I liked all of Mario Pei's books. I first ran across them when I was a child reading the "ALL About" series of books in a public library around 1965 and I found "All About Language" (which was a bit different and not related at all to that series)

Mario Pei's books are eminently readable. They were all written in the 1960s or earlier or very early 1970s They are just about all good and worth reading if you are interested in facts about langauges.

This is a book that sums-up alot of material about loads, properties of building materials, beams and columns, and translates it into the strength of modern structures. I found the book fascinating and it answered many questions, among them why the height vs base of the pyramids automatically contain the value of PI. This book discussed the anchoring of todays skyscrapers and large structures. This is a book that explains where the forces and loads are projected and how they are contained and countered without getting into the mathematical aspect of it. This author did an excellent job in conveying
the logic behind structural engineering. Well done.

To be an author is hard, one strives for originality. That's what I found in a "Writer's reality," an author who is original in his stories yet the ideas are still there. Peru, I found has a lot of problems or everyday things that any author can just grab and make a story about, the only thing there is is originality. But what is it really? The process is the original way the author strives to make the story unique and perfect, thought it made not sound real because fiction is not real,is a still his work(original work). So to any writer that wishes to understand how it worked for Mario Vargas, I advise you to read this book because you, like me might be striving for perfection and originality but if you read this book you will find that if Mario Vargaz did it, then we can do it too. Finish the story and still be original, no matter what inspire or who inspire your idea.

Forget about political theories, economical utopias and planet-sized libraries. Theories and books do not matter as much as that which the minds perceive, and how those minds carry out what the books say.

If you want the truth about Latin American extremist psychology, how they explain and justify their existence and misery and how they blame the "superpowers" for everything from global warming to hunger in Ethiopia, read this book! Learn how they weave their demagogic conspiracy theories using partial truths and superficial, apparent logic. The book is not only about the presidential leaders like Castro. It also describes the mind of the young, yet-unknown political leader in college (most of the time a leftwing extremist) that sparks the creation of groups than in turn revere the "big guys".

The book is so real that reading it is like living in Latin America for about 10 years. Reading it gives more information than 10 years of analyzing the economy and politics of Latin America. Minds move people and change the political course of nations.

Recommended for students, politicians, strategists, business people, and anybody wanting to visit Latin America for more than a few days.

I was very surprised to finally read a book that doesn't portray Latin America as a "victim" of the US or the Old World. I think these three authors intelligently challenge the populist ideologies and myths of the left and the right that have made so much damage all over the spanish speaking countries south of the USA. Having met many "perfect latin american idiots" in the past, I can see now why they are so enraged with the succes of this book. They are perfectly described and they don't look pretty. For anyone else, this book offers a fresh, sharp insight in to Latin American issues that until recently were considered property of marxist and nationalist leaning intellectuals. These writers are shooting straight to the heart and they make no apologies.

Brilliant....outstanding! Highly recommended!

This book is for Latin America what the fall of the Berlin Wall was for Europe.

Required reading for those interested in understanding Latin America and why it has been unable to achieve sustainable development, democratic stability and constructive relations with the United States.

"Guide to the Perfect Latin American Idiot" has been a best-seller throughout Latin America since its 1996 publication in Spanish. This fact, and its three distinguished authors representing different national perspectives, symbolize the dramatic paradigm shift taking place in the region.

This book is ideal for introductory courses in Latin American Studies to counter the rigid leftist orthodoxy and "political correctness" that dominates so many universities, high schools, NGOs and international agencies. It is these outdated leftist views that have confused and misled so many about why Latin America and the Caribbean continue to be mired in poverty, violence, corruption and underdevelopment.

