The Gringo's Hawk is the personal memoir of a varied and remarkable life. Jon Maranon was an idealistic American who became a landowner on the southwest coast of Costa Rica. Maranon found himself confronted with one crisis after another ranging from chicken hawks, to termites, to adjudicating peasant disputes, to conflicts with other landlords who felt Maranon paid his peasants too much. He fervently battled with Costa Rican government to stop the slow degradation of the environment, and worked with scientists to understand more about the migration patterns of whales. The Gringo's Hawk is the compelling, highly recommended autobiographical story of a unique, candidly presented, and singularly fascinating life.

I have piles of books that I intend to read someday. I thus have no time for slow moving books. Gringo's Hawk is a delightful and fast moving story that drew me in and allowed me to feel like I was participating in the story. I laughed. I cried. I shook with anticipation. This story is a joy to read.

Now, where can I find another as good?

The Gringo's Hawk is a thoroughly enjoyable read by Jon Marañon (nom de plume). Marañon made the tropical paradise of Costa Rica his home some 30 years ago and documented the immense change he witnessed in the ensuing years in a charming erstwhile enlightening manner. He describes the socio-cultural and ecological conditions of a remote part of Costa Rica as he found them, and the changes and growing pains he suffered and shared with the local community during his years there.

Through his memoirs we share Marañon's joy, anger, and frustration in his dealings with inept beauracracies and cultural roadblocks. At times one is drawn into his dejection, his pain and sorrow; at other times we are taken by his joy and satisfaction. We feel his love and fascination for the rainforest, the flora and fauna, and the planet. The book is full of interesting cultural and ecological observations, yet is never pedantic.

As we follow the author while he eeks out an existence in the rainforest, we learn about a life without luxuries such as power and transportation. We witness the personal transformations he underwent from idealist, to realist, and ultimately to environmental activist and philanthropist.

The lessons learned in the Gringo's Hawk make it a must-read for anyone interested in the recent natural history and changing sociology of Costa Rica. From his unique perspective, Marañon has successfully documented the challenges, on personal, ecological and cultural levels, faced by Costa Rica and its citizens during its emergence as a modern, globalized nation.

Having lived in Costa Rica in recent times, often wondering how the country once was, I highly recommend The Gringo's Hawk.

A guide written by golfers for golfers. Hundreds of resorts are described in this book, with details including fees, course profile (par, hazards, yardage), resident pro information, accommodations (with prices), dining options and equipment rentals. All establishments are open to the public.

"If you love golf, Golf Resorts is for you." Relax Magazine

"... the most useful guidebook... a great reference." The Traveling Golfer

Excellent spitual book written as a fast paced adventure. Similar to Dan Millman and Richard Bach - lots of adventure and spiritual meanings. Speaks to the fears in us all and allows the reader to put them in perspective. Makes life seem much bigger than just my own view points. I now want to reread his first book, Celestial Bar. Great read and well worth your time.

Having read The Celestial Bar, I was pleased when I received "In the "Shadow of the Shere" at Christmas. As Digger's journey continued, I found myself swept up in his journey, somewhere on the rafting excursion, I found myself in shock as unexpected events took a turn and I found myself rivited to every page of adventure, by the last page I had goose bumps, and did not want the story to end, I look forward with anticipation to Tom Youngholm's next book and further adventures with Digger and his Spirtual Journey.

Musician/composer "Digger" Taylor embarks on a perilous rafting trip down a central American river. He hopes the change of scene will help him forget the recent disappoints in his life. he encounters a beautiful, mysterious woman who leads him deep into the rainforest where he meets a wise man, a black jaguar, shocking tragedy, and a host of characters who change his life forever. The Stone Spheres are unique granite monoliths found in Costa Rica and served as the inspiration for In The Shadow Of The Sphere, Thomas Youngholm's skillfully written, highly recommended metaphysical novel which combines elements of romance, science fiction, mystery, and spirituality in a riveting tale of personal transformation.

