Amazon.com Review: Floods of Fortune

		Floods of Fortune by Michael Goulding Edition: Paperback
STRANGE MIX OF AMAZON RELATED THEMES, GOOD OUTCOME, March 1, 2009 This book is written by some of the most knowledgeable and experienced Amazon scientists and explorers; having said that, it is unclear who the target audience is, since the book mixes part history of the region, part biology, especially as it relates to the floodplain, and part policy recommendations (with a strong environmental focus).  Though the book is very interesting and has especially good photography on the underwater floodplain, it is difficult to recommend it to a specific audience, since, for example, there are better books for tourists; there are also better books for history buffs; same for biologists. I guess it is for you if you find yourself at the intersection of these and need imagery to get a sense of what you read.

Amazon.com Review: Designing Inclusion

Designing Inclusion: Tools to Raise Low-end Pay and Employment in Private Enterprise by Edmund S. Phelps
THE ECONOMICS OF SOCIAL INCLUSION, March 1, 2009 Edmund Phelps is the very best eocnomist to tackle employment as a problem to be solved. In this very short book, Phelps puts in policy making language the findings that have made him famous and earn a Noble Prize.  The problem is clear: how to improve the lot of low wage earners. Low wages, though they may seem economically efficient, carry along heavy social externalities, such as malnutrition, poor education, poor health, etc. Phelps explores the economic alternatives to improve the lives of low wage earners. He carries the reader through his thinking, presenting ample evidence and reasoning so that the reader arrives at his well thought out conclusion.  Just as an advance of the book (in order not to leave one in suspense), his main conclusion is that a subsidy for companies to hire workers at a certain wage (a minimum social wage) is the best way to stimulate profit seeking companies to adjust wages to that level. A small subsidy is generally sufficient to achieve a good improvement in wages.

National Geographic's Amazon review by Denis Minev

		National Geographic's Amazon: Land of the Flooded Forest VHS Availability: Currently unavailable
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:  GOOD INTRO TO THE AMAZON, December 27, 2003 This video is a good intro into the life of the Amazon. I enjoyed how it balances the strangeness appeal of different creatures in the jungle with the scientific rigour to explain the terrain and the different environments animals and plants face throughout the year (rainy flooded season, dry season, etc.) I strongly recommend this video for someone planning to visit the Amazon for the first time, just to have an idea of what to expect and to better be able to understand the explanations guides may give during a trip.

Smithsonian Atlas of the Amazon review by Denis Minev

		Smithsonian Atlas of the Amazon by Michael Goulding Edition: Hardcover Availability: In Stock
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:  THE BEST ATLAS OF THE AMAZON AVAILABLE, January 23, 2004 The Atlas of the Amazon is the best comprehensive view of the many different natural and social aspects that emcompass the Amazon river basin. It does a thorough job of describing the natural environment and the differences between sub-regions. Unfortunately, the entire Amazon is altogether too large and too diverse for a single volume such as this one, but I believe that it does reasonably well at condensing some of the main aspects and choosing specific themes to focus on. For example, the book focuses on the geology of the reason, explaining the differences in river color by showing the different origins of the rivers (there are yellow, black, green, and transparent waters). Additionally, the book singled out the lifecyle of local catfish, that crisscross the region by their feeding and breeding habits. One of the outstanding qualities of this book is the images, which try to do justice to the beauty of the region. Through the pictures, one can tell the deep differences between the sub-regions; some are mountainous, some are planes, some are swamps, in some places the forest is denser, etc. If you are planning a visit to the Amazon, or have a strong interest in the Amazonian ecosystem, this may be the best book available today. I strongly recommend it.

