1491, New Revelations of Americas Before Columbus  •  Charles C. Mann HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 560 PAGES A thought-provoking, speculative history of the Americas before the arrival of the Europeans. Mann portrays the successes and failures of the complex societies of the Mississippi River, Central Mexico, the Andes and the Amazon. (WLD61, $15.95)
Amazon Sweet Sea, Land, Life, and Water at the River's Mouth  •  Nigel J.H. Smith NATURAL HISTORY •  2002 •  HARD COVER  • 248 PAGES • COMING IN A lively, well informed and illustrated portrait of the natural resources, nature, history, and conservation of the Amazon delta. With 138 color photos by the author, who has conducted research in the region for decades. It's the world's biggest estuary. (AMZ78, $39.95)
Amazon, from the Floodplains to the Clouds  •  Alex Webb NATURAL HISTORY •  1997 •  HARD COVER  • 144 PAGES • COMING IN A stunning photographic overview of the Amazon from its source to the Atlantic. (AMZ45, $60.00)
Amazon: Floods of Fortune  •  Michael Goulding NATURAL HISTORY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 184 PAGES A masterful survey of the people, culture, ecology and economy of a threatened wetland. Most international attention has focused on the Amazon's upland forest. This excellent book looks instead at the Amazon flood plain, an immense region, partially settled and of commercial importance. The region is a mosaic of seasonally flooded ecosystems with unique rain forest, savannah and diverse wildlife. This book offers an illustrated, up-to-date analysis of the forest, its ecology, history of exploitation and environmental pressures. (AMZ06, $29.00)
Amazonia: Man and Culture in a Counterfeit Paradise  •  Betty Meggers CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1995 •  PAPER A groundbreaking study of cultural adaptation in the Amazon, first published in 1971. The book looks at common patterns and ways of life among independent aboriginal groups along the river and in the forest. It gives a brief account of each society, focusing on common adaptations to an impoverished environment that limit social complexity and population density. Revised and updated for this new edition, the book makes a strong argument that any plans for the region that fail to take into account the ecological realities of the Amazon are doomed to fail. (AMZ47, $17.95)
Ancient Cuzco, Heartland of the Inca  •  Brian S. Bauer NATURAL HISTORY •  2004 •  PAPER  • 296 PAGES A scholarly overview of the development of culture in the Cuzco region, and particularly the Inca civilization, drawing on the work of the Cuzco Valley Archaeological Project. Beginning with the first peoples in the valley and ending with the fall of Atahualpa in the early 16th century, this comprehensive study contains important new information about the Incas, their archaeology, capital city and their culture. With 76 black-and-white photographs, 25 line drawings and 26 maps. (PRU57, $29.95)
Andean Awakening, An Incan Guide to Mystic Peru  •  Jorge Luis Delgado ARCHAEOLOGY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 192 PAGES (PRU63, $17.95)
At Play in the Fields of the Lord  •  Peter Matthiessen LITERATURE •  1991 •  PAPER  • 373 PAGES Following the fate of two gringos at a frontier outpost and the clash between them, this wonderfully written thriller reflects Matthiessen's knowledge and love of the Amazon. (AMZ29, $14.95)
The Birds of South America, The Oscine Passerines, Vol. 1  •  Guy Tudor  •  Robert Ridgely FIELD GUIDE •  1989 •  HARD COVER  • 596 PAGES An authoritative reference, this hefty volume features 31 splendid full-color plates by Guy Tudor covering 700 species of jays and swallows, wrens, thrushes, vireos and wood-warblers, tanagers, icterids and finches. The first of four anticipated volumes on the birds of South America. With distribution maps and species descriptions by ornithologist Robert Ridgely. (FG28, $95.00)
The Birds of South America, The Oscine Passerines, Vol. 2  •  Guy Tudor  •  Robert Ridgely FIELD GUIDE •  1994 •  HARD COVER The second volume of the projected four-volume series, this field guide and handbook covers the flycatchers, antbirds and furnariids. With fine color plates by Guy Tudor and lucid text by Ridgely. (FG29, $95.00)
Bradt Guide Amazon  •  Roger Harris GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER  • 416 PAGES A compact guide to the Amazon and Orinoco rivers. (AMZ92, $25.99)
