Welcome!

Enrich Your Travels with Longitude

We've got the classic, new and hard-to-find books and maps to help you get the most out of your adventures.

SIGN UP FOR

Longitude News

Get our monthly e-mail update

GET A

Catalog

BEST OF 2011

Wild Coast

John Gimlette

SEE ALL >

FOR THE HOLIDAYS

To the Arctic

Florian Schultz

SEE ALL >

OUR FAVORITES

Arctic Dreams

Barry Lopez

SEE ALL >

GLOBES

The Pioneer

Replogle

SEE ALL >

INDIA'S GARHWAL HIMALAYA

More Books

Aami in America, A Pilgrimage of the Heart


by Broughton Coburn

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 1996
  • PAPER

An account of a coast-to-coast tour in the company of an 84-year-old nepalese woman. (USA11, $14.95)

Adventures With the Buddha, A Buddhism Reader

Adventures With the Buddha, A Buddhism Reader


by Jeffery Paine

  • RELIGION
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 410 PAGES

Paine chooses nine influential 19th and 20th century western adventurers and their travels in China, Tibet, Nepal and India for this riveting tale of religion, adventure and enlightenment. (REL12, $16.95)

Among Flowers, A Walk in the Himalaya

Among Flowers, A Walk in the Himalaya


by Jamaica Kincaid

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 208 PAGES

An atmospheric account of celebrated writer and gardener Jamaica Kincaid's journey to Nepal and the Himalayas with a small team of botanists. (HML62, $10.95)

Ancient Futures, Learning from Ladakh

Ancient Futures, Learning from Ladakh


by Dalai Lama | Peter Matthiessen | Helena Norberg-Hodge

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 2009
  • PAPER
  • 226 PAGES

Norberg-Hodge documents her community work and changes from traditional ways of life; she has lived and worked in Ladakh since 1975. (HML24, $16.95)

Annapurna Map

Annapurna Map


by Nelles

  • MAP

A map of the Annapurna hiking region at scale of 1:100,000 with major features, color shading and contour lines. (NPL32, $17.95)

Annapurna, A Trekker's Guide

Annapurna, A Trekker's Guide


by Kev Reynolds

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2012
  • PAPER
  • 288 PAGES
  • COMING IN OCTOBER

A practical guide to trekking in the region with route maps, village plans and concise information on preparations, what to see and do. (NPL29, $22.95)

Annapurna, A Woman's Place

Annapurna, A Woman's Place


by Arlene Blum

  • EXPLORATION
  • 1998
  • PAPER
  • 247 PAGES

This account of the historic 1978 climb celebrates the first American ascent of Annapurna by a team of 13 women. The climbers were also, notably, the first women to scale any of the world's 8,000 meter-peaks. (HML30, $19.95)

Annapurna, The Epic Account of a Himalayan Conquest and its Harrowing Aftermath

Annapurna, The Epic Account of a Himalayan Conquest and its Harrowing Aftermath


by Maurice Herzog

  • EXPLORATION
  • 2010
  • PAPER
  • 256 PAGES
  • FAVORITE

Conrad Anker provides a new foreword for this new 60th-anniversary edition of Maurice Herzog's classic, dictated from his hospital bed in Paris. French minister of youth and sport in the 1960s and former mayor of Chamonix, Herzog recovered nicely (he's 102 in 2011). (HML07, $16.95)

An Area of Darkness

An Area of Darkness


by V.S. Naipaul

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 2002
  • PAPER
  • 267 PAGES

A reflective, personal account of Naipaul's travels in India in 1962 -- a portrait of a time and place and searing, honest chronicle of the country during transition. (IDA13, $14.95)

The Art and Architecture of the Indian Subcontinent


by J.C. Harle

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 1994
  • PAPER
  • 616 PAGES

A scholarly survey of the art and architecture of not only India but also of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. (IDA60, $40.00)

Lonely Planet Trekking in the Indian Himalaya

Lonely Planet Trekking in the Indian Himalaya


by Garry Weare

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2009
  • PAPER
  • 300 PAGES

This guide, now in its fifth edition, is great for both practical trail information and general historical and cultural background on the region. Filled throughout with maps and detailed descriptions of treks. (IDA241, $24.99)

The Art of the Imperial Cholas


by Vidya Dehijia

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 1990
  • HARD COVER

This introduction to Chola art is adapted from a series of lectures and organized chronologically. (IDA104, $41.50)

The Autobiography of an Unknown Indian

The Autobiography of an Unknown Indian


by Nirad C. Chaudhuri

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 2001
  • PAPER
  • 560 PAGES

One of the great works of modern Indian literature, reissued in 2001. It's at once the story of Chaudhuri's youth in rural Bengal and Calcutta and the story of modern India's origins; a masterpiece steeped in time and place. (IDA196, $19.95)

An Autobiography, Or the Story of My Experiments with Truth

An Autobiography, Or the Story of My Experiments with Truth


by Mohandas K. Gandhi

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 1995
  • PAPER
  • 480 PAGES

There is no substitute for reading Gandhi in his own simple, direct prose. A highly recommended glimpse into the personality and life of this remarkable figure. (IDA163, $10.95)

Banaras


by Diana L. Eck

  • HISTORY
  • 1999
  • PAPER
  • 448 PAGES

This history of the holiest and oldest of Indian cities, the home of Shiva, encompasses many millennia of Buddhist and especially Hindu practices along the Ganges. (IDA211, $29.50)

Baumgartner's Bombay

Baumgartner's Bombay


by Anita Desai

  • LITERATURE
  • 2000
  • PAPER
  • 240 PAGES

The tale of Hugo Baumgartner, a Jewish businessman who flees to India to escape persecution. (IDA245, $13.95)

Beneath a Marble Sky, A Love Story

Beneath a Marble Sky, A Love Story


by John Shors

  • LITERATURE
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 344 PAGES

Built to mourn the tragic death of the emperor's wife, the Taj Mahal is at the center of this murderous, fantastical and dazzling tale, told from the point of view of daughter Princess Jaharana. (IDA301, $15.00)

Hindi, Start Speaking Today!

Hindi, Start Speaking Today!


by Educational Services Corporation

  • LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS
  • CASETTE TAPE

A 90-minute crash course in Hindi featured in two audio tapes and a phrasebook. The course follows the foreign service method, focusing on whole dialogues and sentences. (IDA142, $24.95)

Beyond the Sky and the Earth

Beyond the Sky and the Earth


by Jamie Zeppa

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 1999
  • PAPER
  • 303 PAGES

Zeppa's memoir of her time as teacher in a remote village shows her growing love and commitment to the people and culture. (BHU08, $16.00)

Bhagavad Gita, A New Translation

Bhagavad Gita, A New Translation


by Stephen Mitchell

  • LITERATURE
  • 2000
  • PAPER
  • 176 PAGES

A lyrical translation and introduction to the Gita, an ancient Hindu poem. Mitchell's translation aims for the literary qualities of the original. (IDA170, $14.00)

Bhubaneswar: From a Temple Town to a Capital City


by Ravi Kalia

  • HISTORY
  • 1995
  • HARD COVER
  • 256 PAGES

A scholarly analysis of the building of the new capital of the Indian state of Orissa. (IDA135, $45.00)

Bhutan Map

Bhutan Map


by ITMB

  • 2008
  • MAP

A double-sided traveler's map at an excellent scale of 1:380,000. (BHU06, $12.95)

Big Cats

Big Cats


by Seymour Simon

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 1994
  • PAPER
  • 40 PAGES
  • YOUNG READERS (Age 4-8)

A full-color introduction to the life of big cats around the world, including the tiger, lion, leopard, puma, cheetah, jaguar, and snow leopard. Intended for children ages 4-8. (BST46, $6.99)

The Big Cats and Their Fossil Relatives, An Illustrated Guide to Their Evolution and Natural History


by Alan Turner | Mauricio Anton

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 2000
  • PAPER
  • 256 PAGES

A thoroughly researched guide to modern felines and their ancestors. (BST50, $26.95)

