501 Spanish Verbs  •  Christopher Kendris LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS •  2003 •  PAPER  • 600 PAGES The perennial favorite among students of Spanish, revised with a bonus CD-ROM. Organized alphabetically, each of the often irregular verbs gets its own page -- complete with all the verb tenses, examples and common idioms. The book is both a reference for Spanish speakers and a tool for beginners. Por que no hay como hablar Espanol sin verbos. O algo asi. (GEN134, $16.99)
The Amphibians and Reptiles of Costa Rica, A Herpetofauna Between Two Continents, Between Two Seas  •  Jay M. Savage  •  Michael Fogden  •  Patricia Fogden FIELD GUIDE •  2005 •  PAPER  • 934 PAGES A comprehensive handbook and guide to the reptiles and amphibians of Costa Rica, featuring 512 color plates, 396 maps and 335 line drawings. Not a identification guide for the field, this oversize book is a scientific overview of the ecology, behavior and evolution of Costa Rica's diverse reptiles and amphibians. With dichotomous keys, excellent introductory chapters and serious consideration of systematics. The book includes several sections of glorious color photographs. (CRC39, $47.50)
Amphibians and Reptiles of La Selva, Costa Rica, and the Caribbean Slope  •  Craig Guyer  •  Maureen A. Donnelly FIELD GUIDE •  2004 •  PAPER  • 420 PAGES This comprehensive guide, intended for the field, covers all the frogs, lizards, snakes, and other reptiles and amphibians of the Caribbean slope. (CRB177, $24.95)
The Art of Mesoamerica, from Olmec to Aztec  •  Mary Ellen Miller ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2006 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES Miller, a professor at Yale, introduces the range of art produced in Central America and Mexico from 1500 BC to the Spanish conquest in this excellent survey in the popular World of Art series. It's an excellent survey of hundreds of objects and sites of the pre-Columbian world, compact and profusely illustrated. With drawings, black-and-white photographs and site plans. Fourth edition. (MYA09, $21.95)
Birds of Tropical America  •  Steven Hilty NATURAL HISTORY •  2005 •  PAPER  • 312 PAGES An ornithologist and veteran leader of birding expeditions, Hilty serves up short essays on how to find and better appreciate the dizzying variety of neotropical birds, their habits and habitats, diversity and distribution in this favorite book. This is not a field guide, but rather a natural history and an introduction to antbirds, flycatchers, manikins and other typical bird families. With 11 lovely pencil illustrations by Mimi Hoppe Wolfe. Originally published in 1994, this new edition is updated with new references. (CAM39, $19.95)
The Buried Mirror  •  Carlos Fuentes CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1999 •  PAPER  • 399 PAGES A fascinating, illustrated survey of Latin American culture and history by the great Mexican author Carlos Fuentes. With hundreds of color illustrations. Fuentes hosted a television series by the same name. (SPN71, $29.95)
The Butterflies of Costa Rica and Their Natural History, Vol. 2  •  P. Devries FIELD GUIDE •  1997 •  PAPER  • 368 PAGES The second volume of Devries' comprehensive study of butterflies covers 250 species in the family Riodinidae. (CRC09, $55.00)
Central America, A Nation Divided  •  Ralph Lee Woodward HISTORY •  1999 •  PAPER  • 448 PAGES A balanced standard history of the region -- popular as a university textbook and thoroughly revised to reflect the momentous events in the region since 1976. With an extensive guide to further reading. (CAM80, $37.95)
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)
Coral Reef Fishes  •  Ewald Lieske  •  Robert Myers FIELD GUIDE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 400 PAGES A convenient handbook to shallow-water fishes associated with coral reefs throughout the Indo-Pacific and Caribbean, compact and comprehensive. With 2,500 illustrations covering 2,100 species worldwide. (DIV05, $24.95)
Costa Rica & Panama Map  •  World Mapping Project 2005 •  MAP A detailed, double-sided travel map of Costa Rica and neighboring Panama at a scale of 1:550,000. Using the latest cartography from the World Mapping Project, the full color map, printed on rip-proof and waterproof paper, includes topographic features, latitude and longitude, parks and preserves, index and key visitor attractions. Water depths are indicated by contour lines in shades of blue and white. (CAM111, $9.99)
