More Books

COLONIAL MEXICO & SAN MIGUEL
More Books

1491, New Revelations of Americas Before Columbus • Charles C. Mann HISTORY • 2006 • PAPER • 560 PAGES A thought-provoking, speculative history of the Americas before the arrival of the Europeans. Mann portrays the successes and failures of the complex societies of the Mississippi River, Central Mexico, the Andes and the Amazon. (WLD61, $16.95)
501 Spanish Verbs • Christopher Kendris LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS • 2010 • PAPER • 728 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)
Acapulco Map • Guia Roji MAP A folded city map of Acapulco at a scale of 1:20,000. Two Sides. 27x36 inches. (MEX83, $11.95)
Across a Hundred Mountains, A Novel • Reyna Grande LITERATURE • 2007 • PAPER • 266 PAGES This novel set in a small town in Mexico, California and a jail in Tijuana addresses issues of poverty, loss, family and immigration. (MEX161, $14.00)
An Album of Maya Architecture • Tatiana Proskouriakoff ARCHAEOLOGY • 2003 • PAPER • 164 PAGES A classic work, first published in 1946. Combining her talents as a scholar, artist and architect, Proskouriakoff presents breathtaking artistic reconstructions of what the Maya sites may have looked like more than 1,000 years ago. The text summarizes the archeological findings at each site. This gorgeous book evokes daily life at the sites. (MYA06, $19.95)
The Ancient Maya • Loa Traxler • Robert Sharer ARCHAEOLOGY • 2006 • PAPER • 892 PAGES In its sixth edition, this scholarly tome is a standard reference on everything Maya, an up-to-date descendent of the original by the pioneering archaeologist Sylvanus Morley. It includes individual site descriptions, maps -- and much else of interest to the general reader. We recommend it for the serious student. (MYA07, $37.95)
Ancient Maya, New Perspectives • Heather McKillop HISTORY • 2006 • PAPER • 460 PAGES An overview for the general reader. (MYA46, $22.95)
Animals and Plants of the Ancient Maya, A Guide • Victoria Schlesinger FIELD GUIDE • 2002 • PAPER • 400 PAGES A comprehensive guide to the natural and cultural history of 100 plants and animals of the Maya world, primarily those from the lowland tropical forest of Central America but also including savanna, mangrove and coral reef habitats. With handsome black-and-white line drawings throughout, key features for identification and good information about the habitat, natural history and cultural significance of each species. (MYA29, $29.95)
An Archaeological Guide to Central and Southern Mexico • Joyce Kelly ARCHAEOLOGY • 2001 • PAPER • 386 PAGES Designed for the independent traveler, this guide provides photos, site plans and descriptions of 70 archaeological sites and 60 museums throughout southern Mexico. Describing numerous Maya sites, such as Palenque, Teotihuacan and Yaxchilan, it contains general travel information, ratings for the attractions and road directions. (MEX137, $24.95)
Archaeological Mexico: A Traveler's Guide to Ancient Cities and Sacred Sites • Andrew Coe GUIDEBOOK • 2001 • PAPER • 450 PAGES A guide to 52 of the largest and best-known sites throughout Mexico, including an extensive section on the Yucatan peninsula. With history, travel information, site diagram and suggestions for touring each site. It's a useful overview of the archaeology of Mexico, which would have been much enhanced by more detailed site diagrams and additional photographs. The author is the son of Mayan scholar Michael Coe. (MEX63, $21.95)
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)
The Aztecs • Serge Gruzinski HISTORY • 1992 • PAPER • 192 PAGES A pocket-size encyclopedia in the acclaimed "New Horizons" series, this jewel of a book features hundreds of archival drawings and photographs, a chronology and long excerpts from contemporary accounts. It's a guide to the ancient monuments, the empire of the Aztecs and the history of the Spanish conquest and its aftermath. (MEX102, $15.95)
The Aztecs • Richard F. Townsend HISTORY • 2009 • PAPER • 248 PAGES This entry in the "Ancient Peoples and Places" series follows the Aztec civilization from its origins in the 12th century to its defeat at the hands of Cortes. It is a clear, well researched survey of the Aztecs' history and culture from a curator at the Art Institute of Chicago. Illustrated with maps, site plans and hundreds of photographs, it opens with a vivid account of the Spanish conquest. (MEX54, $24.95)
Backcountry Pilot, Flying Adventures with Ike Russell • Thomas Bowen ANTHOLOGY • 2002 • HARD COVER • 206 PAGES An anthology of anecdotes from the air, recounting dangerous flights and unbelievable adventures with Ike Russell, a bush pilot legendary among research scientists of the 60s and 70s. A fearless chauffeur, Ike would fly scientists to inaccessible corners of the globe (mostly in the desert regions of Mexico, but also East Africa, Madagascar and Tierra del Fuego), often under extreme circumstances. Among the writers featured are Bernard Fontana, Richard Felger and Paul S. Martin. (DES07, $29.95)
Barren, Wild and Worthless, Living in the Chihuahuan Desert • Susan J. Tweit CULTURAL PORTRAIT • 2003 • PAPER • 203 PAGES These seven personal essays celebrate the nature and culture of the Chihuahuan Desert. Tweit's topics of choice include ecology, conservation and immigration. (USW431, $17.95)