Blue Guide Southern India

Blue Guide Southern India


by George Michell

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 1998
  • PAPER
  • 576 PAGES

The usual comprehensive Blue Guide treatment of the art and culture of South India, with 90 maps and site plans. (IDA94, $25.95)

The Book of Indian Birds

The Book of Indian Birds


by Salim Ali

  • FIELD GUIDE
  • 1997
  • PAPER
  • 412 PAGES
  • OUT OF PRINT

The 12th editon of this classic field guide to the birds of the plains, foothills, wetlands, and seacoast of the Indian subcontinent, published in India and authored by one of its pre-eminent ornithologists. Organized by bird family, each species is illustrated in color. (IDA45, $34.50)

Born Into Brothels


by Zana Briski | Children of Calcutta

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2005
  • HARD COVER
  • 104 PAGES

A companion to the award-winning documentary of the same name, this charming book displays the beautiful photography of eight children growing up in Calcutta's red light district. (IDA269, $35.00)

Brahma's Pushkar, Ancient Indian Pilgrimage


by Aman Nath | Rajan Kapoor

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2006
  • HARD COVER
  • 204 PAGES
  • OUT OF PRINT

The myth, history, ancient rites and legends surrounding Pushkar, its pilgrims, traders, and visitors are documented in nearly 500 color photographs and illuminating text. (IDA304, $55.00)

The Buddhist Handbook

The Buddhist Handbook


by John Snelling

  • RELIGION
  • 1992
  • PAPER
  • 345 PAGES

Subtitled, "The Complete Guide to Buddhist Schools, Teaching, Practice and History, " this even-handed book is a concise primer covering the history, philosophical foundation and practice of Buddhism. (ASA08, $19.95)

Buddhist Himalayas

Buddhist Himalayas


by Olivier and Danielle Follmi | Mattieu Ricard

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 424 PAGES

A big, beautiful celebration of the Himalayas, featuring 185 richly colored, often double-page photographs and essays by Mattieu Ricard. (HML53, $32.95)

Calcutta Map


by Bharat Graphics

  • MAP

A folded map of Calcutta, shown at a scale of 1:85,000. (IDA155, $6.95)

The Camphor Flame, Popular Hinduism and Society in India


by C.J. Fuller

  • RELIGION
  • 1992
  • PAPER
  • 306 PAGES

A comprehensive study of contemporary Hinduism and Indian society. (IDA90, $24.95)

The Child and the State in India


by Myron Weiner

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 1991
  • PAPER
  • 213 PAGES

A thought-provoking no-nonsense evaluation of education and child labor in India. (IDA40, $32.95)

City of Joy

City of Joy


by Dominique La Pierre

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 1985
  • PAPER
  • 544 PAGES

An epic of love, heroism, and hope set among the dispossessed, and those who have sacrificed all to help them, in the slums of Calcutta. (IDA25, $7.99)

The Climb, Tragic Ambitions on Everest

The Climb, Tragic Ambitions on Everest


by Anatoli Boukreev

  • EXPLORATION
  • 1998
  • PAPER
  • 297 PAGES

An eyewitness account of the 1996 tragedy by Russian mountaineer Anatoli Boukreev. (HML29, $7.99)

Come with Me to India, On a Wondrous Voyage through Time


by Sudha Koul

  • HISTORY
  • 1997
  • PAPER
  • 225 PAGES
  • HARD TO FIND ELSEWHERE

An informal -- and brief -- survey of Indian cultural history, written with the author's very American(ized) daughters in mind. (IDA47, $15.50)

Conflict Unending


by Sumit Ganguly

  • HISTORY
  • 2002
  • PAPER
  • 200 PAGES

An in-depth study of the turbulent relationship between India and Pakistan since independence in 1947, with a focus on Kashmir. (IDA223, $29.00)

Crafts of Kasmir, Jammu & Ladakh


by Jaya Jaitly

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 1990
  • HARD COVER
  • 227 PAGES
  • OUT OF PRINT

A gorgeous introduction to the diversity of crafts, people and societies of High Asia. (HML27, $45.00)

Culture Shock! India


by Gitanjali Susan Kolanad

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 296 PAGES

A lively introduction to modern Indian culture and manners. (IDA141, $17.99)

The Dancing Girl


by Hasan Shah

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 1993
  • PAPER
  • 112 PAGES

The realistically rendered tale of love for a dancing girl who entertained the British Army in colonial India, originally written in 1790. (IDA61, $9.95)

Daughter of the Ganges, The Story of One Girl's Adoption and her Return Journey to India


by Asha Miro

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 274 PAGES

An Indian woman recounts her 1960s adoption by a Catalan family and her 2003 visit to her home country to uncover her native roots, a personal journey during which she discovered her rural home town and a sister she never knew. (IDA299, $19.95)

The Death of Vishnu, A Novel

The Death of Vishnu, A Novel


by Manil Suri

  • LITERATURE
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 304 PAGES

A vibrant, richly drawn debut novel, set in a colorful apartment house in the author's native Bombay. (IDA197, $14.95)

Delhi Map


by Bharat Graphics

  • 1999
  • MAP

A folded map of Delhi, shown at a scale of 1:200,000. Imported from India. (IDA150, $6.95)

Dharma's Daughters: Contemporary Indian Women and Hindu Culture

Dharma's Daughters: Contemporary Indian Women and Hindu Culture


by Sara Mitter

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 1991
  • PAPER
  • 198 PAGES

An insightful, many-layered social history of women in the author's adoptive India. (IDA38, $22.95)

The Dragon in the Land of Snows

The Dragon in the Land of Snows


by Tsering Shakya

  • HISTORY
  • 2000
  • PAPER
  • 606 PAGES

A comprehensive account of the history and political development of Tibet since 1947, which includes eye-opening details of the American, British and Indian players involved in Tibet's struggle for sovereignty. (TBT32, $18.00)

Encountering God: A Spiritual Journey from Bozeman to Banaras

Encountering God: A Spiritual Journey from Bozeman to Banaras


by Diana L. Eck

  • RELIGION
  • 1994
  • PAPER
  • 259 PAGES

With its wide geographic and spiritual scope, and combination of the personal and scholarly, this book is a fascinating introduction to religion, and the author. (IDA78, $20.00)

The End of a Trail, The Cheetah in India


by Divyabhanusinh Chavda

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 272 PAGES

A historical study of the cheetah in India, where it is now extinct. (IDA140, $75.00)

An End to Suffering, The Buddha in the World

An End to Suffering, The Buddha in the World


by Pankaj Mishra

  • RELIGION
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 320 PAGES

A personal and informative exploration of the life of Buddha and the history of Buddhism. (IDA242, $18.00)

Epic, Stories of Survival from the World's Highest Peaks

Epic, Stories of Survival from the World's Highest Peaks


by Clint Willis

  • ANTHOLOGY
  • 1997
  • PAPER
  • 342 PAGES

A terrific collection of great writing about mountaineering. (HML37, $17.95)

Escape from Kathmandu

Escape from Kathmandu


by Kim Stanley Robinson

  • LITERATURE
  • 2000
  • PAPER
  • 320 PAGES

The four interconnected stories in this laugh-out-loud novel include the (mis)adventures of two young Americans with a Yeti, international espionage, mountain climbing of the highest sort and a quest for Shangri-La. (NPL41, $18.99)

Everest, A Mountaineering History

Everest, A Mountaineering History


by Walter Unsworth

  • EXPLORATION
  • 2000
  • HARD COVER
  • 736 PAGES
  • OUT OF PRINT

A classic history of mountaineering, updated through 1998 for this third edition. (NPL38, $45.00)

Everest, A Trekker's Guide

Everest, A Trekker's Guide


by Kev Reynolds

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 255 PAGES

A brief pocket guide to seven treks in the Everest region (including one in Tibet) with sketch maps, good general information and a few photographs. (NPL45, $22.95)

Everest, Mountain Without Mercy


by Broughton Coburn

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 2003
  • PAPER
  • 256 PAGES