Costa Rica Adventure Guide  •  Bruce & June Conord GUIDEBOOK •  2005 •  PAPER  • 360 PAGES A detailed, comprehensive practical guide to nature, culture and travel in Costa Rica. Bruce and June Conord, inveterate travelers with a specialty in Latin America, have also written the Adventure Guide to the Yucatan, Cancun and Cozumel. (CRC33, $17.99)
Costa Rica Highway and Road Map  •  Jimenez & Tanzi 2006 •  MAP A handsome and exceptionally clear map of Costa Rica at a scale of 1:500,000, with a locator map of protected areas, 10 city maps, distance chart and travel informartion (in Spanish and English). The maps also provides GPS coordinates. (CRC07, $11.95)
Costa Rica Reader: History, Culture, Politics  •  Steven Palmer  •  Ivan Molina ANTHOLOGY •  2004 •  PAPER  • 392 PAGES A lively, literate sourcebook on the politics, economy and society of Costa Rica, with selections ranging from historical accounts to newspaper articles, essays, memoir excerpts and modern analysis. Most of the 50 selections are written by Costa Ricans, much of it translated into English for the first time. A volume the excellent series of Latin American Readers, aimed at students, travelers and scholars. (CRC40, $24.95)
Costa Rica's National Parks and Reserves  •  Joseph Franke GUIDEBOOK •  1999 •  PAPER  • 237 PAGES A practical guide to the flora and fauna of Costa Rica focusing on its parks and preserves. It features profiles of Costa Rica's 40 protected areas, including sketch maps, practical directions and trail information. With introductory chapters on travel and natural history. (CAM04, $18.95)
The Costa Ricans  •  Richard Biesanz CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1988 •  PAPER  • 254 PAGES The people and social history of Costa Rica based on interviews conducted by Richard, Karen and Mavis Biesanz in the 1970s. It's a a good comprehensive overview of the country, somewhat dated and intended for a scholarly audience. (CRC17, $13.50)
Cruising Guide to the Leeward Islands  •  Chris Doyle  •  Nancy Scott GUIDEBOOK •  2004 •  PAPER  • 448 PAGES A convenient, spiral-bound guide to anchorages, harbors and navigation from Anguilla to Dominica, including GPS coordinates and sketch maps. (CRB132, $29.95)
Culture Smart! Costa Rica  •  Jane Koutnik GUIDEBOOK •  2006 •  PAPER  • 168 PAGES A concise, well-illustrated and practical guide to local customs, etiquette and culture. (CRC45, $9.95)
Eastern Caribbean Cruise Tour Guide  •  Coastal Cruise Tour Guides 2000 •  MAP A handy guide and booklet that unfolds to a six-foot-long full color map. Designed for the ship-based traveler, it features historical background, visitor attractions and maps of all the islands from Puerto Rico to Trinidad. (CRB135, $15.95)
The Ecology of a Tropical Forest, Seasonal Rhythms and Long-term Changes  •  Egbert G. Leigh, Jr NATURAL HISTORY •  1996 •  PAPER  • 503 PAGES A summary of research at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute on Barro Colorado Island (which is right in the middle of the Panama Canal). This book, first published in 1982 and revised with a new forward in 1996, is a good overview of the flora, fauna and ecology of the region. (CAM52, $35.00)
Eyewitness Guide Costa Rica  •  Eyewitness Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2005 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES This superb guide, divided geographically, features color photographs, dozens of excellent maps and a strong focus on wildlife. (CRC43, $25.00)
Field Guide to Mexican Birds  •  Roger Tory Peterson  •  Edward Chalif FIELD GUIDE •  1973 •  PAPER  • 298 PAGES This easy-to-carry field guide covers 1,000 birds that have been reported in Mexico, Belize and El Salvador but only illustrates those species not already included in one of the Peterson North American bird guides, which you may also want to carry. The guide also covers northwest Costa Rica. (FG12, $22.00)
