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READING AND TRAVEL GUIDE

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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 EXSAM203. Buy these 6 items as a set for $105 including shipping, 15% off the retail price.
With free shipping on anything else you order.

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Insight Guide South America

Insight Guide South America

by Insight Guides

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2010
  • PAPER
  • 424 PAGES

This profusely illustrated, comprehensive guide features hundreds of color photographs, excellent maps and insightful essays on history, art, architecture and attractions. (SAM24, $24.99)

Art of the Andes, from Chavin to Inca

Art of the Andes, from Chavin to Inca

by Rebecca Stone-Miller

  • ARCHAEOLOGY
  • 2002
  • PAPER
  • 224 PAGES

This authoritative and concise illustrated survey of Andean art and architecture covers not only Machu Picchu and additional Inca monuments, but also Chan Chan, Nasca and other archaeological sites and cultures. (PRU05, $19.95)

Cloud Forest, A Chronicle of the South American Wilderness

Cloud Forest, A Chronicle of the South American Wilderness

by Peter Matthiessen

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 1987
  • PAPER
  • 280 PAGES
  • FAVORITE

Matthiessen recounts with wit, insight and style his odyssey to the Amazon and Andes, including Machu Picchu and Tierra del Fuego. (SAM02, $17.00)

Antarctica, A Guide to the Wildlife

Antarctica, A Guide to the Wildlife

by Tony Soper | Dafila Scott

  • FIELD GUIDE
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 160 PAGES

Designed for the field, this compact handbook features all the species of birds, seals and whales the traveler is likely to encounter on an Antarctic voyage, each with a few paragraphs, range map and masterful color paintings by the granddaughter of Captain Robert Scott. (ANT30, $25.99)

South America Map

South America Map

by ITMB

  • 2010
  • MAP

A colorful fold-up, double-sided map of the entire continent at a scale of 1:4,000,000. (SAM13, $13.95)

Antarctic Explorer Map

Antarctic Explorer Map

by Ocean Explorer

  • 2009
  • MAP
  • BEST SELLER
  • HARD TO FIND ELSEWHERE

A full color map of the Antarctic Peninsula, including Tierra del Fuego, the Falklands and South Georgia, at a scale of 1:2,750,000. With a map of the Antarctic continent on the reverse. (ANT128, $11.95)

 
Santiago Map

Santiago Map


by ITMB

  • 2006
  • MAP

A travel map of Santiago, shown at a scale of 1:12,500. (CHI34, $8.95)

South American Explorer Chilean Fjords Map

South American Explorer Chilean Fjords Map


by Ocean Explorer Maps

  • 2002
  • MAP

A handsome map of southern South America (1:4,800,000) with a detailed map of the Chilean Fjords (1:2,200,000) on the reverse. Includes Santiago and Buenos Aires. (SAM41, $11.95)

Torres del Paine Map

Torres del Paine Map


by Zagier & Urruty Maps

  • 2008
  • MAP

This detailed walking map (1:80,000) includes trekking routes, refuges and color topography. (CHI12, $14.95)

The Oceanites Site Guide to the Antarctic Peninsula

The Oceanites Site Guide to the Antarctic Peninsula


by Ron Naveen

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2005
  • FLEXI-BOUND
  • 129 PAGES
  • HARD TO FIND ELSEWHERE

With descriptions, full-page maps and stunning aerial photographs of visitor sites. (ANT37, $29.95)

Liberators, Latin America's Struggle for Independence 1810-1830

Liberators, Latin America's Struggle for Independence 1810-1830


by Robert Harvey

  • HISTORY
  • 2002
  • PAPER
  • 561 PAGES

Focused on the heroism and derring-do of seven legendary men, Harvey tells the story of Simon Bolivar, General Jose de San Martin and other greats in the fight for independence. (SAM35, $18.95)

Lima, A Cultural History

Lima, A Cultural History


by James Higgins

  • HISTORY
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 243 PAGES

An erudite guide to the cultural gems and literary history of Peru's capital city. James Higgins, who specializes in Peruvian literature, covers the scope of the city's history from its pre-Columbian museums, to its conquistador heritage, to its dynamic present. (PRU60, $30.00)

The Americas, A Hemispheric History

The Americas, A Hemispheric History


by Felipe Fernandez-Armesto

  • HISTORY
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 235 PAGES

Erudite, engaging and remarkably succinct, Fernandez-Armesto focuses on the commonalties of North, Central and South America in this thought-provoking history. (NAM37, $14.00)

The Building of the Panama Canal in Historic Photographs

The Building of the Panama Canal in Historic Photographs


by Ulrich Keller

  • HISTORY
  • 1983
  • PAPER
  • 111 PAGES

These archival photographs tell the story of the people who built the Panama Canal, the engineers who designed it and the changes wrought on the landscape through its construction. (CAM41, $12.95)

The Path Between the Seas, The Creation of the Panama Canal: 1870-1914

The Path Between the Seas, The Creation of the Panama Canal: 1870-1914


by David McCullough

  • HISTORY
  • 2004
  • PAPER
  • 700 PAGES
  • FAVORITE

Admirably told in vivid, page-turning detail. McCullough reveals the full scope of the Panama Canal, its characters, technical difficulties and Byzantine politics. (CAM32, $20.00)

