The Rough Guide to Trinidad and tobago 3 (Rough Guide Travel Guides)

Average customer rating:

I would give this book 10 stars if it were possible

They did their work...

Very helpful

Could have been better organized

The Rough Guide to Trinidad and tobago 3 (Rough Guide Travel Guides)
Dominique De-Light , and Polly Thomas
Manufacturer: Rough Guides
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Caribbean | Travel | Subjects | Books
Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books
Rough Guide | Guidebook Series | Travel | Subjects | Books
General | Travel | Subjects | Books
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The Rough Guide to Trinidad & Tobago Map (Rough Guide Country/Region Map)

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ASIN: 1843533405

Book Description

INTRODUCTION

Just off the coast of the South American mainland they were once part of, Trinidad and Tobago (usually shortened to T&T) form the southernmost islands of the Lesser Antilles chain and the most influential republic in the Eastern Caribbean. They are the most exciting, underexplored and uncontrived of Caribbean islands, rich in indigenous culture. A cultural pacemaker best known as the home and heart of West Indian Carnival, the nation can also boast having the most diverse and absorbing society in the region.

Trinidad and Tobago remain relatively inexpensive, and are well geared to independent travellers without being fully fledged tourist resorts. Natural reserves of gas and oil combined with a strong manufacturing industry have ensured economic independence, and you'll find the islands refreshingly unfettered by the pretensions of the tourist trade. Visitors are not corralled in all-inclusives or holed up on private beaches, and - though you could easily spend two weeks exploring seashores, which range from palm-lined white sand fringed by limpid waters to secluded, wave-whipped outcrops - you'll find there's far more to T&T than suntans and snorkelling.

These are among the richest destinations in the Caribbean for eco-tourism, combining the characteristic flora and fauna of the region with the wilder aspect of the South American mainland. You'd be hard pressed to come up with anywhere that offers such a variety of habitats in such a compact area (Trinidad covers no more than 4830 square kilometres, Tobago just 300). In Trinidad, you can hike through undisturbed tropical rainforest where towering canopies of mahogany and teak bedecked with lianas and epiphytic plants shelter red howler monkeys and ocelots. The wetlands and mangrove swamps harbour all manner of exotic wildlife, while leatherback turtles lay eggs on remote beaches. Huge blue emperor butterflies flit around the cool waters of innumerable inland rivers and waterfalls, and the birdwatching - with more than 430 brilliantly hued species - is among the world's best. Tobago is best known for its glorious beaches and stunning coral reefs, declared third best in the Caribbean by Jacques Cousteau and favoured by graceful seven-metre manta rays and shoals of technicolour tropical fish.

Equally absorbing are T&T's vital, crowded and dynamic towns and cities, unique showcases for the architectural, religious and cultural traditions of their cosmopolitan populations. Fretworked townhouses, Georgian-style mansions and barrack-house complexes built for plantation workers sit side by side with temples, mosques, Catholic cathedrals and Anglican churches. The varied ethnic groups brought to labour in the islands after the slaves there were freed in 1834 have given rise to a remarkably varied populace, hailing from India, China, Portugal and Syria as well as Africa, England, France and Spain. Though racial tensions are inevitably present, Trinbagonians (as they're collectively known) generally coexist with good humour, and are proud of the multiculturalism that has so enriched the life of the nation. Nowhere is this more visible than in a lively music scene that rivals even that of Jamaica. The steel drum was invented in the Port of Spain suburb of Laventille, while calypso, first developed in African communities, evolved into contemporary soca. That in turn has spawned the Indian-influenced chutney soca and the danceable beats and politically conscious lyrics of rapso.

Trinbagonians have a less harrowing past to contend with than many of their Caribbean neighbours. Neglected by the Spanish for most of their three centuries of rule, Trinidad experienced full-scale slavery for only fifty years, while the Dutch, French and English were too busy fighting over Tobago to dedicate it to the demands of King Sugar. Consequently, the national psyche is characterized by a strong sense of identity and a laid-back enjoyment of the good things in life, the latter best displayed in the local propensity for liming - taking time out to meet friends, talk and sink a Carib beer or some rum. Thirteen public holidays and numerous local festivals are mere limbering up for the republic's most famous party, the annual pre-Lenten Carnival, where the no-holds-barred debauchery of opening night Jouvert celebrations is followed by two days of pure joy as 5000-strong bands of intricately costumed revellers take to the streets in a celebration of life.

Customer Reviews:

I would give this book 10 stars if it were possible.......2007-06-28

If you're going to Trinidad and Tobago, you simply MUST buy this book. It was a huge help while I was there, and I wouldn't have had nearly as much fun without it. Complete where where to stay, what to do, how to get there, where to catch the Maxis, taxis, etc...it is an incredibly helpful book. If you're going to T&T and not touring the country, you probably won't need a book. But if you want to see what T&T really has to offer, you've gotta pick this book up. I spent 9 days in the country with this book always at my side.

