Here's a page from Longitude, the specialty bookseller for travelers. To order online, and to see the latest, most comprehensive selection of books and maps, go to http://reading.longitudebooks.com/LO63. You may also call 800-342-2164 to order or request a catalog.

These 5 items are available for $75, including U.S. shipping, a 15% discount (Item no. EXMEX55)

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)
The Labyrinth of Solitude  •  Octavio Paz CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1985 •  PAPER  • 398 PAGES An enduring classic by the Nobel Prize-winning poet and essayist Octavio Paz. This collection of essays tackles Mexican culture and character. The chapters on the Mexican celebration of the Day of the Dead and the conquest are especially memorable. (MEX08, $14.50)
Oaxaca Journal  •  Oliver Sacks TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2005 •  PAPER  • 159 PAGES A man of many talents, neurologist Sacks is not only a marvelous essayist and intrepid traveler but also a man with a keen eye for nature and an interest in traditional cultures. This book, the result of a trip to Oaxaca with (of all things) the American Fern Society displays his wide-ranging intellectual curiosity, interweaving his observations and travels with history, nature and culture of the region. A volume in the National Geographic Destinations series. (MEX100, $10.95)
Textiles from Mexico  •  Chloe Sayer ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 88 PAGES A brief, illustrated survey of the techniques, styles and diversity of textiles produced in Mexico, featuring lively commentary and color photographs of 20 pieces from the British Museum. A compact, informative guide in the Fabric Folios series. (MEX101, $24.95)
Oaxaca Map  •  Ediciones Independencia MAP A color map of the state of Oaxaca at a scale of 1:650,000. On the reverse side are detailed plans of the main cities, including Oaxaca. All the text is in Spanish. (MEX49, $8.95)

