The Decline and Fall of the Lettered City: Latin America in the Cold War (Convergences: Inventories of the Present)

Book Description

The cultural Cold War in Latin America was waged as a war of values--artistic freedom versus communitarianism, Western values versus national cultures, the autonomy of art versus a commitment to liberation struggles--and at a time when the prestige of literature had never been higher. The projects of the historic avant-garde were revitalized by an anti-capitalist ethos and envisaged as the opposite of the republican state. The Decline and Fall of the Lettered City charts the conflicting universals of this period, the clash between avant-garde and political vanguard. This was also a twilight of literature at the threshold of the great cultural revolution of the seventies and eighties, a revolution to which the Cold War indirectly contributed. In the eighties, civil war and military rule, together with the rapid development of mass culture and communication empires, changed the political and cultural map.

A long-awaited work by an eminent Latin Americanist widely read throughout the world, this book will prove indispensable to anyone hoping to understand Latin American literature and society. Jean Franco guides the reader across minefields of cultural debate and histories of highly polarized struggle. Focusing on literary texts by García Marquez, Vargas Llosa, Roa Bastos, and Juan Carlos Onetti, conducting us through this contested history with the authority of an eyewitness, Franco gives us an engaging overview as involving as it is moving.

The Lettered City (Post-Contemporary Interventions)
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Good translation of an important work

Rama, reader of the Latin American culture

The Lettered City (Post-Contemporary Interventions)
Angel Rama
Manufacturer: Duke University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

The Decline and Fall of the Lettered City: Latin America in the Cold War (Convergences: Inventories of the Present)

Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism, New Edition

Hybrid Cultures: Strategies for Entering and Leaving Modernity

The Idea of Latin America (Blackwell Manifestos)

Urban Images of the Hispanic World, 1493-1793

ASIN: 0822317664

Book Description

Posthumously published to wide acclaim, The Lettered City is a vitally important work by one of Latin America’s most highly respected theorists. Angel Rama’s groundbreaking studyâÂ€Â”presented here in its first English translationâÂ€Â”provides an overview of the power of written discourse in the historical formation of Latin American societies, and highlights the central role of cities in deploying and reproducing that power. To impose order on a vast New World empire, the Iberian monarchs created carefully planned cities where institutional and legal powers were administered through a specialized cadre of elite men called letrados; it is the urban nexus of lettered culture and state power that Rama calls âÂ€Âœthe lettered city.âÂ€Â
Starting with the colonial period, Rama undertakes a historical analysis of the hegemonic influences of the written word. He explores the place of writing and urbanization in the imperial designs of the Iberian colonialists and views the city both as a rational order of signs representative of Enlightenment progress and as the site where the Old World is transformedâÂ€Â”according to detailed written instructionsâÂ€Â”in the New. His analysis continues by recounting the social and political challenges faced by the letrados as their roles in society widened to include those of journalist, fiction writer, essayist, and political leader, and how those roles changed through the independence movements of the nineteenth century. The coming of the twentieth century, and especially the gradual emergence of a mass reading public, brought further challenges. Through a discussion of the currents and countercurrents in turn-of-the-century literary life, Rama shows how the city of letters was finally âÂ€Âœrevolutionized.âÂ€Â
Already crucial in setting the terms for debate concerning the complex relationships among intellectuals, national formations, and the state, this elegantly written and translated work will be read by Latin American scholars in a wide range of disciplines, and by students and scholars in the fields of anthropology, cultural geography, and postcolonial studies.

Customer Reviews:

Good translation of an important work.......2007-01-06

This version of The Lettered City (La ciudad letrada) is beautifully translated and includes many illustrations that the original version lacks. Even for a near-native speaker of Spanish like myself who had little difficulty with the original, this translation illuminates many of the finer points of this important text.

Rama, reader of the Latin American culture.......1999-04-04

Angel Rama is peharps one of the most important critics of Latin America. The Lettered city is the perfect example. This book, written to explain the influence of the intelectuals of Latin America in the development of culture, is one of the brightest essays I've ever red. I fully recommend this book to anyone who would like to approach to Latin American culture, literature or history.

