Books on Mexico

[NWCreoleLady]

Although I think that this forum is the best resource around :), I am always adding to my library and want to know if anyone has read Karen Brown's Mexico? I've seen it advertised on Loco Gringo and wanted to hear some reviews of it.

I just got the new Frommer's Guide to Cancun, Cozumel and the Yucatan 2007 and so far there are some differences and some new information, plus we got a new map (we wore out the old one!). Need to get a new map from Mapchicks too!

Kathy

[lianne]

I haven't read Karen Brown's book, but I got a copy of "The Yucatan, a guide to The Land of Maya Mysteries" by Antoinette May, it's really a must have. She combines a well researched history of the Maya people, geographical area, the Gods and Myths, and then switches gears to an excellent travel guide, going into detail of each of the sites. trust me, get this book!

[Armchairshrink]

My favorite guidebook by far is "Hidden: Cancun and Yucatan". It blows other guidebooks out of the water, espeically if you're someone who doesn't care much for Cancun in general, AIs, and other touristy trappings. The version I have is from 2002 but there's a 2006 version available which should have updated lodging and restaurant information. It has a fairly big section on the history of the area and the natural resources in addition to typical guidebook stuff. I've bought the Moon Guidebook, the "Great Destinations: Playa Del Carmen" guidebook, and the Fodor's, and none of them hold a candle to this guidebook.

[NWCreoleLady]

Thanks Lianne and Armchairshrink! I'll add those to my library. Amazon.com has them both available in the "used" section so I'll save a bit of money which is good for this book and CD buying junkie here. I love books and music!

The reviews were very different for the 2002 edition vs. the 2006, so I'm not sure which to get just yet. On the 2006 review it said it was good IF you stayed on the hotel strip in Cancun. The 2002 reviews were good, though.

As with many areas in life, we gather resources and information by taking what we need and leaving the rest.....for others.

[AdGuy]

If you're planning on heading out into the wild blue yonder, consider also getting Can-Do's Chichen Itza map which covers not only that ruin but also Ek Balam and Coba, plus the city of Valladolid. As mentioned, the Moon Handbooks' Yucatan Peninsula and Great Destinations' Playa Del Carmen, Tulum & The Riviera Maya are two good resources...I don't have the Hidden book that Armchairshrink mentioned...definitely will have to add that one to the library.

[Gale in KY]

For those of us who dream of moving to Mexico, pick up " Where The Sky Is Born, Land of the Maya" by Jeanne Kitchel. Jeanne is the former owner of the Alma Libre Bookstore in Puerto Morelos. The book is the story of her experiences in her move from the states to the Yucatan. Many of the articles in the Sacbe News are authored by Jeanne,].

An old staple and must beach read.."Salty Piece of Land" By Jimmy Buffett
Many references to the Sian Ka'an.

"People's Guide To Nexico" By Carl Franz
http://www.peoplesguide.com/

Grandma's Teacup" by Mary Ellen Becker
Mystery set in Akumal

[NWCreoleLady]

Thanks for all the book suggestions everyone! I have a list a mile long of books I want to buy......and a lot of books on my shelf that I haven't had the chance to read. When can I retire? My husband, Mark, has read Where the Sky is Born......I don't think we realized it was written by the previous owner of Alma Libre. I remember visiting that book store when we stayed in Puerto Morelos on our first night in Mexico in '04. I'll have to read that one. And Salty Piece of Land - what an enjoyable read that was! We've been passing it around to our friends and all agree! We've got all the Jimmy Buffett books except the one children's book which I'm about to order for my granddaughter. He's certainly not wasting away!

~Kathy~

[beachreader]

Is Salty Piece of Land set in Mexico? Or just good tropical writing?

That was probably the book I saw most on the plane and on the beach on my last trip.

[sonofabeach]

Is Salty Piece of Land set in Mexico? Or just good tropical writing?

That was probably the book I saw most on the plane and on the beach on my last trip.
As far as I remember most of it is set there in the Yucatan.
Back when I read it I had no idea that I'd ever visit the area so I need to read it again.

It's a sequel to the short story "Take Another Road" from his "Tales From Margaritaville" novella.

[beachreader]

Thanks, SOB. If I can ever take a break from the reading I do for work (it's pleasant, so not work-work, but still work if you know what I mean), I think I'll give that one a try.

[NWCreoleLady]

Yes, A Salty Piece of Land is THE Carribean adventure that pulls you right on board. Although it's not a sequel, so you don't have to read it in any order. There's also A Pirate Looks at Fifty and Where Is Joe Merchant? that are calling my name from the bookcase. Check out Amazon.com for Buffett books - the list goes on. :cool:
~Kathy~

[sonofabeach]

Yesterday I started reading a book called A Tourist In The Yucatan by James McNay Brumsfield. So far it's pretty good. Basically it's another one of those dream vacation gone wrong stories, only not horror like Scott Smith's The Ruins. It's more like action/thriller, you know, bad people and corrupt Federales. A good deal of it is set in the Chichen Itza and Coba ruins and surrounding area. Lot's of Mayan talk too however I don't know how factual it is. Tulum is in there too and despite all the bad stuff going on in the story it takes me back there.

