In Patagonia (Penguin Classics)

Book Description

In Patagonia is Bruce Chatwin's exquisite account of his journey through "the uttermost part of the earth," that stretch of land at the southern tip of South America, where bandits were once made welcome and Charles Darwin formed part of his "survival of the fittest" theory. Chatwin's evocative descriptions, notes on the odd history of the region, and enchanting anecdotes make In Patagonia an exhilarating look at a place that still retains the exotic mystery of a far-off, unseen land. An instant classic upon publication in 1977, In Patagonia remains a masterwork of literature.

Customer Reviews:

Great Literature.......2007-09-30

We are preparing to visit South America, so this book is very apt. The author put together a new kind of travel story, weaving imagination with reality. It seems to us that a lot of South American native literature does the same thing. A fascinating insight into life in Patagonia, whether you read it as travel stories or fiction.

A Travel Story to Make You Want To Pack Your Bags.......2007-08-27

I had never heard of Bruce Chatwin before, but whilst shopping at a used book store, as I held IN PATAGONIA in my hand, my friend said: "Oh, Bruce Chatwin--he's a great writer."

From the moment I picked this book up, I couldn't stop reading it. The short segments worked well for me, I liked the style. I learned so much about the country, its history, and all sorts of interesting characters. This book is a great read, and I went on to read his others.

Expected More Depth of Vision.......2007-07-26

This is a book on a potentially engaging topic that came to me with high critical recommendation, but frankly didn't deliver. Chatwin's narrative is sentimental and seems in many cases superficial. His observations of the Welsh sheep ranchers seemed focused on insignificant details to the point that one may wonder if Chatwin had ever been diagnosed with autism. I couldn't finish the book.

In Patagonia.......2007-01-12

I liked the fact that the author traversed the country on foot or by hitchhiking, getting a very close feel for the country. He interviews or quotes older experienced people who give a real feel for their area.

A Vivid Imagination and a Powerfully Bracing Landscape Makes for a Superb Travelogue.......2006-08-12

Published back in 1978, Bruce Chatwin's seamless mix of fact and fiction is still among the most enthralling of travel books. Prompted by a piece of reddish animal skin he found in his grandmother's curio cabinet when he was a child, the author ignites himself on a flight of fancy about its origin. This leads him to an expansive area of wild beauty, Patagonia on South America's southernmost tip. I have been lucky enough to visit this part of the world myself about four years ago, and I can confirm from my travels that Chatwin does an amazing job of capturing not only its physical splendor but its colorful inhabitants. However, this is no linear travel narrative, as the author breaks his stories down into mini-sections, ninety-seven in total.

Several of the episodes deal with his own experiences on the road and the individuals he encounters like the gauchos on the pampas, the Welsh-originated villagers, a French soprano, and a hippie from Haight-Ashbury looking for work in the mines. Interspersed with these accounts are snippets of history, real or imagined, such as an unknown connection between Magellan's expedition and Shakespeare's "The Tempest", the whereabouts of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid after they left the states, and a 19th-century European lawyer who convinced the local Araucanian Indians to elect him their monarch. Chatwin shows particular gift for culling whimsical trivia into a greater storytelling context that is hard to resist as long as the reader is aware that little of it is verifiable. He inevitably ends the book the way he started - by finding the source of the animal scrap. Few writers have shown such a vivid imagination and a powerful sense of imagery as Chatwin has with his splendid travelogue. This will make those with an extreme case of wanderlust want to book their flights to Punta Arenas, Chile, right away.

Argentina, 1516-1987: From Spanish Colonization to Alphonsín. (Updated)

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The best start to Argentina's History
Well-written panorama of Argentine history
A concise, comprehensive review of Argentina

Argentina, 1516-1987: From Spanish Colonization to Alphonsín. (Updated)
David Rock
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0520061780

Customer Reviews:

The best start to Argentina's History.......2007-01-27

David Rock writes one of the most definitive accounts of Argentine history to date. His book dates from the Spanish colonization through the election of Alfonsin. He looks at the limited number of Spaniards that came to colonize Argentina and their effects on the buildup of Buenos Ares compared with the interior. There is only a little attention paid to the mission systems in the Chaco and other surrounding areas. (for more on the Chaco See The Chaco Mission Frontier by James Saeger). This book does provide an excellent overview of the countries history without going into too much depth. Economics is a major focus of the book as well as the politics of the peronist era. The Falklands conflict is one of the last major pieces covered and is done very well. This is a great book to get a bearing on Argentina's history and then decide where you want to read more. Whether you are a beginner or an expert this is an essential book for South American history.

