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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 EXEUR558. Buy these 6 items as a set for $100 including shipping, 15% off the retail price.
With free shipping on anything else you order.

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Lonely Planet Central Europe

Lonely Planet Central Europe

by Lonely Planet

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 662 PAGES
  • BEST SELLER

With dozens of maps, color photographs and sections on history and culture, this practical guide introduces Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland and their neighbors. (EUR94, $29.99)

A Time of Gifts

A Time of Gifts

by Patrick Leigh Fermor

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 384 PAGES
  • BEST SELLER

Fermor effortlessly interweaves anecdote, history and culture in this exuberant account of a walk from Holland, up the Rhine and down the Danube, through Germany, Prague and Austria in 1933. Written not in the moment, but 40 years later, the accumulation of time and experience give the book particular poignancy. (CEU30, $16.95)

The German Way

The German Way

by Hyde Flippo

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 1997
  • PAPER
  • 138 PAGES
  • BEST SELLER

This clever A-to-Z guide to quirks, attitudes, behavior and customs is a terrific resource for travelers seeking insight into why the Germans, Austrians and Swiss do what they do. (GER12, $17.00)

Bury Me Standing

Bury Me Standing

by Isabel Fonseca

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 1996
  • PAPER
  • 322 PAGES

This marvelous portrait of the Roma, also known as the Gypsies, offers insight into their music, foods, religions and folk traditions, and also examines their influential but complex relationship with Eastern Europe. (EUR09, $14.95)

Mozart

Mozart

by Peter Gay

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 177 PAGES

This concise, entertaining portrait delves into Mozart's complex relationship with his father, his daunting role as a child prodigy and his exploration of new musical territory. (AST43, $14.00)

Central Europe Map

Central Europe Map

by Freytag & Berndt

  • 2010
  • MAP

This colorful regional European map, like the sister map Europe Grand Tour (EUR185), covers from Paris and Amsterdam to Vienna, Prague, Warsaw, Budapest, Rome and Dubrovnik. (EUR12, $14.95)

 
Czech and Slovak Republics Map

Czech and Slovak Republics Map


by Michelin Travel Publications

  • 2005
  • MAP
  • HARD TO FIND ELSEWHERE

Showing the route of the Danube between Regensburg and Budapest, this regional map shows Budapest, Vienna and Prague. (CEU17, $11.95)

Eyewitness Guide Budapest

Eyewitness Guide Budapest


by Eyewitness Guides

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 270 PAGES

Featuring handy maps and solid information on culture and history in addition to a detailed overview of attractions. With hundreds of photographs. (HGR15, $25.00)

Eyewitness Guide Munich & the Bavarian Alps

Eyewitness Guide Munich & the Bavarian Alps


by Eyewitness Guides

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2010
  • FLEXI-BOUND
  • 320 PAGES

This comprehensive, illustrated guide is filled with excellent maps, hundreds of photographs and succinct overviews of history, culture and sightseeing. (GER119, $25.00)

Fodor's Amsterdam's 25 Best

Fodor's Amsterdam's 25 Best


by Fodor's

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 128 PAGES

This slim guide to essential highlights includes an excellent map of the city center and can easily be slipped in your pocket. (NTH16, $11.99)

Language and Travel Guide to Romania

Language and Travel Guide to Romania


by Rosemary Rennon

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 397 PAGES

This personal, comprehensive guide includes the history and culture of Romania, language essentials and practical travel information. (EUR258, $21.95)

Lonely Planet Eastern Europe

Lonely Planet Eastern Europe


by Lonely Planet

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 1028 PAGES

This practical guide includes Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic as well as the Baltic States, Belarus, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria and the Balkans. (EUR72, $29.99)

All Along the Danube: Recipes from Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Romania, & Bulgaria

All Along the Danube: Recipes from Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Romania, & Bulgaria


by Marina Polvay

  • FOOD
  • 2002
  • PAPER
  • 360 PAGES

A cookbook full of classic recipes from Central Europe, with some valuable morsels of culture. (EUR42, $16.95)

Prost! The Story of German Beer

Prost! The Story of German Beer


by Horst D. Dornbusch

  • FOOD
  • 1997
  • PAPER
  • 160 PAGES
  • FAVORITE

The Munich-based aficionado weaves history and culture with the marvels and mysteries of German beer in this brief, authoritative guide. (GER99, $14.95)

