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)
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)
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)
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)
Birds of Ecuador, A Field Guide  •  Paul Greenfield  •  Robert Ridgely FIELD GUIDE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 740 PAGES Ecuador has its own field guide -- a comprehensive, exhaustively researched handbook to nearly 1,600 species featuring 96 glorious color plates, all by Paul Greenfield. Two decades in the making, it's an indispensable companion for birdwatching in Ecuador (and adjacent countries). It also weighs in at four pounds. With detailed range maps and descriptions of each species by Bob Ridgely. The same authors have published an accompanying guide to the status, distribution and taxonomy of the birds of Ecuador available separately (EDR07), or as a set (EDR 14). (EDR08, $55.00)
Birds of Northern South America, Two Volume Set  •  Robin Restall FIELD GUIDE •  2006 •  PAPER  • 1536 PAGES The two companion volumes of this extensive and detailed guide not only provide detailed accounts of every known bird species in the region from Ecuador to French Guiana but also, for the first time, illustrate virtually every plumage variation in full color. With an astounding 6,400 color illustrations and 2308 maps. The Field guide (SAM103) is also available separately. (SAM104, $150.00)
Birds of Northern South America, Vol. 1: Identification, Distribution and taxonomy  •  Robin Restall  •  Miguel Lentino NATURAL HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 880 PAGES A monumental undertaking, this comprehensive guide covers 2,308 species of birds found from Ecuador to French Guiana. This companion volume contains extensive species accounts, with information on habitat, vocalization, nomenclature, and the latest taxonomy. Color plates and distribution maps are published separately in Volume 2 (SAM104), intended as a field guide. Robin Restall is executive director, Clemencia Rodner is research associate, and Miguel Lentino is scientific director at the Phelps Institute for Ornithological Studies, Caracas, Venezuela. (SAM102, $95.00)
Birds of Northern South America, Vol. 2: Field Guide  •  Robin Restall  •  Clemencia Rodner  •  Roger Williams FIELD GUIDE •  2006 •  PAPER  • 656 PAGES Designed for use in the field, this Identification Guide (Volume 2 of the monumental Birds of Northern South America), features Robin Restall's exquisitely detailed paintings, along with range maps and brief notes on identification integrated on facing pages. With an astounding 6400 color paintings (illustrating many birds in a variety of plumages) and 2308 maps. It covers all of Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana (including offshore islands) and can be used (with caution warn the authors) in Northern Peru and Brazil. Birders in the Amazon will welcome this book. (SAM103, $65.00)
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)
Brazil and Uruguay Map  •  Auto Mapa MAP A regional map of Brazil and Uruguay from Rio south to Montevideo and Buenos Aires at a good scale of 1:2.5 million. It includes basic city plans of Sao Paulo, Rio and Curitiba. Published in Argentina. (BZL08, $11.95)
Brazil in Focus, A Guide to the People, Politics, and Culture  •  Jan Rocha GUIDEBOOK •  2000 •  PAPER  • 100 PAGES Authoritative and up-to-date, this slim guide focuses on the history of Brazil, its cultural heritage and current political, environmental and economic challenges. With maps, photographs and some travel information. It's an excellent synopsis from an unabashedly left-leaning perspective, strong on facts. (BZL03, $12.95)
Brazil Map  •  Borch Maps 2006 •  MAP A handy folded, laminated map of Brazil at a scale of 1:4,000,000. (BZL17, $11.95)
The Brazil Reader: History, Culture, Politics  •  Robert M. Levine  •  John J. Crocitti CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1999 •  PAPER  • 525 PAGES • COMING IN A diverse selection of letters, interviews, excerpts and other documents from early colonization to contemporary literature, this book is an excellent overview of the history and culture of Brazil. Each selection and author is introduced by the editors. Half the book is devoted to contemporary issues. (BZL12, $25.95)
Brazil: Amazon & Pantanal, Travellers' Wildlife Guides  •  Les Beletsky  •  David Pearson FIELD GUIDE •  2005 •  PAPER  • 500 PAGES A comprehensive guide and handbook to the flora, fauna and habitats of Brazil, with a focus on the Amazon and Pantanal. An Ecotravellers' Wildlife Guide, the book features color illustrations of commonly encountered birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and insects. The 100 color plates feature 90 species of amphibians and reptiles, 310 birds, 70 mammals, 30 insects and 50 common trees and plants. Second Edition. (BZL30, $27.95)
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)
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)
A Field Guide to Medicinal and Useful Plants of the Upper Amazon  •  James L. Castner  •  Stephen L. Timme  •  James A. Duke FIELD GUIDE •  1998 •  PAPER  • 154 PAGES This photographic guide to identification focuses on the practical uses of common plants of the tropical forest. Many of the 120 species illustrated and described grow along the Medicinal Plant Trail at ACEER outside Iquitos. (AMZ39, $38.00)
