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Book reviews for "Valmaggia,_Juan_S." sorted by average review score:

It's A Habit, Sammy Rabbit!
Published in Paperback by The It's A Habit! Company (31 October, 2001)
Authors: Sam X Renick and Juan Alvarado
Amazon base price: $8.95
Average review score:

Best book a kid could read, helps them for life
Every parent should get their child this book. In such a fun story, they learn lessons that most adults don't even know: 1) savings money is excellent, 2) reading can be fun and interactive, and 3) a rabbit in overalls is darn cute!

Easy to Understand
I bought the book for my granddaughter who loves to read. Thought it would be good for her to learn how to save. After reading the book, she has been saving part of her allowance instead spending it all. The book was easy for her to understand and she enjoyed it very much.

Thank you!
Thank you for your wonderful book! My 2 daughters who are 5 and 7 kept asking me to read it to them over and over. They and I love the great illustrations and colors.

With finances being a major concern in our life, I am all for teaching my kids about how to manage their finances at an early age. Thank you again, great job! Waiting for the next book!

Sincerely,

J. Tyra Rikimaru


Los Siete Pecados Capitales del Empresario (The 7 Sins of the manager)
Published in Mass Market Paperback by Encuadernacion Geminis S.A. DE C.V. (18 November, 2002)
Author: Juan José Bonilla
Amazon base price: $15.90
Average review score:

IT'S NOT RELIGIOUS !
IT'S BRIGHT AND SAVED OUR BUSINESS !
I STRONGLY RECCOMEND IT!

SENCILLO COMO EL CATECISMO, CUERDO
Y EL MAS ATINADO Y BREVE LIBRO PARA UNA BUENA ADMINISTRACION DE EMPRESAS !
No se anda por las ramas y le dice al pan, pan...

Cuando me lo regaló mi secretaria, lo
vi con desdén... hasta que comencé a leerlo y me di cuenta de que NO ERA UN LARGO SERMON, sino un conjunto de conceptos SABIOS PARA DESINTOXICAR EL NEGOCIO !
Y LO LOGRÉ EN MENOS DE TRES MESES !
Un libro GENIAL !


Cuban, That's All! an Exile in Three Acts: Candid Voices of a Spanglish Existence
Published in Paperback by Writers Club Press (2002)
Author: Juan Hernandez
Amazon base price: $16.95
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American by birth, Cuban by Choice
My father was born in Indiana and his parents relocated to Cuba when he was 4 years old. He was raised in Cuba as his father was an executive for Sears. My father left Cuba at the age of 19 and I was born in the states about five years later. I was raised in a 'cuban' american household so I can relate to so many of these stories. I laughed with Mayflower Mary and I cried (sobbed is more like it) with The Southern Way. I only wish my father were here to read William's story because in so many ways it is his story and that of my family. Thank you for remembering all Cubans, even those like me who are not 'pure' breds.

Shame on you...
Shame on you for making me, my wife, my daughter and my mother cry. You should be ashamed of yourself for writing such a truthful, stunning portrayal of the Cuban people. How dare you expose our flaws and virtues by way of universal voices whose words ring so true? How dare you tell the world that we are proud people although many of us have never set foot on the island (my daughter and wife included)? And most of all, shame on you for not writing this sooner so we could all celebrate the magic and wonder we all feel in our indescribable lives as 'cubanoholics'. Phenomenal prose, absolutely breathtaking and emotional.

Cuban, That's All! is fantastic!
Paro todo aquel nacido Cubano y criado en este gran pais, estas historias son para ti. Como todos los lectores, rei, llore y me envolvi en los recuerdos de mi niñez. Gracias al autor por darme un recorrido tan lindo por mi pasado. Se lo recomiendo a todos que lean Español o ingles. Great book. If you are second, third generation Cuban you need to read this.


CABALLO DE TROYA 5
Published in Paperback by Planeta Pub Corp ()
Author: Juan José Benítez
Amazon base price: $19.95
Average review score:

9 Caballos de Troya!
Hola tengo un teoria para esta excelentisma serie, todso los que estan familiarizados con ella sabran de la importancia del numero 9, por lo que creo que el señor Benitez aun nos hara temblar de emocion con tres titulos mas para el tan epserado y a la ves no esperado desenlace...Caballo de troya 6 es la ley!

