Juan C. Mercado's Building a Nation explores the life and cultural production of one of the most brilliant, and yet least known Latin American authors, Esteban Echeverría (1805-1851); it is one of the first critical and theoretical studies of the Argentine author. Echeverría is the author of La Cautiva (The Captive), El Matadero (1838)(The Slaughterhouse), and Dogma Socialista de la Asociación de Mayo (1846) (Socialist Dogma) in which he discusses his political doctrine. The ideas and principles included in Socialist Dogma would be later used as a stepping stone for the writing of the Constitution of the Republic of Argentina. In Building a Nation, Juan C. Mercado recuperates and brings into light the life and work of one of the prominent literary and political figures of the Río de la Plata ( Argentina and Uruguay). Mercado analyzes Echeverría's work as a unit, that is, as a poet, a thinker, and a politician, and draws from a variety of sources including European ones.Building a Nation is a groundbreaking work and it is one of the most comprehensive studies on Esteban Echeverría. The book is meticulously researched and detailed and gives the reader a thorough insight into Echeverría's life and work: from the time he introduced romanticism in Argentina to the start and use of a new critical and realist narrative in the literature of the Río de la Plata, as well as the founding of a liberal-humanistic doctrine that would strongly influence political life in Argentina. The book will be useful in both Latin American literature and areas study; it is also of general interest.

Juan C. Mercado's "Building a Nation" explores the life and cultural production of one of the most brilliant, and yet least known Latin American authors, Esteban Echeverría (1805-1851); it is one of the first critical and theoretical studies of the Argentine author. Echeverría is the author of "La Cautiva" (The Captive), "El Matadero" (1838)(The Slaughterhouse), and "Dogma Socialista de la Asociación de Mayo" (1846) (Socialist Dogma) in which he discusses his political doctrine. The ideas and principles included in Socialist Dogma would be later used as a stepping stone for the writing of the Constitution of the Republic of Argentina. In Building a Nation, Juan C. Mercado recuperates and brings into light the life and work of one of the prominent literary and political figures of the Río de la Plata ( Argentina and Uruguay). Mercado analyzes Echeverría's work as a unit, that is, as a poet, a thinker, and a politician, and draws from a variety of sources including European ones."Building a Nation" is a groundbreaking work and it is one of the most comprehensive studies on Esteban Echeverría. The book is meticulously researched and detailed, and gives the reader a thorough insight into Echeverría's life and work: from the time he introduced romanticism in Argentina to the start and use of a new critical and realist narrative in the literature of the Río de la Plata, as well as the founding of a liberal-humanistic doctrine that would strongly influence political life in Argentina. The book will be useful in both Latin American literature and areas study; it is also of general interest.

This book is a very concise well organized resource for advanced, fluent and native speakers who wish to improve their business Spanish speaking skills. The book provides ample business vocabulary, phrases and brief grammatical explanations as a reminder of how certain rules function in Spanish (one would already have to have a solid understanding of the grammar).All chapters have practice exercises for immediate application and an answer key is provided at the back of the book. The book is comprised of business scenarios and what I found particularly helpful was that they are realistic and the phrases applied are currently used by all Spanish speaking countries thus eliminating language barriers within the Spanish language. This book will definitely enable you to improve your business Spanish vocabulary and enable you to speak confidently in a professional environment. It's also key to note that it provides basic vocabulary and phrases in the business scenarios however, if you are looking for more extensive vocabulary another reference should be consulted. I recommend this reference for those who need to speak with the correct terminology from time to time in an appropriate business situation in Spanish.

I used these books for my second year of spanish in a Masters degree in international marketing. The first year we did basic spanish and in this year we wanted the language we would need for business purposes. The texts are relevant and contextual, they cover both castillian and south american spanish issues. The tapes cover spanish from both sides of the atlantic which is useful. Furthermore the texts expose you to socio-political issues in the hispanic nations which gives a good basis to conversational spanish when current affairs topics crop up. Knowing the name of the spanish parliament or the title of government ministers etc is very good exposure. Thumbs up from me (I got a good mark in this course so I can't complain).

