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In the Kitchen

Gran Cocina Latina, The Food of Latin America

Maricel E. Presilla

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Antarctica

Endurance, Shackleton's Incredible Voyage

Alfred Lansing

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Our Favorites

Arctic Dreams

Barry Lopez

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Tuscany

Every Day in Tuscany, Seasons of an Italian Life

Frances Mayes

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Very Short Introductions

Ancient Egypt, A Very Short Introduction

Ancient Egypt, A Very Short Introduction


by Ian Shaw

  • HISTORY
  • 2004
  • PAPER
  • 208 PAGES

Shaw touches on history, myth, archaeology and the enduring allure of Egypt in this impressively wide-ranging shirt pocket guide. (EGY223, $11.95)

Ancient Greece, A Very Short Introduction

Ancient Greece, A Very Short Introduction


by Paul Cartledge

  • ARCHAEOLOGY
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 152 PAGES

Athens and Sparta but also Argos, Thebes, Syracuse, Alexandria, Miletus and Massalia (AKA Marseilles), Knossos and Constantinople are all included in this introduction to Ancient Greece though the role of 11 major cities. (GRE398, $11.95)

The Antarctic

The Antarctic


by Klaus Dodds

  • HISTORY
  • 2012
  • PAPER
  • 144 PAGES

Politics, the Antarctic Treaty, protocols, conventions and science are featured in this Very Short Introduction in the series by Oxford. (ANT370, $11.95)

Buddhism, A Very Short Introduction

Buddhism, A Very Short Introduction


by Damien Keown

  • RELIGION
  • 2000
  • PAPER
  • 152 PAGES

One of a series of very brief, authoritative introductions by Oxford University Press with chapters on The Buddha, Karma, the Mahayana, Buddhism in Asia, Buddhist practices and ethics. (ASA53, $11.95)

The Celts: A Very Short Introduction

The Celts: A Very Short Introduction


by Barry W Cunliffe

  • HISTORY
  • 2003
  • PAPER
  • 161 PAGES

A concise, revealing social history of the Celts, by a reigning authority and popular writer. (CLT03, $11.95)

The Crusades, A Very Short Introduction

The Crusades, A Very Short Introduction


by Christopher Tyerman

  • HISTORY
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 184 PAGES

One in a series of illuminating pocket guides by leading authorities. With flair and originality, Tyerman presents a clear and lively discussion of the Crusades, bringing together issues of colonialism, cultural exchange, economic exploitation, and the relationship between past and present. (WAR147, $11.95)

The Earth: A Very Short Introduction


by Martin Redfern

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 2003
  • PAPER
  • 141 PAGES

A compact survey of plate tectonics, seismology and other the earth sciences written for the curious novice. (GEO33, $11.95)

The European Union, A Very Short Introduction

The European Union, A Very Short Introduction


by John Pinder

  • HISTORY
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 224 PAGES

This pocket primer covers the development of the EU, its history, policies, growth, governance and impact on world affairs. With 17 maps. (EUR231, $11.95)

Galileo, A Very Short Introduction

Galileo, A Very Short Introduction


by Stillman Drake

  • SCIENCE
  • 2001
  • PAPER
  • 152 PAGES

In a startling reinterpretation of Galileo's trial, Drake advances the hypothesis that Galileo's prosecution and condemnation by the Inquisition was caused not by his defiance of the Church but by the hostility of contemporary philosophers. (SCI265, $11.95)

Global Warming, A Very Short Introduction

Global Warming, A Very Short Introduction


by Mark Maslin

  • SCIENCE
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 128 PAGES

Mark Maslin hits on science, politics and potential solutions with clarity in this shirt pocket primer. (CON66, $11.95)

Hieroglyphs, A Very Short Introduction


by Penelope Wilson

  • ARCHAEOLOGY
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 130 PAGES

This slim volume is a stimulating, concise introduction to Egyptian hieroglyphs. (EGY309, $11.95)

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)

Human Evolution, A Very Short Introduction

Human Evolution, A Very Short Introduction


by Bernard A. Wood

  • SCIENCE
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 131 PAGES

Wood traces the history of paleoanthropology from its beginnings in the eighteenth century to today's latest fossil finds in this lively, brief guide. (ATP23, $11.95)

Islam, A Very Short Introduction

Islam, A Very Short Introduction


by Malise Ruthven

  • RELIGION
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 544 PAGES

Ruthven's excellent little book covers Islam and its historical, geographical, political, spiritual and social setting with clarity. (ISL104, $11.95)

