Book Description
Beyond the deserted beaches of the Nicoya Peninsula and the visceral heights of the Monteverde cloud forests lies the real Costa Rica - a land of delicate pathos, forthright purity and hard-won pacifism. Tromp through virgin rain forest - sighting poison-dart frogs and howler monkeys along the way - or simply explore the local lore and laid-back beach scene with this comprehensive guide. LESS IS MORE - expanded ecofriendly coverage and loads of volunteer and learning opportunities make traveling with a conscience easier than ever THE WILD SIDE - spot your favorite rain forest dwellers - scarlet macaws, caimans and more - with our expert-written color wildlife section GAPS ON THE MAP - lose yourself in the seldom-visited corners of this ecological powerhouse with informed do-it-yourself content and more than 80 maps CHARGE IT! - surf the world's longest left at Pavones, hike through rain forest in Corcovado or drop into roaring rapids with our Adventure Travel chapter
Customer Reviews:
Lonely Planet Costa Rica - need a magnifying glass!.......2007-10-18
The Lonely Planet Costa Rica has a lot of great information on visiting Costa Rica along with history of the country. The only problem with this book is that the print is so small that sometimes I have to get out a magnifying glass to read the print without straining my eyes. I do wear corrective lenses and normally I do not have any trouble reading the type in books. I wish they Lonely Planet books would increase the print size. I may not buy another one of their books based on the small print that are currently in the books.
Lonely Planet Costa Rica.......2007-10-04
As always, Lonley Planet doesn't disappoint. All the information you need to plan your trip is here. It is presented precisely and with humor.
Great Book.......2007-09-29
This book was such a useful resource to have while traveling through Costa Rica. The information was very helpful and I would strongly recommend it.
Cean Colcord
Conflicted author may depress you.......2007-07-11
While I agree with the conservationist spirit and general distaste for overrun tourist traps expressed throughout this guidebook by Matthew Firestone (one of the book's two authors), I found his relentlessly negative tone to be extremely off-putting. While the sections written by the other author (Mara Vorhees) are more neutral, informative and generally reflect the high quality I've come to expect from the Lonely Planet series of guidebooks, Matthew Firestone's sections have fully succeeded in dampening my enthusiasm for a trip to Costa Rica before the trip has even begun.
While it may be that the beach at Playa Tamarindo "is full of blubbery North American and European holidaymakers who spend most of their time frying in the sun like beached whales" turning their complexion "from a pasty white to a rosy shade of skin cancer," and while that description does indeed sound like a scene I would rather avoid, I find the author's consistent haughty tone and overriding negativity to be out of place and offensive in a book that is intended for - after all - tourists.
I am still planning what I fully expect to be an exciting and fun vacation in Costa Rica, but now I have to do so in spite of the author of this book's overbearing negativity. It's true, I'm sure, that Costa Rica was once better to visit than it is today, but this book is not for people who knew and loved the country years ago. It's intended for people who have never been there before, and since Mr. Firestone couldn't put aside his sour gripes and focus on what's great about the place rather than bemoaning what's been lost, his words and advice won't be making the trip with me.
This book has been my first disappointment in the Lonely Planet series.
Lonely Planet Rocks.......2007-07-05
In my travels I have come to rely on Lonely Planet for sound advise - they've never led me astray. Prior to travel I always check out their website as the feedback from other travels that is posted there is also outstanding.
Book Description
This is a completely new in-depth field guide to the 1,070 bird species, including North American migrants, found in Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, and western Nicaragua. More than 180 species are endemic to this region and the book details their appearance, voice, habitat, behaviour (including nests and eggs) and distribution. Range maps are included with species accounts, and introductory essays give essential background information, with special appendices summarizing useful information on the avifaunas of various offshore Pacific and Caribbean islands. The Guide's striking illustrations include 71 colour plates and 39 black-and-white drawings, based on the authors' field experience and in many cases detailing plumages never before illustrated. Authoritative and up-to-date, this is an essential reference work for every birdwatchers' collection.
