This beautifully written book weaves reflections on anthropological fieldwork together with evocative meditations on a spectacular landscape as it takes us to the remote indigenous villages on the shore of Lake Titicaca, high in the Peruvian Andes. Ben Orlove brings alive the fishermen, reed cutters, boat builders, and families of this isolated region, and describes the role that Lake Titicaca has played in their culture. He describes the landscapes and rhythms of life in the Andean highla...

There is no other place like these islands on earth! This unmatched archipelago is a world away from the mainland, yet it also helps define the identity of Ecuador. The Galápagos Islands captured the imagination of Charles Darwin and provided the catalyst for developing his theory of evolution, forever altering the written history of life on earth. Ever since the old pirate days, when the islands were referred to as the Enchanted Islands, the Galápagos have lured the inquisitive traveler w...

Many are discovering the up-and-coming vacation destination of Cape Verde, a sunny island archipelago south of the Canary Islands. It's a perfect all-season holiday vacation destination and one of the only short-haul destinations for Europeans to guarantee winter sun.  Table of Contents: Introduction to Cape Verde Climate Regions - Santo Antão - Boa Vista - São Vicente — Mindelo — Mindelo Walking Tour

Winner of the Green Prize for Sustainable LiteratureA growing body of law around the world supports the idea that humans are not the only species with rights; and if nature has rights, then humans have responsibilities.“Expertly written case studies in which legalese is accessibly distilled … empowering reminders that the seemingly inevitable slide toward planetary destruction can be halted.” — Publishers Weekly, starred re...

As eloquent as it is alarming, Carol Ann Bassett's portrait of today's Galápagos depicts a deadly collision of economics, politics, and the environment that may destroy one of the world's last Edens. For millions, the Galápagos Islands represent nature at its most unspoiled, an inviolate place famed for its rare flora and fauna. But soon today's 30,000 human residents could surpass 50,000. Add invasive species, floods of tourists, and unresolved conflicts between Ecuadorian laws and local ...

Welcome to Quito, the city of eternal spring, bridge to Ecuador's past, and your gateway city. Even if you are not much of a city person, this World Heritage Site has a certain charm to it. Nestled within the Avenue of the Volcanoes, the breathtaking backdrop blends with colonial architecture to create a truly unique surrounding. At 9,319 feet, Quito is Latin America's second-highest capital, after La Paz in Bolivia, and the main hub for Ecuador's tourism traffic. This is based on our much...

The jaguar is one of the most mysterious and least-known big cats of the world. The largest cat in the Americas, it has survived an onslaught of environmental and human threats partly because of an evolutionary history unique among wild felines, but also because of a power and indomitable spirit so strong, the jaguar has shaped indigenous cultures and the beliefs of early civilizations on two continents.In An Indomitable Beast: The Remarkable Journey of the Jaguar, big-cat...

Welcome to the wildest place on earth! Ecuador's upper Amazon Basin, referred to locally as the Oriente, awaits you. Spanning most of the Sucumbíos Province, this region is unquestionably one of the most biologically diverse regions on the planet. Here, you can experience incredible wildlife viewing and bird-watching, nature photography, jungle hikes, dugout-canoe excursions, and a unique mix of native people adapted to life in the heart of the tropics. From bird-size butterflies to butter...

For centuries, bird guano has played a pivotal role in the agricultural and economic development of Latin America, East Asia and Oceania. As their populations ballooned during the Industrial Revolution, North American and European powers came to depend on this unique resource as well, helping them meet their ever-increasing farming needs. This book explores how the production and commodification of guano has shaped the modern Pacific Basin and the world's relationship to the region. Marryi...

With over 25 percent of its land set aside in national parks and other protected areas, Costa Rica is renowned worldwide as "the green republic." In this very readable history of conservation in Costa Rica, Sterling Evans explores the establishment of the country's national park system as a response to the rapid destruction of its tropical ecosystems due to the expansion of export-related agriculture.Drawing on interviews with key players in the conservation movement, as well as ar...

Most travelers to eastern Puerto Rico come to see and hike El Yunque, the island's second-most-visited tourist destination after Old San Juan, and probably the world's most user-friendly rain forest. Others come for the east coast's three sprawling resort hotels, half a dozen excellent golf courses, the US Navy base, and one of the biggest yachting and sailing charter ports in the Caribbean. But this side of the island has much to offer that eludes most visitors to Puerto Rico, from a glor...

A Prehistory of South America is an overview of the ancient and historic native cultures of the entire continent of South America based on the most recent archaeological investigations. This accessible, clearly written text is designed to engage undergraduate and beginning graduate students in anthropology.For more than 12,000 years, South American cultures ranged from mobile hunters and gatherers to rulers and residents of colossal cities. In the process, native South Ame...