This is definitely one of his easiest books to use, since it is mostly just simple directions of where to rub for what purpose, and what to visualize as you do it. One night I'd eaten a 2-day old bean soup and was up for hours with nightmarish gas. Finally I remembered I had this book and sat up, rubbing my eyelids and ears and large intestine just the way he recommended. The gas went away and I was totally rejuvenated. Since then I never question anything he suggests! Also, these massages really help me deal with the effects of air travel.

an excellent addition to the collection, chi self massage explains in a easily followed manner the methods of chi massage. These techniques are a usefull addition to other training methods...see awaken healing light etc.,but are much more simple and take only ten minutes or so,yet, like the other training methods in the healing tao system,you get results. Excellent for cosmetic rejuvination and for toning and soothing the musculo-skeletal system and internal organs. learn to reap the benefits of self healing with chi through quick and easy methods.

This is a good book about coffee -- and about the marketing of a commodity. It's well written and full of good anecdotes about what has been a pretty good ad campaign for a long time. I got it as a gift and ended up actually liking it.

I love this book. The pictures were great and I love Colombian Coffee.

I appreciated this book, not just for the fantastic illustrations and stories, but for improving the reputation of the Wetherills, long considered no-good cowboy pot hunters. A great companion to this books is In Search of the Old Ones by David Roberts, in which Fred Blackburn features largely as a revolutionary who shapes Roberts' thinking about the mess each generation of southwestern archeologists passes on to the next.

Undoubtedly the popular book of the year in Southwest archaeology, "Cowboys and Cave Dwellers" tells how a group of talented and dedicated "amateurs" found the missing links between nearly forgotten collections of artifacts stored in museum basements and their original sites in Utah's spectacular Grand Gulch. In the process they unearthed valuable information about the people called Basketmakers, the first farmers of the Colorado Plateau. The first explorers and untrained archaeologists who dug sites in Grand Gulch removed thousands of artifacts, often taking little care to record their locations. By carefully matching old photographs, diaries, newspaper articles and the signatures those adventurers carved on the canyon walls, the authors of this book, the members of the Wetherill-Grand Gulch Research Project, were able to locate many of the caves and cliff dwelling where the treasures were originally found. They solved one of the most puzzling mysteries of Southeastern Utah archaeology: the location of long lost Cave 7, where Mesa Verde discoverer Richard Whetherill dug up dozens of skeletons that seemed to show evidence of a massacre. A good story with extensive historial and archaeological background and beautifully illustrated, this book is essential for anyone interested in Southwest archaeology. A good companion piece is William Ferguson's "The Anasazi of Mesa Verde and the Four Corners Region," which gives a broader view of the entire Mesa Verde-San Juan region.

After 10 years of cruising and teaching sailing/cruising skills in this area, and this is the best guide to all of the US waters of Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands. Should be on all charter boats, but often is not, so if you are chartering inquire.

Add a "BBA Chart Kit" for detailed charts, and for the Canadian Gulf Islands "The Dreamspeaker Guide," and you are set!

Finally, adding this season's "Waggoners" guide will give you the latest contact information for marinas, etc.

This was the first book my wife and I purchased when we started boating in the Puget Sound 5 years ago. We have bought dozens of boating books since. This is still our favorite. We have worn it out and are now buying another copy to keep at the house. The descriptions of harbor entrances are more complete than other books we use - we always use Scherer's descriptions for new approaches. The book is fun to read - includes sidebars of historical or social interest. Nice photography and an eye-pleasing layout. (Tidal current charts are included in the appendix.)

I really enjoyed this book. I am an adult beginning/intermediate Spanish student and am always looking for opportunities to practice my limited skills. This books is filled with wonderful folk tales which are a joy to read, and the English translations provide me with immediate assistance.

