The Alps, A Cultural History  •  Andrew Beattie HISTORY •  2006 •  HARD COVER  • 256 PAGES Andrew Beattie explores the turbulent past and vibrant present of the Alps, where early pioneers of tourism, mountaineering and scientific research, along with the enduring legacies of historical regimes from the Romans to the Nazis, have all left their mark. (ALP30, $29.95)
Altitude Illness: Prevention and Treatment, How to Stay Healthy at Altitude  •  Stephen Bezruchka REFERENCE •  2005 •  PAPER  • 128 PAGES A pocket reference to both preventing and the treatment of altitude sickness. Bezruchka, a mountaineer, M.D. and wit, includes case studies, a section of frequently asked questions, and simple methods of diagnosis and treatment when things go wrong. Travelers to high altitudes will devour this little book, dedicated "To all those who have died of altitude sickness." (REF02, $8.95)
Annecy-Lausanne Map 45  •  IGN MAP An excellently detailed map of the Haute-Savoie at a scale of 1:100,000. (FRN390, $11.95)
Baedeker's Austria  •  Baedeker's Travel Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2000 •  FLEXI-BOUND  • 618 PAGES The much-revised classic with map. (AST56, $25.00)
Clara's Grand Tour, Travels With a Rhinoceros in Eighteenth-century Europe  •  Glynis Ridley HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 240 PAGES The entertaining history of a most unusual eighteenth-century European celebrity. Clara the Indian rhinoceros was brought to Europe in 1741 by the Dutch sea captain Douwemout Van der Meer, and toured for seventeen years, to the delight of heads of state such as Louis XV and Frederick the Great. A marvelous and unique look at the introduction of Eastern wildlife into the Western world. (FRN536, $12.00)
Daisy Miller  •  Henry James LITERATURE •  2007 •  PAPER  • 126 PAGES This classic story of a young American woman's innocent flirtation and its misinterpretation by a sophisticated European man is set in Lac Leman and Chillon. This is James' first fictional work to gain mass popularity and one of his great American female portraits. Daisy, the young American tourist, baffles her Continental lovers with her ingenuousness and blatant honesty. Misunderstandings ensue when the formal, prim Winterbourne misconstrues her innocent flirtations. (SWZ09, $7.00)
Epic, Stories of Survival from the World's Highest Peaks  •  Clint Willis ANTHOLOGY •  1997 •  PAPER  • 342 PAGES A greatest-hits collection of mountaineering literature, Willis excerpts 15 stories, including Mathiessen's classic "The Snow Leopard," and harrowing passages from Everest, the West Ridge, K2, The Savage Mountain, Annapurna and others. Not just the Himalayas, he also includes the tale of the first-traverse of South Georgia by Shackleton. Each excerpt is satisfying long, as interesting for the quality of the writing as the adventure depicted. (HML37, $17.95)
Eyewitness Guide Austria  •  Eyewitness Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2003 •  PAPER  • 384 PAGES This superb guide to all of Austria features color photography, dozens of excellent local maps and a region-by-region synopsis of the country's attractions. Handsome, convenient and up-to-date, this is the guide to carry. (AST59, $25.00)
Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus  •  Mary Shelley LITERATURE •  1992 •  PAPER  • 212 PAGES Set around Lake Geneva, this classic gothic novel, was written in 1816 when the author and her husband were neighbors of Byron, who suggested writing ghost stories to while away the damp, summer days during their stay. It memorably explores the dual dilemma of the danger of scientists playing God and the corruption of an innocent creature by an immoral society. (SWZ10, $7.95)
Here Is Where We Meet  •  John Berger LITERATURE •  2006 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES This novel weaves a portrait of several European countries through encounters with the dead, from the narrator's mother, whom he discovers on a park bench in Lisbon, to a childhood friend wandering a market in Krakow. "The dead don't stay where they are buried," the protagonist's mother tells him, and this becomes the mantra for this most unusual journey through Europe's history and people. (EUR189, $14.00)
I'm Not Stiller  •  Max Frisch LITERATURE •  1994 •  PAPER  • 384 PAGES Now published for the first time in its entirety, this haunting story of a man in prison who claims not to be himself raises disturbing questions of identity and self-acceptance. A masterpiece of post-World War II fiction, it commands attention from the first sentence and explores many layers of meaning as a Swiss who expatriated himself to America returns home under a pseudonym and denies his Swiss origins in an exercise of self-discovery. (SWZ08, $20.00)