Spectacularly photographed, this book is an account of the making of the IMAX film on Everest, including an account of the 1996 disaster. (HML20, $24.00)

Everest, the West Ridge

Everest, the West Ridge


by Thomas F. Hornbein

  • EXPLORATION
  • 1980
  • PAPER
  • 194 PAGES

A vivid, moving personal account of the American expedition to Everest in 1963. (HML10, $19.95)

Family Matters

Family Matters


by Rohinton Mistry

  • LITERATURE
  • 2003
  • PAPER
  • 444 PAGES

An aging professor comes to live with his daughter, her husband and their two children in a cramped Bombay apartment in Mistry's moving, and often comic, tale. (IDA214, $15.95)

The Far Pavilions


by M. M. Kaye

  • LITERATURE
  • 1997
  • PAPER
  • 960 PAGES

A tale of love, adventure and war set during the British Raj in India, culimating with the Indian Mutiny and the Second Afghan War. (IDA195, $21.99)

Fasting, Feasting


by Anita Desai

  • LITERATURE
  • 2000
  • PAPER
  • 228 PAGES

A well-constructed and deeply disturbing story of a sister and brother in a middle-class Indian family. Dull Uma is constrained to live at home and totally controlled by her parents, whereas bright Arun is helped to achieve academically and goes abroad to America. An eye-opening view into cultural differences and the Indian experience at home and abroad. (IDA172, $13.95)

Father India, Westerners Under the Spell of an Ancient Culture


by Jeffrey Paine

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 1999
  • PAPER
  • 324 PAGES

A very interesting book that explores the fascination that India has exerted on writers, politicians and other vistors. (IDA165, $14.95)

A Fine Balance

A Fine Balance


by Rohinton Mistry

  • LITERATURE
  • 1997
  • PAPER
  • 624 PAGES
  • FAVORITE

Set in Indira Gandhi's "Emergency Raj" of 1975 in an unnamed Indian "city by the sea," which bears a striking resemblance to Bombay, this tender novel follows the intermingled fortunes of a Parsi widow, her boarder and two tailors. (IDA92, $17.00)

First Under Heaven, The Art of Asia


by Hali Publications

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 1997
  • HARD COVER
  • 196 PAGES

The fourth Hali Annual, a showcase of textiles and decorative arts throughout Asia (ASA19, $78.00)

Footprint Goa Handbook

Footprint Goa Handbook


by Annie Dare

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 240 PAGES

A sturdy guide in the practical Footprint series with background information on the history and culture of Goa. (IDA266, $19.95)

Footprint India Handbook

Footprint India Handbook


by Annie Dare | David Stott

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2009
  • PAPER
  • 1616 PAGES

A comprehensive gudie to India with practical travel detail on where to go and what to do. (IDA138, $29.95)

Footprint Rajasthan Handbook

Footprint Rajasthan Handbook


by Matt Barrett

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 352 PAGES

This wonderfully informative guide in the practical Footprint series includes background information on the his-tory, attractions and culture of Rajasthan. (IDA267, $24.95)

Freedom Song

Freedom Song


by Amit Chaudhuri

  • LITERATURE
  • 2000
  • PAPER
  • 448 PAGES

This three-novella volume contains Chaudhuri's finest work to date -- in particular "A Strange and Sublime Address," his evocation of childhood in Calcutta. (IDA217, $14.00)

Funny Boy

Funny Boy


by Shyam Selvadurai

  • LITERATURE
  • 1997
  • PAPER
  • 320 PAGES

Building a complex portrait through detail of family, society and place, this prize-winning novel is a gay coming of age story set in contemporary Sri Lanka. Splendidly written. (SRL01, $14.00)

Gandhi, His Life and Message for the World

Gandhi, His Life and Message for the World


by Louis Fischer

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 1991
  • PAPER
  • 200 PAGES

A classic biography of Gandhi, still one of the most readable, lively, and interesting books on the subject. (IDA162, $7.99)

Geography of Religion: Where God Lives, Where Pilgrims Walk

Geography of Religion: Where God Lives, Where Pilgrims Walk


by Susan T. Hitchcock | John Esposito | Desmond Tutu | Mpho Tutu

  • RELIGION
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 416 PAGES

A handsomely photgraphed tour of the five major world religions and the places that each one holds most sacred. (REL05, $24.00)

Ghosts of Everest, The Search for Mallory & Irvine


by Jochen Hemmleb | Eric Simonson | Larry Johnson

  • EXPLORATION
  • 2001
  • PAPER
  • 208 PAGES
  • OUT OF PRINT

You may have seen the pictures. This is the illustrated, comprehensive account of the successful expedition to determine the fate of George Mallory, who disappeared on Mt. Everest in 1924. (HML39, $24.95)

The Glass Palace

The Glass Palace


by Amitav Ghosh

  • LITERATURE
  • 2002
  • PAPER
  • 474 PAGES

In this panoramic novel full of tales and anecdote, Ghosh follows the lives and fortunes of Rajkumar and his family over three eventful generations in Burma, India and Malaysia. (IDA173, $15.00)

The God of Small Things

The God of Small Things


by Arundhati Roy

  • LITERATURE
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 336 PAGES

This luminous, Booker-prize winning novel is part mystery, part family saga -- a tale of lost innocence set in Kerala during the tumult of the 1960s. (IDA31, $16.00)

The Great Hill Stations of Asia

The Great Hill Stations of Asia


by Barbara Crossette

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 1998
  • PAPER
  • 272 PAGES

A modern tour of the mountain enclaves of colonial Asia -- appreciative, magnificently researched and engaging. (ASA13, $16.00)

Heaven's Command: An Imperial Progress


by Jan Morris

  • HISTORY
  • 2002
  • PAPER
  • 554 PAGES
  • HARD TO FIND ELSEWHERE

A wonderful portrait of early (pre-1897) British colonial rule in India, Central Asia, Africa and elsewhere. Morris weaves historical accounts, character studies, and much imagination into this readable, compelling tale. (IDA20, $38.95)

Henri Cartier-Bresson in India

Henri Cartier-Bresson in India


by Henri Cartier-Bresson

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 1995
  • PAPER
  • 128 PAGES

Cartier-Bresson's dramatic images of India, taken between 1947 and 1967, capture the reality of ordinary life there. (IDA295, $29.95)

Himalayan Passage, Seven Months in the High Country of Tibet, Nepal, China, India, & Pakistan

Himalayan Passage, Seven Months in the High Country of Tibet, Nepal, China, India, & Pakistan


by Jeremy Schmidt

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 1992
  • PAPER
  • 336 PAGES

National Geographic Expert Jeremy Schmidt and photographer Patrick Morrow recount their circumnavigation of the Himalayas, accompanied by their wives. Their journey by bike, truck and foot across Tibet, Nepal, China, India and Pakistan is illustrated with 32 pages of color photographs. (HML05, $18.95)

Himalayan Quest, Ed Viesturs on the 8,000-Meter Giants


by Ed Viesturs

  • EXPLORATION
  • 2009
  • PAPER
  • 176 PAGES

A photographic chronicle of the first American to scale all 14 peaks above 8,000 meters without the use of supplemental oxygen. (HML63, $21.95)

Himalayan Voices, An Introduction to Modern Nepali Literature

Himalayan Voices, An Introduction to Modern Nepali Literature


by Michael Hutt

  • ANTHOLOGY
  • 1991
  • PAPER
  • 280 PAGES

A collection of 20th-century Nepali poetry and short fiction, much of it translated into English for the first time. This anthology offers insight into Nepal's literary traditions, society and culture. (HML35, $28.95)

Hindoo Holiday

Hindoo Holiday


by J.R. Ackerley

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2000
  • PAPER
  • 300 PAGES

Ackerley traipses across India as the English tutor to a handsome and extravagantly homosexual maharajah in this comic, beautifully written novel masquerading as a travelogue. (IDA115, $17.95)

Hindu Art

Hindu Art


by T. Richard Blurton

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 1993
  • PAPER
  • 239 PAGES