Well-written panorama of Argentine history.......2004-02-18

From 16th Century colonial foundations to the colapse of the vicious dictatorships of the 1980s and the election of Raoul Alfonsin, Rock's history gives us a sweeping, clear view of Argentina's past. His style is readable and vey well organized. He takes the country's turbulent centuries in simple chronological order, introducing the reader to the leaders of politics, the economy, social classes, the military and, to some extent, the arts. Rock has a penchant for the economic details pulling the country up and down, supporting his conclusions with much specific data. I enjoyed his presentation of long-lasting Argentine themes, such as the conflicts between Buenos Aires and the interior and the rich and workers. The economic and social influence of other nations is traced with care, starting, of course, with Spain, but also including Brazil, England and the US.

I read this in preparation for my first trip to Argentina, leaving a few days after I write this. I feel the book has given me a much deeper understanding of the society I am about to explore.

A concise, comprehensive review of Argentina.......1998-07-05

I found the book relatively easy to follow and well thought out. There is a good discussion of economic, political, and social problems and developments, helping the reader to fully understand the events of the day, providing an excellent introduction to Argentina's history.

Average customer rating:

Not worth the paper it is printed on.
Good travel guide
A must for travel in Argentina
COMPLETELY USELESS
Practically useless!

Lonely Planet Argentina
Danny Palmerlee , Sandra Bao , Andrew Dean Nystrom , Thomas Kohnstamm , and Lucas Vidgen
Manufacturer: Lonely Planet Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1740595157

Book Description

Tackle the tango in a Buenos Aires milonga. Bite into the world's most heavenly beef. Gallop with gauchos across the Pampas. Better and cheaper than ever, Argentina beckons! Grab the top-selling, tried-and-true guide and prepare for a thrill ride across enchanting cities, lush jungles and windswept plains, over Patagonian glaciers...to the tip of the world.

• FIND YOURSELF - navigate the country with 90+ detailed maps, more than any other guidebook to Argentina

• BECOME THE EXPERT - insight into the country's culture and history, from tango etiquette and tips for beef-eaters to the story of Evita and the recent peso crash

• HOP THE BORDER - side trips to Uruguay and Chile, plus essentials for crossing into Paraguay, Brazil and Bolivia

• SNACK, SIP & SLEEP - top dining spots and bargain bites, the scoop on local libations (from mate tea to Mendoza wine) and hundreds of top-notch lodging options

• TALK THE TALK - handy Spanish language chapter and food glossary help you chat with the locals and order ice cream instead of liver

Customer Reviews:

Not worth the paper it is printed on........2007-07-24

Lonely Planet misses the mark so badly on Argentina that there is no way anyone should give it a good review. The section on Buenos Aires is absolutely terrible. The free literature that our hotel left in our room was far superior to Lonely Planet's research. As a whole this guide book is geared towards homeless people that are for some reason traveling around South America. So many of the hotels that the book describes as "clean" are absolute dumps. If you do not book one of the "high-end" suggestions in Buenos Aires, I guarantee that you will not be staying in a nice hotel. Restaraunt and sight-seeing recommendations barely scratch the surface of what there is to eat and see in Argentina. In total, it appears that no work or thought was put into creating this guide book. Definitely not worth the money.

Good travel guide.......2007-05-24

This is probably the best travel guide out there for Argentina. However, I wish it had more information for Uruguay and more details about other areas besides Buenos Aires. I also recommend Time out Buenos Aires to help keep up with the new restuarants.

A must for travel in Argentina.......2007-01-16

Excellent guide for someone taking a trip to Argentina. It was supplemented with Time Out Patagonia. Precise in the level of information provided. It was used extensively during the 8 thousand mile trip by car.

COMPLETELY USELESS.......2006-12-18

If you are a student, make less than $25K a year, and enjoy staying in rudown versions of Motel 6, then this book might be for you.

First, Argentina is no longer the bargain the authors claim it is. Outside of BA, you can get a decent meal on the cheap, but other than that, expect to pay $90 and up for a decent hotel. Many of the references in the book come from online entries and clearly have not been checked for quality, cleanliness, etc.

Second, per the review(s) below, many of the recommended restaurants have closed - in BA, you are better off going to Puerto Madero and picking a reataurant at random - they are all good.

Third, keep in mind that AR got hammered by the peso devaluation and many cities are still recovering. Cordoba and others can be less than an idyllic vacation spot.

Conclusion - if you are seeking a quality vacation, you are better off using a good travel agancy. You get what you pay for in AR, notwithstanding the claims of the authors.

Practically useless!.......2006-10-13

So we're in BA last week with this guide, and we're trying to go to some of the restaurants this book recommends. But the book is so OUT OF DATE that the restaurants have CLOSED DOWN. I don't know how this book is for the less traveled parts of Argentina, but for Buenos Aires, it is USELESS.

