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Books for

Enrich your travels with reading! Here's a hand-picked list prepared for your journey in conjunction with the book experts at Longitude.

Essential Reading

Item EXMED389. Buy these 5 items as a set for $83 including shipping, 20% off the retail price.
With free shipping on anything else you order.

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Eyewitness Guide Seville and Andalusia

Eyewitness Guide Seville and Andalusia

by Eyewitness Guides

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 286 PAGES

This wonderfully organized and visually rich guide features excellent maps and essays on the culture, history and geography of the region. (SPN15, $23.00)

Eyewitness Guide Morocco

Eyewitness Guide Morocco

by Eyewitness Guides

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2010
  • PAPER
  • 408 PAGES
  • BEST SELLER

Gorgeously illustrated and filled with excellent maps, this compact guide introduces Morocco's history, culture and attractions. (MRC58, $30.00)

Fodor's Lisbon's 25 Best

Fodor's Lisbon's 25 Best

by Fodor's

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2010
  • PAPER
  • 128 PAGES

This slim guide to Lisbon includes an excellent map of the city center and essential information on its highlights. (PGL40, $11.99)

The Caliph's House, A Year in Casablanca

The Caliph's House, A Year in Casablanca

by Tahir Shah

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 343 PAGES
  • BEST SELLER

Shah is a marvelous storyteller, weaving Moroccan customs and history with deft portraits of neighbors, craftsmen and others in this entertaining tale of the transformation of a crumbling palace in Casablanca. (MRC66, $16.00)

Mediterranean Cruises Map

Mediterranean Cruises Map

by Freytag & Berndt

  • 2010
  • MAP

A double-sided, full-color map of the Mediterranean, including the Iberian Peninsula and Black Sea, North Africa and the Levant, at a scale of 1:2,000,000. (MED36, $14.95)

 
Barcelona Map

Barcelona Map


by Borch Maps

  • 2010
  • MAP

A detailed city map, laminated and folded for easy reference. (SPN105, $8.95)

Morocco Map

Morocco Map


by Michelin Travel Publications

  • 2009
  • MAP
  • BEST SELLER

An excellent road map in the Michelin style, featuring city and town plans and a full place name index. (MRC13, $11.95)

Spain & Portugal Map

Spain & Portugal Map


by Michelin Travel Publications

  • 2011
  • MAP

A colorful, shaded relief map of the entire Iberian Peninsula at a scale of 1:1,000,000. With an index of principal place names. (SPN22, $11.95)

Eyewitness Guide Spain

Eyewitness Guide Spain


by Eyewitness Guides

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 720 PAGES

This superb, colorful guide covering all of Spain features bright photography, dozens of maps and a region-by-region synopsis of the country's attractions. (SPN05, $30.00)

Fodor's Barcelona's 25 Best

Fodor's Barcelona's 25 Best


by Fodors

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 96 PAGES

This handy pocket guide includes an excellent map and essential information for a making the most of a short visit. (SPN136, $11.99)

Fodor's Madrid's 25 Best

Fodor's Madrid's 25 Best


by Fodor's

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2010
  • PAPER
  • 128 PAGES

This slim guide includes an excellent pull-out map of the center of Madrid and essential information on its highlights, including restaurant recommendations and sightseeing. (SPN172, $11.99)

Lonely Planet Moroccan Arabic Phrasebook

Lonely Planet Moroccan Arabic Phrasebook


by Dan Bacon

  • LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 176 PAGES

This handy phrasebook includes pronunciation, basic grammar and essential vocabulary. (MRC15, $8.99)

The Food of Portugal

The Food of Portugal


by Jean Anderson

  • FOOD
  • 1994
  • PAPER
  • 304 PAGES

An award-winning cookbook featuring the cuisine of Portugal and background on Portuguese culture. Sure to please the palates of tourists interested in Portuguese food, and of emigrants in search of that authentic taste of home. (PGL10, $19.95)

A Traveller's History of Portugal

A Traveller's History of Portugal


by Ian Robertson

  • HISTORY
  • 2002
  • PAPER
  • 352 PAGES

A lively, admirably concise survey from prehistory to the present, great for travelers to Portugal who would like an overview of the country's history and culture. (PGL32, $14.95)

Ghosts of Spain

Ghosts of Spain


by Giles Tremlett

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 396 PAGES

Tremlett captures the Spanish character, history and modern politics in this masterful portrait, interweaving the story of his love for the country (where he has lived for 20 years) with interview, anecdote and observation. (SPN323, $18.00)