Es el mejor libro que he leido
Es la mejor coleccion de libros que he leido y me ha hecho ver el mundo con otros ojos.Puede que sea muy pequeña para decirlo(tengo 16 años)pero siempre me preguntaba acerca de Dios y me dio mucha alegria saber que al morir no termina la vida sino que apenas empieza.Si alguien sabe el e-mail del sr.JJ Benitez porfavor hacermela llegar

He abierto mis ojos....
Gracias al Sr.Benitez, uno puede darse cuenta de detalles que han quedado guardados en la historia, cosas que no se comprendían o cosas a las que no se les tomó importancia... Realmente la vida del "Gigante" es maravillosa... El poder leer todos los Caballo de Troya ha sido una experiencia sublime, he aumentado mi fé increiblemente.... " ! Gracias Sr.Benitez !", dondequiera que se encuentre.... en realidad me gustaría agradecerle en persona lo que ha logrado en mí. El Maestro sabe de su obra, siga adelante.


Broken Wings
Published in Paperback by Penguin USA (Paper) (1998)
Authors: Kahlil Gibran, Juan R.I. Cole, and Robin A. Waterfield
Amazon base price: $8.76
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Respected Love.
The power to love is God's greatest gift to man, for it never will be taken from the blessed one who loves.(Gibran) I am a fan of Kahlil Gibran and more than that I get steered spiritually when I read his books. As for Broken Wings well that book is surely one that has the greatest love story ever told. This first love of his was inspirational and has brought him along way into many many books. All of them written with emotion and with what we would say as of today with truth. How many of us would agree to social norms? Well as teenagers surely we hated society as they curbed our very life style, but this man with his first experience has really written so many books. He was truly an inspired person as no one could write so much on spirituality. Whatever his lifestyle, we are no judges for that. The books are what matter most. Most authors till date are not as young as he was and probably envy his being young and gifted into the world of TRUTH. We are still seeking what he already had.

Broken wings need to be filmed as it is a great love story.
Unlike other love stories ever written, i think Gibran's Broken Wings embraced the whole idea of unconditional love. The story is awfully rich in spiritual matters and vivid description of the authority of church's official early this century in Lebanon. Thus, i hope some good director or producer will take Gibran's work and make a film. I will be the first person to watch it and i prefer director Franco Zefferli to direct it. So this is one of the best love story i've ever read.

Love and pure love.
In the Broken Wings, Gibran touches a variety of subjects like love, plight of women, hypocracy of self serving religious heads, false values on which human socities are built, and true prayer and sacrifice. And all is told in very few majestically beautiful words without malice to any one.
"Love is the only freedom in the world because it so elevates the spirit that laws of humanity do not alter its course."
" Love is the offspring of spiritual affinity and ..........is created in a moment."
Gibran says of the plight of the women by describing them as
" the bird with broken wings in a cage."
Of heads of religions, Gibran says, "Thus the Christian Bishop and the Moslem imam and the Brahman priest are like sea reptiles who clutch their prey with many tentacles and suck their blood with numerous mouths." How true are these words!
Gibran tells how "in some countries, the parent's wealth is a source of misery for the children."
Yet the woman in the story, although falling in the abyss of miseries, prays "help me, my Lord, to be strong in this deadly struggle and assist me to be truthful and virtuous until death. Thy will be done, oh Lord God."
And finally she sacrifices her own life fot he sake of her beloved thus bringing glory to "sacrifice."
Tears rolled down my cheeks while reading the tragic end of the story. But I felt these tears have cleansed my spirit.
The reading of The Broken Wings is a must for any one who wants to experience a tearful smile or a sorrowful joy or miseries for a true prayer.


Going to Sleep on the Farm
Published in Library Binding by Dial Books for Young Readers (1992)
Authors: Wendy Cheyette Lewison and Juan Wijngaard
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BEAUTIFUL BOOK!
My 2-year-old daughter just loves this book, and so do I. It is full of the most breath-taking illustrations of a farm at dusk, with each page's scene working off the others. The gentle rhythm of the words are perfect for bedtime. I almost accidentally picked this book up at a bargain bookstore, and now I am truly sorry to see it going out of print. It is an undiscovered jewel and has been a real treat for our family.

An absolute must have book
This book is so gently written -- perfect for bedtime reading. The illustrations are so detailed you find something new everytime you read it. My toddler son has to have this book read to him every night before he goes to sleep. I beg the publisher to reprint this book so others may enjoy it as well. Perfect for fathers and sons!

