Costa Rica   |   READING AND TRAVEL GUIDE

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The New Key to Costa Rica  •  Beatrice Blake  •  Anne Becher
GUIDEBOOK •  2006 •  PAPER  • 560 PAGES
A comprehensive, frequently revised guide to Costa Rica with excellent information on hotels, restaurants and excursions throughout the country. Welcome attention is paid to regard for the environment and local community. The best overall guide to Costa Rica for the nature-oriented independent traveler. Co-author Beatrice Blake also publishes keytocostarica.com. 18th Edition! (CAM36, $19.95)
  The New Key to Costa Rica
The Ticos  •  Richard Biesanz
CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1999 •  PAPER  • 307 PAGES • HARD TO FIND ELSEWHERE
An insightful, fact-filled portrait of Costa Rican culture, history and society. It's an excellent survey for the interested traveler, covering history, government and politics, the economy, the family, education and religion. (CRC32, $22.95)
  The Ticos
Costa Rica, A Traveler's Literary Companion  •  Barbara Ras
ANTHOLOGY •  1994 •  PAPER  • 238 PAGES
This well chosen anthology brings together 26 mostly modern stories by Costa Rican writers. It's a wonderful introduction to the character of the people, culture and land. (CRC03, $14.95)
  Costa Rica, A Traveler's Literary Companion
Costa Rica, Travellers' Wildlife Guides  •  Les Beletsky
FIELD GUIDE •  2004 •  PAPER  • 448 PAGES
This outstanding book is a field guide to the natural history of Costa Rica, featuring 350 color illustrations of commonly encountered birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles. Introductory chapters cover habitats, parks and conservation in Costa Rica. It's an all-around handbook, noteworthy for its color plates. (CRC11, $27.95)
  Costa Rica, Travellers' Wildlife Guides
Costa Rica Adventure Map  •   National Geographic
2008 •  MAP
A double-sided full color map of Costa Rica at a scale of 1:500,000 with good shaded relief, topographic detail, roads and waterways, basic travel information, and an inset of San Jose. Built for the road (or raft or trail), it's printed on waterproof, tear-resistant paper. (CAM22, $11.95)
  Costa Rica Adventure Map
 

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Costa Rica Map  •   Borch Maps    •  A laminated road map of Costa Rica at a scale of 1:650,000, featuring an inset of San Jose. (CRC21, $10.95)
 
 
Breaking Out of Beginner's Spanish  •  Joseph Keenan   • LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS  •  Idioms, common mistakes in word usage, and other helpful advice on tackling spoken Spanish. You'll need some foundation to take full advantage of this book -- but even a complete novice will appreciate the author's playful sense of humor. (CAM06, $18.95)
 
 
Costa Rica in Focus  •  Tjabel Daling   • GUIDEBOOK  •  A concise guide to the people, politics, economy and culture of Costa Rica. The author explores the history of democracy since the abolition of the army in 1948, economic doldrums of the 1980s, and impact of tourism. (CRC28, $12.95)
 
 
Costa Rica, An Ecotraveller's Guide  •  Hannah Robinson   • GUIDEBOOK  •  A full-color, illustrated guide to parks, wildlife reserves and outdoor activities in Costa Rica. (CRC46, $23.95)
 
 
Lonely Planet Costa Rica  •  Mara Vorhees   • GUIDEBOOK  •  A practical guide in the popular series, featuring a wildlife guide, adventure travel section and 32 pages of full-color photographs. (CRC19, $21.99)
 
 
Lonely Planet Costa Rican Spanish  •   Lonely Planet   • LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS  •  A pocket guide to understanding idioms, slang and Spanish as it is spoken by the Ticos. (CRC25, $8.99)
 
 
Spanish, Start Speaking Today!  •   Language/30   • LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS  •  A 90-minute crash course in Spanish featured in two compact discs and a phrasebook packaged in a vinyl sleeve. Geared for travelers, the course follows the foreign service method, which focuses on dialogues and sentences. (SPN219, $21.95)
 
 
Survival Kit for Overseas Living, For Americans Planning to Live and Work Abroad  •  L. Robert Kohls   • GUIDEBOOK  •  A handbook for Americans planning to live abroad. (GEN137, $19.95)
 
 
A Brief History of Central America  •  Hector Perez-Brignoll   • HISTORY  •  A good overview of the economic, political and social history of the region through the 1980s by a professor at the University of Costa Rica. Well-written, informative and concise. (CAM49, $19.95)
 
 
Central America, A Natural and Cultural History  •  Anthony G. Coates   • HISTORY  •  A concise overview of the region with contributions by diverse authors on the geology, natural history and culture of the Central American isthmus. (CAM69, $21.00)
 
 
Coffee and Power, Revolution and the Rise of Democracy in Central America  •  Jeffery M. Paige   • HISTORY  •  Panoramic in scope, this scholarly history examines the emerging democracies of Central America and especially the political impact on powerful families who control coffee production. (CAM50, $24.50)
 
