Book Description
Climb the snow-capped peak of Volcán Chimborazo, the most distant point from the center of the Earth. Get up close and personal with capuchin monkeys in the central plaza of Misahuallí. Step back in time at Ingapirca, Ecuador's finest example of Inca architecture. Take in the surf scene on the south coast. Sophisticated cities, glaciated volcanoes, the lush Amazon Basin - our inimitable guide gives you access to all the treasures of exotic Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands
o GO WILD - special chapter on Galápagos wildlife by noted nature writer David Andrew helps you identify the many species unique to the islands
o VENTURE OUT - expanded focus on activities, adventure and ecotravel, plus a dedicated Itineraries chapter to help you explore this compact yet varied country
o GET SMART - comprehensive History and Culture chapters provide insight into Ecuador's volatile political landscape and vital indigenous communities
o WALK THE WALK - discover the colonial charms of Quito and Cuenca with our detailed maps and walking tour
Customer Reviews:
Nice.......2007-09-15
Excellent book to give you an idea of Ecuador and help you plan your trip.
Superb Guidebook.......2007-08-07
I went on a one-week long trip in Quito and its surroundings. It was my first trip to South America, also to a country where I do not speak the language fluently. This one had accurate descriptions of places I wanted to see, and it also gave precise directions on how to get to the places that are outside Quito. I have visited extensively the capital and other near areas, and from little-known corner eateries to magical trees, everything is noted in this book. Lonely Planet never failed to amaze me again in this one.
New 7th Edition Offers Important Updated Information.......2006-12-15
I purchased the latest edition of this book shortly after it's release on November, 30 and was very impressed with it's significant improvements over the 6th edition. I bought the previous book 2 years ago and, even at that time, was struck by how out of date and inaccurate some of it's information was. My wife grew up in Ecuador, still has family living there and goes back every year to visit (I go there with her every 2 years). So we, especially she, have a pretty good idea about what is happening in the country in terms of politics, prices and other information relevant to travellers. But we were disappointed how the previous book barely mentioned the major impact of dollarization on the Ecuadorian economy and the substantial increase in prices it has caused. So much so that most Ecuadorian families now have at least one or more family members working overseas in order to send money home just so the family can survive.
Fortunately, the 7th edition provides much more up to date information on this subject and others. Of course, prices for travellers are also more accurate since this edition is "hot off the presses". The book does a good job of covering all regions of the country - the Andes mountains, the Pacific coast and the Amazon rainforest. Lonely Planet, as usual, includes not only the big cities and major tourist attractions. But also small towns and other "off the beaten path" places that may be of interest for those exploring the tremendous natural beauty and cultural diversity that Ecuador has to offer.
Lonely Planet is still among my favorite publisher of travel guides. But, this book, like many LP guides, seems to have moved away from the free-spirited, adventurous approach to travel that characterized it's early years. Nowadays, the guides seem much more inclined to politically correct lectures - no hitchhiking, no intoxicants, be a good little backpacker, blah, blah, blah. Of course, I understand the importance of being respectful towards the environment and local culture, making safe and responsible decisions, etc. But I also feel that LP's writers sometimes have their own political agenda to push and take an overly self-righteous tone that is more indicitative of Western values than Ecuadorian ones. Heck, I'm part of an Ecuadorian family myself now and I know that they would find alot of LP's advice and commentary about "how to behave" to be exaggerated and ridiculous. Ecuadorians are generally a very laid back and fun loving people. Of course, you should be respectful of Ecuador's beautiful nature and diverse cultures. But also relax, enjoy yourself and don't let LP's excessively "politically correct" attitude bog you down.
Still the 7th edition is a big improvement over the 6th and I recommend it for those travelling to Ecuador in the near future.
6th edition 3.5 stars... time for update, guys.......2006-03-26
I'm a Lonely Planet addict who knew better than to blindly buy this edition (if you order one now -6th edition, as I did, you'll get 2003 info), but addicts usually are not known for using their heads.
Quito is rather different nowadays, bus lines are new, and there are different security issues.
At least I can say that 6th ed authors err on the side of caution (eg it's risky to expect to book last minute space on Galapagos boats; or take a taxi at night even if you're going one block), but the exceptions to these dicta are too great to accept that this edition is up-to-date. The errors in museum hours and bus info (Mitad del Mundo, for one) need revision.