They did their work..........2006-08-08

I am a Trinidadian living in the US for only four years now but this book was still very educational. The truth is, many parts of Trinidad are hard to navigate and few Trinidadians know the whole island.
In addition tourism is not as strongly encouraged as in other islands so it is hard to even get a good map of certain places.
The book presents a realistic, in depth perspective of all the hots spots and also the very obscure ones too.
A good book for the tourist, the local or the curious.

Very helpful.......2005-11-14

I am a Trinidadian who has been living abroad for the past eight years. I had not been back to Trinidad and Tobago since 1999 and was very much out of touch with what was current. I needed to organize a wedding in Trinidad from abroad and accomodation and activities for our foreign guests.
This was one of two guidebooks dedicated only to Trinidad and Tobago in my local bookstore. For this reason alone it already earns its stars because Trinidad and Tobago is not a popular tourist destination so there aren't many guides dedicated to the this country alone.
I thought the sections on accomodations in each locale was well organized and that the information about the places were mostly accurate. There were exhaustive descriptions of each area of Trinidad and Tobago which were very accurate along with long lists of what to see and do in each area and who to call for tours etc. It also contained long lists of bars, restaurants and clubs for all budgets and tastes.
I was very pleased with this book as it helped me immensly in planning of my wedding and accomodations and tours for my guests. Of course one should supplement the information in the book with searches on the internet for things like accomodations and tour guides as I was able to find some cheaper deals which were not included in the book. However, this is also the case with many other travel books on other places which I have visited where I have always found cheaper accomodations and tours etc. from the internet.

Could have been better organized.......2001-05-17

While the authors' passion for their subject is obvious, the information is very poorly organized and scattered all over the place. You have to sit down and read an entire chapter to find some important piece of information nestled away in it. There should be a clear table for T&T's complex transportation system, rather than confusing prose descriptions scattered all over the place. There should be an index of maps. The accommodation section is pretty good. There should be a better chapter on Carnival, with information on how to find the mas camps, buy tickets etc. The biggest gripe I have with it though is that transportation info, which is so crucial, is horribly presented.

Passages of Gold (Treasures of the Caribbean #2)

Average customer rating:

From the back cover

Passages of Gold (Treasures of the Caribbean #2)
Jim Kraus , and Terri Kraus
Manufacturer: Tyndale House Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Action & Adventure | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Romance | Fiction | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Fiction | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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General | Historical | Romance | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0842303820

Customer Reviews:

From the back cover.......2005-01-14

With Radcliffe Spenser and his murderous plot behind them, William and Kathryne seek to find their places on Barbados. Will aspires to be captain of the harbor defenses, and Kathryne must decide which of her suitors to encourage. When Will and Kathryne are at last able to declare their love for one another and join in marriage, they look forward to an idyllic life together. Their dreams are shattered when pirates attack the island, plundering a shipment of gold from the harbor. Now Will must risk all to return the gold and save the reputation of his wife's family.

Average customer rating:

Disappointing ending to well-written book
Average novel about revenge and redemption
A well-told story that reveals all in its own time
Fascinating Read
Nice, tight and fast read

Lights Out
Peter Abrahams
Manufacturer: Mysterious Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Psychological & Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0892964820

Book Description

Eighteen-year-old Eddie Nye was bound for U.S.C. and a bright future that fateful summer in the Bahamas. But somebody set Eddie up. Instead of four years of higher education, he did fifteen behind bars for drug smuggling. Eddie went in innocent, but with three prison murders under his belt, he comes out dangerous. Although all he wants is to stay clean, Eddie’s future won’t be that easy. The nightmares of his past—corruption, greed, and most of all a stunning betrayal—are on a collision course with a daring plot hatched in a prison cell. To learn the secret of his own life, half-hidden in an ancient mariner’s saga, Eddie must face the hardest choice a free man can make.

Customer Reviews:

Disappointing ending to well-written book.......2006-08-08

My first Peter Abrahams book. Liked the writing and the premise. The ending is improbable and unsatisfying, however. I'm in the middle of Abrahams' Oblivion, which is beautifully written. I'll keep reading him.

Average novel about revenge and redemption.......2004-05-05

I wanted to like Peter Abrahams's "Light's Out", but I just couldn't. Eddie Nye is almost likeable, as a newly released prisoner, who served 15 years for a crime he didn't committ. We slowly learn how he got himself into that mess, and we learn that things are not as they seem, with Eddie's brother, for instince. The subplot about Nye trying to figure out about "Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner" is interesting, but doesn't compensate for the weak ending.

A well-told story that reveals all in its own time.......2004-03-24

This is a very well-paced story, with facts and flashbacks slowly being placed on the scales of judgement until what was once intuition becomes fact. Peter Abrahams is a masterful storyteller, who can really deliver the goods; his characterizations are rich, and he has a sense of humor that is a bit raw (and I'm thinking of the Gaucho here). I'm looking forward to my next P.A. book.