A Nervous Splendor, Vienna 1888-1889

A Nervous Splendor, Vienna 1888-1889


by Frederic Morton

  • HISTORY
  • 1980
  • PAPER
  • 340 PAGES

A portrait of Vienna at the end of the 19th century, this book focuses on Crown Prince Rudolph, his devastating suicide and the rich texture of gossip and daily life at the Habsburg Court. It captures the political ferment, intellectual creativity, gaiety and despair of fin-de-siecle Austria. (AST16, $16.00)

All Along the Rhine: Recipes, Wine and Lore from Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, Liechtenstein and Holland

All Along the Rhine: Recipes, Wine and Lore from Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, Liechtenstein and Holland


by Kay Shaw Nelson

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2003
  • PAPER
  • 211 PAGES

A tribute to the Rhine Valley, its history, culture and especially its food in 130 authentic recipes. (GER111, $14.95)

Budapest 1900

Budapest 1900


by John Lukacs

  • HISTORY
  • 1990
  • PAPER
  • 255 PAGES

Written by a distinguished historian and native son, this richly detailed portrait of the city at its zenith includes hundreds of illustrations. (HGR01, $16.95)

Danube

Danube


by Claudio Magris

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 416 PAGES

Mixing history, personalities and literature, Magris traces the course of the Danube from its source in the heart of the Austro-Hungarian empire through the Balkans to the Black Sea in this anything but conventional travelogue, first published in 1986. (EUR58, $17.00)

In Search of Dracula

In Search of Dracula


by Raymond McNally

  • HISTORY
  • 1999
  • PAPER
  • 297 PAGES

This history of Vlad Tepes (AKA Vlad the Impaler), the Romanian warrior prince upon whom Bram Stoker based his infamous blood-drinking count, draws on oral histories and archaeological evidence and also examines Dracula's many incarnations in film and literature. (EUR193, $18.95)

The Balkans, A Short History

The Balkans, A Short History


by Mark Mazower

  • HISTORY
  • 2002
  • PAPER
  • 188 PAGES

A brief, provocative survey of the complex and often contentious history of the Balkans. With eloquence and insight, Mazower addresses the issues of geography, nationalism and modern nation-building in the region. (BLK28, $13.95)

The Black Sea, A History

The Black Sea, A History


by Charles King

  • HISTORY
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 296 PAGES

A brisk history of the region, showing the Black Sea as uniting diverse cultures in the Balkans, Central Asia and the Middle East. (EUR173, $35.00)

The European Union, A Very Short Introduction

The European Union, A Very Short Introduction


by John Pinder

  • HISTORY
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 224 PAGES

This pocket primer covers the development of the EU, its history, policies, growth, governance and impact on world affairs. With 17 maps. (EUR231, $11.95)

The Germans

The Germans


by Gordon A. Craig

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 1991
  • PAPER
  • 361 PAGES

A gifted historian, Craig explores the complex paradoxes of German identity in this masterly portrait of German life, past and present, with chapters on religion, money, Jews, women, literature and society, Berlin and language. (GER10, $18.00)

The Habsburgs, Embodying Empire

The Habsburgs, Embodying Empire


by Andrew Wheatcroft

  • HISTORY
  • 1995
  • PAPER
  • 384 PAGES

The Habsburgs ruled over more diverse peoples and cultures than any other European dynasty since the Roman period. With skillful scholarship and engaging style, Wheatcroft reveals the history of this family of eccentric monarchs. (AST11, $17.00)

The Hungarians, A Thousand Years of Victory in Defeat

The Hungarians, A Thousand Years of Victory in Defeat


by Paul Lendvai | Ann Major

  • HISTORY
  • 2004
  • PAPER
  • 664 PAGES

A journalist who fled Hungary in 1957, Lendvai combines history, scholarship and anecdote in this uncommonly engaging account. With verve and authority, he covers the struggle of the Magyars' against the Tartars, Turks and Russians over the past millennium. (HGR32, $32.50)

The Rhine, Culture and Landscape at the Heart of Europe

The Rhine, Culture and Landscape at the Heart of Europe


by Roland Recht

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2001
  • HARD COVER
  • 360 PAGES

This beautifully illustrated, oversized survey of the history, geography and culture of the Rhine shows cities, villages and sights along the river from its source in the Alps to the North Sea. (GER120, $75.00)

The Rhine: An Eco-Biography, 1815-2000

The Rhine: An Eco-Biography, 1815-2000


by Mark Cioc | William Cronon

  • HISTORY
  • 2002
  • PAPER
  • 263 PAGES

A scholarly, well-researched environmental history of the Rhine, particularly its role in European economic and national history over the last 200 years. (GER130, $24.95)

