Argentina, 1516-1987: From Spanish Colonization to Alfonsin  •  David Rock HISTORY •  1989 •  PAPER  • 511 PAGES The author covers the complex history of Argentina since colonization with balance and insight. The book is a highly readable, comprehensive history that does much to explain why a country with such potential went from a major world power to the "third world" in just a few decades. Illuminating. (ARG07, $29.95)
Bone Hunters in Patagonia: Narrative of the Expedition  •  J.B. Hatcher EXPLORATION •  1985 •  PAPER  • 209 PAGES A classic account of paleontological discovery in remote Patagonia, originally published in 1903 as part of Hatcher's multi-volume expedition report. Nature magazine wrote that the book is "...a rhapsodic yet blood-and-guts overture to an early masterpiece... ranks with the South American sections of Darwin's Voyage in its mixture of adventure, adversity and natural history." (PAT21, $22.00)
Bradt Guide Chile  •  Tim Burford GUIDEBOOK •  2005 •  PAPER  • 656 PAGES A comprehensive guide in the popular Bradt series. (CHI59, $24.95)
Buenos Aires Map  •  Auto Mapa MAP Published in Argentina, this is an excellent map of that country's capital at the superb scale of 1:30,000. (ARG05, $13.95)
Cape Horn  •  Felix Riesenberg  •  William A. Briesemeister EXPLORATION •  1985 •  HARD COVER  • 450 PAGES Captain Riesenberg writes from his own experience as a mariner, weaving a lively tale of exploration and discovery in this masterful history, first published in 1939. He includes log excerpts and early sailing directions. The New York Times called it "one of the truly great contributions to the literature of the sea." (PAT10, $39.95)
The Captain's Verses, The Love Poems  •  Pablo Neruda  •  Donald D. Walsh LITERATURE •  2004 •  PAPER  • 176 PAGES A bilingual edition of Neruda's subtle and sweet love poems, translated by Donald D. Walsh. Published in 2004 to coincide with Neruda's centennial. (CHI60, $12.95)
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 Discoverers  •  Daniel Boorstin EXPLORATION •  1985 •  PAPER  • 745 PAGES This wide-ranging and readable account of exploration by Daniel Boorstin includes a chapter on some of the great sea voyages, including Magellan's voyage to Tierra del Fuego and Cook's extraordinary journey into the Southern Ocean. (EXP01, $18.95)
Evita, The Real Life of Eva Peron  •  Nicholas Fraser BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1996 •  PAPER  • 222 PAGES A sophisticated biography of Evita, following her from humble origins to her place as a revered cult figure. It is also a revealing look at Peronism and Argentinian politics of the 1930s and 1940s. Well written, balanced and fascinating, this book separates fact from myth. (ARG03, $14.95)
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)
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)
Far Away and Long Ago  •  W.H. Hudson BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2006 •  PAPER  • 338 PAGES Originally written in 1917, this is a classic memoir of boyhood in the pampas of Argentina. Rich with descriptions of landscapes, birds and nature, Hudson's enthralling childhood remembrances are enhanced by his own lively curiousity and perceptive observations of the region. (SAM11, $34.95)
Gauchos and the Vanishing Frontier  •  Richard Slatta CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1992 •  PAPER  • 271 PAGES A thorough, lively study of the gaucho, including the history and culture of Argentina and Brazil's famous cowboys. (ARG06, $27.00)
Glacier Ice  •  Austin Post  •  Edward R. LaChapelle NATURAL HISTORY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 145 PAGES An extraordinary book of aerial photographs of mountains, glaciers and ice accompanied by explanatory text by two devoted glaciologists. Much too beautiful to be called a textbook, this collection of striking black-and-white photographs introduces the major surface features, varieties of glaciers and diversity of ice. With a glossary and annotated bibliography for further reading. An obvious choice for mountaineers and polar explorers, this book will appeal to any curious traveler -- or even anyone who has ever looked out the window of an airplane en route over Greenland. In cooperation with the International Glaciological Society. A modern classic, originally published in 1971. (SCI07, $27.95)
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)
