Book Description
The appearance, more than sixty years after the Spanish Civil War ended, of mass graves containing victims of Francisco Franco’s death squads finally broke what Spaniards call “the pact of forgetting”—the unwritten understanding that their recent, painful past was best left unexplored. At this charged moment, Giles Tremlett embarked on a journey around the country and through its history to discover why some of Europe’s most voluble people have kept silent so long.
Ghosts of Spain is the fascinating result of that journey. In elegant and passionate prose, Tremlett unveils the tinderbox of disagreements that mark the country today. Delving into such emotional questions as who caused the Civil War, why Basque terrorists kill, why Catalans hate Madrid, and whether the Islamist bombers who killed 190 people in 2004 dreamed of a return to Spain’s Moorish past, Tremlett finds the ghosts of the past everywhere. At the same time, he offers trenchant observations on more quotidian aspects of Spanish life today: the reasons, for example, Spaniards dislike authority figures, but are cowed by a doctor’s white coat, and how women have embraced feminism without men noticing.
Drawing on the author’s twenty years of experience living in Spain, Ghosts of Spain is a revelatory book about one of Europe’s most exciting countries.
Customer Reviews:
An outsider's insight.......2007-05-28
A British journalist who has lived 20 years in Spain, married and raising his 2 children in Madrid, the author investigates, reveals and muses upon Spanish culture, history and the forces of the "two Spains" as they come together, or rub against each other, in forming the modern Spanish world. A fascinating look at Spain, its subcultures from the Basques to the Catalans to flamenco to the Galicians, to drug culture to tourism and the very difficult and delicate process of choosing to forget the differences of the Spanish Civil War and Franco's regime in order to move forward in a country that was once the most powerful on earth.
I like Spain and its history. This is one of the very best insights into modern Spain. Highly recommended.
A Pale Secret.......2007-05-22
A liberal British newspaper reporter's hit and miss attempt at a book explaining Spain (his nearly adopted country) to us outsiders. Some hits (like how modern Spain handles the dark legacy of Franco) are offset by a number of misses.
Historical facts, or guesses as to historical facts, get thrown in as space fillers; events that catch Mr. Tremlett's fancy are highlighted, whether reflective of the whole Spanish society or not; the level of writing is often barely above that of a talented reporter on deadline. The final meandering chapter entitled "Moderns and Ruins", especially, cries out for editing.
Great book about a fascinating country.......2007-05-19
This is a great journalistic account of the social and political changes that have transformed Spain up to the present day. Tremlett discusses the country's past and present in fairly equal measure. He begins by looking at the legacies of the Spanish Civil War, discussing how only in the past decade has the full scale of the atrocities that took place come to light. He discusses how Spaniards whose relatives were killed by the Francoists have pushed in recent years for their relatives to be given decent burials. He also writes an interesting chapter on Franco's overall legacy, arguing that after his death and the country's transition to democracy he has been largely purged from public discourse. Despite this collective amnesia that he identifies, Tremlett points out that the same left-right cleavage that drove the war still lurks below the surface of Spanish society. The book also contains chapters on the Basque, Catalan, and Galician regions. Tremlett provides very insightful analysis of the origins of and main forces behind Basque and Catalan nationalism, while his chapter on Galicia details that region's emergence as a conduit for Columbian cocaine. One of my favorite chapters looked at gender relations in Spain, in which Tremlett provides some very amusing anecdotes that reveal contrasts between Spain and his native Britain. This chapter also discusses Tremlett's quest to understand the paradox of how a country can be so awash in brothels (which, he reports, 1/4 of Spanish men visited) yet relatively conservative in terms of the sexual mores of its people.
Other subjects covered here include Spain's emergence as a global tourism magnet (and the corruption that has often emerged alongside it) and the 2004 Madrid train bombing, which indirectly led to the defeat of the ruling party in the elections several days later. This was an interesting chapter, in which Tramlett looked at the ways in which the main parties tried to capitalize on this tragedy for political gain. Overall, I found Tremlett to be a very keen analyst of social and political relations, and there weren't really any weak chapters. For instance, I considered skipping a chapter on flamenco music, not being particularly interested in the musical form itself, but the chapter ended up including a fascinating discussion of the social history of Spain's gypsies.
Overall, I would heartily recommend this book to anybody interested in Spanish history, culture, and/or politics. I would NOT recommend it to those expecting more of a travel guide type of book; although Tremlett does visit and write evocatively about numerous regions, such descriptions are not the main substance of this book. If I had to make one minor criticism, it is that the chapters themselves were often not tightly organized. For example, the chapter on the Basques jumps from past to present and does not really follow any sort of structure. This wasn't really a problem for me, because Tremlett writes well and never bored me, but it might be a problem to some. Another minor complaint is that the book doesn't include a map, which might have been useful for readers like me who aren't intimately familiar with Spain's geography. Overall, though, I think that this is social and political journalism at its finest, and anybody wishing to learn more about this fascinating country could do worse than to start here!
Spain's a Fun Country to Visit.......2007-04-29
The first time tht I went to Spain the country was still under Franco. When getting off the plane, every arriving passenger was photographed. This set a tone that made you never forget where you were. Now going to Spain is like going to any other country. There is no problem going from one city to another. The people are friendly to Americans. The food, trains, hotels, highways are all good.
This book looks underneath these obvious outward trappings to the held over anguish from the Franco time. He also looks further backwards to the regional conflicts with Basque seperatists, and more recently to the Islamist bombers who killed 190 people using bomb attacks in 2004.
Spain remains a little bit different than the rest of Western Europe. Mr. Tremlett has lived in Spain for twenty years and has done an excellent job of bringing together the history and the current situation to explain the current country that is Spain.