Great Children's Book with Beautiful Illustrations
This is one of our family's favorite books. We have a son and have found it difficult to find father/son stories. This one does. A father and son playing together at the end of the day talk together about the animalson the farm. Not only is it an ideal book for teaching children about animals, but it also has unusually beautiful illustrations.


A Field Guide to American Houses
Published in Paperback by Random House Trade Paperbacks (1984)
Authors: Virginia McAlester, Lee McAlester, Juan Rodriguez-Arnaiz, and Lauren Jarrett (Illustrator)
Amazon base price: $17.47
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An Essential Reference
I worked for a few years as an architectural historian doing historic building surveys and wore out at least 2 or 3 copies of this wonderful book. There are lots of "pocket guides" to architectural styles which will tell you that yup, that thing with a turret is a Victorian. But this book is a priceless resource for anyone with more than a casual interest in American domestic architecture. The McAlesters focus on ordinary houses (rather than rare architectural landmarks) and cover everything from dog-run log cabins to Greek Revival cottages to 1950s ranch houes. The writing is clear, the level of detail is just right, and the book has hundreds of black and white photos and illustrations.

I learned about domestic architecture to make a living, but even 20 years later still enjoy it as a hobby. If you're a professional in the field, this book is essential. But I would strongly recommend it to amateur enthusiasts as well. Once you learn to recognize housing types, every drive becomes a history lesson.

A beautiful and useful reference
If I could only keep one volume from my small library of books on home architecture, I would probably stick with "A Field Guide to American Houses," by Virginia and Lee McAlester. This is a true encyclopedia of the American home.

The McAlesters combine an informative introduction with a chapter-by-chapter guide to each of the major styles of home architecture in the United States. Each chapter includes both crisp, detailed line drawings and a wealth of photographs of actual houses themselves. The photographs alone--there are literally hundreds of them--make this book an invaluable reference work.

The McAlesters also provide newcomers with a useful primer to the language of home architecture. After reading this book you might find yourself using terms like "hipped dormer," "decorated verge board," "roof-line balustrade," and "ogee arch" when you visit a new neighborhood.

From Native American tipis to geodesic domes, from Chateauesque mansions to mobile homes--all this and more is in here. This book is a monumental achievement.

If you don't know Queen Anne from Adam....
This is a great little book, it's impossible to have as much information as it does, but it does! I don't know how they got it all in there, but it's a fun, fascinating, & nostalgic look at American domestic architecture - the styles, the names, the details, packed with b/w photos, drawings, & diagrams.

If you're an architect, a draftsman, a craftsman, a contractor, a carpenter, a writer, a homeowner, an armchair historian, an antiques dealer, a builder, a remodeler - then you gotta have one of these! It makes any stroll down a shady old street a lesson in architectural history. Maybe if we all paid a little more attention to just how those old-time builders and architects got so much charm and character into a simple home, we wouldn't be so quick to bulldoze and replace with steel and glass or generic tract housing!


Esther's Story
Published in Paperback by Mulberry Books (1998)
Authors: Diane Wolkstein and Juan Wijngaard
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Esther
I like this book of Esther because it is all what God knew what was going to happen. My first favorite part is when the king crowned Esther Queen of Persia. That was God's plan. Later, a man named Haman wanted all the Jews killed. God wanted Esther to save her people. My second favorite part is when Esther shows up to the king uninvited. Esther had the courage to do that. But, will Esther save her people in time? Read this book to find out.

Esthers Story
Esther's Uncle Mordecai is the gate keeper.He raised Esther from a baby. My favorite part of the story is when Esther becomes queen of Persia. My favorite part of the story is when he laughed. When he was done laughing, he said "Esther, you are now queen of ersia". I like the book Esther because it is taken from the Bible. The comments are the same as in the Bible. If you really like the Bible story, I insist that you read this book!

esther's story
Esther was an ok book. It is easy to read. It was about
this girl named Esther and how she became a queen and
saved her people. I recommend this book to anyone.


Evita: An Intimate Portrait of Eva Peron
Published in Hardcover by Rizzoli (1997)
Authors: Tomas De Elia, Juan Pablo Queiroz, and Tomas De Elia
Amazon base price: $28.00
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The best photographic biography about Evita
EVITA: AN INTIMATE PORTRAIT OF EVA PERON is the best photographic record available of Eva Peron, First Lady of Argentina from 1946 to 1952. ("Evita," meaning "Little Eva," was her nickname.)