Fascinating Read.......2003-12-02

This was an interesting and fascinating book. This guy is a very good writer, and weaves a great story while bobbing back and forth in time. Would definitely recommend.

Nice, tight and fast read.......2002-08-04

I had never heard of Peter Abrahams until I saw his name mentioned four times in the recommended authors section of the Stephen King book "On Writing". Since then I have become a fan.

"Lights Out" is typical of Abrahams' free flowing easy to read style and the length of this book, and infact most of his books, allow for a good 5 to 6 hour read.

The juxtaposition of past and present in this novel is handled immaculately and the ending, although surprising, isn't so difficult to rationalize.

The character of Eddie Nye is well created, gets the reader's sympathy, and I could imagine a movie of this book with the lead being played by one of our better young actors. I hope that will happen.

Amazon.com

The food of the islands has its own special charm--who can resist the call of the jerk? But, in between nibbles of sweet plantain and empanada, we wonder if we'll hate ourselves in the morning when we tally up the fat grams and sodium we consumed the night before. Aiming to take the fear out of the feasting, dietician and culinary instructor Donna Shields has penned Caribbean Light, a healthy romp through the kitchens of our West Indian neighbors.

Shields clearly loves her work and her subject. Making it plain in the introduction that flavor and authenticity are more important to her than cutting every last calorie, she takes our hand and guides us through over 125 fabulous, relatively simple recipes such as Coconut Kerry Chicken, Marinated Palm Hearts, and Drunken Shrimp. Each recipe is followed with information on calories, fat, cholesterol, sodium, vitamins, and minerals, to allow the reader to decide if the pork chop's worth it (it is). Well-indexed and easy-to-use, with informative sidebars on many aspects of Carib cuisine, the only thing this cookbook is missing is illustrations. Viewed as incentive to actually make the dishes, though, perhaps that's not such a bad thing after all. --Rob Lightner

Book Description

Caribbean Light brings you vibrant, good-time, home-style island food that's not only exciting, but healthful and nutritious as well.

Caribbean food is a medley of brilliant colors, bold flavors, and lush presentations.  The cooking techniques combine European, African, Indian, and Chinese influences, and the result is a cuisine with a big, assertive personality.

Using selective but authentic ingredients and lighter cooking methods, Donna Shields harnesses that boldness and, without dimming the color or diminishing its assertiveness, interprets Caribbean cooking for the healthy American lifestyle.

The more than 125 recipes--for such exotically named but easy-to-cook dishes as Coo-Coo (the Caribbean answer to polenta), Suds 'n' Snapper (a tasty poached fish that lets you have your beer and eat it too), Stuffed Banana Lime Voodoo Chicken (the only magic is in the taste), and Pi±a Colada Custard Pie (featuring pineapple and coconut, just like the drink)--are accompanied by notes on their origins, descriptions of tropical ingredients, and short essays on island customs and festivals.  Each of the recipes includes a nutritional breakdown of calories, fat, cholesterol, and sodium.

Donna Shields writes with a touch of whimsy befitting the carefree mood of the islands, and Caribbean Light is an invitation to savor these lusty tropical flavors in a collection of healthful, down-to-earth dishes designed to please American tastes.

Donna Shields, who is a registered dietitian with a master's degree in nutrition communications, lives in Key West, Florida, where she operates Key West Culinary, a consulting firm for restaurant chains and food manufacturers.  She is a former faculty member at the Culinary Institute of America, and her articles on healthful tropical cuisine have been published in Cooking Light, Better Homes & Gardens Low Calorie, Weight Watchers, Caribbean Travel & Life, and Restaurants USA magazines.  She promotes healthful Caribbean cuisine through special events on cruise ships, speaking engagements for the Caribbean Culinary Federation, and on television.

Average customer rating:

Rich, poetic, slices of life
eclectic and thought-provoking
Lopez...
fascinating, didactic, curious
A true pleasure to read!

Light Action in the Caribbean: Stories
Barry Lopez
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

United States | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0679434550
Release Date: 2000-10-31

Amazon.com

A reader can never know for certain how Barry Lopez constructs his stories. But they read as though their author first came up with some utterly compelling image, and the story fit itself around the image. Fans of the author's nature writing in Crossing Open Ground and Arctic Dreams will be pleased to find that often these images express human devotion to the land. In a kind of fantasy piece titled "In the Great Bend of the Souris River," a horseman, adrift in the countryside in North Dakota, encounters two other riders who "could be Cree." The three men ride across the prairie together. "I knew these people no better than two deer I might have stumbled upon, but I was comfortable with them, and the way we fit against the prairie satisfied me. I felt I could ride a very long way like this, absorbed by whatever it was we now shared, a kind of residency." In "Remembering Orchards," a character recalls with regret his orchardist stepfather whom he wishes he'd known better and who died "contorted in his bed like a root mass."