The Real Spain.......2007-04-15
Giles Tremlett has written a highly readable, incisive portrait of Spain today--its problems and its pleasures. His presentation of the manner in which Spain has chosen to deal with the aftermath of Francisco Franco's death is particularly well written and revealing. He examines how the decades of dictatorship and brutal repression have been swept under the rug of collective consciousness by Spaniards choosing not to confront it or attempt to reconcile themselves with this difficult episode in their nation's history. The author's years of closely observing Spain, and reporting on its politics and culture for Britain's most respected newspaper, The Guardian, have given him a wonderful sense of both the large picture and the quotidian details, which do so much to bring this book to life.
Anyone wanting a sense of what today's Spain is all about will find it in these pages.
Book Description
A fun, engaging, 132-page complete language learning workbook. Includes 150 sticky labels, flash cards, a cut out menu, a crossword puzzle and more. Original art and an open format are just two of the many reasons why this is one of the bestselling language series in print.
Customer Reviews:
Best Help and Fast Review.......2007-09-24
I first checked this book out from the library. It is so good , I purchased a copy from Amazon. This book has the normal words used everyday. It is easy to follow and you do it at you own pace. You are learning how to speak in easy short sentences. It has flash cards that speed up the learning process. Of all the reference books I have, this is the one I pick up first. This book will be great if you are going on vacation and only need to know certain things :)
Spanish in 10 Minutes a Day.......2006-08-15
This text is either for the very beginning beginner or a good review for the person who has been away from Spanish for a time.
It is done in a logical manner and in workbook form. It has stickers for nouns and cutouts for flashcards of the important beginning vocabulary in the book. It is fun to do and quick to finish.
A good Start .......2006-04-07
I have read almost all of the book. Along with the CDs I think the set would be very good for a beginner but not enough for adequate conversation. No conjugation rules mentioned. You have to be enrolled in a spanish teaching class to fill in the defecits that this set have. Overall I think my spanish improved alot from 0% spanish to 50% now,which is not bad to a beginner....
Wonderful Product.......2006-02-24
We are a homeschooling family and we were looking for a good beginning Spanish program. This program was recommended to me by several people so I thought we would give it a try. My daughter and I are learning together and we are finding this program easy to use and alot of fun. I think it would be a great program for older elementary (my daughter is 14) - adult. The CDs are a must because they teach you the correct pronouncation for each word. The stickers are a great way to incorporate Spanish into your everyday life. Excellent program. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking to learning Spanish for educational purposes and for those who are planning a trip to a Spanish speaking country.
Good for a traveler, Not for a class.......2005-08-12
I began using this as text for a class of mine, but quickly only used it as a supplement. You are to simply copy the words and say them in 10 minutes each day. It's a great theory, but very difficult to absorb any language through this method. The vocabulary is bent toward the traveler - what to pack, where's the restaurant, I'd like to order, that type of phrasing.
The color pictures make it seem like it might be aimed at a younger crowd, but the exercises were a bit stale for anyone under high school age.
Overall, this is a good crash course if you're about to leave for a week's vacation in a Spanish-speaking country. To learn how to truly communicate in Spanish, you need something more thorough on grammar points and practice. The fact that no CD comes with it also makes pronunciation a concern for the novice learner.
For the much younger child, Flip Flop Spanish is a great tool which comes with a CD.
Book Description
Who but Rick Steves can tell travelers the best way to see Barcelona, the Basque Region, Madrid, Toledo, Salamanca, Andalucia, Sevilla, Arcos, Jerez, Granada, Gibraltar, and Morocco? With Rick Steves’ Spain 2007, travelers can experience the best of everything Spain has to offer, including tapas-hopping and cathedral visits — economically and hassle-free. Completely revised and updated, Rick Steves’ Spain 2007 includes:
• Opinionated coverage of both famous and lesser-known sights
• Friendly places to eat and sleep
• Suggested day plans
• Walking tours and trip itineraries
• Clear instructions for smooth travel anywhere by car, train, or foot
America’s #1 authority on travel to Europe, Rick’s time-tested recommendations for safe and enjoyable travel in Europe have been used by millions of Americans in search of their own unique European travel experience.
Customer Reviews:
Disappointing and user-unfriendly.......2007-08-26
First, some disclaimers: First, I did not do as Steves suggested in the introduction of this book and read it before traveling to Spain and then read it while traveling in Spain. I just didn't have the time. Second, I ended up traveling only to Barcelona, Madrid, and Mallorca, so there were huge chunks of the book I did not look at at all.
That being said, I'm really glad I chose to bring the Fodor's 2007 Gold Guide to Spain along with Steves's book. I was pretty displeased with the restaurant choices that we tried on his suggestion. Some of the descriptions of the restaurants led me to believe that he'd just described them based on what he'd been told about them by the owners rather than having tasted the fare at any of them himself. I realize that these things are subjective, and that it'd be impossible to agree with all of the recommendations in any tour guide, but there really was a noticeable lack of breadth and truly helpful detail, if even a little, in the choice of restaurants. The Fodor's guide far surpassed Steves's book in this regard, offering a wide range of restaurants in different neighborhoods and price ranges, and its descriptions were much more illustrative. Most of the information on which we based our food choices when picking restaurants in the Fodor's guide was spot on.
Also, the layout was cumbersome and the maps poorly and confusingly drawn. There was an inconsistency in the listing of the closest Metro stops for various attractions. That is, not all of the BCN and MAD sights were cross-referenced with the nearest subway stop. And when a subway stop was mentioned, sometimes it was right at the beginning of the listing; sometimes it was at the end. In addition, the maps in the book are described as being hand-drawn not necessarily to scale but to show just the necessary info. I appreciate the effort and the thinking behind the concept, but the lack of accurate scale on these maps really made walking around the city streets under the hot August sun crankifying. The maps need more detail than they have.