Decadencia y caida de la ciudad letrada/ The Decline and Fall of the Lettered City: La Literatura Latinoamericana Durante La Guerra Fria/ Latin American ... Cold War (Ensayo Literario/ Literary Essay)

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Decadencia y caida de la ciudad letrada/ The Decline and Fall of the Lettered City: La Literatura Latinoamericana Durante La Guerra Fria/ Latin American ... Cold War (Ensayo Literario/ Literary Essay)
Jean Franco
Manufacturer: Debate Editorial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Nightmares of the Lettered City: Banditry and Literature in Latin America, 1816-1929 (Pitt Illuminations)

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Nightmares of the Lettered City: Banditry and Literature in Latin America, 1816-1929 (Pitt Illuminations)
Juan Pablo Dabove
Manufacturer: University of Pittsburgh Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 082294331X

Book Description

Nightmares of the Lettered City presents an original study of the popular theme of banditry in works of literature, essays, poetry, and drama, and banditry's pivotal role during the conceptualization and formation of the Latin American nation-state.

Juan Pablo Dabove examines writings over a broad time period, from the early nineteenth century to the 1920s, and while Nightmares of the Lettered City focuses on four crucial countries (Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, and Venezuela), it is the first book to address the depiction of banditry in Latin America as a whole. The work offers close reading of Facundo, DoÃ±a BÃ¡rbara, Os SertÃµes, and MartÃn Fierro, among other works, illuminating the ever-changing and often contradictory political agendas of the literary elite in their portrayals of the forms of peasant insurgency labeled âÂ€Âœbanditry.âÂ€Â

Banditry has haunted the Latin American literary imagination. As a cultural trope, banditry has always been an uneasy compromise between desire and anxiety (a âÂ€ÂœnightmareâÂ€Â), and Dabove isolates three main representational strategies. He analyzes the bandit as radical other, a figure through which the elites depicted the threats posed to them by various sectors outside the lettered city. Further, he considers the bandit as a trope used in elite internecine struggles. In this case, rural insurgency was a means to legitimize or refute an opposing sector or faction within the lettered city. Finally, Dabove shows how, in certain cases, the bandit was used as an image of the nonstate violence that the nation state has to suppress as a historical force and simultaneously exalt as a memory in order to achieve cultural coherence and actual sovereignty.

As Dabove convincingly demonstrates, the elite's construction of the bandit is essential to our understanding of the development of the Latin American nation in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Entering the lettered city: JesuÌÂˆs Lara and the formation of a Quechua literary patrimony in the Andes (Morrison Library inaugural address series)

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Entering the lettered city: JesuÌÂˆs Lara and the formation of a Quechua literary patrimony in the Andes (Morrison Library inaugural address series)
Estelle Tarica
Manufacturer: Doe Library, University of California
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Studies of great Bible cities, (Lettered on cover: Sell's Bible study text books)

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Studies of great Bible cities, (Lettered on cover: Sell's Bible study text books)
Henry T Sell
Manufacturer: Fleming H. Revell Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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ASIN: B0006AK5Q8

Book Description

The death of Pope John Paul II and consequent election of Pope Benedict XVI has shed light on a political process that the world has not been privy to for almost twenty-six years. People from around the world gathered in St. Peter's Square, wondering who the next Vatican leader would be and how the election process really worked, while everyone from international news correspondents to local priests added their own opinions to the debate. In Heirs of the Fisherman, former Vatican insider John-Peter Pham presents a candid portrait of the modern Vatican, the only account to reveal the striking changes to papal succession procedures made by John Paul II. Blending political and ecclesiastical history, Pham goes beyond a mere description of the complex rituals to offer rare insight into the dramatic shifts inside the College of Cardinals, whose 100 members now hail from 50 nations around the globe. He takes us into the secret conclave, where the electors were kept under lock and key, until they had selected a new pope. He also includes a chapter devoted to the intrigues of the 20th century where the first conclave had an emperor's veto and the last was won by the first non-Italian in four centuries becauase the Italians were bitterly divided. With a new Preface, Afterword, and appendices that include an English translation of the last will and testament of Pope John Paul II, Heirs of the Fisherman is an illuminating history and must-have guide to this vitally important world event. It will continue to be an indispensable reference to observers of future Catholic Church politics.

