REVIEWS

"Jack Ewing's thirty-year adventure in a Costa Rican jungle has produced a book full of infectious love and amazing lore."
    — Daniel Quinn, award winning author of Ishmael

"I taught about leaf cutter ants to my sixth grade class and the children were thrilled and amazed. Your pieces on Baird's tapir were so good I simply read them to the class, out of which they decided to raise money to adopt a tapir. Thank you!"
    — Stu Summer, middle school teacher - Hillsdale, New York

"Written in language accessible to everyone, the 32 stories in this book delve deep into the fascinating world of Costa Rica's tropical wildlife, skillfully intertwining ecological facts with current environmental and social issues which affect all of us. Even trained scientists will find something new in the personal, and often humorous, observations in these pages. This book is perfect reading for every inquisitive traveler to Costa Rica."
    — Rob Rachowiecki, author of Lonely Planet Costa Rica
         guidebook (the first five editions)

"Jack's essays offer great insight into tropical natural history, rural Costa Rican culture and environmental issues. The natural history is so well done and the environmental insights so painlessly integrated that I use the book in my tropical ecology and conservation course."
    — Richard Andrus, Professor - Binghamton University, New York

"I teach English at the University of Texas at Brownsville, which is implementing linked courses in its fall offerings. My Composition courses are linked with Biology. After investigating a number of texts, I chose your book, Monkeys are Made of Chocolate, and Rachel Carson's Lost Woods. Thank you for writing about such important subjects in a voice that invites everyone to read. You are educating many people because of your ‘punch-packing’ humor. I love your book."
    — Pamela Herring, Assistant Master Technical Instructor of English; University of Texas at Brownsville

"Most books on Costa Rica focus on travel tips, but Monkeys Are Made of Chocolate takes a different turn, examining how animals, plants and people interact in that country and providing over thirty essays which come from a conversion of a cattle ranch into a popular eco-tourism destination. Stories and essays provide literally decades of observation of the Costa Rican natural environment and its management. A ‘must’ for any who plan on seeing the country and who want to know more of its wildlife and habitats."
    — California Bookwatch (Midwest Book Review)

"A fascinating collection of stories and essays from Jack Ewing's decades of observation of tropical flora and fauna. This book is the fun way to learn about biological corridors and the interrelatedness of all creatures."
    — Beatrice Blake, author of The New Key to Costa Rica, 17th
         edition

"Monkeys are Made of Chocolate is a tapestry of stories as rich as the land from which they came. Whether you like reading about huge snakes which always seem to come in pairs, the intelligent behavior of sloths, the ancient craft of boat building by digging out a tree trunk, or how toucans aren't quite as cute as they appear, this book is a treasure trove of Costa Rican life and natural history."
    — Georgie Wingfield, Agronomist - Sussex, England

"In this well-crafted selection of short stories, Jack conjures up the intricacies of the natural world as only one who has been deeply imbedded for decades can do. In the manner of a master storyteller, Jack Ewing mesmerizes us as he takes us on wonderful trips in and around the rainforest. A must-read for anyone who has ever been in a rainforest, or is planning on visiting one."
    — Excerpts from Quepolandia, a Costa Rican English monthly

"Monkeys Are Made Of Chocolate has served as the theme setter for numerous family discussions in our home-schooling family. Yes, the book is educational, but it is also a thought-provoking adventure into the questions that deal with some of the most basic and elusive issues confronting man today."
    — Ben Vaughn, editor of Dominical.Biz

"The serious underlying theme of ecological consciousness and responsibility is attacked by Mr. Ewing with grace and a healthy dose of humor. Instead of preaching he shows us through real stories and highly imaginative characters the havoc that we are wreaking on our only Planet Earth."
    — Jackie Spamer, Dominical Days, a Costa Rican monthly