Latin America Books - Page 3

In Patagonia (Penguin Classics)

Bruce Chatwin

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Subjects -> History -> General AAS
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 16 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

not what I expected 3 out of 5 stars.
4 of 5 people found this review helpful.

For a long time, I wanted to get familiar with Bruce Chatwin's work. I managed to get "In Patagonia" as the first of his books I could read.

The beginning was very promising. The narrator (writing in author's voice, in the first person), as a child, finds in his grandmother's dining-room cabinet a strange piece of leather covered with thick, reddish hair. His mother tells him it is a piece of brontosaurus brought by his grandmother's cousin, Charley Milward, from Patagonia. This piece of information fed his young imagination and led him to go and explore the South American wild land on his own.

In many short chapters, written in eloquent prose, Chatwin describes his encounters with Patagonian people, interchanging his quasi-travelogue with historical notes and anecdotes, and the tracing of Charley's footsteps. The impressions and anecdotes are freely mixed and he comes back to subject he abandoned before. This results in a strange read. I could not connect with this book at all and it took some effort to persevere with reading. I liked the historical oddities he found, the story of the self-proclaimed king, Orelie-Antoine, the notes on Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and their adventures in South America, or Thomas Bridges and his dictionary of Yaghan. Chatwin's impressions from his journey and his observations did not move me at all.

I have still two more of Chatwin's books, "What I am doing here" and "Songlines" and I intend to read them, but I hope I will like them more than "In Patagonia".

Editorial Review:

In Patagonia is Bruce Chatwin's exquisite account of his journey through "the uttermost part of the earth," that stretch of land at the southern tip of South America, where bandits were once made welcome and Charles Darwin formed part of his "survival of the fittest" theory. Chatwin's evocative descriptions, notes on the odd history of the region, and enchanting anecdotes make In Patagonia an exhilarating look at a place that still retains the exotic mystery of a far-off, unseen land. An instant classic upon publication in 1977, In Patagonia remains a masterwork of literature.

Guide to Costa Rican Spanish (Spanish Edition)

Christopher Howard

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Subjects -> Nonfiction -> Foreign Language Nonfiction -> Spanish
Subjects -> Travel -> Latin America -> Central America -> Costa Rica
Subjects -> Travel -> Latin America -> Central America -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Speak Easy 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I spoke Spanish before coming to Costa Rica, but found the people in San Jose spoke with more slang and pachuco. Chris Howard's book helped me to communicate better and with more credibility. When I moved to the coast, the dialect was even more different. People considered me snobby when I spoke like I did originally. His information was even applicable in the countryside. I give this book as a gift to new clients and friends visiting Costa Rica.

A Great Survival Tool 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 4 people found this review helpful.

When I came to Costa Rica I quickly discovered the vast majority of Costa Ricans DIDN'T speak English. Since I only had a limited Spanish vocabulary, I had a lot of problems in daily situations. Then I bought this handy little book and it virtually helped me survive the first couple of years. I still refer to it now and then for important phrases.

Editorial Review:

A complete guide to Spanish for Travelers. Practical Pronunciation Exercises to Help you Sound Like a Native Spanish Speaker Useful expressions for Real Life Situations That You Will Encounter. Costa Rican Slang. Practical Vocabulary, Including Business and Legal Terms. Includes an English/Spanish-Spanish/English Dictionary.

Argentina (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

DK Publishing

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Editorial Review:

Whether you are planning to visit a city, a region or a country, DK's foolproof 'Eyewitness' approach makes learning about a place a pleasure in itself. All the traditional guidebook subject matter is covered-descriptions of sights, opening times, hotels, restaurants, shopping, entertainment, phrase books etc- but, with the help of specially commissioned illustrations and maps, DK makes essential information easy to access and quick to absorb. No other guides explain the history of a place as clearly in words and pictures. DK Eyewitness Travel Guides-the best guides ever created.