It demonstrates how leftist "idiots" not only in Latin America, but those in the United States and Europe, have paralyzed the region in a culture of "victimization", creating deep resentments and distrust of market economies, private property, foreign investment, multinational corporations, globalization and the United States. It is these leftist-statist-mercantilist-corporatist attitudes that dominated many Latin Americans throughout the 20th century and continue even today, as so clearly demonstrated by Castro in Cuba, Chavez in Venezuela, Ortega in Nicaragua, Aristide in Haiti, Bucaram in Ecuador, Allan Garcia in Peru, Lula in Brazil among others. It is these, combined with dsyfunctional anti-democratic and anti-market cultural values, that have maintained the region in poverty and political instability. The Latin American poor owe a debt of gratitude to Apuleyo, Montaner and Vargas Llosa for so forcefully showing how these attitudes and populist leaders have contributed to their misery.

For an even broader perspective of these historic changes, readers should also see "Fabricantes de Miseria" by the same authors; "No Perdamos Tambien El Siglo XXI" by Carlos Alberto Montaner; writings by the argentine Mariano Grandona, the peruvian Hernando De Soto, the venezuelan Carlos Rangel, the region's leading intellectual Mario Vargas Llosa; and books by Lawrence Harrison, Francis Fukuyama and those contributors to "Culture Matters: How Values Shape Human Progress".

This book is wonderfully done. The pictures are great, and the text is well-written and informative. The size, while rather awkward, is necessary for the beautiful photos. There is also a very handy bibliography and "webography" in the back. I only have a few complaints; none huge, but enough to knock off a star. Some featured churches should have been traded in more either a more interesting building (i.e., the Meetinghouse at Sabbathday Lake is present, but no Amiens or Notre Dame cathedrals!), or more on an especially interesting church (The cathedral of St. John the Divine could have an entire volume dedicated to it!). Also, some of the picture choices were odd. There is not a single recent picture of some of the buildings, while at least one has only paintings and no photos (and yes, the structure is still standing). The large photo of La Sagrada Familia is a bizarre composite photography that could have easily been replaced with a conventional photo. The way the book opens, while original, damages the page corners, as someone already said. My biggest complaint is that one article (St. Mary's Church) ends mid-sentence.. "For them, the". This should have been spotted by the editors.

Other than these little things, this was a great book. I encourage everyone to buy it. It's a great little coffee table attraction.

Judith Dupre has clearly done extensive research for this book. The text goes far beyond giving us the basic facts about each church. Ms. Dupre explains the history of each church that she has selected for the book in a manner that makes us understand its unique significance. I noticed that she acknowledged church staff for providing relevant (and probably elsewhere unavailable) information. The book also includes an impressive collection of photographs.

I own and love two earlier books by Judith Dupre ("Bridges" and "Skyscrapers") both of which include truly exceptional b/w photographs. I'd heard that she was working on "Churches" and I anticipated it to be similar to the others.

Well, in some very positive ways, it is. The degree of diligence in her research is the same. Her choice of subjects is, as before, impeccable. The quotations she includes are apt and inspire further exploration by readers. Her selection of Mario Botta, prominent Italian architect, to write the introduction was a brilliant move.

All this, and then, COLOR photos, wonderful color photos ! Upon opening this book, I felt a kinship with the discoverer of King Tut's tomb when first he laid eyes on the riches therein.

I'm looking forward to her next publication with great expectation.

I have read every book published on Mario Lanza, and the past books I have read, were nothing more than pages filled up of dishonest untruthful facts.

I have re-read Be My Love A Celebration Of Mario Lanza twice. Each time I read this great novel. I could not put it down.

It is indeed a great pleasure to be able to read a book on Mario Lanza, that is not filled with filth! The Authors Damon Lanza and Mr. Bob Dolfi should be commended for publishing such a great book, that tells the true facts that Mr. Lanza was not murdered by the mafia as stated in other books. In the Be My Love Book, the authors Damon Lanza & Bob Dolfi have proven to the world that Mario did die of a heart attack. Mr. Mario Lanza had suffered from 3 heart attacks, in which the third one was the one that took this great talent away from us all.

