"Seven short stories vividly depicting different facets of Belize's reality. From the country's rural areas to New York City, we accompany Belizean women and men as they go through the joys and hardships of life. Zoila Ellis demonstrates a definite ability to perceive and reproduce situations and characters, heightening the emotional impact of everyday events and rendering them into fine literature"--Page 4 of cover
Recent estimates suggest that nearly 3 million people in the US alone keep an amphibian or reptile as a pet. YouTube videos with odes to cane toads are ubiquitous. And yet amphibians and reptiles also keep extermination companies in business, and are reviled by many. These emotions pose great challenges to the conservation of these species, just as their populations in the natural world are in great decline. It can be quite hard to inspire stewardship of a tomato toad in the same way that one can more generally charismatic fauna like pandas and polar bears. In response, herpetologists have created large-scale programs such as Amphibian Ark, the umbrella organization behind the Year of the Frog campaign, http: //www.amphibianark.org/, to educate and enthrall citizens with the charm of the more slimy species of the planet. Few herpetologists have contributed more to the conservation of amphibians and reptiles than Marty Crump, a renowned expert on declining amphibians. This manuscript is her ode to the toad, a masterful compilation of science and narrative centering on human relations with amphibians and reptiles across the globe. An intrepid explorer and skilled writer, Crump has gathered stories and myths and paired them with natural history to give a wonderful view of how essential amphibians and reptiles are to our well being. Using symbolism, folklore, and science, the manuscript also explores the conservation consequences of our complicated amorous and vexed affair with snakes, frogs, toads and other herpetofauna.
This two-volume encyclopedia profiles the contemporary culture and society of every country in the Americas, from Canada and the United States to the islands of the Caribbean and the many countries of Latin America. From delicacies to dances, this encyclopedia introduces readers to cultures and customs of all of the countries of the Americas, explaining what makes each country unique while also demonstrating what ties the cultures and peoples together. The Americas profiles the 40 nations and territories that make up North America, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America, including British, U.S., Dutch, and French territories. Each country profile takes an in-depth look at such contemporary topics as religion, lifestyle and leisure, cuisine, gender roles, dress, festivals, music, visual arts, and architecture, among many others, while also providing contextual information on history, politics, and economics. Readers will be able to draw cross-cultural comparisons, such as between gender roles in Mexico and those in Brazil. Coverage on every country in the region provides readers with a useful compendium of cultural information, ideal for anyone interested in geography, social studies, global studies, and anthropology.
Completely revised and updated, Let's Go: Central America is your comprehensive guide to Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. Our forty-five years of travel savvy deliver the practical facts you need to navigate this quickly changing area. This edition boasts expanded coverage of local and indigenous culture, beaches, and the outdoors. More listings of Spanish schools and volunteer opportunities help travelers extend their stays, get involved, and make a difference. So, whether you'd rather explore the rich biodiversity of a mangrove reserve in Monterrico or converge on a sprawling Latin-style rodeo in Managua, Let's Go is the only guide you'll need.
Belize, a small, newly independent country in Central America, has recently garnered a great deal of the world's attention with its commitment to the protection of the environment and its promotion of eco-tourism. This book presents a full and diverse picture of such a unique country and its history. It contains some of the best research presented at the Second Interdisciplinary Conference on Belize. The conference has succeeded in building a scholarly community for Belize scholars and in promoting the study of a country that has perhaps been unjustly understudied. The conference papers gathered in this book serve as an introduction to Belize and to current scholarship taking place in the country. Papers and their authors include: International Migration and the Ruralization of Belize, 1970-1991, Louis Woods, Joseph Perry, Jeffrey Steagall and Ronald Cossman; A History of Banking in Belize, Anthony Gabb; Predicting the Past and Preserving It for the Future: Modeling and Management of Ancient Maya Residential Sites, Scott Fedick; Population and Ethnicity of Belize, 1861, Michael Camille; The Festival of Arts: British Hunduran, Belizean, and National, Michael D. Philips.
A guide to Belize which details the country's political and economic history, along with information on the plant and animal life. The guide encourages the reader to sample the local cuisine, stay at family-run inns and visit sights on and off the tourist track.