The Brazilians  •  Joseph Page CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1996 •  PAPER  • 540 PAGES A clear and compelling introduction to the country, covering politics, history, economics, culture, and character. The turmoil and ecological destruction in the Amazon basin is discussed in one of the many thought-provoking chapters. (AMZ16, $22.95)
The Burning Season:The Murder of Chico Mendes and the Fight for the Amazon Rain Forest  •  Andrew Revkin CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2004 •  PAPER  • 336 PAGES A non-fiction murder mystery set in the Brazilian Amazon. The book tells the true story of the life and death of Chico Mendes, a rubber tapper and union organizer who was killed in the sleepy river town of Xapuri in 1988. Revkin puts the murder in context, giving a history of the rubber industry and the inevitable conflicts with ranchers and settlers. It's a riveting story of conservation and politics in Brazil, rich in natural history. Originally published in 1990. (AMZ08, $25.00)
Chasing Neotropical Birds  •  Vera and Bob Thornton NATURAL HISTORY •  2005 •  HARD COVER  • 254 PAGES This portfolio of 116 color photographs of dazzling, rare and favorite birds of tropical America, presented by an intrepid husband-and-wife team is worth it for the photographs alone. The accompaning travelogues, invaluable resource list and suggestions for birdwatching and photography make the book essential for anyone with a healthy interest in travel and birds in Central and South America. The book documents the Thorntons' encounters with motmots, manakins, trogans, toucans, hummers, herons and all the rest range across 11 countries over 15 years. With maps, bird log, and photographic notes. (SAM76, $34.95)
Conquistadors  •  Michael Wood HISTORY •  2002 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES A lively, illustrated account of the Spanish conquest of the New World by the intrepid writer-filmmaker Michael Wood, who traveled in the footsteps of Hernan Cortes, Pizarro and others, often by horse, raft or other original means. It's an excellent introduction to the overwhelming impact of the Spanish in the Americas, wonderfully illustrated with maps, drawings and full color paintings. (SAM48, $22.95)
The Creature in the Map, A Journey to El Dorado  •  Charles Nicholl TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1997 •  PAPER  • 398 PAGES Nicholl uncovers fascinating facts about the original, ill-fated 16th-century voyage of Sir Walter Ralegh while describing his own experiences on the Orinoco river of today in this meeditative account of a quest for the golden city of El Dorado. (VNZ05, $16.00)
Culture Smart! Peru  •  John Forrest GUIDEBOOK •  2006 •  PAPER  • 168 PAGES A concise, well-illustrated and practical guide to local customs, etiquette and culture. (PRU64, $9.95)
Darkness in El Dorado, How Scientists and Journalists Devastated the Amazon  •  Patrick Tierney CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2001 •  PAPER  • 416 PAGES A controversial indictment of the anthropologists, government officials and others who sought to cash in on the study of the Yanomami. Tierney's targets especially French anthropologist and filmmaker Napoleon Chagnon and his colleagues at the University of Southern California at Santa Barbara in this highly charged attack. (AMZ64, $14.95)
Edge of the Jungle  •  William Beebe EXPLORATION •  2001 •  PAPER  • 303 PAGES A collection of 12 essays on the Amazon and its ecology and wildlife. A scientist-explorer with the soul of a poet, Beebe wrote dozens of books about his adventures in tropical America. This book, originally published in 1921, dates from his time as director of the New York Zoological Society's research center in Guyana. (AMZ75, $17.95)
Entangled Edens, Visions of the Amazon  •  Candace Slater HISTORY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 332 PAGES Slater looks at the many stories, myths and labels that have been placed onto the Aamzon, particulary European ideas of the place, in this enlightening overview of the region. (AMZ71, $50.00)
Evolution, The Remarkable History of a Scientific Theory  •  Edward Larson NATURAL HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 368 PAGES Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and historian Edward Larson examines the multifaceted history of the scientific theory which has had such an impact on twentieth century thought. Larson begins his study before Darwin, with the scientific breakthroughs of the French Revolution, and then examines Darwin's work and its effects, from the age of Social Darwinism up to present day genetics and evolutionary studies. He focuses on the social and political controversies that have surrounded evolutionary theory, particularly in the United States. (NAT64, $14.95)