I have recently bought 3 more books to give as gifts to family and friends. This book, "Be My Love A Celebration Of Mario Lanza" is a book that all families will not have to fear in seeing pages filled with garbage,filth, and lies.

It was about time such a book was published. This book in my opinion not only deserves a 5 star rating...But how about a 10 star rating?

We thank the authors for publishing a truthful book on our idol Mario Lanza.

Terry...A dedicated Mario Lanza Fan

There have been several books written about the great Tenor mario Lanza. They range from the sublime, like Derek Mannering's excellent book about Lanza, to the rediculous (i.e. Tony Besset's awful book about Mario). This book has got to be the absolute best of the best. There are photo's of the great Tenor at home and at play that you will not find in any other biography of Mario Lanza. One of the authors of this book is Bob Dolfi, who was given charge of the Lanza children after the unfortunate demise of both Mario and Betty Lanza. The other authors are Damon Lanza, Mario and Betty's surviving son, and Mark Muller an excellent Mario Lanza researcher and historian. Together these three gentlemen give us an insight into one of the most unjustly controversial and maligned chatacters in musical history. In this book Dolfi, Lanza, and Muller set the record straight, putting down all of the unfair stories and outright lies about Mario Lanza. Also in this book is an extremely wonderful and insightful chapter by noted and renowned Lanza hitorian Lindsay Perigio. This book is neither a National Enquirer report, nor is it some sugar coated retelling of an individuals life, but a straight forward, truthful, loving tribute to the man the great Toscannini christened "The Voice of the Century". The book will have you laughing in places and it will have you crying in places. The stories in this book are written as only family mambers and extremely close friends can relay. You will find stories here that no other author about Mario Lanza would have privy to. This book is extremely truthful. Do yourselves a favor and BUY THIS BOOK! Believe me you will definitely not regret it. Once you start reading it you won't be able to put the book down. The most enjoyable read I've had in a long long time. Definitely a 5 plus star documentation!

Be My Love- A Celebration of Mario Lanza" by Damon Lanza, Bob Dolfi, and Mark Muller is a very entertaining and factual publication on the life and times of one of the greatest singers and personalities of the 20th century.

It is full of information culled from Lanza's own personal archives as well as reminices from people who were collegues and friends of the great tenor. There are even thoughts from singers who were inspired by Mr. Lanza. Throughout the work there are many fine photographs a good deal of which are being seen for the first time.

This new work shows Mario Lanza as he was and would like to be remembered and finally dispells the rumor of the cause of his pre-mature death.

It is highly recomended not just for Lanza fans but for anyone interested in a man who came from simple roots and went on to become a major force and influence in shaping the music and entertainment world as it is today.

Bill Ronayne

The Fortunate Pilgrim By Mario Puzo is an excellent novel to read. The story is about Lusia Santa and her immigration to America from Italy. Throughout the entire book, it talks about the tough times that Lucia Santa and her family endure in America. The family of eight were tenants of a small apartment building in New York. Many of the children had to get jobs to help support the family when they were old enough. The book tells the readers a lot about the American dream and how much of a struggle people had to over come to acheive it. People came to America searching for better lives and freedom. To meet the American dream you had to work hard and you would suceed. Lucia Santa didn't know the price that she would have to pay to meet the American dream. This book shows us what it was like to live in America. It shows us what some of our ancestors went through, and their determination to live in America. I thought that this book was well written and well organized. You got to see, through reading the book, what it was like to immigrate to America and how hard it was to try and start a new life in America.

Mario Puzo feels that this novel, written before THE GODFATHER or any of his more popular novels, is superior to them all. In a creative sense, THE FORTUNATE PILGRIM is the parent, and the rest of his books are the offspring.

In the hands of someone like Puzo, the creative process is a wonderful thing to observe. He relates how he set out to write a novel in which he was the hero and the rest of his family were villains who wanted to stifle his writing career; and how, stalwart young man that he was, he succeeded in spite of them and the stumbling blocks they placed in his path. He was unable to write this version of his life, not even as fiction. Truth and the memory of the strength of the woman who reared him wouldn't allow him to deny the impact she had on his life.

