Ecologists and biogeographers have been intrigued for a long time by the striking similarity of the vegetation and flora of southern temperate zone regions separated by large oceans. These scientists have been particularly interested in the occurrence in these regions of Nothofagus--southern beeches. This book, which focuses on the distribution, history, and ecology of the genus Nothofagus, provides a key to understanding the historical plant geography and modern vegetation patterns of the southern hemisphere. The book begins with a discussion of the long-term and broad-scale patterns of origin and differentiation in the genus. Next each major Nothofagus biome is discussed, first in a chapter that considers contemporary ecological patterns and then in a chapter that focuses on the history and paleoecology of the region. Authorities in the field deal with the temperate zone of the southwest Pacific region (New Zealand and Australia); the adjacent tropical zone of the southwest Pacific (New Guinea and New Caledonia); and South America, ranging from the Mediterranean-type climate region of central Chile to the subantarctic latitudes of Tierra del Fuego.

This shining collection brings you inspiration and comfort in special chapters on marriage, motherhood, aging, bridging the generations, attitude, self-esteem and higher wisdom. Stories honor the strength and reveal the beauty of the feminine spirit. Included are incredible stories from Oprah Winfrey, Leo Buscaglia, Linda Ellerbee, Robert Fulghum, Kathie Lee Gifford and many others.

We can all remember a time when we were young and under-the- weather, and Mom soothed and nurtured us back to health with her magical chicken soup elixir. Now we can revisit those cherished moments with a delightful batch of stories for and about mothers. Celebrity contributions include Barbara Bush, Reba McEntire, Erma Bombeck and Montel Williams.

Gender is central to the organization and functioning of Guatemalan society. In many Guatemalan communities, men work within the public and political domain while indigenous women's participation in rural highland communities is usually identified in the context of community development. Spanish-language illiteracy, family power relations, and a machismo culture have limited or EXCLUDED the public and political participation of women. At the extreme, Guatemalan women are targeted for murder and mutilation in rural and urban areas -- a phenomenon called femicide/feminicide -- simply for being women 'out of place'. In the mainly rural department of Huehuetenango, something else is going on. The organization Asociacin de Desarrollo Integral de las Mujeres Huehuetecas (ADIMH) is working towards the INCLUSION of women into the public domain for the betterment of their communities through literacy, education, health, and production projects. In this book, we document the struggles and successes of Huehuetenango women, Huehuetecas, as they work towards community rebuilding after the 36-year internal armed conflict. Based upon our observations we agree with the participants that women's empowerment, as a form of community development, is integral for the future of their communities.