Explore the Inca Trail  •  Jacquetta Megarry  •  Roy Davies GUIDEBOOK •  2006 •  FLEXI-BOUND  • 64 PAGES A brief, ingeniously designed guide to trekking in the Sacred Valley from Cusco to Machu Picchu with color photographs, a fold-out map of the route, site diagram of Machu Pichu and a camp-to-camp overview of the Inca trail. The authors, both experienced trekkers, include detailed avice on preparing for the trip, and a good overview of the site itself. The step-by-step sections cover the Classic trail from Chilca/Km 82/Km 88, the shortest option from Km 104, and the 5-6 day, more strenuous Mollepata trek. (AND33, $15.95)
The Explorers of South America  •  Edward Goodman EXPLORATION •  1992 •  PAPER  • 408 PAGES A narrative history of exploration from Christopher Columbus to the 19th century, with journal excerpts, diaries and other writings of the explorers themselves. Goodman has marshaled his wide-ranging research and lifelong interest in exploration into a comprehensive, scholarly history. A reprint of the original 1972 edition, the tales have lost none of their luster. With maps, illustrations and extensive notes. (SAM10, $24.95)
Explorers of the Amazon  •  Anthony Smith EXPLORATION •  1994 •  PAPER  • 344 PAGES In this well told overview of the region, Anthony Smith presents a history of exploration of the Amazon, scientific and otherwise. His tales of adventure, discovery, exploitation, murder and mayhem feature Francisco de Orellana, Baron von Humboldt and seven other European colonizers and scientists. (AMZ31, $32.50)
Flowers of the Amazon Forest, The Botanical Art of Margaret Mee  •  Margaret Mee NATURAL HISTORY •  2006 •  HARD COVER  • 160 PAGES Featuring 60 of explorer and artist Mee's splendidly detailed, gorgeous botanical illustrations, along with field sketches and diary excerpts. (AMZ104, $39.50)
Footprint Peru Handbook  •  Alan Murphy GUIDEBOOK •  2005 •  PAPER  • 656 PAGES By the venerable British publishers of the "South American Handbook," this guide is built for the road with sturdy covers and a sewn binding. It's nicely divided between a general overview of Peru and practical travel detail on where to go and what to do. (PRU27, $24.95)
Fordlandia  •  Patricia J. Duncan  •  Eduardo Sguiglia LITERATURE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES • COMING IN This novel mythologizes automaker Ford's grandly misbegotten adventure to cultivate a rubber plantation deep in the Amazon Jungle. In the process, the Argentine writer paints a portrait of conflict between capitalist economic interests and the primordial mystery of nature. (AMZ72, $13.95)
Four Neotropical Rainforests  •  Alwyn Gentry NATURAL HISTORY •  1993 •  PAPER  • 627 PAGES The results of a symposium on tropical ecology held in 1987 at Ohio State, this book is a good reference to the flora, fauna and ecology of four representative tropical forests: Manaus (Brazil), Park Manu (Peru), Barro Colorado Island (Panama) and La Selva (Costa Rica). (AMZ33, $55.00)
Green Mansions  •  W.H. Hudson LITERATURE •  1989 •  PAPER  • 315 PAGES Better known for his ornithological memoirs, this novel by Hudson is a classic tale of "travels and adventures among the savages." Read it for its absurdly lush prose, excellent natural history and the much romanticized meeting of an educated European and Rima, a birdlike local girl from the jungle. Very much a product of its time (it was first published in 1904), this is probably the best known work of fiction set in the Amazon. (AMZ19, $12.95)
The Green Pharmacy  •  James A. Duke NATURAL HISTORY •  1999 •  PAPER  • 507 PAGES An A to Z catalog of ailments and the herbal remedies that heal them. Full of facts on the ecology and traditional uses of medicinal plants by a leading ethnobotanist who has conducted much of his research in the Upper Amazon of Peru. Each chapter begins with an anecdote of an encounter with a patient and leads to easy "how-to" instructions for treating the health condition. The chapters cover minor and serious complaints, ranging from bad breath to depression, high cholesterol to wrinkles, morning sickness to viral infections. (AMZ40, $19.95)