Lopez introduces other, more disturbing images here as well, perhaps most notably in the title story, wherein a woman travels with her boyfriend to a diving resort in the Caribbean. In a weird twist on J.D. Salinger's "A Perfect Day for Bananafish," the trip ends in brutal bloodshed, which Lopez describes in chillingly affectless prose. The story contains this stunner of a sentence: "The first bullet tore through his left triceps, the second, third, fourth, and fifth hit nothing, the sixth perforated his spleen, the seventh and eighth hit nothing, the ninth hit the console, sending electrical sparks up, the tenth went through his right palm, the next four went into the air, the fifteenth tore his left ear away, the sixteenth ricocheted off the sixth cervical vertebra and drove down through his heart, exiting through his abdomen and lodging in his foot." There's no escape from Lopez's images; they come after us. --Claire Dederer

Book Description

Moving from fable and historical fiction to contemporary realism, this book of stories from Barry Lopez is erotic and wise, full of irresistible characters doing things they shouldn't do for reasons that are mysterious and irreducible. In "The Letters of Heaven," a packet of recently discovered 17th-century Peruvian love letters presents a 20th-century man with the paralyzing choice of either protecting or exposing their stunning secret. When some young boys on the lookout for easy money get caught with a truckload of stolen horses, thievery quickly turns into redemption. For a group of convicts, a gathering of birds in the prison yard may be the key to transcendence, both figurative and literal. And, with the title story, Lopez enters a territory of unmitigated evil reminiscent of Conrad. Here are saints who shouldn't touch, but do; sinners who insist on the life of the spirit; a postcard paradise that turns into nightmare.

Light Action in the Caribbean has already been hailed by Russell Banks as "tough-minded, emotionally turbulent, and always intelligent." E. Annie Proulx describes these stories as "subtle and mysterious" and says that a reader "cannot leave Lopez's fictional territory unchanged." This is a book that breaks exciting new ground for Barry Lopez.

Customer Reviews:

Rich, poetic, slices of life.......2006-09-25

What a pleasure to discover this book of absolutely beautiful stories. This is an author who has clearly lived life to the fullest and has accummulated a vast store of wisdom and understanding of what it means to be human. Lopez writes poetically and with deep conviction and respect for his characters. Too bad he doesn't write novels--could be another Steinbeck, maybe.

These are stories that will stay with you for a long time.

eclectic and thought-provoking.......2001-04-27

These stories are all over the map -- from 17th century love letters between Peruvian saints to a 20th century mappist who devotes his life to his practice. This is my first encounter with Lopez, but his excellent writing is evident throughout. Though I didn't like all the stories (the Lords one was the weakest I thought), I found his subject matter so interesting and the ideas so gripping that I couldn't put it down. Lopez has a knack for creating a sense of place from the land. These stories contain some beautiful slices of Americana and some memorable scenes and characters. I love the story about the 17th century saints. Many gems in this short collection.

Lopez..........2001-01-16

Beautiful stories...except for the title piece. This is a violent and subpar work for this very gifted writer.

fascinating, didactic, curious.......2001-01-11

This collection of stories stretches the range of stories that Lopez has published, but that also means that he works outside the range of which he is a true master.

Remembering Orchards is vintage Lopez - an excellent tale of a step father, a step son's growing to appreciate his step father, and a gently given didactic message regarding pesticides.

Stolen Horses is another vintage Lopez - a young man, drifting in life, getting lured into crime - with a gentle didactic message regarding ranchers being priced out of their land.

In the Garden of the Lords of War is a tale that consists of a single image of achieving/maintaining peace. The story is description and, while interesting, fails both as story and as entralling description.

Ruben Mendoza Vega, Suzuki Professor of Early Caribbean History, University of Florida at Gainesville, Offers a History of the United States Based on Personal Experience has an interesting structure - a very short "story" with extensive footnotes which provides the real story - that of the colonial families' power in Cuba.

Emory Bear Hands' Birds is a delightful indictment of our system of incarceration in the context of a story of Native American beliefs.

The remaining stories have similar variety and message. These are good stories, worth reading, but far from the best of Barry Lopez.

A true pleasure to read!.......2000-12-06

In this slim volume of short fiction, Barry Lopez quietly evokes landscapes: of the earth, of the mind, and of the heart. Some stories, such as "Stolen Horses," are simply told; others have a multi-layered richness. In "The Mappist" (my personal favorite), a man solves a mystery of pseudonymity as he tracks down a skilled mapmaker who alternately worked for the U.S. Geological Survey and secretly hand-drew elaborate, knowing maps accompanied by passionate text. Here, the reader glimpses the shape and color of the past, present, and future and what it means for two men who see them all in the lay of the land. "The Letters of Heaven" confronts the humanity of saints, and how one man reconciles passion and God. Not all stories are equally successful; in the title story the brutal conclusion seems oddly out of place, as though it belongs to another story. Still, these stories are artfully told, in language that sometimes startles with its simple beauty.