Worst thing about ANY Lonely Planet is their system of maps. Reader never gets text of an attraction or restaurant or hotel referenced to map location. AND if you need reading glasses, just forget about using these maps when you're in a dark taxi or dark restaurant (often the places you need to read them). Bringing a magnifying glass is not always easy.
Another grouse... while authors want to tell the traveler that the most conveniences are in the Mariscal Sucre area (gringo landia), they don't leave it at that. They list almost no restaurants & resources outside that area. I thank the authors for including my fringe area hotel in the book, for I can walk to grungy backpacker-ville any time I want to, BUT there is a true pressure towards a kind of "this is where you will stay because most travelers do." Get off the beaten path, fellas!
So, thanks for the tips, but I'm glad I used travelwise.com and other resources. Lonely Planet system may be a thing of the past soon.
You can take it with you.......2006-02-24
I've used LP before for trips. Once you get the book, you are invited to go on-line for up-dates. There you are directed to "The Thorn Tree" forum. I used it just about every day to keep well-informed and prepare for the trip. The guide is an easy ready and full of useful information. Prior uses were very accurate.
Book Description
The bestselling account of the martyrdom of Jim Elliot and four other missionaries at the hands of the Auca Indians in Ecuador. New introduction by the author.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent!.......2006-09-09
I highly recommend reading this book. The passion for being a missionary starts here in Jim Elliot's life. Don't miss this wonderful story and testimony of Jim's passion for witnessing about Christ.
A once-in-a-lifetime book.......2006-05-06
The insight, sensitivity, and nobleness of character found in these pages would be notable if they were found in the words of a novel. The fact that they also serve as a historical record and the loving tribute of a devoted widow make them profound. The challenge offered to the reader by the example and set by Jim Elliot further enhances this book to palce it among the very finest I have ever encountered.
Shadow of the Almighty: The Life and Testament of Jim Elliot.......2006-02-02
Shadow of the Almighty is by far the best biography I have ever read!!! It has been said that "You will be the same today, except for the people you meet and the books you read", I have found this to be very true in my life.
I feel you can glean so many spiritual nuggets from this book. From raising kids, praying for them, allowing God to use them, the importance of eating healthy and exercising, the value of education and when education is taking the place of God and true knowledge of Him....
Reading this book, almost makes the movie End of the Spear seem shallow. Unless you know the history of these men's lives before they went into missions it is easy to be disillusioned and think that a group of over zealous guys decided to go and reach the savage Auca Indianans, which is not the case. It was an absolute calling of God on each of their lives that God had been preparing them for most of their lives (at least this is the case with Jim Elliot). Even Elizabeth Elliot, Jim's wife, had the calling on her life. They were spiritually, intellectually, and physically prepared. Yes, they were a group of young, good looking, and fun guys, but they also were spiritually mature beyond their years and they knew their calling.
Elizabeth Elliot began compiling journal entries and letters of Jim's immediately after his death to begin the writing of Shadow of the Almighty, while the hurt and sting of her lose was still fresh! You will not find regret, resentment, bitterness or anger in her writing; only a life devoted to God even unto death. So while the book focuses on the life of Jim, remember it was his newly young widowed wife who wrote the very words contained within its pages.
I guess what so impresses me about this book, is that it is more than the retelling of Jim's life. Throughout the book are original writings of Jim's, you see what makes his heart beat, his passion, his frustrations, his surrendered obedience, his incredible faith. You will see God's sovereignty, His hand, leading and weaving Jim's life and death.
The story begins with his childhood, and continues on up to his death. Really his story still carries on today. How many people has Jim's life impacted even now 50 years later? While in college ,Jim at one point lets His grades suffer a bit so that he can focus on earning the Degree of A.U.G. (Approved Under God). I am so impressed with chapter 3, here you will find a handsome, athletic, intelligent young man keep his focus on the Lord in an atmosphere that pulls most people away. At this point he doesn't even take his parents advice, if it is not what he is hearing from the Spirit. His obedience to Christ makes him a true leader among his classmates.
Following is a journal entry of Jim's, it show the wisdom and insight he had as a young man. "No one warns young people to follow Adam's example. He waited until God saw his need. Then God made Adam sleep, prepared for his mate, and brought her to him. We need more of this 'being asleep' in the will of God. Then we can receive what He brings us in His own time, if at all. Instead we are bloodhounds after a partner, considering everyone we see until our minds are so concerned with the sex problem that we can talk of nothing else when bull-session time comes around. It is true that a fellow cannot ignore women-but he can think of them as he ought-as sisters, not as sparring partners!"
