5 comments about Journey of the Pink Dolphins: An Amazon Quest.

1. This is one of those books to read when you don't have the money and/or time to actually travel the planet. I enjoyed that Sy both had a grasp of biology and is a truly talented author. She also obviously cares about the socioeconomic situation of the peoples who live in the area that her biological studies took her. This book transports you into a magical world in which pink dolphins inhabit rivers in a mystical jungle. Sometimes the truth is better than fiction.



2. I loved this book! Sy Montgomery is a talented writer, able to put you in exotic places with vivid descriptions, I almost felt I was in the Amazon. She really brought it to life, I look forward to reading another book of hers I have purchased, "Search for the Golden Moon Bear."

   The book focuses on the author's quest for the pink dolphin, but really it is a journey to find not one but two dolphins. I don't refer to the other species of dolphin that lives in the Amazon, the tucuxis (one which she also covers in the book), but for two sides of the same animal. On the one hand she searches for the pink dolphin, the bufeo in Spanish or boto in Portguese, a living animal of which little is known about in comparison with many other dolphin species. Living in the most massive river system on earth, one connnected to innumerable lakes in the rainy season, in waters often black as coffee and infested with caimans, piranha, stingrays, and electric eels, in often very remote regions to which there is no reliable transportation to, it is a difficult subject to study. An example of cetaceans from an earlier geologic era, primitive when compared to modern oceanic dolphins, the pink dolphins preserve something from an eariler era, a holdover in the modern world. Montgomery and her various companions in the book struggle to get good observations of the dolphins, to try and track them, to identify individuals, to observe their behavior. The author finds that even experts who have studied the bufeo for years are often perplexed by them. She has many successes, providing much interesting information on them and a fine series of color photographs of the often startingly pink dolphins.

   Montgomery though is also questing for the Encante, the mystical shape-shifting dolphin that is very real to many of the peoples who live along the mighty Amazon. Believed to exist in fabulous cities beneath the surface of the river, the locals speak in conspiratorial tones about the dolphins' magic powers and often lust for attractive humans. The natives often worry that their wives, husbands, sons, and daughters will be stolen about by the fabulous Encante, and speak with awe and reverence about the dolphins. Montgomery continually quests for the natives' views of the Encante, for their "true" tales, and for how they protect themselves against their fantastic attention.

   Montgomery doesn't exlusively focus on dolphins though. Her book in part is a vivid travelogue of Amazonia, bringing us to many exotic locations. We visit Manaus, the impossible Paris of the Amazon, home to an opera house right out of a fairy tale. Built upon the backs of native jungle peoples by rubber barons, today it is a squalid city trying to embrace change. She takes us to amazing Meeting of the Waters, where for miles two tributies of the Amazon, the black River Negro and the white Solimoes, flow side by side before forming the true Amazon River. We are taken to two different nature reserves, both with differing strategies, Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo and Mamiraua, where some of the rich life and deadly beauty of Amazonia is preserved against an uncertain future. Montgomery takes us to the impossibly clear waters and white sandy beaches of the Tapajos and Arapiuns Rivers, where she actually swims with the dolphins, something not possible elsewhere in the dark and piranha-infested rivers elsewhere. She undertakes a vision quest by taking the hallucigenic Ayahuasca or "Mother of the Vine," something few Westerners have done (and for good reason).

   Further, while the bufeo or boto is the star of the book, many other animals form a rich supporting cast. The odd hoatzin, a bird with claws, seemingly someting out of the Mesozoic. Electric eels, extremely common and suprisingly complex. Caimans, another seemingly prehistoric species. Amazonian manatees, gentle vegetarians that are much more intelligent than often given credit for. The weird side-necked turtle. All manner of insects, including ants. And more are given space.

   Some have said that she rhapsodizes too much in the book, but I disagree. She has done her research, the book is filled with interviews with experts, and there is a nice bibliography at the end. She has skillfully combined hard science with poetry, and the effort is very worthwhile. I highly recommend it.




