Extra Helpin´ from Head for Mexico: The Renegade Guide - the most comprehensive book written on living and retiring in Mexico"

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Don's Theory on Guidebooks

A good percentage of the guidebooks and “how-to” books are written by what I call “drive-by” scribes. These often young or inexperienced writers work on assignment, traveling from their home bases to wherever an editor sends them. They become “instant experts” by gleaning a few facts from the locals, consulting previously published guides to the area, then submitting poorly researched and hastily written reports to be published as THE TRUE WORD.

Others visit frequently but never deal with the day-to-day and season-to-season minutiae of life in a foreign land. Travel writers are just that---travelers. And as for those who write “How to Move South of the Border” guides or newsletters …find out where they live before you plunk down your dollars.

As a bonus for readers of the website, "Head for Mexico: The Renegade Guide," I scouted out a few of the best area and special interest guides. A few can be found on Amazon.com if you know where to look but most are difficult to find because of the marketing problems encountered by writers who serve smaller more specialized markets.

The books listed were all written by experienced writers who live, and in some cases, work in the region they write about. You can believe and trust the information contained within these books.

I don't get a nickel from the sales of any of these guides. They're listed here because you probably can't find some of them without a lot of work and I think they're each useful in researching a possible move to a specific area.

Area Guides

	Mexico’s Lake Chapala and Ajijic - The Insider’s Guide to the Northshore for International Travelers by Teresa Kendrick Mexico Traveler’s Information P.O. Box 26091 Austin, Texas 78755-0091 ajijic@chapalaguide.com http://www.chapalaguide.com Five Mexico-based experts, six hardworking researchers, and three professional photographers joined Teresa Kendrick in producing the definitive guide to the Lake Chapala area. Both locals and travelers affectionately call it the “bible”. More than a local guide, though, the rest of the information in this book will steer you through the practical and cultural aspects of living in Mexico, no matter where you end up. Teresa moved to Mexico in 1993 and continues to live and work in the Lake Chapala area.
	Manzanillo and the State of Colima, Facts, Tips, and Day Trips by Susan Dearing APDO 295 Santiago, Colima, Mexico 28861 susan@gomanzanillo.com http://www.gomanzanillo.com/guidebook/index.htm This 150 page guide to the area contains an astounding amount of information about the area. Tips on how to function within the culture and how to deal with the daily flow of life add a wonderful new dimension to the interesting travel tips. Susan Dearing lives and works in Manzanillo and her 10+ years of experience in the area shows up in this guide. A portion of each sale is donated to local charities benefiting children and a dollar of each sale goes to the Manzanillo beach clean-up fund.
	Western Mexico---A Traveler’s Treasury by Tony Burton Perception Press Box 1855 St. Augustine, Florida 32085-1855 In Canada: Box 4 Ladysmith, BC V9G 1A1, Canada info@sombrerobooks.com http://www.sombrerobooks.com The author, Tony Burton, is a geographer and naturalist and since 1986 has served as the director of the non-profit group Odisea Mexico which focuses on environmental education. He also leads a few ecotourism trips each year. This is a book I refer to regularly and often carry with me when I’m out exploring the region. Informative and highly entertaining, it’s my favorite area travel guide. Tony has lived in Mexico since 1979.
	Official Guide & Directory to Mazatlan, Mexico Published by Michael J. Veselik Mazatlan's Pacific Pearl Magazine 412 Interamerica Blvd. PMB-15-345 Laredo, Texas 78045 http://www.pacificpearl.com e-mail: yooper@pacificpearl.com Phone/Fax-011-52-669-913-0117 This guide will allow you to plan your own tours of Mazatlan, find places to eat (or party), tell you which beach might best suit your needs, and how to locate and contact any repairmen that might solve a problem or two for you. Information on all aspects of visiting or living in Mazatlan is provided in a well indexed and easy to read format. Michael Veselik is married to Mexico native Maricha and they've been living, working, and raising their family in Mazatlan for 17 years. All that experience shows as you read this essential guide to the area. Don't leave home without it.
	Mexico IS Paradise by Charles Hall 178 pages, paperback, 6x9 http://shop.iuniverse.com email: chall@prodigy.net.mx