Customer Reviews:

ok...........2006-06-05

this was pretty good. I really enjoyed the history, although the author sometimes got so bogged down with details that it slowed the pace considerably. I found myself skimming parts. But the anecdotes were fun. Very interesting.

Book Review - Heirs of the Fisherman.......2006-01-20

This book was purchased by me for my brother-in-law, Michael Fletcher. The following is his review:-

"Dr Pham has written a very readable and informative book about an extraordinary institution that has outlived nations and empires.

Anybody interested in the history of the Catholic Church will find that Dr Pham's use of history, objective analysis and anecdotes will answer many of their questions regarding the history of the Papacy"

A Good Overview of Papal Election Processes and Rituals.......2005-06-27

John Peter Pham's "Heir of the Fisherman" is the latest in a series of books about the Conclave, the centuries-old ritual of Papal death and succession, a ritual we just witnessed two months ago. What distinguishes this book from similar books (e.g., John Allen's "Conclave") is that its writing style is more scholarly/academic (so it is not an easy read for non-academics) than Allen's book, which is more 'pop' and written in plain English so that lay audience could pick it up quickly. Like Allen's, it describes the process of Papal death and succession, the issues and politics at play, and also has the profiles of the leading Papal candidates (papabile).

However, Pham's book has its unique features as well, such as a detailed explanation on the evolution of Papal elections over two thousand years (Papal election supposed to be more democratic and participatory during early Church period, where all citizens of Rome could cast their ballots for the new Pope, compared with today, where only 120 cardinals under the age of 80 could vote on it). It also has a detailed description of all Papal elections in 20th century and the issues/politics behind each of them. One would understand that the struggle between liberal/reformist wing of the Catholic Chuch versus the conservative/traditionalist wing is nothing new, it has been around for ages, probably since the beginning of the Church.

I would recommend interesting readers to read this book (along with Allen's) to get the understanding of what the Conclave is all about. The downsides of the book (that's why it's 4 stars instead of 5), are: 1) Some of the rituals described are out-of-date and no longer used by the Church today, and the author does not point out this fact clearly (such as: the use of a silver hammer by the cardinal Carmelengo to verify the Pope's death, and the use of the portable Papal throne (sedia gestatoria) and the Papal crown (the tiara) during the new Pope's inaguration) and 2) Some of the events described are repetitive, often the same events were described in two separate chapters, the book needs a better editor.

But overall, it is a great book for those who want to understand the Conclave. The book should not be shelved too quickly, since given that the current Pope is already at an advanced age, we might see another Conclave within the next few years, with the same issues and mostly the same Papal candidates at play.

The one of these books most worth keeping........2005-05-20

In the last six weeks or so, I've read a whole raft of books about papal elections. Some were decent, if dated, summaries. A few were full of strong feelings and distinctive language. A couple were worth remembering, while others dissipated as quickly as the white smoke from the Sistine Chapel itself. But out of them all, it turns out I saved the best for last: John-Peter Pham's "Heirs of the Fisherman."

At first glace, this book seems a lot like the rest. Even the organization and structure is remarkably similar to many of the others: a quick review of the history of papal elections; a focus on the conclaves of the twentieth century; a look at the new conclave rules introduced by John Paul II in "Universi Dominici gregis"; a rundown of the "grand electors," or Cardinals most likely to be influential in the then-expected conclave; and finally, thumbnail portraits of the leading *papabile,* circa 2004. None of this is particularly exceptional.

What raised this book in my estimation above the previous frontrunner (John L. Allen's "Conclave") is John-Peter Pham's general skill, not just as an explainer of church arcana, but as a historian and also as a writer. Allen's guide is a workmanlike book by a skilled journalist. Pham's, on the other hand, reads like a work of history. Allen's is a great survey, and good for the generalist or the person with a casual interest. Pham's is a wealth of insight and analysis with an unusual blend of theology, personality, and even political science added to the mix. I found Allen's book informative and fairly easy to read. Pham's took more effort to absorb, but was fascinating and even entertaining.

