Quite a revelation to learn that 17th-century Jesuit priests created an elaborate conspiracy to preserve a secret Inca language of "talking knots." The evidence only recently surfaced in Naples, Italy!

Loving Peruvian textiles and having visited many exhibits in museums, I was very disappointed at the extensive use of blue and blue-green in the clothing. The Inkas used only natural dyes including indigo but not mostly the textiles were reds, golds, oranges and browns. I wouldn't use this book with students. An excellent book on Peru's textiles - though not a child's book - is "Hidden Threads of Peru" Rowe and Cohen. These are not ancient textiles, but they do show a Peruvian choice of color.

This book is a delight. The vivid colors and imagination are what separate this book from your typical, dry non-fiction children's book. Obviously, the Inkas had access to all of the colors of nature(not just earthy colors as some might think) and no piece of faded cloth can tell the true story. Just like the Sistine Chapel, the Inka garments were once vibrating with color. The building of Machu Picchu speaks volumes - they had supreme skills in the area of art and design. Highly recommended to students and adults alike.

I received this book as a gift and it is simply beautiful!If you want to know about the Incas read this book,or just look at the pictures...exquisite!

If you never been in Peru, this book will put off!!

After being in Peru, this book does not represents the country at all, from a non anglo-saxon point of view. It seemed to me that the writer went there with a closed mind, considering himself and his group superior to the rest. I found this book nothing but a pile of exagerated lies. Far from attracting me, it completely repels me

This book captures spirit that is backpacking across Peru. It is probably better if you have visited the country at least once before you read the book, just so you will understand the little things that Parris points out. However, if you have been in the country for any amount of time at all, this book will remind you of every experience you had there. A wonderfully written book!

I love Peruvian food, and have been to nearly every Peruvian restaurant in NYC. So, when this book came out, I was ecstatic. However, the cookbook is no good. I made several recipes several times, and they never came out tasting very good. For example Chupe de Camarones. I've had some awesome Peruvian shrimp soup in the restaurant. However, even though I got to know my local fishstore well in the process of making my own stock for the three attempts at this soup, and even though I tried the different version, the result was consistently dissappointing. I asked Peruvian friends I knew what they would recommend, and their spice suggestions were much better, plus they had more detailed advice about how long to cook the shrimp than the book. The book leaves out too much. Perhaps it is best seen as the first rough draft for a Peruvian cookbook in English. In the process of revising it, maybe it could get much better.

This cookbook was a christmas gift from my peruvian husband. He has been pleasantly surprised by many of the regional recipes that can be found in this book. However, the author does leave elements of some recipes out..and he does have some ingredient amounts wrong. If you have a peruvian in the house or are familiar with peruvian cuisine I would recommend this book, we have thoroughly enjoyed many of the recipes..but only because we can catch many of the author's mistakes.

Aside from some difficulty in translating recipe names, which read in Spanish make the mouth water, the book offers many delicious recipes among the many more that the Peruvian cuisine offers. Missing from soup recipes from southern Perú is the touch of rocotto (dipped and then taken out)and the splash of lemon. For the best pisco sour try the Biondi pisco from Moquegua, and try to get the South American limes.

Bingham's book was written back in the 1940s. This details his adventures in finding the city of Machi Picchu. The city was never really lost, the Indians knew about it all along. Bingham just brought it to the world's attention. Some of Bingham's theories about the Incas have later been proven false. So if you want the definitive explanation of why Machu Picchu exists, this is not the book. Generally this is a good adventure book and details the last years of the Inca Empire before Francisco Pizarro destroyed it. This is located in the first part of the book, which is interesting. The second half of the book details his theories, some of which have been proven false. For those of you planning on visiting Peru and Machu Picchu, read this book.

This book tells the gripping story of the discovery of Machu Piccu. Although Bingham is an academic archaeologist he appears to be belong to the Indiana Jones school. As a travel book it is a gem - Bingham travels through uncharted teritory in the outback of Peru at teh beginning of the century. He risks his life climbing the steep hillsides to Machu Piccu after getting a tip from a local farmer. But the book is also full of detail on the finds he made at the site. It is an insight into the ways of the Inca, and the archaeologist. Although it can be a bit dry in places - the lists of finds at Machu Piccu - Bingham makes up for this with his absorbing adventure story in the earlier chapters. END

This book is a extreamly verbous book that discusses the political and economic rights of andean women through out history.

I first read this book in 1990, when I was a college student. It galvanized my interest in pan-American indigenous-white relations. Now that I am a university professor myself, I teach this book regularly. It's fascinating to most undergraduates -- often mentioned as one of their favorite books of the semester -- without losing any of the intricacy and delicacy of argument necessary to treating the subject of cultural contact and conflict in the Americas. I highly recommend it for any reader; I've given it to people travelling to Peru on vacation and it has greatly deepened their understanding of the land they are visiting and history of their own presence in the Sacred Valley. A great read, highly informative, elegantly written and deeply researched.