The Italians  •  Luigi Barzini CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1996 •  PAPER  • 352 PAGES The definitive portrait of the Italian people, noteworthy for its insight, grace and wit. It's a classic, scholarly essay on the Italian character, still worthwhile though first published in 1964. Much historical information is included. Highly recommended. (ITL05, $16.00)
La Nouvelle Heloise  •  Jean-Jacques Rousseau LITERATURE •  1989 •  PAPER  • 421 PAGES Rousseau may be best known for his political philosophy, but in this novel we see his softer side. This is the passionate story told through the letters of two lovers in a small town at the foot of the Alps. (SWZ19, $28.00)
Mammals of Europe  •  Priscilla Barrett  •  David W. MacDonald FIELD GUIDE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES Published by Princeton, this is a field guide to land and marine mammals throughout Europe, both endemic and introduced. With more than 600 color illustrations of over 200 mammals, it's a comprehensive handbook, with detailed descriptions, range maps and commentary on behavior. (FG61, $34.95)
Monte Rosa Map  •  MapLink 1998 •  MAP A Swiss-produced topographic map of the Monte Rosa massif, at a scale of 1:100,000. (SWZ41, $14.00)
Mountaineering, The Freedom of the Hills  •  The Mountaineers GUIDEBOOK •  2003 •  PAPER  • 528 PAGES The essential handbook for mountaineers, in a seventh revised edition. With chapters on outdoor fundamentals, rock, snow, ice, and alpine climbing, emergency prevention and response, the mountain environment, and gear. (GEN267, $29.95)
The Night Manager  •  John Le Carre LITERATURE •  1994 •  PAPER  • 473 PAGES This best-selling, post-Cold War thriller about ruthless arms dealers in Geneva is a gripping read. Carrying on the great Le Carre tradition of espionage, a man who essentially gave up living after a tremendous failure is given a costly shot at redemption. In the new world order, spies have become their own worst enemies. (SWZ06, $7.99)
Rhone-Alpes Map 523  •  Michelin Travel Publications MAP An up-to-date regional map at a scale of 1:200,000 published by Michelin. The double-sided map covers the region from Montreux and Geneve south to Chaminox, Mount Blanc, Grenoble and west to the Rhone from Lyon, St-Etienne and Valence. (FRN255, $11.95)
Rick Steves' French, Italian & German Phrase Book & Dictionary  •  Rick Steves LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS •  2003 •  PAPER  • 400 PAGES A compact phrase book for travelers, organized thematically and with a brief dictionary. French, German and Italian phrases are side-by-side on the page so that you can pick and choose depending on the situation. This is no dry litany but instead peppered with humor and Rick Steves' insider insight into how to break the ice and make friends around the world. (EUR142, $9.95)
Switzerland Map  •  HEMA Maps MAP A colorful, shaded relief map of Switzerland at a scale of 1:303,000. With city plans of Basel Bern, Geneva and Zurich. Printed in Germany, the crisp, bright cartography is by Falk Verlag. (SWZ11, $12.95)
Travelers' Tales, A Woman's Europe  •  Marybeth Bond  •  Mary Morris ANTHOLOGY •  2004 •  PAPER  • 298 PAGES This entertaining collection depicts Europe through the eyes of a diverse group of women writers, including Frances Mayes, Jan Morris and Mary Morris. These humorous and well-written true stories capture the misadventures, discoveries and slices of life that the continent (and travel!) has to offer. (EUR160, $17.95)
Trentino Alto-Adige Map  •  Touring Club Italiano MAP A colorful regional map of the Italian Dolomites at a scale of 1:200,000, with shaded relief and excellent coverage of local towns and landmarks. (ITL42, $12.95)
The Walker's Literary Companion  •  Robert Gilbert  •  Anne Wallace  •  Jeffrey Robinson ANTHOLOGY •  2000 •  HARD COVER  • 352 PAGES A diverse sampling of literature on the pleasures of walking, representing philosophers, naturalists, outcasts, athletes and intellectuals from Plato to Frank O'Hara. (WLK08, $24.00)
Walking Switzerland, The Swiss Way: From Vacation Apartments, Hotels, Mountain Inns, and Huts  •  Marcia Lieberman GUIDEBOOK •  1997 •  PAPER  • 286 PAGES This guide includes all the information you need to plan your own Swiss walking tour including renting an apartment, trails, maps, descriptions of terrain, scenery, the alpine environment, and 102 tailored walks in 11 different regions. With 25 years of Swiss walking and hiking experience, the authors know their territory. Each walk is rated for strenuousness and includes the distance, the highest point above sea level, ascent/descent time, recommended transportation and a map. Travel tips include information on clothing, equipment, food, safety, and hazards. (SWZ03, $16.95)
Western Austria Tyrol Map  •  Freytag & Berndt MAP A regional map of western Austria, including the Tyrolean region, Innsbruck and bordering regions of Italy, Switzerland and Germany. The map, which features excellent full-color shaded relief, is at the very good scale of 1:200,000. With an index. (AST05, $10.95)