This is a very entertaining collection of folk tales in bilingual Spanish/English format. The stories range from funny anecdotes of life, to tales that teach the wisdom of the people of the Southwest, to tales of witchcraft.

The translations are sometimes even better than the originals. No wonder because one of the translators, Rudolfo Anaya, is a best selling author and superb writer.

This book offers an opportunity for people who want to improve their Spanish. Read the original Spanish first and refer to the English translation when you get to the parts you don't understand.

The book is great campfire or bedtime reading for kids. Both you and your kids will come out wiser for it.

"Democracy Delayed" is an excellent comparative study of the political forces that influence transitions in totalitarian societies and a comparison of present day Cuba under Castro and similar scenarios in Eastern Europe. It is a well researched document that is required reading for political science students interested in Cuban politics or transitional forces and their effect on totalitarian systems. Dr. Juan J. Lopez is one of the most intelligent political analists on Cuban affairs, going beyond the "cliche" to well thought out and researched conclusions.

Details of Value, Overview Clear and Cogent, Understanding Complete

This book (Juan Lopez 2002 Democracy Delayed John Hopkins University Press) is a "must read" for one trying understanding the complexities of Cuba.

Too often in books on Cuba, one sees errors of fact, misunderstandings and omissions of history, and above all blindness to what is really happens on that sad island.

You will find none of these illusions and errors in this book. This volume's wealth of details of value, its coherent, cogent and clear overview will lead the careful and discerning reader to a far more complete and greater understanding of Cuba's present and past circumstance than any other academic book I have ever read.

Larry Daley (Garcia-Iñiguez Enamorado)
Corvallis, Oregon
Formerly of Column One (Assault) Company Six M-7-26 (1958)

Impunity is rampant in Colombia. This important book documents criminal activities by the Colombian armed forces. The research is meticulous. Americas Watch interviews witnesses and victims to provide first hand accounts of murder and death threats by government forces. The authors work closely with human rights activists on the ground in Colombia to monitor the military impunity throughout the nation. You almost don't want to believe the contents of this book. Colombia is a lovely nation with wonderful people but the leadership of the nation has not shown the courage to end the lawlessness in its ranks. This book is important right now in the year 2002 in order to understand how the military continues the disturbing pattern of not protecting the constitutional rights of individuals in Colombia.

"The 'Drug War' in Colombia" is a fascinating, informative and socially instructive book that looks at tyhe real reasons behind the appalling levels of violence in Columbia which remain the worst in the hemisphere.

Americas Watch correctly points out that since 1986, more than 20,000 people have been killed for political reasons, most of them by the Colombian military and police and the paramilitary forces that are closely linked to them.

"The 'Drug War' in Colombia" points out, in no uncertain terms, that the pretext for the Columbian government sponsored terror operations is the war against guerrillas and narcotraffickers. In reality, the official security forces and their paramilitary associates work hand in glove with the drug lords, organized crime, landowners, and other private interests in a country where avenues of social action have long been closed, and are to be kept that way by intimidation and terror. The Government's own Commission to Overcome Violence concluded that "the criminalization of social protest" is one of the "principal factors which permit and encourage violations of human rights" by the military and police authorities and their paramilitary collaborators.

Again, "The 'Drug War' in Colombia" provides readers with fascinating details and insights into the reality of the "drug war" in Columbia. An informative and instructive book.

This book was a great help and every single teaching was totally scriptural. It teaches you to claim the promises of God and to expect God to fulfill them. It is a two language book - just turn it over and it is a Spanish Language Book. They have a website also: http://www.laeconomiadedios.org .

Lei este libro y escuche una platica de su autor, los hijos de Dios tenemos promesas grandes que estan escritas en la biblia. Es un resumen de la economia de Dios (segun las escrituras) expliacada de una manera verdadera, simple y eficaz.