Islam, A Short History

Islam, A Short History


by Karen Armstrong

  • RELIGION
  • 2002
  • PAPER
  • 230 PAGES

Armstrong brings authority and experience to this vivid, clear-headed survey of the history and impact of Islam from the birth of Muhammad to present-day challenges. (ISL15, $15.95)

Morocco Since 1830, A History

Morocco Since 1830, A History


by C. R. Pennell

  • HISTORY
  • 2001
  • PAPER
  • 442 PAGES

A strong scholarly history of modern Morocco, with a focus on the colonial influences that have helped shape the cultural landscape. (MRC31, $26.00)

Nine Parts of Desire, The Hidden World of Islamic Women

Nine Parts of Desire, The Hidden World of Islamic Women


by Geraldine Brooks

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 1996
  • PAPER
  • 256 PAGES

A highly readable overview of the role of women in Islamic society, drawn from the author's many interviews with women throughout the Arab World. (ARB06, $15.00)

Spain, The Root and the Flower

Spain, The Root and the Flower


by John A. Crow

  • HISTORY
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 455 PAGES

Take this book with you to Spain: it's an absorbing, well-written account of Spanish cultural history from prehistory to the Romans, Jews, Moors, Golden Age and on to Franco and his legacy in modern Spain. (SPN13, $29.95)

The Basque History of the World

The Basque History of the World


by Mark Kurlansky

  • HISTORY
  • 2001
  • PAPER
  • 288 PAGES

Popular author Mark Kurlansky offers an engaging portrait of the seven provinces of Basque Land, discussing everything from language to culinary heritage and seafaring traditions. (SPN116, $16.00)

The Conquest of Morocco

The Conquest of Morocco


by Douglas Porch

  • HISTORY
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 335 PAGES

Porch's scholarly yet lively history of the French conquest from 1903 to 1914 paints a vivid portrait of turn-of-the-century Morocco. (MRC25, $28.00)

The Ornament of the World, How Muslims, Jews, and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain

The Ornament of the World, How Muslims, Jews, and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain


by Maria Rosa Menocal | Harold Bloom

  • RELIGION
  • 2003
  • PAPER
  • 272 PAGES

A lively, illuminating portrait of the Andalucian Kingdom, its cultural achievements and religious tolerance from the eighth century to 1492. (SPN185, $15.99)

The Story of the Moors in Spain

The Story of the Moors in Spain


by Stanley Lane-Poole

  • HISTORY
  • 2010
  • PAPER
  • 285 PAGES

A wonderfully readable, sweeping tale of splendor and tragedy, first published in 1866. (SPN12, $18.95)

The Alhambra

The Alhambra


by Robert Irwin

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 2004
  • PAPER
  • 213 PAGES

Irwin's brief, indispensable guide introduces the stunning Moorish palace and fortress complex, revealing its mysteries, myths and significance with wit and insight. (SPN226, $14.95)

The Arts in Spain, From Prehistory to Modernism

The Arts in Spain, From Prehistory to Modernism


by John Moffit

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 1999
  • PAPER
  • 240 PAGES

From the cave painting at Altimira through the Golden Age, to the works of Picasso and Miro, this book documents the course of art in Spain, with 150 illustrations. (SPN102, $19.95)

Cork Boat, A True Story of the Unlikeliest Boat Ever Built

Cork Boat, A True Story of the Unlikeliest Boat Ever Built


by John Pollack

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 291 PAGES

This endearing tale of family, loss and friendship revolves around a deliciously absurd childhood quest to build a boat of cork and sail it 133 miles on Portugal's Douro River. (PGL42, $14.95)

Dreams of Trespass, Tales of a Harem Girlhood

Dreams of Trespass, Tales of a Harem Girlhood


by Fatima Mernissi

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 1995
  • PAPER
  • 242 PAGES
  • FAVORITE

This captivating memoir opens, "I was born in a harem in 1940 in Fez, a ninth-century Moroccan city." Mernissi captures not only the spirit of the place, but also the hierarchy and decorum of a family compound in a Muslim household. (MRC10, $17.00)

Driving over Lemons, An Optimist in Andalucia

Driving over Lemons, An Optimist in Andalucia


by Chris Stewart

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 2000
  • PAPER
  • 256 PAGES