The Basic Book of Sea Kayaking • Derek C. Hutchinson GUIDEBOOK • 2007 • PAPER • 96 PAGES A brief guide to the fundamentals of sea kayaking by a leading authority, equally useful for the beginner and as a review for experienced paddlers. With 50 color illustrations. Hutchinson, a popular instructor and trip leader, is the author of four books on kayaking, including the essential guide to expedition kayaking. His "Complete Book of Sea Kayaking" is an expanded version of this same book. Every kayaker should have one or both of them in their library. (OCE54, $9.95)
Birder's Mexico • Roland H. Wauer NATURAL HISTORY • 1999 • PAPER • 304 PAGES A personal, informative account of travels in Mexico. It's a wonderful introduction to the natural history of this diverse country, including the northern deserts, Baja California, Oaxaca, Palenque and the Yucatan. Wauer was for many years chief naturalist of Big Bend National Park. (MEX14, $18.95)
Bordering on Chaos, Mexico's Roller-Coaster Journey to Prosperity • Andres Oppenheimer CULTURAL PORTRAIT • 1998 • PAPER • 379 PAGES The author, a reporter with the Miami Herald, brings excellent journalism, insight and historical background to this outstanding analysis of modern Mexico. It focuses on events since the Chiapas uprising and political upheavals of 1994, including an analysis of NAFTA. (MEX50, $19.99)
Breaking the Maya Code • Michael Coe ARCHAEOLOGY • 2011 • PAPER • 304 PAGES A broadly considered history. Michael Coe chronicles the centuries-long search for the "rosetta stone" of the Mayan language, a search which received an enormous boost in 1952 when Yuri Knorosov successfully translated the Dresden Codex, a Mayan bark-paper text. The book also includes an extensive discussion of Maya studies and political activism in the wake of Knorosov's discovery. (MYA30, $19.95)
The Broken Spears: The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico • Miguel Leon Portilla HISTORY • 1992 • PAPER • 196 PAGES The account of those vanquished by Cortes's invasion of Mexico, translated from Nauhuatl accounts. An essential complement/antidote to Diaz del Castillo's more extensive and romantic history. (MEX57, $18.00)
Chiapas Map • Guia Roji MAP A locally produced map of the Mexican state of Chiapas at a scale of 1:800,000. (MEX114, $7.95)
Chihuahua, Pictures From the Edge • Charles Bowden • Virgil Hancock CULTURAL PORTRAIT • 1996 • PAPER • 117 PAGES A visual celebration of the city with 40 vibrantly colored full-page plates, almost exclusively of street scenes, buildings and eye-popping advertisements. Charles Bowden provides an accompanying essay on the U.S.-Mexico border region. Those readers expecting a straight-forward travelogue will be disappointed but anyone with a love for color and politics and symbols and art will be intrigued. Published in cooperation with the University of Arizona Southwest Center. (MEX128, $29.95)
Chronicle of the Maya Kings and Queens, Deciphering the Dynasties of the Ancient Maya • Simon Martin • Nikolai Grube ARCHAEOLOGY • 2008 • PAPER • 240 PAGES The history of the Maya dynasties, encompassing biographies of 152 kings and queens, as gleaned from recently deciphered hieroglyphs. It's an unusual, rewarding book, illustrated in color and black-and-white. This new edition of the kingdom-by-kingdom history of the ancient Maya brings the story up to date with previously unknown rulers, new glyphic readings and additional information on diplomacy and warfare. (MYA31, $26.95)
The Cities of Ancient Mexico • Jeremy Sabloff ARCHAEOLOGY • 1997 • PAPER • 224 PAGES With 152 black-and-white photographs, illustrations and site diagrams, this portrait of ancient civilizations in Mexico features chapters on the Oaxaca Valley, Teotihuacan and Palenque. Written by a renowned Mayanist, it also includes insightful chapters on how archaeologists have reconstructed the past in Mexico. (MEX41, $18.95)
Coastal Kayakers Manual • Randel Washburne GUIDEBOOK • 1998 • PAPER • 256 PAGES An hands-on practical guide to safer and more enjoyable paddling, covering gear, skills -- and the common sense needed to avoid potentially dangerous situations. With black-and-white photographs and diagrams. (OCE56, $14.95)
The Code of Kings, The Language of Seven Sacred Maya Temples and Tombs • Linda Schele • Peter Mathews ARCHAEOLOGY • 1999 • PAPER • 432 PAGES A vivid guided survey of seven Maya sites, including Palenque, Tikal and Chichen Itza. This outstanding book features photos and line drawings throughout, and introductory chapters with a succinct introduction to Maya history and culture. Mayanists Schele and Mathews draw on recently found hieroglyphic writing to reveal the life -- and individual personalities -- of the ancient cities. Although it's not a beautiful book, marred by small print and lack of color, this book is still an essential companion to visiting Tikal, Palenque, Copan, Seibal, Chich'en Itza, Uxmal or Iximche'. (MYA13, $22.00)
The Columbian Exchange, Biological and Cultural Consequences • Alfred W. Crosby NATURAL HISTORY • 2003 • PAPER • 268 PAGES Crosby, a historian with an ecological perspective, explores the impact of Columbus' voyage on the ecosystems -- and people -- of the New World in this lively and provocative study. He looks not only at the disease and devastation wrought (much of it unintentional) by the Spaniards but also at the exchange and impact on crops, drugs and domesticated animals. 30th anniversary edition. (GEN21, $33.95)
The Complete Whitewater Rafter • Jeff Bennett REFERENCE • 1996 • PAPER • 196 PAGES A popular, general guide to whitewater rafting in the United States, with information on preparing for your trip, choosing equipment, safety and rescue, the history of rafting, as well as introductions to water currents and rapid classifications. (OCE59, $17.95)
