Paraguay - A Tour Guide [Paperback]

Erwin Boschmann (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2009

This colorful book on PARAGUAY is the first comprehensive English language tour guide published about this small, land-locked country. Arriving in time for the Mennonite World Conference in Asunción, Paraguay in July of 2009, the first three chapters on Basics, Information on Getting There, and Information While Being There provide the nuts and bolts: from the name Paraguay, to facts and figures, demographics, geography, economy, passports and visas, airlines, clothing, inoculation, health, insurance, customs, going solo vs. group tour, weather, getting around, e-mail, tipping, embassies, to hospitals. The next three chapters, History, Culture, and Asunción, describe the Jesuit period, the Triple Alliance War, the Chaco War, politics, music, language and literature, painting, sculpture, carvings, museums, universities, monuments, strolls through Asunción, proud buildings, memorable restaurants, great lodging, and the Mennonite impact. A Mennonite writer and a painter are also featured. The four chapters on going North, South, East and West of Asunción explore the countryside, with the chapter on the West detailing the civilizing of the Chaco by the Mennonites. The final two chapters, Uniquely Paraguay and Oddities explain the name Guaraní, ñanduti, sopa Paraguaya, yerba mate, algorrobo, mandioca, long life milk, the Southern Cross, and the reversal of periods and commas. The Appendix contains measurement conversion factors, basic Spanish, bibliography, and personal interest stories such as Kornelius Issak, Liese Kaethler, Madame Lynch, and Katharina Warkentin. The Author: Erwin Boschmann was born and raised in Paraguay, and came to the U.S. to study at Bethel College. He obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Colorado in Chemistry, and has been a faculty member and administrator with Indiana University since 1968. He was the Executive Director of Plowshares and CEO of Indianapolis Peace House, a Lilly Endowment funded project. He was awarded IU s highest teaching award, received a Lilly Faculty Open Fellowship, and the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Bethel College. He has led many tour groups through Paraguay.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Paraguay: a Tour Guide with Emphasis on the Mennonites is the indispensable guide book for Mennonite visitors to Paraguay. Its wealth of detail about the country and the Mennonite communities melts smoothly into a pleasant and easy-to-read narrative. Larry Miller, Executive Secretary, Mennonite World Conference The issuance of an English language tour guide on Paraguay has long been overdue. Erwin Boschmann has accomplished a high quality work with details on history and geography, land and people, traditions and customs, all illustrated with gorgeous pictures. This is a MUST for anyone visiting Paraguay or wanting to know more about the country. It is urgently recommended for all visitors to the upcoming Mennonite World Conference in 2009. Gerhard Ratzlaff, author, teacher, Asunción, Paraguay To travel with Erv Boschmann is to really experience an environment. His description of places, people and their history makes for a journey that touches your mind, heart, and senses. It is a journey easy to traverse and enriching to the spirit. If you want to know how to get there and what is at hand when you do this is the travel guide for you. Most of all if you want to feel the place and its people and sense the spiritual depth of it all read on. Paraguay wears its unique history in its life today. Little has succumbed to an international sameness. Erv Boschmann makes the place and its people come alive .With this book in hand, you will not only find your way around, but develop a feeling for the soul and mind of the country. Judy O Bannon, former First Lady on Indiana Asunción is calling. Y'all come. This book will help you have a good time, whatever your reasons for visiting Paraguay. "An island surrounded by land" summons you to explore and learn, and Erwin Boschmann's book makes it all possible. Read it, and then just do it. Muriel T. Stackley, editor, author, Kansas City, MO ... a most informative and interesting tour guide on Paraguay. Readers will be thankful. With his tour guide on Paraguay, Erwin Boschmann has published an interesting and very informative book. It not only gives a good overview of the land and its people, specifically the Mennonites, but it also offers very useful travel tips. Jakob Warkentin, author, teacher, Neuland, Paraguay The fact that Paraguay is not on the map or list of most tour companies, could have been a drawing card for so many different Mennonite groups or settlers, who want or wanted to be in a land where they could be the "silent in a land" ? In any case this " PARAGUAY, A Tour Guide " is a very good and accurate tool for history lovers and especially Mennonite history. For ANY person planning or even only thinking of visiting Paraguay, this Guide is a MUST READ . Ernst Thielmann, Menno Travel, Abbotsford BC Canada. Erv Boschmann s book, Paraguay, A Tour Guide, is packed full of good information for travelers who want to prepare for a meaningful visit to Paraguay. The collection of information gives great background on all sorts of things to make one understand the country better as one travels through the cities and villages and interacts with local residents. For those who want to understand the impact of the Mennonite migration and the present day Mennonite settlements, Erv has included interesting historical and current information. I recommend this book to travelers to Paraguay. Readers will be much better prepared to have a worthwhile and engaged experience. Janette Yoder, Coordinator of Goshen College Adult Educational Travel --Comments received