In addition, this book includes some walking tour guides meant to accompany travelers as they walk through, say, Gaudi's unfinished cathedral or the Picasso Museum in BCN. These guides are quite long, and may perhaps be useful for some. But unless you photocopy or cut out those pages to bring with you, it's really not worth it to lug a heavy guide book along with you as you're trying to enjoy the exhibits in front of you. Besides, many museums and other cultural sites have audio tour guides that you can rent for a nominal fee. Listening while looking is a lot easier than reading while looking.
And finally, although this is perhaps a minor point, I was pretty appalled that the book did not include anything on the Balearic Islands (including Mallorca). As popular destinations in Spain, they deserved inclusion. This was another way the Fodor's guide "paid the rent" in my luggage. Based on the portions of the Steves guide I did use, I think I'll leave his guide home on my next trip to Spain.
An invaluable tool for travel in Spain.......2007-08-19
Having Rick Steves' Spain book in my bag on our recent trip was like having a good friend whisper tips and suggestions into our ears everywhere we went. His advice was specific and trustworty. We went off the beaten-path quite a bit on our own to places we wouldn't otherwise have dared to visit, but we did so with confidence because Rick never steered us wrong. Honestly, the only bad move we made using this guide related to some unexpected street construction that messed up his direction of where to turn upon exiting the metro station.
Rick magically seemed to have similar tastes to ours, too. We liked his frank "don't bother with this place" sort of advice and his saucy bits of trivia that certain tourist locations don't readily share or want you to know when you visit.
My daughter had purchased her own Spain guidebooks for her two-month study program there. When I later joined her in Spain for two weeks of travel, she eventually left her guidebooks in our hotel rooms and used my Rick Steves book instead.
My only (minor) complaint is that the map pages at the front of the book started falling out. I got free local maps from the T.I.'s, as Rick suggested, but it would have been convenient to still have those ones in the book, too. Also, we would have liked some metro maps, but maybe the routes change enough as to become obsolete in a guidebook.
Overall, a terrific guidebook--the only one you really need. Carry it in your day bag with a bottled water and a hat for the Spanish sun, and you'll be set for travel throughout the country.
Useful guide book. .......2007-08-18
I used this book for a month of traveling through southern Spain this past May. There are many good recommendations and useful maps in the book. I went to almost all of the recommended sights for the cities I stayed in and they were all worthwhile. As a student traveling on a budget I wish Rick mentioned something about student discounts. If you're traveling through Europe with a student ID make sure to ask for student discounts everywhere you go. Most museums such as the Prado offer half price tickets for students. I got into the Alcazar in Sevilla for free with my ID. Many flamenco shows and cathedrals also offer discounts. The book doesn't mention anything about Valencia, which is a bit odd since it's Spain's third largest city after Madrid and Barcelona. My ipod was stolen there and I heard many complains of pickpocket incidents so keep a very watchful eye on all your belongings, especially your passport. DO NOT show it to anyone unless you know for sure they are officials and it is absolutely necessary. Enjoy!
Didn't Emphasize Pickpockets in Barcelona.......2007-08-14
Rick is cool. I love his stuff. Still, he didn't prepare me for the pickpockets in Barcelona. There is a real crime epidemic there with lax laws for petty theft that brings the world's best pickpockets to the streets of Barcelona, where you see everyone clutching to their wallets, purses, backpacks are worn in front and hugged, etc ....
I also feel that Rick should consider getting out of the language teaching business and let a real
Spanish language course do its great work like Behind the Wheel Spanish 8CDsBehind the Wheel Spanish/Complete Illustrated Text/Answer Keys/8 One Hour. Behind the Wheel Spanish/Complete Illustrated Text/Answer Keys/8 One HourHe does sometimes tend to oversimplify travel and now languages. The real problem with Rick is that he can't speak languages, admits that he can't and then he goes on to write books about how to speak them.
Still, the 'blind leading the blind' has its advantages. Rick knows what works for a 'tongue tied American' and therin lies the advantage.
You will never learn to speak Spanish with this book alone. It is a guide that will help you.
I have gotten excellent results using Behind the Wheel Spanish 8 CDs
in my car and reviewing Rick's book out of my car.Behind the Wheel Spanish/Complete Illustrated Text/Answer Keys/8 One Hour
Great tourbook for Spain.......2007-08-03
If you get only one book to tour Spain, choose this book. If you are traveling on a budget and are willing to get two books, I would also get the Let's Go for Spain.
Rick Steve's provides the key locations to visit based on length of stay and he includes "tour guides" for visiting museums and historical landmarks eliminating the need to buy individual tour books or tours for those places.
Rick Steve's provides a good list of comfortable and affordable housing.
Let's Go provides even more "very affordable" housing options - so if you are on a tight budget, you should supplement with Let's Go.
I've also used Rick Steve's Italy and it was great.
Average customer rating:
- Against the war... any kind of war.
- Unattractive topic made surprisingly interesting
- George Orwell's interesting memoir of his experiences in the Spanish Civil War
- Revolution & Politics: A Must-Read
- Compulsively readable...
|
Homage to Catalonia
George Orwell
Manufacturer: Harvest Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Spain
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Orwell, George
| ( O )
| Authors, A-Z
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Paperback
| Orwell, George
| ( O )
| Authors, A-Z
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside History Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Fiction Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Down and Out in Paris and London
-
The Battle for Spain: The Spanish Civil War 1936-1939
-
Burmese Days: A Novel
-
The Road to Wigan Pier
-
A Collection of Essays
ASIN: 0156421178 |
Amazon.com
"I wonder what is the appropriate first action when you come from a country at war and set foot on peaceful soil. Mine was to rush to the tobacco-kiosk and buy as many cigars and cigarettes as I could stuff into my pockets." Most war correspondents observe wars and then tell stories about the battles, the soldiers and the civilians. George Orwell--novelist, journalist, sometime socialist--actually traded his press pass for a uniform and fought against Franco's Fascists in the Spanish Civil War during 1936 and 1937. He put his politics and his formidable conscience to the toughest tests during those days in the trenches in the Catalan section of Spain. Then, after nearly getting killed, he went back to England and wrote a gripping account of his experiences, as well as a complex analysis of the political machinations that led to the defeat of the socialist Republicans and the victory of the Fascists.