3. As someone who's interested in the Amazon, its people, culture, geography, fauna, flora and other subjects, I read this book for its fascinating topic. However, this is a very mixed bag. There are moving sections, as when she describes the genocide perpetrated against the native peoples by Europeans (you would not believe the atrocities and torture they visited the Indians, whom they considered lower than animals - much worse in its ferocity than the Holocaust of WWII). The writing can be quite bad at times (at one point, her powers of description comes up with a fruit she tried, "bitter as semen"). But the worse is, she seems to be a very bad science writer and researcher. Who edited this book? Certainly not people versed in science or Portuguese. She gets everything in Portuguese wrong. The scientific names and terms are often misspelled. Proceed with caution.



4. I'm a big fan of well written adventure books and books on natural history. The best of them transcend their subject matter to arrive at bigger truths about human nature, the world, and mankind's place in it. Sy Montgomery tries mightily to link her experience up with The Bigger Story, but never manages to do it. Her attempts to be profound become almost embarrassing after a while.
   
   
   Sy writes a nature column for the Boston Globe and it shows. Everything of interest she has to say in this book could have been said in a column or two. In this book, she's taken that column and simply repeated it over and over and over. Thus we hear narrative after narrative from the locals about how the bufeo live in an enchanted underwater city and come up on land periodically to seduce women. We spend day after day in a boat with her exclaiming "There's one! And there's another one!" After a while I found myself thinking "Sy, you go out in the boat and look for the bufeo. I'll lounge here on the hotel veranda and have some refreshments until you get back. Have a nice time."
   
   Unlike some reviewers, I didn't find anything `magical' or particularly poetic about her descriptions of the environment. It's not that she's a bad writer - clearly she isn't - but she describes things the way a travel columnist would describe an exotic locale for readers planning their next vacation - the size of the trees, the depth of the water, the different kinds of plants and bugs and wildlife you may encounter, with some attempt to make it all sound beautiful.
   
   She does give some superficial history of the Amazon Basin, a little evolutionary history of dolphins, some "highlights" types of descriptions of a couple of towns and villages - everything you need to know to enhance your vacationing experience. She meets a lot of people along the way and dutifully describes the physical appearance of most of them. She tries to instill a little personality in each of them but can't pull it off, so even these encounters take on the quality of "And then I met this tanned woman wearing khaki shorts who was interested in manatees."
   
   In the end, we have gone on a trip with Sy and visited a local market or two, admired the opera house at Manaus, caught some glimpses of the pink dolphins, listened to various natives tell the same legend, gone to the funeral of a drowned child, dodged a snake or two, and gotten sweaty in the jungle. If you had any interest in pink dolphins before you started the book, you'll be over it by the time this trip ends.



5. Journey of the Pink Dolphins: An Amazon Quest
   
   Brilliant, gorgeous and sexy, Lucy and Ethel venture through the Amazon in search of the Pink Dolphins is the sense readers will get with this book.
   Sy Montgomery is brilliant! The way she has interwoven science with comedy is nothing short of genius! Where others leave you bored, Montgomery draws the reader in as if they too are a guide on her fantastic journey with her intrepid side kick and photographer, Dianne Taylor Snow. Montgomery and Snow play off of each other like Lucy and Ethel, yet leave the reader with a broader knowledge of the Amazon and its inhabitants-- both animal and human. The science, humor and lore will keep the reader enthralled throughout and guaranteed to hunger for more of this genius author! They will certainly not be disappointed! Excellent photography!

5 comments about Along the High Road: A Guide to the Scenic Route Between Espanola and Taos, New Mexico.

1. This was my first published book. Some people liked it, others didn't. Either way, if you're going to be in the Santa Fe, New Mexico area and want to take a trip on the High Road, you might want to have this book along.



2. I've lived in New Mexico all my life and never knew there was so much to do on the High Road. Like many other people, I usually drove the road on my way to someplace else. Now, after reading this book, I'm going to take my time.



3. I loved this book even though I was a little put off by the bland cover. I know we all know the saying "Don't judge a book...." and I'm glad I didn't go by the saying because I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it to be filled with insightful facts and stories that I haven't read elsewhere. This was a great buy and a fascinating and very useful book. Anyone traveling to this area would greatly benenfit from reading this well written book.



4. A friend of mine recommended that I read "Along the High Road". I had mentioned that New Mexico was one state that we had not spent much time in as we traveled by motorhome. The book sure opened my eyes, not only to what New Mexico has to offer, but how much we probably have missed by hurrying thru other states.
   Margaret really does a grand job in not only telling of the history of the area between Espanola and Taos, but also what awaits today's traveler who takes the time to "smell the roses". Great book and waiting for more from Margaret.



