Fables & Other Mayan Tales of Atitlan (English and Spanish Edition) [Paperback]

Richard Morgan Szybist (Author, Editor), Felipe Ujpan Mendoza (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 7, 2007

This is a collection of 12 folktales from the various Mayan communities around the shoreline of Lake Atitlan, located in the highlands of Guatemala. This edition is bilingual English-Spanish and, beyond entertainment, incorporates ethnographic and geographical descriptive information about the environment and Mayan culture in the rural highlands of Guatemala.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

This is the author's third published book, all 3 of which treat Latin American history and culture in the context of specific regional environments. He holds graduate degrees in education and Latin American studies from, respectively, Seton Hall University and the University of Arizona. He is a graduate of the National Defense University in Washington, D.C. and served as chairman of the Department of Military Education at Rutgers University. Morgan is founder and director of Adventures in Education, Inc. and lives at Lake Atitlan

Product Details

• Paperback: 106 pages
• Publisher: Adventures in Education, Inc.; 1st edition (December 7, 2007)
• Language: English, Spanish
• ISBN-10: 0964870622
• ISBN-13: 978-0964870628
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 8.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,475,558 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Companion Reader, August 26, 2008

By 

Anthony Gatti (St. Croix USVI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fables & Other Mayan Tales of Atitlan (English and Spanish Edition) (Paperback)

Many years ago, I spent a summer on Lake Atitlan in Panajachel. I was a student of Latin American History and had a special fascination with the syncretic affect of Spanish culture upon the indigenous people of Central America. I was always so enchanted by how the folklore and the "magical realism" of their everyday life felt so near one another.

Mr Morgan Szybist's book is a reminder to me of those days spent on the lake. His succint collection of tales make for a great companion reader to anyone who is interested in Atitlan. Whether one wishes for some greater context on the mentality of the local lake inhabitants or who once spent time there and wishes to revisit the charms of this ancient place, <Fables & Other Mayan Tales of Atitlan> is a delightful read sure to please and educate...and very child-friendly might I add!

5.0 out of 5 stars Polish gypsy?, June 27, 2008

By 

Matthew D. Howell "Spanish teacher" (Sunderland, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fables & Other Mayan Tales of Atitlan (English and Spanish Edition) (Paperback)

In my Spanish classes for fifth graders, I integrate relevant social studies curriculum, including the history of the Maya in Central America and the Yucatan portion of Mexico. Having visited Lake Atitlan two summers ago as part of a month-long journey in Guatemala, I was pleased to discover this collection of fables and other Mayan tales from this mystically beautiful place. As I started reading the stories, I became excited thinking about how the oral history represented here could enhance my classes--I know that kids love stories, and remember them far longer than simple factual information.

When I first ordered and received the book, however, I was curious about the subtitle "As Told to a Polish Gypsy." How did that fit into the Guatemalan landscape? In the book's prologue, I learned that the "Polish gypsy" was someone named Jan Marcinkowski, a free-spirited young man who manages to escape Communist Poland in the 70's and follows his fascination with Mayan culture to the Lake Atitlan region. As I read the italicized notes which introduce and follow the stories, I imagined myself in Jan's hiking shoes: exploring the pueblos around the lake, talking to the villagers, and recording their fantastic stories. An epilogue at the end of this bilingual book explains more about this Polish gypsy and how the stories he collected became this fine collection of Fables & Other Mayan Tales of Atitlan.