Evita lived in a time before television was widely used, and since she was a politician she did not have many spreads in glossy magazines (once she became First Lady, her "cheesecake" portraits - taken while she was an actress - were supressed). Therefore, most of her pictures were used in newspapers, giving them a grainy feel. Often, the quality of pictures you find of Evita seem to be much poorer quality than what you would expect from something taken merely 50 years ago. EVITA: AN INTIMATE PORTRAIT OF EVA PERON is an exception, perhaps the best exception I have ever found. Most of these pictures are clear and crisp, though they are all black-and-white.

One thing this collection of pictures reveals is that Evita truly was not what would be considered a conventionally beautiful woman. She was certainly beautiful in her publicity photos and propaganda portraits (some of which are reproduced here). But in a day-to-day setting - such as the enclosed pictures that depict her having lunch, leaning against her dresser, yelling at a policeman for obstructing a youth's access to her - she was a somewhat awkward, even at times homely, woman. But she was a master of image. As Nicholas Fraser and Marysa Navarro point out in EVITA: THE REAL LIFE OF EVA PERON, she had an astonishing instinct, almost a sixth sense, for knowing how image affected people. This talent of hers is demonstrated when one constrasts the behind-the-scenes pictures of her as an awkward woman, with those gorgeous photos of Peronist propaganda. She wasn't a conventionally beautiful woman, but she knew how to make it seem as though she were.

The portions of EVITA: AN INTIMATE PORTRAIT OF EVA PERON that I found most interesting, and most haunting, were of Eva as a young girl in her hometown of Junin, and the pictures taken of her shortly before her death. There is one particularly chilling scene of Evita, reduced to a mere 77 pounds by the cancer that had invaded her body, standing on the balcony of the government house to greet the tens of thousands gathered below. She spoke, yelled, actually, about taking justice into her own hands, warning her political enemies of the day that she would "go forth with the poor of the country and leave no brick standing that is not standing for Peron!" The rise from poverty, the contrasts, the extremes ... it's all palpable in these pictures.

This woman was a genius.

UNFORGETTABLE! IRRESISTABLE! A visual feast!
Eva Peron was at a time, one of the most photographed woman in the world (to date, she remains the only Latin American First Lady to appear on the cover of TIME magazine). Looking at this book, it's not hard to see why. A strikingly attractive and elegant woman- she possessed a rare, fragile beauty that is clearly evident in these glossy black and white photographs. Those looking for an in depth biography of this influential woman may be disapointed in the lack of information (the book does include a brief biography and each photograph contain notes and factual information pertaining to that particular photo) but considering the numerous in depth biographies out there, a book like this is a refreshing change. Respectful, accurate and a visual delight, this book is sure to please her legion of admirers- old and new. Highly recommended.

A compelling visual history of a fascinating woman
"Evita: An Intimate Portrait of Eva Peron," edited by Tomas de Elia and Juan Pablo Quieroz, brings together a wealth of black-and-white photographs of Eva Peron, the legendary first lady of Argentina. The editors note in their preface that with the 1955 overthrow of Eva's husband, President Juan Peron, much visual material related to this controversial woman was destroyed. Thus, this book has significant historical and sociological value.

We see the full span of the woman's extraordinary life: Eva as a child, aspiring actress, wife, and triumphant first lady. There are "glamour shot" portraits, candid photos, magazine covers, stills from film productions, and more. We see Eva and her husband, as well as her interaction with adoring crowds.

Eva is a consistently fascinating subject: whether fiery, starry-eyed, thoughtful, amused, determined, or serene, you can see why she continues to captivate so many imaginations.

The text portions of the book are very positive towards Eva. If you have been intrigued by the Broadway musical and motion picture about her life, or by other media about her, I definitely recommend this book.