A Concise History of Mexico • Brian Hamnett HISTORY • 2006 • PAPER • 368 PAGES A chronological and thematic history of Mexico, including cultural developments and contemporary issues, through Vincente Fox's presidency. (MEX162, $28.99)
The Conquest of New Spain • J. M. Cohen • Bernal Diaz HISTORY • 1972 • PAPER • 413 PAGES A 16th-century account of the conquest of the Aztecs by Hernan Cortez, penned 50 years after the events. Diaz, writing as an old man looking back at his experiences as a young soldier with Cortez's army, presents the bloody conquest as a romantic tale of high adventure. See "The Broken Spears" (MEX57) for an Aztec account of the events. (MEX91, $17.00)
Conquest of the Sierra, Spaniards and Indians in Colonial Oaxaca • John Chance HISTORY • 2001 • PAPER • 252 PAGES A scholarly history of the Zapotecs, which focuses on the impact of Spanish colonization on local communities and culture. (MEX94, $24.95)
Cortes and Montezuma • Maurice Collis HISTORY • 1999 • PAPER • 254 PAGES A classic tale of the conquest of Mexico: vivid, scholarly -- and incorporating eyewitness reports, originally published in 1954. (MEX95, $15.95)
Courtly Art of the Ancient Maya • Mary Miller • Simon Martin ART & ARCHITECTURE • 2004 • HARD COVER • 304 PAGES A richly illustrated survey of the art and archaeology of Maya royalty, published in conjunction with an exhibition at the National Gallery of Art. With six accompanying essays on Palenque, women of the royal court, war and other topics. The catalog features photographs, many in color, of 130 of stone and terra cotta sculptures, pottery, jade, and stucco from the late classic period. (MYA44, $50.00)
Cozumel Map and Guide • Can-Do GUIDEBOOK • MAP A full-color map of Cozumel, including Playa del Carmen. With extensive travel information and suggestions for where to eat, sleep and recreate. Two Sides. 25x31 inches. (MEX86, $8.95)
Crafts of Mexico • Margarita de Orellana • Albert Ruy Sanchez ART & ARCHITECTURE • 2004 • HARD COVER • 360 PAGES An abundantly illustrated guide to Mexico's crafts, including textiles, jewelry, ceramics, furniture and more. With 400 color photographs and illustrations. (MEX144, $45.00)
Crossings, Photographs from the U.S.- Mexico Border • Tom Miller • Alex Webb CULTURAL PORTRAIT • 2003 • HARD COVER • 144 PAGES With gritty, evocative photographs by Alex Webb and illuminating commentary by colleague Tom Miller. (SWU179, $50.00)
The Days of the Dead, Mexico's Festival Communion with the Departed • John Greenleigh • Rosalind Rosoff Beimler ART & ARCHITECTURE • 1998 • PAPER • 110 PAGES A collection of color photographs and essays (in both English and Spanish) celebrating Mexico's Day of the Dead. (MEX149, $25.00)
Desert Survival Skills • David Alloway GUIDEBOOK • 2000 • PAPER • 288 PAGES A practical guide to survival in the desert, leavened by Alloway's sense of humor and own experience in the Chihuahuan desert. Topics include finding and conserving water, fire, shelter, weather, plant and animal resources, vehicle repair and first aid. (DES06, $26.95)
Discovery and Conquest of Mexico • Bernal Diaz del Castillo • A.P. Maudslay • Hugh Thomas HISTORY • 2004 • PAPER • 478 PAGES A vivid eyewitness account from a soldier's perspective. Diaz attempts to set the story straight and his classic first-person account is a richly detailed, well written and essential narrative of the Spanish conquest of Mexico. (MEX32, $24.00)
Distant Neighbors, A Portrait of the Mexicans • Alan Riding CULTURAL PORTRAIT • 1989 • PAPER • 352 PAGES This best-selling profile of the contemporary Mexico by the long-time New York Times bureau chief in Mexico covers politics, culture and economics. It includes insightful portraits of Mexico's recent presidents and leaders. (MEX28, $19.95)
Divided Soul, A Journey Through the Secular and Religious in Hispanic Life • David Alan Harvey CULTURAL PORTRAIT • 2003 • HARD COVER • 176 PAGES A culmination of a photographer's two decade quest to capture the Hispanic spirit on film from its Spanish roots to its diaspora in the New World. (SPN191, $49.95)
Diving and Snorkeling Cozumel • George Lewbel GUIDEBOOK • 2006 • PAPER • 100 PAGES A practical, illustrated guide to the diving and snorkeling sites of the Cozumel. With an overview of marine flora and fauna, and an introduction to the region. Recommended for underwater enthusiasts. (MEX85, $24.99)
Eyewitness Guide Mexico • Eyewitness Guides GUIDEBOOK • 2010 • PAPER • 408 PAGES This superb guide to all of Mexico features color photography, dozens of excellent local maps and a region-by-region synopsis of the country's attractions. Handsome, convenient and up-to-date, this is the guide to carry. (MEX127, $25.00)
The Face of Pancho Villa • Manuel Plana HISTORY • 2007 • PAPER • 83 PAGES An excellent introduction to Villa's Chihuahua and Mexico's desert north, this richly illustrated compact history traces the impact and legacy of Pancho Villa, popular leader of the 1910 Mexican Revolution. Pancho Villa's mansion in downtown Chihuahua, where his widow lived until 1981, is now known as the Museo de la Revolucion. (MEX168, $12.95)
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)
Field Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Adjacent Areas, Belize, Guatemala, and El Salvador • Ernest Preston Edwards FIELD GUIDE • 1998 • PAPER • 288 PAGES • HARD TO FIND ELSEWHERE This classic guide, in a third edition, illustrates all the regularly occurring birds of Mexico and neighboring areas. It gives details of distribution, abundance, habitat and identification features for 850 species. (MEX47, $22.95)