Average customer rating:

Quite an engaging read!
In an age of rampant hyperbole, what is the word for genius?
The Power To Do Anything
"The troubles always start when they start for you."
something missing

The Ministry of Special Cases
Nathan Englander
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0375404937
Release Date: 2007-04-24

Book Description

The long-awaited novel from Nathan Englander, author of For the Relief of Unbearable Urges. Englander’s wondrous and much-heralded collection of stories won the 2000 Pen/Malamud Award and was translated into more than a dozen languages.

From its unforgettable opening scene in the darkness of a forgotten cemetery in Buenos Aires, The Ministry of Special Cases casts a powerful spell. In the heart of Argentina’s Dirty War, Kaddish Poznan struggles with a son who won’t accept him; strives for a wife who forever saves him; and spends his nights protecting the good name of a community that denies his existence--and denies a checkered history that only Kaddish holds dear. When the nightmare of the disappeared children brings the Poznan family to its knees, they are thrust into the unyielding corridors of the Ministry of Special Cases, the refuge of last resort.

Nathan Englander’s first novel is a timeless story of fathers and sons. In a world turned upside down, where the past and the future, the nature of truth itself, all take shape according to a corrupt government’s whims, one man--one spectacularly hopeless man--fights to overcome his history and his name, and, if for only once in his life, to put things right. Here again are all the marvelous qualities for which Englander’s first book was immediately beloved: his exuberant wit and invention, his cosmic sense of the absurd, his genius for balancing joyfulness and despair. Through the devastation of a single family, Englander captures, indelibly, the grief of a nation. The Ministry of Special Cases, like Englander’s stories before it, is a celebration of our humanity, in all its weakness, and--despite that--hope.

Customer Reviews:

Quite an engaging read!.......2007-10-14

This book presents what seems at first a humorous look at a serious problem - that of the disappeared Jews in Argentina's "dirty war". As the story progresses, the reader leans that the situation is not quite as funny as it first seems. Although I know some reviewers disapprove of the light-hearted approach with which this book was written, I think that the black humor only makes this book more readable. I love the funny characters who reinforce a sense of poignancy in their desperate attempt to limit their vulnerability in an especially precarious time for Jews in Argentina's history. Englander's taut construction of the story, thoughtful approach to a heart-breaking situation, and outrageous material makes me think of him as a Jewish John Irving!

In an age of rampant hyperbole, what is the word for genius?.......2007-09-04

Nathan Englander's short story collection, "For the Relief of Unbearable Urges" received accolades and awards when it debuted five years ago, all well deserved. Now, after five-years, Englander offers his first novel, "The Ministry of Special Cases." If any thought that the fresh pathos laden voice of "Relief" was a fluke, "Ministry" will surely set them straight.

First, a brief review of the plot. The place is Argentina in the 70's under the reign of a military junta that snaps citizens up without paper work and recourse and then pretends as if they know nothing about them. In this surreal environment, where reality, memory, and the official story often conflict lives our main character, Kaddish Pozen, a Jewish son of a whore living on the outskirts of his community who supports his family by collecting fees from the descendants of unsavory deceased Jews who pay him to erase their ancestors name off of grave stones in the cemetery where criminals lay buried. The cast of characters we meet along the way are as many and varied as one can imagine, all touched and warped by the insanity of their world.

While the premise surely will prove irresistible to many readers, a few may question an author's ability to execute a tale layered with such a thick helping of symbolism. A credit to Englander's talent then that he not only succeeds, but does so with the sensitivity and humor that marks him as a young author of great potential. While every writer imagines themselves a unique voice, Englander's novel, with its characters facing problems far beyond their depth and often contrasting images at once frightening and absurd brings to mind Isaac Singer's work, clearly one of the author's inspirations.

Any effort to explain too much of this novel risks spoiling some of the fun of watching it uncoil. Suffice to say, I suspect in a few decades' people will recall fondly when they first discovered Mr. Englander's gift.

The Power To Do Anything.......2007-08-13

Englander's book is truly an amazing example of the author's superb writing abilities. It compares very favorably with his first book of short stories, but here, Englander gets into serious depth of character development and how they deal with bad situations way beyond their ability to control.

The book describes a period during the dictatorship of Argentina and the discrimination experienced by Jewish Argentinians during the reign of the dictatorship in the country at the middle and end of the 20th century. The book focuses on not just discrimination against Jews, but governmentally sanctioned discrimination against youth and liberal or different political and social ideas and ideals. The book is the story of one very unusual Jew, who realized that an old and closed Jewish cemetary could in fact be of danger to those still living. Many decades ago, the business of prostitution in Buenos Ares was a Jewish monopoly, no longer true, but at a time it was. Those people had their own cemetary and it occured to Kadish, the protagonist, that people would pay to have their last names removed from those tombstones. So, he started a business removing the names off people's tombstones to protect those still living.

