Costa Rica Kaleidoscope Multicolored perspectives on the reflections of culture
Authored by
The Bards of Paradise
Edited by
Greg Bascom and Robin Kazmier Costa Rica Kaleidoscope is a collection of personal essays, informative
articles and charming tidbits that entertain and educate the expatriate,
newcomer, visitor and armchair traveler. Costa Rica is a land of
orchids, butterflies and toucans in exotic trees; volcanic mountains
harboring cloud forests and waterfalls; and jungle islands surrounded by
azure water that laps sandy beaches. It is also a land of gentle people
who cherish family unity. They exemplify tolerance and throwback
respect for seniors. The children are polite and impeccably groomed.
Farmers' markets abound with glorious produce. Locals willingly engage
newcomers. The authors, the Bards of Paradise, are a group of
resident writers whose first language is English. They have published
books, columns, articles or newsletters designed to unlock not just the
sweet and the sunny, but also the sour and dark subtleties of Costa
Rican culture. They will help the reader heighten his or her senses, to
see beyond postcard snapshots, to hear the rhythm and music of everyday
life and know the culture and some of the challenges encountered by
foreigners who choose to reside here to enjoy and sometimes be confused
by a culture virtually devoid of confrontation. This collection is a map
for all to follow to discover the treasure that is Costa Rica. Editorial Review More
than a guidebook, beyond a collection of traveler's stories, Costa Rica
Kaleidoscope is a unique panorama of cultural journeys undertaken by
expats who live and love Costa Rica every day. I found myself
alternately laughing and crying, but most of all, unable to put the book
down until I'd read it cover to cover. Filled with honest-sometimes
brutal, frequently inspiring-perspectives on life in this little isthmus
we call home, Costa Rica Kaleidoscope is a gem that should find its way
into the bookshelves of expats, would-be expats and those with a
persistent "what if?" itching in the backs of their minds. Wendi Raven
Patrick, Former Editor McGraw-Hill
The printed book or ebook can be purchased at www.amazon.com
- ISBN/EAN13:
- 1467912603 / 9781467912600
- Page Count: 386
- Binding Type: US Trade Paper
- Trim Size: 6" x 9"
- Language: English
- Color: Black and White
- Related Categories: Travel / Central America
|
|
About the authors: The Bards of Paradise
Greg Bascom is the author of
the action-adventure novel Lawless Elements, winner of the gold medal in
the Faulkner-Wisdom creative writing competition. His stories have
appeared in two anthologies. He has lived in Japan, the Philippines and
Central America. A longtime resident of Costa Rica, he co-edited this
book.
Michael Crump has taught and written academic works about
organizational culture and conflict resolution for decades. His stories
reflect the keen professional insight into the culture and inherent
conflict within agrarian Costa Rican life gleaned from his life on a
small coffee farm for the past five years.
Lenny Karpman has
written six books plus travel, food and human rights stories and
articles for multiple publications. A former physician and civil
liberties activist, his home for the past nine years has been a finca
and refuge for birds and animals in Costa Rica's Central Valley.
Robin
Kazmier is an adventurer and artisan of natural products with a
background in anthropology and geography. She coordinates Spanish
Immersion programs for medical professionals and students who come to
Costa Rica to work with marginalized populations. One of her essays
appeared in Wandering in Costa Rica.
Frans Lamers provides us
with an international perspective. A native of Holland and former
resident of South Africa and Canada, he taught university anthropology
and wrote several academic works. He has lived in Costa Rica for more
than twenty years and is our designated historian.
Carol McCool
is a popular journalist, travel writer and essayist who, for eight years
here, has lived first on a rustic mountain farm and then in her own
B&B in a suburb of the capitol. A doctor of psychology, Carol is an
environmentalist and a peace activist with an interest in sustainable
food production.
Josephine Stuart's Friday column appears in
amcostarica.com. Her book Butterfly in the City exposes the heart and
soul of San Jose, but tenderly. Before her two decades here, she studied
Anthropology and has lived in Boston, New York, California, Majorca and
Brazil.
|