Argentina's vibrant, wonderfully idiosyncratic capital, Buenos Aires, is the third largest city in Latin America, yet it is a resolutely human kind of place. Famous for its tango, football and European-style architecture, it also holds hidden gems, including picturesque cobbled neighborhoods, sophisticated shopping and some of the best and most varied cuisine in the whole continent. Cinemas and art galleries, jazz clubs and theatres, atmospheric cafés and antiques markets abound, while exercising or just lazing around in beautifully landscaped parks filled with subtropical vegetation are part of the dynamic yet laid-back porteño lifestyle

Moon Panama (Moon Handbooks)

William Friar

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Simply the best 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

This is, hands down, the best guide book on Panama. Terrific detail, excellent maps, accurate and insightful information. Best of all, the author's obvious love for Panama -- quirks included -- comes through on every page.

Simply....The best guidebook on Panama. 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

This guidebook provides a very balanced & well put together information on the country. The author, being a "zonian" himself (one who grew up in the former Panama Canal Zone) & continues to spend time in the country, has a vast knowledge of the area. From the usual tourist areas to the people, history and culture; from the not so well known areas to do's & dont's, he covers it very well. What I like the most is that - unlike some other guides - he covers whatever is negative in a constructive manner without being overly critical. This latest edition includes a few more color pages at the beginning. A perfect companion to relocation guides like "Living in Panama" & "Choose Panama..." Bottom line...If there's room for only one Panama guidebook...look no further.

Editorial Review:

Writer and Panama native William Friar offers his unique perspective on this up-and-coming destination, from lounging in the Caribbean islands of Bocas del Toro to hiking the highlands of Boquete and exploring Panama City. Friar uses his local knowledge to craft unique trip strategies, such as The 14-day Outdoor Adventure and Six Days for History Buffs. Complete with details for navigating jungle trails, finding cheap taxis and underground bars, or planning a river expedition, Moon Panama gives travelers the tools they need to create a more personal and memorable experience.

Playa del Carmen, Tulum & the Riviera Maya: Great Destinations Mexico: A Complete Guide, Second Edition

Joshua Eden Hinsdale

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Subjects -> Travel -> Latin America -> Mexico -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 14 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Outdated an only has positive reviews 2 out of 5 stars.
12 of 14 people found this review helpful.

This may have been a fine guide in the past (published 2006, info from 2005... and now it is 2008). The area has developed rapidly and pricing in the guide has basically doubled. Numerous great hotels are not listed, and many restaurants no longer exist or have moved or the telephone number has changed. This guide is limted in its usefulness. The guide is focused on the tourist as opposed to the traveler and does a fine job of guiding you through the various tourist options. It does a very poor job of helping you get to some of the less crowded places.

Best guidebook for Playa del Carmen out there!!!!!!!!!! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Joshua Hinsdale has written what I feel to be the best guidebook for the area. I do not think that he has missed a detail and I knew so much before I went to Playa del Carmen that I was able to have the best vacation possible.

Editorial Review:

Completely updated, this insider's guide to an increasingly hot destination veers off the tourist trail for intrepid travelers to experience the local color, intrigue and charm of the Riviera Maya. Featured excursions include Mayan ruins and the Sian Ka'an biosphere.

Time Out Buenos Aires (Time Out Guides)

Editors of Time Out

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 22 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Good book, good service 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Despite what others said about this book containing lots of ads, it's compact (easy to carry along) and very useful. A good buy.

Time Out Buenos Aires 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Good read - lots of useful suggestions. Very good on the barrios or neighborhoods.
Somewhat out of date - e.g. the Sydney Opera House style nightclub referenced in the section on the docks has apparently been burned out for several years.

Average guide lacking details 3 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Time Out is a decent guide that provides a rough overview of the sights and attractions. Whereas Lonely Planet or the Rough Guide would provide supplemental maps for major sites and excursions out of town, Time Out does not. Rarely does any attraction get more than a cursory, one paragraph write-up.