H.W. Tilman, The Eight Sailing/Mountain-Exploration Books  •  H. W. Tilman EXPLORATION •  1987 •  HARD COVER  • 960 PAGES A dizzying, 900-page omnibus of eight terrific books, all featuring Tilman's adventures aboard the Mischief, his base for exploring the mountains of the Southern Ocean, Patagonia and the Arctic. A wry, cantankerous and entertaining writer (who sailed off from Rio de Janeiro in his 80th year in 1977 never to be seen again), Tilman crafts books that are jammed with information about the places he and his crew visited, including crossing the Patagonian Ice Cap, crossing of Bylot Island and ascent of Big Ben on Heard. This collection includes Mischief in Patagonia, Mischief among the Penguins, Mischief in Greenland, Mostly Mischief, Mischief Goes South, In Mischief's Wake, Ice With Everything, and Triumph and Tribulation. His earlier moountaineering books have been collected in a separate, and equally interesting, volume. (EXP13, $38.00)
The House of the Spirits  •  Isabel Allende  •  Magda Bogin LITERATURE •  1993 •  PAPER  • 433 PAGES A remarkably imagined tale of four generations, much in the spirit of Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude, centered on a land-owning tyrant, and his wife, daughter and grandchild. It's the first novel by Allende -- a cousin of Salvador Allende, the leader killed by Pinochet -- a sprawling work of real and imagined events that follows the extended Trueba clan from the turn of the 20th century to 1973. (CHI02, $7.99)
Insight Guide Argentina  •  Insight Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER  • 385 PAGES An outstanding overview of the country, featuring hundreds of photographs, great maps, and insightful essays on history, culture and nature. It includes a substantial section on Buenos Aires, along with chapters on Iguazu, the Lake District, Patagonia and other regions. (ARG02, $23.95)
The Invention of Argentina  •  Nicolas Shumway HISTORY •  1993 •  PAPER  • 352 PAGES An illuminating intellectual history of Argentina, this book brings the founding fathers of the republic to life, deftly portraying the revolution against Spain in 1810 and its immediate aftermath. The author, who teaches Spanish at Yale, argues that the basic conflict between those who sought a European future for the nation and the rough-and-ready "caudillos" explains a great deal about the state of the nation today. (ARG08, $25.95)
Labyrinths, Selected Stories and Other Writings  •  Jorge Borges LITERATURE •  2007 •  PAPER  • 240 PAGES The best known work by this extraordinary writer. Sometimes bizarre, always hilarious and thought-provoking, this dazzling collection of stories is well worth the effort. Translated from Spanish. (ARG09, $14.95)
The Last Time Around Cape Horn, The Historic 1949 Voyage of the Windjammer Pamir  •  William F. Stark  •  Peter Stark HISTORY •  2004 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES The unstinting memoir of the then 22-year-old rookie aboard the last commericial sailing voyage, a barley run between Australia and Europe. Stark, writing with the perspective of age, captures the thrill and import the golden age of sail. Most memorable is Stark's account of a 44-day slog in the waters below 44 degrees south. His son Peter, an adventurer and writer himself, contributes the epilogue. (PAT69, $13.00)
Lonely Planet Argentina  •  Lonely Planet  •  Danny Palmerlee GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  PAPER In its hallmark style, this practical guide to Argentina by Lonely Planet features maps, a good overview of culture, history and nature, and much nuts-and-bolts information on excursions, accomodations and sightseeing. With color photographs and excellent travel information. (ARG11, $25.99)
Lonely Planet Buenos Aires  •  Lonely Planet GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  PAPER  • 248 PAGES In its hallmark style, this practical guide to Buenos Aires by Lonely Planet features maps, a good overview of culture, history and nature, and a great deal of information on excursions, accommodations and sightseeing. Most of the book focuses on what to see, do, buy and eat in the city. With color photographs and excellent travel information. (ARG10, $18.99)
Lonely Planet Chile  •  Wayne Bernhardson GUIDEBOOK •  2006 •  PAPER  • 564 PAGES This practical guide includes a chapter on Easter Island in addition to a comprehensive overview of Chile, its history and culture. With a section of color photographs and 90 maps. (CHI04, $24.99)
Mammals of the Neotropics: The Southern Cone, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay  •  John F. Eisenberg  •  Kent H. Redford REFERENCE •  1992 •  PAPER  • 460 PAGES Organized taxonomically, this thorough volume of species accounts includes external measurements, physical descriptions, geographical distribution, and information on their habitats. (SAM14, $65.00)