A beautifully large paperback of excellent quality, this book is a good introduction to the complexities of Indian painting, sculpture and sacred architecture. (IDA35, $35.00)

Hinduism, A Very Short Introduction


by Kim Knott

  • RELIGION
  • 2000
  • PAPER

An introduction to the beliefs and practice of Hinduism, and a consideration of its influence in India and around the world. (IDA329, $11.95)

The Holder of the World

The Holder of the World


by Bharati Mukherjee

  • LITERATURE
  • 1994
  • PAPER
  • 304 PAGES

A daring novel of ideas, travel and history. Mukherjee interweaves the story of a modern American researcher with the travels of her 17th-century ancestor who roamed through Mughal India. (IDA190, $15.00)

The Idea of India

The Idea of India


by Sunil Khilnani

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 1999
  • PAPER
  • 263 PAGES

Khilnani confronts the complexities, paradoxes and challenges of the nation in this brief, elegant survey of India since independence. (IDA160, $17.00)

In Exile from the Land of Snows, The Dalai Lama and Tibet Since the Chinese Occupation

In Exile from the Land of Snows, The Dalai Lama and Tibet Since the Chinese Occupation


by John Avedon

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 1994
  • PAPER
  • 391 PAGES
  • OUT OF PRINT

Avedon's masterful, passionate cris de coeur, still the best book on the subject, shows the lives of the Tibetan people at home and in exile since the Chinese takeover in 1950 through the eyes of its leaders, monks and regular people. (TBT04, $16.95)

India Briefing, A Transformative Fifty Years


by Marshall Bouton | Philip Oldenburg

  • HISTORY
  • 2000
  • PAPER
  • 336 PAGES

A primer on the political issues facing modern India. (IDA204, $38.95)

India East Map

India East Map


by Nelles

  • MAP

A detailed regional map of eastern India, from just east of Delhi through all of Nepal, at a scale of 1:1,500,000. (IDA123, $13.95)

India Map

India Map


by ITMB

  • 2009
  • MAP

The most detailed shaded relief map (at a scale of 1:2,100,000) of India available. (IDA18, $12.95)

India Modern, Traditional Forms and Contemporary Design


by Herbert J.M. Ypma

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 1997
  • PAPER
  • 240 PAGES

A history of modern Indian design and its origins. (IDA186, $29.95)

India Modern, Traditional Forms and Contemporary Design (Pocket Edition)

India Modern, Traditional Forms and Contemporary Design (Pocket Edition)


by Herbert J.M. Ypma

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 2000
  • PAPER
  • 240 PAGES

A pocket-history of modern Indian design and its origins. (IDA187, $12.95)

India North Map

India North Map


by Nelles

  • MAP

A regional map of northern India scaled at 1:1,500,000, with excellent topographic detail and insets of Delhi, Agra, Zanskar & Ladakh. (IDA124, $13.95)

India Northeast Bangladesh Map

India Northeast Bangladesh Map


by Nelles

  • MAP

This regional map (1:1,500,000) covers Arunchal Pradesh, Assam and adjoining Tibet, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Burma. (IDA98, $13.95)

India South Map

India South Map


by Nelles

  • 2008
  • MAP

A colorful regional map of India south of Mumbai at a scale of 1:1,500,000. (IDA69, $13.95)

India Unbound

India Unbound


by Gurcharan Das

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 2002
  • PAPER
  • 432 PAGES

In this pleasant and readable narrative, acclaimed journalist and author Gurcharan Das weaves his personal story into the larger context of India's recent history, discussing at length the economic and political issues facing the nation. (IDA144, $17.00)

India West Map

India West Map


by Nelles

  • 2010
  • MAP

A detailed regional map including Delhi, Agra, Jaipur and Rajasthan. Scaled at 1:1,500,000, with insets of Delhi and Mumbai. (IDA73, $13.95)

India, A Concise History

India, A Concise History


by Francis Watson

  • HISTORY
  • 2002
  • PAPER
  • 200 PAGES

An illustrated history in the fine series from Thames & Hudson. (IDA139, $18.95)

India, A History

India, A History


by John Keay

  • HISTORY
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 608 PAGES

A sweeping history of India from early settlement in the Indus Valley around 2000 B.C through ancient civilizations, Hindu, Christian and Muslim traditions, Mughal pomp, colonial rule, independence and the heady challenges of modern democracy. (IDA175, $19.95)

India, A Mosaic

India, A Mosaic


by Robert B. Silvers | Barbara Epstein

  • HISTORY
  • 2001
  • PAPER
  • 320 PAGES

A collection of nine exemplary essays from the New York Review of books that tackle the issues of contemporary India's culture, politics and society. (IDA153, $14.95)

India, Emerging Power


by Stephen Philip Cohen

  • HISTORY
  • 2002
  • PAPER
  • 280 PAGES

A critical assessment of India as a world power by a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. Cohen looks especially at the relations between India and Pakistan and China, as well as the United States. (IDA263, $22.95)

India, From Midnight to the Millennium

India, From Midnight to the Millennium


by Shashi Tharoor

  • HISTORY
  • 1998
  • PAPER
  • 392 PAGES

Tharoor tackles religious differences, his upbringing in the south of India, his own experiences as a "Non-resident Indian," and a great deal of history in this sweeping, narrative history of the last 50 years. (IDA106, $14.95)

Indian Art

Indian Art


by Vidya Dehejia

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 1998
  • PAPER
  • 448 PAGES

A beautifully illustrated, very readable history of Indian art and architecture. It considers the religious and intellectual contexts of three thousand years of Indian art, including the modern era. (IDA185, $27.95)

Indian Art, A Concise History

Indian Art, A Concise History


by Roy C. Craven

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 1997
  • PAPER
  • 256 PAGES

This convenient volume in the acclaimed "World of Art" series is a crisp, illustrated overview of the range of Indian art over the centuries. (IDA16, $21.95)

Indian Balm, Travels Amongst Fakirs And Fire Warriors


by Paul Hyland

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 320 PAGES

Hylands perceptive, witty account of travels along the Godavari in Andhra Pradesh. (IDA287, $18.95)

Indian Embers


by Lady Rosamund Lawrence

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 1991
  • HARD COVER
  • 397 PAGES

First published in 1949, this travelogue is a classic account of a journey through India. (IDA54, $22.95)

Indian Subcontinent Map

Indian Subcontinent Map


by Nelles

  • MAP

A map of all of India as well as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and parts of Tibet, China and Burma, at a scale of 1:4,500,000. (IDA271, $13.95)

Indira

Indira


by Katherine Frank

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 2002
  • HARD COVER
  • 448 PAGES

A controversial biography of Indira Gandhi. (IDA199, $35.00)

The Inheritance of Loss

The Inheritance of Loss


by Kiran Desai

  • LITERATURE
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 336 PAGES

Alternating between a once grand household in northern India and the life of the cook's son in New York, this novel by the marvelous and wise Desai skewers the aspirations and reality of both worlds. (IDA303, $14.95)

Insight Guide India

Insight Guide India


by Insight Guides

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 496 PAGES

An illustrated overview of India, with essays on its attractions, history, nature and culture. Includes introductions to the major temples, forts and wildlife sites, and plenty of color photos and maps. (IDA19, $24.99)

Insight Guide Sri Lanka

Insight Guide Sri Lanka


by Insight Guides

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2010
  • PAPER
  • 296 PAGES

An illustrated overview of Sri Lanka with essays on its attractions, history and culture complemented by many pictures and maps. (SRL02, $23.99)

Interpreter of Maladies

Interpreter of Maladies


by Jhumpa Lahiri

  • LITERATURE
  • 1999
  • PAPER
  • 160 PAGES

In these nine stories, Lahiri captures the experience of Indians and first-generation Indian-Americans as their marriages shift and fall apart, and their families are threatened by miscarriages, infidelity and the trials of assimilation. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize. (IDA243, $15.95)

