If you ever thought that paperback novels - even spy novels - were for airports or a quick read on the train home DO NOT READ THESE!
I became seriously adicted to Len Deighton after three chapters of 'Berlin Game' - and you could too! Poetic, ironic, cleverly plotted and evocative, these first three of the nine novel series will have you burning midnight oil and missing meals. Bernard Samson is surely the most clearly realised character from any spy story. His moral struggles to stay true to his ideals whilst everone around him sells out to power or money will have you caring about him as never before. There is never an easy get out or glib phrase. I have read all nine novels five times and still am ready for more. Can you now resist???

In Bernard Samson Len Deighton created an everyman character who is smart, tough, intuitive, and is double crossed by everyone he cares about. Since I've read (and re-read) all 9 of the Bernard Samson nonology, it's hard to limit my comments just to "Game, Set, and Match". In any event, Bernard was betrayed by his wife in several different ways, by his best friend in truly horrible fashion, and by all of his cohorts at SIS. These are great and very readable spy stories, but they also provide a very real look into the dishonesty confronting all of us. That is, one never knows how the world looks to friends and colleagues, and when they are being honest and when they are lying. These are really great books that I would recommend to anyone!

Len Deighton is the perfect antidote for those sick and tired of Tom Clancy novels. In all of Deighton's works, the human is the center of the book, and the dialogue and the characters are outstanding. No thrilling machines or gadgets to get in the way of a good spy novel here. I read all of the Game, Set and Match books when they were published, and then all the following books in the series. I just can't get enough of Bernard Samson, Fiona, Bret, Dickie, Werner et al. These are the most memorable characters I've ever come across in the spy genre. They are all believable, possessing strengths and vulnerabilities that we all have. All are driven by duty, love, deceit, conceit and are capable of treachery. Too bad the Cold War had to end so soon. I sort of wish that the Berlin Wall didn't have to come down so that Mr. Deighton can continue to write about the exploits of Bernard Samson.

God, what a read! Like a novel, almost, full of surprises and little historical bits that will enrich your visit to Baja beyond measure... it was my first visit to Mexico, in 1957, and reading this book takes me back to my childhood visions of a place where the air is miraculous, the sand clean and white, the people like brothers and sisters. Read this book in the teeth of winter, to survive the snowbound months. And if you want to give someone a gift when they're Baja-bound, give them this book. Truly a miraculous treasure.

I loved this book. It will make you laugh, make you cry, and make you want to go to this amazing peninsula asap. Or go there again. (What else is a Baja Buff to do?)

Miraculous Air was very enjoyable to read. It has lots of historical & political information but it's a "page-turner" all the way to end, which was a quite a surprise.

This lady brought me to love a land and people in a manner I never dreamed possible. A must read for the romantic as well as the pedantic.

... this writing is like the geography [of Baja], desert surrounded by water. Rich, yet sparse; full, yet hungry. Like Mexico, full of soul. This book is much more than a regional tale: it is the beginning of a literature of Baja ...

I bought this book and it was so enjoyable that I read it in one sitting! I read constantly, but I can only think of three or four times in my life where I've read a book straight through. It's a wonderful story and I can't wait to pass it on to some friends...

(From Planeta Journal) - Ready to explore one of the world's most intriguing regions? Take your trip with Christopher Shaw who introduces readers to the Usumacinta River and its magnificent watershed that stretches across the Mexico-Guatemala border in his new book, Sacred Monkey River (New York: W.W. Norton, 2000).

Subtitled "A Canoe Trip with the Gods," this notable book traces the author's canoe trips running the great river. Unlike many adventure travel narratives in which the author plunges into an unknown terrain, Shaw aims for comprehension rather than searching for misadventure. The result is an account which combines the best of travel literature and environmental reporting.

Few travelers opt for the watery path, particularly with the threat of hijackings and shootings in such a remote area. But Shaw, an accomplished river guide and an enthusiast of the Maya culture, will not be deterred.

"In classical art, two gods pictured as canoeists, accompanied travelers on both actual and metaphysical journeys," Shaw explains. "Both gods paddle the souls of the dead to the Otherworld and the cosmic canoe -- the Milky Way -- across the sky."

Shaw also connects with the environmentalists in the region, including Fernando Ochoa and Ronald Nigh -- two pioneers in developing sustainable agricultural practices in the region.