Capitalism and Freedom review by Denis Minev

		Capitalism and Freedom: Fortieth Anniversary Edition by Milton Friedman Edition: Paperback Availability: In Stock
70 of 81 people found the following review helpful:  CLASSIC ECONOMICS, FRIEDMAN'S BEST, August 13, 2004 Milton Friedman is one fo the strongest proponents of freedom in society as the only way towards development (a concept later expanded by Amartya Sen). This book is not an economics textbook, since he does not spend much time on the basic concepts of economics such as price theory. He assumes a bit of knowledge and uses it to make the case for many different economic ideas ranging from macroeconomics (monetarism) to microeconomics (school vouchers).  For a book that was written in the 60s, it is amazing how current his ideas remain. It is perhaps the most important book on the libertarian philosophy, focusing on preventing the accumulation of power by any individual or group of individuals in society.  Overall, it is a great read for someone familiar with economics and social sciences, it will definitely expand your horizons of thought. However, if you are looking for an introduction to interesting eocnomic ideas, I would suggest you read Free to Choose, which Friedman wrote a dozen years later to reach a more general audience.

Mad Maria review by Denis Minev

		Mad Maria by Marcio Souza Edition: Mass Market Paperback Availability: Out of Print--Limited Availability
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:  DEPICTION OF HELL IN A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IN THE AMAZON, September 8, 2004 This is Marcio Souza's most famous book, in which he creates a romance out of the construction project of the Madeira-Mamoré railway, built in the Amazon in the early 20th century.  Marcio describes in vivid detail the different stories of people somehow connected to the railway, such as the American builders that had worked on the Panama Canal, German and Barbadian low wage, violent workers, an American idealist doctor, the powerful interests behind the building of the railroad both in Brazilian politics and American capitalism. Souza emplys a style reminiscent of Emile Zola in that he appeals to naturalism to describe people's feelings and often uses metaphors of a woman's intimate parts to describe the situation fo the railroad and the main engine, Mad Maria, that is testing the railway.  It is interesting to read the book and then visit the remaining parts of the railway. There are many leftover bridges along the Madeira river that can be visited, and even an engine can be seen in the town of Abunã, which the townspeople say is Mad Maria.  It is a very nice and quick read, but not for those that shy away from violence or darkness. Reminded me a bit of Heart of Darkness, though Mad Maria is written in a much more crude, aggressive style. I highly recommend it, espcially if you will be travelling to the Amazon, as a way to understand the difficulties development has faced in the region.

The Brothers review by Denis Minev

		The Brothers by Milton Hatoum Edition: Paperback Availability: Usually ships in 2 to 3 weeks
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:  INTERESTING BIBLICAL STORY, SET IN THE AMAZON, September 19, 2004 Hatoum is a new star in Brazilian literature and this is only his second book. The background of this novel is the destruction of a Lebanese family living in the port city of Manaus, caused by the hatred between two twin brothers (hence the title) and the missplaced love of the mother and sister. The destruction of the family is followed by the demise of the physical house as well. The family decays with the city, and when the city starts to revive, the family is disassembled to start a new life with the four young members (the brothers, sister, and son of the maid).  Though the story seems to focus on the disputes of the brothers, it is actually narrated by a third person who we only get to know deep into the book, the son of the maid. His main issue is finding out who his father is, and he gets little glimpses of it through stories told him, mainly by Halim, the father of the house, and the maid.  The book is captivating and suspenseful. Hatoum is a master in the art of showing how things are falling apart, as he simultaneously makes the family, the house and the city degerate. He is a worthy member of the degeneration club, that includes Achebe, Poe and Conrad. Highly recommended, a good short page turner.