Customer Reviews:
OK, but not great........2007-06-16
As many have said, kind of big and bulky for a "field guide". Lacking pictures of shore birds, sea birds, etc. Has good info as far as habitats, etc.
results of clinical field trial.......2007-03-23
This is the definitive text for any even halfway serious birder in the region covered. Although a bit heavy to lug around in a backpack (especially if you are carrying a spotting scope as well), it is an indispensable reference once you get back.
Note: It does not have illustrations of many birds that are found in the US, so I was very glad that I had brought Sibley's Guide along as well. Between the two, I was able to identify with confidence nearly every bird I saw. If I had had only the smaller field guide, I would have been making a lot of educated guesses.
A Guide to the Birds of Mexico .......2007-03-18
The book has a lot of information on the birds and their habitat. Illustrations of the birds are restricted to the "plates" section.
Almost Excellent.......2007-01-03
This book is excellent for a trip to Mexico; however be warned, some of the most common birds are not pictured in the plates. While all of the species not found in the US have colorful plates, there are no plates for waterbirds such as gulls and no plates for the warblers or flycatchers other than endemics; however, there are descriptions and location maps for all birds found in Mexico. If you visit during migration, and have trouble remembering fall plumage distinctions on migrating warblers, be sure to bring a Sibley or Peterson guide along with you as well!
Packed with information --not user friendly.......2006-09-20
A large volume, not easily used, in the field. The authors presume a good knowledge of North American birds--so you need a Sibley in addition. Unfortunately carrying the Sibley will remind you of how much more difficult to use this volume is.
It lacks any drawings of NA birds such as Little Blue Heron, Tri-colored Heron, Whistling Ducks, Arizona Woodpeckers, Blue-Headed Vireo, Purple Gallinule, numerous sparrows, etc.
Almost no attempt to separate diagnostic marks from more general field marks.
The information on endemics is in here,organized in the Petersen style, plates separated from descriptions and maps. And it is exhaustive in depth.
But as a field guide it badly needs to be reworked in the Sibley fashion or Sinclair's Birds of Southern Africa.
Book Description
Frommer's. The best trips start here.
Experience a place the way the locals do. Enjoy the best it has to offer.
- With insider tips on the best package deals and beach resorts, plus a comprehensive look at the Yucatan's Maya ruins.
- Outspoken opinions on what's worth your time and what's not.
- Exact prices, so you can plan the perfect trip whatever your budget.
- Off-the-beaten-path experiences and undiscovered gems, plus new takes on top attractions.
- Listen to a free companion podcast about Cancun and the Yucatan at Frommers.com
Find great deals and book your trip at Frommers.com
Customer Reviews:
boring.......2007-10-03
I've traveled to about 8 different foreign countries, and always used Lonely Planet. I thought I'd give this a try. It was dull and boring. I'm sticking with Lonely Planet.
Guide book is very useful.......2007-08-04
I have used Frommer's guides in the past and found them reliable. I knew nothing about what to expect in Cancun. The guide had useful general advice about travel in Mexico and currency issues, and it was very informative about cultural attractions. It was a bit light on the coverage of hotels.
Good Information.......2007-06-12
This guide was pretty good. I got it for the Cozumel information. Over half of the guide was for other areas of the Yukatan. The title clearly indicates that, but it would have been nice to see a Cozumel specific guide from Frommers that includes more of the resort/hotels in cozumel.
Another great Travel Book.......2007-05-11
If you know any of Frommer's work, you know what to expect from this book as well. These travel guides are always thorough and as up-to-date as possible with a published book. Don't hesitate to pick this one if you are planning to travel to these areas of Mexico.
Too Old.......2007-04-18
If you are looking for info on hotels and restaraunts - keep looking. This was the least useful of the three books I bought. It is way too out of date. It is useful for things that dont change like day trips and general travel info, but much of that was too generic.