5. I would have said a waste of time, but it only takes about 45 minutes to read the entire book, cover to cover. If you want the cliff notes on travel in New Mexico, I guess this would kind of be the book for you-- even though it's a little brief for that, too.
   
   I'm really just perplexed as to the point of this book. The small amount of actual writing in the book is fine, and the pictures are kind of quaint and rustic, but the book doesn't really TELL you anything. About anything. There is a paragraph on most topics. You will find out stuff like: there is indigenous pottery, weaving and metal-working in New Mexico. Or that you can find good southwestern food, with chilies, and that they are one of the state's contributions to American cuisine. Et cetera.
   
   Buy the "The Hidden New Mexico" book (can't recall the author) if you are looking for a nice overview of interesting sites in the state. It may not turn over a huge amount of anything too 'hidden,' but it is a nice guidebook for pretty much any taste.

No comments about Senor Nice: Straight Life from Wales to South America.

5 comments about Exploring Texas History: Weekend Adventures.

1. In "Exploring Texas History," Elaine Galit and Vikk Simmons provide a guide to hands-on discovery of the history of Texas. The 51 weekend adventures give you lots to see and do. If you absolutely must fill every weekend of the year, check out the list of Texas fairs and festivals in the Appendix and you will find lots of suggestions for that 52nd weekend.
   
   Each weekend adventure includes a brief history of a town, a description of historical sites and activities there, the best time to visit, and recommendations for dining and lodging. Web sites are included for more information and assistance in travel planning.
   
   I've been bookmarking the places I want to see, and my copy of the book is filling up with bookmarks and sticky notes. If you want to plan a weekend getaway or a family vacation, you will find lots of great ideas in "Exploring Texas History."
   
   Cathy Stucker



2. This is an enormously easy-to-use travelogue/history book that takes readers on a journey through events that shaped Texas history. The authors have a long history of their own writing about accessible historic places and lessons, especially for kids, and this book is no exception. They hit the high points of extraordinary people, places and events (although a few more contemporary notable figures and spots are noticeably absent) and provide a logical unfolding for the traveler.
   
   It's worth the effort and worth the time to use this book as a guide for your next excursion into Texas yesteryear.



3. Exploring Texas History: Weekend Adventures is a travel guide for out-of-state vacationers and Texas residents alike. Offering amazing stories of Texas history and themed travel adventures, Exploring Texas History guides the readers to destinations commemorating the settlement of Texas, the battle for independence, the Alamo, Buffalo Soldiers, shipwrecks, cattle drives and more. Maps, recommended lodgings, black-and-white photographs, detailed notes and much more make Exploring Texas History a "must-have" for the Texas sightseer.



4. Exploring Texas History: Weekend Adventures is a travel guide for out-of-state vacationers and Texas residents alike. Offering amazing stories of Texas history and themed travel adventures, Exploring Texas History guides the readers to destinations commemorating the settlement of Texas, the battle for independence, the Alamo, Buffalo Soldiers, shipwrecks, cattle drives and more. Maps, recommended lodgings, black-and-white photographs, detailed notes and much more make Exploring Texas History a "must-have" for the Texas sightseer.



5. This has basic information for the majority of Texas towns on main roads and such. If you're looking for real history or a real travel book, then keep looking. This book basically is a collection of trivia and odds & ends. It is not a real travel guide nor is it a history of Texas by any stretch fo the imagination.

5 comments about National Geographic Traveler: Costa Rica (National Geographic Traveler).

1. I agree with the other reviewer of this book that, as a guidebook, it is useful but not unsurpassed. When I went to Costa Rica I took it along with a copy of Lonely Planet Costa Rica with me and I was covered. This book is worth it though for the photographs alone. The photographs are so good they make you want to get to every nook and cranny of Costa Rica and find these stunning people, places, and things. National Geographic totally lived up to it's name with this one.