I read Zyke's book first when I was a teenager (in the 80's, that is). It really made an impression, and does the same still.

First of all, the book tells a great tale of adventure, friendship and so on. The hero (teller) is an intresting mixture of a hero and an antihero. From the deep jungles of Costa Rica he finds a place where he can by the laws he likes most, his own.

As an adult reader I now find other aspects even more interesting. Zyke does, interestingly enough, in some points explain his philosophy. There will always be those who are subdued, and those who subdue others... and it's after all better to belong to the latter. Yes, that's nietczhe, cruel, perhaps even inhumane to some. But what I respect is that Zyke is by no means a hippocrat - he does not try to be better than he is.

Sure, the story is in some aspects quite unbelievable, Zyke tells things as he sees fit.. Sure, Zyke crosses (my personal) line messing with very young girls. Despite all of this, you just cant dislike him.

By the way, my ex-girlfriend read the book too. I was waiting for a feminist reaction of the biggest caliber - but she liked the book alot. Well, what can you say of that?

This guy is a bit like Frank Abagnale in "Catch Me if You Can" but way way worse!

I read this book again and again, it is simply fabulous! What a story, what a man! Zyke is the anti-hero, the ultimate dirty crook, guns, drugs, girls, anything goes. Too bad it's out of print now.

Cizia Zyke also wrote 2 other true stories. In one he pretends to be a maffioso in Canada. In the other he's having a blast srewing up people in Africa. Both are 5 stars too, highly recommended.

He also wrote a handful of novels (fiction) with which he wasn't as successful, sorry to say.

i have read the 50 first pages of the book in one week, and the 350 else, in two days. this is to indicate that i so much liked this excellent adventure, and i must leave you now, because i am going immediately to catch a plane for Costa Rica. Maybe i write a book when i'll be back, if i'm back. i am so sad that i have finished the book, i should have kept a bit for every day. tchao

What a tremendously detailed book of all the Hotels, place to eat and visit in the Southern Zone of Costa Rica! The book was a great help while weeding through the vast array of choices to choose from. We looked at several books prior to our excursion, but found that there was something missing for this beautiful part of the country. Southern Costa Rica Handbook provided us exactly the descriptive information to make our trip more fulfilling, while educating us on "local knowledge" of the area. A must read prior to any journey to this area!

If you are traveling to the Southern Zone of Costa Rica and looking to get the inside scoop, I highly recommned this handbook. I read all of the major Costa Rica handbooks, but none of those books provided the detail and insights found in this handbook.

Prior to departure, I sat on the floor of my local bookstore sifting through no less than 17 books on Costa Rica. An hour and a half-- and one headache-- later, I finally narrowed my choices down to what I like to call "the big four"--those familiar-named guidebooks that everyone would be carrying. It was not until I was already traveling in Costa Rica that I discovered Alexander del Sol's Southern Costa Rica Handbook and realized that I had finally arrived.

After two dizzying weeks of trying to decipher the nondescript differences between various hotels, restaurants and tourist traps as reviewed by the big four, what a joy it was to finally read about a destination in such detail and clarity that you could actually picture where it was you were headed. Mr. del Sol has done a terrific job of culling out the junk for you, and then describing his choices in such a manner that you can joyfully plan your trip with confidence.

As one of his previous reviewers commented, I only wish he would write a guide book for the rest of Costa Rica--and the world, for that matter!

I have spent a considerable amount of time in Costa Rica, and I found this book to be both accurate and interesting. The reptiles, the amphibians...they're all there. Costa Rica is a beautiful country, and this is a beautiful book. A+,

I have known the author for 30 years. He knows more about the amphibians and reptiles of Costa Rica than anyone I know. The pictures are spectacular. Kudos to both authors.