The book is a veritable "Who's Who" in the region. Meet Scott Davis of Ceiba Adventures, Maya scholars Linda Schele and David Freidel, Moises Morales, the owner of El Pachan and Victor Perera, author of The Last Lords of Palenque.

The book is divided into 12 chapters and boasts the 1953 Franz Blom map of the Selva Lacandona on the inside book cover. What would be useful additions would be a map of the author's expeditions and an index of places and names.

Sacred Monkey River deserves a long shelf-life and it will no doubt be consulted for many years by travelers and environmentalists alike.

This is the real thing folks. No more cute travel stories that romanticize without substance, that Disneyize and exaggerate. This book is the story of the author's courageous and thoughtful trip through an amazingly historical place that is also presently complicated and important. However, the author comes at it from a personal angle: the cosmology of canoes. We learn the importance of canoe travel not only to the Maya but to the author and people in general. That connects to the Maya cosmology and culture, the sense of place that is inherent in living in a watershed and having your existence contingent to flowing water (whether you live in the Lacandon forest or Westchester County), the importance of the geography of the region to the people who live there, and then finally to how all this connects to the Zapatista movement and the modern, and not so modern (this thing is full of scholarly but apt historical asides) plight of the indigenous Maya. All along the way you get to like the author, in his sometimes goofy gringo ways but his omnipresent awareness of his own place within the experience. Sprinkle in healthy doses of heart-thumping whitewater in canoes with inexperienced bow-men, death defying swims, life-threatening bandits, and tight, musical prose, and you've got one heck of a book. I tell you what, Shaw's got it right, the same way Matthiesson did. I recommend this book extremely highly. I wish it were getting more publicity. Read it. Its important.

This book has been a genuine page turner for me, and as I approached the end I tried not to read too much at each sitting so I could prolong its pleasures.

It is for anyone interested in Mesoamerica, Mayan culture, canoeing as adventure, or boats as the movers of trade and ideas. Also for anyone who is lusting for an otherworld experience, metaphorically or actually, though trave, boating, psychogenic drugs, or all of the above. It is full of honest hard-nosed obserevation of nature and the specific nature of this area, and at the same time streches for and is able to peek at the"final" trip, perhaps as many civilizatins saw it, goin on a craft down a river or out to sea/see. shaw effortlessly intertwines some Spanish into his evocative--dare I use the word--poetic English, always aiming for and touching precision and clarity without sacrificing mystery. On, I believe, its deepest level, the language as well as the story drew me into the unknow, into the future, and of course the past as well.

The forward by Jacqueline Larralde de Saenz is really terrific, very loving and detailed. I liked it. It brings the reader right into the book and the author's point of view, from the vantage point of this highly respected anthropologist. Highly recommended reading.

This is a fantastic book, really well written. It is also fun, funny and unusual. It sees things most people don't see. It notices and it describes and it informs. I loved it and am planning to give it to friends as a gift.

Mystery, enigma, consternation...all words associated with the Maya. This book, however, sees them in more intimate, more reasonable and more logical form. A wonderful travel book, great descriptions of the Maya World, but also a sensible approach to their culture. Be sure to read "The Other Side of Yesterday, the China-Maya Connection", by the same author. Thought provoking and exciting!

One regrettable consequence of Garcia Marquez's fame is that Latin American literature has come to be identified exclusively with "magical realism". Everything has to be extraordinary, epic, full of tropical lust, palms, jaguars, people having sex in every corner, flying to the sky with a pineapple on their heads. But Latin America is a vast continent producing artist of universal stature, even if the rest of the world decides (to their disadvantage) to ignore all but the folkloric.

Well, Juan Rulfo is a master of the highest sort and this book is NOT magical realism, but pure, hard realism. He only wrote two books, this one and "Pedro Paramo", another masterpiece which I also don't count as magical realism, although some do, as well as a few lesser works. He didn't need to write much. His is a literature worked and reworked restlessly, until reaching perfection. Every single word fits perfectly with the rest. There are no digressions, no philosophy, no theories or grand landscapes. All his tales develop in Southern Jalisco, in a poor, dry, vast, sunburned and sad land. The prose is also dry, precise, economical and to the point. The characters are ignorant, miserable, but conscious and courageous. The titles say much: "It's because we are so poor" is one of them. However, you will not find self-pity or corny sad tales. Only bits of human misery perfectly narrated. By the way, this is the first review I write for Amazon in which I use the word "perfect". Probably it won't happen again, with one or two exceptions.

