency of Mexico; the privatization of state-owned enterprises and the concept of the free market; and the reaction of the communities of rural Mexico to this economic "progress." Lavishly illustrated throughout, the text features 250 photographs and drawings, and 14 maps for easy reference. The leading textbook in its field, The Course of Mexican History is indispensable for students interested in Mexican history, politics, economics, and culture.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Alright for a text book.......2007-05-15

Had to buy this book for a Modern Mexican History class, so I only read the chapters dealing with Mexican history from the end of the colonial period through the end of the book. What I read was interesting, brief and to the point as a text book should be. However, I would not enjoy just sitting down and reading it for fun.

3 out of 5 stars typical college text.......2007-03-14

This is a general narrative summary of Mexican history. It is not very deep on anything, has few direct quotes from primary materials, but it's organized fairly well. For the beginner - or college student who is not very intellectually ambitious or curious - it's OK. For anyone else, I'd advise buying the really excellent Mexico Reader, Duke Univ Press, edited by Gil Joseph et al. The Mexico Reader is a terrific compendium of original sources covering all the same periods and can be used as a complement or in place of this book.

5 out of 5 stars The best place to start to learn about Mexico's History .......2007-03-05

Growning up in a "Mexican" household with parents that did not teach me Spanish or much about Mexico's history, culture and roots has left me with a thirst to find out more about Mexico. I am so happy that I stumbled upon this book. This is a book that is easy to read. This was actually the book that I started with in my pursuit to find out more about Mexico's culture and history. This is also where I would advise anyone else to start.

From this book you will learn about Mexico's early Indian civilizations through the Aztecs and the Spanish Conquest all the way to the colonial era through the revolution and independence of Mexico, and post-1940 era. If you want to learn more about Mexico's history you will also find recommended readings at the end of each chaper of this book. I highly recommend this book.

5 out of 5 stars First-Rate History.......2007-02-25

Easy to read, remarkably free from academic cant, with suggestions for further reading placed conveniently at the end of each chaper, this is undoubtedly the best one-volume history of Mexico available. A good place to start for anyone interested in the subject.

5 out of 5 stars Best book on Mexican History.......2006-12-18

Sherman, Myers and Deeds have the best book on Mexican history that can be found. It covers all aspects from the social and cultural to the military and political. It is very well written with plenty of pictures so you can visualize what happened at each point. The analysis is truly top notch and one of the great assets of this book is the wonderful suggested reading at the end of each chapter. It really allows you to learn all about Mexico and then go back and read further on the parts you find the most interesting. This is an essential book for any latin American history library and one that will live on throughout the ages. It is updated regularly although any edition is a great start to learning about Mexico. Whether you are an expert or a beginner you will find this book useful.
Lonely Planet Mexico
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Decent Reference Book
  • Incorrect information
  • A great guidbook
  • Looking for the Revolution? Not in San Cristobal!
  • Excellent
 Lonely Planet Mexico
John Noble , Andrew Dean Nystrom , and Ben Greensfelder
Manufacturer: Lonely Planet Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

GuidebooksGuidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books
Lonely PlanetLonely Planet | Guidebook Series | Travel | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Mexico | Latin America | Travel | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Travel | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
  1. Mexican Spanish: Lonely Planet Phrasebook Mexican Spanish: Lonely Planet Phrasebook
  2. The People's Guide to Mexico (Peoples Guide to Mexico) The People's Guide to Mexico (Peoples Guide to Mexico)
  3. Lonely Planet Central America on a Shoestring Lonely Planet Central America on a Shoestring
  4. The People's Guide to Mexico (Peoples Guide to Mexico) The People's Guide to Mexico (Peoples Guide to Mexico)
  5. Frommer's Mexico 2007 (Frommer's Complete) Frommer's Mexico 2007 (Frommer's Complete)

ASIN: 1740597443

Amazon.com

From Antarctica to Zimbabwe, if you're going there chances are Lonely Planet has been there first. With a pithy and matter-of-fact writing style, these guides are guaranteed to calm the nerves of first-time world travelers, while still listing off-the-beaten-path finds sure to thrill even the most jaded globetrotters. Lonely Planet has been perfecting its guidebooks for nearly 30 years, and as a result has experience and know-how similar to an older sibling's "been there" advice. The original backpacker's bible, the LP series has recently widened its reach. While still giving insights for the low-budget traveler, the books now list a wide range of accommodations and itineraries for those with less time than money.