Average customer rating:
- What an unbelievable book!
- Not much insight, but an entertaining read
- Read it over (and over and over)
- Ride the Wave
- A profound journey
|
In Search of Captain Zero: A Surfer's Road Trip Beyond the End of the Road
Allan Weisbecker
Manufacturer: Tarcher
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ASIN: 1585421774
Release Date: 2002-09-12 |
Amazon.com
In 1966, Allan Weisbecker "made a Manhattan run from the landlocked suburbs" to take in a siren-song movie called The Endless Summer, a documentary that depicted the carefree life of two beach bums who roamed the world in quest of the perfect wave. Weisbecker was hooked, and he became a hardcore wave rider, a fixture on the Long Island surf scene. With a friend, Christopher, he also undertook illegal ways to finance his passion, transporting drugs from exotic countries, a business only briefly interrupted when Christopher went off to Vietnam. There he took fire and came home scarred; something in him changed, and one day he simply vanished.
Weisbecker's book, a sort of gonzo detective story blended with travelogue and peppered with hang-10 jargon, does many things, all of them very well indeed. It offers up a vision of innocent times brought to ruin by war and drugs; it recounts his search for his lost friend, whose life had gone from bad to worse far away from home; and it affords a look inside the strange culture of surfing, whose masters "understood, in a visceral and soulful and inexpressible way, the machinations of the sea, and, by subtle inference, the universe at large."
Full of regret and exhilaration, Weisbecker's memoir is a fine chronicle of a dream gone sour and a friendship redeemed. --Gregory McNamee
Book Description
In 1996, Allan Weisbecker sold his home and his possessions, loaded his dog and surfboards into his truck, and set off in search of his long-time surfing companion, Patrick, who had vanished into the depths of Central America. In this rollicking memoir of his quest from Mexico to Costa Rica to unravel the circumstances of Patrick's disappearance, Weisbecker intimately describes the people he befriended, the bandits he evaded, the waves he caught and lost en route to finding his friend.
In Search of Captain Zero is, according to Outside magazine, "A subtly affecting tale of friendship and duty. [It] deserves a spot on the microbus dashboard as a hell of a cautionary tale about finding paradise and smoking it away."
Customer Reviews:
What an unbelievable book!.......2007-10-11
I've never enjoyed a book more than this one. I'm only a couple of years younger than the author, but I've been surfing for almost 40 years, and I devoured this book. Just the stories he tells would be enough, but in putting them all together, he accomplishes so much more.
When I went to SD in 1973 just out of HS, my roommate, an established La Jolla local, told me a story about the 1969 swell on the north shore and Jock Sutherland surfing by himself in the early AM (~1AM) on acid. Allan was there, retold the same story, and it's amazing how accurately I heard it back then. The smuggling stories were great, especially the snafu in NJ! The premise, the trip, the experiences, and the conclusions together made this an incredible reading experience. I wished that the book was twice as long. It's lucky that the person who had all of these experiences is such an outstanding thinker and writer.
My wife and I used to visit Costa Rica annually, but after reading the book I was inspired to expand my horizons. Rhoda (from Nebraska - NOT a surfer!) loved the book as much as I did. The changes in our lives that were a result of the perspectives gained from our reading Captain Zero have been profound and rewarding. I've been recommending the book since I read it in 2002. Most everyone shared my enthusiasm.
On a 26' panga with a 55 hp Yamaha headed up the coast of Nicaragua last month, a good friend who read Zero on my recommendation, favorably reviewed Allan's recently published Can't You Get Along With Anyone to the other five surfers on the boat. I look forward to reading CYGAWA as soon as Amazon delivers it.
Not much insight, but an entertaining read.......2007-10-09
Surfing is something different to all people, the author has his opinion, I have mine. I didn't find much insight into the human experience through the author's eyes, I perceived the lesson to be about karma, of which the main character shouldn't be surprised about his current state.