Paraguay as a country is something of a mystery, a land of contrast environmentally and socially. Declaring independence from Spain in 1811, its two massive neighbors, Brazil and Argentina, grabbed some of its territory and stifled economic development. This travel book is rich in both historic and contemporary detail. PARAGUAY, a Tour Guide will dispel the mystery and make Paraguay come alive. A must read for any person even modestly curious. Phil Roth, author, Pennsylvania By reading through the pages of this book, I felt transported back in time and it brought back those wonderful and unforgettable memories I have from Paraguay, where I was born and lived until year 2000. I am impressed by the broad spectrum of Paraguay s history, its culture, politics, social life, economics etc. Boschmann presents in this book. I m sure, the book is not only an excellent tourist guide for a visitor to Paraguay, but also interesting reading material for someone wanting to know more about this little often forgotten country in the heart of South America, Paraguay. Edwin Federau, Winnipeg, Canada Just at the appropriate time a tour guide appears which bridges a well known gap to all who like to travel to Paraguay, but who, for lack of information, have to contend themselves with visiting only those places promoted by the mass tourism industry. Boschmann presents in time for the Mennonite World Conference not just a Mennonite tour guide, but a well-founded guide on Paraguay as a whole. The author, who is also Paraguayan, uses much care and love for the land to describe that which a tourist needs to know. Even insiders will make new discoveries. Following this tour guide with its abundant information and recommendations, will be assured a trouble free and impressive vacation. Erwin Wittenberg, tour guide, Germany It is always challenging to really get to know a foreign country with just one visit. Erwin Boschmann has succeeded in producing a comprehensive tour guide which takes us through history, culture, and many of the country s highlights. Places of interest and travel tips are presented in a practical way. My next trip to Paraguay will be much richer. Friedbert Kroeger, teacher, Brazil As a person who loves traveling, I ve been lucky to know Paraguay, the country where my parents and their family settled when they left Europe. It is still a virgin land, worth to be discovered by those who appreciate something different; it should definitely be included in their travel list. I loved reading this very clear and up-to-date travel book. Renate Thesing, traveler, Argentina This unique travel guide is: inviting to visit this fairly unknown Latin American country; inspiring for the adventurous to discover Paraguay in all its colourful facets; informative for the curious who seek to find some Mennonite history. R. van der Wijk-Kaethler, The Netherlands Thank you for your Paraguay book. It is accurate and will be very helpful for travelers to Paraguay. Eveline Hiebert, Official Travel Agent for the Mennonite World Conference, Asunción, Paraguay --Comments received

"I strongly recommend that you purchase Erwin Boschmann's Paraguay, A Tour Guide --Elaine Sommers Rich, The Mennonite Weekly Review, February 2, 2009

About the Author

THE AUTHOR Erwin Boschmann was born and raised in Paraguay. After high school he came to the U.S. to attend Bethel College in Newton, Kansas, and then the University of Colorado where he obtained a Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry in 1968. Ever since he has been associated with Indiana University (Indianapolis and system wide) where he taught chemistry, and during the last two decades, has been involved in administration (Associate Dean of the Faculties, Associate Vice President for all eight campuses, Provost of the IU East campus). He has published professional books and articles and engaged in consulting with the Ford Foundation and the Asian Development Bank in Lima, Peru, and Medan, Indonesia, respectively. Since receiving Emeritus status, he spent several years as Executive Director of Plowshares and CEO of Indianapolis Peace House, Inc., a Lilly Endowment-funded collaborative between Earlham, Goshen, and Manchester Colleges. He received Indiana University's highest teaching award, the statewide H. F. Lieber Award for Distinguished Teaching, and was awarded a Lilly Faculty Open Fellowship. In 1998 he received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Bethel College. He is married to Priscilla G. Selzer Boschmann. They have three grown children.

Product Details

• Paperback: 234 pages
• Publisher: Science Enterprises; 1st edition (January 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0930116003
• ISBN-13: 978-0930116002
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,349,816 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #31 in Books > Travel > Latin America > South America > Paraguay & Uruguay

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Paraguay - A Tour Guide, August 24, 2011

By 

vinoyajo - See all my reviews

This review is from: Paraguay - A Tour Guide (Paperback)

Not recommend. It was not helpful when traveling in Paraguay. Go with some other guide book if you need information about buses, where to stay, etc..

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars enjoyable book, December 18, 2010

By 

William J. Byman (Vancouver, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Paraguay - A Tour Guide (Paperback)

Only a native could offer the details and descriptions presented herein about Paraguay. But this is written from the easier to understand perspective of a European.