The Emperor of the Amazon review by Denis Minev

		The Emperor of the Amazon by Marcio Souza Edition: Paperback Availability: Out of Print--Limited Availability
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:  SATIRE BASED ON REAL STORY, SARCASTIC AND UNIQUE, October 13, 2004 This was the first novel by Marcio Souza, a gifted Amazonian writer. The novel is based on the true story of Galvez, who briefly gained Acre (a remote state in the western Brazilian Amazon) from Bolivia in the late 1800s. At the time, the Amazon was bustling with the rubber trade, so the economic importance of the state, one of the main rubber producers in the country, was quite obvious.  Galvez is a migrant from Spain who meanders through the Amazon beginning in Belem, from where he is chased, ending up in Santarem then in Manaus. A bohemian, he is dragged into the plot to save Acre from a Bolivian-American coalition that would annex Acre to Bolivia, despite the majority of Brazilian rubber tappers living there.  Souza uses crude and sarcastic language in order to depict the decadent and complex society living in the Amazon, with prosptitutes from Europe, Northeastern Brazilians tapping rubber, American and European magnates, scientists with strange theories about the region and overall adventurers seeking a new life (as was the case with Galvez).  Souza pokes fun at that society as well as the military conception of the Amazon at the time the wrote the book (1970s), which drew some political trouble for him at the time. He has since written much, of which I have only read Mad Maria so far. His style is definitely reminiscent of Emile Zola in the crudeness of the language. If you are getting acquainted with Souza, I would recommend Mad Maria first, since it is more of a standard novel. In Emperor of the Amazon, he uses a different style of breaking up the chapters into little pieces, which can get distracting at times. Overall, however, it is a very interesting book, continuing the tradition of able Latin American writers using sarcasm and an artistic touch in a almost surreal environment.

		The Power of Productivity: Wealth, Poverty, and the Threat to Global Stability by William W. Lewis Edition: Hardcover Availability: In Stock
31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:  INNOVATION IN ECONOMIC THINKING, HIGHLY ACCESSIBLE TEXT, October 27, 2004 In this book, William Lewis sums up the conclusions drawn from ten years and a sequence of studies that try to determine what makes a country have better economic performance than another. In this innovative text, he argues that it is not the traditional macroeconomic variables, or even the traditional labor (education, hours worked, work ethic) and capital inputs, but rather the productivity of each of the major industries in those countries. Ok, so far, not an earthshattering finding. However, most interesting is his conclusion as to what leads to high productivity; not education, not access to finance, but good old free competition.  He shows how, in markets sheltered from competition by barriers or regulation, productivity remains low and so do the returns on capital and labor. The studies are drawn from developed (Japan, US, Europe) and developing nations (Brazil, India, Korea) and go in depth into particular industries in order to understand the factors that drive productivity. No book in recent publication is as insightful on the true engine that drives development.  The author was the leading partner at McKinsey in charge of the McKinsey Global Institute, McKinsey's thinktank. Using McKinsey resources, which are unique and unavailable to any other economist, Lewis was able to analyze conditions that could only previously be seen from afar by economists. His training as a physicist also helped him synthesize phenomena, drawing the overarching themes behind producitivity.  I highly recommend this book, it will breathe new life into economists that may be losing hope that development is not possible in certain places due to such factors as environment or culture. It is accessive to non-economists as well, so I hope policy-makers would have a chance to read it and follow some of its good advice.

Eretz Amazonia review by Denis Minev

		Eretz Amazonia: Os judeus na Amazonia by Samuel Benchimol Edition: Unknown Binding Availability: Out of Print--Limited Availability
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:  THE HISTORY OF THE JEWISH MIGRANTS TO THE AMAZON, February 11, 2005 This is a book about the history of the Jewish people in the Amazon region. I am somewhat biased to speak about it, as I am the grandson of the author.  The book focuses on tracking the history of the Jewish migration that took place mostly in the 19th century from Morocco to the Brazilian Amazon. These immigrants were and are an integral part of the communities today living in the region, though the vast majority either live in the largest cities (Manaus and Belem) or have moved to Rio or Sao Paulo. There are tables listing all the families that migrated to the region, as well as lists of all burials in local Jewish cemeteries. It also explains a bit the motives behind the migration (anti-Semitism in Morocco coupled with economic opportunity in Brazil).  If you would like a copy of this book, I would be happy to get one for you, just send me an e-mail.