Fishes of the Tropical Eastern Pacific • Gerald Allen • D.R. Robertson FIELD GUIDE • 1994 • HARD COVER • 332 PAGES An oversize survey of Pacific fishes from the Gulf of California to Ecuador, including the Revillagigedos Islands, Cliperton, Cocos Island and Galapagos. With 15 color plates, hundreds of color photographs and descriptions of each species. The focus is on reef and inshore fishes. (FG50, $87.00)
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, $99.95)
Footprint Diving the World • Beth Tierney • Shaun Tierney GUIDEBOOK • 2010 • PAPER • 352 PAGES This beautifully illustrated guide covers 220 dive sites in 19 countries with chapters on Australia and the Pacific, Mexico and Honduras, Egypt, East Africa and the Maldives, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Micronesia. Featuring the diving couple's favorite destinations, the book includes a planning guide, practical tips and listing of dive centers, hotels, restaurants and live-aboards. (OCE102, $29.95)
Footprint Mexico & Central America Handbook • Sarah Cameron • Ben Box GUIDEBOOK • 2009 • PAPER • 1520 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, $27.95)
Four Wings and a Prayer, Caught in the Mystery of the Monarch Butterfly • Sue Halpern NATURAL HISTORY • 2002 • PAPER • 212 PAGES A lyrical account of travels and encounters on the trail of the migrating monarch. Halpern, who weaves her own experiences with science, interviews and commentary, includes a section on the butterfly wintering grounds in Mexico. (NAT52, $13.00)
Frida Kahlo, The Brush of Anguish • Martha Zamora ART & ARCHITECTURE • 1993 • PAPER • 144 PAGES This nicely illustrated short biography illuminates the themes of Kahlo's art and life, her passions and spirit, ravaged health, lifelong pain, and romantic entanglements. With 75 color paintings, archival photographs, and accompanying text. (MEX121, $24.95)
Frida Kahlo, The Paintings • Hayden Herrera ART & ARCHITECTURE • 2002 • PAPER • 255 PAGES Herrerra's survey of Kahlo's work, with 80 full color and many black-and-white illustrations, is as engaged, informative and vividly presented as her popular biography of the artist. (MEX120, $34.99)
Frida, A Biography of Frida Kahlo • Hayden Herrera BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR • 2002 • PAPER • 528 PAGES An intelligent, vividly written biography of the artist. Herrera is the person most responsible for the "rediscovery" of Frida Kahlo (in the 1970s), and this book -- the first serious monograph about Kahlo -- remains the standard by which others are judged. (MEX119, $24.99)
Genesis (Memory of Fire Trilogy, Part 1) • Cedric Belfrage • Eduardo Galeano HISTORY • 1998 • PAPER • 306 PAGES Part one of a three-volume history of the Americas composed entirely of short vignettes, this volume extends from the pre-columbian creation myths through the chronicles of conquest and early colonial period. Lyrical, emminently readable and easy to skim for the geographic areas of particular interest. (MYA18, $16.95)
Guanajuato Map • Guia Roji MAP A Spanish language map of the state of Guanajuato, published in Mexico at a scale of 1:400,000. (MEX118, $7.95)
A Guide to Ancient Maya Ruins • C. Bruce Hunter GUIDEBOOK • 1986 • PAPER • 342 PAGES A well organized guide to archaeological sites throughout the Maya world with good site diagrams and black-and-white photographs, originally published in 1974 and revised in 1986 for this second edition. While not up-to-date on recent developments, this book is nonetheless a compact, accessible survey of important archaeological sites for the traveler by an experienced study trip leader. (MYA23, $21.95)
A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Central America • Stephen Howell • Sophie Webb FIELD GUIDE • 1995 • PAPER • 849 PAGES Serious birders will want this definitive guide to the 1,070 bird species found in Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras and western Nicaragua. It may be awkward to carry but it covers, in detail, all the birds you will see in the region in a single volume. (FG15, $49.95)
The Hacienda in Mexico • Daniel Nierman ART & ARCHITECTURE • 2003 • HARD COVER • 156 PAGES A beautiful and informative architectural study of the self-sufficient rural world of the Mexican Hacienda with 150 photographs and detailed site plans and maps of haciendas in Hidalgo, Tlaxcala and San LuisPotosi. (MEX236, $34.95)
The Hummingbird's Daughter, A Novel • Alberto Urrea LITERATURE • 2006 • PAPER The Hummingbird's Daughter brings to powerful life the grit, poverty and culture of the 19th-century American Southwest. Urrea bases his novel on the life of Teresita, the Saint of Cabora, born on a ranch in 1878 on the Arizona-Mexico border (she's also his great aunt). Winner of the Kiriyama Prize. (SWU220, $14.99)
Incidents of Travel in Yucatan • John Lloyd Stephens • Karl Ackerman ARCHAEOLOGY • 1996 • PAPER • 286 PAGES A classic, first published in 1841. Stephens chronicles in rich detail his rediscovery of 44 Maya sites in the Yucatan, among them Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Kabah and Tulum. This new one-volume edition, organized geographically, is especially abridged for the visitor. Edgar Allan Poe called the book "perhaps the most interesting travel book ever published." Dozens of modern and archival photographs complement Frederick Catherwood's original drawings. (MEX02, $16.95)
Insight Guide Mexico • Insight Guides GUIDEBOOK • 2010 • PAPER • 456 PAGES A profusely illustrated overview of Mexico, featuring concise essays by well regarded authors on history, politics and culture, hundreds of photos and maps, and some limited practical information. (MEX35, $22.99)