Bhagavad Gita
Published in Paperback by Debate (1999)
Author: Juan Mascaro
Amazon base price: $6.70
Average review score:

Simple and effective
Juan has done a fantastic job of translating the Gita into such concise writing. Every verse interpreted (though it biased towards Juan's opinion or philosophies) was succinct and did not require the reader to crack his/her head over the meaning. For me it was certainly an excellent introduction to the marvellous poem. Another version by Ramanand Prasad is more in depth and profound in it's translation. The free version by him could be found at www.gita-society.com Here's an example of the two contrasting profundity and distinctive styles of translations:

For verse 2:27 Juan's translation was :

Set thy heart upon thy work, but never on its reward. Work not or a reward; but never cease to do thy work.

as for the one by Ramanand Prasad, it came out as :

You have Adhikaara over your respective duty only, but no control or claim over the results. The fruits of work should not be your motive. You should never be inactive. (2.47) (The word Adhikaara means ability and privilege, prerogative, jurisdiction, discretion, right, preference, choice, rightful claim, authority, control.)

A reader wishing to venture into the depths of the Gita should consider reading this version by Juan as an overview of it.

read this!
no words!!just read it!!my words are nothing comparing to Bahagavad Gita!!read it whoever you are!Thanx

One of the more attractive versions for the general reader.
Juan Mascaro's edition of the Gita is undoubtedly one of the more attractive versions for the general reader who is approaching the Gita for the first time. Mascaro, besides being a Sanskrit scholar, is a sensitive translator who clearly resonates to the Gita. He tells us that the aim of his translation is "to give, without notes or commentary, the spiritual message of the Bhagavad Gita in pure English." To suggest just how well he has succeeded, here is his rendering of Verse II.66:

"There is no wisdom for a man without harmony, and without harmony there is no contemplation. Without contemplation there cannot be peace, and without peace can there be joy?"

Many readers will probably be content to remain with Mascaro, and it certainly seems to me that his translation reads beautifully and that a fair number of his verses have never been bettered by others. But the Gita is not quite so simple as it may sometimes appear. If we want to arrive at a fuller idea of just what the Gita means by "wisdom," "harmony," "contemplation," "peace," and so on, we will need to consult other and fuller editions.

There are many editions which, besides giving a translation of the Gita, also give a full commentary such as the excellent one by Sri Aurobindo in his 'Bhagavad Gita and Its Message' (1995). Others, besides giving a commentary and notes, also give the Sanskrit text along with a word-by-word translation. Some of these even include the commentary of the great Indian philosopher, Shankara (c. + 788 to 820), such as the very fine edition by Swami Gambhirananda (Calcutta: Advaita Ashrama, 1995, which may be available through the Vedanta Press, CA). Here is the latter's English rendering of Verse II.66:

"For the unsteady there is no wisdom, and there is no meditation for the unsteady man. And for an unmeditative man there is no peace. How can there be happiness for one without peace?"

This may not seem to have carried us much beyond Mascaro until we start looking at Shankara's commentary, of which the following provides a taste:

"Ayuktasya, for the unsteady, for one who does not have a concentrated mind; na asti, there is no, i.e. there does not arise; buddhih, wisdom, with regard to the nature of the Self; ca, and; there is no bhavana, meditation, earnest longing for the knowledge of the Self; ayuktasya, for an unsteady man. And similarly, abhavayatah, for an unmeditative man, who does not ardently desire the knowledge of the Self; there is no shantih, peace, restraint of the senses. Kutah, how can there be; sukham, happiness; ashantasya, for one without peace? That indeed is happiness which consists in the freedom of the senses from the thirst for enjoyment of objects; not the thirst for objects - that is misery to be sure. The implication is that, so long as thirst persists, there is no possibility of even an iota of happiness!" (page 112-3).

For anyone who would like to see a full treatment of the language of the Sanskrit text, there is Winthrop Sargeant's stupendous labor of love, 'The Bhagavad Gita' (SUNY, 1984) which offers a complete grammatical description of every single Sanskrit word in the text, along with much else.

Finally, for anyone who would like to look at a first-rate study of the Gita, there is Trevor Leggett's 'Realization of the Supreme Self - The Yoga-s of the Bhagavad Gita' (Kegan Paul International, 1995). This is a superb work with an intensely practical bent which sees the Gita, not so much as a metaphysical treatise but as a book of practical instruction. I used to think I knew the Gita before I discovered Leggett!

But despite the great wealth of available editions, of which I've mentioned only a few here, I still find myself returning to Mascaro from time to time. A perfect translation of the Gita into English is probably unattainable, but Mascaro seems to have come as close as anyone is ever likely to do. His version has a tendency to send down roots and grow in the mind.


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