Amazon Sweet Sea review by Denis Minev

		Amazon Sweet Sea: Land, Life, and Water at the River's Mouth by Nigel J. H. Smith Edition: Hardcover Availability: Out of Print--Limited Availability
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:  WATCH, READ AND LEARN - AMAZON MEETS ATLANTIC, May 15, 2005 Nigel Smith is a longtime student of the Brazilian Amazon. In this illustrated book, he attempts to capture the social, economic and environmental reality of the estuary region of the Amazon river, where it meets the Atlantic Ocean.  This is a wonderfully illustrated book, with the pictures going a long way in capturing the reality of the region. The region is quite peculiar even within the Amazon in that it suffers the influence of the Ocean, with ingredients such as daily tides and beaches that are not common elsewhere in the Amazon.  The social and economic contrasts are vast: on the one hand, there is the city of Belem, with over 1 million people and a cosmopolitan feel to it; on the other hand, you have the people who live in the banks of the thousands of rivers that crisscross each other on the way to the Ocean, living very simple lives, often without electricity. The book depicts, with few words and many images, the distinct local living conditions.  The environmental aspect, which makes the region all the more interesting, is present throughout. Despite an economy heavily dependent on natural resources, especially in the Marajo island, the author presents an ecossystem that is often well integrated with man. For example, he demonstrates how people survive off gathering acai (a local plant), crab or eels, in such a way that the resources are naturally replenished.  The sweet sea is clearly a distinct region from the rest of the Amazon, and hence deserves unique attention. The books gives one a full view of life there (human or not), which is quite amazing. I highly recommend this book for the armchair voyageur, or to someone considering visiting Belem and surroundings. It will definitely give you a perspective that most of the locals don't even have.

Amazon review by Denis Minev

		Amazon: A Young Reader's Look at the Last Frontier (River) by Peter Lourie Edition: Paperback Availability: Out of Print--Limited Availability
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:  GOOD BOOK FOR THE YOUNG READER ON THE AMAZON, November 23, 2005 This book is aimed at giving a brief picture of the Amazon to a young reader. It focuses on a few aspects, such as: the indians living in the Amazon, the gold rush around the southern Amazon, the river and its dolphins, and the rubber boom and the railroad built to transport rubber.  The book is written as a travelogue, describing the author's trip chronologically. It is simplistic, of course, as any book for children should be, but it provides some vivid pictures of the region. About half of the pictures are very good, the rest should have been reconsidered.  My main criticism is that he associates the colonists as being evil doers destroying the forest; it is hardly ever an evil vs good fight. Anyways, I would recommend it especially to a family with children planning a trip to the Amazon as a way to wet the appetite.

The Brazilian Amazon Rainforest review by Denis Minev

		The Brazilian Amazon Rainforest by Luiz C. Barbosa Edition: Textbook Binding Availability: In Stock
1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:  GOOD HISTORY OF AMAZON RELATED EVENTS, ONLY OK ANALYSIS, January 5, 2006 In this book, the author intends to initially describe the history of major projects and dreams for the Amazon through military and civilian rule in Brazil. The facts are indeed interesting and likely correct. The author describes in good detail the grand dreams of the military government to develop the region. Then he describes the sea change that occured when democracy returned. With democracy, there was a renewed interest in preservation.  However, the analysis is difficult to swallow from a few perspectives:  1. Much of the analysis is written from a traditional marxist point of view, with a veil of class conflict, which in this case means poor indians and farmers vs international interests. It often feels like he simplifies scenarios by bringing in the marxist class conflict perspective to explain situations that are in fact more complex than that.  2. Along with the marxist perspective, any explorer in search of profit is poorly portrayed in the book. The author focuses on government action and plays down private enterprise in the Amazon as basically undesirable. It becomes clear quite quickly that the author does not believe in capitalism.  3. There is a main thesis, that democracy brings about preservation. Though it seems to be true, the book forcefully tries to fit every single fact to match the thesis. Some conclusions do not seem warranted.  Overall, I would not recommend this to someone just getting acquainted with the region. If you are knowledgeable of the economics and sociology of the Amazon, then this is a good book to give you a different non-mainstream somewhat biased perspective.