My opinion only, the book is entertaining. How can you go wrong with a book about surfing?
"Everybody must give something back for something they get."
-Bob Dylan
Read it over (and over and over).......2007-09-14
A wonderful book, evocative of end of the road towns and other equally compelling ideas. This could be a guidebook for various Central American hideaways, with perhaps some advice of a different nature thrown in. At one point or another, I've made nearly everyone I know read this book. And...it should be followed by "Can't You Get Along With Anyone." If at any time someone decides to put together a cannon of literature that addresses Central American surf spots, publishing, and the tricky nature of friendship, Weisbecker's "In Search of Captain Zero," and "Can't You Get Along With Anyone," must be included.
Ride the Wave.......2007-04-12
If you are at all interested in surfing, this journey of self discovery will grip you deep within its pages. You'll also gain insight on life as seen through surfing.
A profound journey.......2007-02-13
Whether or not you have ever attempted to surf, dreamt about it, or have made it a practice, I think that this book will speak to you. Should you know nothing about the culture at all, this book will make you feel as if you had been there all along. Weisbecker's style of writing draws you into the story in a very personal way, providing easy to understand epiphanes and philosophies, that seem entirely unique to Weisbecker. Yes, he has his flaws and stereotypes, but this only furthers to strengthen his character. After all how many people can claim not to have either of those things. Weisbecker presents profound views on life through surfing, and different experiences in his travel, that seem far more sophosticated than the stereotypical surfing mind, which would consist of pot, "bro", and of course, surfing.
Besides the development of Weisbecker himself during the story, and the more mental, and spiritual aspect of the book, the story is also a gripping tale, which leaves you wanting to turn the page. Each experience draws you in as you join Weisbecker in the search for his friend. I often found myself eagerly wondering what would happen next, from run-ins with bandidos, to finding a way to work a monster of a wave. What made each experience truely different however, was the reflection of each one afterwards, being able to see how Weisbecker was affected and/or changed.
So, if you are willing to look past the many drug related stories, and whatever flaws you may find, underneath is a compelling story and many valuable insights to life, which may make you want to take off on your own adventure.
Book Description
"A clear and intelligent description of the development and organization of Maya civilization." —Natural History
The Maya has long been established as the best, most readable introduction to the New World's greatest ancient civilization. In these pages Professor Coe distills a lifetime's scholarship for the general reader and student.
Since the publication of the sixth edition of The Maya, new sites have been uncovered and further excavations in old sites have proceeded at an unprecedented pace. Among the many new discoveries is the chance find of extraordinary murals dating to ca. AD 100 at San Bartolo in the Petén. New epigraphic, archaeological, and osteological research has thrown light on the identity of the "founding fathers" of such great sites as Tikal and Copan, and their close affiliation with Teotihuacan in central Mexico. The previously little known center of Ek' Balam in northeastern Yucatan has turned out to be a regional kingdom of major importance, with extraordinary stucco reliefs and a plethora of painted inscriptions.
It has now become apparent that the birth of Maya civilization lies not in the Classic but during the Preclassic period, above all in the Mirador Basin of northern Guatemala, where the builders of gigantic ancient cities (interconnected by causeways) erected the world's largest pyramid as early as 200 BC. All of these finds suggest that we must rethink what we mean by "Classic."
The seventh edition also presents new evidence for the use of wetlands by the Classic Maya, and fresh perspectives on the catastrophic demise of Classic civilization by the close of the ninth century. 175 illustrations, 17 in color.
Customer Reviews:
An Excellent Inrtoduction to the Maya.......2007-08-05
This is an excellent introduction to the Maya. It is well-written and flows nicely. Of particular use are the fine illustrations that accompany the text; as you read the text you are refermed by numbers in the margin to a suitable illustration. One of the strong points of this book is that the author criticizes other works and himself in view of the latest research on the topic. The book also has an excellent bibliography that refers the reader to both scholarly and popular works.