The Undutchables

The Undutchables


by Colin White

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2010
  • PAPER
  • 308 PAGES

A laugh-out-loud, irreverent guide to Dutch character and habits, including how to drink coffee and why you shouldn't even think about haggling over prices. (NTH12, $16.00)

Twilight of the Habsburgs, The Life and Times of Emperor Francis Joseph

Twilight of the Habsburgs, The Life and Times of Emperor Francis Joseph


by Alan Palmer

  • HISTORY
  • 1997
  • PAPER
  • 400 PAGES

A vivid tale of the emperor of Austria-Hungary and king of Hungary, Bohemia, Dalmatia, Croatia, and Slavonia who ruled until the fall of the empire during World War I. (AST14, $15.00)

When in Germany, Do as the Germans Do

When in Germany, Do as the Germans Do


by Hyde Flippo

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2002
  • PAPER
  • 176 PAGES

A humorous and helpful guide to getting along in Germany, informing travelers on everything from proper restaurant etiquette to how to behave in social situations and how best to appear like a local. (GER149, $15.95)

Why Switzerland?

Why Switzerland?


by Jonathan Steinberg

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 1996
  • PAPER
  • 300 PAGES

A masterly overview of the idiosyncrasies of Switzerland, its history, language, politics and identity as a naysayer at the center of Europe. (SWZ04, $37.99)

A Worldly Art

A Worldly Art


by Mariet Westermann

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 208 PAGES

This appreciative analysis of Dutch art in its Golden Age (1585-1718) features 100 exemplary illustrations by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Pieter de Hooch, Frans Hals and other masters. (NTH46, $25.00)

A Tramp Abroad

A Tramp Abroad


by Mark Twain | David Eggers | Kerry Driscoll

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2003
  • PAPER
  • 400 PAGES

Written 11 years after Innocents Abroad, this is Twain's second foray into European travel. Filled with his characteristic wit and humorous observations, it documents his journeys through Germany, Switzerland, France and Italy. Now with an introduction by Dave Eggers. (EUR78, $14.95)

Balkan Ghosts, A Journey through History

Balkan Ghosts, A Journey through History


by Robert D. Kaplan

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 307 PAGES

Kaplan interweaves the history, art and culture of Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Romania and Greece with his travels in this portrait of the region. (BLK02, $17.00)

Between the Woods and the Water

Between the Woods and the Water


by Patrick Leigh Fermor

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 320 PAGES

Fermor continues with youthful adventures in Hungary and Romania, culminating with his arrival at the Iron Gates on the Danube. (CEU31, $15.95)

Mozart, His Life and Works

Mozart, His Life and Works


by Julian Rushton

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 2006
  • HARD COVER
  • 300 PAGES

This marvelous, well-informed account of Mozart, his life and work, published in celebration of the 250th anniversary of his birth, is a volume on Oxford's masterful Master Musicians series. (EUR215, $50.00)

The Improbable Voyage

The Improbable Voyage


by Tristan Jones

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 1998
  • PAPER
  • 332 PAGES

Jones, an inveterate Welsh sailor, adventurer and storyteller, channels Eastern Europe circa 1985 in his tale of a tough voyage along the Rhine and Danube to the Black Sea. (EUR156, $16.50)

Transylvania and Beyond

Transylvania and Beyond


by Dervla Murphy

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 1995
  • HARD COVER
  • 239 PAGES

Murphy spent eight months among the people of Transylvania, soaking up their stories and their thoughts on life in modern Romania. (EUR98, $21.95)

The Third Man and the Fallen Idol

The Third Man and the Fallen Idol


by Graham Greene

  • LITERATURE
  • 1992
  • PAPER
  • 157 PAGES

A haunting tale and penetrating portrait of Vienna after World War II, "The Third Man" is the result of Greene's collaboration with Carol Reed on the classic movie. "The Fallen Idol" is a separate tale of intrigue set in Britain. (AST30, $14.00)

Birds of Europe

Birds of Europe


by Lars Svensson

  • FIELD GUIDE
  • 2010
  • PAPER
  • 416 PAGES
  • FAVORITE

Featuring 3,500 glorious paintings by Killian Mullarney and Dan Zetterstrom, the second revised edition of this exquisite guide has been brought up to date with revised text and maps. (FG47, $29.95)

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.