Guatemala in Focus: A Guide to the People, Politics and Culture

We are adopting from Guatemala and have been desperate to find books to read on the country & culture. This offered a quick glance into the specifics of the country: a brief history, economy, politics, religion, the people, etc. Very good for a general overview of Guatemala. I would recommend to any adopting parent that is going there!

Seldom have I seen such an easy read which is a concise, accurate, and to-the-point review of the Guatemalan Maya and their progeny from the Classic Period to the 1990s. In the interests of brevity, early cultural history is scanned, but the essential information is covered from 209 AD to the entrada of the Spanish Conquistadors led by the cruel Pedro de Alvarado and continuing through the multiple exploitations that occurred to recent days. The role of the United Fruit Company, the military, and the CIA are discussed frankly. Topics of the economy and society are succinctly covered as are current religious practices with the syncretism of the Catholic, Mayan, and the encroaching protestant sects. Visit Guatemala and you will know that these tough, resilient people, both Mayan and Ladino, are not to be denied. While there, visit with individuals who survived the Civil War and hear their stories. You can not help but become a sympathetic traveler, not just a tourist. Volums have been written about the turmoil in Guatemala and elsewhere in Central America, but if your time is limited, here is a helpful shortcut.

i'm adopting a child from guatemala soon and wanted to get a good, general overview of the country. it's an easy read and i learned enough to be dangerous....

This title offers an easily readable introduction to Guatemala. It is great for the first-time traveler to Guatemala who wants to understand the modern country in the context of its history and culture. It explains the current status of Guatemala and its uneasy balance between the remaining Mayan culture and the ladinos. The book is a quick and enjoyable read--truly a great orientation. It also points out how the intrusion of the U.S. CIA interrupted Guatemala's transition toward agrarian reform--an eye opener for me, anyway. Read and learn!