Average customer rating:

Fastastic Voyage
tougher critic
Funny, Inspiring, Thrillseeker's Dream
Magical prose reflecting on excellent adventures
Sail away! Sail away! Sail away!

Adrift on a Sea of Blue Light

Manufacturer: Afro-Indies Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Gambia & Senegal | Africa | Travel | Subjects | Books
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Gone to Come Back

ASIN: 0976139707

Product Description

Peter Muilenburg has lived in the Virgin Islands for almost 40 years, building boats and sailing his gaff-rigged ketch throughout the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, and along the African coast. Here are his true tales, many previously published in magazines such as Islands, SAIL and Reader's Digest. Peter's passion for the sea, the stars, his family, his boat and the islands themselves is mirrored in his sensuous prose, his ear for dialogue, and his talent for transporting the reader to the place and time of his Caribbean imagination, and to his wondrous insights into island (and everyday) life. * * "DELIGHTFUL . . Muilenburg has the enviable ability to write as if he were talking with a friend . . immerse yourself in the world beyond, and a life lived simply but full of riches." SAIL, 12/05 * "SEAWORTHY . . During their adventures, Muilenburg and his wife, Dorothy, find themselves building boats, raising two sons . . and narrowly escaping would-be disasters . . Many of the 32 stories are full of intriguing encounters . . With his self-deprecating humor and zest for life, Muilenburg's collection is an entertaining read that will make you want to set sail." ISLANDS, 06/05 * "I don't know when I have enjoyed a book of stories more than 'Adrift' . . The tales revealed are warm, human, poignant and hysterically funny . . The accompanying black and white photos . . lend a dreamy and exquisite aura to the pages . .This book is a wonderful way to get away from it all and I cannot praise it enough." ALL AT SEA, 07/05 (see below). * "The author . . has the generous outlook of a seasoned world traveler . . [A] book I would heartily recommend to all cruisers and armchair sailors . ." CARIBBEAN COMPASS, 10/05 * "[This] incredible book . . is probably one the best books to come out of St. John, ever." St. John Sun Times, 5/20/05. * "Read this book . . Muilenburg deserves an A+." Paul Leary, The Daily News (St. Thomas), 3/22/05.

Customer Reviews:

Fastastic Voyage.......2007-03-06

While the stories captivated me and Muilenberg's pacing kept me turning page after page to find out what happens next, the passages that gripped me the most were his descriptions of the natural beauty of the Caribbean. His astonishment at the colors and awesomeness and the astounding beauty of the natural world resonated with my own experience, although I could not have described it as poetically as he has. I read this book in St. John and so could observe directly some of the sights he describes; reading his stories deepened my own pleasure in being in that special part of the world. A superbly enjoyable read.

tougher critic.......2007-02-02

I found Peter's writing wonderful, and enjoyed his sailing stories. My reason for three stars is that more than half the stories center around his dog, saving his dog, his dog's bark, etc. etc.

Funny, Inspiring, Thrillseeker's Dream.......2006-11-29

WOW! I only wished I had boarded Breath on my recent visit to St. John. I am speechless. Your stories, your life, your finishing of your mast, even your skipperkee. Smelling the Lignum Vitae and sensing it smelling of wood but responding/sounding like stone. I am now another devoted and enlisted friend. Remarkable, how you have come to tell the story, brilliant story-teller, by the way. Loved your writing style. Funny, inspiring, authentic and thrilling all in one.

The stories..I loved each and everyone of these. Of course the story of Denton Bridge and survival and your dog Santos had to be the most amazing of all. Also of Dorothy's commitment as a partner, spouse, mother, teacher who allowed you to live out your dream and to keep you grounded and supported, albeit, not always to her liking.

This is real life on the seas. Thanks for sharing and caring.

Magical prose reflecting on excellent adventures.......2006-10-13

The first time I picked up Peter's excellent work I flipped open to the middle and began reading about guerillas in Venezuelan mountains, and thought to myself, "This isn't something I want to read about." I laid it back down. Shame on me! I almost missed a real treat. Recently, I was given a copy as a going away present before moving back stateside from the Virgin Islands, and from the time I opened it on the ferry ride from St. Thomas to St. John I scarcely laid it down, save to sleep. I found myself totally mesmerized by Peter's magically descriptive prose that indelibly imprinted on my mind's eye scenes of the excellent adventures he shares here. His unique perspectives on life aboard his homebuilt sailing vessel, Breath, sailing around the Caribbean and beyond,from the miraculous recovery of his boat dog, Santos, after losing him at sea, to raising his sons on a boat had me alternately laughing out loud and then in tears. The lively manner with which he shares his stories, as if talking to a close friend, captivated me, and his anecdotes re-conjured for me the essence of the sea faring life that I have so loved. Thank you, Peter, for sharing your sojurn with us all.