A final strong point of this work is that it is only one-half to one-third the length of other works; better a shorter book that you will read than a longer one that will rest upon a shelf!
My only criticism of this book is the final chapter. Like many academics Prof Coe hates American influence (tourists innundate ruins, evangelical christianity threatens the shamans, and the cattle ranches that produce meat for "American hamburgers") and Republicans (things improved for the Maya with a Democrat in the White House). Also, he accepts the lies in Rigoberta Menchu's book as true.
Yet, overall this is a valuable book.
Any Author Who Can Make El Mirador Come To Life Deserves Five Stars.......2007-06-01
The ruins of the ancient Mayan city of El Mirador are deep in the jungles of northern Guatamala. Once one of the largest cities in North America with 80,000 people, El Mirador today is accessible only by helicopter or by long distance hiking. Before its mysterious abandonment in the third century AD, El Mirador boasted the Danta Pyramid, the largest structure of this type in the world. Michael Coe has written a facinating book about the world of the ancient Maya. His ability to make El Mirador and many similar sites come to life makes this book well worth the purchase price even if Yucatan and vicinity are not in one's travel plans.
Professor Coe traces the rise of Mayan civilization from earliest times, to the splendor of the Late Classic Period when as many as ten million people lived in the lowlands, to the "Mayan Apocalypse"of the eighth century AD when the greatest cities of the New World were abandoned and returned to the jungle. Each of the major sites is described in detail with a complete description of artifacts and numerous photographs and maps. The author concludes with an extended discussion of Mayan thought and culture, and with his personal tribute to "The Enduring Maya". The Mayan population of southern Mexico and Central America has returned to over seven million people despite five hundred years of European diseases and economic oppression.
It is important that we not miss the practical implications of this book. The "Mayan Apocalpse" had ecological roots. The population had increased beyond the carrying capacity of the land, and there was massive deforestation and soil erosion. Years of severe drought followed. There is currently a debate about whether global warming is real, and if so whether it matters. One of the first great civilizations in the New World came to a disastrous end because of its inability or unwillingness to deal with environmental issues. We need to draw proper conclusions from the Mayan experience.
A very good introduction to Maya archeology.......2007-03-29
From one of the most important mayanists, a very good introduction to Maya archeology.
Introduction to the Mayan culture.......2007-01-10
I found this book to be a very good introduction to the Mayan culture, however, introduction may be an understatement. This book is very indepth, and academic in nature which gives it a high level of credibility.
The Gold Standard by which to measure all others.......2006-03-10
Tho' I was "just" wanting to be informed before my brief trip to Mexico, it was a joy to read the Michael Coe book, & immerse myself in this rich history of the Mayan people. It made my visits to the ruins so very much more rewarding than a tour book could ever begin to do!
Book Description
There is a newer edition of this book.
Bitter Fruit recounts in telling detail the CIA operation to overthrow the democratically elected government of Jacobo Arbenz of Guatemala in 1954. The 1982 book has become a classic, a textbook case study of Cold War meddling that succeeded only to condemn Guatemala to decades of military dictatorship. The authors make extensive use of U.S. government publications and documents, as well as interviews with former CIA and other officials. The Harvard edition includes a powerful new introduction by historian John Coatsworth, Director of the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies; an insightful prologue by Richard Nuccio, former State Department official who revealed recent evidence of CIA misconduct in Guatemala to Congress; and a compelling afterword by coauthor Stephen Kinzer, now Istanbul bureau chief for the New York Times, summarizing developments that led from the 1954 coup to the peace accords that ended Guatemala's civil strife forty years later.
Customer Reviews:
Student - LOVED IT!.......2007-06-10
If you are new to political type books, this is a great read! It reads very much like a novel. I had to read the book for a class and couldn't put it down because I just couldn't wait to see what happened next. It is a disturbing tale of the manipulative power of the U.S. government and press among other things.