Into Thin Air, A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster


by Jon Krakauer

  • EXPLORATION
  • 1997
  • HARD COVER
  • 256 PAGES

A best-selling, minute-by-minute account of the 1996 disaster on Everest. (HML08, $28.00)

Into Thin Air, A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster

Into Thin Air, A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster


by Jon Krakauer

  • EXPLORATION
  • 1999
  • PAPER
  • 360 PAGES

In this bestseller, climber and journalist Krakauer reconstructs a minute-by-minute account of what went wrong on the great mountain in 1996. (HML13, $15.00)

An Introduction to Hinduism


by Gavin D. Flood

  • RELIGION
  • 1996
  • PAPER
  • 359 PAGES

A comprehensive overview of the Hinduism, from the basic principles and tenets of the religion to modern variations and controversies. (IDA315, $30.00)

Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism

Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism


by John Powers

  • RELIGION
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 591 PAGES

A comprehensive study of the history and philosophy behind Tibetan Buddhism, suitable for the general reader. (TBT40, $22.95)

Jaipur: The Last Destination

Jaipur: The Last Destination


by Samar Singh Jodha | Aman Nath

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 2006
  • HARD COVER
  • 224 PAGES
  • OUT OF PRINT

A gorgeous tribute to Jaipur, its art, architecture and heritage, featuring stunning color photographs of citadels, palaces, theaters, art, textiles and mosaics, archival prints and drawings, and accompanying text. (IDA109, $95.00)

Jewel in the Crown

Jewel in the Crown


by Paul Scott

  • LITERATURE
  • 1998
  • PAPER
  • 462 PAGES

The first book in Scott's addictive Raj Quartet, set in British India in 1942, is a rousing, psychologically complex tale of English colonial rule. (IDA66, $20.00)

Jewish Portraits, Indian Frames: Women's Narratives from a Diaspora of Hope


by Jael Silliman

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2003
  • PAPER
  • 208 PAGES

A scholarly yet sentimental account of the longstanding female Jewish community in Calcutta. (IDA244, $22.95)

A Journey in Ladakh

A Journey in Ladakh


by Andrew Harvey

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2000
  • PAPER
  • 236 PAGES

The vivid account of a 1981 journey by a young English poet in search of ancient Buddhist traditions in remote Ladakh. (HML15, $18.95)

K2, Triumph and Tragedy

K2, Triumph and Tragedy


by Jim Curran

  • EXPLORATION
  • 1997
  • PAPER

This is a tense account of disaster on the world's second highest mountain in 1986. The author was on the mountain when 13 climbers in 9 different expeditions died. (PKN05, $15.00)

Ka, Stories of the Mind and Gods of India


by Roberto Calasso | Tim Parks

  • LITERATURE
  • 1999
  • PAPER
  • 464 PAGES

A challenging collection of stories based on traditional Hindu myths. (IDA168, $16.00)

Kali's Child, The Mystical and Erotic in the Life and Teachings of Ramakrishna


by Jeffrey J. Kripal

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 1998
  • PAPER
  • 386 PAGES

A scholarly analysis of the life and thought of a 19th century Bengali mystic and modern saint. (IDA112, $35.00)

Karma Cola, Marketing the Mystical East


by Gita Mehta

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 1994
  • PAPER
  • 193 PAGES

A witty, often poignant satire on the exploitation of both Westerners and Indians through tourism. (IDA136, $13.95)

Khumbu Himal (Everest) Map

Khumbu Himal (Everest) Map


by Nelles

  • 1999
  • MAP

An trekkers map of the Mt. Everest region. (NPL33, $13.95)

Kim


by Rudyard Kipling

  • LITERATURE
  • 1995
  • HARD COVER
  • 304 PAGES
  • FAMILY

Kipling's classic novel about an orphaned boy traveling the Grand Trunk Road with a Tibetan Lama, suffused with a sense of place and keen insights into colonial India. (IDA52, $21.00)

Kim

Kim


by Rudyard Kipling

  • LITERATURE
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 432 PAGES

For the sheer pleasure of its prose, insight into the British in India and its extraordinary sense of place, you can't do better than Kipling's classic novel about a boy who travels the Grand Trunk Road with the Dalai Lama. (IDA65, $9.00)

Kim


by Rudyard Kipling

  • LITERATURE
  • 1983
  • LARGE PRINT
  • 448 PAGES

The enduring tale of Kimball O'Hara, an orphan boy who, through happenstance, travels the Grand Trunk Road with a Tibetan Lama. (IDA116, $27.99)

Ladakh, Crossroads of High Asia


by Janet Rizvi

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 1998
  • PAPER
  • 328 PAGES

The standard, authoritative survey of the culture, society and economy of remote Ladakh. (HML26, $35.00)

Langtang, Gosainkund & Helambu, A Treker's Guide


by Kev Reynolds

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 1996
  • PAPER
  • 256 PAGES

One in a series of Himalayan guides by Kev Reynolds, this one covers 22 treks and hikers in the region north of Kathmandu. (NPL30, $15.95)

Life and Death on Mt. Everest, Sherpas and Himalayan Mountaineering

Life and Death on Mt. Everest, Sherpas and Himalayan Mountaineering


by Sherry B. Ortner

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2001
  • PAPER
  • 376 PAGES

A vividly written, scholarly study of the relationship between the Sherpas and the mountaineers who come to "conquer" the Himalayas. (TBT33, $29.95)

Lives of Indian Images


by Richard H. Davis

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 1999
  • PAPER
  • 350 PAGES

An insightful study of how Indian religious images take on lives of their own. (IDA91, $39.95)

Lonely Planet India

Lonely Planet India


by Tony Wheeler

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 1229 PAGES

A comprehensive practical guide to India geared for independent travelers. (IDA44, $31.99)

Lonely Planet South India & Kerala

Lonely Planet South India & Kerala


by Lonely Planet | Lonely Planet Publications

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 534 PAGES

Featuring maps, a good overview of culture, history and nature, and information on accommodations, excursions and sightseeing. (IDA188, $25.99)

Love and Longing in Bombay

Love and Longing in Bombay


by Vikram Chandra

  • LITERATURE
  • 1998
  • PAPER
  • 272 PAGES

Five transfixing stories in five different genres, united in setting and authorship by the contemporary wizard of the human condition, Vikram Chandra. (IDA216, $19.99)

Love in a Different Climate, Men Who Have Sex with Men in India


by Jeremy Seabrook

  • RELIGION
  • 1999
  • PAPER
  • 184 PAGES

Sexual identity and politics in India. (IDA113, $25.00)

Mahabhrata


by William Buck | B. A. Van Nooten

  • LITERATURE
  • 2000
  • PAPER
  • 451 PAGES

An introduction and retelling of one of the greatest Hindu epics. (IDA167, $24.95)

Maharanis, A Family Saga of Four Queens

Maharanis, A Family Saga of Four Queens


by Lucy Moore

  • HISTORY
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 368 PAGES

Moore captures the passion, complexities and power of four influential women in this family saga covering the history of India from 1911 to Independence. (IDA309, $16.00)

Mahatma Gandhi and his Apostles


by Ved Mehta

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 1977
  • PAPER
  • 288 PAGES

A vivid examination of the life and work of Gandhi by novelist Ved Mehta. (IDA21, $30.00)

Malgudi Days

Malgudi Days


by R. K. Narayan

  • LITERATURE
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 272 PAGES
  • FAVORITE

Wonderful tales about a fictional South Indian town, populated by quirky characters whose unique approaches to tradition and modernity are the stuff of great short stories. (IDA59, $15.00)

Man-Eaters of Kumaon


by Jim Corbett

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 1993
  • PAPER
  • 214 PAGES

The memoirs of a turn-of-the-century hunter-turned-conservationist who was much loved in India. (HML12, $19.95)

Mantles of Merit: Chin Textiles from Myanmar, India and Bangladesh


by David Fraser | Barbara Fraser

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 2005
  • HARD COVER

An abundantly illustrated study of the textiles of the Chin peoples of southern and eastern Asia. With more than 600 color illustrations. (ASA46, $60.00)