A Field Guide to the Birds of Peru  •  James Clements  •  Noam Shany  •  Dana Gardner  •  Eustace Barnes FIELD GUIDE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 283 PAGES A comprehensive field guide to the birds of Peru with color plates by Eustace Barnes and Dana Gardner illustrating almost 1,800 species. It covers the diversity of birds and habitats from the Amazon to Andes and Pacific coast. Admirably compact, short descriptions of each species focus on identification, habitat and distribution. With a gazetteer of localities and both English and Spanish names. You can preview (and buy) examples of the color plates at the artist's website: gardnerbirds.com. (PRU21, $60.00)
Footprint Cuzco & the Inca Heartland Handbook  •  Ben Box  •  Stephen Frankham GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  PAPER  • 352 PAGES Comprehensive and up-to-date, this exceptional guide covers Cuzco and surroundings, including the Inca Trail, Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley, Tambopata, Manu Park and Lima in detail. (PRU46, $23.95)
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 Trinidad and Tobago  •  Richard Ffrench FIELD GUIDE •  1991 •  PAPER  • 426 PAGES A specialized, comprehensive guide to the birds of Trinidad and Tobago with handsome color illustrations and nine additional full-page portraits of trogons, motmots, tanagers and other showy birds of the islands. The guide covers 433 species and includes introductory chapters on biogeography, climate, vegetation and conservation. (CRB16, $39.95)
A History of Brazil  •  E. Bradford Burns HISTORY •  1993 •  PAPER  • 579 PAGES • COMING IN A wide-ranging social, intellectual and cultural history of Brazil. (BZL02, $26.00)
A House for Mr. Biswas  •  V.S. Naipaul LITERATURE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 564 PAGES With accolades by the likes of Paul Theroux and an introduction by Ian Baruma, this novel comes with a well deserved pedigree. Described as Dickensian in scope, it tells the story of an outsider struggling to find a place for himself in the complex society of Trinidad. Like all of Naipaul's work, it has as its subtext issues of race, class and his own family background. Poor Mr. Biswas finally gets his house in this comic masterpiece. (CRB20, $15.95)
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)
Insight Guide Brazil  •  Insight Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER  • 383 PAGES This handsome guide is a profusely illustrated overview of the country, featuring concise essays by well regarded authors on natural history, politics and culture. With hundreds of photos and excellent maps. (BZL01, $22.95)
Insight Guide Peru  •  Insight Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  PAPER  • 368 PAGES In its hallmark style, this guide brings Peru to life in hundreds of color photographs and vividly written essays by a team of experts. Panoramic in scope, the book takes us from the crowded streets of Lima to famed archeological sites, providing genuine insight into a complex land and people. Its chapters include a history of the Incas, daily life in the Andes, the author and politician Mario Vargas Llosa and an overview of people of the Amazon. With some travel information. (PRU01, $22.95)
Insight Guide Venezuela  •  Insight Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2002 •  PAPER  • 378 PAGES A profusely illustrated overview of the country, featuring concise essays by well regarded authors on natural history, politics and culture. With hundreds of photos, and dozens of excellent maps. (VNZ01, $23.95)
Jaguars and Electric Eels  •  Alexander von Humboldt LITERATURE •  2007 •  PAPER  • 112 PAGES A bestseller in its day (Darwin carried a copy), Humboldt's original account of his travels throughout South America was published in three volumes between 1814 and 1829. This judicious excerpt from Humboldt's Personal Narrative focuses on a three-month expedition from the coast of Venezuela up the Orinoco River over the Casiquiare to the Rio Negro. Known today as the Humboldt Route, it's still an adventure. (AMZ108, $10.00)
The Jungle and the Damned  •  Hassoldt Davis  •  Lawrence Millman EXPLORATION •  2000 •  PAPER  • 306 PAGES Hassoldt's tale of exploring French Guiana with his adventurous new wife, originally published in 1952. Quite a honeymoon! Their adventures include a visit to the penal colony at Devil's Island and an absorbing account of a exploratory canoe trip 300 miles up the Maroni River to the border with Brazil. An adventurer, storyteller and personality, Hassldt (1907-1959) wrote a series of tales, this classic returned to print thanks to the good efforts of Lawrence Millman, who provides the introduction. (SAM55, $16.95)
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)
La Doctora, The Journal of an American Doctor Practicing Medicine of the Amazon River  •  Linnea Smith TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 238 PAGES Those of you who have visited the Amazon Center for Environmental Eduaction and Research foundation may have met Dr. Linnea and seen her Clinica Yanamono near the Explorama Lodge in the upper Amazon of Peru. This is her insightful, heartfelt and funny memoir of life in the region. (AMZ43, $16.95)