Karen Brown's Mexico: Exceptional Places to Stay & Itineraries • Karen Brown GUIDEBOOK • 2010 • PAPER • 418 PAGES A survey of inns and other lodging of character, along with suggested itineraries and highlights of the region. (MEX116, $19.95)
Kissing the Virgin's Mouth: A Novel • Donna Gershten LITERATURE • 2002 • PAPER • 228 PAGES The tale of thoroughly modern, contradictory Guadalupe Magdalena Molina Vasquez of Mazatlan (or some fictional place just like it). Barabara Kingsolver chose this book as the first recipeient of her Bellwether Prize supporting literature of social change (a ponderous name but appropriate for this lyrical tale of a woman who scrambles out of poverty). The choice of the name Magdalena for the title character is no coincidence. (MEX122, $12.99)
Knopf Guide Mexico • Knopf Guides GUIDEBOOK • 2006 • PAPER • 480 PAGES This lavishly produced compact guide features dozens of maps, color photographs, historical extracts and great background on the culture and history of Mexico. (MEX171, $27.50)
The Last City • Jose Emilio Pacheco • Pablo Ortiz Monasterio CULTURAL PORTRAIT • 1995 • HARD COVER • 104 PAGES A handsome collection of black-and-white photographs showing daily life -- and the contrast between ancient and modern -- in Mexico City. With an afterword by Jose Emilio Pacheco. (MEX132, $50.00)
The Lawless Roads • Graham Greene • David Rieff TRAVEL NARRATIVE • 2006 • PAPER • 240 PAGES A riveting account of Graham's journeys through Tabasco and Chiapas in the 1930s, including his time in San Cristobal de Las Casas and Palenque. Greene was in Mexico investigating the impact of the anti-Church policies of President Calles. He draws on the same expenses for his masterpiece The Power and the Glory. (MEX164, $15.00)
Legends of the Plumed Serpent, Biography of a Mexican God • Neil Baldwin HISTORY • 1998 • HARD COVER • 240 PAGES Structured loosely on the myth of the feathered god Quetzalcoatl, this magnificently illustrated book mingles history, travelogue and social commentary. Among its many merits, the book includes an excellent account of the Spanish conquest and a nuanced discussion of how the federal government has treated indigenous populations. (MEX56, $37.50)
Letters from Mexico • Hernan Cortes EXPLORATION • 1987 • PAPER • 563 PAGES Not a particularly easy read, but if you want to hear it from the top guy this is the one for you. See also Bernal Diaz del Castillo's account. (MEX61, $25.00)
Liberators, Latin America's Struggle for Independence 1810-1830 • Robert Harvey HISTORY • 2002 • PAPER • 561 PAGES An epic history of colonial Latin America, focused on the heroism and derring-do of seven legendary men in the fight for independence from Spain, including the larger-than-life figures of Venezuela's Simon Bolivar, Argentine hero General Jose de San Martin, and Chile's Bernardo O'Higgins. Harvey, a contributor to the Economist, draws on an impressive range of original sources in constructing this engaging tale. (SAM35, $18.95)
Lonely Planet Mexico • John Noble GUIDEBOOK • 2010 • PAPER • 1039 PAGES A comprehensive, practical guide with 161 regional and local sketch maps throughout. (MEX107, $26.99)
Looking For History, Dispatches From Latin America • Alma Guillermoprieto CULTURAL PORTRAIT • 2002 • PAPER • 303 PAGES This collection of essays, originally appearing in The New Yorker and The New York Review of Books, displays Guillermoprieto's flare, heart and knowledge of the region. She's not only an outstanding writer but an incisive reporter and portraitist. With chapters on Eva Peron, Columbia's drug wars, Che Guevara, Havana, Fidel Castro, Vargas Llosa and contemporary Mexico. (SAM60, $16.95)
Lost Cities of the Maya • Claude Baudez • Sydney Picasso ARCHAEOLOGY • 1992 • PAPER • 175 PAGES • COMING IN A pocket guide to Maya archaeology. This lavishly illustrated small book features hundreds of color photographs and illustrations -- along with excerpts from key works and a brief guide to Maya arithmetic, their calendar and inscriptions. (MYA01, $15.95)
The Maya • Michael Coe ARCHAEOLOGY • 2011 • PAPER • 280 PAGES A clear, concise introduction to Maya archaeology and culture by a leading authority. A volume in the series, "Ancient Peoples and Places," this short book highlights the chronology, accomplishments and legacy of the Maya. Eighth edition. (MYA10, $26.95)
The Maya and Teotihuacan, Reinterpreting Early Classic Interaction • Geoffrey E. Braswell HISTORY • 2004 • PAPER • 441 PAGES A collection of essays shedding light on the relationship between two Mesoamerican civilizations. With chapter by Karl Taube. (MYA40, $37.00)
Maya Art and Architecture • Mary Ellen Miller ART & ARCHITECTURE • 1999 • PAPER • 240 PAGES Organized thematically, this book by Yale art historian Mary Ellen Miller surveys the art and architecture throughout Mayadom. She makes use of the latest discoveries at Tikal, Copan Palenque and other Maya sites to present the range of art from architecture, to sculpture, ceramics and murals. The text is much enhanced by 200 illustrations, 50 in color, including site plans, maps, strikingly rendered reconstructions and color photographs of key temples and buildings. For the traveler interested in better understanding Maya art -- and particularly the glyphs featured on Maya sculpture -- we couldn't recommend this book more highly. (MYA20, $19.95)