Maximum City, Bombay Lost and Found

Maximum City, Bombay Lost and Found


by Suketu Mehta

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 528 PAGES

The tale of the author who, after a 21-year sojourn in New York, returns to his native Bombay, "the biggest, fastest, richest city in India." (IDA252, $17.00)

A Meeting by the River


by Christopher Isherwood

  • LITERATURE
  • 1999
  • PAPER
  • 160 PAGES

Two brothers meeting in India, one a bisexual capitalist and the other a Hindu monk. (IDA114, $16.95)

Memoirs of a Political Officer's Wife in Tibet, Sikkim, and Bhutan

Memoirs of a Political Officer's Wife in Tibet, Sikkim, and Bhutan


by Margaret D. Williamson

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 1987
  • PAPER
  • OUT OF PRINT

Williamson, the wife of a British political officer stationed in Gangtok in the 1930s, captures the culture, society and flavor of the region in this wonderfully personal account. (BHU05, $18.95)

Midnight's Children

Midnight's Children


by Salman Rushdie

  • LITERATURE
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 533 PAGES
  • FAVORITE

Crowned Best of the Booker in 2008, Rushdie's greatest novel is a madcap, comic take on the birth of modern India in all its splendid and unexpected manifestations. (IDA12, $16.00)

Mirrorwork, 50 Years of Indian Writing 1947-1997

Mirrorwork, 50 Years of Indian Writing 1947-1997


by Salman Rushdie | Elizabeth West

  • ANTHOLOGY
  • 1997
  • PAPER
  • 554 PAGES

A selection of 20th-century Indian prose, both fiction and non-fiction, compiled by Salman Rushdie and featuring work by Jawaharlal Nehru, R.K. Narayan, Satyajit Ray, Amit Chaudhuri and Vikram Seth. Published in celebration of India's 50 years of independence. (IDA293, $19.99)

Modern South Asia: History, Culture, Political Economy

Modern South Asia: History, Culture, Political Economy


by Ayesha Jalal | Sugata Bose

  • HISTORY
  • 2004
  • PAPER
  • 253 PAGES

This scholarly, brief history of India up to the 1990s is particularly good at its coverage of the post-Independence political landscape. It's a popular textbook, co-authored by a Pakistani and an Indian. (IDA192, $37.95)

Monkfish Moon

Monkfish Moon


by Romesh Gunesekera

  • LITERATURE
  • 1996
  • HARD COVER
  • 140 PAGES

In these stories Gunesekera sketches myriad characters, all of whom wonder "what's happened?" as they deal with the reality of a nation embroiled in Tamil-Sinhala strife. (SRL03, $16.95)

The Moor's Last Sigh

The Moor's Last Sigh


by Salman Rushdie

  • LITERATURE
  • 1997
  • PAPER
  • 435 PAGES

A sweeping family epic that tackles many of the most complex aspects about Indian culture. In his characteristically rich prose, Rushdie tells the history of India, set among the spice traders of Cochin. (IDA89, $16.00)

Mr. Sampath, The Printer of Malgudi

Mr. Sampath, The Printer of Malgudi


by R. K. Narayan

  • LITERATURE
  • 1981
  • PAPER
  • 220 PAGES

A handsome edition of one of Narayan's funniest tales, which features Mr. Sampath, the equanimious printer of a failing local newspaper. When the paper folds, Mr. Sampath finds his editor a new job as a scriptwriter for the movies, and hilarious hijinks ensue. (IDA182, $12.00)

Mt. Everest


by National Geographic

  • 1998
  • MAP

A gloriously detailed, birds-eye view of Everest by the cartographers at National Geographic. (NPL36, $19.99)

Much Maligned Monsters: A History of European Reactions to Indian Art


by Partha Mitter

  • HISTORY
  • 1992
  • PAPER
  • 376 PAGES

Mitter presents a fascinating history of Indian art and a parallel history of its fascinated European spectators, ranging from the early days of Asian exploration up through the twentieth century. (IDA285, $32.50)

The Mughal Empire

The Mughal Empire


by John F. Richards

  • HISTORY
  • 1996
  • PAPER
  • 320 PAGES

An admirably concise, scholarly history of the Mughal Empire (1526-1720) from early conquests through expansion and decline. Organized chronologically, the book includes chapters on both Jahangir and his son, creator of the Taj Mahal, Shah Jahan. (IDA210, $43.00)

Mughal India, Splendours of the Peacock Throne

Mughal India, Splendours of the Peacock Throne


by Valerie Berinstain | Paul Bahn

  • HISTORY
  • 1998
  • PAPER
  • 159 PAGES

This illustrated pocket guide presents the history, culture and splendor of the Mughal court and its celebrated architecture in hundreds of archival photographs and drawings. (IDA50, $15.95)

My Land and My People, The Original Autobiography of His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet

My Land and My People, The Original Autobiography of His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet


by Dalai Lama

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 1997
  • PAPER
  • 238 PAGES

The Dalai Lama recounts his life and struggle for an independent Tibet. It's one of the most remarkable stories of our time, simply and compassionately told. (TBT22, $13.95)

The Namesake

The Namesake


by Jhumpa Lahiri

  • LITERATURE
  • 2004
  • PAPER
  • 304 PAGES

An intricate and beautifully told tale, Lahiri follows the Ganguli family as they leave Calcutta and settle in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Now a feature film, directed by Mira Nair. (IDA292, $14.95)

National Geographic India

National Geographic India


by Louise Nicholson

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2010
  • PAPER
  • 400 PAGES

Veteran guidebook author Louise Nicholson teamed up with National Geographic photographers for this profusely illustrated travel guide. (IDA208, $27.95)

Nepal Map

Nepal Map


by Nelles

  • 2008
  • MAP

A double-sided map at a scale of 1:500,000, with insets of Kathmandu City and Kathmandu Valley. (NPL01, $13.95)

News from Tartary

News from Tartary


by Peter Fleming

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 1999
  • PAPER
  • 384 PAGES

Fleming's rousing account of a 3,500-mile jaunt from Peking to Sinkiang and on to India, a classic of imperial British wit and style. (CAS46, $18.95)

Of Tigers and Men

Of Tigers and Men


by Richard Ives

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 1997
  • PAPER
  • 304 PAGES
  • HARD TO FIND ELSEWHERE

A haunting, beautifully written tale of a man's quest to encounter tigers in the wild, and to understand the meaning of the threat of the tiger's extinction. Ives visits the forests of India, Thailand, and Sumatra. (IDA30, $12.50)

On a Shoestring to Coorg: An Experience of Southern India


by Dervla Murphy

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2006
  • HARD COVER
  • 261 PAGES

This tough Irish grandmother has made travel something of a cottage industry. Here's her first venture outside Europe, an insightful tale of her wanderings by bus and on foot through the mountainous province of Coorg in 1976. (IDA29, $27.95)

A Passage to India

A Passage to India


by E.M. Forster

  • LITERATURE
  • 1976
  • PAPER
  • 362 PAGES

Forster's enduring masterpiece of the clash between Indian and British culture gives gripping insights into British imperial attitudes and Indian colonial responses. (IDA26, $14.00)

A Passage to India


by E.M. Forster

  • 1997
  • CASETTE TAPE

(IDA67, $23.95)

Photographic Guide to Birds of the Himalayas

Photographic Guide to Birds of the Himalayas


by Bikram Grewal

  • FIELD GUIDE
  • 1999
  • PAPER
  • 144 PAGES

A pocket guide to 250 birds found from the foothills up to high elevations ranging from the Hindu Kush and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh in the Eastern Himalayas. With brief descriptive information, maps and 260 full-color illustrations. (HML31, $15.95)

Princely Rajasthan, Rajput Places and Mansions


by George Michell | Antonio Martinelli

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 2004
  • HARD COVER
  • 272 PAGES
  • OUT OF PRINT

This handsomely illustrated book, with text by architect and historian George Mitchell, showcases royal palaces, palace hotels, museums and mansions throughout Rajasthan, nicely balancing interior and exterior views. (IDA251, $65.00)

Rabindranath Tagore, An Anthology


by Rabindranath Tagore

  • ANTHOLOGY
  • 1998
  • PAPER
  • 416 PAGES

An excellent introduction to the work of the Bengali master, including essays, travel writing, poems, songs and an excerpt from his celebrate novel, The Home and the World. (IDA133, $22.99)

Raj, The Making and Unmaking of British India

Raj, The Making and Unmaking of British India


by Lawrence James

  • HISTORY
  • 2000
  • PAPER
  • 544 PAGES

An anecdotal, engrossing mostly military history of the East India Company. (IDA87, $24.99)

The Ramayana, A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic


by R. K. Narayan

  • LITERATURE
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 157 PAGES

Novelist Narayan's translation of the ancient Hindu epic of heroism, love and fate. (IDA311, $15.00)

Religions of Tibet in Practice

Religions of Tibet in Practice


by Donald S. Lopez, Jr.