A Guide to the Birds of Colombia  •  Steven Hilty  •  William Brown FIELD GUIDE •  1986 •  PAPER  • 836 PAGES A classic South American bird guide with good coverage of the Amazon basin. It features 56 color plates by Guy Tudor, illustrating 1,700 species -- nearly half of all the species of South America. With a short description on the facings edge along with extensive notes and range maps. It may weigh in at almost three pounds but serious birders won't leave home without it -- and you can always have the color plates bound separately for use in the field. (FG14, $67.50)
A Guide to the Birds of Venezuela  •  Steven Hilty  •  Guy Tudor  •  J.A. Gwynne FIELD GUIDE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 929 PAGES A thoroughly overhauled, revised edition of the classic South American bird guide, with an entirely new and expanded text by Steve Hilty (who also wrote Birds of Colombia). This hefty book (more than a field guide) features many of the same excellent color plates by Guy Tudor as the 1978 classic with new detailed information on habitats and distribution. Too bad it weighs four pounds, two ounces because it is terrific. John Gwynne provided most of the additional plates, 67 in all. 1,400 species have been recorded in the diverse habitats of Venezuela, almost half of the birds found throughout the mountains, forests and plains of all South America. (FG13, $59.50)
Hidden Amazon  •  Richard Lutz TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 155 PAGES • COMING IN An enthusiastic account of land and river journeys on the Amazon with International Expeditions, this book is a compact introduction to the Peruvian Amazon -- and an excellent overview of what to expect on your adventure. (AMZ42, $16.95)
In Amazonia, A Natural History  •  Hugh Raffles NATURAL HISTORY •  2002 •  PAPER  • 302 PAGES Hughes -- an intriguing, personal guide to the Amazon -- interweaves anecdote, ethnography, the history of exploration, conservation and biology in this engaging overview of the region. He focuses on a small Brazilian riverine community and the transformation of their river over the last 50 years. Make no mistake, this is an academic book chock full of theory but an uncommonly artful, absorbing one. Hughes is a professor of anthropology at the University of California at Santa Cruz. (AMZ85, $25.95)
In Search of the Golden Frog  •  Marty Crump BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2000 •  HARD COVER  • 312 PAGES Crump, a herpetologist, conservationist and mother, tells of her 30 years of field work in Costa Rica, Brazil, Ecuador and Argentina. An entertaining memoir, written with a light touch, it combines the personal with the scientific. (CON18, $27.00)
In the Rainforest, Report from a Strange, Beautiful, Imperiled World  •  Catherine Caufield NATURAL HISTORY •  1984 •  PAPER  • 304 PAGES This investigative journalist deftly combines good basic information on the ecology of the world's rain forests, a report on thorny conservation issues and a sympathetic treatment of indigenous inhabitants through masterly prose. In this fact-filled book, we travel with Caufield to some of the most spectacular and endangered places on earth: the rain forests of Africa, Central and South America, India, the Philippines and Indonesia. Originally published in 1984, this is still an excellent survey of rainforest ecology and issues worldwide. (FST01, $16.00)
In Trouble Again  •  Redmond O'Hanlon EXPLORATION •  1990 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES • FAVORITE O'Hanlon starts this impossibly witty account of a four-month journey into the Venezuelan Amazon with a litany of the insects, protozoa, snakes and predators that can do you harm. A comic masterpiece, the book is also noteworthy for its excellent descriptions of the wildlife, environment and peoples of the Amazon. Imagine a PBS documentary hosted by the Monty Python troupe. (AMZ04, $13.95)
Into the Heart, One Man's Pursuit of Love and Knowledge Among the Yanomami  •  Kenneth Good CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1991 •  PAPER  • 265 PAGES A first-hand report of life among the Yanomami people of the Venezuelan Amazon. More than an ethnography, the author's original 15-month project extended to more than a decade. In this personal account he describes his marriage to a local girl, falling out with his teacher, and much about living as a member of the tribe. (AMZ60, $45.00)
John Muir's Last Journey, South to the Amazon and East to Africa  •  Robert Michael Pyle  •  John Muir EXPLORATION •  2004 •  PAPER  • 352 PAGES A collection of letters and notes on Muir's eight-month voyage in 1911-1912, which took him up the Amazon, along the Pacific coast of South America and up into the Andes. He returned via Southern and Eastern Adrica, with excursions to the Zambezi, Lake Victoria, and the Headwaters of the Nile. Edited and annotated by Robert Michael Pyle. (SAM78, $29.95)