While the story centers around the Jewish element of the social climate, Englander is careful to point out that the discrimination was not just against Jews, but against Youth and Thought. The police randomly rounded up groups of youths and then either incarcerated them, released them or killed them. The actions of the police were related to power and control.

In addition, Englander paints a wonderful picture of the legal system and its absurdity. In fact, the book is reminiscent of "The Trial" by Franz Kafka, in that no matter what is done, there seems to be no end or ability to seek legal relief or redress. The system seems to be designed to specifically frustrate and delay the attempts of any individual trying to get information on any youth taken away by the police.

In totality, the book is a truly wonderful picture of life in a totalitarian dictatorship, where those who are given the power to enforce the law, abuse this duty to the maximum extent. Absolute power corrupts absolutely; as illustrated so beautifully and graphically by Englander in this book.

The book is truly powerful and beautifully written. All the author's unique talents have been brought to bare in this fabulous work. The book is recommended to all adults who have interest in seeing how things become skewed horribly in situations where there is no check and balance on power, and where people find it amusing and fun to inflict pain, anguish and even death randomly on people, purely because they CAN! It is a fast reading book and highly recommended for its beautiful writing and its clarity of intent.

"The troubles always start when they start for you.".......2007-08-04

Set in the Argentina of 1976 - a dark and violent time of upheaval - "The Ministry of Special Cases" is about a family torn apart by a power-corrupted government. It centers primarily on the actions of Kaddish and Lillian Poznan after their teenaged son, Pato, is `disappeared' by mysterious officials one night, perhaps never to be seen again. Kaddish and Lillian are locked in a futile race against time, knowing that every day their son is missing the likelihood that he has not survived increases. But how can they penetrate the defenses of the government and the police to get information regarding a son whose existence is now denied? At best, Kaddish and Lillian are told that their son must have run away from them, and are advised to give up their search before making `needless' trouble. But the Poznans know the truth about Pato's disappearance - Kaddish was home when his son was escorted from their apartment by mysterious men, who also removed three of Pato's books that they had deemed inappropriate.

The search for their son leads Lillian to Argentina's Ministry of Special cases, where hundreds of people line up and fight for information about missing loved ones, and are frustrated by bureaucratic dead-ends. Worse than the government's unswerving apathy toward Kaddish and Lillian is the fearfully uncaring attitude that they find from general citizens they turn to for assistance. Everyone is too wrapped up in their own problems to care about the Poznan's plight - and much too afraid of losing their own family if they anger the government. Until their own son was taken from them Kaddish and Lillian themselves had been blind to the severity of the problem - Lillian is genuinely startled to find so many people waiting at the Ministry of Special Cases, and dismayed to hear from a couple that is finally giving up hope after two long years of no news.

The strength of Englander's story is that the Poznans are a believable family unit. They are not the utopian family of amateur fiction, but a realistic family burdened by animosity and failure and bitter disappointment. Kaddish is marked by his low birth - an `hijo de puta' who will never earn respect or dignity, and the spectacular failures of his numerous get-rich-quick schemes to overcome his status have put a great deal of strain on his marriage to Lillian, who had believed in his abilities as a young (naïve?) young woman. And Pato is your typical disgruntled teenager; he hates his parents, acts out, runs away to his friends' home, smokes pot, and refuses to listen to their sage advice that could have kept him safe. And yet the reader feels the strength of their familial bond thanks to Englander's prodigious talents as a writer. Despite their fighting, it feels devastating when the Poznans are torn apart.

But is "The Ministry of Special Cases" for everyone? No. Englander is a gifted writer, but his eccentricities will turn some readers off as unnecessary and annoying. As a fan of Nathan Englander's story collection, For the Relief of Unbearable Urges: Stories, perhaps I was already primed for his style before picking this book up, but I enjoy his quirks and I have spoken to several other people who do too. For those who can appreciate them, "Ministry" is a one-of-a-kind treat and an amazing novel.
Grade: A-

something missing.......2007-07-15

I read the book and couldn't put it down. I gave it to my mom and she couldn't finish it (which is rare it is usually the other way around). I really wanted to like this book, but there is some quality about it that I just can't describe. The book takes place in a time and place that makes it difficult to fully get into the context of the book and the author doesn't do a lot to describe the character's environment. The book zig zags around with suspense but not much action. Extremely well written, I just didn't like the story.