A Field Guide to the Mammals of Central America & Southeast Mexico  •  Fiona Reid FIELD GUIDE •  1997 •  PAPER  • 400 PAGES A handsomely illustrated field guide to the mammals of the region from Tehuantepec to Panama. The author/illustrator, who lived and worked in Central America, painted most of the animals in the field -- a formidable challenge and -- given the quality of the large color plates -- well worth her while. With a dedication to one of our favorite wildlife artists, Guy Tudor, we knew this book had to be good. If you don't mind the heft, the focused geographic range and large color plates make this book the best resource for visitors to Central America with an interest in mammals. (CAM60, $59.95)
Flowering Plants of the Neotropics  •  Nathan Smith  •  Scott Mori  •  Andrew Henderson  •  Dennis Stevenson  •  Scott Heald FIELD GUIDE •  2004 •  HARD COVER  • 616 PAGES This beautifully illustrated, authoritative guide, with contributions by dozens of botanists, features 64 color plates and 250 detailed pen-and-ink drawings by Bobbi Angell. It's an excellent, oversize introduction to the showiest, most important and interesting flowering plants of Mexico, Central and South America edited by a team at the New York Botanical Garden. The cover is adorned with a magnificent passiflora. (CAM103, $95.00)
Fodor's Costa Rica  •  Fodor's GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  PAPER  • 352 PAGES A practical, frequently revised guide in the popular series, especially useful for its extensive annotated listings of suggested places to stay and eat. (CRC12, $19.95)
Footprint Mexico & Central America Handbook  •  Sarah Cameron  •  Ben Box GUIDEBOOK •  2006 •  PAPER  • 1364 PAGES The classic, comprehensive guide to the region, over 1,200 pages of densely printed information on excursions, food and accommodation throughout the region. Updated annually. An excellent planning guide, it includes maps and an overview of each country. (MEX64, $24.95)
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)
Frommer's Costa Rica  •  Eliot Greenspan GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER  • 371 PAGES A practical travel guide featuring excellent annotated listings of what to do and where to eat and sleep. With maps, color photos and suggested excursions. (CRC38, $19.99)
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)
Green Phoenix, Restoring Tropical Forests of Guanacaste, Costa Rica  •  William Allen SCIENCE •  2003 •  PAPER  • 336 PAGES In a welcome contrast to most of the news about the destruction of tropical rainforests, William Allen tells the story of the successful re-forestation of some 463 square miles of land and 290 miles of marine area in northwest Costa Rica: the Guanacaste Conservation Area. A team of both Costa Rican and American scientists came together to accomplish this feat, documented in vivid, compelling prose. (CAM77, $42.00)
A Guide to the Birds of Panama with Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Honduras  •  Robert Ridgely  •  J.A. Gwynne FIELD GUIDE •  1992 •  PAPER  • 534 PAGES A comprehensive field guide, recently updated and masterfully researched. This sturdy edition covers additional species occurring in Nicaragua, Honduras, and Costa Rica -- and a handy checklist by country. We like the descriptions and color plates better than "Birds of Costa Rica" (which is also very good). (CAM07, $49.95)
High Jungles and Low  •  Archie Carr BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1992 •  PAPER  • 226 PAGES • FAVORITE In this absorbing memoir, Carr tells of life in the Honduran highlands, where "the volcano-set Pacific shore is 60 miles to the south and the hot, lush, banana coast a hundred miles to the north." His account of slogging through the forest as a gun-toting tagalong on a commercial expedition in search of mahogany is classic. Though it takes place in Honduras, it's just as appropriate for a trip to any Central American jungle. (CAM01, $19.95)
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)
Inside Costa Rica  •  Tom Barry GUIDEBOOK •  1995 •  PAPER  • 176 PAGES These guides are an introduction to the history, culture and economics of the Central American republics. Each of the country guides is available separately. Published by a U.S. based non-profit organization with a left-leaning perspective, these books are concise, authoritative and up-to-date portraits. Don't expect color photographs and fancy prose -- but if you'd like a straightforward, fact-filled report, these books are essential. (CAM11, $11.95)