Jungles  •  Frans Lanting  •  Christine Eckstrom NATURAL HISTORY •  2005 •  FLEXI-BOUND  • 260 PAGES An oversize, well produced portfolio of the creatures of the world's equatorial forests by the outstanding wildlife photographer and adventurer Frans Lanting. He presents the birds, insects, reptiles, mammals and plants of the jungles in 120 extraordinary color photographs. Ecologist Christine Eckstrom provides the introduction and brief accompanying text. (AMZ65, $19.99)
Keep the River on Your Right  •  Tobias Schneebaum BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1982 •  PAPER  • 184 PAGES This is an amazing book, the strange tale of a young man on a Fulbright fellowship who wandered alone and defenseless into the Peruvian forest in 1955 in search of remote peoples. This is the haunting, lyrical diary of his experiences among the Akarama including -- in its most disturbing section -- a description of a raid on a neighboring tribe by Schneebaum and his warrior friends. He writes "I am a cannibal." Whether or not he really ate human flesh we cannot judge but, regardless, this is an extraordinary book. Schneebaum went on to live four years with the headhunting Asmat of New Guinea. (AMZ11, $12.50)
Light at the Edge of the World  •  Wade Davis CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2007 •  PAPER  • 192 PAGES Wade Davis, an ethnobotanist and popular science writer, surveys what he calls the "ethnosphere": the global diversity of peoples and cultures. He travels from the Arctic to the Amazon to Borneo, taking notes on world-views and customs. (WLD34, $16.95)
Lonely Planet South America on a Shoestring  •  Lonely Planet GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER  • 1148 PAGES A comprehensive, detailed practical guide to traveling in South America. With a brief general overview and country-by-country review in the Lonely Planet style of sites, attractions, and where to go and what to do. (SAM44, $33.99)
The Lost Steps  •  Alejo Carpentier  •  Harriet Onis LITERATURE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 278 PAGES Originally published in 1956, this hallucinatory novel is set in the upper reaches of the Orinoco River in the Amazon basin. It's the tale "of little-known and rarely, if ever, photographed places," an expedition by a young urban ethnomusicologist to a remote world frozen in time. For those with an appreciation for demanding literature, this book is a much celebrated masterpiece. The "New Yorker" called its descriptions of the fictitious provincial city, forest and revolution-torn South America masterful. (AMZ18, $17.50)
The Lost World  •  Arthur Conan Doyle LITERATURE •  2008 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES Inspired by the magnificent landscapes surrounding the Orinoco River, this classic novel follows an intrepid scientist into the jungles of the Amazon Basin in search of prehistoric creatures. One of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's most famous stories outside of his Sherlock Holmes series, it imagined a modern world where dinosaurs roamed (well before Crichton and Spielberg made their money on the idea). (VNZ04, $10.00)
Margaret Mee's Amazon, Diaries of an Artist Explorer  •  Margaret Mee NATURAL HISTORY •  2004 •  HARD COVER  • 300 PAGES A handsome edition of the diaries, paintings and sketchbooks of the remarkable British botanist and painter Margaret Mee (1909-1988). Not just a terrific botanical illustrator, Mee was an intrepid traveler and collector who made 15 expeditions into the Amazon. Orgnized by expedition, the book features 250 botanical and other illustrations, along with a selection of photographs. This new edition published by Antique Collectors' Club in cooperation with Kew Gardens. (AMZ86, $59.50)
The Mighty Orinoco  •  Jules Verne LITERATURE •  2006 •  PAPER  • 424 PAGES Appearing for the first time in English, this 1898 novel from science fiction pioneer Jules Verne features a harrowing trip up the uncharted Orinoco, full of encounters with dangerous creatures, fearsome Indians, and infectious diseases. Nicely translated with a good introduction, scholarly notes, and drawings from the original French edition. The intricate plot, various characters and adventures are a lot of fun. (VNZ07, $19.95)
Moon Handbook Peru  •  Ross Wehner  •  Renee del Gaudio GUIDEBOOK •  2004 •  PAPER  • 400 PAGES An informative guide in the popular series. (PRU58, $19.95)