Maya Cosmos, Three Thousand Years on the Shaman's Path • Joy Parker • Linda Schele • David Freidel ARCHAEOLOGY • 2001 • PAPER • 543 PAGES A provocative, speculative history of Central American religious practices since the dawn of the Maya kingdoms. The authors -- an archaeologist, an epigrapher and a popular historian -- suggest that contemporary shamanistic practices may be continuous with the religious rituals of the ancient Maya. (MYA32, $23.99)
Maya Glyphs • S.D. Houston HISTORY • 1989 • PAPER • 64 PAGES A concise survey of ancient Maya language and writing for the interested traveler. It includes an excellent chapter which introduces Maudslay, Morley, Thompson, Proskouriakoff and other key figures in Maya archaeology. While linguists will better appreciate the chapters on the spelling, structure and grammar of Maya writing, serious study of this book will help anyone better appreciate the Maya world. (MYA24, $15.95)
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)
Maya, Divine Kings of the Rain Forest • Nikolai Grube ARCHAEOLOGY • 2008 • HARD COVER • 450 PAGES • COMING IN A comprehensive, well-illustrated overview of Maya culture and history for the interested traveler with contributions by dozens of scholars. Edited by Edited by Nikolai Grube, a professor of anthropology and pre-Columbian studies at the University of Texas. With hundreds of color photographs, maps, and illustrations, glossary, an illustrated timeline, and extensive bibliography. Experts explore topics including Maya agriculture, life and culture in the large cities in the rain forest, the Spanish conquest, and the modern Maya movement. (MYA37, $49.95)
Mesoamerica's Classic Heritage, From Teotihuacan to the Aztecs • David Carrasco • Lindsay Jones • Scott Sessions ARCHAEOLOGY • 2002 • PAPER • 584 PAGES This collection of scholarly essays combines the latest scholarship and archaeological discoveries to present a clearer picture of the origins and fates of Mesoamerican societies. With chapters by Anthony Aveni and William Fash. (CAM108, $35.95)
Mexican Folk Art from Oaxacan Artist Families • Anya Leah Rothstein • Arden Aibel Rothstein ART & ARCHITECTURE • 2002 • HARD COVER • 192 PAGES Spotlighting 87 artists from 45 Oaxacan families, this compendium covers the range of Oaxacan folk arts, from ceramics to carving, textiles and dried flowers. A handy resource for the traveler, it includes 500 color photographs, listings of shops and galleries, maps with artists' studios marked and family trees. (MEX110, $39.95)
Mexico Central & Mexico City Map • ITMB MAP This colorful traveler's map, centered on Mexico City, Mexico covering the region including Tampico, Veracruz, San Luis Potosi and Acapulco, at a scale of 1:1,000,000. With Mexico City on the reverse. Two Sides. 39x27 inches. (MEX141, $11.95)
Mexico City Map • Borch Maps MAP A handy, laminated map of Mexico City at a scale of 1:12,500. Two Sides. 20 X 26 inches. (MEX189, $7.95)
Mexico Field Guide, Baja California Sea and Shore Birds • Rainforest Publications FIELD GUIDE • 2002 • PLASTIC CARD A beautifully illustrated, double-sided laminated card depicting 60 commonly encountered birds of coastal Baja California and the Sea of Cortez, including not only ducks, herons, gulls and shore birds but also flycatchers, sparrows and woodpeckers. (MEX174, $6.95)
Mexico in Focus, A Guide to the People, Politics and Culture • John Ross GUIDEBOOK • 2002 • PAPER • 100 PAGES This slim authoritative guide focuses on the history of Mexico, 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. (MEX173, $12.95)
Michoacan Map • Ediciones Independencia MAP A colorful, locally produced map of the Mexican state of Michoacan, at a scale of 1:570,000. The revese side has city plans of the five biggest towns; the text is in Spanish. (MEX75, $7.95)
Millions of Monarchs, Bunches of Beetles: How Bugs Find Strength in Numbers • Gilbert Waldbauer SCIENCE • 2001 • PAPER • 272 PAGES A fascinating collection of essays by a spirited entomologist on the occasional gathering of monarchs, ladybugs, locusts and other not-so-social insects. Delightful and instructive. (BUG10, $16.95)
Moon Handbook Cabo • Nikki Goth Itoi GUIDEBOOK • 2009 • PAPER • 288 PAGES A great resource for the independent traveler, this guidebook features a good introduction to land, history and culture, as well as practical detail on getting around, where to go, and where to stay. With personality, detailed local maps, glossary and suggested itineraries. (MEX143, $17.95)
Moon Handbook Mexico City • Chris Humphrey GUIDEBOOK • 2008 • PAPER • 416 PAGES A comprehensive, practical travel guide by veteran travel writer Chris Humphrey. It includes detailed information on hotels, restaurants and attractions along with some maps and color photographs. (MEX131, $18.95)
Moon Handbook Oaxaca • Bruce Whipperman GUIDEBOOK • 2008 • PAPER • 533 PAGES An invaluable travel guide featuring a good overview of the culture and history of the region, along with coverage of local events, recommendations on accommodations and dining. With photos, illustrations and dozens of local and city maps. (MEX67, $19.95)
Moon Handbook Pacific Mexico • Bruce Whipperman GUIDEBOOK • 2007 • PAPER • 811 PAGES This compact guideb covers areas along Mexico's Pacific coast from Mazatlan south to Oaxaca. It combines text on history, culture and nature with practical information for travelers, and it features plenty of photographs, maps and illustrations. (MEX76, $23.95)
Moon Handbook Puerto Vallarta • Bruce Whipperman GUIDEBOOK • 2009 • PAPER • 370 PAGES A comprehensive guide to Puerto Vallarta from Mexico expert Bruce Whipperman. Along with practical information about the city and its history, the book covers day trips to the various beaches, villages and mountains of the region. (MEX78, $17.95)