Puzo wrote, but not what he had planned, or even what he thought he was writing. At some point he realized that the book wasn't about himself. It was about his mother. THE FORTUNATE PILGRIM's Lucia Santa is the personification of Puzo's mother and this book is her book as surely as if she'd written it herself.

When we read about Lucia Santa's life in Hell's Kitchen, a single mother as we would call her today, as she raises six children, we are constantly amazed at her strength.

Her oldest son becomes a Mafia Union Organizer (read strong arm man and collector of "protection" money) against her will. But Lucia Santa prevails.

Her daughter spends six months in a sanitorium for her lungs and comes home too assimilated for Lucia Santa's taste. But Lucia Santa prevails.

One of her sons commits suicide. But Lucia Santa prevails.

One tragedy follows on the heels of another. But Lucia Santa prevails.

After the death of her son, her neighbors bewail her misfortunes, "First husband dead; second destroyed for life; a grown son, already a breadwinner, struck down. What tragedy, what misfortune!" But how does Lucia Santa look at it? A grown daughter, a forelady with a hard working sober husband. One son who has given her grandchildren and is making a good living. Another son working on the railroad and no longer giving her troubles. Yet another son winning awards in school. Yes, Lucia Santa prevails.

Lucia Santa is, in every way, Puzo's mother. Is it any wonder that she dominates this novel? The choice as to who was the hero (or heroine) was never really Puzo's to make. It's a better novel and a more honest one the way it wrote itself (with a little assist from Puzo).

Puzo says that, not only is this her novel, but so is THE GODFATHER. From his mother's mouth to Puzo's ears, to the written page, we have Lucia Santa to thank for these books. Oh, by the way, Mario, thanks for channeling them for us, the readers.

If you only read one of Puzo's books this probably should be it.

This book is really anti-Puzo. It doesn?t have much to do with the mob, crime, casinos, or gangsters, and it doesn?t have killings, executions, or any other street warfare. Heck, it doesn?t even have a plot. Instead, it?s about a family living in New York, and how the mother has learned to survive and raise a family alone.

Sounds boring, right? Wrong. This could actually be Puzo?s finest work. From the family?s struggles through poverty and near poverty, to the fights of mother and daughter, to the disobedience of one son, and the suicide of another other, this book is a touching chronicle.

Though not a novel you would expect from Puzo, it?s definitely his most poignant work, and shows that he can live past his Godfather typecast.

Are some numbers more important than others? Certainly numbers like the primes, pi and "e" have properties that make them interesting to mathematicians and physical scientists alike. Then there are numbers like 7, 13 and 666 that have other connotations for theologians, numerologists and the like. And yet, some numbers have not gotten their due in recent years. Phi--a number variously referred to as the golden ratio, golden section, and divine proportion among others--is one. But Mario Livio has written a book in an attempt to remedy this situation.

Phi received its original definition from Euclid as an "extreme and mean ratio" when a straight line is cut so that the ratio of the entire line to the longer division of the segment is the same as the ratio of the longer division of the segment to the shorter. And yet, much like the better known geometrical example of pi, phi turns out to have many more applications beyond its simplest geometrical definition. Though measurable, phi is an irrational number with relationships to the Fibonacci sequence, fractals, the physical structure of things from plant growth and spiral shell development to the appearance of large-scale objects like galaxies, and more. And beyond this, phi has been used as a basis applications in numerology and aesthetics.

Livio does a very good job of covering all this ground and more. He is especially good at giving us a historical overview of the development of our understanding of this important number as well as explaining the mathematics in a way that is complete but easy to understand. He is also very good at presenting the various mystical ways phi has been interpreted over the centuries, giving each a rigorous challenge--rejecting many but open-minded to the possibilities that any good Platonist would be.