2. Purchase this book IN ADDITION TO any other travel guide you might want for a trip to Costa Rica. While others will provide info on lodgings, restaurants, rental cars and sightseeing tours, THIS book explores all the exciting wonders of this beautiful country as only National Geographic can do! Lots of photos to entice you to search out all kinds of exotic experiences. The book is divided by region, so it makes it quite easy to plan your itinerary based on what's available in each part of the country you are visiting. An excellent sightseeing planner!



3. This book is much better at diving into the details and characteristics of the places and events than many of the other travel guides I considered. I wouldn't use this book if you're looking for a specific place to stay or cheap eats, but rather the historical context or anectdotal information that makes traveling more insightful. Don't get me wrong; there are plenty of lists, walking routes, maps and key data that will make travel easier. But National Geographic prides itself in making the leisurely travel experience much more encompassing to your senses. The photographs are incredible, and the text is in-depth. I would make this book (and the entire Series for that matter) a supplement that rounds out your vacation, alongside your "best restaurants and hotels" guide that will help find the basics.



4. We recently spent 8 days in Costa Rica and used this guide. I will start the review with comments on the layout of the guide. Then I will give specifics regarding the content of the guide and our experiences. Then I will identify a few of the weaknesses of the guide. I will end the review with a general comment on travel in Costa Rica.
   
   The guide is full of beautiful photographs and insightful essays. This is the strength of this book. Major landmarks are described and put into historic or geologic contexts. The book is organized by geographic region, making it easy to use.
   
   We used the guide first when we spent 3 days in Manuel Antonio on the Pacific Coast. Driving from San Jose to Manuel Antonio we passed many farms and farmhouses. The average Costa Rican family does not have central heating, air conditioning, and many do not have a hot water heater. The hairpin turns between San Jose and the beach road is exciting with continual new vistas at every turn. The beach road from Jaco, to Puntarenas, to Quepos, to Manuel Antonio gradually becomes more and more primitive. Along the way you will pass many turquoise school houses. Elementary school children wear white shirts and black pants or skirts. Upon graduation to 7th grade, the children wear bright blue shirts and navy blue pants or shirts. Mothers walk young children to school and then walk them home for lunch. The children return to the school houses around 1 pm and then the school day seems to end for younger children around 2 and for older children around 3. You will see beautiful Costa Rican school children playing and walking and riding bikes in every village. We selected Manuel Antonio for the famous beach and Mauel Antonio National Park. The beach was indeed fantastic. The Pacific was refreshing but not cold and the waves were pounding but manageable. The restaurants were exceptional and reasonable. For example one night I had a dinner salad of sauted grouper over heart of palm and greens for $8. Another night we had large tuna steaks cooked to perfection with blackbeans, rice, and slaw for $8. We were advised to drink bottled water but selected to drink the local water which was perfectly safe. We spent one whole day in the Manuel Antonio Park seeing spider monkeys, sloths, iguanas, humming birds, butterflys, and the wonderful pink faced Capuchin monkeys. Go early to the park since only 600 visitors are allowed in each day. Wear your bathing suit so that you can swim in the secluded beautiful beaches within the park.
   
   We then spent 3 days in Heredia, north of San Jose, so that we could visit the volcanoes and the Guayabo archeological site. I wish we had more detail in the book about this aspect of the trip. We visited Poas Volcanoe first which was well described in the guide. However we should have visited earlier in the day becuase the cloud cover obscured our view. We hiked in the cloud forest observing the large navy blue humming birds. We then went to La Paz waterfall, a spectacular site. We then tried to get to Barva Volcanoe through beautiful mountain dairy and coffer farms. When we were 6 kms. from the top of Barva the road ran out and the undeveloped rock road would have broken our car's axle. We could have hiked the 6 kms. to the top but we would have had to abandon our car at the trailhead which we were reluctant to do. The next day we went to Volcano Irazu which is so high it is above the cloud line. It was very impressive, however we then drove to find Guayabo. There are very few road signs in Costa Rica so this was a search through beautiful mountain towns and farms. We finally found the entrance road but the pavement ended and the road was full of deep muddy potholes. We were still 10 kms. from the site and again we feared breaking an axle and we also feared leaving our car and hiking to the site.
   