Moon Handbook Yucatan Peninsula • Lisa and Gary Prado Chandler GUIDEBOOK • 2009 • PAPER • 391 PAGES A compact, comprehensive travel guide with an excellent overview of the natural history and culture of the region, including Yucatan but also Chiapas, Tabasco, Campeche, and Quintana Roo. It includes detailed information on hotels, restaurants and attractions. With good site diagrams and sketch maps throughout. (MEX66, $21.95)
National Geographic Mexico • Jane Onstott GUIDEBOOK • 2010 • PAPER • 400 PAGES A compact guidebook to Mexico, published by National Geographic in attractive, visual style. It features many color photographs, maps and good information history, nature, culture and travel. (MEX111, $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)
Popol Vuh, The Mayan Book of the Dawn of Life • Dennis Tedlock LITERATURE • 1996 • PAPER • 388 PAGES The definitive, unabridged collection of creation myths and stories of the Quiche people, fundamental to understanding the worldview of the highland Maya. First transcribed into Latin in the 17th century, then revised and expanded in the 1990s by Dennis Tedlock, who consulted contemporary Maya. Carlos Fuentes called it "The Maya Bible." (MYA14, $16.99)
Rain of Gold • Victor Villasenor LITERATURE • 1994 • PAPER • 562 PAGES This novel is the epic tale of three generations of a Mexican family taking in the revolution at home, their immigration to California and ongoing struggles. (MEX29, $18.00)
Rivers of Gold, The Rise of the Spanish Empire from Columbus to Magellan • Hugh Thomas HISTORY • 2005 • PAPER • 720 PAGES A big, old-fashioned history of the Spanish adventures in the Americas by the prolific British historian. Unabashedly told from the point of view of the Spaniards, Thomas sketches the personalities and events of the short, dramatic (and bloody) 30-year period between the arrival of Columbus and Magellan's circumnavigation of the globe. With maps and illustrations. (SPN251, $20.00)
Rough Guide Mexico • Roger Norum GUIDEBOOK • 2010 • PAPER • 912 PAGES Neatly divided between practical information and a good roundup of culture, history and nature, this lively handbook provides a comprehensive guide to Mexico in the British series. (MEX138, $26.99)
Rough Guide Music Mexico • Various Artists MUSIC • 2002 • AUDIO CD A carefully chosen sampling of the diverse sounds of the islands of Mexico. Son, ranchera, new son jarocho, Mexican rock, mariachi, big band -- all reflect the vibrant spirit and passion of Mexico. (MEX177, $14.95)
Secrets of the Maya • Archaeology Magazine • Peter Young ANTHOLOGY • 2002 • PAPER • 228 PAGES An anthology of articles on the Maya, originally published in Archaeology. With photographs, a timeline, and a key to Maya hieroglyphs. (MYA48, $15.95)
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)
Silver Mining and Society in Colonial Mexico: Zacatecas 1546-1700 • P. J. Bakewell HISTORY • 2002 • PAPER • 296 PAGES This scholarly history, drawn from archives in both Mexico and Spain, traces the discovery of the mines, founding of Zacatecas and Spanish occupatiuon on the region in detail. The second half of the book focuses specifically on the mining industry. A paper reprint in the series Cambridge Latin American Studies, originally published in 1972. (MEX125, $48.00)
Sinaloa Map • Guia Roji MAP A locally produced, fold-up road map of Sinaloa at a scale of 1:800,000. (MEX73, $7.95)
The Skeleton at the Feast, The Day of the Dead in Mexico • Chloe Sayer • Elizabeth Carmichael CULTURAL PORTRAIT • 1992 • PAPER • 160 PAGES The origins, history and celebration of this important holiday, amply illustrated with 40 color and 125 black-and-white photographs. The authors, who have an interest in folk art, interview Mexican artists and craftsmen (and women) who produce the paper skeletons, sugar skulls and other traditional items associated with the festival. (MEX99, $34.95)
Skywatchers • Anthony Aveni HISTORY • 2001 • PAPER • 423 PAGES In this revised edition, Aveni brings together new research in archeology, astronomy and ethnology to study Mesoamerican society and its relation to the skies. He pays particular attention to calendars, religion and science in both Aztec and Maya cultures. (MEX136, $34.95)
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)
Sonora Map • Guia Roji MAP A road map of Sonora at the excellent scale of 1:200,000. (MEX74, $7.95)
South Mexico Map • ITMB MAP A traveler's map in the Mexico regional series, this double-sided map covers the Yucatan, Chiapas, Vera Cruz, Oaxaca and other areas of the country north almost to Guadelajara, at a scale of 1:1,350,000. Two Sides. 26x39 inches. (MEX65, $10.95)
Southern Mexico, Travellers' Wildlife Guides • Les Beletsky FIELD GUIDE • 2007 • PAPER • 487 PAGES A compact guide to the birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians and reef fishes that the traveler is likely to encounter in popular destinations throughout the Yucatan, Oaxaca, Chiapas and Tabasco. It features more than 100 excellent color plates, a section of color photographs illustrating typical habitats and a good discussion of each animal group. With a chapter on conservation and a list of parks and reserves in the region. (FG32, $27.95)
Spanish, A Language Map • Kristine K. Kershul LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS • 1999 • PLASTIC CARD This durable, foldout card, featuring 1,000 words and phrases, works as a quick reference for travelers. (SPN259, $7.95)
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, $24.95)