Stewart's memoir about moving with his wife to a farm in Alpujarras is charming and insightful. Unlike many expatriates, Stewart manages to ground himself far enough into the community to make lasting friends -- as well as a home for his young daughter. (SPN135, $14.95)

Homage to Catalonia

Homage to Catalonia


by George Orwell

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 1987
  • PAPER
  • 234 PAGES
  • FAVORITE

Orwell's portrait of the Barcelona uprising and the spirit of a city at war is a classic, an observant and heartfelt report from the streets. (SPN03, $14.00)

Iberia, Spanish Travels & Reflections

Iberia, Spanish Travels & Reflections


by James Michener

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 1989
  • PAPER
  • 960 PAGES

In this best-selling travelogue, Michener presents a compulsively readable and well-observed account of his love affair with Spain and all things Spanish. It has achieved the status of a classic, rich in detail and insightful. (SPN16, $8.99)

Journey to Portugal, In Pursuit of Portugal's History and Culture

Journey to Portugal, In Pursuit of Portugal's History and Culture


by Jose Saramago

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2002
  • PAPER
  • 464 PAGES

Jose Saramago's richly detailed account of his journey across Portugal in 1979. He combines his vivid impressions of the Portuguese landscape and people with a dose of history, fiction and meditations. (PGL23, $17.00)

Mogreb-El-Acksa, A Journey in Morocco

Mogreb-El-Acksa, A Journey in Morocco


by R B Cunninghame Graham

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 1997
  • PAPER
  • 358 PAGES

Among the pleasures of this classic account of Cunninghame's trek to the forbidden city of Tarudant, originally published in 1898, is his portrait of Berber life in Morocco's High Atlas. (MRC11, $19.95)

Spanish Recognitions, The Roads to the Present

Spanish Recognitions, The Roads to the Present


by Mary Lee Settle

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 358 PAGES

A magical, meditative account of Spanish history, art, archaeology and travels by the noted writer. Settle (Turkish Reflections) conjures Cervantes, El Cid, the Moors, Visgoths, Romans, Lorca and Balboa as she writes of a road trip from Castile in central Spain to the southern coast. (SPN205, $15.95)

A Small Death in Lisbon

A Small Death in Lisbon


by Robert Wilson

  • MYSTERY
  • 2002
  • PAPER
  • 440 PAGES

Set in Lisbon in 1941 and 1999, this award-winning mystery intertwines a present day murder, some unsavory arms production, and smuggling in Nazi Germany. Be warned, there are some graphic passages dealing with the horrors of war and concentration camps. (PGL22, $7.99)

For Whom the Bell Tolls

For Whom the Bell Tolls


by Ernest Hemingway

  • LITERATURE
  • 1995
  • PAPER
  • 471 PAGES

Hemingway's great novel about the Spanish Civil War is a love story set during the four-day fight of anti-fascist units in the mountains. (SPN19, $16.00)

Leo Africanus

Leo Africanus


by Amin Maalouf

  • LITERATURE
  • 1992
  • PAPER
  • 360 PAGES

A fictional memoir of the first 40 years in the life of Leo Africanus, a Muslim whose travels led him throughout the Mediterranean and North Africa in the 15th and 16th centuries. (MED55, $16.95)

Marrakesh, Through Writers' Eyes

Marrakesh, Through Writers' Eyes


by Barnaby Rogerson | Stephen Lavington

  • ANTHOLOGY
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 306 PAGES

A choice collection of travel writing on the Red City by 40 luminaries, including George Orwell, Winston Churchill, Gavin Maxwell and Peter Mayne. (MRC72, $33.95)

Spain, A Traveler's Literary Companion

Spain, A Traveler's Literary Companion


by Peter R. Bush

  • ANTHOLOGY
  • 2003
  • PAPER
  • 242 PAGES

These 30 short stories form a who's who of contemporary Spanish literature, including writers from Galicia, Leon, the Basque Country, Madrid and Barcelona. (SPN173, $13.95)

The Spider's House

The Spider's House


by Paul Bowles

  • LITERATURE
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 406 PAGES

Set in Fez during a 1954 nationalist uprising, this richly descriptive novel may be the most evocative of Bowles' many works set in Morocco. Originally published in 1955. (MRC08, $14.99)

More Recommendations

Here are some other groups of books that might be of interest

Longitude provides recommended reading for travelers in partnership with the leading tour operators and travel programs for hundreds of destinations worldwide. We've got the classic, new and hard-to-find books and maps to help you get the most out of your adventures.