The life of man totally committed to the will of God.......2005-10-21
This is my absolute favorite book of all time. In an age when I struggle to find like-minded people around me, Jim Elliot encourages and inspires my heart. In an introduction recently added to the book, Elisabeth Elliot says it all. She describes how HUNDREDS of young men over the years have come up to her at conferences or book signings and told her "that book changed my life." God answered Jim Elliot's prayer that he would be "A testament to the value of knowing God." It's so amazing to me to think how God could use this one man to reach so many people. Great book. If you are a young guy like me and wanting to live earnestly for Christ, you've got to read this book.
Living for God.......2005-06-24
All too often people remember Jim Elliot as one of the 5 who were killed trying to take the message of Jesus to a stone age tribe. This book shows that Jim Elliot was more than that one event. In the book you see that he lived for God to the same degree that he died for God. A reader of this book will see that they too can live a totally dedicated life for God. This book is a real apathy killer.
Book Description
Ecuador is the third-largest foreign supplier of crude oil to the western United States. As the source of this oil, the Ecuadorian Amazon has borne the far-reaching social and environmental consequences of a growing U.S. demand for petroleum and the dynamics of economic globalization it necessitates. Crude Chronicles traces the emergence during the 1990s of a highly organized indigenous movement and its struggles against a U.S. oil company and Ecuadorian neoliberal policies. Against the backdrop of mounting government attempts to privatize and liberalize the national economy, Suzana Sawyer shows how neoliberal reforms in Ecuador led to a crisis of governance, accountability, and representation that spurred one of twentieth-century Latin America’s strongest indigenous movements.
Through her rich ethnography of indigenous marches, demonstrations, occupations, and negotiations, Sawyer tracks the growing sophistication of indigenous politics as Indians subverted, re-deployed, and, at times, capitulated to the dictates and desires of a transnational neoliberal logic. At the same time, she follows the multiple maneuvers and discourses that the multinational corporation and the Ecuadorian state used to circumscribe and contain indigenous opposition. Ultimately, Sawyer reveals that indigenous struggles over land and oil operations in Ecuador were as much about reconfiguring national and transnational inequalityâthat is, rupturing the silence around racial injustice, exacting spaces of accountability, and rewriting narratives of national belongingâas they were about the material use and extraction of rain-forest resources.
Customer Reviews:
Globalization on the ground in Amazonia.......2007-05-31
This is one of the best books on indigenous politics that has been written. The author's 20 years of experience in the Ecuadoran Amazonia show in the depth of her narrative and in her careful and accessible use of Foucault to draw out the complexities of indigenous identity, conceptions of nation and nationalism, and the impact of global forces. It is also beautifully written. Clearly, a labor of love and conviction by a scholar who has spent hours listening to indigenous activists , oil company officials, state officials, NGO workers, academics, and, most importantly native Ecuadorans of widely diverse political views and fashioned a wonderful book. If you are interested in all the complex political issues surrounding globalization as seen from the Amazon, you don't need a Ph.D to find this a great read
Book Description
It is indispensable that Ecuador has peace, but to have peace you need freedom and to have freedom you need justice. And the Indian population needs justice.-President Gustavo Noboa, January 23, 2000 For five centuries, the Indians had very little voice
Customer Reviews:
useful but rambly.......2007-05-23
This book has lots of information and a lack of jargon but I do agree that an editor could have helped make the text flow better. Once the author starts talking about indigenous movements he tends to move around in time and repeat points in ways which make it hard to keep a clear thread. The chapters on recent presidencies also could use more structure. Still, worth reading if you want to get a quick picture of Ecuaforan politics till about 2001.
Where was the editor?.......2006-11-14
I have recently moved to Ecuador and thought this book might give me a better understanding of what is going on here. There is plenty of information in this book--but it is completely garbled! I have read many political science books, and this is the most disorganized, badly written, unedited one I have ever tried to get through. There are outright misktakes, frequent repetitions, poor translations, and no clear storyline, chronological or otherwise. Could someone please write a better book about Ecuadorean politics? It should be a fascinating subject.