Lonely Planet has done a superb job of capturing Mexico's diverse offerings in one totable book. Whether you're headed for Baja or Chiapas, this is an essential reference with excellent coverage of Mexico City, regional arts and crafts (including how to buy handicrafts), helpful Web sites, and a useful traveler's Spanish language section. --Kathryn True

Book Description

Sensuous and seductive, Mexico's rich cultural traditions and raw, untamed natural beauty transcend the ages. Trample through jungles and high-plains deserts, explore ancient rites at mysterious Maya and Aztec ruins, or simply stretch out on a honey-kissed beach until mañana comes - find your own `querido Mexico' with this informed, comprehensive guide. `X' MARKS THE SPOT - The secrets of the Olmec, Toltec and more are at your fingertips. Indiana Jones would be proud. GATHER NO MOSS - Roll into adventure with comprehensive activity listings and more than 180 maps. THE HAMMOCK ALSO RISES - Spend a day, a month or a lifetime checking out Mexico's secret beach spots. Top local tips get you closer to the sandy solitude of Mexico's lost coasts. RAMBLIN' GOURMETS - Discover la nueva cocina mexicana or simply chow down on fish tacos with our informed food reviews.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Decent Reference Book.......2007-09-16

I took this book and Frommer's Mexico 2007 with me to Oaxaca. The organization and readability (print size) was not as good as Frommer's, but the content (number of overall recommendations for places to eat, stay and see) seemed better, and it also appeared to have more information than Frommer's. Reading on the fly was a little harder, since I usually had to pull out my reading specs and had to rely heavily on bookmarks(dog ears). So I wound up relying it less in this regard, and read it more for study during the hotel stay in the morning and evening. I wound up taking Frommer's with me more, and leaving the Lonely Planet in my hotel room. I found that a synthesis of both books (readability and organization) would be the ideal book. Both books, however, should have an appendix for additional listings as I found that what there were frequently popular restaurant sites not listed in neither book. Places to visit seemed to be most reliable in both books. Hotel accommodation recommendations seemed the second most reliable source, followed by eateries. The maps also seemed about equal with better details (although Frommer's offered a free Map to Mexico, which could be could for traveling from state to state, but hot too helpful in the actual locales, for this I bought local maps at the "librearias.")in the Lonely Planet, although sometimes oddly placed.

3 out of 5 stars Incorrect information.......2007-08-13

While I like Lonely Planet because it lists budget hotel and restaurant locations, We found that every hotel we checked was about 10% higher than their listed rate even in the off season. There were other discrepancies as well which were frustrating at times.

5 out of 5 stars A great guidbook.......2007-05-10

I've been living in Mexico for almost a year now and used this book on a lot of travels throughout the country. The information is concise and extremely useful, the maps are great and the price indications help you stay within your budget.
I also bought Footprint's Mexico & Central America and have to say that even though it was from the same year the Footprint book was a lot less accurate and information a lot more difficult to find.
The only thing I critizise about the book is that the information about Culiacán is missing (?) and since there are a lot of new cheap Mexican airlines, there should be more airport information included (e.g. Cuernavaca's airport isn't even mentioned)

3 out of 5 stars Looking for the Revolution? Not in San Cristobal!.......2007-04-14

Unlike the some of the other reviewers, I thought this book was generally informative and had lots of good info on Mexico, including suggested itineraries. The maps are good and handy, a major plus. The descriptions of restaurants and hotels I also found well-described.

HOWEVER, I was mislead completely by the exuberance over San Cristobal de las Casas (State of Chiapas). This town is known for the Zapatista movement from about 15 years ago. Now, instead of being some kind of center of the leftist vanguard, it is over-run by Anglo & European tourists seeking some kind of 'authentic' experience. The local population is poor, uneducated, and NOT politically active. That's not a value judgment, that's just how it is. There are interesting things to see around San Cristobal (such as some villages known for weird religious rituals and waterfalls), but don't spend more than 2 or 3 days. You will have seen everything.

Oaxaca, on the other hand, is quite politically active and was recently the scene of a major crackdown by the Mexican government. If you want interesting politics, look here. There are also interesting side trips to all kinds of natural and man-made (ie carpets) wonders. Don't miss the mezcal tour!

5 out of 5 stars Excellent.......2007-03-30

Good service, right on time.

I appreciate you bussines.
Thank you
Turquoise Girl (Ella Clah)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • More research, please
  • Another hit starring Ella Clah
  • Another Murder in Navajo Country
  • Turquoise Girl
  • Turquoise Girl
 Turquoise Girl (Ella Clah)
Aimee Thurlo , and David Thurlo
Manufacturer: Forge Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

ContemporaryContemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Women SleuthsWomen Sleuths | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
Police ProceduralsPolice Procedurals | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
  1. Mourning Dove (Ella Clah) Mourning Dove (Ella Clah)
  2. The Girl With Braided Hair (Berkley Prime Crime Mysteries) The Girl With Braided Hair (Berkley Prime Crime Mysteries)
  3. Surrogate Evil: A Lee Nez Novel (Lee Nez) Surrogate Evil: A Lee Nez Novel (Lee Nez)
  4. Prey for a Miracle (A Sister Agatha Mystery) Prey for a Miracle (A Sister Agatha Mystery)
  5. Three Sisters (Charlie Moon Mysteries) Three Sisters (Charlie Moon Mysteries)

