This is a great learners manual for the real behind the closed doors intrigue and secrets of Wall Street. I felt like I was eavesdropping - the scenes were so authentic. The sex and romance between all the players was delicious. Loved every hot minute of it. Ariane and Alex (heroine and hero) were complicated and interesting characters that left me breathless. LOVED the book. Great author who grabbed me from page one.

Loved this book. Great characters, plot and dirty dealings. Insider's voice of wall street too true. Hot,hot, hot!

Real Wall Street lingo and know how from an obvious well placed source. True stuff! Good hot sexy goings on with the good, the bad and the never ugly. Good sense of time and place with real sites captured perfectly. This author has a great ear.

According to Ashland Poetry Press, the recipient of the Ashland Prize, sponsored by the Richard Snyder Series, must be a manuscript with "tenacious dedication to craftsmanship and thematic integrity." Ande's Instructions for Walking on Water embraces the very essence of the award (Richard Snyder's commitment to writing, publishing, and teaching quality poetry) as the work pays homage to the art of writing.

With regards to the manuscript's assembly, the poet is committed to language and the line. Ande has a gift for choosing her words with wisdom. Thematic journey aside, the poet creates cohesion between the pieces by employing a series of words fluid to the voice. That is to say, the language and tone uphold the book's theme - instructions for walking on water. Our narrator is a reliable one - everything in the language and pace suggests we are learning through the poem, and that our narrator is wise. The poems, affected by their light internal rhyme and ghost meter, keep the reader captivated in the menagerie of details and ideas.

The most noteworthy element of the poet's tone and craftsmanship is her balance between the didactic and meditative. The work guides us through a philosophical inquiry grounded in the senses and imagery. And although readers are following Ande's line and language, the exploration is highly individual. We don't often expect craftsmanship to lend itself to personal interpretation, but the manner in which Ande structures her lines - the way they address the grander scheme of things - makes the poems feel addressed to each reader as an individual. "Even if you don't know the answer, the question awaits you" (46).

In this lyrical space created by the writer, poet and reader share in the pilgrimage. Ande makes the journey a comfortable one through her attention to voice and consistency in tone, but it is only half of the accomplishment to produce poetry of this ilk. The poet also offers us undeniably rich content; elements of craft aside, these poems mean something. The subtexts (elements of feminism, sexuality, and independence, to name a few) lead the reader to examine the larger issues of spiritualism and physicality; no two readers will track the same results in the paradox presented. The encompassing theme of the manuscript, however, focuses on the art of learning to write. The poet, reverent and humble to art of poetry, offers her readership a theoretical discussion on the sacraments of writing and creating art.

The manuscript's first poem, "Learning to Pray," reminds those embarking on the journey of the ritual and dedication involved in such a humble tradition. To pray is an art - an art requiring servitude, devotion, selflessness, and patience. The poet approaches her own work with the same sincerity and invites the reader to 'tumble in the bower,' 'read the clues,' and confront the 'illusions of the body' alongside her. Ande's proficiency with tone and imagery make the work harmonious, and she engages her readers as active participants by utilizing exquisitely chosen details that startle, intrigue, and force us to keep searching.

The collection is heavily influenced by both Eastern and Western religions, and yet, the search is grounded in the natural. "Polliwogs with their missing eyebuds," the mystery of bone and nerve endings "fading into the memory of muscle and cell," "skin raised in papery layers" . . . even the tumor is "a holy node, a blank page." The body and the art of writing are one: paper as skin, skin as paper. Mystery and spiritualism are captured by religious reference, but the raw power of the writing is felt through the poet's ability to conjure the senses: through the maggot, muscles, albumen, liver gazing, yeast, the blood of berries, rose hips, dung fires, and the dark wine of the womb - because the poet pulls her material from a cacophony of rich images and sounds, "There are twice as many stars, two startled moons, and you no longer care which way leads up or down" (21).

Ande's work serves as a fine example to those curious about the craft and integrity of poetry. The manuscript is an elegant one in which the incantation to deities is a rich and layered pilgrimage. For writing, like faith, challenges one's perseverance. Readers of all levels are invited into the poems and challenged to leave changed. "When setting foot onto the water, keep in mind the insubstantial line between above and below"(21).The likelihood of closing the book in awe is high. The likelihood of feeling compelled to start again from the beginning, even higher.

These poems have a charm and poise that come in part from the poet's clarity and humor, but also from the largeness of her spiritual aspirations. There is something of Annie Dillard's delight in the everyday miraculousness of the ordinary world in these poems, and something too of Dillard's reverence and the pleasure she takes in close observation. Among Ande's best poems are paeans to the small creatures of the natural world, poems of genuine tenderness and respect unmarred by sentimentality or emotional slither. This is an accomplished poet who tries to see the world clearly and record it with both accuracy and a sense of the sacred.