Now that the event for which most of these books were prepared has passed, they'll go back on the shelves and start gathering dust. God willing, authors will have plenty of time to prepare a new collection along the same lines before the next conclave. If any of these titles deserve to be kept around after the fact, "Heirs of the Fisherman" gets my vote.

A Snapshot of a Moment in the Church.......2005-04-18

With the first conclave in over a quarter-century beginning tomorrow, many people are interested in what all goes into the election of a pope. In Heirs of the Fisherman, John-Peter Pham tries to answer that question. In that, he succeeds quite admirably. In particular, in chapters 3 and 5, Mr. Pham describes quite well the process of conclave and the subsequent installation of the new pope.

But Mr. Pham's book is more than a description of conclave. It is, in fact, a brief papal history. The bulk of this book is taken up by the past: how popes have died, how they were buried, how they were elected before the evolution of the conclave, how schisms developed and were healed (if they healed). We get tidbits, it seems, on just about every pope ever to sit on the throne of St. Peter. In fact, the entirety of chapter four is a detailed history of the conclaves of the twentieth century, outlining the votes and politicking that elected St. Pius X through John Paul II.

Still, it is fascinating stuff. I felt I learned a lot, particularly since I took the time to read the endnotes (which I suggest bear reading). And being written only a little over a year ago, it is more up to date that some of the other books on papal succession. The section on the issues facing the next conclave, in particular, I felt was very current.

This is not a perfect book. Only about half the book is text, with the rest being taken by appendices of varying interest. Mr. Pham's prose is sometimes difficult to follow, particularly in the early, more historical chapters, when he gets bogged down in names and events with which some readers might not be familiar. And, of course, it will become dated after the conclave of 2005 is finished. Still, it will remain a great snapshot of this moment in the Church, to be looked back upon with interest when the prognostication is over and the reality of the new pope sets in.

Heirs of the Fisherman : Behind the Scenes of Papal Death and Succession

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Heirs of the Fisherman : Behind the Scenes of Papal Death and Succession
John-Peter Pham
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OKQ5BY

Book Description

This book explores the powerful new evidence discovered in the last few decades by scientific research in astronomy, the nature of the atom and DNA. These discoveries have caused a revolution in the world view of thousands of scientists as they were confronted with compelling new evidence that our universe must have been created by a Supernatural Mind. Grant Jeffrey’s latest book, Creation, will challenge readers with fascinating new information that confirms the Bible’s claim that “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”.

Content Includes:
·Deep space reveals mysteries of the first moments of creation
·Wonders of the universe point to a Supernatural Creator
·A revolution in our understanding of the universe’s beginning
·Astonishing evidence of the universe’s intelligent design
·Remarkable discoveries about the nature of the atom
·The collapse of the Theory of Evolution
·DNA- The language of God
·Modern science discovers God

Customer Reviews:

Please Go Away!.......2007-02-24

I realize that it must be a scary proposition to have built a lifetime of beliefs upon the antiquated story of genesis, only to have it torn apart by modern science, but here we are. The scientific community has pushed the religious community for thousands of years, and only in the last few decades has the evidence become so overwhelming that the religous side had to push back, or risk losing face. Again; here we are. I become sad when I think of the millions of intelligent adults that support creationist views, often for no other reason than to support the framework of their own beliefs and lifestyle. Perhaps they think "If there was no almighty creation, then perhaps there is no god. And if there is no god, then why have I been going to church and praying for my entire life?!?!?" Indeed, an intimidating prospect. No matter how frightened you are, you can't "wish away" science. Teach creationism in school?!?! Think again. We have to tolerate the sight of our Presidents clutching your bible, but that's as far as it goes. You cannot have our childrens' minds to pollute.