Book Description
In 1936 Orwell went to Spain to report on the Civil War and instead joined the fight against the Fascists. This famous account describes the war and Orwell’s experiences. Introduction by Lionel Trilling.
Customer Reviews:
Against the war... any kind of war........2007-08-13
Maybe the best plea against _any_ type of war. I recommend it strongly to everyone.
Unattractive topic made surprisingly interesting.......2007-07-18
George Orwell must be an excellent writer because, in all honesty, I wasn't overwhelmingly interested in reading about the Spanish Civil War. Nevertheless, I really, really liked this book.
Understanding the history behind the war isn't a necessity, but I definitely recommend bringing yourself up to speed via wikipedia before starting. That way, Orwell's personal recollections, which are the meat of the book, will be more relevant to you.
Orwell presents a refreshingly honest account of the war and his own evolving take on it. Spain's resulting chaos is a prescient warning for those who take too passionately and seriously partisan politics. Orwell shows that it never takes too long before ideals are thrown out the window to be replaced by the centuries repeated same old quest for power.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in the Spanish Civil War, human nature's struggle for power, or Orwell's insightful, often humorous observations.
George Orwell's interesting memoir of his experiences in the Spanish Civil War.......2007-05-23
"Homage to Catalonia" is a memoir of George Orwell's experiences during the Spanish Civil War. A committed socialist, Orwell was right in the thick of the action fighting on the side of the doomed Republic.
The book is at its best when it gives Orwell's first-hand account of life as a soldier, but is less compelling when he attempts to explain the complicated Republican politics, rivally, and in-fighting of the time.
Orwell's socialist politics also seem rather naive these days, given what has happened in the intervening 70 years.
Interesting for its personal insights, but read Anthony Beevor's great book for a comprehensive history of the Spanish Civil War.
Revolution & Politics: A Must-Read.......2007-02-19
George Orwell was one of the century's most honest, decent, and lucid writers about the human element in warfare and poltical revolution. His antitotalitarian novels "Animal Farm" and "1984," which made him famous, grew partly from his acute understanding of the events of World War II and partly from his personal experiences as a Loyalist volunteer in the Spanish Civil War, which is the subject of "Homage to Catalonia."
Orwell was a Marxist-Leninist in the 1930s, sufficiently committed to risk his own life in battle to help bring about a people's revolution in Spain. This memoir, written in 1937-38 while the war was still on, records how his idealism was battered by the cynical, pro-USSR politics he saw betray the Marxist ideal on the one hand, and the irreducible practicality of most ordinary people that makes it an impossible dream on the other. In the process, Orwell's contempt for the low standards of news-media accuracy only increased. Fans of Fox and CNN, take note.
By 1947 Orwell, the Marxist idealist, had become convinced that despite all their shortcomings and failures, the liberal Western democracies had developed the best form of political governance yet possible. Since the 1930s, one might observe, a leavening of socialist thought in these nations has brought about societies that are closer to Marx's egalitarian goals than the inflexible, authoritarian regimes that he directly inspired. The good intentions of "people's revolutions" are sure to be betrayed by the most ruthless leaders and factions they create. For every socioeconomic wrong they correct, such revolutions inevitably create many more of their own, totalitarian control and denial of due process being among the worst.
"Homage to Catalonia," written at the moment of Orwell's complete break with the Leninist variety of Marxism, is a model of fair-minded reporting. Anyone interested in the Spanish Civil War, the '30s, revolutionary politics, or even "For Whom the Bell Tolls," should read this book.
As somebody else mentioned, the fine recent movie "Land and Freedom" takes its inspiration from Orwell's book and ought to be watched in conjunction with it. Though fitted out with an imaginary love story, it is completely faithful to Orwell's spirit in "Homage to Catalonia."
Compulsively readable..........2007-02-16
As with most everything Orwell, this book will not have you leafing ahead impatiently to find out if and when things get good. If there is one book you read on the Spanish Civil War (and I bet it will be only one), this should be it.
Book Description
The Eyewitness Travel Guide to Spain provides detailed, practical information and expert recommendations. It has information about Spain's country, historical, and cultural sides and includes features about food, wine, beaches and festivals. Check the Traveler's Needs section for restaurant and hotel recommendations and the Survival Guide has tips on everything from transport to using the telephone system. The Eyewitness Travel Guide to Spainhelps you to get the most out of your visit
Customer Reviews:
Very useful (as always)!.......2007-09-26
I own four Eyewitness Travel Guides (France, Germany, Greece and Spain) and they are always useful for my trips. Additionally, I use them as guides even when I am not travelling anywhere, just to get knowledege about places I will not visit. Sometimes I think that some information as ticket pricing is necessary and not provided by this guide, but it is a minor issue when we see the complete usefulness of it.
Definitely Buy this book if you are going to Spain.......2007-08-03
I went to Spain with this book and found it to be extremely helpful. With places to stay (even ratings), places to eat, money info, weather info, health info, emergency info, you name it.. it's in this book. Highly recommended.
ok.......2007-05-25
These books are nice to look at, but offer very little in terms of actual touring and travel knowledge. The are fiendishly constructed, listing little blurbs about the towns and then in the back of the book they have an index of hotels and restaurants. This is not a very efficient way to go about looking for accommodations etc.