It would be sooooo easy to "diss" "Temple", the second novel by Aussie, Matthew Reilly. As a matter of fact, as you scan through some of the other reviews of this book, you find a lot of that. But, there are those,(like myself) who try and rise above that type of criticism and just take this book at the "face value" in which it was written. It's not intended to be anything more than a terrific action yarn. And, while it's not "great" literature, it will certainly give you your $5.99's worth!

"Temple" is aptly described as "Indiana Jones meets Michael Crichton". There's plenty of military hardware and scientific technology for even the most avid "techo-geek". For those that enjoy graphic descriptions of battle scenes and "shoot-em-ups" there's plenty of that as well!

The story begins with the search for an ancient idol that holds the key to a doomday weapon that a variety of military groups are seeking - all the way from members of the US Armed Forces to Neo-Nazis. When linguist, William Race, is recruited to translate an ancient manuscript that holds the secret to the location of the idol, all hell breaks loose! Who will get the idol first, those intending to use it to destroy the world or those trying to save it?

Reilly takes the reader on a action joyride over the next 500 pages to the book's somewhat expected ending. Suspend your powers of logic, deduction and disbelief during that time and just enjoy the ride! There are some simply unbelievable situations that Race and his band encounter along the way, but there's little time to catch your breath as you're reading - so don't spend a lot of time "dissecting" the book.

Though, in this reviewer's humble opinion, "Temple" is not as strong an offering as Reilly's first novel, "Ice Station", it WILL keep you reading and fill a few days with an entertaining story loading with copious amounts of escapism. And, after all, isn't that what we're looking for when we're trying to kill a few hours?

Eagerly, I awaited this book in paperback. I was Not disappointed, either. Filled with exciting chases, action and suspense, I couldn't put this book down.
It starts with the conquest of the Inka empire and the search for a mystical statue revered by the Inkas. Fast forward to 1999 and a break-in at a top-secret lab to steal the ultimate Doomsday device. Enter a professor of Ancient languages to translate a manuscript detailing the location of the mystical statue, now known to be of an extra-terrestial element needed to fuel the Doomsday device.
The chase is on with the Army trying to recover the statue before the Navy. It seems that COngress is considering eliminating one military service, probably the Army but if the army had the Doomsday device and the trigger, then they would survive.
Throw in a ruthless Nazi power who wants to destabilize the world economy by blackmail.
Throw in domestic terrorists who simply want to destroy the world.
THrow in an ancient beast, the rapa, who can defeat caimans in a fight.
Add those ingredients together and you have an excellent, edge-of-your-seat read for the beach or backyard.

It does, however, stretch the credibility to suggest that a professor can overcome trained soldiers and psycho-terrorists, perform incredible feats of physical prowess and never lose his hat. A couple of scenes remind me of Star Wars and Indiana Jones a little too much for coincidence. The book is a little long, too. It should have ended after the 4th machination.

Other than those minor quibbles, the book is great. I await his next book eagerly.

Matthew Reilly's second book, "Temple", is part Indiana Jones, part James Bond, part Clive Cussler hero, and part Tom Clancy hero. Other reviewers have deemed this a "fun" read and I whole-heartedly agree. The novel is not deep on character development, but that doesn't seem out of place here.

The novel hits the ground running with the massacre of monks at a monastery. The novel continues at a quick pace for the next 500 pages and never lets up. There are many twists and turns, surprises, double agents, etc. By then end, the reader wonders who is the more prominent villain in the grand scheme of things. Many mysteries abound ranging from creatures inside the temple, the history of the sought idol, why everyone wants the idol, etc.

Unfortunately, it's difficult to go into much detail as there are a number of surprises the reader must discover for himself/herself. If you're a fan of Clive Cussler, James Rollins, or Tom Clancy, this is a "must-read". While there is little to no character development, the non-stop (and sometimes very far-fetched) action will keep the reader enthralled for many hours.

Have you ever wondered what it is like to be part of an ancient culture? Well here is your chance! "Secret of the Andes" is a excellent book to read if you have ever asked yourself this question. This book is about a young Incan boy, by the name of Cusi, who lives high in the Andes of South America. He is a llama herder, a noble and very common occupation where he lives. His keeper is a man by the name of Chuto, a secretive and mysterious man. The one thing Cusi wants in his life is a family. One day his llama guides him to a temple, there Cusi finds something very peciular....
This book was written for twelve to thirteen year olds. It contains emotional struggles that anyone younger would'nt be able to grasp.
One main topic of this story was that of family. The one thing Cusi ever wanted was a family. The only family he had ever known. One day a family moves into the valley below. After seeing this he deides that one day he will go in search of his own family.
Another topic is culture. One day Cusi finds out that he is the last of a long line of Incan royalty.
"Secret of the Andes" is a good book for anyone who enjoys reading about far off places and different cultures.

Ann Nolan Clark's perception of places and people, and her respect for other cultures, comes through clearly in this short novel of traditions and changes in Peru.