In fact, if there is a weakness in this book, it is that Livio spends a lot of time covering these more esoteric applications of phi. And yet, these applications are part of the history of the number and cannot be ignored whatever a reader might feel about the value of these applications. Phi may not quite live up to the hype as "the world's most astonishing number" but certainly any reader with an interest in mathematics will not want to miss this book.

"The Golden Ratio" is truly master piece by Mario Livio. I was impressed by Livio's first book: "The Accelerating Universe", not just by its style and contents, but also by the clear and engaging manner in which Livio had presented the material. In this book Livio has exceeded even the high standards of his earlier book in producing what I found to be a very fascinating and educative book on a seemingly ordinary number.

Phi, the so called 'golden ratio', originated from a geometrical concept: if we divide a line into two segments such that the ratio of the length of whole line to that of the bigger segment is the same as the ratio of the length of the bigger segment to that of the smaller one, then this ratio is 'phi'. On the face of it, this looks like a mundane, dull and insignificant ratio. Then Livio leads us through innumerable examples --- examples as varied as the breeding patterns of rabbits to optics of light rays --- where the same golden ratio appears again and again. With Livio's magic touch, the seemingly dull number widens to a fascinating world of its own. We find the same ratio hidden in the delightful petal arrangements in a red rose, in Salvador Dali's famous painting "Sacrament of the last supper", in the spiral shells of mollusks, in the spiral patterns of face-on Galaxies, ..... the list goes on. The book also contains philosophical discussions on such topics as "Is God a Mathematician?", where Livio tries to pierce through the meaning of it all.

This book is likely to remain a classic and true source book on the golden ratio for a long time. The book is full of information, and cleverly written. It makes for a very interesting reading: and in the process you will not only learn all about the fascinating world of the golden ratio but also about paintings, flowers, astronomy, and a lot more, in an effortless and enjoyable manner.....

Mario Livio, a cosmologist and art aficionado at the Hubble Space Telescope Center and the author of the previous book "The Accelerating Universe," wrote a lot about the irrational (never-ending, never-repeating) number phi, or the Golden Ratio, whose value is 1.6180339877... The story starts from these questions: Who discovered the Golden Ratio? Was phi used in the design of a Babylonian stela and Egyptian pyramids? The author pursues the answers to these questions, writing a series of his thoughts like a detective story.

Then he describes the role of the Greek mathematicians Plato and Euclid, and the Italian mathematician Leonardo Fibonacci in the history of phi, together with the geometrical and arithmetical wonders connected to this number. One example of the wonders is the relation between the Fibonacci sequence and phi. The Fibonacci sequence 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, ... is defined as a series of numbers in which each term is the sum of the two preceding terms. The ratio of successive numbers of this sequence approaches phi as we go farther and farther down the sequence.

Next come the topics of phi found in nature and used in arts. The logarithmic spiral, which goes hand in hand with the Golden Radio, appears in the sunflower, the flight of a falcon, galaxies, etc. The author's study of many historical attempts to disclose the Golden Ratio in various works of art, pieces of music and poetry comes to the conclusion that ... (I have to refrain from writing the ending of the "detective story").

In the final chapter Livio considers the question: What is the reason that mathematics and numerical constants like phi play such a central role in topics ranging from fundamental theories of the universe to the stock market? Noting that the discussion about this question can fill the entire volume, the author gives a brief (but very understandable) description of the modified Platonic view and the natural selection interpretation. He also presents his personal opinion, which adopts complementarity of the above two views. This chapter whets readers' appetite for a possible next book on this topic to be written by Livio.

I strongly recommend "The Golden Ratio" to scientists, artists and laypersons that are interested in the wonders of numbers and mathematics and in their relations to arts and nature.