The Naturalist on the River Amazons  •  Henry W. Bates EXPLORATION •  1987 •  PAPER  • 420 PAGES A spell-binding early account of the river and its environs, first published in 1863. A talented naturalist himself, Bates accompanied Alfred Russel Wallace on a collecting expedition for the British Museum in 1848. He stayed on for 11 years, traveling throughout the region. This classic chronicle of his adventures, part natural history and part travelogue, has inspired generations of tropical biologists. Darwin liked it too. (AMZ07, $24.95)
A Naturalist's Guide to the Tropics  •  Marco Lambertini  •  John Venerella NATURAL HISTORY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 338 PAGES A compact guide to the world's tropical zone, organized by biome. It's a good overview of the ecology of forests, mangroves, coral reefs, deserts, and grasslands found between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Tropic of Cancer. A useful companion for travelers to tropical latitudes. With color photographs and color plates illustrating a sampling of the most conspicuous birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians, and fish. (CON17, $25.00)
Peru, Birds of the Wetlands, Beaches and Oceans  •  Rainforest Publications FIELD GUIDE •  2005 •  PLASTIC CARD  • 2 PAGES A handy, double-sided laminated card depicting commonly encountered boobies, kingfishers, herons and other wetland birds of Peru. With scientific, English and Spanish names. (PRU82, $6.95)
Pimsleur Quick & Simple Spanish  •  Pimsleur Language Method LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS •  2005 •  AUDIO CD Four audio CDs with eight 30-minute lessons in basic Spanish, covering elementary vocabulary and phrases used in travel and everyday situations. The Pimsleur method emphasizes the use of listening skills without reading materials (so there isn't a book to follow along). It's advertised as "Totally audio: hear it, learn it, speak it." (SPN257, $19.95)
Plants of the Gods: Their Sacred, Healing and Hallucinogenic Powers  •  Richard Evans Schultes  •  Albert Hofmann NATURAL HISTORY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 192 PAGES An illuminating guide to indigenous peoples and their use of hallucinogenic plants, co-authored by the father of ethnobotany and discoverer of LSD. With hundreds of photographs, maps and drawings, it documents the ecology, chemistry, and especially the social history of hallucinogens. Excellent. (AMZ38, $29.95)
The Remarkable Life of William Beebe, Explorer and Naturalist  •  Carol Grant Gould BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2006 •  PAPER  • 447 PAGES This engaging biography of the explorer, naturalist, bestselling writer and underwater pioneer draws, for the first time, on the letters and journals Will Beebe kept from 1887 until his death in 1962. A popular science writer, Carol Grant Gould captures the curiosity and energy of Beebe, following his adventures from the bathysphere to the Galapagos, British Guiana, and at the Bronx Zoo, where he was the first curator of birds. (NAT70, $25.00)
Requiem for Nature  •  John Terborgh NATURAL HISTORY •  2004 •  PAPER  • 248 PAGES • FAVORITE A passionate and thoughtful plea for conservation of the rain forest from a noted biologist. John Terborgh's view of the fate of the rain forest, threatened by constant economic demands, can be quite dismal, but his informed arguments and his unwavering devotion to biodiversity are more than welcome. With a new preface by the author. (FST07, $29.50)
River of Doubt, Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey  •  Candice Millard HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 432 PAGES On the heels of his failed bid for re-election, Roosevelt and his 14-year-old son Kermit journeyed on an ill-repaired, calamitous expedtion with Brazilian explorer Candido Rondon to the uncharted River of Darkness. Millard captures the suspense and the setting in vivid detail. Recommended by Tahir Shah. (AMZ96, $14.95)
The Rivers Ran East  •  Leonard Clark TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 385 PAGES A Traveler's Tales Classic, this fast-paced account of adventures in the Amazon in the 1940s continues to thrill readers of all ages. Of course, he was in search of gold (and met up with head hunters). Clark died in 1957 under mysterious circumstances while on an expedition in search of diamonds in Venezuela. (AMZ94, $16.95)