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The master of making great literature of great literature

The Aleph and Other Stories 1933-1969
Jorge Luis Borges , and Norman Thomas di Giovanni
Manufacturer: Plume
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Latin American | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Foreign Language Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Customer Reviews:

The master of making great literature of great literature .......2005-01-11

There is no Borges like Borges and Borges is his only Borges. In these tales one becomes acquainted with a mysterious mixture of concepts and conjectures, of footnotes and findings which combine to move the mind and soul to pure love of reading.The title story alone ' The Aleph' contains in it a hint of containing everything, and yet the finding of it leads us not only to the Kabbalah but to a certain very specific cellar in the imagination of Borges. All the games and tricks of mind cannot conceal from us how wisely and wonderingly this great man has read and written.
Who reads this book touches the work of one of the great literary geniuses of mankind. The pleasure is all the reader's.

Between Revolution and the Ballot Box: The Origins of the Argentine Radical Party in the 1890s (Cambridge Latin American Studies)

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Between Revolution and the Ballot Box: The Origins of the Argentine Radical Party in the 1890s (Cambridge Latin American Studies)
Paula Alonso
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Renaissance | Schools, Periods & Styles | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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Book Description

Founded in 1891, the Unión Cívica Radical, generally known as the Radical Party, is the oldest national political party in Argentina. As the strongest opposition party during the 1890s, a pivotal decade in the birth of Argentina's party system, the Radical Party effected a critical development in Argentine politics: it created a system of open confrontation and political competition. This study offers not merely a revised version of the party's story but also a new perspective on the politics of the nation as a whole.

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EUROPE IN LATIN AMERICA
The best pictures and story of Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires
Gonzalo Monterroso
Manufacturer: El Ateneo
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Travel | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 9879471032

Book Description

The most representative picture postcards of the capital city of the country. The photographs are arranged in the order of the various tour circuits the visitor may follow. From the port - Puerto Madero and Catalinas, Retiro - the political and commercial center is visited, a walk through San Telmo to visit Plaza Dorrego and the antique shops, moves on to the Boca, on to the Riachuelo and return to the elegant neighborhoods of Recoleta and Palermo where the Rosedal rose garden in Tres de Febrero Park will be admired, to end up placing a bet on the horses of the race track, watching a polo match, cheering in a one of the more traditional soccer stadiums (River Plate or Boca Juniors). The hours of darkness are reserved for the Tango, for eating in traditional restaurants where the barbecue is in full view, or for a cultural evening in the Colon Theatre.

It is all in the book for the visitor to recall or share the city's attractions with friends or relatives who have not been to this European city on the banks of the River Plate. Gonzalo Monterroso's texts set the postcards in their epoch and help us to understand Porteños, the natives of Buenos Aires. In a pleasing style, with many a wink and hint at secrets known only to the initiated, the text nicely complements the illustrations.

Customer Reviews:

EUROPE IN LATIN AMERICA.......2006-03-28

Buenos Aires is by far the most European of the great Latin American cities, it is a city of cafe's and grand avenues. This book captures the essence of this unique city, it gets up close and personal and gets the flavor of the town. I must confess I knew very little about Buenos Aries before picking up this book, I just knew about Evita, uh thank you Madonna, and I had seen pictures of the capitol building, but I really had no idea what a beautiful city this was, well at the very least it photographs well. The people are very Western and sophisicated and don't ever forget these are the people that created the Tango. If you have any interest in this great city, then I highly recommend this book.

The best pictures and story of Buenos Aires.......2002-10-26

Truly great picture postcard photography of the 'Paris' of South America - Buenos Aires, tango, great food, neighborhood coffee shops, wide avenues and beautiful peoples, most everything you'd what to see, everywhere you wish you had time to visit, all in a book at a really gerat price.

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Argentine Mauser Rifles 1871-1959
Colin Webster
Manufacturer: Schiffer Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Military Science | History | Subjects | Books

History of Technology | Technology | Science | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0764318683

Product Description

This is the complete story of Argentina's contract Mauser rifles from the purchase of their first Model 1871's to the disposal of the last shipment of surplus rifles received in the United States in May 2002. Between 1891-1959 Argentina bought or manufactured nearly 500,000 Mauser rifles and carbines for itself as well as for its neighbors Peru, Bolivia, Uruguay and Paraguay. It also supplied Spain with rifles to help suppress the Melilla revolt in Morocco, which were eventually used against the United States during the Spanish American War of 1898. The Argentine Commissions relentless pursuit of tactical superiority resulted in a major contribution to the development of Mausers now famous bolt-action system. The combined efforts of the Belgian, Turkish and Argentine arms commissions between 1889 and 1892 produced the origins of what became the Model 98 bolt-action system that is still in use today over 110 years later. Book includes: thirty-seven identified variants; the history behind each purchase and the technical description of each variant; contract-by-contract, and in the case of the Model 1891, 1909 and 1947 weapons a month-by-month, detail of production and shipping data; over 400 pictures, illustrations, documents and blueprints; history and details of the manufacturing facilities in Europe and in Argentina as well as a description of the manufacturing process used by the "Matheu" (DGFM-FMAP) small arms factory in Argentina; interesting and colorful anecdotes about the people involved, including revelations about spying and secret alliances never before revealed.