 
The Art of Crossing Cultures  •  Craig Storti   • CULTURAL PORTRAIT  •  Tips for travelers adjusting to a new culture. (GEN136, $21.95)
 
 
Travelers' Tales Central America  •  Larry Habegger  •  Natanya Pearlman   • ANTHOLOGY  •  A collection of eyewitness reports by journalists, travelers and writers, including Joan Didion, P.J. O'Rourke and Paul Theroux. (CAM96, $17.95)
 
 
A Naturalist in Costa Rica  •  Alexander Skutch   • NATURAL HISTORY  •  A warm account of living and studying ornithology in the Pacific hills of Costa Rica over the last 35 years at what is now Los Cusingos Neotropical Bird Sanctuary. Skutch died on his ranch in 2004 just short of his 100th birthday. (CAM09, $24.95)
 
 
A Neotropical Companion  •  J.C. Kricher  •  Mark Plotkin   • NATURAL HISTORY  •  A tropical primer aimed at the motivated general reader. From plants and animals to birds and bugs, it's all here in this wonderfully written primer on the ecology, habitats, plants and animals of Central and South America. (GPS11, $29.95)
 
 
Costa Rican Natural History  •  Daniel Janzen   • NATURAL HISTORY  •  A thorough, prize-winning reader on all aspects of the natural history of Costa Rica, this hefty book is illustrated, remarkably well written -- and rewarding for the serious general reader. (CAM05, $49.00)
 
 
Tropical Nature  •  Adrian Forsyth  •  Ken Miyata   • NATURAL HISTORY • FAVORITE  •  A lively, lucid portrait of the rain forest as seen by two uncommonly observant and thoughtful field biologists. Its 17 marvelous essays introduce the habitats, ecology, plants and animals of the Central and South American rainforest. (GPS13, $14.00)
 
 
A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica  •  F. Gary Stiles  •  Alexander Skutch  •  Dana Gardner   • FIELD GUIDE  •  A masterfully researched and comprehensive field guide to the birds of Costa Rica, including an overview of geography, habitats and avifauna. Covers 800 species and features 52 color plates. (CRC05, $39.95)
 
 
A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica  •  Susan Fogdon  •  Michael Fogden   • FIELD GUIDE  •  Arranged by family groups, this handy pocket field guide to 250 common birds features full-color photographs, identification notes and range maps. (CRC42, $15.95)
 
 
Costa Rica Birds, An Introduction to Familiar Species  •  James Kavanagh   • FIELD GUIDE  •  A handy, laminated fold-up card with full-color illustrations of birds commonly found in Costa Rica. (CRC56, $5.95)
 
 
Costa Rica Wildlife Guide  •   Rainforest Publications   • FIELD GUIDE  •  A fold-out, 14-panel laminated plastic card featuring full-color illustrations of Costa Rica's mammals, reptiles, birds, amphibians, butterflies and primates. (CRC51, $7.95)
 
 
Costa Rican Wildlife  •   Pocket Naturalist   • FIELD GUIDE  •  Put it in your pocket! This fold-up colorful card features color illustrations of dozens of typical birds, mammals and reptiles. (CRC24, $5.95)
 
 
Field Guide to the Wildlife of Costa Rica  •  Carrol Henderson  •  Alexander Skutch   • FIELD GUIDE  •  A comprehensive photographic guide to 300 commonly encountered and unusual species of birds, mammals and other wildlife, with a good overview of the geographic setting and natural history of the region. (CRC27, $39.95)
 
 
Mammals of Costa Rica  •  Fiona Reid   • FIELD GUIDE  •  A palm-sized guide to 65 native mammals in Costa Rica, each featuring a handsome full color illustration and a nice description. Includes a map, viewing tips and a checklist. (CRC37, $6.00)
 
 
Neotropical Rainforest Mammals, A Field Guide  •  L.H. Emmons   • FIELD GUIDE  •  An illustrated guide to the mammals of the New World tropics, compact enough to slip into your daypack, with 29 color plates illustrating more than 200 species. (GPS12, $32.50)
 
 
The Birds of Costa Rica  •  Richard Garrigues  •  Robert Dean   • FIELD GUIDE  •  Built for the field, this new guide includes multiple illustrations for 820 species of birds. (CRC53, $29.95)
 
 
The Mammals of Costa Rica, A Natural History and Field Guide  •  Oscar Arias  •  Mark Wainwright   • FIELD GUIDE  •  From jaguars to howler monkeys, this guide covers the fascinating and diverse wildlife of Costa Rica and the tropics. (CRC54, $29.95)
 
 
Tropical Plants of Costa Rica  •  Willow Zuchowski   • FIELD GUIDE  •  Organized by habitat, this photo guide to 400 species has chapters on popular destinations, including Monteverde and Tortuguero. (CRC55, $35.00)
 
 


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