It seems that with these books they assume you will be renting a car. There is VERY LITTLE/NO INFO in terms of any information pertaining to bus or train travel. I think for a lot of people this would be very frustrating.
With that said, there are some nice drawings (map drawings questionable) and good photos.
Very good guide.......2007-03-11
Has lots of pics, very good guide. All the major attractions in spain in 1 book. Used it in Spain every day.
Spain. Eyewitness Travel........2006-08-10
Great book, lots of information of where to go, things to do and
beautiful pictures
Amazon.com
From Antarctica to Zimbabwe, if you're going there, chances are Lonely Planet has been there first. With a pithy and matter-of-fact writing style, these guides are guaranteed to calm the nerves of first-time world travelers, while still listing off-the-beaten-path finds sure to thrill even the most jaded globetrotters. Lonely Planet has been perfecting its guidebooks for nearly 30 years and as a result, has the experience and know-how similar to an older sibling's "been there" advice. The original backpacker's bible, the LP series has recently widened its reach. While still giving insights for the low-budget traveler, the books now list a wide range of accommodations and itineraries for those with less time than money.
Here is an imagination-fueling guide on how to experience the best Spain has to offer. With lively features on Spanish history; coverage of Spanish Catalan, Basque, and Galician languages; more than 145 maps, including metro maps for Madrid and Barcelona; details on outdoor activities, including national parks; chapters on Madrid and Barcelona; plus hundreds of options for food and accommodations no matter what your budget, you'll be hard-pressed to limit your stay. --Kathryn True
Book Description
Spot a nesting falcon at the top of Barcelona's soaring La Sagrada Familia. Squelch in the warm mud baths by the beaches of the wild and beautiful Illa s'Espalmador. Watch the sun set over the Sierra de Guadarrama then bar-hop the medieval streets of Madrid's La Latina district.
--Ten-page pilgrim's guide to walking the Camino de Santiago. --Seven authors, 59 years of living in Spain, 146 detailed maps. --Incorporates over 300 travellers' tips and suggestions. --The only guide to Spain that also includes coverage of Andorra. --Content updated daily: visit lonelyplanet.com
Customer Reviews:
Very helpful book.......2007-10-04
The Spain Travel Guide 6th Edition was very useful on our last trip to Spain. There is so much to see in Spain and this book gives you some great ideas. From the Gaudi architecture in Barcelona to the Alhambra in Granada this book has it all. It also has a lot of information on places that are less popular with fewer tourists.
LovE IT!.......2007-10-01
I like to know to "see" in a new place, but I also want to know the slightly funky and offbeat (loved the Erotica Museum in Barcelona). We had a great trip thanks to Lonely Plantet SPAIN.
Excellent reference.......2007-04-18
I am amused by some of the comments made knocking this Lonely Planet Spain publication. Comments such as those indicating that their hotel was not listed show ignorance of the way I think this book is designed and intended. Spain is a large, historic and diverse country and visitors are there for equally diverse reasons. If one can only take one reference publication to cover the country, this is the book to take. I travel to small towns as well as larger metropolitan areas and I am amazed at the coverage provided in the text. Do I stay at their recommended hotels all the time? No, but I always check them out on-line before leaving home and some of them are the best I can find. Do I end up in places that do not appear in other guides? All the time and this book has never let me down.
I find the book to to be well written and researched as is the Lonely Planet Italy by the same author. (For a really lame publication I'll refer you to Lonely Planet Switzerland!)
If you are a Tourist visiting only large cities and magnet tourist spots, then other publications may have added value for you, but if you are a Traveler seeking out of the way venues in addition to the normal sights, then this is an excellent reference! . . . ignore the other whining commentators.
Not Very Helpful.......2007-01-12
I found most of the information in the book confusing to use and not updated information. Never did find any information on the hotel we ended up staying in. I did not get a good feel for the city using the information provided. I was hopeing for more information to make my trip a more affordable vacation. Overall, I got more information off the Internet just searching.
Poorly written.......2006-05-22
This was our only reference guide to 6 weeks in Spain. We tried to use it for Hotels and buses and trains and all of the things a traveller would need to know. Instead of useful information, we were assaulted with so many adjectives and adverbs that bordered on stupidity, we almost threw the book away. It does contain some information of value if you can get passed all of the pompous verbiage. We did use the book for some things, but important information could be a great substitution for many adverbs and adjectives.
Customer Reviews:
Good for learning vocabulary.......2007-09-23
If you want to learn a lot of individual words, this book is pretty good. It has a lot of lesson type activities in it where you write down the correct answer or whatever. I got about halfway through the book, then was a little bored and never finished it up. It isn't very good at getting you up to speed on conversational Portuguese. For that you need formal classes or the Pimsleur's Portuguese CDs. It does have a lot of vocabulary in it, with pictures.
Great Book - Meets my expectations!.......2007-06-14
I purchased his book because it was recommended to go along with Pimsleur Brazilian Portuguese Language CD's. I feel it is a great tool in broadening my base in learning Brazilian Portuguese. I really like the phonetic spelling when new words are introduced.
A very good companion book to the conversational learnining on Pimsleur!
Easy learning.......2007-03-09
This is the greatest book. I put the stickers all over my stuff at home. I learn a little bit each night and find that I retain more over time. It is very easy to read and breaks it into small bits for easy retention. I highly reccommend this book to anyone who wants to learn Brazilian Portuguese.