Lonely Planet Trekking in the Patagonian Andes

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Lonely Planet Trekking in the Patagonian Andes
Lonely Planet Rocks
amazing hikes, erroneous details
An Unparallelled Resource
Well-done work

Lonely Planet Trekking in the Patagonian Andes
Clem Lindenmayer , and Nick Tapp
Manufacturer: Lonely Planet Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Walking | Hiking & Camping | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 186450059X

Customer Reviews:

Lonely Planet Trekking in the Patagonian Andes.......2007-01-16

For the last year I've been planning a trip to Chile and Patagonia. This book has helped me plan and organize and decide which areas I want to see. This book has been full of helpful information about all the different treks in this region, the difficulty rating, miles, average days specific trails will take, and great maps. Not only does the book give great info about specific treks, it also gives really great information for newer backpackers, such as a checklist of what you should bring on the trek, what kind of food to bring, how to use a compass, first aid info, etc. (Though you should know these things before you trek around Patagonia.) I give this book 5 stars.

Lonely Planet Rocks.......2007-01-09

I am an avid traveler, hiker and explorer and have found the Lonely Planet guides to be the absolute BEST if your intention is to explore the "ins and outs" of a country without the services of an in-country guide or tour service. They are a valuable tool for the experienced treeker/hiker/tramper and also a great resource for the urban adventurer. Lonely planet pulls their data from a variety of folks- including locals, recent transplants and adventurers- who provide extremely relevant input for the books. I always find their rating of lodging and food accurate~~ low budget is truly low budget and their recommended picks are always clean, comfortable and well situated. I also find their description and maps of hiking/trekking/tramping routes very accurate, although I would still recommend using up-to-date topo maps, GPS or hiring a local certified guide if you are exploring off-piste, mountainous or rugged regions anywhere. There is no replacement for experience and sound judgment in the backcountry. This particular guide book is wonderfully laid out and their advice is keen. Unless you have a solid 3 months of time to adventure in more than one of the regions it is best to pick an area (like the Lakes District) and focus your time in one place. Obviously the Torres Del Paine or Fitz Roy regions see a lot of traffic but the other areas are absolutely fabulous, as well. While other guide books may cater to the "guided tour crowd", I find Lonely Planet caters more to the independent intrepid traveler. Two Thumbs Up. Enjoy your exploring....

amazing hikes, erroneous details.......2004-07-28

This book is a perfect introduction to the wealth of hiking possibilities in patagonia - many of them are still significantly under-used and of equal calibre to the more famous routes. The general information sections are quite good, and give a good feel for what conditions are like both trekking and travelling in general; a good purchase for planning your trip. Where the book falls down is on the actual trekking notes, which are consistently inaccurate, obscenely outdated and sometimes quite misleading (see other reviews). On this front, Cerro Electrico is not safe - however Cerro Electrico Oeste is safely climbable without mountaineering equipment (although crampons are a nice idea) and gives mind-blowing views of the rear of Fitzroy - I think this might be what the author actually had in mind.

The best use of this book is as an introduction/inspiration, then get hold of decent military maps (plentiful in santiago and buenos aires) and local advice (abundant) and go from there. Given that many of the treks require some degree of independence and judgement (especially in snow-bound regions), pretty much any information should be taken with a grain of salt and certainly should be double-checked independantly or at worst against common sense. It is a pity no better alternative exists, but the general information is good and if prepared, leave the fun of route-finding up to yourself.

An Unparallelled Resource.......2004-01-14

Like all Lonely Planet guides, Trekking in Patagonia is very much geared to independent trekkers. Considering how huge Patagonia is, the book covers it pretty thoroughly with a wide range of suggestions, from easy short walks right up to a few week-long ones. The text is strong on practical information like local transportation and accommodation and supplies wide coverage to flora and fauna, which is a real bonus.
Patagonia's five regions are arranged in chapters that go from north to south which the way most foreigners seem to travel. The information is set out very logically, with tables of routes and a small info box at the start of each walk so you know what to expect. I liked the book's simple but correct contoured maps that are given for every trek. Some walkers I met wanted the book to have more day walks but that's a matter of personal preference. I got alot out of my 5 weeks in Patagonia, thanks greatly to this book. Unless you're a complete jerker, you're not going to get lost with this! A warning though, sometimes it's hard slogging that may not suit pampered English hill-walkers.
This book is a veritable encyclopaedia that I found a real companion on the trails constantly taking it out for quick reference. It is indeed an unparallelled resource for trekking in Patagonia, so I'm awarding it 5 stars!