It's still happening!.......2006-05-14
After the successful coup by the CIA, general Castillo Armas was "made" president. Just two years later he was murdered, and Gen. Ydigoras Fuentes took power (1958). In response to the increasingly autocratic rule of Gen. Fuentes, a group of junior military officers revolted in 1960. When they failed, several went into hiding and established close ties with Cuba. This group (the guerrillas) became the nucleus of the forces that were in armed insurrection against the government for the next 36 years.
Nearly 300,000 people died.
The civil war ended in 1996. And we are still living with the repercussions of a 36 year war: violence, poverty, industrial underdevelopment, resentment, corruption etc.
So, if you think this book speaks of events long past and forgotten... think again. The same MO was used in Irak. There were no WMDs (Bush lied), there was no reason to start a war! Or was it? Did american big business benefit?
37,000 civilians from Iraq have died.
3,000 american soldiers have died.
And when you see the millions of latin immigrants protesting in all your major cities, don't be so quick to blame our countries. The CIA did similar things in El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, Chile, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Argentina, Honduras etc.
Do yourself a favor and read this book.
Power and influence.......2005-07-31
BITTER FRUIT is about the means and methods the U.S. government, through the CIA and the American ambassador to Guatemala, used to overthrow the democratically elected government of Guatemala in 1954. The Guatemalan president Jacobo Arbenz was leading an administration that was working to enact land reform. It was hoped that these efforts, among others, would stem the tide of poverty in a country still bound to a labor system that forced poor people to work a certain number of days on large farms or face prison time. Shaking off the vestiges of a dictatorship that was defeated by popular elections in the 1940s, Guatemala sought such reforms to enfranchise more citizens.
The "fruit" of the title is that of the United Fruit Company, an American concern with large land, labor and capital holdings in Guatemala and the Caribbean. UFC also had a lot of influence in government, particularly with Eisenhower's Republican administration. When Arbenz's government took the rights to Fruit Company land (much of its land was left uncultivated, held as an "in case" the company said) and paid it the value the company had listed on its Guatemalan tax returns, influence was peddled in Washington, the word "communism" was thrown around, and Eisenhower gave the go-ahead to covert operations to overthrow the democratically elected Arbenz and replace him with an American supported military junta. Ironically, the Guatemalan move to democracy in the 1940s was inspired by FDR and the country's belief in rights for all humans, whatever the economic level. (Truman, apparently, would not approve such operations, so the Fruit Company had to wait for Eisenhower to effect the outcome it wanted.)
The book is a model historical work, heavily footnoted, clearly written, factually presented and overwhelmingly upsetting. It has a chapter on Edward Bernays, an early practioner of PR, who was Freud's nephew, and who was hired by the United Fruit Company to advance its goals in the United States. Bernays did powerful work and was probably instrumental in the coup taking place by building public sentiment in the United States against the Arbenz government.
The greatest and most painful irony of all was that not long after the coup, which was instigated, basically on behalf of United Fruit Company, the U.S. government, concerned that it would seem a little "too convenient" to have overthrown a popularly elected president on behalf of a banana company, decided to bring an anti-trust suit against United Fruit, hobbling the company. One has to ask at that point, "What the heck was it all for, then?"
The final chapter answers that: An April 1998 report found that 150,000 people had been killed and 50,000 had disappeared in the time since the coup in 1954, with 80 percent of the casualties caused by government forced.
What this book reports on made me sad and disgusted, but the book is well written and fascinating, a model historical account of a pivotal incident in the history of both Guatemala and the United States.
More accounts of U.S. terrorism in the world.......2004-09-22
I'm glad to see yet one more accurate account of how far an almost imperceptible percentage of this country's population is willing to go in the name of their interests. It's really sad that those who should be most interested in this, namely U.S. citizens, turn a blind eye to it. But as it has been proven throughout centuries of history, silent propaganda, coupled with loud lies told by the rest of the press, works really well at keeping the population in a different galaxy. Otherwise, they would not allow these things to happen.