They just don't get it!.......2006-09-02

It's unbelievable the amount of faith an evolutionist has to have to believe we were all created from molten lava millions of years ago. If you blew up a pile of bricks, would it form into a building if you gave it enough time to evolve? That's what evolutionist believe. We Christians don't argue w/the science. We have the same science and facts that you do. We believe there is a God who created and ordered all of the universe. The historical facts and evidence back it up. We have a Biblical foundation to back up the science -- evolution is based on man's version of the facts instead of God's version. If we evolved from a sigle cell to apes to humans -- why are we still not evolving? Actually, the people in the past were much smarter than we are today because we are looking at the world through clouded glasses of man's "truth" instead of God's truth. I suggest any reading of Ken Ham's Answers in Gensis collection. He dumbs it down so even an evolutionist like Wild Willy could understand.

sad that you believe that.......2006-04-10

To Wild_Willy "Wild_Willy and everyone else who don't believe in the Bible. I read what you say and am sadden. You say that you're a Christian yet you don't believe in at all the Genesis account of Creation. Then I question your salvation whom in Christ Jesus. Because if you take salvation literally as only in Christ Jesus and no one else. Then why not take the Genesis account literally also? You believe "man" over GOD ALmighty!

Evolution is a fact. Get over it........2005-12-07

Wake up folks. The jury is in. Evolution is a scientific fact supported by reams and reams and years and years of observable and proven research. Guess what? The world isn't flat. The sun does not revolve around the earth. And the universe, earth and the life on it were not "created" in six days a few thousand years ago. Life has evolved over billions of years from simpler forms. It's done. Accept it. Facts are facts. We can observe evolution occurring in insect and microbe populations. That's not theory. That's observable fact. Where do you think new flu strains and antibiotic-resistant bacteria come from? The creation story in the bible is based on fables handed down by superstitious Middle-Eastern nomadic tribes thousands of years ago who could not have had any idea of scientific concepts. All primitive cultures have creation myths. Fine: with their limited knowledge they just didn't know any better. But our culture and knowledge isn't primitive anymore. We have no such excuse to propagate ignorance in the world in which we now live. Get over it. Evolution is a proven fact. What - do you think all the thousands of scientists in the hundreds of research institutions over the past 150 years have been just sitting around in their offices, staring at the walls, making this stuff up? And how is it that atomic research, geology, biochemistry and all the other scientific means and discoveries that have come about since the 1800's - which Darwin could not have known about - all support his concepts? Do we know everything about the evolutionary process at this point? No. There's lots more to learn. So what? Just because we don't have all the blanks filled in does not mean the whole concept is incorrect. We don't have all the blanks filled in on other subjects as well, such as subatomic physics. Does that mean atoms don't exist? Of course not. And even if you could somehow disprove that evolution has occurred (and is occurring) that still doesn't mean one particular religious version of "creation" is any more correct than any other one. Those who want so-called "creationism" or "intelligent design" taught in schools should be ashamed of themselves for encouraging the teaching of ignorance to children. By the way, I am a Christian. (Yes, it is possible to be a Christian and not be an ignoramus).

Utter Rubbish .......2005-11-29

Because any intelligible use of the term creation must imply the existence of a creator, and because the creator of all of nature must be, quite literally, super-natural, we see that the fundamental force operating in "creation science" is a super-natural force - which is a polite term for magic. Science, however, involves the study of natural forces only, and ceases to be science when it attempts to explain phenomena by means of super-natural forces.

Creationism, far from being a science, is actually a special department of fundamentalist apologetics. Its commission is to defend the biblical book of Genesis, which posits the magical and sudden creation of all forms of life on the planet just a few thousand years ago teaches that all human beings are descended from one pair of white people, and claims that all but one boat-load of the living things on this planet perished in a world-wide flood in the year 2,348 B.C.E. (Before the Common Era). As believers in the literal truth of Genesis, creationists attack any discipline, which, in its discovery of truth, exposes the absurdity of the biblical mythology. Despite the camouflage of speciously scientific terminology, the real raison d'être of "creation science" apologetics is the defense of the fundamentalist interpretation of Genesis. Creationism exists for religious, not scientific, reasons.