Well-done work.......2003-12-27

I am using the latest (thid ed.) on my second trip to South America. It an indispensable resource with very accurate text and maps which are quite accurate to use even if you you don't have a topo (yeah I know, but maps are not always easy to buy here). The routes carefuly prepared...this new edition has a whole lot of new trails. I'm also finding it up to date. One thing is maybe that the authors could have given better coverage to some areas such as the Pumalin. But this is more than enough material to spend a couple of summers down here anyhow, even if you just go for it! I definitely feel anyone that wants to trek in this region will be sorry if you don't have this book. Enjoy! Feel free to contact me privately for any info.
Ryan

A Lexicon of Terror: Argentina and the Legacies of Torture (Oxford World's Classics)

Average customer rating:

An Incredible Narrative
Lexicon is what you get
Comprehensive and Well Written
Painful but Great
A thorough depiction of the atmosphere of repression

A Lexicon of Terror: Argentina and the Legacies of Torture (Oxford World's Classics)
Marguerite Feitlowitz
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0195134168

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Argentina still struggles as a nation with the shame and horror of the so-called "dirty-war" of the decade following Juan Peron's death. During that horrific time, torture and kidnapping were the instruments of choice for the enforcement of political will. Feitlowitz unflinchingly examines life under sadistic military rule with detailed descriptions of the experiences of prisoners in concentration camps. The Argentinean vocabulary now includes words like desaparacido (disappeared person) and chupado (sucked up or kidnapped), vivid reminders of how commonplace kidnapping and murder became. Victims, often guilty only of nothing more than practicing psychology or journalism or being Jewish, have not been forgotten.

Though Feitlowitz touches on the linguistic effects of government terrorism in Argentina, her book's greatest strength lies in the voice it gives the victims. The author spent years talking to survivors of the terror as well as some of the people responsible for instigating it. What A Lexicon of Terror does particularly well is capture the ongoing consequences of the dirty war--victims encountering their tormentors on the streets, Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo still marching to remind their government that the fates of thousands of disappeared are still not known, a government held hostage by the fear of army uprisings should any attempt to bring culprits to justice be made. Argentina is the subject of this particular Lexicon, but surely the citizens of other nations such as Chile, Guatemala, and El Salvador might see their own experiences mirrored here.

Book Description

"We were all out in la charca, and there they were, coming over the ridge, a battalion ready for war, against a schoolhut full of children." Tanks roaring over farmlands, pregnant mothers tortured, their babies stolen and sold on the black market, homes raided in the dead of night, ordinary citizens kidnapped and never seen again--such were the horrors of Argentina's Dirty War. Now, in A Lexicon of Terror, Marguerite Feitlowitz fully exposes the nightmare of sadism, paranoia, and deception the military dictatorship unleashed on the Argentine people, a nightmare that would claim over 30,000 civilians from 1976 to 1983 and whose leaders were recently issued warrants by a Spanish court for the crime of genocide. Feitlowitz explores the perversion of language under state terrorism, both as it's used to conceal and confuse ("The Parliament must be disbanded to rejuvenate democracy") and to domesticate torture and murder. Thus, citizens kidnapped and held in secret concentration camps were "disappeared"; torture was referred to as "intensive therapy"; prisoners thrown alive from airplanes over the ocean were called "fish food." Based on six years of research and moving interviews with peasants, intellectuals, activists, and bystanders, A Lexicon of Terror examines the full impact of this catastrophic period from its inception to the present, in which former torturers, having been pardoned and released from prison, live side by side with those they tortured. Passionately written and impossible to put down, Feitlowitz shows us both the horror of the war and the heroism of those who resisted and survived--their courage, their endurance, their eloquent refusal to be dehumanized in the face of torments even Dante could not have imagined.

Customer Reviews:

An Incredible Narrative.......2007-09-29

This is a compelling and relentless book that jumps off from the starting point that subtle Orwellian language manipulation is an essential component of political repression, by showing how the adjustment and subversion of words, the theft of meaning, enabled the Argentine Generals to torture, loot, and murder tens of thousands of quite innocent civilians (and unwanted military or anyone else in the way). In a literate society the body parts can remain hidden, and the words will do the work of subduing dissent.

By exploring the personal stories and interviews with survivors, families of the 'disappeared,' willfully ignorant or complicit 'bystanders,' vain or conscience-stricken perpetrators, and so on, the book moves far beyond a linguistic or philosophical analysis. It is personal, angry, and tragic.