Poor education must have something to do with this phenomenon, as illustrated by the disastrous spelling and grammar in some of the negative reviews coming from U.S. locations above.
Fast-paced and balanced account of American foreign policy.......2004-05-31
I had wanted to read this book ever since reading Mr. Kinzer's account of the overthrow of Mossadegh in Iran, entitled "All the Shah's Men," which I would also heartily endorse. Like that book, "Bitter Fruit" is an intricately detailed yet fast-paced account of an American-sponsored overthrow of a popularly-elected foreign leader. Perhaps the most unique aspect of the book is the attention that the authors give to providing biographical sketches of all the participants. These portraits serve to contextualize the situation and render the actors' motives more understandable.
As a graduate student in political science, I have been trained to explain political phenomena as functions of identifiable and measurable independent factors. While the parsimony afforded by the academic approach has its advantages, Schlesinger and Kinzer's account reminds us that political reality is shaped by fallibe individuals often guided by imperfect information and their own ideological commitments. Indeed, the most vexing question that came to my mind was how men like the American Ambassador to Guatemaula in '54 and the dogmatic Dulles brothers ever attained positions of such prominence. Their belief that the social reforms being enacted in Guatemala represented the initial stage of a Communist revolution that would spread through all of Latin America seems ludicrous in hindsight, and Schlesinger and Kinzer's account makes clear that the evidence upon which this domino theory rested was shaky to begin with. The role that the "liberal" media played in reproducing the American accusations against Arbenz's government is one of the most interesting aspects of this book.
In conclusion, the authors are clearly antagonistic to the neoconservative ideology that justified American intervention around the world in the name of "anti-communism." Advocates of this view will naturally find weaknesses in their account. That said, Schlesinger and Kinzer are not apologists of the Guatemalan revolution of 1944. They devote ample space to detailing the weaknesses of the economic and social reforms enacted in the name of the revolution. All in all, their tone and their evidence permit the reader to form his or her own conclusions regarding the sagacity of America's interference in Guatemala's political and social evolution.
Book Description
Birds of Mexico and Central America is the only field guide to illustrate and describe every species of bird in Central America from Mexico to Panama, including Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. Written and illustrated by Ber van Perlo, this handsome work covers more than 1,500 species.
Information on key identification features, habitats, songs, and calls is included as are distribution maps showing each species' location and prevalence. Enhanced with ninety-eight color plates, the book provides illustrations of all plumages for the adult males and females as well as the juveniles of each species. Illustrations appear opposite their relevant text for quick and easy reference.
Comprehensive and highly portable, this guide is a must for any birdwatcher visiting the region.
- More than 1,500 species described and illustrated
- Information on key identification features, habitat, and songs and calls
- Distribution maps showing each species' location and prevalence
- Illustrations of all plumages for each species
- 98 color plates, which appear opposite their relevant text for quick and easy reference
- Comprehensive and highly portable
- A must for all birdwatchers visiting the region
Customer Reviews:
Good general guide when traveling.......2007-05-25
It worked out fine for me. We visited the highlands around Guanojuato and I saw many new species. This means though that I didn't get down into the big birding areas, so I wasn't overwhelmed with new birds.
It is always difficult to use a guide that has the distribution maps in the back instead of with the pictures. I went through the maps before the trip and put a checkmark beside all of the birds that I would be able to see in the area at that time of year. Labor intensive but this fixed this problem for this trip.
If I take a serious birding trip to Mexico, I will need to put new marks by the birds or buy a better guide.
Very handy field guide.......2007-04-01
On a recent trip to Central Mexico, birders carrying the Howell/Webb volume were often openly envious. The Perlo is pocket sized, includes the species which are also seen in the United States and has text adjacent to the illustrations.
