Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Ernesto “Che” Guevara
The Motorcycle Diaries
(Verso). Amusing account of Che's mo-
torcycle trip through South America in the 1950s, providing an intimate portrait of a young
beatnik traveller and romantic idealist undergoing some of the experiences - particularly in
revolutionary Bolivia - that would later transform him into a ruthless guerrilla leader.
Michael Jacobs
Ghost Train through the Andes: On My Grandfather's trail in Chile and
Bolivia
(John Murray). This topic retraces the steps of the author's father as a British railway
engineer in Bolivia in the nineteenth century, uncovering an extraordinary love story.
Rusty Young
Marching Powder
(Pan). Hilarious and terrifying account of a small-time Eng-
lish cocaine smuggler's experiences locked up in La Paz's notorious San Pedro prison.
WILDLIFE AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Michael Bright
Andes to Amazon: A Guide to Wild South America
(BBC). Good general
introduction to the astonishing range of ecosystems and wildlife in South America, lavishly
illustrated with colour photographs.
L. H. Emmons
Neotropical Rainforest Mammals: A Field Guide
(Chicago). Authoritative
descriptions and beautiful illustrations of over two hundred species, ideal for identifying an-
imals in the wild.
Susannah Hecht and Alexander Cockburn
The Fate of the Forest: Developers, Destroyers
and Defenders of the Amazon
(Harper Collins). Comprehensive, highly readable account of
the threat to the Amazon rainforest, with detailed description of the political and social con-
flicts that underlie the destruction of the rainforest.
John Kricher
A Neotropical Companion
(Princeton University Press). Enjoyable general in-
troductiontotheflora,faunaandecologyofthetropicallowlandsofSouthandCentralAmer-
ica, well written and packed with detail.
Norman Myers
The Primary Source: Tropical Forests and our Future
(Norton).Compelling
account byaleading expertoftheworld'smostdiverseandcomplex ecosystem, themanifold
ways in which humans benefit from it, and the dangers arising from its destruction.
Martin de la Pena
Illustrated Checklist: Birds of Southern South America and Antarctica
(Collins/Princeton University Press). Comprehensive field guide with over a thousand bird
species the serious birdwatcher's best bet given the lack of a Bolivia-specific bird book.