Between the Lines, The Mystery of the Giant Ground Drawings of Ancient Nasca

Between the Lines, The Mystery of the Giant Ground Drawings of Ancient Nasca


by Anthony Aveni

  • ARCHAEOLOGY
  • 2000
  • HARD COVER
  • 320 PAGES

A wide ranging, scholarly overview of the Nasca Lines. In this book, written for a popular audience, Aveni discusses previous theories about the significance of the lines, putting forward intriguing new ideas about how the lines may have related to sources of water. (PRU22, $39.95)

The Incas and their Ancestors, The Archaeology of Peru

The Incas and their Ancestors, The Archaeology of Peru


by Michael Moseley

  • ARCHAEOLOGY
  • 2001
  • PAPER
  • 288 PAGES

An outstanding illustrated survey of the archaeology of the Inca, Moche and Nasca civilizations. With hundreds of color illustrations and line drawings, it's an in-depth look at the ancient cultures and history of Peru. A great general introduction. (AND06, $34.95)

Endurance, Shackleton's Incredible Voyage

Endurance, Shackleton's Incredible Voyage


by Alfred Lansing

  • EXPLORATION
  • 1998
  • PAPER
  • 280 PAGES
  • FAVORITE

Lansing's gripping day-by-day story of Shackleton's legendary perseverance is essential reading for any Antarctic traveler; it captures all the fortitude, drama and cheer of this most famous Antarctic expedition. (ANT03, $14.95)

In Patagonia

In Patagonia


by Bruce Chatwin

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 1989
  • PAPER
  • 204 PAGES
  • BEST SELLER
  • FAVORITE

A masterpiece of travel, history and adventure, this award-winning book captures the spirit of the land, history, wildlife and people of Patagonia. There's no travel writer as engaging, insightful and just plain wonderful as Bruce Chatwin. (PAT01, $15.00)

Personal Narrative of a Journey to the Equinoctial Regions of the New Continent

Personal Narrative of a Journey to the Equinoctial Regions of the New Continent


by Alexander von Humboldt

  • EXPLORATION
  • 1996
  • PAPER
  • 310 PAGES

This is the book that Darwin took on his voyage around the world -- a classic account of naturalist and explorer Humboldt's 18th-century discoveries in South America. (SAM08, $17.00)

Rounding the Horn

Rounding the Horn


by Dallas Murphy

  • EXPLORATION
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 358 PAGES

A sailor at heart, Dallas Murphy gets himself down to Ushuaia, embarks a sturdy vessel and heads out to experience the wind and weather of Tierra del Fuego. In his informative account, Dallas interweaves plenty of history, a little rather naive politics and the story of his own adventures. (PAT65, $18.00)

The Panama Hat Trail

The Panama Hat Trail


by Tom Miller

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2001
  • PAPER
  • 288 PAGES
  • FAVORITE

An entertaining and insightful social history of Ecuador -- as told through its hat-making history. It's a classic example of travel writing, and one of the best things written on Ecuador. (EDR15, $14.00)

Travels in a Thin Country, A Journey through Chile

Travels in a Thin Country, A Journey through Chile


by Sara Wheeler

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 1996
  • PAPER
  • 304 PAGES

British author Sarah Wheeler deploys her wit, intelligence and powerful investigative skills on the Republic of Chile in this insightful travelogue. (CHI06, $15.00)

Voyage of the Beagle

Voyage of the Beagle


by Charles Darwin

  • EXPLORATION
  • 2002
  • PAPER
  • 468 PAGES
  • BEST SELLER
  • FAVORITE

The wide-eyed tale of a young man on a five-year voyage that changed his life -- and our way of thinking about the world. First published in 1839, it's still a marvelous introduction to the wildlife, nature and allure of South America. (GPS02, $12.95)

Voyaging, Southward from the Strait of Magellan

Voyaging, Southward from the Strait of Magellan


by Rockwell Kent

  • EXPLORATION
  • 2000
  • PAPER
  • 208 PAGES

An illustrated account of Rockwell's foolhardy voyage with a madman through magnificent Tierra del Fuego in a jury-rigged lifeboat. Both the text and striking woodcut illustrations communicate this dangerous landscape's dynamic character. (CHI29, $19.95)

Where the Earth Ends, A Journey Beyond Patagonia

Where the Earth Ends, A Journey Beyond Patagonia


by John Harrison

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2000
  • PAPER
  • 401 PAGES

A spirited tale of adventures in the southern tip of South America, south from the Pampas and Patagonia to Punta Arenas, the Beagle Channel, Ushuaia -- and Antarctica. (PAT57, $15.95)

Chile, A Traveler's Literary Companion

Chile, A Traveler's Literary Companion


by Katherine Silver

  • LITERATURE
  • 2003
  • PAPER
  • 256 PAGES

These choice stories introduce both the country and a host of contemporary writers. (CHI38, $14.95)