This is definitely an entertaining read, and very funny at that. The (autobiographical?) protagonist, Mario, falls in love with his "aunt" Julia (not a blood relation), the kind of relationship that is the stuff of radio soap operas - meanwhile, Mario's coworker and confidant is the enigmatic and pseudobohemian/pseudointellectual Pedro Camacho, the most popular radio scriptwriter in Peru. The rest of the novel consists of excerpts from Camacho's radio serials interwoven (chapter by chapter) with tales of Mario's scampering about with Julia.

My greatest frustration with the book is that it didn't use the full potential of the blurring of lines between "story" and "reality." Unfortunately, the interplay between "story" and "reality" was billed as the theme of the novel, whose chapters alternate between descriptions of "reality" and descriptions of Camacho's fictional world of radio serials. Camacho's various real-life prejudices - e.g., his vitriol for Argentina and his fears about middle age - do diffuse to the stories, but not in any deep or intriguing way, only for some comic interjections. Similarly, the radio serials are mentioned in conversations in the "real" portions of the novel, but not much is done with them.

I was really hoping for the book's last chapter to be a blend of the main story and the stories of Camacho's serials, but no such luck. Indeed, the final chapter, or maybe two chapters, seemed out of place, and not as clever and humorous as the rest of the novel. I was also hoping for Camacho to play more of a role in the story itself. As it stands, Mario's and Camacho's worlds don't really intersect, except for their meetings at cafes.

For a similar back-and-forth technique between "fictional" and "real," try "Hardboiled Wonderland and the End of the World," by Haruki Murakami. Or for a hilarious treatment of the making of radio serials, watch the (coincidentally, also Japanese) movie "Welcome Back, Mister McDonald."

In summary, this is an entertaining book, and a good story, but with wasted potential as far as higher literary aspirations; Vargas Llosa executes his clever structural idea quite sloppily.

Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter had been on my "to read" list for awhile. This entertaining and humorous book is about 18 year old Mario who lives with his grandparents in Lima, Peru. He has a large family with lots of aunts, uncles, and cousins. Mario's dream is to be a writer and he works as a news writer for a local radio station, while trying his hand at writing short stories in his spare moments. His Aunt Julia, moves to Lima from Bolivia after her divorce. She is 32 years old and not a blood relation (she is the sister of his uncle's wife). Mario and Julia start spending time together and Mario begins to fall in love with her, which is not something that the rest of their family would appreciate! At the same time, the radio station where Mario works hires a new scriptwriter from Bolivia named Pedro. Pedro writes the scripts and acts in the many radio serials that the station airs. Mario becomes friends with the odd scriptwriter.

The book is written so that alternating chapters tell the story of Mario and his friends and family and the stories in the serials. It is an interesting writing style and reminds me of a few other books that I have read including Blind Assassin by M. Atwood and If on a winter's night... by I. Calvino. I enjoyed this writing style very much and founf the book extermely enjoyable and recommend to anyone who may be looking for a different and light read.

Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter is without a doubt Mario Vargas-Llosa's most entertaining book, intelligent without being difficult and hilarious without being patronizing.

Some of the most subtle points are lost in translation -- "escribidor" in the original title, for example, has a sense of someone simply taking dictation or producing a text by rote compared to the word "scriptwriter" used in the English language version -- but that is the only significant weak point and is not enough to withhold a five-star rating for this wonderful book.

The book's account is semi-autobiographical, with two story lines alternating chapters -- a style employed in several other Vargas Llosa novels -- until they begin to link together like cogs in the gears of the narrative. But it is the way they mesh together that is part of the magic in this book. Without giving away the story line here, let it suffice to say that at certain points you'll find yourself smiling and flipping back through the pages uttering "but didn't he..." or "I thought that..."

The story itself offers a fascinating look at several aspects of life in Peru, one of the most complex and interesting countries in the world. But it does it effortlessly; using a love-torn teenage protagonist, a sexy older woman, an enraged father, an eccentric serial writer, and a compelling cast of misfit radio artists.