ASIN: 076531715X
Release Date: 2007-04-03

Book Description

Navajo Police Special Investigator Ella Clah has seen a lot of death in the decade since she returned to the Reservation, but nothing quite as bad as the latest violent murder of a young Navajo woman. Something about the crime scene reminds Ella of her days in the FBI, and she calls on Agent Dwayne Blalock for help. And thats not the only link to Ellas pastclues indicates that Ellas father may have tried to stop this killer before his own murder, ten years ago. Working long hours, desperate to identify and stop a serial killer, Ella manages to squeeze in a date of sorts with Reverend Tom Ford. Ellas father was a man of the cloth as wellis Ella following her mothers path, falling for a man whose faith she does not share?

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars More research, please.......2007-09-20

It is nice that the authors did research the Navajo traditional beliefs. However, since much of the story revolves around a Protestant church, they should have done just a little more research. I'm sure that had they done that, they would have learned that in a Protestant church, you will find an empty cross, not a crucifix, and that members of Protestant churchs do not make the sign of the cross. I would also question some of the terminology used in that Northern NM area. But I'm not quite sure I'm right. I'll have to do some of my own research into the other areas I question.

3 out of 5 stars Another hit starring Ella Clah.......2007-05-21

This is the 12th installment of the series featuring Ella Clah, a Navajo Tribal police office on the reservation near Shiprock, Az. Ella always has her hands full of a murder investigation, plus family and tribal issues to deal with.

The writing by Aimee and David Thurlo is very detailed in the descriptions of the tribal mentality and attitude vs. the White man's way of doing things. Ella is constantly caught between two cultures and two ways of taking care of business.

There are always many suspects that need to be eliminated or investigated. The fact that the FBI has a hand in each investigation only enhances the assistance given to Ella and her fellow offices. It takes everyone involved, Tribal investigators, FBI, the Forensic teams, the CSI teams to solve the murder and bring justice/harmony back to the area.

These are fast-paced novels that give an insight into another area and how things are resolved in non-traditional ways. Although to the characters in the book, their ways are Traditional.


4 out of 5 stars Another Murder in Navajo Country.......2007-05-19


Another story where Ella Clah gets into deep danger. This case, the victim of the murder (a "bathtub drowning") is the daughter of one of Ella's mother's closest friends and the mother of the babysitter for Ella's daughter. Can't get much closer than that without getting into the family itself.

Naturally, there are the protesters who want to stop the construction of a new power plant, the Fierce Ones, religious conflicts and all of the standard people and relationships that seem to be cooperating to keep Ella from solving this case before someone else gets killed.

If you like the Ella Clah series of books by the Thurlos (and I do), then read this one. It is good.
A great airplane book.


5 out of 5 stars Turquoise Girl.......2007-05-13

This was a very good - grab you from the first chapter - type of book. I read it in one day and received great joy from this story.

5 out of 5 stars Turquoise Girl.......2007-05-12

As usual the Thurlo's bring the modern Navajo (Dine) into perspective with the old melding in to give demension to the culture. The mystery was good as well. It is always a pleasure to read characters who have substance and who are so real you want to count them as friends.

Books:

  1. The Designer's Guide to VHDL (Systems on Silicon)
  2. The Disappearance of the Universe: Straight Talk About Illusions, Past Lives, Religion, Sex, Politics, and the Miracles of Forgiveness
  3. The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom (A Toltec Wisdom Book)
  4. The Golden Days (The Story of the Stone, or The Dream of the Red Chamber, Volume 1)
  5. The Harlequin (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, Book 15)
  6. The Hero with a Thousand Faces (Mythos Books)
  7. The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town
  8. The Lady and the Panda: The True Adventures of the First American Explorer to Bring Back China's Most Exotic Animal
  9. The Last of the Wine
  10. The Mayan Oracle: Return Path to the Stars (Book, 44 Cards, 20 Mayan Star Glyphs, 13 Numbers,and 11 Lenses of Mystery)

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books

  1. History: Fiction or Science
  2. Confessions of an Economic Hit Man
  3. Time-Saver Standards for Landscape Architecture
  4. 2006 Essential Guide to the NSA Spying Controversy, Bush Administration Anti-Terrorism Wiretapping a
  5. Astronomy Today
  6. Currency Derivatives: Pricing Theory, Exotic Options, and Hedging Applications
  7. Alpine for You : A Passport to Peril Mystery
  8. Great Escapes: New Designs for Home Theaters by Theo Kalomirakis
  9. 50 Fast Digital Photo Techniques with Photoshop Elements 3
  10. Murder Most Catholic: Divine Tales of Profane Crimes