[mayaflya]

Yesterday I started reading a book called A Tourist In The Yucatan by James McNay Brumsfield.

I liked it, too. I had to think that one of the settings in the book was based on a Pablo Escobar era Casa Magna. The one event that had me shouting, "no, no" was when the characters ended up at the Coba Road/307 intersection and described it as being set "in the jungle"....I kept thinking, "dude, there's a big supermarket right there!"

[Julie in PA]

I bought "On Mexican Time: A New Life in San Miguel" by Tony Cohan. I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but I notice that the author has a new book out "Mexican Days: A Journey into the Heart of Mexico" and it appears to discuss the Mayan Riviera as well as other parts of Mexico.

[think]

The Cenotes of the Riviera Maya is supposedly THE book for info on, well, the Cenotes. I can't seem to be able to find a copy though. I've e-mailed the author a couple of times to no avail. If anyone happens to know where I could pick up a copy please let me know :)

I always pick up a Lonely Planet guide to wherever I'm going. Their Yucatan book is not bad, but it's a couple of years old. The new 2008 edition Frommer's is a little thicker than the Lonely Planet and also comes with a decent map.

Not travel books, but if you're interested in the mysteries behind the ruins and that sort of thing you might check out Charriots of the Gods and some of his other books. Pretty quick reads and can usually get them cheap. I'm not saying they are 100% factual, but who knows.

[AdGuy]

The Cenotes of the Riviera Maya is supposedly THE book for info on, well, the Cenotes. I can't seem to be able to find a copy though. I've e-mailed the author a couple of times to no avail. If anyone happens to know where I could pick up a copy please let me know :)

You can buy the book directly from the author at http://www.cenotesoftherivieramaya.com/home.htm

[think]

You can buy the book directly from the author at http://www.cenotesoftherivieramaya.com/home.htm

In theory, yes. In practice, your e-mails do not get responded to. I'm hoping he just doesn't hardly check it and will respond one day when I least expect it. :)

[beachreader]

I just checked Amazon and it's there, but did a double-take at the price listed, $183? Yikes.

[think]

I just checked Amazon and it's there, but did a double-take at the price listed, $183? Yikes.

Yeah, that book is sold by a 3rd party, not actually Amazon. It should be about $35. I guess they know it's hard to get and are just waiting on that rich person to come along and grab it :( I did find one for $50 elsewhere but right now I can't justify that kind of money for a paperback, even if it is full of color photos. Thanks for searching for me though!

[ocontraire]

The Lost World of Quintana Roo was recommended on another forum a couple of years ago. We found it on Abebooks and it hasn't left my mind, especially when I am on the south Tulum beaches or farther south in Sian Ka'an. It is Michel Peissel's first person account of his journey mainly on foot and by boat down the coast of Quintana Roo when the area was sparsely populated by isolated coconut plantation workers and small groups of banditos. His adventure is unforgettable and provides a glimpse into the past of an area we love and want to preserve. But the Costa Maya has changed and Peissel's book takes you back to its wild beauty of 50 years ago. This book is worth searching for. I think I'll read it again.
:palmtree:

[kcaraco]

I bought "On Mexican Time: A New Life in San Miguel" by Tony Cohan. I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but I notice that the author has a new book out "Mexican Days: A Journey into the Heart of Mexico" and it appears to discuss the Mayan Riviera as well as other parts of Mexico.

I read On Mexican Time, and it was excellent, I couldn't put it down. Another book that I enjoyed was Incidents of Travel in the Yucatan, which was recommended reading from our tour guide at the ruins last year. I actually purchased it in PDC.

Cheers,
Kathy

[skiptown]

Julie in PA -
QUICK! Pick up On Mexican Time by Tony Cohan and read, read, read. Beautifully and lovingly written book about living in the 'foreign' world of a Mexiccan town as gringoes aadn the becomming of locals. You'll fall in love with San Miguel de Allende and the author.