Creation: Remarkable Evidence of God's Design

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Creation: Remarkable Evidence of God's Design

Manufacturer: Frontier Research
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0739447645

Book Description

Compiled from the literary estate of the singer who brought a wildly lyrical poetry of the damned to the world of rock 'n' roll. Includes unpublished poems, drawings, photos, and a candid self-interview.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Collection .......2007-05-17

This book is by far one of the best books of poetry I have had the pleasure of reading. Recommended to anyone that not only love's poetry but are interested in enter deeper into the mind of Jim Morrison.

I AM IN LOVE WITH JIM!.......2007-02-18

Jim Morrison is my favorite artist, idol, poet, male, and anything else. He is such an amazing person and his art is truly appreciated. Not only was he hot and sexy-he can actally write! Enclosed are his lyrics and deep emotions-a great read with a bunch of friends by a fire at night. You will love all these poems and the photos of the amazing beast himself-Jim Morrison himself revealed.

Strangely beautiful and mesmerizing...hypnotic.......2005-10-15

I love this book and you don't have to be a lover of poetry to admire and appreciate the poems contained in this book. Jim Morrison was a man who was deeply committed to his art. As the lead singer and lyricist of The Doors (one of the greatest rock bands of all time) he took special care that his lyrics as well as his poems aim to release people from the constraints of what is normal and that we as people should follow our own destiny and draw our own conclusions and live our life the way that we want it. Jim Morrison was a tortured, confused and misunderstood soul but nevertheless a genius. An enigma and legend that will live on forever. The lizard king, the electric poet cannot and will not be silenced ever... as long as his music and poetry continues to thrive in all who appreciate and love his unique and captavating artistry. Get this book and you will not disappointed.

Mesmerizing , Magical, Mystical Poetry.......2005-07-11

Jim Morrison was a poet far, far ahead of his time. His words evoke dancing, metaphorical images that bloom in your mind like rare hothouse flowers. You can feel the angst, pain and beauty of his soul in these poems.

If you love poetry, this book is a must-have. I keep it by my bed and read it every night. I've had some pretty awesome dreams, too!

Haunting.......2005-06-22

The words and images in this book have a way with your mind. They stick in your subconscious as if they are the stories your ancestors told around the campfire.

Jim Morrison's poetry is a mix of Greek mythology, and Shamanic mysticism. Throw in some books from long ago that are deep in the blood of mankind, and you end up with Morrison.

His poetry does not talk about himself. Instead he writes about archetypical themes in a modern setting. His setting was the 60's, which provided a lot of material: Vietnam, new drugs, the Women's Rights Movement, and the Civil Rights Movement.

All of these things were ripping at the fabric of America (and humanity). Morrison's poetry attacks these chaotic times head on. However, he writes as if he were a 19th century poet in the mold of Lord Byron, or Arthur Rimbaud. He achieved his goal, and a place in history.

Angels in the Wilderness: The True Story of One Woman's Survival Against All Odds

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Inappropriate Marketing
Wonderful Read!!
An amazing story of survival
An inspirational survivor story
Capricious disaster and indominable endurance

Angels in the Wilderness: The True Story of One Woman's Survival Against All Odds
Amy Racina
Manufacturer: Elite Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Survival Skills | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
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Shattered Air: A True Account of Catastrophe and Courage on Yosemite's Half Dome
The Last Season (P.S.)
Jungle: A Harrowing True Story of Survival
A Test of Will: One Man's Extraordinary Story of Survival
The Way Out: A True Story of Survival

ASIN: 0971088896

Book Description

This first-person account tells how author Amy Racina survived for four days and nights, both legs badly broken, in a remote valley in California's Sierra Mountains after a sixty-foot fall during a solo hiking trip. Battling pain, fear and exhaustion, she pulled herself along with her hands, and refused to give up, even when her chances of salvation were remote. The book chronicles her miraculous rescue, and describes her dramatic airlift out of the canyon, swinging helplessly from two straps, dangling fearfully beneath a helicopter high above the ravine where she had lain.

It is an amazing tale of despair and courage and hope. It speaks of incredible strength and heartbreaking weakness as it details what one woman believed might be the last days of her life. It is a memory of the darkest of times—and an affirmation of miracles. It is a celebration of a life almost snatched away, of survival against the odds.