  • RELIGION
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 421 PAGES

A collection of 36 essays and translated texts by scholars of Tibetan Buddhism, including selections on prayers, pilgrimages, death and ritual. (TBT16, $28.95)

The Rise of Islam and the Bengal Frontier, 1204-1760 (Comparative Studies on Muslim Societies, No 17)


by Richard M. Eaton

  • RELIGION
  • 1996
  • PAPER
  • 359 PAGES

Eaton provides a rich, scholarly account of why eastern Bengal (modern Bangladesh) became heavily Islamicized, wheras western Bengal did not. Examines the movement of the linguistic, agrarian and cultural frontiers of Bengal. (IDA169, $28.95)

A River Sutra

A River Sutra


by Gita Mehta

  • LITERATURE
  • 1994
  • PAPER
  • 291 PAGES

Set on the banks of a fictional Ganges, Mehta's evocative stories of a civil servant weave history, tradition, culture and religion. (IDA43, $14.95)

Road Guide to Calcutta


by Variety Book Depot

  • 1998
  • MAP

(IDA154, $5.95)

The Romantics

The Romantics


by Pankaj Mishra

  • LITERATURE
  • 2001
  • PAPER
  • 272 PAGES

The story of a Brahmin youth who travels to the holy city of Benares and falls in with a motley crew of westerners enamored of India. (IDA143, $16.00)

The Root and the Flower

The Root and the Flower


by L.H. Myers | Penelope Fitzgerald

  • LITERATURE
  • 2001
  • PAPER
  • 639 PAGES

A trilogy of historical novels about India in the time of the Mughals -- first published separately in the 1930s and now back in print as a single volume. (IDA191, $16.95)

Rough Guide India

Rough Guide India


by David Abram

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 1456 PAGES

Geared to the independent traveler, this Rough Guide combines an opinionated survey of culture and history with good information on sightseeing, food and accommodations. (IDA86, $29.99)

Rough Guide South India

Rough Guide South India


by Rough Guide

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 840 PAGES

This comprehensive guide balances an authoritative, succinct overview of history and culture with a superbly detailed roundup of attractions. (IDA93, $23.99)

The Royal Palaces of India

The Royal Palaces of India


by George Michell | Antonio Martinelli

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 1999
  • PAPER
  • 232 PAGES
  • OUT OF PRINT

An architectural survey of Hindu and Muslim fortresses and royal residences from the 12th century to the days of British colonial rule -- well-informed, comprehensive and handsomely illustrated with 250 color photographs. (IDA74, $39.95)

Ruby of Cochin, An Indian Jewish Woman Remembers


by Ruby Daniel

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 2001
  • PAPER
  • 211 PAGES

This fascinating memoir by a Cochin-born Jewish woman (who emigrated to Israel in her seventies) recalls the many pleasures and complications of Jewish life in India. (IDA184, $28.95)

Running in the Family

Running in the Family


by Michael Ondaatje

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 1993
  • PAPER
  • 207 PAGES

Award-winning author Ondaatje returns to his native Sri Lanka in this hypnotic travelogue. His lovingly traced family memoirs are interspersed with poetry and ruminations on the island's post-colonial history. (SRL04, $15.00)

Sacred Tibet

Sacred Tibet


by Philip Rawson

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 1991
  • PAPER
  • 96 PAGES
  • OUT OF PRINT

A concise, illustrated survey of Buddhist art in its religious, social and cultural context. (TBT18, $15.95)

Say It in Hindi

Say It in Hindi


by Veena T. Oldenburg

  • LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS
  • 1985
  • PAPER
  • 238 PAGES

A pocket phrasebook. (IDA81, $5.95)

Scoop-Wallah, Life on a Delhi Daily

Scoop-Wallah, Life on a Delhi Daily


by Justine Hardy

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2000
  • PAPER
  • 266 PAGES

A memoir of life in Delhi as a newspaper reporter. (IDA127, $18.00)

Sherpas, Reflections on Change in Himalayan Nepal

Sherpas, Reflections on Change in Himalayan Nepal


by James Fisher

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 1990
  • PAPER
  • 205 PAGES

A detailed study of the change that mountaineering brought to Sherpa society. (NPL13, $27.95)

The Sikhs

The Sikhs


by Patwant Singh

  • RELIGION
  • 2001
  • PAPER
  • 304 PAGES

The story of a people for the general reader. (IDA178, $19.00)

A Silence of Splendor


by Indu Sundaresan

  • LITERATURE
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 256 PAGES

Arriving in the west India state of Rudrakot where he hopes to find his idealistic brother, who went missing after joining the local struggle for independence from the British, wounded World War II army captain Sam Hawthorne finds his search complicated by his love for the daughter of a political agent. (IDA300, $15.00)

The Silk Road Journey with Xuanzang

The Silk Road Journey with Xuanzang


by Sally Wriggins

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2003
  • PAPER
  • 352 PAGES

A nicely illustrated account of an extraordinary, 16-year trek from Xi'an to India by way of Central Asia in search of the origins of Buddhism by Xuan-Zang, the famous 7th-century Chinese monk. (ASA31, $25.00)

Snakes and Ladders, Glimpses of Modern India

Snakes and Ladders, Glimpses of Modern India


by Gita Mehta

  • 1998
  • PAPER
  • 297 PAGES

Essays on contemporary India, culture, politics and personalities, by the profilic writer and thinker. (IDA68, $13.95)

The Snow Leopard

The Snow Leopard


by Peter Matthiessen

  • EXPLORATION
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 368 PAGES
  • FAVORITE

The most perceptive, acutely observed and personal of all his books, Matthiessen's account of a five-week journey through Nepal with naturalist George Schaller combines their quest for the elusive cat with a moving introduction to Buddhism and the people and culture of the Himalayas. (NPL03, $16.00)

The Snow Lion and the Dragon, China, Tibet and the Dalai Lama

The Snow Lion and the Dragon, China, Tibet and the Dalai Lama


by Melvyn C. Goldstein

  • HISTORY
  • 1997
  • PAPER
  • 130 PAGES

A brief history of the relationship of China and Tibet in the 20th century. Goldstein, a professor of history and expert on the region, includes a call for the United States to take an active role in mediating a diplomatic solution to the conflict. (TBT23, $21.95)

So Close to Heaven, The Vanishing Buddhist Kingdoms of the Himalayas

So Close to Heaven, The Vanishing Buddhist Kingdoms of the Himalayas


by Barbara Crossette

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 1996
  • PAPER
  • 297 PAGES
  • FAVORITE

Asia correspondent for the New York Times, Crossette portrays Bhutan and neighboring Ladakh and Sikkim as strongholds of Tantric Buddhism in an increasingly homogenized world. (NPL04, $16.00)

South Asia

South Asia


by Sumit Ganguly

  • HISTORY
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 256 PAGES

A scholarly history of modern South Asia, including India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. (IDA308, $21.00)

South Asia

South Asia


by Sumit Ganguly

  • HISTORY
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 256 PAGES

A scholarly history of modern South Asia, including India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. (IDA308, $21.00)

