A non-fiction murder mystery set in the Brazilian Amazon. The book tells the true story of the life and death of Chico Mendes, a rubber tapper and union organizer who was killed in the sleepy river town of Xapuri in 1988. Revkin puts the murder in context, giving a history of the rubber industry and the inevitable conflicts with ranchers and settlers. It's a riveting story of conservation and politics in Brazil, rich in natural history. Originally published in 1990.  (AMZ08, $25.00)

Tropical Forest