ANGST. This is the best word to describe the human landscape that Rulfo has portrayed in this collection of short stories. A lanscape of extreme sorrow that blossoms over the arid plain, where poverty, opression and ignorance intermingle with faith to shape the tragedy of the post-revolutionary rural Mexico. A tragedy that has lived over 70 years and that may help explaining the nature of the mexican people, their doings and fears. But moreover its social meanings, Juan Rulfo, has created a masterpiece of storytelling, not only at the Latin-american level, but rather as an universal gift. This is not magic realism alà Garcia Marquez or Isabel Allende. This is bare boned reality, told with the beauty and the ease that just a master can reach, in which the words mix perfectly for creating short bursts of narrative, perfectly solved stories, that will fill the mind, the mouth and the eyes of the reader with the burnt sand of the plains, with the ashes of the dead, with the tears of the desperate. If you're ready to follow Tanilo's bloody footsteps toward Talpa, to hunt toads with Macario, or to fall under the spell of Niño Anacleto's preaching, or under the spell of misterious rural Mexico, dive into the pages of this collection of short stories, and compare it with any other you have already read, and you will understand why Rulfo never writed any further. Because he almost reached perfection.

Sorry, I did not buy this book from Amazon, but I will by the other Rulfo books available. I found this book in a used book store, I happened to be browsing through. I don't even know what caught my eye, but what a find. This is so beautifully written. I must admit that though I at one time had a strong interest in the Mexican Revolution, I have forgottem much of what I learned, so some of the stories were hard for me to understand in their historical context. The writing is so evocative, however, that it doesn't matter. The feeling of desolation is almost too overwhelming. I was reminded somewhat of Ernest Hemingway by the use of short declarative sentences, also I suppose because Hemingway often used Spanish phrasing in his work. The best writing, in my opinion, evokes a feeling rather than describing it. Rulfo accomplishes that amazingly.

I have read other accounts of the Mixica, most notably by Michael D. Coe, but none of them hit upon the complexity involving the meeting of Cortes and Montecuzoma as this book did. Drawing on dialog from Bernal Diaz (The Discovery and Conquest of Mexico-also another great read), Collis has stripped away the dryness of other books, on this subject, that were written primarily for academia, leaving the intimate human perspective to the greatness of both of these men and the circumstances that caused each to react as he did. As did Diaz's book, this book made me feel as though I were sitting beside Cortes and Montecuzoma as the drama of their meeting unfolded. For those who are students, as a vocation or avocation, of the ancient cultures that inhabited this continent this is a must book to read and have on hand to reread over and again because you won't want it to end.

The incredible chain of events that led to the conquest of Mexico by a small group of Spaniards is wonderfull told by Maurice Collis in this fascinating book. Well organised and stylishly written, the book includes many quotations from contemporary sources, as well as some very vivid descriptions of the places and persons involved. Collis's understanding of the events and his clear and involving style make Cortes and Montezuma an extraordinary piece of historical writing.

The complex characters and motivations of both central figures are explained in detail. According to Collis, Montezuma was a generous, devout and able ruler, but at the same time he was a tyrannical monster who indulged in endless orgies of ritual murder; Cortes was a civilized and enterprising explorer who brought enlightenment to a oppressed land but he was also the bringer of death and destruction to a complex and fascinating civilization. The author also explains the amazing astrological-magical religion of the Mexicans and how it made the conquest possible.

This is probably the best book on the subjet, a veritable page turner that will help you understand one of the most incredible events in history.

The story of the conquest of the remarkable Aztec civilization by Cortes' handful of Spaniards is an incredible drama. The accounts of Bernal Diaz and Prescott tell it well, but at considerable length, and with only a superficial comprehension of what motivated the Mexicans' responses to Cortes' invasion. What makes Corliss's succinct and compelling account so insightful and remarkable, to me, is his sympathetic understanding of the Mexicans' and Montezuma's complex astrological-magical religion, and how it decisively shaped their actions. He understands a pre-modern time when religious beliefs were the predominant context for social and individual actions, as well as the importance of Cortes' religious faith, and he notes the fascinating paradoxes and ironies that resulted from the primary actors' actions based on their respective religious convictions.