Great starting point to be followed up with Pimsleur CDs or other audio.......2006-12-14
This book was my introduction to Brazilian Portuguese. I found it easy to use, well-laid out, and practical. I am very visual, so it was helpful for me to learn the written language and then move on to the Pimsleur CDs. I might have been lost on the CDs if it were not for the foundation this book set. The pronunciations are often different than what would be obvious, so I think that the visual and the audio are a great compliment to eachother, though I would start with this. Don't do them both at the same time though or you may get confused! I am headed to Brazil and feel fairly confident I'll be able to get around - I have a simple but solid vocabulary from just these two sources. Also, in response to another review, in Portuguese (as well as in Spanish) the accent is always on the second to last syllable, unless there is an accent written above another syllable. They could easily have mentioned this in the book. If you know Spanish, you will move more quickly through the book, but know that they are very different languages, especially in pronunciation.
Good place to start.......2006-08-05
I am a native speaker trying to teach my hubby a few words for our trip to Brazil. I found the book very easy to use. Most nights he practiced by himself and I reviewed the material. He was able to get pretty good pronunciation using the books guidelines, but emphasis was harder. It think this is true anytime you are studying language through a book. The stickers were fun to use, we did label items around the house. After getting this book down we moved on to a CD ROM package which has been useful as well. My husband felt that the book did not do a very good job with teaching tenses and conjugating words. This is true, the books aim was to teach you useful phrases and words, you would still be limited in your ability to understand a native speakers anwers to your questions. However, after only one month he definitelty learned quite a bit. Even though I am fluent it is easier to work from a program, as learning from me is hit or miss, this way we have the basics covered.
Average customer rating:
- Calculations are only as good as your numbers
- Pants on fire?
- Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
- Very Interesting
- History as Science Fiction
|
History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Chinese
| Ethnic & National
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Irish
| Ethnic & National
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Japanese
| Ethnic & National
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Women
| Specific Groups
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Augustine, Saint
| ( A )
| People, A-Z
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Doctors & Medicine
| Humor
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Lawyers & Criminals
| Humor
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Love, Sex & Marriage
| Humor
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Assyria, Babylonia & Sumer
| Ancient
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Early Civilization
| Ancient
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ancient
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Historiography
| Historical Study
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Asian American
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Asian American
| Poetry
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
French
| Erotica
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Victorian
| Erotica
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Epic
| Poetry
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
German
| Poetry
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Russian
| Poetry
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Spanish
| Poetry
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Chinese
| Classics
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Conspiracy Theories
| Current Events
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
War on Drugs
| Crime & Criminals
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
English (All)
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Arabic
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Armenian
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Czech
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Greek
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Hungarian
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Japanese
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Korean
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Norwegian
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Persian & Farsi
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Polish
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Portuguese
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Romanian
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Russian
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Swedish
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Turkish
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Science
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Online Research
| Genealogy
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Native American
| Earth-Based Religions
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| History & Philosophy
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
History of Science
| History & Philosophy
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Magic & Wizards
| Fantasy
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
Sailor Moon
| Popular Characters
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Pilates
| Exercise & Fitness
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
History
| Fashion
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
-
History: Fiction or Science? Astronomical methods as applied to chronology. Ptolemy's Almagest. Chronology III
-
Discovering the Mysteries of Ancient America: Lost History And Legends, Unearthed And Explored
-
Before the Pharaohs: Egypt's Mysterious Prehistory
-
They Cast No Shadows: A Collection of Essays on the Illuminati, Revisionist History, and Suppressed Technologies
ASIN: 2913621058 |
Book Description
Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.
Customer Reviews:
Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03
Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.
Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19
Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09
There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.
For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.
Very Interesting.......2007-03-07
It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.
History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10
Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.
I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.
Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.
Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.
I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.
This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.
Book Description
Days are long in Barcelona, the morning extends until well after midday, with lunch starting around 2pm, and the late opening hours mean the afternoon merges into evening. With all of this time on your hands you want to make the most of it, and the Eyewitness Travel to Barcelona and Catalonia will help you to make the most of your time and your trip. Find out intimate details about each of the cities and what to do and see. Don't miss the new feature called Four Great Days in Barcelona. Each day maps out an itinerary ranging from Gaudi Greats to Family Fun.
Customer Reviews:
great resource.......2007-09-09
Very useful guidebook. Compact and easy to carry around. Easy to read with great pictures and street maps (includes metro line maps too). Very helpful in deciding which sites are most important to visit. I would highly recommend this book to anyone wanting an easy guide to travel around Barcelona and Catalonia.
Loved Barcelona.......2007-04-20
I really liked the Eye Witness travel guide for Barcelona. It made it very easy to find sites and I love having all the pictures so you can determine if this is a site you actaully want to see. But I do wish that there was a top 10 list of places that you absolutely need to see. You never want to leave a city and think that you missed seeing something very important.
Beautiful book, beautiful city.......2007-02-11
I went to Barcelona recently, and in the planning of the trip I consulted four guide books:
Lonely Planet's Barcelona City Guide
Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Barcelona and Catalonia
Cadogan Guides Barcelona (Dana Facaros and Michael Pauls)
Time Out Barcelona
All of them were good. I took two with me: Lonely Planet and Eyewitness.
The reasons I chose those two:
Eyewitness unfailingly has a good quality map, which in my view is LP's downfall. Eyewitness always includes a Street Finder Index which LP does not, and LP often misses out on streets other than the major ones, which can be very frustrating, especially in a city like Barca where there are many alleyways. I never use Eyewitness for hotels - the information is scant and usually more expensive than my (more Lonely Planet) budget, but it has fantastic colour photos and cutaways of buildings, and illustrations which place buildings within their streetscapes. It's a nice book to read on the bus or train going somewhere.
LP specialises in listings, which seemed to be more up-to-date and comprehensive than either Time Out or Cadogan, It also had a good Excursions section which helped a couple of times when I travelled beyond the city. I also liked a couple of the walking routes they recommended. Information on matters such as public transport is comprehensive and detailed. I like the chapters on history, architecture and food as well.