Far ahead of today's push for diversity in school books, the book explores life themes such as the importance of family, traditions, caring for others, respecting elders, etc. Ann's genius is that she sets these themes inside the larger theme of life choices for a young boy, in a different land.

I started reading it aloud on a camping trip, the voices of the Peruvian past with its unique scents and sounds filling the tent and delighting all who listened, from the very young to the "oldsters" in the group. It is Ann's rich command of language that sets the tone of the book. It is her knowledge of the People that enriches the story. It is her striving to make the book culturally rich as well as challenging that keeps the reader (or listeners) engaged. I wish we had more books like this one in our school and home libraries.

I read a statement by Mrs. Clark once, to the effect that she always included words below and above the intended reader's level, so they would s-t-r-e-t-c-h their abilities and grow as a reader. I first read the book as a 4th grader years ago and it was a delight to revisit it. I would think that anyone at a 4th grade level could sound out the unfamiliar words, as they follow the usual rules of phonetics.

By the way, I read it aloud to my 6-7-8 combination reading class last year for listening comprehension lessons, and they couldn't wait for the next part of the story!

The Secret of the Andes is a very moving story of a modern Inca boy with a very esoteric connection to his Inca past. I raise llamas, and have a great interest in these wonderful creatures and the people who saved them from extinction during the Spanish 'conquest'. I couldn't put this book down.

It uses high language and a lot of esoteric imagery. I read it to my seventh grade students who found it much more interesting when I played "Sukay" music of the Andes, and passed around photos of native Quechua people and llamas.

The story was very believable. It helps to have some knowledge of Inca beliefs, the history of the Spanish 'conquest' and a knowledge of llamas. If you have this information, the story seem more like history than fiction.

This book wasn't that great because it was boring and didn't have that much imformation. It's scientific facts of the people wern't that good.

This is another in the delightful series of Eyewitness books for children. It is beautifully illustrated with excellent photographs and a terrific collection of illustrations taken from modern and historical sources. However, this book tries to cover too much in the alloted space. The book shows examples of clothing, tools, architecture, religion and arts from all 3 cultures (Maya, Aztec & Inca). Unfortunately, the book also includes examples from cultures preceding and succeeding these great civilizations such as the Moche, Mixtec, Toltec, Olmec and Nazca. This makes for a somewhat confusing situation, and you wish for a timeline and map to show when and where all these peoples are located. All in all, it's a very eye-catching book. I do suggest for future editions the Eyewitness folks should consider books that concentrate specifically on the Maya, Aztec or Inca, or at least one volume on Mexico and Mesoamerica and one volume on Peru.

The Eyewitness series of books is primarily aimed at children ages 8-14. They are all full of many clear bright color photographs and illustrations that are each accompanied by a paragraph or so of factual information. The Eyewitness series is a great way to spark a youth's interest in a subject. They have books on just about every topic imaginable from Archaeology to Zoology.

This edition is ripe for update (the information in this guide is more than three years old). The lodging and restaurant profiles are adequate, but dated.

I live near Cusco and have seen new and better accommodations, restaurants and dives open up. When I was in Cusco, in May, 2003, Footprint was there researching the next Cusco edition.

The one constant is the information on the attractions and ruins - timeless. Ben Box is at his best describing and touring the spectacular antiquity of Cusco, Machu Picchu and surrounding areas.

When it comes to profiling tour operators, Ben Box is superb. Especially consider his profiles if you are hiking the Inka Trail or want to see Manu Reserve (only 10 lic. operators). He has also highlighted some of the NGOs working with abandoned children and environmental issues - applaudable indeed.

The best place in Peru for up to date information is the 'South American Explorers Club' in Cusco (Lima has a club house too). The address given in this edition is old, SAE moved over a year ago. The new address is 188 Choquechaca #4, Cusco (Tel. 84-245484)

On the downside, the index is paltry and this guide lacks an accommodations or restaurants index. Thus, if you have a recommended restaurant you want to look up in a large city (Lima, Cusco etc.) you have to go through all the restaurant pages 'til you stumble across the name you seek or miss seeing it completely.

The publisher's use of paid advertisements for hotels, tour companies, calling cards and travel services (over 20 ads in this guide - many full page) are intrusive and causes one to question the integrity of the guide, when the same company with a full page ad is profiled and recommended by the author.

Also disturbing and disappointing is Ben Box's quick gloss-over of the rising crime in Cusco. Last year there was a rash of taxi robberies and rapes. The police in Cusco are a joke. Anyone with a car and who sticks has "TAXI" written on the front window is not questioned by the authorities. Thus, criminals cruise in private cars with a "TAXI" sticker and prey on unsuspecting tourists, especially women. Ben Box's coverage of crime and safety in Cusco is basically non-existent. Much better is the more recent 'Footprint - Peru' Guide.

These things noted, Instead of this guide I would encourage you to consider the 'Footprint - Peru' Guide 4th Edition (make sure it is the 4th Ed.). The "Peru" 4th edition has much more than this guide has and is more current. However, when Footprint brings out, the soon to come, Cusco 2nd edition, then I would strongly consider that guide.