The Lost World review by Denis Minev

		The Lost World (Tor Classics) by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Edition: Mass Market Paperback Availability: Out of Print--Limited Availability
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:  THE ORIGINAL TALE OF DINOSAURS IN THE MODERN WORLD, February 27, 2006 This is Conan Doyle's original tale of dinoasours still alive in the world. The setting is a plateau deep in the Amazon jungle, separat5ed from the rest of the world by very high rock walls. Up on this plateau dinosaours have survived.  The book beging with Professor Challenger, a forceful and egotistical scientist claiming dinosaurs are alive in the jungle and he has seen them in a recent trip. A team is put together to verify this claim, including Challenger, another professor (Summerlee), a big-game hunter and a journalist (the narrator). This group arives at the plateau and begins exploring a way to get up on it. Once up there, they verify the existence of those dinosaurs, having terrifying experiences with pterodactyls and Tyranossaurus Rex. They also meet humans and an ape species that dominate the humans. The story unfolds from then to the climatic end, when Professor CHallenger releases a pterodactyl in a scientific gathering in London.  Overall, this is an entertaining book, it reads like a precursor of Jurassic Park and other monster thrillers. One interesting fact is that the place described by Doyle in fact exists: it is Mount Roraima, at the Brazil/Venezuela/Guyana border. It is exactly as Doyle described it, which is fitting since he based the book on it. Though the plateau is interesting and strange, upon it there are no dinosaurs.

Amazônia review by Denis Minev

		Amazonia: Formacao social e cultural by Samuel Benchimol Edition: Unknown Binding Availability: Out of Print--Limited Availability
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:  BOOK ON THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE UP THE AMAZON, March 12, 2006 This is an important book on the people who today compose the society that lives in the Amazon rain forest. In Brazil alone there are 20 million people, yet most of the attention is paid to deforestation, with little paid to the people who live in it.  The main groups include indians, British, Americans, portuguese, jews, arabs, Japanese, among others. The book dedicates a chapter to each of these populations.  I am somewhat biased in this review since I am the author's grandson. If you would like a copy of this book, feel free to get in touch with me by e-mail.

The Amazon Rainforest review by Denis Minev

		The Amazon Rain Forest: The Largest Rain Forest In The World (Natural Wonders) by Galadriel Watson Edition: Library Binding Availability: In Stock
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:  BOOK FOR TEENAGERS ON THE AMAZON, March 30, 2006 This is a nice little book for pre-teenagers unacquainted with the Amazon to read. It touches on the main points related to the forest, such as fauna, flora, its society, economics, geography, environmental conditions and deforestation, among other issues. It also does a brief description of the life work of Henry Walter Bates, an early British explorer of the Amazon who cataloged thousands of new insect species in the region.  Overall, this is a very simple and short book, to be read in about an hour. If you just want a quick intro to the region for your kid, this is okay. Anything more, you should look elsewhere, such as Adrian Forsyth's Tropical Forest.

The Amazon review by Denis Minev

		The Amazon, 2nd: The Bradt Travel Guide by Roger Harris Edition: Paperback Availability: Out of Print--Limited Availability
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:  BEST IN CLASS, THOUGH NOT THAT GOOD, April 1, 2006 Among all guidebooks I have seen on the Amazon, this one did the best job of gathering information and putting it in an easily readable fashion.  The book is divided among the different countries in the region. Knowing the attractions mainly of the Brazilian Amazon, I can say that about half of the businesses, phone numbers, addresses, etc. are outdated. It is to be expected, since this guide was published 4 yrs ago. The Brazilian section is good, with good advice especially on the surroundings of Manaus. It also provides good advice on what to bring and what to look for in the Amazon, which is useful and timeless.  To someone considering a trip to different places in the Amazon, if you want to get just one guide, I would recommend this one. If you are going to just one place, perhaps as a second guide book this would help, but I would not rely too heavily on the companies listed there, many of them no longer exist.