South Southeast

South Southeast


by Steve McCurry

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 2001
  • HARD COVER
  • 160 PAGES

A remarkable portfolio of striking photographs taken in and around Afghanistan, Burma, India, Pakistan and other sites in South and Southeast Asia over a long career. Saturated with color, light and evocative of daily life. (ASA34, $65.00)

Street Graphics India


by Barry Dawson

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 1999
  • PAPER
  • 112 PAGES

An excellent overview of the vibrant, ever-changing culture of modern, commercial India. (IDA122, $19.95)

Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal


by M.C. Joshi | Jean-Louis Nou | Amina Okada

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 1993
  • HARD COVER
  • 231 PAGES

This lavish portrait features 158 full-color photographs (including four magnificent foldout panels) by the extraordinary Jean-Louis Nou. With grand exterior views, filigreed inscriptions and bejeweled floral mosaics. (IDA108, $75.00)

This is India


by Shobita Punja

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 1998
  • HARD COVER
  • 176 PAGES

An oversize illustrated tribute to India. (IDA97, $39.95)

Tibet Map

Tibet Map


by Gizi Map

  • 2011
  • MAP

A colorful map of Tibet at a scale of 1:2,000,000. (TBT17, $16.95)

Tibetan Buddhism from the Ground Up, A Practical Approach for Modern Life

Tibetan Buddhism from the Ground Up, A Practical Approach for Modern Life


by B. Alan Wallace

  • RELIGION
  • 1993
  • PAPER
  • 214 PAGES

A straightforward primer on the essentials of Buddhism as practiced in Tibet. The book is the result of a lecture series introducing the practice of Buddhism to the general public. (TBT19, $15.95)

The Tiger Ladies, A Memoir of Kashmir


by Sudha Koul

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2002
  • PAPER
  • 224 PAGES

Koul interweaves the story of her Kashmiri family -- and especially of its women -- with tales of gods and goddesses, myths and cultural history, paying plenty of attention to the pleasures of food, fine textiles, and the life of the mind. (IDA207, $19.00)

Touching My Father's Soul, A Sherpa's Journey to the Top of Everest

Touching My Father's Soul, A Sherpa's Journey to the Top of Everest


by Jamling Tenzing Norgay | Broughton Coburn | Dalai Lama

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 2002
  • PAPER
  • 316 PAGES

A personal account of the business of Everest, the 1996 IMAX Expedition and, most significantly, of a son who is grappling with the legacy of a famous father. (NPL42, $15.99)

Train to Pakistan, A Novel

Train to Pakistan, A Novel


by Khushwant Singh

  • LITERATURE
  • 1990
  • PAPER
  • 226 PAGES

This novel, set during the violence following the 1947 creation of Pakistan by the British, follows the inhabitants of a fictional Punjab village. (IDA264, $14.95)

Travelers' Tales Nepal

Travelers' Tales Nepal


by Rajendra Khadka

  • ANTHOLOGY
  • 1997
  • PAPER
  • 400 PAGES
  • OUT OF PRINT

This anthology of travel writing on Nepal features mostly modern stories by Peter Matthiessen, Jan Morris and other great writers, local and foreign. (NPL16, $17.95)

A Traveller's History of India

A Traveller's History of India


by Sinharaja Tammita-Delgoda

  • HISTORY
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 288 PAGES

A condensed introduction to the themes and events that have shaped India from prehistory to Rajiv Gandhi's rule. (IDA57, $14.95)

Travels on My Elephant

Travels on My Elephant


by Mark Shand

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 1998
  • PAPER

A compelling tale of an 800-mile journey across India on the back of a 30-year-old elephant named Tara, this enjoyable tale of adventure features vivid descriptions of the countryside and people. (IDA08, $16.95)

Trekking in Ladakh

Trekking in Ladakh


by Charlie Loram

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2004
  • PAPER
  • 288 PAGES

A practical guide to trekking in this remote enclave, this book includes 50 maps, route descriptions, an overview of Leh and a section of color photographs. (HML25, $19.95)

Trekking in the Everest Region

Trekking in the Everest Region


by Jamie McGuinness

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2009
  • PAPER
  • 322 PAGES

A compact guide to treks in the Everest region featuring route maps, village plans and concise information on preparations. Fifth Edition (NPL31, $22.95)

Trekking Nepal, A Traveler's Guide

Trekking Nepal, A Traveler's Guide


by Stephen Bezruchka

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 448 PAGES

A respected guide covering route planning, national parks, health, where to go and what to do in Nepal. With an overview of the geography, history, religion and culture of the region. (NPL10, $29.95)

Untouchable

Untouchable


by Mulk Raj Anand | E. M. Forster

  • LITERATURE
  • 1990
  • PAPER
  • 160 PAGES

Referred to by some as his nation's answer to Charles Dickens, the author tackles India's caste system with urgency and conviction. (IDA180, $13.00)

The Vintage Book of Modern Indian Literature

The Vintage Book of Modern Indian Literature


by Amit Chaudhuri

  • LITERATURE
  • 2003
  • PAPER
  • 672 PAGES

An introduction to Indian fiction and poetry since 1850, including works both in translation and written originally in English. The authors span a century and a half of Indian letters, from Tagore and Bankim Chandra Chatterjee to Rushdie and Anita Desai. (IDA218, $21.00)

The Violet Shyness of Their Eyes

The Violet Shyness of Their Eyes


by Barbara J. Scot

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 288 PAGES

A heartfelt portrait of the Nepalese people and culture, resulting from the author's year teaching in Nepal. An excellent memoirist, Scot combines personal observation, thoughtful commentary and warmth. (HML14, $16.95)

West Bengal State Map


by MapLink

  • MAP

Detailed map of the Indian State of West Bengal, at a scale of 1:1,100,000. (IDA156, $6.95)

The Wheel of Life, The Autobiography of a Western Buddhist


by John Blofeld

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 1988
  • PAPER
  • 316 PAGES

Blofeld's ( (1913-1987) enchanting account of Buddhist worlds now largely vanished, including his life and travels in China, Tibet, Mongolia, India and Burma. (HML76, $30.00)

Wild India, The Wildlife of India and Nepal

Wild India, The Wildlife of India and Nepal


by Guy Mountefort | Gerald Cubitt

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 208 PAGES

An informative introduction to the natural history of the region in a handsome oversize volume. With hundreds of extraordinary photographs of the wildlife and landscapes of the Himalayas, the Indo-Ganges Plain and the Deccan. (IDA02, $29.95)

The Wisdom of the Buddha

The Wisdom of the Buddha


by Jean Boisselier

  • RELIGION
  • 1994
  • PAPER
  • 191 PAGES

A pocket-size primer of Buddhism, this book is an illustrated history of the sixth-century Indian prince and his quest for enlightenment. With 207 illustrations, 160 in full color. (IDA55, $12.95)

A Woman's Asia

A Woman's Asia


by Marybeth Bond

  • ANTHOLOGY
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 310 PAGES

These thirty-five personal, often hilarious accounts of women's adventures from China to Sri Lanka to Turkey to Bhutan, not only illuminating the everyday, oft-overlooked cultural practices of Asia, but also giving a glimpse into the thoughts and feelings of the female traveller. (ASA49, $17.95)

Women in a Tribal Community, A Study of Arunachal Pradesh


by Kiran Mishra

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 1991
  • HARD COVER
  • 100 PAGES

An in-depth look at the ways and rituals of the Nishing community in Arunachal Pradesh. (IDA125, $14.00)

The Wonder House

The Wonder House


by Justine Hardy

  • LITERATURE
  • 2007
  • HARD COVER
  • 386 PAGES

A vivid a sensual novel revolving around Gracie Singh, a Yorkshirewoman who has been living on a houseboat on Nagin since the death of her Indian husband. (IDA302, $24.00)

 

Longitude provides recommended reading for travelers in partnership with the leading tour operators and travel programs for hundreds of destinations worldwide. We've got the classic, new and hard-to-find books and maps to help you get the most out of your adventures.