Superb, but dense.......2006-11-11
Gerlach's discussion of the Indian uprising of 2000 is excellent, although at times his book suffers from too much detail and too little abstraction. If you are in search of a history of Ecuador, specifically the rise of the indigenous movement, then this is your book.
Political Thriller.......2006-07-14
A superb review of contemporary Ecuadorian politics and their historical roots. It's very engaging and many chapters read like a political thriller.
A definate read for anyone going to Ecuador.......2004-06-08
I'm going to Ecuador soon and I feel like this book has given me a great introduction to social issues and politics in the country. With the information I have gained I have been able to follow the most recent developments in the current Gutierrez administration, and I can put these events in a historical perspective. Gerlach, for me, has made sense of the senseless. The book has also helped me to form a lot of questions for which I hope to get answers on my upcoming trip.
Book Description
The Rough Guide to Ecuador is your ultimate handbook to this fascinating and dramatically diverse country with complete coverage of the Galapagos islands. A full colour introduction gives an insight into the country''s many highlights from snorkelling in the Galapagos to exploring Quito''s colonial churches. There is plenty of practical advice on a range of activities from learning Spanish in Quito to climbing Volcan Cotopaxi. There are up-to-the-minute reviews of all the best places to stay, eat and drink, plus a brand-new ''Authors'' Picks'' feature to highlight the very best options. The guide includes over fifty maps and expert background on Ecuador''s history, culture, indigenous peoples and environmental issues.
The Rough Guide to Ecuador is your perfect companion to this unique country.
Customer Reviews:
not great.......2007-08-06
I ordered this guide and the Lonely Planet Guide. I had previously toured Costa Rica using the Lonely Planet Guide and it worked out very well. This time I wanted to see if there was any additional information in the Rough Guide that would be helpfull. I have not yet gone to Eucador so I can not comment on the accuracy, but the detail in the Lonely Planet guide is much greater than that of the Lonely Planet Guide. Besides that it is much more compact. 440 pages vs 590. Basically Lonely Planet is more concise and more informative. If you are going to Ecuador and have room for one book, I recommend Lonely Planet rather than Rough Guide.
Opening the door to Ecuador.......2001-01-02
We have just returned from a month in Ecuador and found the new Rough Guide invaluable. Each chapter is clearly laid out and gives an accurate summary of regional highlights. It definitely made our trip planning and travel much easier. Ecuador is an amazing Andean country, with rainforests, tropical pacific coastline, high active volcanoes and the Galapagos Islands.
The Rough Guide provided us with essential information on how to travel and tips on safety and health proved very helpful.
Thanks also to the authors for including information on the damage being done to Ecuador's pristine rainforest and indigenous communities by a few oil companies. This is something that senstive tourists need to be aware of - the rare and fascinating tribal communities, the jungle wildlife and natural beauty we travelled to see are in real danger because of the actions of a few short term organisations who are right now planning a big push into the Oriente region.
Overall this is a really good, clear guide book with excellent recommendations for where to stay, what to do and even good tips on where to eat, drink and party. Don't go up the jungle without it! Thanks from Carmel McConnell and Catherine Purkiss
Book Description
After 'Hit Man'
The New York Times bestseller Confessions of an Economic Hit Man documents John Perkins’ extraordinary career as a globe-trotting economic hit man. Perkins’ insider’s view leads him to crisis of conscience--to the realization that he must devote himself to work which will foster a world-wide awareness of the sanctity of indigenous peoples, their cultures, and their environments. Perkins’ books demonstrate how the age-old shamanic techniques of some of the world’s most primitive peoples have sparked a revolution in modern concepts about healing, the subconscious, and the powers each of us has to alter individual and communal reality.
Deep in the rain forests and high in the Andes of Ecuador, native shamans teach the age-old technique of dream change, a tradition that has kept the cultures of the Otavalans, Salasacans, and Shuar alive despite centuries of conquest. Now these shamans are turning their wisdom and power to the problem of curing a new kind of illness--that created by the industrial world’s dream of dominating and exploiting nature.
John Perkins tells the story of these remarkable shamans and of the U.S. medical doctors, psychologists, and scientists who have gone with him to learn the techniques of dream change. These shamanic teachings have sparked a revolution in modern concepts about healing, the subconscious, and the powers each of us has to alter individual and communal reality.