Life in the Treetops, Adventures of a Woman in Field Biology  •  Margaret Lowman BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2000 •  PAPER  • 219 PAGES The sprightly memoir of a biologist who, with her feet planted firmly on the ground, took to the trees in 1979. A pioneer in the ecology of forest tree canopies, Meg Lowman climbs, studies and sleeps in trees for a living. She's also a popular lecturer on trips to the Amazon and Director of Research and Conservation at Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota. She's remarkably frank in this engaging memoir about balancing her multiple roles as as scientist, woman, wife and mom. (AMZ57, $13.95)
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)
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)
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)
Measuring the World, A Novel  •  Daniel Kehlmann  •  Carol Brown Janeway LITERATURE •  2007 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES Irreverant, playful and based, at least in part, on the lives and work of two great German scientists, this witty bestselling novel skips from Berlin in 1828, when Alexander von Humboldt and Carl Friedrich Gauss meet as old men at a scientific congress in Berlin, to youthful Humboldt's travels in the Orinoco and Ecuadorian Andes. (GER202, $14.95)
The Middle Passage, The Caribbean Revisited  •  V.S. Naipaul TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 232 PAGES A brilliant, insightful writer born in Trinidad, Naipaul is well prepared to discuss the fascinating cultural mix of the region. Modeled after the travelogues of the 19th century writer Anthony Trollope, the book is part character sketch, part commentary and part travels. It's a classic. With chapters on Trinidad, British Guiana (Guyana), Surinam, Martinique and Jamaica. (CRB11, $14.95)
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)
Northern South America Map  •  Reise & Verkehrsverlag MAP A map of the northern half of South America, at a scale of 1:4,000,000. (SAM31, $15.95)
One River, Explorations and Discoveries in the Amazon  •  Wade Davis TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1997 •  PAPER  • 537 PAGES Wade Davis has written a lyrical, meticulously researched book of discovery. One River is both a biography of his mentor, the director of the Harvard botanical museum Richard Schultes, and the story of his own botanical adventures throughout South America with colleague Tim Plowman. It's a sprawling tale of explorers, botanical secrets, and larger-than-life personalities. This unconventional book is, in part, a testimonial to Schultes, a legendary teacher and explorer who single-handedly created the discipline of ethnobotany. More than that, it's a magnificently written chronicle of five decades of botanical exploration (including some pretty wild experiments with native hallucinogens). (AMZ22, $17.00)
Peru Map  •  Borch Maps 2007 •  MAP A detailed laminated relief map of Peru at a scale of 1:1,750,000. This is a very clear, colorful map, which also features detailed insets of Lima and Cusco, and even a site plan of Maccu Picchu. Peru itself is broken into three sections: North, Central, South. (PRU02, $10.95)
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)
Reptiles and Amphibians of the Amazon  •  R.D. Bartlett  •  Patricia Bartlett FIELD GUIDE •  2003 •  PAPER  • 448 PAGES A convenient guide to 250 colorful and commonly encountered snakes, lizards, turtles, frogs and salamanders of the Amazon Basin, each with clear color photographs and descriptive information. The Bartlett team, who lead trips to the Amazon, has written a series of book on the care of herps as well as a guide to the reptiles and amphibians of Florida. (AMZ84, $29.95)
Rio de Janeiro Map  •  Borch Maps 2006 •  MAP A laminated road map of Rio de Janeiro at a scale of 1:13,000. (BZL25, $8.95)
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)
Rough Guide Brazil  •  David Cleary GUIDEBOOK •  2003 •  PAPER  • 736 PAGES This comprehensive guide includes an excellent historical and cultural overview of Brazil, with special attention to its natural history. It's a detailed travel guide with region-by-region descriptions. The outstanding British Rough Guide series provides a keen sense of life for the locals -- and isn't so "rough" after all. (BZL09, $24.95)
Saudades Do Brasil, A Photographic Memoir  •  Claude Levi-Strauss CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1995 •  HARD COVER  • 224 PAGES These photographs by the great structural anthropologist, dating from the 1930s, are not just beautiful but an invaluable record of life in Sao Palo and the Amazon. (BZL04, $60.00)
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)
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)
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)
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)
Travelers' Tales Brazil  •  Annette Haddad TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2004 •  PAPER  • 400 PAGES A collection of stories, articles and excerpts on Brazil -- an excellent introduction to the people, culture and traditions of the country as seen through the eyes of modern writers. (BZL06, $18.95)
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)
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)
With Broadax and Firebrand, The Destruction of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest  •  Warren Dean HISTORY •  1997 •  PAPER  • 504 PAGES A vivid, scholarly environmental history of Brazil from early settlement through the 1990s. Once extending along the coast of much of Brazil, the coastal forest has been burned, cleared and cut down to make way for Brazil's largest cities, mining, farming and industrialization. (BZL31, $29.95)
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)