Insight Guide Costa Rica  •  Insight Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER  • 295 PAGES A comprehensive, illustrated survey of the country, this guide features essays by well regarded authors, hundreds of color photographs and excellent local maps. Much of the book is devoted to a survey of attractions. (CRC08, $22.95)
The Maya Tropical Forest: Peoples, Parks and Ancient Cities  •  James D. Nations HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 323 PAGES Jim Nations draws on field work in the region over the last 25 years in this personable, detailed overview of the people, history and wildlife of the lowland tropical forest of southern Mexico, Guatemala and Belize. With chapters on the Selva Lacandona (Chiapas), Calakmul (Chetumal), the Maya Biosphere reserve in Guatemala (including Tikal) and protected sites in Belize. (MYA49, $22.95)
Moon Handbook Costa Rica  •  Christopher P. Baker GUIDEBOOK •  2004 •  PAPER  • 820 PAGES A great resource for the independent traveler, this guide features a thorough introduction to the land, history and culture Costa Rica, as well as astonishing practical detail on getting around, where to go, and where to stay. It has a few unobtrusive color plates, as well as a small fold-out map on the inside back cover. (CRC06, $21.95)
The Mosquito Coast  •  Paul Theroux LITERATURE •  2006 •  PAPER  • 384 PAGES A taught psychological tale of a man who abandons civilization for the wilds of Honduras (much better than the movie!). Allie Fox defeats the mosquitoes, tames the river and swamp, and sets out to build an iceberg -- mostly as a monument to himself. (CAM34, $14.95)
National Geographic Traveler Costa Rica  •  Christopher P. Baker GUIDEBOOK •  2006 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES A guidebook to Costa Rica, published by National Geographic in their attractive, visual style. The guide features 200 photographs, 20 maps and good information history, nature, culture and travel in Costa Rica. By the indomitable Christopher Baker. (CRC26, $22.95)
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)
Nothing to Declare, Memoirs of a Woman Traveling Alone  •  Mary Morris TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 250 PAGES • FAVORITE An absorbing memoir of a woman traveling alone through Mexico and Central America. Morris, a favorite writer, evokes the people and places she visits on her travels in gritty immediate detail. Her travels include San Miguel de Allende, the Guatemalan Highlands, Bay Islands, and Nicaragua. (CAM08, $14.00)
The Panama Canal Map  •  Compass 2001 •  MAP A full color, double-sided map and historical guide to the Panama Canal. Brightly colored and rather schematic, it nonetheless features a good overview of the route of the canal, pictures and information. The map of the route is at a scale of 1:85,000. (CAM45, $9.95)
Peasants Against Globalization  •  Marc Edelman HISTORY •  1999 •  PAPER  • 308 PAGES A trenchant examination of the social movements staged by Costa Rican farmers in the 1980s and 90s. (CRC41, $27.95)
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)
Reef Fish Identification  •  Paul Humann FIELD GUIDE •  2002 •  FLEXI-BOUND  • 400 PAGES The serious underwater enthusiast will enjoy Paul Humann's Reef Fish Identification, a 400-page essential reference with 670 color photographs. It includes all the fishes associated with Atlantic Ocean reefs along with those of neighboring marine habitats and several first-ever photographs of elusive species. (DIV03, $39.95)
Rough Guide Central America  •  Peter Eltringham GUIDEBOOK •  2004 •  PAPER  • 896 PAGES A no-nonsense, comprehensive travel guide to Central America with country-by-country descriptions and a solid overview of history, culture and nature. It covers Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Panama. (CAM95, $22.99)
Rough Guide Costa Rica  •  Jean McNeil GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  PAPER  • 448 PAGES This compact guide includes an excellent historical and cultural overview of Costa Rica, paying special attention to its natural history. It's otherwise an opinionated, thorough 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. (CRC13, $21.99)
Sailor's Guide to the Windward Islands  •  Chris Doyle GUIDEBOOK •  2004 •  PAPER  • 400 PAGES A convenient, spiral-bound guide to anchorages, harbors and navigation from Granada north to Martinique. With GPS coordinates, color sketch maps, and a directory of services. (CRB134, $26.95)