The included maps are colorful, and the inclusion of address numbers at each block is extremely handy; however, the fact that the maps overlap and the hotels, restaurants, and sites are shown on only one of the two overlapping maps makes using them somewhat confusing.

Tiny mistakes and omissions abound. For example, the ("2008 edition") guide says that Buenos Aires uses the European round plugs for electricity; in fact, Argentina officially switched to the Australian plug in the early 2000's. As another example, the guide never mentions the airport departure tax.

All in all, this guide feels like a "Cliff's Notes" -- perhaps good enough to get an overall impression, but I certainly wouldn't want to rely on it.

Editorial Review:

Time Out Buenos Aires uncovers the pleasures of South America's most glamorous capital

Brazil (Country Guide)

Regis St. Louis, Kevin Raub, Gregor Clark, John Noble, Gary Chandler, Robert Landon, Mara Vorhees

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

The best guide out for Brazil - With room for improvement 4 out of 5 stars.
9 of 9 people found this review helpful.

Initially, I took three guides with me on my 5-week journey through Brazil: Footprint, Frommer's and Lonely Planet. Lonely Planet gets the nod.

No other guide except Footprints (see my review) comes close to the covering all of Brazil. Lonely Planet is the best guide to have if you are backpacking and/or thinking of crossing into other countries at remote border crossing.

Lonely Planet has EXCELLENT sections on Brazil's history, economy and culture. Lonely Planet segregates Brazil into five geographical areas and introduces each city or region by explaining the history and climate. KUDOS! The descriptions of the towns and cities are top rate. There are many maps, easy to use and well defined.

Sadly, unlike other L.P. guides, this guide has few sidebars or text boxes that give you interesting tidbits about the country. Lonely Planet gives you enough restaurant and accommodation recommendations, but most all have terse descriptions that leave you wishing for more, i.e., "menu is low-key, most pizza and standard rice-beans-meat dishes."

Though this is the 2008 edition (I also reviewed the 2005 edition earlier), I found (too often) places that were recommended but were closed or had moved. Thus, the editors did not `due diligence' and send the writers of this edition back to the places that the 2005 guide raved about and lists. Rather, they just transferred them over. NOT GOOD. Beware. This was especially prevalent in Manaus. Best to call first before you spend the taxi money.

Speaking of money... If you are from the European Union, sing praises for the Euro. If you're from the USA, weep. The fall of the dollar's value is very evident in Brazil. Reality check: Rio, a decent hotel (not great a hotel, just decent) is at least $100 and up. A good, not great, meal is at least $20 to $30. I traveled during the "Low Season" and I found that I needed $100-$150 a day to travel at a 3-4 star level and eat OK (not including my airfares). You should add at least 20-30% in high season and at least 60% at Carnival. Backpackers can do it for less, but not near what the guide quotes. Be Aware - Be Prepared for money shock.

Lonely Planet is my first choice, but I have it on good authority (Amazon.com) that Footprint Brazil 2009 will be out this December. IF you are going to Carnival 2009 then get Footprint over Lonely Planet, it does a much better job of guiding you through this huge event. Also, I highly recommend Culture Shock! Brazil 2007 for anyone wanting to know more about the ethos and customs of the diverse, colorful country. Happy travels.

Editorial Review:

Discover Brazil

Wander the streets of bohemian Lapa, where samba spills from every doorway
Swim eyeball-to-eyeball with hundreds of exotic fish in crystalline waters
Brave near-vertical descents on a wind-whipped dune buggy ride
Sling a hammock and relax as your riverboat glides up the Amazon

In This Guide:

Seven authors, 375 days of in-country research, 33 types of transport (including water buffalo, mine car and canoe)
50% more coverage of chic, dynamic Sao Paulo
A samba musician, a wildlife tour guide and other locals introduce you to their Brazil

