Stealing Benefacio's Roses

TV, more than any other medium, has become America's storyteller. Sometimes that's not so bad; other times it presents shallow and false values to impressionable minds. When I'm hungry for ultimate truths, I've often found it best to go to other cultures and borrow their stories. One of the very, very best is "Stealing Benefacio's Roses." Within this story you will find your heart and be surprised at how strong and lovely it is. You will find your soul and come to know your true self. It's a story that works on the surface level of "Once upon a time . . ." yet also touches the deeper realms of mythology, spirituality, psychology, history and the many varieties of love. The writing is superb. Here's a quote: "Onto the floor I dropped to sleep, drifting on the tossing sea of my aching heart in a little canoe of Gustavo's friendship, into dreams filled with the unkillable perfume of Benefacio's roses." To understand and savor the last five words, buy the book and enjoy the revelations. This is the one you will keep to reread over time.

Martin inspires me with his mastery of the English language, his enthusiastic story-telling, his ability to find creative ways to rescue his family after the third or fourth attempt on his life in Guatemala. He has lots of trickster energy in his soul which serves well. I always enjoy sitting at his feet at the Minnesota Men's Conference, the Great Mother Conference, and Open Secret Bookstore in San Rafael...he's a national...no, better yet: world treasure...gifted teacher, shaman, story-teller. His literary voice kept me turning pages.

Martin Prechtel is perhaps the most capable of sacred story telling of today's authors. His respect for the power of language is immense and this book where he is retelling an ancient Mayan myth as it parallels his own experience is stunning in its capacity to illuminate todays world in all its contrasts. It is the third in an autobiographical trilogy. However, if you have not yet read the first two, don't worry, it stands completely on its own. This book was previously released under the title "The Toe Bone and the Tooth".

As with his other books, the writing in this continuation of Martin Prechtal's tale is stunning: poetic, filled with amazing images and vivid descriptions. The view of a world lost is heartbreaking, yet there is hope, and a call to the heart of everyone. I recommend reading his first two autobiographical books first, however, to get the full story and the full impact (Secrets of the Talking Jaguar, and Long Life Honey in the Heart).

Pretty amazing tale. A story about stories that moves smoothly from factual to fantasy and back until the reader finally realizes there really isn't much difference between the two so just soak it up instead of thinking about it too much.

You wouldn't think it possible to say "this is Martin Prechtel's best book yet" because they are all so exceptional. If you are interested in current Mayan culture, indigenous peoples, love, life, Central American politics... this book is a tour de force. Martin Prechtel is one of the most truly amazing, talented, gifted, wise, insightful people you might ever hope to meet. On top of this, he is an extraordinarily gifted writer. Buy the book. Buy them all.

This is another amazing book by Martin Prechtel where he weaves a Mayan tale for us to drift off into. This book is fascinating because he takes us from the gods and goddesses/ archetypes into another myth in his spellbinding and melodic way. I can't get enough of his writing!

Prechtel shares his story in poetically descriptive language. A great story for anyone who loves or yearns for authentic living.It may be a leap, but if you liked the movie Avatar, you will like this.

Holy Moly - this book cannot be allowed to continue without any kind of review! It is far too engrossing and essential.If you have read the other two autobiographical books by Martin Prechtel (congratulations on your good taste incidently), then you will equally find yourself compelled to follow on with this one. In fact, the three books are critically interlinked and best read as a whole account. And man-alive, what an account!In this volume, Prechtel recounts his flight from a blood-soaked 1980's Guatemala, and the terrible wrenching up of all his most meaningful roots from his adopted village. The book begins by telling the entrancing tale of the Toe Bone and the Tooth which you'll just have to read to understand its powerful subtext for his life and exile, I 'll not be able to convey its import here.Prechtel, despite some lapses into superfluous verbosity, is one of the most engaging writers alive, and his ability to analyse highly numinous processes is pretty much unmatched as far as I can determine. You suck it and see. But be sure to hold onto the back of your skull though, Martin Prechtel has an unnerving capacity to blow it clean away.It's difficult to evaluate these books as for accuracy and veracity. Do we dare to accept them unconfirmed by any independent assessment? Are there any realistic ways any of us could check up on the intensely personal nature of the episodes described by Prechtel?Y'know, I'm honestly minded not to care that much. The power and poignancy of his writing allows it to stand on its own merits quite sturdily enough. This would be very unlikely to occur if devised by a charleton or tall tale-spinner (like say Laurens Van der Post, see his biography: "Storyteller" by J.D.F. Jones).Embroidery and artistic licence are acceptable and probably unavoidable to some degree, but severe cracks caused by credibility stretched too far would soon become apparent and corrupt the overall flow. I don't sense much of that here. Nonetheless, it is always adviseable to be on guard and make any judgements provisional.In the meantime, enjoy this gripping account of Prechtel's flight from a war-torn Guatemala and his heart-searing re-entry back into the USA. I longed to learn HOW he re-adjusted to exile and what got him through such excruciating times. This book goes some way to telling, but I hunger for more; surely the mark of greatness.It bears emphasis: here is a writer of exceptional calibre; a narration of the most compelling order. Do your soul a favour... Don't miss out!