I have been waiting for this book for over a year and it was well worth it. With over 40 years of 'herping' Costa Rica Jay Savage needs no introduction. Neither do the photographers Michael and Patricia Fogden. Their stunning images of the tropics and its reptiles and amphibians are everywhere. Costa Rica currently has 178 amphibian species and 218 reptile species. Additionally, there are two introduced frogs and four introduced lizards. Savage covers them all. In fact the subtitle covers it moreso. Nearly everything related to herps between two continents and between two seas is covered.

Savage states he wrote this book for several audiences: the general reader with an interest in biology and the herpetofauna, the amateur or part-time naturalist with some background in biology, the tropical biology and herpetolgy student, and the professional biologist. I would say that Savage has succeeded wildly in hitting his broad mark. The book is in four parts. The first gives the layperson a general background of biology, classification, and systematics. This also serves as a good refresher for those familiar with the terms or who is new to learning them. Savage tells us how to observe, where to look, how to catch, and how to preserve as specimens or keep as study subjects the diverse herpetofauna in Costa Rica. Included is a brief political history of Costa Rica. This is just the first chapter. He then describes, in depth, Costa Rica's climate, geography, and numerous habitats and vegetation patterns. Then we learn how to use the meat of this book; the keys.

Parts two and three are the keys to all the known amphibians and reptiles, respectively, of Costa Rica. These keys, broken into appropriate chapters are incredible. We get family descriptions, species accounts, descriptions of eggs, larvae, and adults, location maps, body part nomenclature, countless figures including tadpoles, tadpole mouthparts, body patterns, and headscale counts. This may all sound arcane to the uninitiated but it is invaluable to experts in identifying individual species. Beginners could forego some of this information and focus on more broad details to identify if the snake they saw was poisonous or the frog outside their cabin was a treefrog. Conversely, if you wanted to know the difference between Sibon annulatus and Sibon longifrenis it is in here. The words and drawings are backed up by over 500 color plates detailing nearly every species mentioned. Incredible considering the rarity of some species. There are stunning plates of habitats but mostly they are smallish (6 to a page) but excellent and very descriptive images of the animals. Where else would you find such detailed images of elusive caecelians and salamanders alongside the extinct golden toad Bufo periglenes, numerous and nondescript rain frogs, all the lacertid lizards, snakes, turtles, and crocodilians? Any single part of this text would prove useful. It is hard to believe that so much has been accomplished.

Part four gives us ecological and geographical distribution patterns, evolution and development of herpetofauna, and information of plate movements and land bridge formation. Savage then ends with his explanation of why there are so many species between two continents and between two seas. Included are an addendum, a 17 page glossary, a 50 page literature cited section(!), and two indices. This tome is over 900 pages. There is a ton of information here and the reader can pick and choose what they need or want to know. I haven't read this book cover to cover, yet. And, I am not an expert herpetologist. There certainly could be errors in species accounts but that would most likely be left for a few select individuals to argue over. What I can say is that this text would have easily been too big of a project for it to succeed or prove useful. Somehow, Savage manages it in such a way as to be a benchmark for herpetological texts and guides. I honestly can not say when I've been this excited about a book, although Duellman's Hylid Frogs reprint is a good second. There is much more to this book. Want to know? Buy it.

What this book is not is a field guide in the classic sense. This is a large hefty book. Not likely to be packed in the luggage of a vacationing tourist. If you will be spending some time conducting work in this beautiful country then find something else to leave behind and bring the book. If you are like me then read it before you leave and after you return. You'll know where to look for specific animals and also find it useful in identifying prized photos weeks after returning. If you are looking for a classic herping field guide then try Twan Leenders new book. It is pocket sized and has lots of useful info. Better still own them both.

As a professional in the environmental area in Central America, I applaud Vandermeer and Perfecto's explanations of the workings of man in the humid tropical forests of our region. These are not easy issues, yet they manage to leave the reader with a sense of the urgency without oversimplifying or becoming preachy. This book is best for someone who is really interested in the political ramifications of US policy in the tropics, or for someone interested in working in the environment overseas.