   In terms of the weaknesses of the book; we found the maps were not detailed enough for rural exploration. We wished more details on Guayabo and Barva had been included so that we could have made better decisions about our time. For example, the trip from Heredia to Irazu to Guayabo back to Heredia took 7.5 hours. Finally I wish the guide had told us more about car rental issues in Costa Rica. We used a travel website and selected the lowest rate, which was a Costa Rican company and not a US chain. They were $100 less expensive. However, the manditory Costa Rican liability insurance increased the rate from $150 to $400. We should have checked to see if other car rental companies included liability insurance in their quote so as to really select the best deal for a week long car rental.
   
   The strength of Costa Rica is not only the beauty of the country but also the beauty of the people. Stunningly beautiful women and handsome men are seen walking or waiting for buses, tending cows or chickens or children, or working in small sodas (roadside stores). Everywhere we went we were treated warmly by the people. People were generous with their time and knowledge.
   
   We found the guide to be very helpful and readable, with beautiful photographs. The maps could use some improvement so you may want to purchase a more detailed road map for your trip.



5. Gives you good info about Costa Rica for reading before you go but not a good guide book for what to do while there. Frommer's is better for that. The NG book offers more information on actual country not vacation.

5 comments about Floreana: A Woman's Pilgrimage to the Galapagos.

1. I'm so glad Margret Wittmer wrote of her experiences on Floreana. I really enjoyed reading about her and her husband building a family and a farm on this Galapagos Island. It was so unique and interesting that I believe her story will stay with me for a long time.



2. Jill and I went to the Galapagos Islands in 1996, something we had wanted to do for several years. In preparation, we collected information on the islands by previous travelers, and this is the first of many books we read about these isolated islands in the Pacific, roughly 600 miles west of Equador on the South American mainland.

   Wittmer, her husband Heinz, and her stepson Harry originally landed on Floreana in 1932. The only other people on Floreana were two fellow German nationals: Dr. Ritter, a self-avowed vegetarian and nudist who was determined to prove his theory that a human could live double their normal span if they followed his ideas on purity of mind and spirit, and his most devoted disciple, Dora. They initially lived in a natural cave previously used by pirates in the 1800s, then built a successive series of homes. Wittmer gives birth to the first human native of Floreana, they battle wild cattle for possession of their garden, encounter the "Empress of Floreana," ad survive at least three different Equadorian governors, one of which tries to have them evicted. Their visitors include American millionaires on round-the-world cruises, the crew of cargo vessels that kindly stop to deliver and pick up mail in a sort of marine pony express, several scientists and naturalists including the famed explorer Thor Heyerdahl, and presidents of both Equador and the United States.

   Wittmer's account is not so much about the islands than it is about herself and her family's struggle to survive on the island. That doesn't mean you don't come away from Floreana with an understanding of the islands--you do, but the point-of-view is that of the settler, rather than what one has come to expect of from the Galapagos (say, Darwin's scientific accounts from Voyage of the Beagle).

   I've often said that travel accounts (even of the sedentary nature as this one) resemble science fiction. Both treat a human encounter with the unknown in a factual nature, one being fiction and the other factual. In Floreana, isolated from normal human civilization, Wittmer and her family experience a true alien encounter with our world and its native creatures.




3. This is a great book. It was absoulutely unbelievable how the Wittmer's started with practically nothing to succeed even their expectations and live on Floreana for as long as they did. You'll be glued to every page.



4. I highly recommend reading this book along with John Trehernes book on the Galapagos mystery which covers this period of Floreana's history. Margaret Wittmer and her husband and son were three of the first people to live on the tiny and almost deserted island of Floreana in the Galapagos.
   
   Margaret and her husband settled there in the 1930's - nearby were the very strange couple Dr Ritter and his acolyte and lover Dora. Later another very strange woman settled there (the result being a strange disappearance and death) but these are secondary in some ways to the simple way of life Margaret lived on the island. The constant battles with nature to survive. It must have been astonishing in contrast to have the Millionaires yachts arriving at various intervals.
   
   Some trials were greater than others, during her time Margaret gave birth to a new baby on her own.
   
   This account has been written by Margaret and is highly personal. She is not a professional writer and sometimes the narrative suffers but it is powerful and detailed enough to make this a minor inconvenience. The sheer fascination of someone heading off in the 30's to live the life of a near hermitism on an isolated pacific island is compelling. The complications of politics, people and enormous egos means there is ample material to carry you through.