Though certain parts (especially the story of Julia) are well documented, the exact extent to which some of the rest of the book is based on real life is still being debated. Every once in a while in Lima, for example, an obituary will mention that its subject was one of the people the unforgettable Pedro Camacho might have been based on, and many old Peruvians have theories about the exact bar or town where certain scenes were set.

Like any writer, Vargas Llosa takes certain artistic license and some people have grumbled about inaccuracies in the text. But I shrug off those complaints: a novel is never meant to be an accurate historical document.

Nonetheless, if you are intrigued enough by the story in Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter to read more and you understand Spanish, the most important and entertaining of the complaints is by Aunt Julia (Julia Urquidi) herself, called Lo Que Varguitas No Dijo (What Little Vargas Didn't Say). She also authored a more academic version of the story in English, My Life With Mario Vargas Llosa.

Death in the Andes is a story of brutality and fear and ignorance. The language is often coarse and vulgar. The ending is especially disturbing. Were it not for the remarkable writing of Mario Vargas Llosa, I might have put this unsettling story aside. But Mario Vargas Llosa is a captivating story teller and I found myself wanting to know more and more about his characters that inhabit the harsh mountains of Peru.

The reader encounters alternating viewpoints and layered conversations that intermingle the present and the past, forcing the reader to remain alert. Death in the Andes is structurally a mystery story in which two soldiers assigned to a barren outpost investigate the disappearance of three men. The brutal Shining Path terrorists (the Senderistas) are the natural suspect, but Corporal Lituma also mistrusts both the townspeople (largely traditional Indians) and the construction work crew building a highway across the mountains. Initially, he has little patience for talk of the pishtacos, vampire-like humans that sucked the blood and ate the melted the fat of their victims.

There are stories within stories. Young French tourists are stoned to death, rather than shot, to save bullets, and to permit others to take part in the killing. In fascination we listen to a lonely young man describe his improbable love of a prostitute. We witness a village turning upon itself and selecting victims for the Senderistas. We meet an aged, repulsive woman who in her youth helped kill a pishtacos. We gain a nebulous understanding as to why Peruvians and foreigners involved in re-forestation programs and nature preserves become prime targets for assassination.

I have already begun to read Death in the Andes again and I am searching for more writings by Mario Vargas Llosa. Although I found his portrait of contemporary Peru to be unsettling, disturbing, and haunting, Death in the Andes will appeal to the reader on many levels. It is a memorable lesson in history, in cultural conflict, and in man's inhumanity.

Mario Vargas Llosa does an excellent job in capturing many of the dilemnas and controversies which face modern Peru in "Death in the Andes". He does an masterful job in presenting the military, insurgents, (Sendero Luminoso), and also the native peasants and farmers of the country. The reader really feels the emotions and experiences of the characters in the story. The violence, brutality and pain of life of many in Peru comes across clearly in this tale. Vargas Llosa weaves the narratives of three characters and also experiments with shifting between different periods of time during the course of the novel. His writing style in this work is very straightforward and clear. The book reads quite quickly and easily. If one enjoys the work of Gabriel García Márquez or a great story in general, they will enjoy "Death in the Andes".

In Death in the Andes, Vargas Llosa weaves a tale that is neither simple nor pat. He reveals truths about human nature: their complexities and frailities in stressful circumstances. People alone in the mountains; people who have lost hope turn to beliefs as old as those same hills and become something horrible. They turn on their neighbors and kill them at the behest of people all too willing to use them for their own ends. The terrucos, serruchos, apus, and pishtacos which liter his story surround the reader in a vast world one cannot explain away as being the rantings of mountain people. Vargas Llosa places the reader into this mysterious world, and it is not always a comfortable one. The Shining Path scenes in this book are, in themselves, enough to make one turn away. But it is worth the read, as simply a lever to pry open that world which I can never really know, even though I've pedaled a bike in the backcountry, and had people yell that I was a "pishtaco" or one who steals the flesh from another to sell, I am not of Peru. Vargas Llosa took me as far I could ever go.