Sail away! Sail away! Sail away!.......2006-07-15

I thoroughly enjoyed ADRIFT ON A SEA OF BLUE LIGHT. Peter Muilenburg's writing style, and the very words themselves drew me into the boat and onto the sea with Peter and his family. Sometimes I would read the chapters to my husband, prefaced with "Listen to how eloquently he words this!" or "Listen to this story!". My husband jumped on board, reading the book himself, enjoying it equally. We had our own Book Club!

We have ourselves enjoyed a few visits to St John (camping at Cinnamon Bay, Maho, and Concordia) and were therefore able to picture some of the scenes about which Peter wrote.

For those of us land locked souls, the book takes us to sea, and alas, I was sad when the last page was read and our voyage with Peter and his family came to an end.

Dark Side of the Light: Slavery and the French Enlightenment

Average customer rating:

A tough book that led me nowhere

Dark Side of the Light: Slavery and the French Enlightenment
Louis Sala-Molins
Manufacturer: Univ Of Minnesota Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Slavery & Emancipation | World | History | Subjects | Books

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Political | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 081664389X

Book Description

Enlightenment thinkers such as Rousseau and Montesquieu are best known for their humanist theories and liberating influence on Western civilization. But as renowned French intellectual Louis Sala-Molins shows, Enlightenment discourses and scholars were also complicit in the Atlantic slave trade, becoming instruments of oppression and inequality.

Translated into English for the first time, Dark Side of the Light scrutinizes Condorcet’s Reflections on Negro Slavery and the works of Montesquieu, Rousseau, and Diderot side by side with the Code Noir (the royal document that codified the rules of French Caribbean slavery) in order to uncover attempts to uphold the humanist project of the Enlightenment while simultaneously justifying slavery. Wielding the pen of both the ironist and the moralist, Sala-Molins demonstrates the flawed nature of these attempts and the reasons given for this denial of rights, from the imperatives of public order to the incomplete humanity of the slave (and thus the need for his progressive humanization through slavery), to the economic prosperity that depended on his labor. At the same time, Sala-Molins uses the techniques of literature to give equal weight to the perspective of the “barefooted, the starving, and the slaves” through expository prose and scenes between slave and philosopher, giving moral agency and flesh-and-blood dimensions to issues most often treated as abstractions.

Both an urgent critique and a measured analysis, Dark Side of the Light reveals the moral paradoxes of Enlightenment philosophies and their world-changing consequences.

Louis Sala-Molins is a moral and political philosopher and emeritus professor at the University of Toulouse. He is the author of many books, including Le Code Noir, ou Le calvaire de Canaan and L’Afrique aux Amériques.

John Conteh-Morgan is associate professor of French and Francophone, African-American, and African studies at Ohio State University. He is the author of Theatre and Drama in Francophone Africa: A Critical Introduction.

Customer Reviews:

A tough book that led me nowhere.......2006-12-14

This translated book on the enlightenment and slavery in the French Caribbean is not for the beginner. It is a tough read that requires a very good knowledge of enlightenment thinkers. A through understanding of Rousseau is necessary to grasp the finer points that the author tries to present. Overall I found myself lost in the technical writing and found the ideas too abstract to truly grasp. I have enjoyed many books about the enlightenment but this was far too much of a rant. This is really only for the true enlightenment fans.

A Question of Gravity and Light (Camino Del Sol)

Average customer rating:

A thoughtful examination of loss and the hope for restoration.

A Question of Gravity and Light (Camino Del Sol)
Blas Falconer
Manufacturer: University of Arizona Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Carribean & Latin American | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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The Perfect Hour

ASIN: 0816526222

Book Description

It is rare to find contemporary American poetry that speaks to readers with engaging directness, free of pretense or posturing. That is exactly the kind of poetry that Blas Falconer writes. In his first collection, Falconer presents 46 poems that are emotionally forthright and linguistically evocative but written without affectation or subterfuge. Although Falconer is formally trained and is aware of the structures and potential of both free verse and traditional poetic forms, he crafts exquisite, heartfelt poems that surprise us with their simple intensity. Whether writing about the mysteries of childhood or the pleasures of cruising for gay sex in a metropolitan airport, he surprises us with the delicacy of his touch, never obvious or heavy-handed. As a gay man who embraces his Puerto Rican heritage, Falconer stands at an edge of American society, and there is the tension of borders in his work: borders between peoples and nations as well as the less visible, more porous and deceptive borders between family members and lovers. There is not one point of view in these poems but many. It is the quality of their observational power that binds them together. Whether the setting is the hospital room of his dying grandfather or his own backyard teeming with garrulous tree frogs, Falconer transports us to the scene. It is easy for us to imagine what he sees. And we care, deeply, just as he does.