A Neotropical Companion

A Neotropical Companion


by John Kricher | Mark Plotkin

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 1999
  • PAPER
  • 536 PAGES

From plants and animals to birds and bugs, it's all here in this wonderfully written overview of the ecology, habitats, plants and animals of Central and South America. (GPS11, $35.00)

Antarctica, Secrets of the Southern Continent

Antarctica, Secrets of the Southern Continent


by David McGonigal

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 2008
  • HARD COVER
  • 400 PAGES

Expedition leader McGonigal's strikingly illustrated Antarctic primer features 600 color photographs and excellent maps along with essays on history, exploration, wildlife, science and conservation by fellow Antarcticans. (ANT167, $59.95)

Natural Patagonia, Argentina and Chile

Natural Patagonia, Argentina and Chile


by Marcelo D. Beccaceci

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 1998
  • PAPER
  • 124 PAGES
  • HARD TO FIND ELSEWHERE

An informative photographic journey through the breathtaking landscapes and wildlife of Patagonia. Featuring 120 color photographs, presented in Spanish and English. (PAT22, $24.95)

The Andes, As the Condor Flies

The Andes, As the Condor Flies


by Tui De Roy

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 2005
  • HARD COVER
  • 160 PAGES
  • OUT OF PRINT

These 350 stunning photographs take in the full sweep of the Andes, its wildlife and landscapes, from the cloud forests of Ecuador and altiplano to windswept Tierra del Fuego. (SAM79, $35.00)

The Crystal Desert

The Crystal Desert


by David Campbell

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 2002
  • PAPER
  • 308 PAGES

A biologist with the heart of a poet, Campbell focuses on fossils, glaciers, history and wildlife of the Antarctic Peninsula in these vivid essays. (ANT01, $20.95)

The Ferocious Summer, Palmer's Penguins and the Warming of Antarctica

The Ferocious Summer, Palmer's Penguins and the Warming of Antarctica


by Meredith Hooper

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 2008
  • HARD COVER
  • 320 PAGES

Meredith Hooper brings to life the thrill, perils, and complexity of Antarctic fieldwork, documenting in vivid detail Bill Fraser's decades-long work on the Adelie penguins in the vicinity of Palmer Station on the Antarctic Peninsula. (ANT262, $26.95)

The Tapir's Morning Bath

The Tapir's Morning Bath


by Elizabeth Royte

  • SCIENCE
  • 2002
  • PAPER
  • 336 PAGES

An engaging account of ecological research and ecologists at Barro Colorado Island, the Smithsonian Institution's Tropical Research Station in Panama. (AMZ74, $18.95)

A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Peru

A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Peru


by Clive Byers

  • FIELD GUIDE
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 144 PAGES

A handy shirt pocket guide. (PRU75, $15.95)

A Wildlife Guide to Chile

A Wildlife Guide to Chile


by Sharon Chester

  • FIELD GUIDE
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 392 PAGES

Chester's splendid guide, featuring 120 color plates, covers the wildlife, plants and natural history of Chile from the Atacama Desert and Patagonia to Easter Island and Antarctica. (CHI77, $19.95)

Birds & Mammals of the Antarctic, Subantarctic & Falkland Islands

Birds & Mammals of the Antarctic, Subantarctic & Falkland Islands


by Frank Todd

  • FIELD GUIDE
  • 2004
  • PAPER
  • 138 PAGES
  • HARD TO FIND ELSEWHERE

Compact and comprehensive, this indispensable photo guide by Mr. Penguin himself includes all the hard-to-identify seabirds of Antarctic waters. (ANT213, $29.95)

Birds of Southern South America & Antarctica

Birds of Southern South America & Antarctica


by Martin D. la Pena | Maurice Rumboll

  • FIELD GUIDE
  • 2001
  • PAPER
  • 224 PAGES

With color plates, range maps and brief descriptions, this is a compact regional guide. (SAM12, $29.95)

Neotropical Rainforest Mammals, A Field Guide

Neotropical Rainforest Mammals, A Field Guide


by L.H. Emmons

  • FIELD GUIDE
  • 1997
  • PAPER
  • 298 PAGES

Compact enough to slip into your daypack, this field guide to the mammals of the New World tropics features 29 color plates of more than 200 species. (GPS12, $42.50)

Panama Wildlife Guide

Panama Wildlife Guide


by Rainforest Publications

  • FIELD GUIDE
  • 2009
  • PLASTIC CARD
  • 14 PAGES

This handy 14-panel fold-up card features expert color illustrations of dozens of birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles. (PNM27, $7.95)

Panama Wildlife Guide: Birds

Panama Wildlife Guide: Birds


by Rainforest Publications

  • FIELD GUIDE
  • PLASTIC CARD
  • 14 PAGES

Featuring 250 color illustrations of the birds of Panama, this is a handy 14-panel foldup card. (PNM28, $7.95)

Peruvian Wildlife

Peruvian Wildlife


by Barry Walker

  • FIELD GUIDE
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 144 PAGES

Written by resident bird legend Barry Walker and two colleagues, this compact photo guide introduces the habitats, plants, birds and animals of the Central Andes. (PRU71, $26.99)

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.