LAMP

Latin America Bibliography

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NEW TITLES

Paula Newton, Michelle Hopey and Crit Minster, Editors
V!VA List Latin America: 333 Places and Experiences That People Love, V!va Travel, 2007 ($19.95, 350 pages)
- Tales of travels from Tijuana to Tierra del Fuego

TOP SHELF

Mark Bonta
Seven Names for the Bellbird: Conservation Geography in Honduras, Texas A&M University Press, 2003
- Few books document the challenges and merits of including locals in conservation. Bonta, a university professor and former member of the U.S. Peace Corps provides a frank account of biodiversity conservation and birding in of the most mountainous regions of the Americas.
Excerpt: Conservation Geography in Action

Ben Orlove
Lines in the Water: Nature and Culture at Lake Titicaca, University of California Press, 2002
- The book's subtitle "Nature and Culture at Lake Titicaca" specifies the center of action, but the scope is much broader and deeper. It's actually hard to find the words to say how delightful this book is. Author Ben Orlove is an environmental science professor at the University of California, Davis, and his book is based on three decades of trips to Peru and Bolivia.
- Planeta Review

Jared Diamond
Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies, Norton, 2002

Alfred W. Crosby
The Columbian Exchange, Praeger, 2003

J. Timmons Roberts and Nikki Demetria Thanos
Trouble in Paradise: Globalization and Environmental Crises in Latin America, Routledge, 2003
- Overview of environmental issues in the region. Recommended reading.

Victoria Schlesinger
Animals and Plants of the Ancient Maya, University of Texas Press, 2002
- This work combines the details of a scientific field guide with anthropological research. The result is outstanding. The author discusses the animals and plants most commonly seen in Mundo Maya -- Mexico, Guatemala, Belize and Honduras. The book provides a synthesis of current research and will delight specialists and travelers alike. Excellent!
Planeta Review
Author website

Chris Taylor
The Beautiful Game, Latin American Bureau, 1998
- Taking its title from Pele's description of soccer, this book looks at how the sport is integrated into Latin American culture. It's a collection of colorful anecdotes and perceptive insights. Highly recommended.

Alan Gilbert
The Latin American City, Latin American Bureau, 1998
- This book examines the urban explosion of the 20th century from the perspective of the poor. The author asks why people are attracted to the cities and examines how they survive. The book book is illustrated with photos, tables and graphs. For anyone interested in the region, this book is a must read.

Lane Simonian
Defending the Land of the Jaguar: Natural History of Mexico, University of Texas Press, 1995
- Kudos to author Lane Simonian for producing the definitive English-language account of Mexican environmental history. This book traces the history of conservation and environmentalism in Mexico from the pre-Conquest era to roughly 1992 and the NAFTA debates. Available in Spanish from the National Institutute of Ecology -- La Defensa de la Tierra del Jaguar
Planeta Review

Ron Mader
Mexico: Adventures in Nature, John Muir Publications, 1997
- This is the classic first and last edition of the guidebook written by the founder of Planeta.com. Much of the text has been recycled into travel guides published on this site.
Book Index

OTHER FAVORITES

David E. Nye
America as Second Creation: Technology and Narratives of New Beginnings, MIT Press, 2003

Jeffrey Klaiber
The Church, Dictatorships and Democracy in Latin America, Orbis Books, 1999
- This fascinating history of liaisons among powerful institutions is both well-written and deeply sad. Chapters examine the Catholic Church's history in Latin America from its Colonial Legacy to current relations in Peru, Mexico, Nicaragua and Guatemala. This study is recommended for any reader interested in human rights and democratic development in the region.