Ande writes a charming poem about Basho's frog that is in part a naturalist's field notes, in part a hymn to the pleasures of frogdom, and in part a poem of sorrow at that creature's dwindling numbers--one more defenseless victim of human indifference. Her poems about ants, flies and bees are, like almost all her poems, deft and clear. Not the least of their charms is that compassion for her fellow beings that comes from a true humility. But she can write with the same precision and grace--and delight--in praise of feet ("When in ecstasy, the toes arch/ instinctively upward"); and in "Curses for He Who Borrows & Returns Not a Book," she can rail (but with her usual good humor)with a mixture of anger and pleasure: "May the kept book change to a serpent in his hands,/ rise up and bite him squarely on the nose."

Although in Ande's poems all things seem on the verge of flight, even in her poems about Buddhism, meditation and divination the poet remains grounded in the natural world, avoiding the pieties that are a danger to anyone who flirts with the mystical and transcendent. "Tantric Sex," for example, is a poem about both sex and the meditative life, while in "Pomegranate," a poem about the death of a small animal killed by a predatory cat, she manages to console herself with the sensuous delights of a pomegranate, lovingly described and all but tasted by the reader: "Splitting one open, you push your thumbs/ through its chambers, fingers bent to scoop/ the cool tart seeds./ We eat mouthful after mouthful, staining our lips/ and tongues blood red."

This is excellent poetry: brief, well-crafted narratives that are highly readable while remaining textured and complex, and all of it suffused with humanity and loving-kindness. In a nation that has taken to bombing indigent countries with pathological fury and murdering hundreds of thousands with a sanctimonious shrug of the shoulder, we need more such poets to remind us of an alternate way of consciousness--the blessing of humility, compassion, wonder and tenderness.

This illuminating, well-researched book provides a look at a very important but neglected aspect of pre-Columbian Andean history. The re-tracing of ritual and pilgrimage in ancient times brings the reader into contact, with solid scientific basis, with native Andean spirituality, and gives essential insights into the rich and holistic Pre-Columbian Andean American Cosmo-vision. It also brings the Island of the Moon and its ancient sacred role out of undeserved obscurity.

This work is an excellent combination of archaeology and ethnohistory. The islands of the Sun and Moon in Lake Titicaca were two of the most important ritual pilgrimage sites in the Inca empire. Until now, our understanding of Inca religion has been hindered by the lack of a comprehensive study of these mysterious sacred islands. Bauer and Stanish present information from an extensive survey of the islands of the Sun and the Moon in a clear and persuasive manner. They then combine their survey results with what is known about these islands from historical sources to describe the activities of pilgrims and priests at these shrines. Anyone interested in Inca religion and politics will find this book invaluable.

This is an excellent overview of native Andean artform the earliest perod through Chavin, Paracas, Nasca, Moche, Tiwanaku, Wari, to Incan. Covers architecture, textiles ,pottery and metallic arts. Looks at the main themes of religious and secular art in these various mediums. Text is accompanied by many black and white photographs, drawings and plans. Some photographs are in colour.

I found this work most interesting for the way it brings out the Andean worldview through the artistic artifacts remaining of those cultures. The work is also reasonably priced and up to date.

This book is an excellent introduction to the subject matter. The Central Andes are hosts to some of the most important copper and gold mines in the world and new discoveries , for example of Maricunga -type porphyry copper and gold deposits, are likely. This book continues the SEG's excellent writing and publication program. It will be an important reference for years. Its only failing is the lack of a good index.

My girlfriend discovered this book on a stroll through the university library. After reading it, we decided that we had to have it on our own bookshelf. This book is not so much about Guinea Pigs, but rather about the cultures surrounding them. If you want to find out how the everyday Andean lives and views this world, this book will show you through pictures and well crafted words.

The investigation of Guitarrero Cave was (at their time) the most well carried multidisciplinary attempt to get information about the first ocupations of perivian Andes and the subsecuent process. A lot of papers were published about the findings, covering several topics like plant domestication, cordage and textiles, lithics, etc. This book is a compilation of 12 contributions from the proyect investigators:

1 Setting and excavations
2 Stratigraphy and Chronology
3 Pollen analysis and paleoethnobotany
4 Vegetation and land use near Guitarrero Cave
5 Plant Remains from Guitarrero
6 Ancient peruvian highland Maize
7 Variation in cultived Beans
8 Faunal remains
9 Artifacts made from stone and other inorganic materials
10 Bone and Wood tools
11 Cordage, Basketry and Textiles
12 Guitarrero Cave in its andean context

There's a lot of interesting material for the interested in southamerican archaeology, and for anyone who wishes to see a good sample of the application of multiple disciplines at once.