Customer Reviews:
A New Way of Viewing the World.......2007-07-06
This book is for those of you who recognize that there is something inherently wrong with the way our society operates. Even if you don't recognize it, this book will shed light on a myriad of problems. We can all learn a few things from indigenous people, and Perkins is a level-headed expert on the subject. Short and easy to follow, this book is a must read!
False and Deceptive -- Doesn't Even Mention Shuar Violence and Head Hunting!.......2007-06-21
This book needs to be labeled fiction and it totally misrepresents the indigenous South Americans about whom he's talking. The native Amazonians he visits have a well-documented history of head hunting and raiding until very recently! These groups survived colonialism because they retreated deep into the rainforest, and because they were extraordinarily violent towards outsiders, other fellow Amazonians, and especially to their own women.
It's insulting that Perkins remakes these indigenous Amazonians into his own hippy, 1960's idealistic view of a nature-loving, dream-centric, egalitarian culture with some special understanding of the world that we can use to remake our own. He neglects to tell anything truthful about the Shuar culture-- and it's tiresome and offensive to have people put their own ideals into some "Wise Indian's" mouth.
The truth is always interesting, and I'm sure Perkins' trippy, drug-induced vision of an eco-friendly imaginary dreamworld could be interesting too. His lie is to conflate the two.
John Perkins is a true teacher.......2007-05-22
I plan to buy ShapeShifting next. This book will change your life and the way you look at things. I know...there are so many books out there that claim to do that as well, but they are nothing compared to this book. Only an intelligent spirital person would read this book, but it is also an easy read. I have the highest respect for John Perkins.
Dreaming it as it is.......2006-07-31
This is a superb rendition of spiritual principles crafted within the context of indigenous cosmology. It reflects broader corollaries that can be assigned to numerous spiritual disciplines world wide and provide a source of inspiration to those who question the nefarious motives of unfettered "development" with all its hideous consequences.
Mr. Perkins utilizes vast personal experience to highlight indigenous wisdom that takes to task our ethnocentric, greed based, industrialized world view that seems designed to ransack planetary resources and exploit the lives of all it can consume. A sad commentary on the foibles of an economic system run amuck, yet, a surprisingly inspirational joy ride through time and space as seen through the eyes of the author.
Highly recommended.
Lacking depth.......2003-05-29
I was very dissapointed by this book. When I bought it I was expecting the book to teach me how to implement shamanic teachings, how to heal, how to dream, how to direct our dreams, how we can change our dream, but instead I read pages and pages of discriptive text. Talks only about Mr. Perkin's travels. It doesn't even give in-depth examples of how people were healed.
Book Description
2005 ECPA Retailer's Choice Award winner for best biography/autobiography!
Steve Saint was five years old when his father, missionary pilot Nate Saint, was speared to death by a primitive Ecuadorian tribe. In adulthood, Steve, having left Ecuador for a successful business career in the United States, never imagined making the jungle his home again. But when that same tribe asks him to help them, Steve, his wife, and their teenage children move back to the jungle. There, Steve learns long-buried secrets about his father's murder, confronts difficult choices, and finds himself caught between two worlds. Soon to be a major motion picture (January 2006), End of the Spear brilliantly chronicles the continuing story that first captured the world's attention in the bestselling book, Through Gates of Splendor.
Customer Reviews:
Finding real purpose in life.......2007-10-03
A fascinating account of true sacrifice for the benefit of others. Your thinking about what is important in life will forever be changed. This is the stuff of life transformation. Only read this book if you are serious about having your lifestyle challenged and your worldview reshaped.
incredible and wonderfully affirming story.......2007-08-22
A wonderful story that jumps from tragic to comic throughout - this is the autobiographical tale of the son of a missionary who came to love the very man who ended the life of his father (at the end of the spear).
Life affirming and filled with views on social consequences and responsibilities to indigenous peoples.
But this book!.......2007-07-27
What an engaging, interesting and inspriational book this is! I have ordered and sent this as a gift. Just get it and read it- you will be blad you did.
Very Dull.......2007-06-14
This book had all of the markings of a good true story, but it was written more like a diary, and not a very interesting one at that. A lot of it did not ring true.