- The book includes deeper spiritual reflections, the heartwarming story of "Helping Amy," the organization set up by the author's friends to aid her recovery, plus tips for wilderness survival.

Customer Reviews:

Inappropriate Marketing.......2007-09-27

I have not read the book and do not intend to. I am posting this review to express my disapproval of the marketing material I found for this book while hiking the John Muir Trail. A card promoting this book was left at the John Muir Hut in Kings Canyon National Park. The park service (and common sense) prohibits such marketing efforts.

Wonderful Read!!.......2007-09-20

I could not put this book down Iam an avid reader and I read it in one day. What a wonderful testament to the human spirit. Amy has such a special gift of telling her story and the people who were key in her survival. Also, her rehabilitation and most of all her own spirit to raise above her situation and overcome so much.
Bless her and her Angels in life.
Thank you in writing the story.

Diane

An amazing story of survival.......2007-07-11

This is surely one of the great stories of survival, on par with `Into Thin Air', `Alive' and `Touching the Void'. A story of heroism, survival and recovery. Amy Racina is an ardent hiker who enjoys great solo journeys in the Mountains of California. She planned a 162 mile journey in Kings Canyon National park in 2003. This was to be in one of the most remote parts of the park, Tehipite, many miles from the nearest hikers, well beaten tracks and worn trails. In this brilliant account the author tells the tale of her tragic accident, a terrible fall, and the rescue at the hand of three `angels' and her subsequent recovery. It is a harrowing tail of someone approaching death in the wilderness, alone. The only downside of the tail is that a majority of it deals with recovery and less of it with hiking. It would have been more interesting to learn more about the great outdoors. However this book will be of great value to anyone recovering from any form of injury. Nevertheless the author provides interesting insights into the `spiritual tools' for survival and interesting stories of her family history and its relationship with the Sierra.

An inspirational survivor story.......2007-05-24

There is something fascinating about wilderness survival stories. Perhaps it's because they offer such stark lessons of despair, courage, and hope. Amy Racina's tale of her falling accident while backpacking solo in a remote valley in California's King's Canyon National Park is no exception. It is harrowing, inspiring and beautifully written. She has a spiritual perspective on her accident that is unique.

I just noticed that Amy has a list here on "Listmania" of her "Favorite True-Life Adventure Books," but I would add her book to the following, as superb survival stories in the wild:

Touching the Void, Joe Simpson
Between a Rock and a Hard Place, Aron Ralston
Jungle: A Harrowing True Story of Survival, Yossi Ghinsburg
Shattered Air: A True Account of Catastrophe and Courage on Yosemite's Half Dome, Bob Madgic
The Bear's Embrace: A Story of Survival, Patricia Van Tighem

Congratulations, Amy, on your recovery, and on writing such a magnificent book. Here's to many more years of hiking in the Sierras.

Capricious disaster and indominable endurance.......2007-03-31

I enjoyed Amy Racine's chronicle of an unexpected, capricious incident that alters forever the life and outlook of a freedom-loving independent woman. Amy Racine shows remarkable introspective self-awareness as she analyzes who she was and why she was so comfortable hiking alone for days and weeks in the wilds of the Sierra Nevadas. Its is a special kind of free spirit that is both independent and trusting, also with a deep love for the quiet solitude of the outdoors. And into this carefully constructed independence comes disaster, and near death. There is no metaphysicial transport here, or mysterious lights or voices in the wilderness. There is pure pain, agony and grit with the will to survive. And suddenly there are also people and relationships and inter-dependence that make survival a possibility. With this comes the awareness that we are not alone, and that people who are perfect strangers can come out of the wilderness or out of a hospital or the city to reach out and touch us and change our lives forever. I've read many out door wilderness epics, many very skillfully written, and epic in their scope. But Amy Racine has a kind of honest vulnerability about herself and what happened that is very refreshing, and you will thoroughly enjoy the read.