General Interest Books and News-Magazines

	The People's Guide to Mexico - 30th Anniversary Edition by Carl Franz Edited by Lorena Havens http://www.peoplesguide.com 30th Anniversary Edition should be your clue that this is the classic guide to traveling Mexico. Following in the tradition of "Terry's Guide to Mexico," Carl and Lorena brought a fresh style and a new sense of how to enjoy the people and places of this country providing help and inspiration to many of us, including yours truly. Even if you never plan to hit the isolated beaches and back-country, you'll still enjoy reading about their adventures. And the book is filled with solid survival tips and advice on how to integrate into the flow of life SoB, plus many useful appendices. To order "The People's Guide to Mexico"click on www.amazon.com
	Mexico Mike's Books "Live Better South of the Border" & "Spas & Hot Springs of Mexico" by Mike Nelson 1714 54th Street, Apt. B, Galveston, TX 77551-4717 409-744-1289 http://www.mexicomike.com Mexico Mike's Mexico is for drivers, lovers, RV'ers, adventurers, young people who want to live in Mexico, older people who want to retire to Mexico and middle-aged people who want to work in Mexico. If you love Mexico, Mike has many helpful insights for you.
	Mexico Boating Guide ---Baja, Sea of Cortez, Pacific Mainland, Gulf Coast & Yucatan by Captains Pat and John Rains P.O. Box 60190 San Diego, CA 92166 http://www.mexicoboating.com http://www.rainsyachtdelivery.com (800) 302-2628 This book takes you all the way from planning, preparing, and provisioning on through your voyage all the way up and down both coasts of Mexico. Detailed instructions and descriptions of services available in each port are invaluable to cruisers. This book and a current set of charts should make your trip as near perfect as can be expected. The Captains, Pat and John Rains, are both experienced in the waters they describe and they deliver an astounding amount of useful and interesting information. This one is entertaining enough that you'll enjoy it even if you're not a sea dog.
	Mexico by RV---A Step by Step Guide to R.V.’ing in Mexico by Kathy Olivas Sunseeker Publications 1970 N. Leslie St., Suite 2003 Pahrump, Nevada 89060 orders@sunseekerpub.com http://www.sunseekerpub.com EVERYONE should have a copy of this book! Don’t be deterred by the title, this one has loads of info you can all use, RVer or not. Kathy and Jack Olivas have years of experience leading RV caravans throughout the country and this book offers answers to the many questions asked by their traveling companions, as well as the things they believe you need to know in order to be happy traveling down here. The Olivas’ are currently building a beach house in Mexico.
	The Teach English in Mexico Employment Guide 6th Edition (2003), by Mark Farley http://www.teach-english-mexico.com email: info@employnow.com $45.95 + $10.00 s/h If you've ever considered Teaching English in Mexico this book is an absolute essential. Mark is the expert on finding teaching jobs in this country and he provides an astounding amount of information about what to expect and how to succeed. Each order also gets you the 30-minute Teach English In Mexico video CD which features interviews with some of those who are currently teaching SoB, as well as a complimentary copy of the Teach English In Mexico Newsletter which each month focuses on a different area of Mexico in order to give you information about who's hiring, what the qualifications are, how much they pay, and a bit about the featured area. Learn before you earn, and avoid many potentially costly and/or disastrous situations by getting the straight scoop from someone who knows. I highly recommend anything Mark and his company provide.
	Ameritalk by Melody Noll P.O. Box 8632, Oakland, CA 94609 (510) 655-8439 email: melody@ameri-talk.com http://www.ameri-talk.com To Purchase: http://www.ameri-talk.com/books.html#purchase American Accent Skills: Intonation, Reductions, Word Connections How to instantly become more understandable and sound more pleasing; how to ask questions and express attitude and nuance; how to use melody to read numbers and spell aloud. What do you stress and how do you do it? Clear guidelines and useful examples for stressing syllables and important words A visual, musical look at how we "sing" a word or phrase The beat of the language; a jazzy approach to learning verb structures: "Can" or can't"?; "shoulda" and "shouldena" How to reduce vowel sounds in a word; how to reduce words in a sentence; popular conversational phrases; "gonna", "wanna", "gotta"; "Whaddaya...?" and "Whadja...?" How to smooth out choppy speech and sound pleasant; easy rules, clear instructions, plenty of examples
	Mexico-Adventures In Nature by Ron Mader http://www.planeta.com This book is officially out of print, but a few copies are available from Amazon.com by just typing in the title. This is the best and most complete guide to eco-tourism in Mexico. Ron Mader is a graduate of the University of Texas program in Latin American Studies and has spent years promoting true eco-tourism and conservation in Mexico. This book is a mix of history, geography, culture, travel tips, and much more. Those of you who are fortunate enough to find a copy will be well rewarded by it's entertaining and informative nature. If you can't find a copy, go to the http://www.planeta.com website for access to extensive writings on the ecology of this country, as well as the opportunity to participate in a number of interactive forums.
	Midlife Mavericks by Karen Blue Sunseeker Publications Midlife Mavericks chronicles a new trend--unmarried American and Canadian women building better lives for themselves in Mexico's beautiful colonial villages. Cozy up on a comfortable couch and share a margarita with successful women who have found an alternative to high-stress careers. Sip a glass of wine with empty-nesters seeking adventure and drink a glass of ice tea with retirees living in comfort on just their Social Security or disability income. You'll laugh and cry with these gutsy gringas as they journey from unfulfilled yearnings towards answers each woman must ultimately discover for herself. Quote: I have literally not moved in the past four hours. I have had a ball reading Midlife Mavericks and finding out about so many different, wonderful folks and I have really learned so much about you. I have just stopped at Chapter 11 and am relinquishing control so that Randy can start. Although it is about women rediscovering themselves, for me it really is about all of us- men and women- finding out who we are and how we fit in this world and I think he will enjoy it as much as I am. You have truly captured where you live and why and I am grateful. "Kittie Harris"
	How to Buy Real Estate in Mexico by Dennis John Peyton Peyton & Connell International Lawyers and Consultants Peyton & Connell PMB-110 2220 Otay Lakes Road Suite 502 East Lake, CA 91915 Voice Mail and Fax: 619-374-1964 Tijuana Office: 001-52-664-634-2970 http://www.lawmexico.com To order: 1-800-529-6394 $24.95 email: inquire@lawmexico.com "How To Buy Real Estate In Mexico" is considered one of the premier books on Mexican law and Mexican real estate, and is used by Mexican lawyers as well as American lawyers to help explain Mexican law to their clients. At the same time, it is written for non-lawyers and is easy to read. It is the only book available in English with current and detailed information dealing with Mexican real estate law. The book explains how property is legally classified and gives a step-by-step explanation for selecting and buying property. The book also includes an invaluable reference section on Mexican real estate law and an English translation of Mexico's Foreign Investment Law.