Judaism, A Very Short Introduction

Judaism, A Very Short Introduction


by Norman Solomon

  • RELIGION
  • 2000
  • PAPER
  • 160 PAGES

Succinctly sketching the history, religious traditions and practice of Judaism. (REL38, $11.95)

The Koran, A Very Short Introduction


by M. A. Cook

  • HISTORY
  • 2000
  • PAPER

One in series of pocket books, this lucid introduction by a Princeton professor illuminates the significance and diversity of interpretations of the Koran. (ISL69, $11.95)

Modern China, A Very Short Introduction


by Rana Mitter

  • HISTORY
  • 2008
  • PAPER

This very short introduction offers an indispensible starting point for anyone who needs to quickly know the themes and controversies that have shaped modern China. (CHN504, $11.95)

Modern Ireland: A Very Short Introduction

Modern Ireland: A Very Short Introduction


by Senia Paseta

  • HISTORY
  • 2003
  • PAPER
  • 184 PAGES

A remarkably concise history in the well-regarded series, touching on the major aspects of Irish history, politics, and society in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. (IRE195, $11.95)

The Mongols, A Very Short Introduction


by Morris Rossabi

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2012
  • PAPER
  • 160 PAGES

Back in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries the Mongols created the largest land-based empire in world history. In this addition to the Very Short Introduction series, Rossabi, a leading historian, revises the popular perception of the Mongols as savage conquerors to show them as wise rulers who adopted shrewd economic policies, patronized the arts and helped foster peace in the lands they controlled. (MGL76, $11.95)

Paul, A Very Short Introduction

Paul, A Very Short Introduction


by E.P. Sanders

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 2001
  • PAPER
  • 176 PAGES

A brief biography of St. Paul and his role in the formation of the Christian religion. E.P. Sanders is professor of religion at Duke and a well-known biblical scholar. (MED93, $11.95)

The Renaissance, A Very Short Introduction


by Jerry Brotton

  • HISTORY
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 160 PAGES

Brotton deftly sketches the upheavals in art, architecture and society in Europe between 1400 and 1600 in this brief primer. (ITL845, $11.95)

Roman Britain, A Very Short Introduction

Roman Britain, A Very Short Introduction


by Peter Salway

  • ARCHAEOLOGY
  • 2002
  • PAPER
  • 88 PAGES

An excellent, brief overview of the Roman period in Britain by a leading specialist. (GBR541, $11.95)

The Roman Empire, A Very Short Introduction

The Roman Empire, A Very Short Introduction


by Christopher Kelly

  • HISTORY
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 144 PAGES

A concise history of the Roman Empire, from its infrastructure to its imperial history, political struggles to artistic and technological developments, and the Empire's lasting legacy and influences. (ITL776, $11.95)

Russian History, A Very Short Introduction

Russian History, A Very Short Introduction


by Geoffrey Hosking

  • HISTORY
  • 2012
  • PAPER
  • 154 PAGES

None other than Geoffrey Hosking (Russia and the Russians among his many other books) tackles the transformation of Russia from its pagen roots into a multi-ethnic empire in this remarkably concise shirt-pocket history. Published by Oxford University Press, this wide-ranging series, notworthy for its choice of authors, includes The Mongols (Morris Rossabi) MGL76, The Celts ( Barry Cunliffe) CLT03, The European Union (John Pinder) EUR231, and Ancient Greece (Paul Cartledge) GRE398. This is just a sample of what you can find online. (RUS480, $11.95)

Russian Literature, A Very Short Introduction

Russian Literature, A Very Short Introduction


by Catriona Kelly

  • LITERATURE
  • 2001
  • PAPER
  • 164 PAGES

A pocket guide to Russian literature and its impact on Russian culture and national identity by Oxford University Press. (RUS333, $11.95)

The Silk Road, A Very Short Introduction


by James A. Millward

  • HISTORY
  • 2013
  • PAPER
  • 168 PAGES

Millward looks beyond the good exchanged and traveler's tales to the role of nomad empires and the spread of ideas in this pocket history. (CAS212, $11.95)

The Vikings, A Very Short Introduction


by Julian D. Richards

  • HISTORY
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 152 PAGES

This slim volume is a stimulating, concise introduction to the Vikings. (VIK24, $14.99)

 

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.