Pierce E. Scranton Jr. M.D.
author, "Death on the Learning Curve"

Nuclear Waste Stalemate: Political and Scientific Controversies

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Nuclear Waste Stalemate: Political and Scientific Controversies
Robert Vandenbosch , and Susanne E Vandenbosch
Manufacturer: University of Utah Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Nuclear | Engineering | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0874809037

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Essential Wildland Text
A critically important look at how public lands are managed.
An insightful look at National Forest Management

Wilderness on the Rocks
Howie Wolke
Manufacturer: N. Ludd Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Real Estate | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Natural History | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Conservation | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0933285051

Customer Reviews:

Essential Wildland Text.......2005-11-04

This book is a real and raw account of the fight to protect the remaining wild American west. Wolke is a modern-day Thoreau, writing from the confines of the Sublette County Jail in Wyoming. The question is why aren't you in here?

A critically important look at how public lands are managed........1999-01-07

Anyone, anywhere who cares about our Western public lands should read this title. From the welfare ranchers to Big Timber, Big Oil and industrialists in general, all the rape-and-scrapers take their due hits in Wolke's book. We need more guys like Howie Wolke, not fewer.

An insightful look at National Forest Management.......1998-05-05

This book was written shortly after my wife and I spent 3 days in the wilderness with Howe. His knowledge of wild things and passion for it's preservation were evident during this time. Howe is well known in wilderness preservation circles; not to the liking of the government run U S Fish and Wildlife Service and U S Dept. of Agriculture. Howe is the friend of Wilderness and you will be awakened to what is really going on in our National Forests.

Hiking Trails of the Southern Nantahala Wilderness, the Ellicott Rock Wilderness, and the Chattooga National Wild and Scenic River

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Hiking Trails of the Southern Nantahala Wilderness, the Ellicott Rock Wilderness, and the Chattooga National Wild and Scenic River
Tim Homan
Manufacturer: Peachtree Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Hiking Trails of Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock and Citico Creek Wilderness
The Hiking Trails of the Cohutta and Big Frog Wildernesses
Hiking the Benton Mackaye Trail: A Guide to the Benton MacKaye Trail from Georgia's Springer Mountain to Tennessee's Ocoee River
Hiking Trails of North Georgia
The Best Hikes of Pisgah National Forest

ASIN: 1561452602

The enchanted wilderness: A red rock odyssey

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Unique Love Story of Utah Wilderness

The enchanted wilderness: A red rock odyssey
Ward Jay Roylance
Manufacturer: Four Corners West
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books

Natural History | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0915272296

Customer Reviews:

Unique Love Story of Utah Wilderness.......2004-05-15

Ward Roylance began exploring the Southern Utah wilderness in the early 1940s. He remained enamored of it the rest of his life. This book, a bit idiosyncratic and biographical at times, is a log of his backcountry travels, a plea for wilderness preservation and, most importantly, an almost childlike description of the profound effect wilderness had on him and his wife. Numberous black and white photos. Ward's wife Gloria's poetry is quoted here and there in the book. To the Roylances the Utah Wilderness and Colorado Plateau were "ineffable." Their plain, but sincere, love of wilderness is evident throughout the book. Ward and Gloria's words touched me like only a few others --- Thoreau, Abbey, Emerson, Muir and Leopold. This is a very special book!

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Marc Bolan: Wilderness of the Mind
John Willans
Manufacturer: Anglophone
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1854801554

Mineral investigation of the Black Rock wilderness study area, Graham County, Arizona (MLA)

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Mineral investigation of the Black Rock wilderness study area, Graham County, Arizona (MLA)
George S Ryan
Manufacturer: U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of Mines
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Prospecting & Mining | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

Mineral resources of the Rock River Canyon Wilderness study area, Alger County, Michigan (Geological Survey bulletin)

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Mineral resources of the Rock River Canyon Wilderness study area, Alger County, Michigan (Geological Survey bulletin)
Jesse W Whitlow
Manufacturer: For sale by the Distribution Branch, U.S. Geological Survey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

The Petroglyphs at Wedding Rocks: And Other Poems

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The Petroglyphs at Wedding Rocks: And Other Poems
George B. Moore
Manufacturer: Mellen Poetry Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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