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)
Snorkeling Guide to Marine Life  •  Paul Humann FIELD GUIDE •  1995 •  PAPER  • 80 PAGES A compact guide illustrating all the fishes, corals, invertebrates and plants you are most likely to encounter in less than 15 feet of water in the Caribbean. Humann's photographs are among the best we've seen for identification -- and its handy size makes it perfect to take along in the boat or to the beach. (DIV02, $14.95)
Spanish, Start Speaking Today! (Cassette Tapes)  •  Educational Services Corporation LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS •  CASETTE TAPE A 90-minute crash course in Spanish featured in two audio tapes and a phrasebook packaged in a vinyl sleeve. Geared for travelers, the course follows the foreign service method -- which focuses on dialogues and useful sentences instead of individual words. In each case, an English phrase is spoken once, and repeated in Spanish twice. Topics include introductions, transportation, business and health. A version with compact discs is also available (SPN219). (SPN140, $21.95)
Spirits of the Jaguar  •  BBC NATURAL HISTORY •  2006 •  DVD Billed as "The Definitive Portrait of the Land, Wildlife and Peoples of Central America, this four-part BBC television series is an excellent introduction to the region. It includes the programs: The Forging of a New World, Forest of the Maya, Hunters of the Caribbean Sea and The Fifth World of Aztecs. (CAM59, $19.98)
The Tapir's Morning Bath  •  Elizabeth Royte SCIENCE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 336 PAGES Subtitled "Mysteries of the Tropical Rain Forest and the Scientists Who Are Trying to Solve Them," this books is an engaging account of ecological research and ecologists at Barro Colorado Island, the Smithsonian Institution's Tropical Research Station in Panama. Royte, a journalist and research-assistant-at-large, is an entertaining and insightful guide to flora, fauna and science. (AMZ74, $14.00)
The True History of Chocolate  •  Sophie D. Coe  •  Michael Coe FOOD •  2007 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES A scholarly history of the fact and meaning of pre-Columbian chocolate by the husband and wife archaeologists Michael and Sophia Coe. Originating as a ceremonial beverage in ancient Olmec and Maya society, chocolate evolved from a food of the gods to the salons of Europe down through the masses to Hershey Pennsylvania. With illustrations and recipes. (CAM57, $21.95)
Ultimate Spanish, Basic-Intermediate with Book  •  Irwin Stern LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS •  2000 •  CASETTE TAPE A university-level Spanish course in a box, this set includes 40 short lessons on eight, 60-minute CDs and a 400-page accompanying text. The focus is on dialogues and conversation with attention paid to vocabulary and grammar. Most of the course features Latin American speakers with some Castillian variations in the lessons on Spain. With sections on business, etiquette and culture. Published by Living Language. (SPN175, $75.00)
The University of Chicago Dictionary, Spanish-English/English-Spanish  •  Carlos Castillo LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS •  2002 •  PAPER  • 603 PAGES Long a favorite with students and travelers, this new edition -- the first in 15 years -- of the University of Chicago dictionary brings vocabulary and usage up to date. With slang, vulgar and otherwise, a concise dictionary of words, phrases, and basic grammar. (SPN118, $11.00)
Volcanoes, Fire From the Earth  •  Maurice Krafft NATURAL HISTORY •  1993 •  PAPER  • 175 PAGES • COMING IN A volume in the acclaimed Discoveries series, this lavishly illustrated pocket-size encyclopedia is an overview of volcanoes and volcanology by the great French scientist (who died on the job on Mount Unzen in Japan in 1991). It's a history of our understanding of volcanoes, a profile of some of the most famous examples, and an excellent introduction to how they are formed. (GEO06, $12.95)
The Windward Road, Adventures of A Naturalist on Remote Caribbean Shores  •  Archie Carr NATURAL HISTORY •  1979 •  PAPER  • 266 PAGES Originally published in 1956, this book is a delightful record of people and islands. Nominally the story of his adventures in search of sea turtles, the book ranges over wide territory, including Tobago and Costa Rica. (CRB08, $16.95)