But regardless of that, this is simply a wonderful read. My one regret is that the book wasn't accompanied by illustrations to convey the extraordinary richness (and horror) of the Aztec civilization, as well as the difficult and stunning terrain where the action took place.

As a footnote, it is fascinating to contrast the ethos of the Conquistadores with that of the North American settlers so well described in Albion's Seed.

I spent 3 weeks in the Yucatan this fall and this book helped make my trip very enjoyable. I traveled to Merida, campeche, cozmel, cancun, plus many of the ruin sites and this book proved to be an acurate and reliable friend! If you like to travel on your own and seek out those outta the way places this is the book for you. I also enjoyed "Tourist in the Yucatan" fun thriller adventure novel set in the yucatan.

This book is jam packed with in-depth information about the Yucatan including a full chapter on the Maya, another chapter on the history of the region, on top of all the important travel-related information that you usually see in travel books. I have a few books on the region and I think this is one of the best!

Nick Rider's travel guide is by far the best book for visiting Maya/Toltec sites in this region. I always use a Cadogan guide when one is available. They are the most intelligently written and informative of all the guide books currently on the market.

Although they can be a bit dry, they are normally written by people who really know their subject well. Rough Guide/Lonely Planet/Let's Go guides, for example, are heavy and filled with reams of irrelevant pages you will never look at if you have ever ventured outside the safety of your living room. Cadogan guides assume you have a brain and you want to find out as much about the local area as possible - while still providing the essential travel tips.

This one covers the Mayan region of Southern Mexico, Belize and Guatemala. Where it excels is its descriptions of the amazing archaeological sites you will encounter, their history and the relationship between indigenous Maya people and those descended from the Conquistadors.

The author was a postgraduate in Mesoamerican studies and provides - what I think - is one of the best introductions to Mayan culture, architecture and its famous calendar that I have encountered. For those who are interested there's also a list of further Maya reading, a great food section and loads of stuff on towns/cities, travel timetables and dinky places to stay.

Armed with this book, you'll really feel you are being accompanied by a knowledgeable guide who isn't there solely to relieve you of your money. On many occasions I found the book more insightful than hiring a local.

Thankfully, Cadogan have revamped the cover and it looks much better.

I found this book to be very comprehensive on the history and process of tequilla making. The focus on the process is more in depth than the Mesa Grill Guide to Tequila. The book surveys various quality tequilla producers and distilleries. There is also a section on organizing a tequilla tasting. I would recommend this book if you are the type of person who enjoys developing hobbies over a medium to long term timeframe, or if you are a seasoned wine or beer taster. The content is beginning to show its age however, as descriptions of many newer brands tequilas I have encountered in restaurants cannot be found in the text.

Bob Emmons has done his homework. He is painstakingly accurate. His tequila facts read a bit like a textbook and his stories, one from almost every distillery, read like prose. You cannot ask for.

He lets the reader know what an NOM number is and what it means. He shows which distilleries make only one unique brand and which make dozens of brands using the same tequila in all brands

If you are serious about tequila, this book is a must.

This book will not sit on your bookshelf!

New tequilas have come to the market since this book was written. But the reference guide in the book is so complete that it's easy to look up a NOM, find which distillery it was made at, and see which other products on the market are made from that same distillery. There is also a lot of personal tasting notes on all the major tequilas available written by Bob Emmons that I find very interesting.

This book has helped me immensely and I recommend it to anyone interested in setting up their own tasting panels, mixing margaritas or drinking straight super premium tequilas, or even visiting the tequila producing areas and distilleries that actually Bob does not recommend.

The message of this book is great, but it's just kind of dull. I think it would be good to read aloud to a kid, but for an adult, it didn't have as much content as I had hoped. The ending was beautiful, though. Worth reading....

This book is a delight to read. In just one sitting it so clearly show's you the heart of Abba, as only Manning can do. The tender story of healing in a boy that is you, and is me. As you turn each page the layers of your heart are stripped away to expose the tender heart that God created. The heart that beats only to love Him and to enjoy fellowship with Abba! I will be reading in anytime I need to be reminded of His love for me.

Perfect in it's simplicity, Manning's parable will warm your heart by revealing God's unconditional love and promises to you. What a joy to read for young and old!