Time Out's great strength was in helping to plan. It had a huge array of hotels, and if you were especially interested in nightlife, I would take Time Out. I was there primarily for a conference, and many of my evenings were organised. And I'm also night a great nightclubber, perhaps contrary to Barca lifestyle!! If you are - consider Time Out. Its maps were pretty good, but not comprehensive for the area I was staying in, beachside Barceloneta.
That is where the Cadogan guide excelled. Its maps were so good that I pulled them out of the book and took them with me. I would have taken the whole book, but for the weight in my suitcase! Its info about places and sights seemed accurate and comprehensive.
Barcelona (Eyewitness Travel Guides).......2007-01-09
I like Eyewitness Travel Guides books by DK Publishing. The Barcelona Eyewitness Travel guide is as good as I expected. I could recomend travel books by DK Publishing to everybody. It has all the information you need to feel comfortable in the foreign country.
Average customer rating:
- Classic
- Overrated Drivel
- an excruciatingly painful read - only do so if you must
- Racist Garbage
- Borderlands/La Frontera's Philosophical import
|
La frontera / Borderlands
Gloria Anzaldua
Manufacturer: Aunt Lute Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Poetry
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Spanish
| Poetry
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Spanish
| Foreign Language Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Culture
| Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Hispanic American Studies
| Special Groups
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Women's Studies
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Spanish
| Foreign Language Nonfiction
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Spanish
| Instruction
| Foreign Languages
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Europa
| Historia
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
Contemporánea
| General
| Literatura y ficción
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
General
| Poesía
| Literatura y ficción
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
Español
| Poesía
| Literatura y ficción
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
Educación
| No-Ficción
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
| Canada y México
| Colegio y Universidad
| Consejería
| Curricula
| Educación Especial
| Educación de Adultos y Educación Continua
| Escuela Primaria
| Escuela Secundaria
| Europa y Euroasia
| General
| Habilidades para el Estudio
| Lectura
| Método de Instrucción
| Participación de Los Padres
| Pedagogía
| Politica
| Referencia
| Teoría Educativa
| Transición y Jardin Infantil
Estudios del Género
| Ciencias Sociales
| No-Ficción
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
| General
| Hombres
General
| Ciencias Sociales
| No-Ficción
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
Cultura
| Sociología
| Ciencias Sociales
| No-Ficción
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
General
| Sociología
| Ciencias Sociales
| No-Ficción
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
Estudios Hispano Americanos
| Grupos Especiales
| Ciencias Sociales
| No-Ficción
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
General
| Estudios de la Mujer
| No-Ficción
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Literature & Fiction
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Nonfiction
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Reference
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
...y no se lo tragó la tierra / ...And the Earth Did Not Devour Him
-
This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color
-
this bridge we call home: radical visions for transformation
-
Woman Hollering Creek: And Other Stories
-
Making Face, Making Soul/Haciendo Caras: Creative and Critical Perspectives by Women of Color
ASIN: 1879960567 |
Book Description
Experimental, inventive, provocative and above all visionary, Gloria Anzaldua's work is widely recognized among scholars of Chicano/Latino, Gay and Lesbian, Women's, Postcolonial, Ethnic and Cultural Studies as a foundational elaboration of the politics and poetics of cultural hybridity. Both Borderlands/La Frontera and Making Face/Making Soul: Haciendo Caras are all about understanding the complex and competing social, political and cultural forces that shape-sometimes quite brutally-the experiences of women of color in the U.S., and they are all about taking that understanding and mobilizing it toward creative and revisionary efforts for making social change.
"One of the 100 Best Books of the Twentieth Century"-Hungry Mind Review (Spring 1999)
"Anzaldua's voyage of discovery, focused on the border and the new mestiza, is a preparation for the future. The border is a bundle of contradictions and ambiguities... This hybrid crossroads is just the right kind of training ground. It is fertile area for mutations and transformations. In Borderlands/ La Frontera, Gloria Anzaldua is our guide with an all-encompassing vision to charge the border with meaning."-The Americas Review
"[She] explores in prose and poetry the murky, precarious existence of those living on the frontier between cultures and languages. . . .she meditates on the conditions of Chicanos in Anglo culture, women in Hispanic culture, and lesbians in the straight world. ...a powerful document."-Library Journal
A "Best of 1987" Library Journal selection.
"Anzaldua's vision encompasses spiritual and experiential aspects of female power, as well as the day-to-day courage and struggle that has characterized Chicano survival."-The San Francisco Chronicle
Customer Reviews:
Classic.......2007-06-28
Not much can be said to some of the postings I see here--to those that suggest the third tier prose, those that call this work "racist," those that implore statements like "I hated it." These are the same people that vote for their own oppression, these are the very people that fancy their success on some sense of entitlement. Relax, you do not have to agree, but hear me out.
Classic. Classic.
With the colorful enagement of gender, consciousness, and subconscious indeterminacy, the creation of a new utopia (racial, linguistic, gender, cultural, etc) is suggested by the prose of self actualization. This book is about all of us--it is about the exchanges we have with domination, be it familial or societal. It's loose diction is its very strength, it does not confide to the subordination of patriachal, hegemonic forces of tradition. The reflexive allegorical stories and unpacking of our human complexity give it a breathing body and a compelling face.
Anzaldua suffered greatly for not writing like "the male pimps," those that claim a fanatical space in some high art and legitimacy canon. It was her filter of difference, it was her cries for something else, that connects with everyone at a spiritual level. I do not know how this can be connected to some mundane powerpoint presentation at a university; this piece involves the full of enagement of mind, body, and soul. To contextualize it--one needs to read consistently. In order to feel out her domain, one must be willing go beyond what "our mom said" or "what our 6th grade teacher" told us about this and that. This about the struggle for agency; this about search for Thoreau's Walden amidst sociohistorical forces that still "do not see."