Awe Inspiring.......2007-03-13
If you ever wonder if one person can make a difference, then you need to read this book. It will make you delve deep into yourself and consider your priorities. This book creates the desire to truly make a difference in this world. It also is thought provoking on how we, as "educated people", are quite egotistical and think our way of life is the only way of life. A truly magnificent story!
Average customer rating:
- The field guide that is not a field guide
- Beggers can't be choosers...
- Excellent and Informative Book
- Here they are
- Essential, but overwhelming...
|
Birds of Ecuador Field Guide
Robert S. Ridgely , and
Paul J. Greenfield
Manufacturer: Comstock Publishing
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Neotropical Rainforest Mammals: A Field Guide
ASIN: 0801487218 |
Book Description
Birds of Ecuador comprehensively treats the nearly 1600 species of birds that can be found in mainland Ecuador. The authors describe Ecuador this way:
"One of the wonders of the natural world. Nowhere else is such incredible avian diversity crammed into such a small country. . . . Birds are, happily, numerous in many parts of Ecuador: even the downtown parks of the big cities such as Quito and Guayaquil host their complement."
Volume I, Status, Distribution, and Taxonomy, contains detailed information on the ecology, status, and distribution of all species. Introductory chapters deal with geography, climate, and vegetation; bird migration in Ecuador; Ecuadorian ornithology; endemic bird areas in Ecuador; and conservation. Individual species accounts treat habitat, distribution, and taxonomy.
Volume II, Field Guide, contains 96 full-color plates and facing pages of descriptive text, a color map of Ecuador, 2 line drawings of bird anatomy, 115 silhouette outlines, and nearly 1600 distribution maps. All species are illustrated in full color, including migrants and vagrants and visually distinctive subspecies. The text focuses on the field identification aspects of each species, including their behavior, vocalizations, and nest appearance.
The two volumes are available separately or may be purchased as a slipcased set.
Customer Reviews:
The field guide that is not a field guide.......2007-08-08
This is an exhaustive book with brilliant drawings - but not a field guide. Forget what the publishers say about two volumes and this one being the field guide. It's hideously impractical. It's over 700 pages, thicker than your fist, and a HEAVY load to be lugging around and getting it into an out of your backpack, especially when hiking or navigating slippery jungle trails in the sweltering heat. That said, I don't know of any other field guide and let's face it, we birders need a field guide. As many others I have had the plates with the drawings taken out and bound into a 'new' book, and brought only that with me. It's suboptimal, but hey, what can you do.
Beggers can't be choosers..........2007-04-27
This is really the only option if you're traveling to Ecuador to bird and it's a great book as those before me have said. It's very hefty, both in information and in physical size. It's overwhelming sure, but so is birding in the tropics. The plates are pretty good, though some are laughably awkward, the raptors for instance. I didn't choose to bind the plates separately in my copy when I went, I carried the whole text in my backpack. It was heavy and sort of obnoxious to keep pulling it out to refer, but what are you gonna do?
Those are really the only complaints, and by and large it's well worth the money and there's nothing else you would choose to take to Ecuador. I'm certainly glad I have it.
Excellent and Informative Book.......2007-03-09
A great book if you are planning a birding trip to Ecuador. Very thorough and informative. Although a little bulky to carry around, I suggest taking out the plate pages with all the bird pictures and reading up on them at the end of the day. It's a shame to rip apart a wonderful book like this but it really was a space and weigh saver
Here they are.......2007-02-17
This book is described as a field guide, but it is rather large and heavy for that. A friend who has traveled often to pursue the sight of the birds of the world gave me this advice: Take the book to Kinkos, or some such place, and have the center removed and bound. This book is suitable for that. All the color plates are in the center; a page of descriptions is opposite each plate. Of course when you return from your trip you can keep the two together with no more inconvenience than one has anyway with a bird book which has all the plates in the middle.
The rest of the book consists of more extensive descriptions of each bird and has a map for each, giving its range. This book is intended to be only half of a two volume set, the other volume being -- I don't know what, since I don't have it -- but of interest only to the most serious ornithologist who might be spending a long time in Ecuador.
