Customer Reviews

Gauchada

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It's unusual for books like "Gauchada" to see the light if day, & the fact that [other companies], in their pursuit of the mediocre, have chosen not to carry this title, is proof that beauty of spirit is difficult to find in the world these days. This is what "Gauchada" is about; it's about beauty of spirit, it's about the unselfish act of giving a gift out of love & seeking nothing in return. The prose is rich, poetic & we follow the gift as it is given & passed on til we return to where the story begins, on the grasslands of Argentina. Ms. Lamm's poetry & intricacy of language is beautifully complimented by the stylized art of Mr. Negrin. This is not an "easy" book, it isn't "see spot run", the language is dense & there is an air of mystery & magic in the act of creating the gauchada, & the journey the gift takes. The book is something to sit with & savour, & like anything you treasure, it is something to return to again & again.

This is a wonderful book set in Argentina about the endless joys of giving. The book is set around a gift of love given in the form of a homemade necklace by a gaucho, or cowboy. You will learn lots of new Argentine words which are explained in the preface of the book by the author. TeacherFeatures.com is going to be writing a lesson plan for this book. The class will create something special from them that they can give to someone they love with instructions for the gift to be passed on and on. What an important lesson for todays youngsters to learn that giving doesn't always have to mean getting something physical in return.

This book is a gem! A treasure! I've given away countless copies mostly to women - my mother, sisters, daughters and some very close friends. I've given it as wedding presents, engagement presents and as a token of love. IT is very special - a grassroots kind of find. The writing is poetic and evocative. The story simple and alluring. It reads like music. I've just started making necklaces to pass along with this book, my own gauchadas. Thank you Drew Lamm for writing this stunning book.

Lamm's imagery is so resonant, and the message so rich. A notch above the usual children's lit- Both of my son's want me to read this to them over and over.

I found "Gauchada" at a discount book store in rural Iowa 4 years ago. I sat in the floor of the store to read it and I could not believe my eyes... to find such a treasure in a place so remote from the Argentine Pampas! Yet this book was in itself the story of a beautiful gift that had gone around the world. I bought the three copies the store had and have since looked for more copies of it and given it to friends and family on different occassions. Perhaps no one can enjoy it as much as the people who have been in Argentina and wittnessed the gauchos or seen the beautiful carvings they make. Travelers will understand its story even if they haven't been to the Pampas, admirers of beautiful books will love it. I started reading it 3 years ago to my then 2 year old son . It is one of his favorite books and is growing with him as he understands more of the ideas in it. "Mommy read me the gaucho book, the one with the grandma and the beautiful baby and the gift that he makes. Do you think I can carve a necklace like that some day?". As an Argentine woman and professional I say "bravo!!" to this masterpiece.

The book came very fast and was in great condition, exactly how it was explained.