Savages  •  Joe Kane BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1996 •  PAPER  • 304 PAGES A first-hand account of a naive journalist among the Huaraoni of the Ecuadorian Amazon. In the struggle for the control of their homeland, it is certainly not the local people who behave as savages. Kane is an engaging, humorous guide to development issues in the Oriente of Ecuador. (AMZ20, $14.95)
The Sea and the Jungle  •  H.M. Tomlinson EXPLORATION •  1995 •  PAPER  • 258 PAGES First published in 1912, this is a thoroughly unromanticized, absorbing account of a 2,000-mile journey by steamship deep into the Amazon. The tale, understated and often hilarious, meanders like a great river. Here's a sample: "We were then a thousand miles from the sea, well within South America. But that meeting place of the Amazon and its chief tributary was an expanse of water surprising in its immensity." A classic. (AMZ10, $18.00)
Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest  •  Matthew Restall HISTORY •  2004 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES In this provocative book, Restall tackles Columbus, Cortes, Pizarro and the misconceptions surrounding them. The conquisadores most certainly did not conquer the Americas with a handful of men, nor were they received as gods. (SAM52, $19.99)
Amazon Basin Map  •  ITMB MAP A colorful physical map scaled at 1:4,000,000, showing the entire Amazon Basin from the Andes to the Atlantic. (AMZ05, $11.95)
Shamanism, Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy  •  Willard R. Trask  •  Mircea Eliade RELIGION •  1972 •  PAPER  • 610 PAGES An early, and now classic account of Shamanism among the native peoples of South America. (AMZ51, $24.95)
Shamans Through Time: 500 Year on the Path to Knowledge  •  Jeremy Narby  •  Francis Huxley RELIGION •  2004 •  PAPER  • 354 PAGES An anthology of observations and writings on Shamanism from the 16th-century to modern day. The compilation offers a wide variety of views on the Shaman, religion and culture. (GEN202, $14.95)
Snakes, The Evolution of Mystery in Nature  •  Harry W. Greene NATURAL HISTORY •  1997 •  HARD COVER  • 288 PAGES Published to wildly enthusiastic reviews in 1997, this illustrated volume documents the ecology and diversity of snakes worldwide. Anecdotal, informative and entertaining, snakes couldn't have asked for a better advocate than herpetologist Harry Greene -- and the photographs are stunning. (BST33, $60.00)
South America Northeast Map  •  International Map Company 2004 •  MAP This brightly colored map of northeast South America at a scale of 1:2,800,000 covers the Atlantic coast of the continent south from the Caribbean to Rio de Janeiro, including the Amazon and Orinoco. With historical information on the region. (SAM16, $8.95)
The Spears of Twilight: Life and Death in the Amazon Jungle  •  Phillipe Descola CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1996 •  PAPER  • 458 PAGES Three years among the Jivaro (Achaur) of the Upper Amazon. A student of Claude Levi-Strauss, Descola proves himself to be an intelligent observer and born storyteller in this ethnographic account. (AMZ25, $24.95)
Spix's Macaw, The Race to Save the World's Rarest Bird  •  Tony Juniper NATURAL HISTORY •  2004 •  PAPER  • 304 PAGES In this suspenseful account Tony Juniper tells the story of the fight to save the habitat of the last remaining Spix's Macaw, an all-but-extinct Amazon parrot brought to the brink of extinction by smugglers. Juniper is executive director of Friends of the Earth (AMZ95, $14.00)
Stolen Continents, 500 Years of Conquest and Resistance in the Americas  •  Ronald Wright HISTORY •  2004 •  PAPER  • 464 PAGES A powerful history of imperialism and resistance in the Americas, with a focus on the Aztec, Maya, Inca, Cherokee and Iroquois. Wright's illuminating account, told largely from the point of view of the losers, details the rapid collapse of cultures and societies in the Americas following the arrival of the Europeans in 1492. Wright draws on an impressive range of archival material in reconstructing this classic account, originally published in 1993. Wright is also the author of Time Among the Maya. (NAM20, $17.00)
Tales from the Medicine Trail, Tracking Down the Health Secrets of Shamans, Herbalists, Mystics, Yogis, and Other Healers  •  Christopher Kilham TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 291 PAGES • COMING IN An account of journeys on the trail of medical herbs and botanicals with chapters on the author's travels in Amazonia, Peru and the Andes (maca), India (Ayurveda) and the Pacific (Kava). With notes and recipes for each herbal remedy. (GEN246, $19.95)