Essential, but overwhelming..........2006-10-31
The Birds of Ecuador Field Guide is a spectacular but overwhelming book, essential for any birding trip to Ecuador, and very useful in surrounding countries, too. Covering nearly 1500 species, it weighs in at over 3 1/2 lbs. The bulk of the book is not the fault of the authors but of the fabulous diversity of bird life in Ecuador. The book follows the plan of most older guidebooks with the color plates in one section and the black and white text and maps in another. This was required by the economics of printing in the past, but is really not necessary now (see Sibley, etc). The birding guides we met in Ecuador all carry the plates of the book, dissected out and carefully rebound to create a smaller portable volume -- the publisher should offer the same convenience and sell this book in two parts. Bird descriptions are detailed and careful, similar species and how to differentiate them are described. The guide book follows a tradition that I have always found unhelpful -- that of trying to describe a birds voice in words e.g. "pt-weet", "ti-lee-lee" etc. The Ecuadorian birding experts we met all were able to point out some innaccuracies in the book, mostly in the range maps, and occasionally in coloration, but overall the book is a great achievement.
(The copy we received from Amazon, and took with us, had 4 pages missing right in the middle of the almost-impossible flycatchers, but they replaced the faulty copy on our return without any quibble, and we now have a pristine copy ready for our next trip.)
Book Description
A True Tale of Love, Murder, and Survival in the Amazon
The year is 1735. A decade-long expedition to South America is launched by a team of French scientists racing to measure the circumference of the earth and to reveal the mysteries of a little-known continent to a world hungry for discovery and knowledge. From this extraordinary journey arose an unlikely love between one scientist and a beautiful Peruvian noblewoman. Victims of a tangled web of international politics, Jean Godin and Isabel Gramesón’s destiny would ultimately unfold in the Amazon’s unforgiving jungles, and it would be Isabel’s quest to reunite with Jean after a calamitous twenty-year separation that would capture the imagination of all of eighteenth-century Europe. A remarkable testament to human endurance, female resourcefulness, and enduring love, Isabel Gramesón’s survival remains unprecedented in the annals of Amazon exploration.
Customer Reviews:
Engaging and Disturbing.......2007-09-28
I took this book with me when I headed down to Brazil to explore the Amazon Basin. Caveat: reading this book before heading down to Brazil to explore the Amazon is like going to see the movie "Jaws" before you go on your first scuba dive. Disturbing.
Whitaker's description of Isabel Godin-Grameson's horrific ordeal of being lost in the Amazon is mind-boggling, to say the least. It was not the poisonous snakes, the crushing boa constrictors, jaguars, caimans, electric eels or the fierce head shrinking Jabaros that were the worst. It was the thousands of insect bites (giant ants, fire ants, wasps, bees, chiggers, assassin bug, mosquitoes, botflies and their eggs) which turned into open, oozing, festering sores, hundreds of sores on their faces, arms, legs or any exposed flesh. Whitaker's writes. "They had no mosquito nets, no tents - only the clothes they were wearing. It was futile. The insects feasted on them. They would huddle together in the blackness (of night) and hoards of ants would begin their onslaught, crawling over them, under their pants and over every inch of exposed skin. During these awful days, they were plagued with botfly eggs. When the mosquitoes, laden with botfly eggs, feed on the body, the heat from the host causes the eggs to hatch. Immediately, the larvae burrow beneath the skin. The botfly maggot has two anal hooks that anchor firmly in the flesh and there it grows for more than a month . . . They were taking their turn as food for the botflies, even as they were slowly starving to death." Whitaker captures the horror of their situation.
There is much more than Isabel's gripping journey that makes this a great read: the scientific expedition to determine the size and shape of the earth, the descriptions of the culture of 18th century Europe and South America, the tragic treatment of the slaves (African and Indigenous Americans), the dedication, the love and the will to survive. This is a must read for any student of South America, Cartography or Life. Highly recommended.
A good wife - a good book.......2007-05-13
I enjoyed this book so much that I have bought two more copies for friends of mine. Both friends are female. I thought they would be drawn to the romance of the book. But there's adventure and science and history for all to enjoy. There's the comparison narrative or Lewis' and Clark's Voyage of Discovery. It's a good book
American Odyssey.......2007-03-29
This is a great adventure novel, filled with yucky worms,
terrifying terrain, malarian climates, and slithery things
that go slush in the night. It is a great romantic story
of the New World. The collection of illustrations is amazing.
I hope a director picks this book up and makes a movie of it.
Boring.......2007-01-22
Started out okay with the promise of interesting characters, but just got dull and wordy. Didn't finish it. Maybe more enjoyable for a South-American history buff.
