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Gran Cocina Latina, The Food of Latin America

Maricel E. Presilla

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Alfred Lansing

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Barry Lopez

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Frances Mayes

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Wonders of the Ancient World

READING AND TRAVEL GUIDE

A selection of highly recommended books on the archaeology, art & culture of the Ancient World.

Kids

Books for
Sites of Antiquity, From Ancient Egypt to the Fall of Rome

Sites of Antiquity, From Ancient Egypt to the Fall of Rome

by Charles Freeman

  • ARCHAEOLOGY
  • 2009
  • HARD COVER
  • 248 PAGES

Enticing aerial shots, detailed site plans, glorious modern photographs and illustrations illuminate 50 key monuments, cities or sites of the Mediterranean world, from Giza, Luxor and Karnak to the Parthenon, Ephesus, Pergamon, Petra and Constantinople. (MED150, $50.00)

The Mediterranean in History

The Mediterranean in History

by David Abulafia

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 320 PAGES

A professor at Cambridge, David Abulafia leads a team of eight historians in this engaging, richly illustrated overview of the civilizations, societies and grand themes in the history of this great sea at the heart of Europe. Published in conjunction with the J. Paul Getty Museum, the book features 150 well-integrated color and 150 black-and-white illustrations. (MED79, $29.95)

The Ancient Mediterranean

The Ancient Mediterranean

by Michael Grant

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 1990
  • PAPER
  • 374 PAGES

Grant explores the realms of archaeology, geography, art and economics to sketch this classic portrait of the ancient world, from prehistory through the Roman Imperium, and the influence on western civilization. (MED10, $20.00)

The Classical World

The Classical World

by Robin Lane Fox

  • HISTORY
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 656 PAGES

From Homer to Hadrian, Fox conjures tyrants, conquerors and enthralling personalities in this marvelously written history of ancient Greece and Rome. (GRE293, $19.99)

The Penguin Historical Atlas of Ancient Greece

The Penguin Historical Atlas of Ancient Greece

by Robert Morkot

  • REFERENCE
  • 1997
  • PAPER
  • 144 PAGES

This pictorial survey of Greek antiquity, recording its culture and expansion, features dozens of full-color maps. (GRE125, $20.00)

The World of the Ancient Greeks

The World of the Ancient Greeks

by John Camp | Elizabeth Fisher

  • HISTORY
  • 2010
  • PAPER
  • 224 PAGES
  • CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE
    • >

Featuring hundreds of illustrations and inviting short chapters on topics from The First Greeks to The Heroic Age and Classical Athens. With modern color photographs of great ancient cities from Athens and Delphi to Knossos, Ephesus, Pergamum and Priene. (GRE365, $24.95)

Penguin Historical Atlas of Ancient Rome

Penguin Historical Atlas of Ancient Rome

by Christopher Scarre

  • HISTORY
  • 1995
  • PAPER
  • 144 PAGES

A vivid overview of the rise and fall of the Roman Empire and its expansion throughout North Africa and the Mediterranean, illustrated with ingenious color maps on many topics (political borders, trade, defense, religion) and 80 color photographs. (ITL29, $18.00)

The Archaeology of Greece: An Introduction

The Archaeology of Greece: An Introduction

by William R. Biers

  • HISTORY
  • 1996
  • PAPER
  • 350 PAGES

Highly recommended for archaeology-minded travelers to Greece, this is an engaging, comprehensive survey of Greek archaeology from the Minoan civilization through the Hellenistic Age. Includes site plans and drawings as well as hundreds of black and white photos. (GRE71, $24.95)

Ancient Turkey, A Traveller's History

Ancient Turkey, A Traveller's History

by Seton Lloyd

  • HISTORY
  • 2013
  • PAPER
  • 240 PAGES

A lively tale of cultures and conquest, from the Hittites to St. Paul, that illuminates the living past of Turkey's archaeological treasures, this classic by professor Seton Lloyd, first director of the British Institute of Archaeology at Ankara, is now in a 25th anniversary edition. With maps, drawings, site plans and a photographs. (TKY43, $31.95)