The SkipTowne library suggests these others:
People's Guide to Mexico by Carl Franz. If you haven't read this, you're not a traveler. Carl, the late Steve, and Lorena's 'old hippie' trips to the (mostly) interior and Pacific Coast of Mexico make this classic readable over and over and over and over (I've read it complete, cover to cover, at least ten times and pick it up every few months, read a paragraph to a chapter, laughed my kiester off, put it back int he shelf only to pick it up again and again. The story about traveling in the second class bus still makes me scream with laughter. Carl LOVES Mexico and her people and wants you to do the same. "Wherever You Go...There You Are!" DON'T MISS THIS BOOK!!! GET it NOW!!!
The Rough Guide to The Yucatan by Zora O'Neil and John Fischer. Great pictures, maps, and information in a size that you can take along with you as you go. Includes tons of information and contacts with locations and phone #'s. Complete for the beginner to the Yucatan peninsula but detailed enough for the frequent traveler to Mayan Lands. Includes Palanque and Villahermosa.
Lonely Planet Yucatan by Dan Schechter and Ray Bartlett. On par with the Rough Guide - fairly complete reference to the Land of the Maya. Up to date and has references for food and stay that range from cheap cheap to really high, but no AI's. Includes Chiapas, which many don't.
Hunter Travel Guides Adventure Guide Yucatan by Bruce and June Concord. A bigger book and sort of heavy to take (but we took it on our first long trip anyway!) We have the Third Edition, 2004 and I hope they have updated it. A REALLY good first look to the Yucatan that can asssit in your independent travel in a non-threatening, larger print way. Good BIGGER maps, great pictures, a bit simpler and less detailed than the others but more complete in ways. It's a more readable book, excellent for the pre-read to get the juices going when you are first making plans. Highly recommended and easily read AND written in!
Yucatan Peninsula Handbook by Chicki Mallan. REALLY detailed with interesting sections about history, the wildlife, the plants, the Maya, the sites, much more. If you're into the little bits, the reasons why - read this book for sure. Well researched and interesting, not necessarily the FIRST book you'd want to read, but a very worthwhile adition to the library. It's from Moon Publications. Even if you've been to the Mayan Land many times, you will find something new in this paperback.
Frommer's Cancun and the Yucatan: Day by Day 22 Smart Ways to See the Region by Irene and Bill Sunley. A long, thin hard covertype paperback that would be great for the traveler who has a limited amount of time both to study the lay of the land and the literature before flying down. SUPERIOR mapage!!! Snippets about EVERYTHING at every price range. Color on every page and has GOLF COURSES!!!! Best maps of any book we've seen (not on par with our beloved MapChick, but what can you expect??!?) and comes with both puill out and fold out. Smaller print but packed with information.
Cardogan Guides Yucatan and Mayan Mexico by Nick Rider. Slightly more oriented to the cultural sections of traveling to the Yucatan, and in England English. Greater details of the archeological sites and dthe regional history than many other books. Covers Chiapas, Campeche and Tabasco better than the other books referenced here. The more indepth coverage may be more applicable for the traveller who would like to venture further afield and away from the Rivera Maya and the states of QR and Yucatan.
One I haven't read but WILL (have in hand and 29 days to go b4 liftoff!). Time Among the Maya by Ronald Wright. The back of the book says: In Time Among the Maya, Ronald Wright travels through jungles and mountains to explore the ancient roots of the Maya, their recent troubles, and prospects for survival. Rich with historical insight and cultural observation, this is a riviting and unforgetable journey through past magnificence of an ancient poeple and the present danger they face in seeking a place in the modern world. How bad can it be?!?!?!

[Julie in PA]

Thanks Kathy and Skiptown. The book is packed and ready to be my first read on the beach - books are all I have packed so far! :) The "real" countdown can begin in a couple of days when my ticker will be in the single digits - yessss!!

[Julie in PA]

Julie in PA -
The SkipTowne library suggests these others:
People's Guide to Mexico by Carl Franz. If you haven't read this, you're not a traveler. Carl, the late Steve, and Lorena's 'old hippie' trips to the (mostly) interior and Pacific Coast of Mexico make this classic readable over and over and over and over (I've read it complete, cover to cover, at least ten times and pick it up every few months, read a paragraph to a chapter, laughed my kiester off, put it back int he shelf only to pick it up again and again. The story about traveling in the second class bus still makes me scream with laughter. Carl LOVES Mexico and her people and wants you to do the same. "Wherever You Go...There You Are!" DON'T MISS THIS BOOK!!! GET it NOW!!!

Skiptowne - this sounds like a great book - I will have to see if I can find a copy before we leave - otherwise I will put it on my summer reading list.

I love to read books on the area I am visiting. When we were in Negril I read a book by the guy who owned Banana Shout - it was about Negril back in the 70's - great read and funny too!

[kcaraco]

'Roo Hoo! Yeah, baby, have a great time, and try not to fall asleep too fast when you're reading (like I do!):)

[NWCreoleLady]

I'm glad to see that this thread was revived from almost a year ago! And where has the time gone? I noticed that hubby was reading a book out of our library that he's read before. That's a sign that it's time for some new books - thanks for the suggestions everyone!

I look forward to finding some time to read good books.....of course I do most of mine on the message boards and email. Right now I am reading Jimmy Buffet's A Pirate Looks at Fifty......since I will be reaching that milestone this summer. :eat-drink:

[skiptown]

Jimmy Buffett's living the life I supposed to get. Pirate is a great read, actually one of the very few books I have read more than once.