The Gift of El Tio

by Larry Buchanan, Karen Gans

Overview

Larry, a world-renowned geologist, discovers an enormous deposit of silver beneath a remote Quechua village in Bolivia and unwittingly fulfills a 400-year-old prophecy that promised a life of wealth for the villagers. Karen, a specialist in child development, is deeply disturbed by the prospect of displacing the people in order to open a mine. She challenges Larry to leave the comforts of home and move to the village in order to bear witness to the massive change his discovery will spark. Thus begins the couple’s life-changing, ten-year journey into the Quechua community, their evolution from outsiders to trusted friends. Then part two of the ancient prophecy is disclosed to them, and they are shocked by the truth of its predictions: alienation, despair, even cannibalism.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940012708496
Publisher:	Fuze Publishing, LLC
Publication date:	12/01/2010
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	254
Sales rank:	561,681
File size:	453 KB

About the Author

Larry Buchanan earned his PhD in Economic Geology in 1979 and taught university-level geology for several years, but his love of the field led him to gold and silver prospecting in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. In 2006, he won the coveted Thayer Lindsley Award for the San Cristobal silver discovery. Dr. Buchanan has published a dozen scientific works and is a sought-after speaker at international conferences and college campuses.

Karen Gans earned her Master’s degree in Early Childhood Development and has thirty-five years of experience as an educator, counselor, and consultant. She taught English in the Quechua village while the couple lived in Bolivia.


Karen and Larry have four children and two grandchildren and reside in Ashland, Oregon.

Editorial Reviews

“The Gift takes you deep into an unknown world in such a delightful way, through the eyes of the people themselves. An eye-opener . . . unafraid to tackle politically incorrect subjects, but does so with a balanced, honest approach. This is a must-read for our polarized society.”

J.C. Gelvin, geologist

“This is a marvelous tale, whether the reader enjoys grand storytelling, expanding cultural horizons, or nuanced insights that emerge from the unique ‘he said-she said’ evolution of the book. At another level, El Tio is a brilliant case study in the real complexities of economic and sociological development that so often are absent in modern economic analysis. The book’s journey is made all the more riveting by prose that is quick, clear and always engaging.”

John Mayo, PhD

Any writer who starts a book as Karen Gans does in her introduction with the words, ‘My husband is so full of it,’ has my attention. The Gift of El Tio is a rare treat of a story that pulls you in from the very beginning. The writing is compelling, and the people who touch Larry and Karen will stay with you long after you finish reading the last page.”

Nicolle Eighteen Acres Wallace