5. I just finished reading this book. It was a page turner (if you like books of this sort)! You do not really learn much about the Galapagos, but you do learn a great deal about living life on a remote island. Margret Wittmer and her family left their native land of Germany in 1932 and arrived on the little island of Floreana. And they ended up spending the rest of their lives there! It is a real pioneer story! Life was a struggle at times. But they carved out an amazing but simple life for themselves. At times they were alone on the island, but at other times other people were living on the island as well. You would think that a handful of people on a little island could all get along. Right? Wrong! Some real "characters" lived on the island at times and made life challenging for the Wittmers. So some intrigue and mystery is thrown in there too. Wittmer is an excellent writer and I really enjoyed reading this story of her life. She died in the year 2000 I believe.

4 comments about Journey to Machu Picchu: Spiritual Wisdom from the Andes.

1. Whether you travel to Peru in person or in spirit, this book will guide you. The authors share their vast knowledge of all things Andean, going far beyond Machu Picchu and other sites of Peru in much greater depth than the usual tour books. This book is very readable, very approachable, and the reader comes to know how deeply the authors love Pachamama (Mother Earth) and the people of the Andes. The book is enhanced by outstanding stories of the people and by splendid photography (color as well as black and white).

   Bottom line: I love this book.

   The book has the information of an encyclopedia without the dryness and some might say without the organization. It is like a syncopated fountain, flowing with details, dotted with definitions and poetic words of the people. Information is often repeated in different contexts so that at the end the reader has really learned something. That something is likely to be very personal to each reader. It may include a knowledge of Andean cosmology and a familiarity with the three worlds of Hanakpacha (upper world, represented by the condor), Kaypacha (present world, represented by the puma), and Ukhupacha (lower or inner world, represented by the snake). Along the journey, the reader will come to know and feel the protection of the apukuna (deities of the mountains) and to appreciate the connection we all have to Pachamama and to each other. The reader can also delve into sacred sites, healing ceremonies, daily life, the rich language, dream material, medicinal healing techniques, and so many other subjects.

   Like an incredible tapestry, the book weaves together the personal stories of the authors, plus the tales and traditions of many others. One of the most moving "stories" in the book is related by Aurelio Aguirre, telling of his experience as a guide for an Italian group, whose members may have literally saved his life. The tale keenly illustrates the interconnectedness of spiritual seekers--the learning and teaching and healing that ties us together, whether Andean or not, whether traveling in person or through books, in fact whether "seeking" or not.

   This reviewer is no expert on Peru, but I recently returned from my first trip there, during which time this book was published. I know that when (not if) I return to the Andes, this book will accompany me. While in Peru, I had the good fortune to meet Carol Cumes and some of the people whose stories fill this book. They are real, as authentic as can be.

   Enjoy this book and see where the journey takes you!




2. Carol and Romulo have writen a beautiful description about an wounderful location. Filling the reader with an understanding of why Machu Picchu intrigues so many people, encouraging a deeper love for the region.



3. Journey to Machu Picchu is not a travel guide, but a glimpse at the magic and spirituality of the Peruvian Andes. A mixture of folk lore, the authors' personal experience, stories from living Quechuans (the direct blood line of the Inca), this book isn't for everyone. But, if you're interested in the spritual aspect of Machu Picchu or the Andes, then this is required reading.



4. This is a pretty good book on the Quecha culture of Peru. However, there is not much in the book about Machu Picchu. So the title is a bit misleading. If you are looking for information about the historical and spiritual culture of Peru, this book, along with Return of the Children of Light, and Masters of the Living Energy: The Mystical world of the Q'ero of Peru, are your best bets. If you are looking for detailed information on Machu Picchu you should look at The Machu Picchu Guidebook: A Self-Guided Tour.

No comments about Entangled Edens: Visions of the Amazon.

No comments about Northern Virginia's Equestrian Heritage (VA) (Images of America).

1 comments about Oklahoma: A Portrait of America.

1. This book embodies the uniqueness of Oklahoma through colorful, emotional photos from across the state. From the Blue Whale in Catoosa to the Red Barn along old 66 in Arcadia to poignant cemetary photos, a one-of-a-kind book like no other. An excellent buy. I can't say enough great things about it.