The Food and Life of Oaxaca, Traditional Recipes from Mexico's Heart  •  Zarela Martinez   • FOOD  •  A cultural history of the region as interpreted through its food, this book mixes 150 recipes with a fascinating discussion of ingredients, daily rituals and regional celebrations. (MEX42, $35.00)
Conquest: Montezuma, Cortes and the Fall of Old Mexico  •  Hugh Thomas   • HISTORY  •  An entertaining and monumental tome on the conquest of Mexico. It's rare to find a work of such scholarship and importance that is also an enjoyable read. (MEX06, $25.00)
Days of Death, Days of Life: Ritual in the Popular Culture of Oaxaca  •  Kristin Norget   • CULTURAL PORTRAIT  •  A scholarly survey of beliefs and rituals surrounding death, including the Day of the Dead. Norget, a professor of anthropology at McGill University, draws on her own travels and field work in Oaxaca. (MEX165, $30.00)
Discovery and Conquest of Mexico  •  Bernal Diaz del Castillo  •  A.P. Maudslay  •  Hugh Thomas   • HISTORY  •  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)
Many Mexicos  •  Lesley Byrd Simpson   • HISTORY  •  This widely known popular history of Mexico, first published in 1941, stands as an enjoyable, well-written introduction to the country and its history. (MEX38, $25.95)
Oaxaca Celebration, Family, Food, and Fiestas in Teotitlian  •  Mary Jane Gagnier Mendoza   • CULTURAL PORTRAIT  •  Gagnier Mendoza captures the rituals and celebrations of Day of the Dead, Fiesta of the Black Christ of Esquipalasm, Easter and wedding ceremonies in this overview featuring 100 color photographs. (MEX153, $24.95)
The Skeleton at the Feast, The Day of the Dead in Mexico  •  Chloe Sayer  •  Elizabeth Carmichael   • CULTURAL PORTRAIT  •  The origins, history and modern-day celebration of this important holiday in Mexico. (MEX99, $34.95)
Ancient Oaxaca, The Monte Alban State  •  Richard Blanton  •  Gary Feinman  •  Stephen Kowalewski  •  Linda Nicholas   • ARCHAEOLOGY  •  A scholarly account of the archaeology of the Valley of Oaxaca from 500 B.C. The four contributors cover the physical and social setting and origins of the civilization of Monte Alban. (MEX69, $34.99)
Crafts of Mexico  •  Margarita de Orellana  •  Albert Ruy Sanchez   • ART & ARCHITECTURE  •  An abundantly illustrated guide to Mexico's crafts, including textiles, jewelry, ceramics, furniture and more. (MEX144, $45.00)
Mexican Folk Art from Oaxacan Artist Families  •  Anya Leah Rothstein  •  Arden Aibel Rothstein   • ART & ARCHITECTURE  •  Spotlighting 87 artists from 45 Oaxacan families, this compendium covers the range of Oaxacan folk arts, from ceramics to carving, textiles and dried flowers. (MEX110, $39.95)
Mexico, From the Olmecs to the Aztecs  •  Michael Coe   • ARCHAEOLOGY  •  This classic survey of Mexico's ancient civilizations by a leading archaeologist covers in concise, illustrated detail the Olmec, Zapotec, Toltec and Aztec civilizations. (MEX53, $22.50)
Oaxacan Ceramics, Traditional Folk Art by Oaxacan Women  •  Lois Wasserspring   • ART & ARCHITECTURE  •  A visual celebration of the work of six folk artists in the Valley of Oaxaca. (MEX88, $18.95)
Oaxacan Woodcarving, The Magic in the Trees  •  Shepard Barbash   • ART & ARCHITECTURE  •  A wonderfully illustrated look at the folk art of San Martin Tilcajete, Arrazola, and La Union Tejalapan in Oaxaca, which takes the form of colorfully painted figurines. (MEX40, $19.95)
The Art of Mesoamerica, from Olmec to Aztec  •  Mary Ellen Miller   • ART & ARCHITECTURE  •  An excellent survey of Mesoamerican art and architecture from 1500 BC to the Spanish conquest. Compact and profusely illustrated, it includes drawings, photographs and site plans. (MYA09, $21.95)
The Cities of Ancient Mexico  •  Jeremy Sabloff   • ARCHAEOLOGY  •  A portrait of ancient civilizations in Mexico with chapters on the Oaxaca Valley, Teotihuacan and Palenque. Written by a renowned Mayanist, it also features insightful chapters on how archaeologists have reconstructed the past in Mexico. (MEX41, $18.95)
Zapotec Weavers of Teotitlan  •  Andra Fischgrund Stanton  •  Jaye Phillips   • ART & ARCHITECTURE  •  A handsome, illustrated guide to the history, culture, techniques, weaving and design of the rugs and other textiles of Teotitlan del Valle, Oaxaca. (MEX89, $29.95)
Life in Mexico  •  Frances Calderon De La Barca   • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR  •  A wonderfully insightful, celebrated series of letters written by the Scottish wife of the Spanish Ambassador from Mexico, 1839-1842. (MEX36, $22.95)
The Codex Nuttall, A Picture Manuscript from Ancient Mexico  •  Zelia Nuttall   • LITERATURE  •  A reproduction of the Peabody Museum facsimile, featuring 86 full-color plates depicting the life of the 10th-century Mixtec lord 8-Deer. (MEX159, $22.95)
Under the Volcano  •  Malcolm Lowry   • LITERATURE  •  The former British consul drinks away the haunting troubles of his past on the Mexico's Day of the Dead in Lowry's celebrated novel. (MEX150, $14.95)
A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Central America  •  Stephen Howell  •  Sophie Webb   • FIELD GUIDE  •  Serious birders will want this definitive guide to the 1,070 bird species. It may be awkward to carry but it covers, in detail, all the birds you will see in the region. (FG15, $49.95)
Field Guide to Mexican Birds  •  Roger Tory Peterson  •  Edward Chalif   • FIELD GUIDE  •  An easy-to-carry field guide with 1,000 species reported in Mexico, Belize and El Salvador, covering also 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 • HARD TO FIND ELSEWHERE  •  This classic guide illustrates all the regularly-occurring birds of Mexico and neighboring areas, including details of distribution, abundance, habitat and identification features for 850 species. (MEX47, $22.95)