Tropical Nature review by Denis Minev

		Tropical Nature: Life and Death in the Rain Forests of Central and South America by Adrian Forsyth Edition: Paperback Availability: In Stock
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:  ENCHANTING DEPICTION OF THE RAIN FOREST, April 9, 2006 Among books that aim to express to readers the wonders of the rain forest, this one stands out. In 17 chapters that touch upon different aspects of the rain forest, the authors transmit their own passion for the rain forest and the unique intricacies that make rain forests some of the most precious places on earth.  The book is not written as one coherent whole, but rather as 17 individual chapters or essays. Below is a brief sample of topics:  - the strategy of dung scarabs to capture important proteins  - the symbiotic relationship of sloths with the trees they prefer  - the mimicry some insects have developed to elude their main predators, birds  - the reason why some birds have developed migratory patterns to temperate climates  - the reason why some frogs developed a parental care strategy and even marsupial pouches  - the reason why some trees are hollow  - how parasited species can benefit even in the most unlikely scenarios  - why some plants developed hallucinogenic substances  These are just a few of the topics covered in the book. It is written in a pop science format, so that an interested reader will easily understand and appreciate these and many more concepts. The authors carefully explain the relationships, often comparing the rain forest experience with those of temperate forests. The authors also focus on the possible evolutionary principles involved in adaptations presented.  This is the very best introductory book on the subject. It is designed to excite the reader into learning more and even visiting the rain forest. In the mold of Stephen Jay Gould and Richard Dawkins, Miyata and Forsyth write a masterpiece that will make the reader feel smarter after reading it.

The River of Doubt review by Denis Minev

		The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey by Candice Millard Edition: Hardcover Availability: In Stock
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:  DEFINITIVE ACCOUNT OF THE EXPLORATION OF ROOSEVELT RIVER, April 24, 2006 Millard does a masterful job of bringing to life not only an expedition in the Amazon jungle, but also the very interesting characters that composed it, from the very famous (US President Teddy Roosevelt, his son) to regionally famous characters (Rondon in Brazil) to unknowns (naturalists, priests, etc.).  The book opens with a description of the times in US and Latin American politics. It was a time of the Panama canal, Latin American instability and the establishment of US leadership in the region. Against that backdrop, a formerly powerful man, Roosevelt, seeks his last swan song as an explorer in the Amazon, seeking to do somehting truly significant in a time of explorers (Amudsen, Mallory, etc.).  The expedition is quite clearly poorly planned and the different philosophies of its joint leaders (Roosevelt and Rondon) burst out amid the difficulties they face in the jungle and in enormous repeated rapids. The true story includes murder, drowning, abandonment, indian attacks, starvation, not to mention the more vain human constants of pettiness, ambition, deceit, and pride.  Ultimately, Roosevelt and Rondon put on the map a 1 thousand mile long river, which was to be renamed from "River of Doubt" (hence the title) to "River Roosevelt", as it stands today. This is the kind of book one will read in only a few short days, unable to put down the exciting story. The pictures included also contribute to clarify the true nature of the adventure. I highly recommend this book, as I believe it will fast become the authoritative account of Roosevelt?s expedition and a classic of Amazonian exploration.

A Crossbowman's Story review by Denis Minev

		A Crossbowman's Story Availability: Currently unavailable
ACCOUNT OF ORELLANAS TRIP DOWN THE AMAZON, May 15, 2006 This book tells the story of Francisco de Orellana?s trip in 1541 and 1542 down the Amazon river. It is written from the perspective of one of the crossbowmen in Orellana?s party.  If you are interested in Amazon history, especially as it relates to explorers, this is a book you must read. It goes into detail not only on the region that is explored but also of the social connections between the Spaniards and their motivations. It tracks the expedition from its beginning, when Orellana races to catch up with Gonzalo Pizarro?s group (Francisco?s brother), to the moment the parties get separated, to the decisions made along the way that caused deaths or allowed them to stay alive. It also provides a very good description of the local environment and the account allows the reader to discern many of the main local features, mainly tributaries meeting the Amazon.  I recommend this book for people who are knowledgeable of the Amazon already and would like to know more about this first white man to see the great river from its insides.