Black Sea

Black Sea

by Neal Ascherson

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 1996
  • PAPER
  • 306 PAGES
  • BEST SELLER

In this skillful portrait of a region, Ascherson weaves his own travels and impressions with a fascinating account of the Black Sea's history. From ancient mythology to modern politics, he admirably never loses sight of the sea itself. (RUS46, $22.00)

 

Classical Greece and the Birth of Western Art


by Andrew Stewart

  • HISTORY
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 358 PAGES

Stewart's lively study of the Classical Revolution of 5th century BC Greece introduces the innovations in art, literature and philosophy that would shape western culture. (GRE444, $30.99)

The Histories

The Histories


by Herodotus

  • HISTORY
  • 1994
  • PAPER
  • 656 PAGES

In what may be the first travel book, Herodotus records the heroic struggle between Europe and Asia that culminated in the invasion of Greece by Xerxes. (MED15, $12.00)

The Hittites and Their Contemporaries in Asia Minor

The Hittites and Their Contemporaries in Asia Minor


by J. G. MacQueen

  • HISTORY
  • 1996
  • PAPER
  • 176 PAGES

A solid introduction to the Hittites, an ancient people of modern-day Turkey. (TKY46, $24.95)

The Kingdom of the Hittites


by Trevor Bryce

  • HISTORY
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 576 PAGES

A scholarly, comprehensive history of the ancient Hittite kingdom, drawing from translations of original texts and recent archaeological discoveries. (MED120, $85.00)

Vesuvius

Vesuvius


by Gillian Darley

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2012
  • HARD COVER
  • 144 PAGES

Gillian Darley unveils the human responses to Vesuvius, both feared and celebrated, from a cast of characters as far-flung as Pliny the Younger and David Hockney in this entry in Harvard University Press's excellent Wonders of the World series, a perfect introduction for travelers to Pompeii and Herculaneum. (ITA275, $22.95)

Ancient Cities


by Charles Gates

  • ARCHAEOLOGY
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 474 PAGES

Now in a second edition, this broad scholarly survey of the "archaeology of urban life" covers the urban centers of the Ancient Near East, Egypt and the Greek and Roman worlds. Gates lives in Ankara so the book, though wide in scope, has a particularly Turkish flavor. Includes hundreds of line drawings, maps and photographs. (MED187, $46.95)

Classical Architecture

Classical Architecture


by James Stevens Curl

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 2003
  • PAPER
  • 231 PAGES

This well-illustrated book includes a detailed, illustrated glossary that is almost a dictionary of classical architecture in itself. Second edition. (MED190, $35.00)

Greek Art

Greek Art


by John Boardman

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 1996
  • PAPER
  • 304 PAGES

A brief survey of classical Greek art and architecture, revised to reflect recent archaeology, this book presents hundreds of paintings, frescoes and other objects from antiquity, each in its cultural context. (GRE12, $21.95)

Introduction to Aegean Art

Introduction to Aegean Art


by Philip P. Betancourt

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 212 PAGES

A chronological survey of Aegean art, with black and white (and some color) photos and helpful bibliographies. Betancourt's studies are focused largely on Crete. (GRE395, $36.00)

Minoan and Mycenaean Art

Minoan and Mycenaean Art


by Reynold Higgins

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 1997
  • PAPER
  • 216 PAGES

A survey of the ancient art of Crete, Mycenae and the Cyclades in its cultural context, revised to include recent archaeology. With maps and 241 illustrations. (GRE61, $19.95)

The Archaeology of Mediterranean Prehistory


by Arthur Bernard Knapp | Emma Blake

  • ARCHAEOLOGY
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 333 PAGES

A scholarly overview of Mediterranean prehistory with contributions from 14 archaeologists. (MED175, $55.95)

The Colosseum

The Colosseum


by Keith Hopkins | Mary Beard

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 224 PAGES

This engaging overview of the history of the Colosseum deconstructs Hollywood-perpetrated misconceptions of gladiator-eating lions, Nero fiddling and other myths. (ITL654, $14.95)