Several birders had dismantled the Howell to produce a new field guide with only the illustrations. That improves the weight at least.
To me that spoke volumes about the need for a small field guide.
I took the Howell but it never left it's place packed in my luggage.
Perlo's volume could be improved by adding maps adjacent to the illustrations and kicking it up to about 500 pages --more and larger, better detailed illustrations.
Shortcomings? Yes, but a very useful book.
results of clinical field trial.......2007-03-23
This is a good field guide, in that it is relatively small and lightwieght, about the same size as Peterson and maybe a little better. I have no complaints, yet, as a small field guide, it needs to be used in conjunction with more complete, detailed (and much larger and heavier) reference (Howell & Webb as well as Sibley).
My Mexico Bible.......2007-02-01
I was so thrilled with this book that I immediatley went birding in Mexico just for the pleasure of using the book. It was my best birding trip ever! I can't wait to do it again. Perlo is to Mexico what Sibley is to the United States. I wish Sibley would make his book so easy to carry. There are a few mistakes in Perlo's book, but they don't hinder identification or the satisfaction of using it. I can't praise it enough!
Birds of Mexico, etc........2007-01-10
This book is small enough to be helpful in the field. The illustrations are small but helpful. I used it in Costa Rica along with Stiles and will be using it in Mexico soon.
Book Description
Weave your way through jungle rivers to the haunting sound of howler monkeys, escape the 21st century at Lamanai's millennia-old Maya ruins, dive deep with technicolor marine life at spectacular Glover's Reef or just kick back with a fruity rum punch. Whatever adventures you have in mind, this comprehensive guide will take you deep into the heart of Belize. STEP BACK IN TIME - written by an expert in the field, our chapter on ancient Maya culture unravels the past PLAN YOUR TRIP - inspiring island-hopping and touring itineraries, insider tips and over 30 maps REST EASY on any budget with our comprehensive accommodations listings, from beachside shacks to jungle lodges BE INSPIRED - discover the adrenaline junkie in you with details on the best outdoor activities, including scuba diving and river-tubing GO BEYOND with our excursions to Tikal and Flores, Guatemala
Customer Reviews:
Go with Frommers.......2007-08-19
I am a planner freak, so I used this book and Frommers. I ended up relying on the Frommers as it was more detailed, more accurate with pricing, and included alot of stuff LP didn't.
LP is outdated, and it only had general information about Belize....not as specific as Frommers.
Disappointing.......2007-03-01
As always, the Lonely Planet guide is well-structured with key features such as bus schedules. This particular guide was hit-and-miss with its information, however. Lodging prices were out-of-date (not just seasonally); the Tropical Education Center's prices have nearly doubled. The biggest problem is the outright-misinformed notion that Belize's dry season starts in November; every Belizean told me that it always starts in January or February, hence water levels were still high and wildlife was scarce during my February trip. Several towns and locations of interest were left out, forcing me to buy the Rough Guide. Although the Rough Guide reads like a novel and not so much a field guide, it has more information than the Lonely Planet guide. This was the first trip where nobody I met was using the LP guide.
An absolute must to Belize!.......2007-01-29
Rarely has a book been so useful in traveling around a country. Belize is not so big and the information inside covers most details you will ever want to ask about Belize. Very much in the best spirit of Lonley Guides whose devoted user I have become for any travel to a new destination. Highly recommended for all the Belize travellers (incl. Tikal in Guatemala).
Packed with information.......2007-01-24
A must have for traveler's going off the beaten path. If you're the type that likes to take local transportation and call ahead to hotels, this guide is what you need. If you prefer to stay in an all-inclusive resort, you'll still get inside information about what to do and see locally.
Lonely Planet comes through again!.......2006-03-09
I purchased three Belize guide books, and this was by far the best!
The New Key to Belize(1994) and Hidden Belize(2001) had outdated and duplicate information(word for word!)
Buy the Lonely Planet Book, you will not be disappointed!
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