The Tambopata-Candamo Reserved Zone of Southeastern Peru, A Biological Assessment  •  Robin B. Foster NATURAL HISTORY •  1995 •  PAPER  • 192 PAGES The result of a "Rapid Assessment Program" survey by a multidisciplinary team, this book catalogs the biological resources of the Tambopata River, south of Puerto Maldonado in the upper Amazon of Peru. The well studied Explorer's Inn is just downstream of the study area. With maps, line drawings, and detailed animal checklists by region (scientific names only). (PRU17, $19.95)
Traveling with Che Guevara, The Making of a Revolutionary  •  Alberto Granado  •  Lucia Alvarez de Toledo TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2004 •  PAPER  • 240 PAGES This is Alberto Granado's companion book to Che Guevara's well-known Motorcycle Diaries (and one of the sources for the movie). It's Granado's own account of travels with Che via motorbike through Argentina, Chile, Peru, Colombia, and Venezuela. (SAM68, $14.95)
Tristes Tropiques  •  Claude Levi-Strauss  •  John Weightman  •  Doreen Weightman CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1992 •  PAPER  • 424 PAGES A classic account of the peoples of the Amazon first published in the 1930s. This is the most personal of the many books by Levi-Strauss, the inventor of structural anthropology and an intellectual powerhouse. He begins: "I hate travelling and explorers. Yet here I am proposing to tell the story of my expeditions and experiences." After pondering the worthlessness of most accounts, he goes on to present his own tale, full of humor and insight. Demanding, but worth it. (AMZ14, $20.00)
Tropical Rainforest  •  Ben Shedd NATURAL HISTORY •  1992 •  DVD This beautiful documentary, filmed in Australia, Costa Rica, French Guiana, and Malaysia, showcases the nature, ecology and conservation challenges of tropical rainforests worldwide. Originally presented in IMAX theaters and narrated by Geoffrey Holder. 40 minutes. (AMZ89, $19.99)
Vine of the Soul, Medicine Men, Their Plants, and Rituals in the Colombian Amazon  •  Richard Evans Schultes  •  Robert F. Raffauf CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2004 •  PAPER  • 282 PAGES Written by Schultes, the father of ethnobotany, with a colleague, this book features 150 photographs along with a detailed and authoritative text describing the many uses of plant substances. (AMZ59, $29.95)
Where to Watch Birds in South America  •  Nigel Wheatley NATURAL HISTORY •  1995 •  PAPER  • 431 PAGES A compact practical guide to 206 recommended birdwatching sites throughout South America. Organized by country, each site guide includes an introduction, noteworthy species, maps, and directions, checklists. An invaluable handbook for birders. (SAM40, $24.95)
White Waters and Black  •  Gordon McCreagh  •  George Schaller EXPLORATION •  2001 •  PAPER  • 384 PAGES A classic account of a two-year-long scientific expedition to the Bolivian Amazon, funny, sweet and thrilling. Originally published in 1923. George Schaller provides the appreciative introduction to this new edition. (AMZ70, $16.00)
The World as You Dream It, Shamanistic Teachings from the Amazon and Andes  •  John M. Perkins RELIGION •  1994 •  PAPER  • 139 PAGES An activist on behalf of indigenous cultures and founder of the "Earth Dream Alliance", the author provides a personal account of his sometimes hard-to-believe experiences with curanderos (or shamans) in the highlands and Amazon of Ecuador. Whatever your thoughts on the concept a vision quest, the book includes an fascinating account of the author's time with the Shuar people, their rituals and religious ideas. (AMZ46, $12.95)
Yanomami, The Fierce Controversy and What We Might Learn from It  •  Robert Borofsky CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2005 •  PAPER  • 397 PAGES A scholarly reader and study of the controversy surrounding anthropological studies of the Yanomami of northern Brazil and neighboring Venezuela. It follows in the wake of Patrick Tierney's best-selling book, Darkness in El Dorado. With Bruce Albert, Ray Hames, Kim Hill, Lêda Leitão Martins, John Peters, and Terence Turner. (SAM67, $22.95)
Yanomami, The Fierce Controversy and What We Might Learn from It  •  Robert Borofsky CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2005 •  PAPER  • 397 PAGES A scholarly reader and study of the controversy surrounding anthropological studies of the Yanomami of northern Brazil and neighboring Venezuela. It follows in the wake of Patrick Tierney's best-selling book, Darkness in El Dorado. With Bruce Albert, Ray Hames, Kim Hill, Lêda Leitão Martins, John Peters, and Terence Turner. (SAM67, $22.95)