The Complete World of Greek Mythology

The Complete World of Greek Mythology


by Richard Buxton

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 2004
  • HARD COVER
  • 240 PAGES

With hundreds of color illustrations, site plans, genealogies and maps, this handsome, encyclopedic reference illuminates the world of the Greek gods. (GRE377, $39.95)

The Greeks Overseas, The Early Colonies and Trade


by John Boardman

  • ARCHAEOLOGY
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 304 PAGES

An authoritative, illustrated survey of Greek civilization throughout the Mediterranean, revised and updated for this fourth edition. (GRE150, $25.95)

The Oxford Illustrated History of Greece and the Hellenistic World

The Oxford Illustrated History of Greece and the Hellenistic World


by John Boardman

  • ARCHAEOLOGY
  • 2001
  • PAPER
  • 446 PAGES

Diverse scholars, including Robin Lane Fox, Peter Levi, Jasper Griffin and Oswyn Murray contribute to this well-illustrated overview of classical Greek history, literature, art, philosophy, architecture, religion, government and daily life. (GRE428, $29.95)

The Parthenon

The Parthenon


by Mary Beard

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 2010
  • PAPER
  • 204 PAGES

A lively tale of the construction, significance and many uses of the 2,500-year-old architectural marvel. (GRE195, $15.50)

The Search for Ancient Greece

The Search for Ancient Greece


by Roland Etienne | Francoise Etienne

  • ARCHAEOLOGY
  • 1992
  • PAPER
  • 175 PAGES

Lavishly illustrated, this pocket encyclopedia covers the archaeology and meaning of ancient Greece, quite an accomplishment for such a slim book. (GRE01, $15.95)

The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World


by Peter A. Clayton

  • ARCHAEOLOGY
  • 1990
  • PAPER
  • 178 PAGES

Authoritative, approachable essays on each of the seven structures, accompanied by illustrations. This lively dialogue from leading scholars questions the existence of many of the "wonders" and proposes other ancient monuments which might merit wonder status. (WLD166, $45.95)

Homer's Mediterranean, A Travel Companion

Homer's Mediterranean, A Travel Companion


by Wolfgang Geisthovel | Anthea Bell

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2010
  • HARD COVER
  • 224 PAGES

Geisthovel retraces the voyages of the Odyssey and places that may have inspired Homer, traveling through Greece and Turkey, Tunisia, Malta and Italy on a grand circle from Troy to Ithaca. (MED161, $19.95)

A Literary Companion to Travel in Greece

A Literary Companion to Travel in Greece


by Richard Stoneman

  • LITERATURE
  • 1994
  • PAPER
  • 347 PAGES

Poetry, prose and literature over the ages, arranged geographically with an excellent introduction and commentary. Stoneman artfully weaves together hundreds of short excerpts. (GRE06, $19.95)

Mediterranean Passages, Readings from Dido to Derrida

Mediterranean Passages, Readings from Dido to Derrida


by Grant Parker | Miriam Cooke | Erdag Goknar

  • ANTHOLOGY
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 416 PAGES

This compendium highlights 3,000 years of cultural exchange around the Mediterranean. With an assortment of maps, architectural drawings, photographs, paintings and historical and literary texts, it brings antiquity into conversation with the present. (MED139, $28.95)

Pure Pagan, Seven Centuries of Greek Poems and Fragments

Pure Pagan, Seven Centuries of Greek Poems and Fragments


by Burt Raffel

  • LITERATURE
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 81 PAGES

This slim anthology presents the ideas, concerns, humor and heart of ancient Greece in an entertaining series of short epigrams, song fragments and other bits of verse from the ancients, organized by author. (GRE210, $11.95)

The King Must Die

The King Must Die


by Mary Renault

  • LITERATURE
  • 1988
  • PAPER
  • 330 PAGES

A novel of Theseus, slayer of the Minotaur and King of Athens, including his Cretan adventures. The first in Renault's trilogy of well-researched page-turners. (GRE23, $15.00)

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.