Lost Realms of Gold: South American Myth is part of a Time-Life series of books about different groups of people around the world and the myths they had to explain the world around them. This volume explores the mythology and cultures of the indigenous, Pre-Columbian South American peoples. There is also some information about the myths that formed after the conquest, such as where the many different foreign peoples originated and why they were different.

Although the native peoples were forcibly converted to Catholicism, many of their customs have remained intact under the guise of the new religion. For example, the goddess Pachamama was worshipped as the Virgin Mary. Pachamama was the equivalent of Mother Earth to the Andean peoples. Other mountain gods were worshipped on Catholic saints' days. Many of these practices go on to this day.

Hiram Bingham's discovery of the Inca city of Machu Picchu is written and illustrated with colour photographs on a two-page sidebar. The reader can see the dramatic, mountaintop ruins with their steps built into the mountainsides to connect terraces. There was no need for mortar in these buildings because the stones were carved to fit together. In an earthquake, the stones would be able to move and then shift back into place.

The history and culture of the South American natives is discussed in great detail in this book and the illustrations are wonderful. There are many sidebars with these photos, giving explanations and retelling myths. Many of the myths are illustrated with colourful paintings by talented artists. The photographs show the burial sites, weapons, religious objects, and landscapes relevant to the stories of the various groups of people. The maps use colours to differentiate the various peoples and regions being discussed. Like other Time-Life books, this one is interesting and educational. It makes understanding the history of South America very easy and engrossing.

Many parents are looking for alternatives to the over-the-counter remedies, antibiotics (their overuse has caused many bacteria to develop immune strains), advise on when to take their children to the doctor. This guide, written by a medical doctor and an herbalist, is a major help in this quest for information on maintaining health in children. Herbs have long been a help to people, yet in the twentieth century their use has been looked down upon as a sign of being poor. However, the use of herbs has been studied and these natural medicines have been proven to be effective.

One must be very careful in administering herbs to children, however, because doses meant for adults might cause harm to kids. The authors of this book instruct parents in how to dose their children with natural medicines. They have a common sense approach to the use of over the counter drugs, too. Over the counter drugs have their uses for such things as fever reduction, however, cold remedies are not recommended because they do not have any significant impact on the cold itself. In some cases, nasal decongestants can result in rebound congestion when used for more than three or four days.

Home management tips are given for such things as fevers, colds, nausea, and diarrhoea. There are also purple coloured sidebars in each chapter with warning signs that the conditions may require a doctor's advice. In purple outlined boxes there are many recipes for homemade medicines such as cough syrup, sinus-clearing herbal inhaler, and hay fever tea. There are even chapters on nutrition and first aid.

This book is a well written must-have for any parenting library. It will help parents to have a better understanding of their children's health and how to maintain it. Any parent who reads this book will get common-sense tips on when to take their child to a doctor and when they can be treated at home, and will know what to do in the event of an emergency until help arrives.