I was drawn to this book because of the foreword by Vandana Shiva. I kept reading it. It does a good job of looking at several of the different variables causing rain forest destruction and keys in on land and food as major factors. Clear and easily read. Not to long or overly verbose.

Vandermeer and Perfecto step forward with a review of a difficult and complex subject. Their analysis does not show the one-sided perspective that many do; they address the root causes of the problem of Deforestation in Tropical America. The book is excellent in its readability, depth, and human approach to what too many scientists try to explain as a purely biological problem. Gerald R. Urquhart Ph.D.

A lovely book; it somehow transcends the childhood experience at the same time that it does evoke the joys and pains of first love. It can be read as an experience in the present, or how such an adult experience should be. A fresh, charming book.

Forget perfume! Read me words of love.

A History of Light is straight from a bottomless well of the real stuff. This is the intensity, recklessness and sweetness I want from a lover. The innocence and abandon of a twelve year-old boy's first headlong plunge into his own heart, told over fifty years later with the seasoning and wisdom of a poet.

Light the candles. Pour the wine. Turn the page. Read me words of love.

I met Alvaro Cardona-Hine the summer after my Sophomore year in college, at his home in Truchas, NM. He was a charming man, who invited me in to his studio, and his home. He offered water or wine to drink, and then signed a gallery book of his paintings for me.

Two years later, I discover The History of Light.

I loved reading this book, I savored every minute of time that it took to read, and I walked away thinking love should be just like this

It is an adult version of childhood romance; it's also a remembering of loss. Sometimes on the border of being sentimental, it's very sweet. The prose is elegant,the words and ideas simple, without being simplistic. My favorite passage reads "Whatever seemed unfinished once now is undefinable. I had thought God interested in creating puzzles out of life when He had meant for me to stand in awe of beauty. What an easy thing to feel that is when it's messenger stands before me."

Another passage, worth noting, reads "Your fingernails, little as they are, have small white moons sailing over their crests. And your face has freckles, as though it had lain a whole night exposed to the elements and your skin had photographed the stars."

This is the best book for birding in Costa Rica but it is far too big and heavy to be an ideal field guide. A pro birding guide in CR suggested buying the book, removing the illustrations and having them bound for use in the field. Guides at La Selva have the plates laminated in plastic and spiral bound for easy carrying. Since it is a expensive field guide I'd suggest buying a protective cover for it. If you don't want to carry the weight, Peterson's Birds of Mexico has many of the birds you will see in Costa Rica.

This is a lavishly illustrated book with all of Costa Rica's 830 bird species depicted in color on 52 plates. This is also a valuable book if you visit any of Costa Rica's neighbouring countries. The book is not only a field guide, but it is also a guide to birding in Costa Rica. The species accounts are highly informative and set out in a simple format. Although the plates are a bit cramped and the illustrations are small, they are clear and well drawn.This book is a must for any birder visiting Central America.

A great field guide! After 8 days, my guide was well worn. The "human type" guides that we went birding with on two occasions used the same field guide. They would tell me what plate to go to, from memory, to find the birds we were viewing. My husband, a novice birder, ID'd as many birds as I did using this book. The printed information on the birds was excellent also, as it clinched several ID's.

Here in one book were all the shots of flora and fauna that I missed. Upon opening the first page, I was instantly transported back to the rainforest. At times, I felt the author had stood in the same spot that I did to take his photographs. Glorious color that captures the mood, emotions and life in the rainforest. A beautiful book to give anyone who has been to Costa Rica or who can only be an armchair traveler.

Kevin Schafer's gorgeous photographs and thoughtful and well-written prose make Costa Rica come alive. This beautiful book definitely makes me yearn to visit Costa Rica sometime soon!

Costa Rica; Forests of Eden is a spectacular book with spectacular photos. The photos are realistic, they give a good view of how things really look. No tricks are used in the photography, so when you go to Costa Rica yourself you can actually see it as it is photographed. The text that goes with the photos give good information about ecotourism and about the environment and animals that are on the photos. The book is made with care of the photographer.