Stairways to the Stars, Skywatching in Three Great Ancient Cultures • Anthony Aveni ARCHAEOLOGY • 1999 • PAPER • 230 PAGES An overview of the influence of astronomy on the design of ancient monuments and cities, focusing on Stonehenge, the Incas and the Maya. (GEN314, $18.95)
Stones for Ibarra • Harriet Doerr LITERATURE • 1983 • PAPER • 214 PAGES An American husband and wife settle in rural Mexico in this delicate novel by Doerr, who spent 40 years, on and off, living in a village outside Mexico City. The book, Doerr's first (she was 73 when it was published), won the National Book Award in 1983. (MEX106, $15.00)
Survivors in Mexico • Rebecca West • Bernard Schweizer TRAVEL NARRATIVE • 2004 • PAPER • 294 PAGES This posthumously published travel account of 1960s Mexico, brought to life by Bernard Schweizer from a never-to-be-realized big book and long-forgotten New Yorker assignment, shows Rebecca West at her wittiest, most inquisitive self. It's a meditative, insightful account of the land and people, politics, history and everyday life. West writes of Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, Hernan Cortes, Montezuma and the conquest in typically gorgeous prose. A professor of English, Schweizer is a West scholar and author of Rebecca West: Heroism, Rebellion, and the Female Epic. (MEX145, $17.00)
T. Rex and the Crater of Doom • Walter Alvarez NATURAL HISTORY • 2008 • PAPER • 208 PAGES An accessible scientific study of the famous impact crater found in the Yucatan Peninsula. Using geologic evidence, Alvarez forms a fascinating account of the fate of the dinosaurs and other animal species after a enormous meteor slammed into the earth some 65 million years ago. (CAM68, $16.95)
Time Among the Maya, Travels in Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico • Ronald Wright TRAVEL NARRATIVE • 2000 • PAPER • 464 PAGES An account of travels among the contemporary Maya of Guatemala and Yucatan (with a side trip to Belize City). Organized geographically, it devotes chapters on Belize, the Peten, highland Guatemala, Chiapas and the Yucatan. Unlike most travelogues, this book includes a glossary, notes, bibliography and index. Wright (who also wrote the excellent Cut Stones and Crossroads, set in Peru) combines journalism, archaeology and a fine ear for dialogue in this engaging account. Originally published in 1989. (CAM84, $16.00)
A Traveller's History of Mexico • Kenneth Pearce HISTORY • 2003 • PAPER • 416 PAGES This wide-ranging, accessible and effectively condensed Mexican history book marches confidently through the 1990s with useful chronology and historical gazetteer. (MEX172, $14.95)
Under the Volcano • Malcolm Lowry LITERATURE • 2007 • PAPER • 434 PAGES Lowry's celebrated novel, set on the Day of the Dead in 1938, finds a British consulate holed up in small Mexican bar, trying to drink away the haunting troubles of his past. (MEX150, $14.99)
Veracruz Map • Guia Roji MAP A detailed map of the Mexican state of Veracruz, scale 1:1,000,000. Published in Mexico. (MEX92, $7.95)
Veracruz Map • Guia Roji MAP A road map of the state of Veracruz, published in Mexico, at a scale of 1:1,220,000. (MEX154, $7.95)
Wallpaper City Guide Mexico City • Wallpaper Magazine GUIDEBOOK • 2012 • PAPER A stylish, thin (it fits in your back pocket) city guide compiled by the design magazine Wallpaper's local reporters. Well-organized, with chapter tabs, many photographs and of-the-moment recommendations. (MEX169, $9.95)
Waugh Abroad, Collected Travel Writing • Evelyn Waugh • Nicholas Shakespeare TRAVEL NARRATIVE • 2003 • HARD COVER • 1064 PAGES The collected travel writing of the peripatetic Waugh, including a memorable voyage to Zanzibar, a visit to the Guyanas and other excursions to out-of-the-way and often uncomfortable locales. Waugh's trademark satire and self-deprecating humor are on full display in this diverse collection spanning a 30-year career. This Everyman's Library edition includes the full texts of: Labels, A Mediterranean Journal (1930); Remote People (1931); Ninety-two Days, The Account of a Tropical Journey Through British Guiana and Part of Brazil (1934); Waugh in Abyssinia (1936); Robbery Under Law, The Mexican Object-Lesson (1939); The Holy Places (1952); and A Tourist in Africa (1960). Nicholas Shakespeare (biographer of Chatwin) provides an introduction to the man and books. (TVL22, $25.00)
Writing on the Edge, A Borderlands Reader • Tom Miller ANTHOLOGY • 2003 • PAPER • 356 PAGES Miller brings together short stories, essays, song lyrics and poems in this ecletic anthology of writers, Mexican and U.S., including Carlos Fuentes, Sandra Cisneros, Maya Angelou and Allen Ginsberg. (SWU180, $22.00)
Yucatan Before and After the Conquest • Diego de Landa • William Gates HISTORY • 1978 • PAPER • 162 PAGES A 16th-century report by the first bishop of Yucatan, a dedicated ethnographer who has provided the most complete early European account of the Maya. With maps and handsome line drawings, the book is an unabridged facsimile of a limited edition published in 1937 by the Maya Society in Baltimore. (MYA15, $8.95)
Yucatan Map • ITMB 2008 • MAP Double-sided, indexed road map of the region at 1:500,000, printed on durable waterproof paper. Coverage divides the area into north and south sections, and includes all of Belize. Latitude and longitude lines are drawn at 30' intervals. Map legend is in English and Spanish. Two Sides. 27 X 37 inches. (MEX04, $12.95)
Zacatecas Map • Guia Roji 1995 • MAP A nicely detailed road map of the Mexican state of Zacatecas at a scale of 1:800,000. (MEX124, $7.95)

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