Welcome it. This classic work of literature, philosophy, education...remains one of the most unrecognized treatises on being and becoming.
Overrated Drivel.......2007-01-16
I find it interesting that such a supposedly important and relevant contemporary work has only been reviewed by 11 people at the time of this writing. That alone tells you all you need to know since this is a book that is classed under both Latino and Women's Studies, and is part of many university literary programs.
The book is pretentious claptrap of the worst kind. If this book were judged on its merits rather than by popular, politically correct notions, it wouldn't come close to making the cut.
Alas, academia has embraced the book as a great work, and so it is required reading for an English M.A. program at a major university that I was accepted into. An English M.A.! Once I saw that this book was part of the program, I didn't even bother registering.
I don't mind rants against social, cultural and economic injustices. I've read many. But Ms. Anzaldua is no James Baldwin, that's for sure.
an excruciatingly painful read - only do so if you must.......2006-09-18
This book is a tormented stream of consciousness from a lady who was obviously fighting major demons. It is exactly the type of book that you would expect an amateur academic to "wow" and "gush" over, as it nicely fits into the dogmatic radicalism of Chicano Studies. The discerning reader, on the other hand, sees page after page of outdated cliches, sob-stories, and anger-filled tantrums. Anzaldua would like you to believe her suffering and self-searching is all the fault of the "white" culture encroaching upon the enlightened cosmic race of the mestiza. She'd like you to think that her mestiza/chicana/lesbian/female identity is the sole cause of her misfortune and hardship. What becomes overwhelmingly evident upon reading her unabashed torrent of decadent self-pity is the learned and self-enforced quality of her "opression". Anzaldua helplessly wallows in her romantic fatalism dreaming of the great mestiza revolution that will fix all of the world's problems by turning the middle class value system upside down.
If you like romantic literature, and enjoy the hopeless and sorrowful ramblings of society's self-marginalized, I might suggest "The Sorrows of the Young Werther" by Goethe or some poems by Lord Byron - at least then you get some literary value.
Racist Garbage.......2006-08-08
While most reviewers seem to be bent on lauding Gloria Anzaldúa's "insightful and progressive" writings, I can't help but take a different viewpoint. The vast majority of her essays, while cloaked in a sense of righteous equality, are quite simply racist drivel. She speaks of acceptance and tolerance for foreign cultures in America, and harps on the evils of correcting students when they use improper English, yet instills her writing with a blatant and offensive racism.
I make specific reference to the article "How to Tame A Wild Tongue". In her conclusion, she praises the perseverance and endurance of the mestizo race/culture, making reference to walking by "the crumbling ashes" of American civilization. An eagerness is felt to see the day that "white laws and commerce will rot in the desert". One would be hard pressed to come up with a more hypocritical conclusion. Here is an author preaching tolerance and acceptance of different languages and cultures throughout her entire article. She whines about the troubles she had fitting in with English speaking people. She goes in depth to explain the numerous bastardizations of Spanish that are spoken in various Hispanic cultures and tries to convince us of how each is a viable language, even so-called "Spanglish", just a blend of English and Spanish that you might hear in a high school Spanish I class ("el chairo = chair,la ceilingo = ceiling, etc.) . And after all that talk of acceptance, she ends by completely blasting American culture and expressing her wish to see it crumble to dust, while at the same time presenting the mestizo as the dominant race which will endure this fall. Talk about racist. I understand pride of your country and people, but this goes far beyond simple nationalism, especially in light of the overall message of the article. Tolerance is right out the window here.
Don't be fooled by Anzaldúa's overly wordy diction and pseudo-intellectualism. She is a flat out racist that for some reason is tolerated (forget that, praised to the roof!) in many academic circles. Her educational philosophy is naive, irresponsible, and fundamentally flawed. Hopefully her writings will soon fall out of the limelight.
Borderlands/La Frontera's Philosophical import.......2006-05-02
Other reviewers have covered many of the qualities of the work, so I want to dwell on just one point - don't be fooled into thinking that this work is useful only as a personal study on Anzaldua's cultural/gender/queer theory.
Anzaldua is of high importance to any philosophy of the social; within her writing you can find the key insights of figures such as Derrida and Nietzsche, as they relate to personal identity crafted out of a fractured heritage. Her point is that we are ALL borderlanders given that the human condition involves being stretched across a chasm of self-alterity. Only through a full recognition of this can a critical inventory of the self be undertaken, which is a prerequisite to responsibility and genuine care of the self.
Books:
- GOAT: A Tribute to Muhammad Ali
- Heart-Shaped Box: A Novel
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History of Far Eastern Art, A (Trade Version) (5th Edition)
- House of Sand and Fog (Oprah's Book Club)
- How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth
- Intercessory Prayer: How God Can Use Your Prayers to Move Heaven and Earth
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Eagle Strike
- 21st Century Essential NBC Reference Series: Treatment of Biological Warfare Agent Casualties, Army
- The Whore's Child: Stories
- The Persistence of Memory: A Biography of Dali
- The Only Grammar Book You'll Ever Need: A One-Stop Source for Every Writing Assignment
- 1001 Do-It-Yourself Hints & Tips : Tricks, Shortcuts, How-Tos, and Other Great Ideas for Inside,
- Unstoppable Global Warming: Every 1,500 Years
- Dharma Rain
- The Silver Queen: Her Royal Highness Suzanne Bransford Emery Holmes Delitch Engalitcheff 1859-19
- General Eisenhower: Ideology and Discourse
The New Spaniards, 2nd Edition
Iberia
Paris: The Secret History
Once Upon a Country: A Palestinian Life