Master and Commander, The Far Side of the World  •  Peter Weir LITERATURE •  2003 •  DVD Peter Weir's exciting adaptation of two of Patrick O'Brian's popular novels, "Master and Commander" and "The Far Side of the World," starring Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany. Crowe is Captain Jack Aubrey, whose British ship, the HMS Surprise, is battling a mysterious French ship off the coast of Cape Horn during the Napoleonic Wars of 1805. An extended sequenced filmed on the Galapagos marks one of the first times the islands have been depicted in a feature film. (GPS66, $39.98)
The Moon by Whalelight and Other Adventures Among Bats, Penguins, Crocodiles, and Whales  •  Diane Ackerman NATURAL HISTORY •  1992 •  PAPER  • 250 PAGES In a series of astute and delightfully readable essays, journalist Ackerman introduces us to whales, bats, alligators, penguins and the people who study them. Her chapter on Roger Payne and his work on the right whales of Peninsula Valdez is the highlight of the book. (PAT03, $14.95)
Mountaineering in Patagonia  •  Alan Kearney GUIDEBOOK •  1998 •  HARD COVER  • 144 PAGES A history and personal account of climbing in the Patagonian Andes. With 24 color photographs and maps, it's a comprehensive introduction to the region. Kearney's focus is on Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre and Torres del Paine. (PAT18, $22.95)
My Old Man and the Sea: A Father and Son Sail Around Cape Horn  •  David Hays  •  Daniel Hays TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1996 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES The father and son team of David and Daniel Hays embarks upon a 17,000 mile journey to Cape Horn in the smallest boat ever to accomplish such a feat. This highly readable and entertaining travelogue alternates between the father and son's point of view, inviting readers to share their touching and humorous experiences. (OCE50, $13.00)
The Nature of Penguins  •  Jonathan Chester NATURAL HISTORY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 112 PAGES Expedition leader, author and photographer Jonathan Chester presents a beautiful collection of full-color penguin photographs along with accompanying essays on these much-loved birds. (ANT19, $17.95)
The Old Patagonian Express  •  Paul Theroux TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1997 •  PAPER  • 404 PAGES A delightful narrative of Paul Theroux's journey from Boston to Patagonia by rail, plane and truck. He starts out aboard the subway in Boston -- and ends up many months later at the end of the world, a bit worse for the wear. Along the way he encounters the elderly, nearly blind author Jorge Luis Borges and a cast of other fascinating characters. (PAT08, $15.95)
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)
Residence on Earth  •  Pablo Neruda  •  Donald D. Walsh  •  Jim Harrison LITERATURE •  2004 •  PAPER  • 366 PAGES A classic anthology in a bilingual edition translated by Donald D. Walsh and re-published in 2004 to coincide with the centennial of the great poet's birth. (CHI61, $14.95)
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)
Southern South America Map  •  ITMB 2000 •  MAP A handsome full color physical map of the southern cone at a scale of scale of 1:2,800,000, including Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay and parts of Bolivia. (SAM04, $9.95)
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)
Tierra Del Fuego Map  •  ITMB 2003 •  MAP A convenient map of Tierra del Fuego for the traveler at a scale of 1:750,000. (PAT19, $9.95)
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)
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)
Trekking in the Patagonian Andes  •  Clem Lindenmayer GUIDEBOOK •  2003 •  PAPER  • 296 PAGES This convenient guide features trail maps and route descriptions of walks throughout Patagonia, including a long sections on Torres del Paine in Chile and Glacier National Park in Argentina. With detailed practical information, color photography, 31 maps and good background on preparing for your trek. Third edition. (PAT12, $19.99)
Two Years Before the Mast  •  Richard H. Dana EXPLORATION •  1986 •  PAPER  • 572 PAGES In 1838, ordinary seaman Richard Henry Dana sailed from Boston round the horn to California aboard the brig Pilgrim. His classic account is a visceral, gripping tale of life at sea -- containing some of the best descriptive material anywhere on the fury of the Horn. (PAT06, $13.00)
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)