Customer Reviews:

A thoughtful examination of loss and the hope for restoration........2007-07-25

In the book's opening poem, "Dead Reckoning," the poet makes us aware that he has prepared for the journey he will take us on when he says "the morning woke up dark and tired." This tells us that the speaker was up before morning, watching the day come alive. As the reader explores with Falconer the subjects of loss, restoration and transformation, she may proceed with the knowledge that her host has been thoughtful, has looked both behind and ahead for those moments that are worth taking a closer look at.

"A Question of Gravity and Light" includes poems from Falconer's debut chapbook, "The Perfect Hour." Since I have already reviewed the chapbook (search for Blas Falconer "The Perfect Hour" on Amazon to find that collection and my review), I will not touch on any of those poems in this review.

Falconer has a great talent for expression through imagery. In "Lament" the subject of the poem "[closes] a door on a field of fireflies." At the end of the poem the reader will find the subject waking up, wondering where the last day has gone, how it passed. Notice, though, how with the concise image of closing a door on a field of fireflies, the poet points out how actively, however unconscious it may seem, we pass up opportunities for awe, magic, things that are rare and exceptional--how responsible we are for the loss of our own time.

Nowhere is Falconer's use of imagery stronger than in "A Story of Winter." This is, quite simply, a powerful poem. The music is very appealing, the tone an rhythm are careful, and the voice is clear yet just understated enough to avoid imposing itself on the poem. What exactly is going on in "A Story of Winter" is unclear. There is snow, a piano, some candles burning. The snow increases and diminishes. The poem may be the progression of one day, of one winter, or many years. What seems rather definite is that a brother and sister were skating on a frozen lake, the ice broke, and the brother was lost. The rest of the poem is an examination of the stillness that winter brings in the sad country home where there is "candlelight / along the walls, wavering. Like water. / Like light on water."

In "What You Know," the primary speaker is being questioned and, again, Falconer's striking image of "the statue of Antaeus, / his body in the arms / of another man" and how the speaker "thought it was love" is turned in the last lines of the poem to show how when we experience loss, we go through some change in how we perceive what we have lost. "And now? / I know he was crushing him." There are different ways of interpreting the speaker's change in perspective. Perhaps the speaker has grown from experience and recognizes that what he believed was love was, in fact, something else. However, the poet may be pointing out that when we lose something that is good, we must try to remember it as something that was bad or hurtful to cope with the loss, to convince ourselves that we have actually gained some goodness by losing something.

"Gravity and Light" includes a series of poems with the common title "Letter From the Cumberland," the Cumberland being a river in Tennessee (Falconer currently resides in Nashville). In one "Letter From the Cumberland" (p. 43) the tone of the book makes a defined shift from focusing mainly on loss and dwelling on loss to the idea that restoration, or at least something beyond loss, may be possible. The speaker sees a "bronze bird... / tipped wings spread / as if it could." Could what? Fly? Withstand the wind? We cannot say exactly from the context of the poem, and it really is not important. The point is that the speaker sees possibility. The irony, of course, is that the bird is not a living bird, but a bronze statue. So the speaker may be assessing the situation of the bird as futile, as though it does not matter what position the bronze animal was given by its sculptor, since the thing will never move. Perhaps possibility is only a pose.

In "Prayer" the poet notes that as night falls, everything blends into darkness and there are no shapes, the world becomes one consistent shape of nothing. However, in the concluding stanza the speaker asks that "all... / in time and shape, / become themselves again." The context of the poem would suggest that the speaker is referring to the many inanimate objects and material possessions in his home be as they were before when light returns. Maybe this is the speaker's small step, the first longing, that those things which should not have any power to move on their own, should not have any power to leave or walk away, will not develop it. It may be a call for control, for the speaker's desire alone to make as much difference as action, to become a natural law, like the laws of physics that should keep all objects in their places unless they are acted upon. The speaker may be asking that, at least this one night, no action be taken but his own. Let something wait for him to wake up, let the world stop while he does. Of course, one may infer from the poem that the speaker's desires go well beyond the realm of inanimate objects and that what the speaker is really pleading for is that when something is lost to, or obscured by, darkness that they can be the same, that they can be restored to what they were by the return of light.

"The Battle of Nashville" presents the reader with a speaker resolved to be part of something good, something living despite the possibility of loss. "We're not brave / but we find each other in bed at night," he says, and "I think they are afraid. I think this is love." Things may change, death may come, we may not always stand up as others do for what we believe in, we may lose each other. But maybe love is staying even when we know all of that. Maybe love is fighting all of that.

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Fun story
Imaginative and Original!
Pirates
I Couldn't Put It Down!
What an imagination!

Pirates
Linda Lael Miller
Manufacturer: Pocket Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Romance | Subjects | Books

General | Contemporary | Romance | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0671527320

Book Description

Now Linda Lael Miller sweeps readers away -- and through times itself -- when a thoroughly modern woman encounters a dangerous, dashing eighteenth-century buccaneer is a sensuous, joyous, utterly hearwarming tale of love....