Fresh Perspective on History.......2006-11-11
When my friend passed this book on to me, I was expecting a historical novel with dialogue and romance. However, I was pleasantly surprised by a nonfiction story woven from documents, letters, and research. I have always loved maps and been intrigued with how early naturalists figured out details about nature, so this book was a page-turner for me. I couldn't put it down. It was amazing what this team endured to collect data for information that we learn in elementary school today. It also gives insight and context to some of modern day political and social issues.
Average customer rating:
- One of the best books I have ever read
- Through Gates of Splendor
- Awesome!!!
- Very Inspirational and Encouraging
- A Must Read for the Missions Minded
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Through Gates of Splendor
Elisabeth Elliot
Manufacturer: Living Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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Similar Items:
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End of the Spear
-
Beyond the Gates of Splendor
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Shadow of the Almighty: The Life and Testament of Jim Elliot (Lives of Faith)
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The Savage My Kinsman
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JUNGLE PILOT
ASIN: 0842371516 |
Book Description
The unforgettable true story of five men who braved Auca lances. This edition includes a follow-up chapter that will give readers a unique perspective.
Customer Reviews:
One of the best books I have ever read.......2007-04-08
If you are a Christian - this is a must read. If you are not a Christian - this is a must read.
Through Gates of Splendor.......2007-01-16
Great book. Poor presentation in this current printing. Words and pictures are small. Paper and physical book itself is low quality.
Awesome!!!.......2007-01-10
This book should be a part of every Christian's library. I had heard Elizabeth Elliot talk on the radio and had known the story of "the five missionaries" but reading the book gave me great insight to the lives of these families- devoted to ministering to the unsaved. They gave definition to 'the purpose driven life!'
Very Inspirational and Encouraging.......2006-12-08
This book really makes one question: How much do I truly trust the Lord? What would I be willing to give up should I be called to it? Would I be willing to sacrifice the basic comforts I know and depend on? Would I be willing to sacrifice my life with forethought decision? Even harder for me to think of than the sacrifice of my own life, would I be willing to sacrifice that of my husband, packing him up for a trip not knowing if I would ever see him again on this side of heaven?
Elisabeth Elliot does a fantastic job of giving an account of the families' journeys to and in the mission field by using the journals and letters of some of the men and women. The men's and women's excitement at God's faithful attentiveness to their prayers is stirring, and their spiritual struggles are also encouraging. I give a lot of credit to Elisabeth Elliot for that. She doesn't fluff up the missionaries as uber-Christians. She shows through their struggles and lives that they have the same power as you and I, and that power is the blood of Jesus Christ.
Even if you are not a Christian, this book may shed some light on both tribal culture and missionary culture. Whatever you believe, this is still a powerful tale of sacrifice, struggle, hope, and forgiveness. It is also still well written and well organized with multiple story lines forging into one giant one. Elliot knows how to pull you into the story. If for no other reason, this book is an interesting read because it shows the developing stages that led to the historical event that captured the compassion of the world - Christian and non-Christian alike.
This particular version has updates to the story as well, which is a definite plus. I hope you are blessed by this book.
A Must Read for the Missions Minded.......2006-09-15
Through Gates of Splendor is a gripping account of the true story of 5 missionaries martyred in the jungles of Ecuador. Sound familiar? That's because it's the same (basically) story recently popularized by the film End of the Spear.
If you watched the movie and the story moved you, you'll love this book. It gives the backdrop of the story; what brought these 5 men to that beach to give their lives for the cause of Christ.
The author was wife to Jim Elliot, one of the 5 men who lost his life. She quotes often from Jim's writings and diaries. Man, that guy could write!
My favorite of Jim Elliot's quotes comes from his diary, reflecting upon trying to serve God in the U.S.:
"The problem of meeting a culture with truth from God is the most difficult kind of thing. Once comes as a renovator, a conditioner of society, and society is in no mood to be conditioned. The fixedness of the human mind is the 'wall of Jericho' to Gospel preaching. God must shake, or there will be no shaking." (p. 20)
It's high time God shook things up...and it's high time we stop getting in the way.
The book is an inspiring source of faith, hope, and sacrifice. God's glory has certainly shone through the tragedy. The blood shed that day has certainly been a seed planted, watered, and cared for to a miraculous fruition of God's love and peace among indigenous tribes.
Read it! You'll be better for it. . .
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