Laurie Pace's boundless imagination has conjured capers of whimsy that may be unparalleled in modern fiction. If you like Paella, pizza with "everything", and burgers with "the works", you'll like this book -- spiced with an abundance of tasty metaphor. The author takes you headlong into space/time fantasy via the power of thought. While the premise is sage and Pace evidences a free, loving spirit, the read is sometimes like canoeing rapids in low water, or a crock of coins, many gold, wanting conversion into larger bills of manuscript. For some, the real treasure here is the way in which the author's extraordinary love for animals can enhance the reader's connection with the world of quadrapeds - an unexpected return on investment.

This book takes the reader on a magic carpet ride through the jungles of Peru, as the characters experience incredible adventures of self discovery while solving a metaphysical mystery. The young heroes, Sanson and his best friend Anine, aided by Sanson's Uncle and their beautiful, resourceful school teacher solve what becomes an exciting and supernatural puzzle. Blending high tech with mystical concoctions, and aided by magical characters called Whisponods, the author has created an enchanted playground for the mind. It's a book you'll enjoy reading by yourself or to your children. It's fast paced and intriguing with a touch of romance. The characters are well defined and engaging. I could sense myself within this story, which is necessary to hold my attention. Hold your attention it does, from cover to cover. It's hard to believe this is E. L. Pace's first book, but it's a page turner for both young adults and adults alike. Looking for something to read after Harry Potter? The Whittler could be just the book for you. I look forward to the next in this series of books from one of our brightest new storytellers. Well done, E. L. Pace, now where is the sequel?

Also recommended: Harry Potter, The Celistine Prophesy, The Narnia series by C. S. Lewis

It's not many books that can keep my attention, but The Whittler really did. What intrique, and such interesting plot twists. It is amazing how the author brings each character alive! I definitely recommend this book to all those out there that like something exciting, funny and emotional, and what a fantastic movie! When will that happen?

It would be hard not to like Chamalu! Although his material is consistent with that of others (e.g., John Perkins), it is refreshing in it's simplicity. Although at times the concepts seem too general to be applied in a practical sense, it is certainly worthy of a quick read and a possible re-read.

This book truly captures the essence of Shamanism. A must read!

I loved this book! To use almost as a guidebook for everyday life. What an eye opener, life looks so good after this book.

This paperback is an Authors Guild "Backinprint.com" edition of a wonderful and awesome book originally published by Scribner's Sons in 1989. Whether you have ever been to Peru or the Andes, or know anything about earthquakes and landslides, you will find the book hard to put down once you start reading it. "No Bells to Toll" is the superbly well-written story of the worst natural disaster in the history of the Western Hemisphere. Yet it is a story that remains little known to most of us. In May 1970 a powerful earthquake shook Peru's Department of Ancash, triggering an enormous avalanche that roared down from the heights of Huascarán, Peru's loftiest mountain, into a serenely magnificent Andean valley, the Callejón de Huaylas. The cataclysm devastated the valley, leveling villages, towns, and entire cities, and it killed 76,000 people. Another 140,000 were injured, and as many as 180,000 were left homeless. The valley's infrastructure was destroyed. All this because of an earthquake that lasted less than 45 seconds. The quake was the cruel catalyst for a catastrophe that resonated not only through the religion, politics, and private lives of the valley's residents, many descended from Inca Indians, but through the Catholic Church in Peru and the very government of Peru itself. This is an unforgettable story. Read it!

This is a beautifully written book that draws you into the author's own life, as well as, the lives of the townspeople of the Callejon de Huaylas. Little did I know that when I picked up this book, I would be swept away by the author's passion and grace. She takes the difficult job of translating the survivor's lives into words, with ease.

As this story unfolds, you get lost, in the sense that you begin to feel just as the townspeople did. Your own fears start to surface - you ask yourself... What would I have done? How would I have been able to survive such a tragic loss? Where was God that day? The author leads you through this tragic event trying to discover the answers with her very special gift.

A great read....

A stunning account of a community's will to survive. In the process of reading, we become aware of the complex geo/political dynamics which lead to revolution and ultimately terrorism. This is an important read for anyone trying to understand how a people can get pushed so far as to commit seemingly inhuman acts. It is also a powerful testament to those that endure great suffering and yet do not loose their compassion. This book will open the eyes of all "first worlders" to life in the "third world".