Phoebe Turlow needs to get out of Seattle and forget about the man she just divorced, her dwindling finances, and the lonely nights that stretch ahead of her. But she can't foresee what awaits her on Paradise lsland....

Duncan Rourke is known to historians as "the pirate patriot." He's been dead for two centuries -- or at least he's supposed to be, until Phoebe Turlow steps out of a van, into a run-down island hotel, and into his world.

Neither Phoebe nor her pirate can envision the glorious venture that is about to unfold. They understand only that they have found each other, and a grand passion across the chasm of time...and they fear only the moment when it may vanish. Passionate, emotional, and completely entrancing, Pirates will steal your heart.

Customer Reviews:

Fun story.......2006-07-24

It may be a little far fetched but it is a very enjoyable read and a lot of fun. I would love to see more stories like this one. You can't help but love Phoebe and Duncan. I highly recommend this book. Especially if you want an easy romance... you won't be able to put it down.

Imaginative and Original!.......2004-11-20

This is an imaginative tale that is masterfully written. The characters and lovable, and orginal as is the story itself. Ms. Miller managed to create an amazing bond between two people in a very short time.

Phoebe is mysteriously tranported back into a time of pirates through a magical elevator that servered as a gateway. On the other side she meats Duncan who for all his brashnes turns out to be the man of Phoebe's dreams. The story follows them through many twists and turns taking the reader on an emotional roller coaster ride.

Ms. Miller has made even the most unlikely of events seem to be real. This is a book that you will be glad you read.

Pirates.......2002-03-27

I read this book in one day. And I fell in love with Duncan. This was one of the best books I have ever read. I reccomend this to anyone who wants a break from everyday life to live in a fantasy. You'll love it, I promise.

I Couldn't Put It Down!.......2002-03-26

I really enjoy books on time-travel. This book was the best yet. I was really upset when I was done. Not because it was bad, but because I wanted more! I finished it in two day while telling my kids "uh huh" and "yeah" and having absolutely no idea what they were talking about. It was just an excellent book. I felt like I really knew the characters and I would love to see Linda write a sequel.

What an imagination!.......2001-01-03

What an imagination Linda Lael Miller has! Yet once the reader accepts the basic premise of her time-travel fantasy, Miller keeps her story fast-moving and consistent within the premise of that fantasy. Along the way, Linda painlessly has included a fair amount of colonial history--not to mention some spicy love scenes. A fun, escapist read. Hats off to Ms. Miller.

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Of Basic Importance to Gardening in a Tropical Climate.
Of Basic Importance to Gardening in a Tropical Climate.
Challenges and Opportunities

Gardening in the Caribbean
Iris Bannochie , and Marilyn Light
Manufacturer: Macmillan Caribbean
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0333565738

Customer Reviews:

Of Basic Importance to Gardening in a Tropical Climate........2001-08-12

This book deserves five stars because it is the only gardening book extant that covers issues and concerns important and specific to Caribbean gardening. Had Mrs. Bannochie lived to see her book published, it is quite probable that it would have been far more comprehensive.

Chapter Two is invaluable for providing information on how to propagate specific climate appropriate plants. Chapter Four continues in the same vein, providing a comprehensive listing of tried and true favorites and pointers on how to grow them. My only criticisms are that the photographs (plates) in the center of the book are not of better quality and larger, that the tables at the end of the book fail to evaluate soil type on all the islands, and that there are so few diagrams or illustrations generally. Of course these paltry concerns may be remedied in a future revision. It is apparent that the co-author, Marilyn Light, faced a significant challenge in completing the book, and she is to be complimented for remaining true to Bannochie's vision.

Bannochie's writing style can be compared to having a conversation with an experienced, hands-on gardener while she strolls with you through her garden pointing out her favorite plants. Thus, I believe that one can actually sense which parts of the book were written by Marilyn Light after Bannochie's untimely death.

My copy of this book was lost or water damaged when my home was destroyed by hurricane on two different occasions. That I searched for and purchased it three times, is an indication of how important a reference it is for obtaining a general knowledge of not just Caribbean gardening, but gardening in any similar tropical climate.

Of Basic Importance to Gardening in a Tropical Climate........2001-08-12

Challenges and Opportunities.......2000-03-02

Iris Bannochie was one of the most influential horticulturalists in the Caribbean. This book contains vast amounts of information on plantings in general, specific plants, soil maintainence, pests and recommended plants for various settings and purposes.

This book was written toward the end of Mrs. Bannochie's lifetime of gardening in the Caribbean and contains many, many seemingly insignificant details that are gold to the tropical gardener. Upon her death, she bequeathed her home to the Nation of Barbados, and the site is now the famous Andromeda Gardens.

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