What froze me to the bone is recognizing little linguistic echoes and hints from our own government as it moves the war on terror increasingly to a domestic front. One thing the author underplays, I think, is the extent to which a large proportion of the Argentine society actually was fine with the degree of brutality and repression, as long as they didn't have to actually see and 'know about' the mutilated carcasses of their neighbors' kids. They were convinced by words and the climate of paranoia that there was (indeed) an invisible war against terrorists going on all around them. 'Torture... is the secret weapon in the war without rules.'

Not a stunningly brilliant work like Scarry's 'The Body in Pain,' but 'Lexicon of Terror' has the great advantage that it's very readable and accessible.

Lexicon is what you get.......2005-08-09

If you're looking for an historical overview of the subject -- go elsewhere.
Unless you're fascinated by the etiology of the language which evolved on the subject matter, this is a very disappointing read on the subject of the terrorism in Argentina.

Comprehensive and Well Written.......2003-04-22

The title of this book, The Lexicon of Terror, really only covers one chapter and an occassional reference here and there to how the junta manipulated language to influence the minds of the people. The book mostly covered the context of the Dirty War, the main bad guys, and many stories of victims.

After interviewing the victims, Feitlowitz has no mercy for the military perpatrators of the war. Even when she interviews Balza, the army cheif of staff in 1996 who seemed like one of the more repantant of the military guys, she isn't afraid to ask him tough questions.

She covers the book in both dichronic and synchronic time. She goes through chronology from the coup that put Videla in charge to the recovery of the country that was still going on when she finished her book in 1997. But in addition to that, she covers the stories of the individuals involved in the atrocities. One of the details that struck me the most was when she talked about former desaparecidos running into their former captors on the street. One captor even asked a victim how her family was doing.

Feitlowitz also tells about Scilingo, a former navy officer tortured by his memories of throwing living but drugged "subversives" from a plane on the infamous night flights. His life was ruined by his participation. She even makes an effort to explain that complicity in the army was guaranteed because if a member of the army did not follow orders or expressed concern with what was happening, they would soon disappear themselves. The excuse rings a little hollow, though, because of the brutalness of the torture.

History is frightening. I enjoyed how she talked about the way words were used as propaganda because it is an aspect of all governments. While I don't think our current administration is on par with Videla by any means, they certainly twist words to influence the way we thing about things, that play on our patriotism (the Patriot Act for instance) and our fear of terrorism. I don't think there is a government that doesn't try to influence the vocabulary of its people for their own purposes. Being able to recognize what they are doing allows us to maintain our freedom.

Painful but Great.......2001-08-07

This is a shocking and painful book to read. There are other books which document the torture and atrocities of the Argentinian Dirty War in more detail, but none that reveals the horror of it all by providing examples and analysis of the words, phrases and verbal concepts of the perpetrators and their victims. The title, "Lexicon of Terror," could not have been chosen better for seemingly neutural words like "process" and "change" and dozend of others are shown to have been corrupted intellectually so that the physical corruption which followed was almost inevitable.

The book combines three disciplines that are rarely treated in the same volume, much less understood by the same person. But history, lexicography, and journalism are intertwined to such a degree that the blend is complete.

The author, in her low key style, deals with occurances and happenings that for most of us would cry out for justice. But by limiting her treatment to understanding the problem, she is even more effective on motivating the reader to search for soloution.

Most of us are familiar with the phrase that knowledge is power, but this relatively short book is a great example of the power (in this case for evil) of language. The reader will never look at partisan political dialogue in the same way again.

One annoying feature is terribly small type, so those who need reading glasses, do not forget them. The rest of the work is brilliant and terrible in the literal meaning of the word, which is what makes it so wonderful, thoudh disconcerting and depressing as well.

Reading this volume is a must for anyone who loves and respects language, freedom, and human rights for you will learn how intertwined they can be.

A thorough depiction of the atmosphere of repression.......2001-06-29

What really struck me about this book was how well Maruerite Feitlowitz captured the subtleties of the effects terror and repression had on the Argentine population. For example, she discusses how a popular women's magazine, Para Ti, incorporated pro-Proceso rhetoric and even military-inspired fashion into its message during the war. The book is based extensively on first-person testimonials, many of which come from interviews conducted by Feitlowitz herself. Two chapters I found especially revealing dealt with the failure of Jewish leadership to defend its people during the crisis, and with the crippling effect of repression on one rural agrarian league. Two minor complaints: There was little discussion of the systematic repression of union leaders, which intended to (and succeeded in) severely weakening labor's role in Argentina. Also, at least in the paperback version, the print was tiny! If your eyes are getting weak, reading glasses are a must!

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