Retirement Without Borders: How to Retire Abroad--in Mexico, France, Italy, Spain, Costa Rica, Panama, and Other Sunny, Foreign Places (And the Secret to Making It Happen Without Stress)

Barry Golson

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Subjects -> Travel -> Europe -> France -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

The Golson touch 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Thia and Barry Golson are wise in the ways of living well while being frugal. This is another in their brilliant series of necessary guides for Baby Boomers and others of like inclination as they ponder creative retirement options.
The Golsons know whereof they write, having experienced firsthand what they propose.
Fieldnotes for a quality 2nd act or 3rd act or beyond.
Thanks, Golsons, for all you do for Y***!
PFB

Editorial Review:

Barry Golson knows all about retiring abroad -- he and his wife, Thia, have lived in six different countries. Now they choose expatriate-friendly locales around the world for their low cost and their high quality of living and explain how to investigate and settle in each country with minimum hassle and maximum pleasure.

Taking you step-by-step through the process of researching, testing, and finally living abroad, the Golsons' practical how-to guide covers all the major issues, including health care, finances, real estate, taxes, and immigration. Each location is profiled by an expatriate writer who has made that country his or her home and who knows how to answer all the questions about living richly and economically in some of the world's most beautiful places.

Central America (Shoestring)

Robert Reid

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Dig into history along the Ruta Maya, zip through the rain forest canopy or spend the day searching out that perfect hammock spot by the beach. Adventures are born every day in Central America. And this comprehensive guide - with expanded Yucatan and Chiapas coverage - gives you the tools to avoid spending an arm and a leg on the journey of a lifetime.

Explore More - expanded do-it-yourself features help you create your own adventure beyond the 'Gringo Trail.'

Get Lost - detailed language and cultural coverage and more than 120 maps means you'll never get lost...unless you want to.

Immerse Yourself - volunteer as a game warden, study Spanish, or simply learn how to extend your stay.

Culture Club - candid local interviews reveal the true nature and spirit of the isthmus' No. 1 natural resource - its people.

ALL NEW
Highlights & Planning Sections
Cutomized Itineraries
Snapshot Coverage
Responsible Travel Tips
Cross-referenced Maps

Mexico (EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDE)

Marlena Spieler

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Subjects -> Travel -> Latin America -> Mexico -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 12 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Mexico-But not in detail 3 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

I love the Eyewitness Travel Guides, I already have some of them, and because of my great experience with them in Prague, Italy, Russia, and other places, I wanted to get the one for Mexico. But once I got it I was already disapointed by its size being half of the other ones that I got. The regions that interested my most was Guadalajara and Jalisco, which are only described on 2-3 pages, although being the colonial hartland of Mexico. A lot of emphasis is put on Mexico City, and the Jucatan Area. So if you travel there, I can recomend the book. For those who dont like to travel to the typical touristy areas, i'd say rather not.

Comprehensive Guide to Mexico 4 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I've used Eyewitness guides for about 10 years. I quite like the way they are organized. Strong points of these guides include:
(1) Historical timeline; key points identified with good breadth & depth
(2) Traveler's Survival Guide section has accurate & helpful information
(3) Wonderful walking guides with three-dimensional maps so that one does not overlook the not-to-be missed sites, monuments, buildings, works of art, cultural highlights, etc.
(4) Well-organized into provinces and major sections of cities that help trememdously in mazimizing time so that one is not back-tracking or wandering hither and yon.
(5) Many good color photos and illustrations of major attractions
My one major dissatisfaction is that no phonetic pronunciation of cities, attractions, historical figures, etc. is included. That one small feature would be tremendously helpful and appreciated.

Editorial Review:

Recognized the world over by frequent flyers and armchair travelers alike, Eyewitness Travel Guides are the most colorful and comprehensive guides on the market. With beautifully commissioned photographs and spectacular 3-D aerial views revealing the charm of each destination, these amazing travel guides show what others only tell.