Suggested Reading for destinations with our comments

My sister is a former reference librarian, so I figure she knows something about everything. When I travel I request a bibliography from her and then choose books to take on my trip. I try to mix it up with some historical fiction along with a travel guide and a field guide.   ... Jean

Books in GREEN are available through Naturally Curious, an excellent source for books on nature. They offer JB Journeys clients 10% off list prices on book purchases and free shipping in the US for orders over $35. 

PANAMA

• A Guide to the Birds of Panama (2nd edition) by Robert Ridgely and John Gwynne. Princeton University Press, 1992   We suggest you also get a copy of the Annotated Checklist, below.
• A Neotropical Companion by John C. Kricher. Princeton University Press, 1999
• A Path between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal by David McCullough. Simon and Schuster, 1999. The bible on the canal. Filled with history and facts as well as photos. 
• God’s Favorite by Lawrence Wright. Fiction based on historical facts, this novel about the end of the dictatorship of Panamanian strongman General Manuel Noriega tells a lot about his country and the US. Sometimes it’s amazing to think they recovered from such difficult times. In 2007, Wright won a Pulitzer for his latest book, The Looming Tower.
• A People who would not Kneel, James Howe, 1998, Smithsonian History of the Kuna people of San Blas Islands of Panama. Like so many other indigenous groups around the world, the Kuna were threatened with having their territory diminished and being relegated to poverty. The Kuna, however, set their own terms. Anthropologist Howe tells their fascinating story.
• Fenwick Travers and the Panama Canal by Raymond M. Saunders. Very light historical fiction of the building of the Canal, the revolution for independence from Colombia, and the involvement of the US government in both! Saunders has created a series of books whereby Travers instigates great occurances around the world. A fun way to learn a history lesson.
• Getting to know the General by Graham Greene. Interesting biography of General Torrijos, who ruled Panama before Noriega. Martin Torrijos, son of the General, just completed a term as president in 2009.
• Annotated Checklist of the Birds of Panama * This is an excellent companion to the field guide and is current.
• Panama Canal Bird Checklist *

* These publications are available through the Treasures page of Panama Boutique. Sales benefit Panama Audubon.

BELIZE

• The Last Flight of the Scarlet Macaw by Bruce Barcott Random House. 2008 Very well written report on the fight to prevent the damming of the Macal River in western Belize, home to the last remaining group of Scarlet Macaw in that country, not to mention jaguar, tapir, and loads of other wildlife. The fight was led by Sharon Matola, founder of the Belize Zoo. JB Journeys is a supporter of the Belize Zoo. If you so wish, you can add any amount to your final payment that we will donate in your name to the Zoo. We have chosen the Belize Zoo as recipient of donations in our Reduce your Climate Footprint program .

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

• In the Time of Butterflies by Julia Alvarez. This beautiful novel, based on historical facts, tells the story of the Maribel sisters, who gave their lives in the struggle against a cruel dictator. Also a very good depiction of life in the Dominican Republic in the 50s and 60s.
• A Cafecito Story by Julia Alvarez. A simple tale about sustainable growing and harvesting of coffee, the DR’s top crop.
• The Feast of the Goat by Mario Vargas Llosa Well written history of the last days of the Trujillo dictatorship. Somewhat picks up where Butterflies leaves off.
• Birds of the Dominican Republic and Haiti, Latta,Steve et al. Princeton University Press. 2006 Very good field guide with nice artwork. There are a few full page plates of some endemics. Our guide in the DR, Kate Wallace, contributed to the book. (Maybe she’ll sign your copy!)
• The Birds of the West Indies, Raffaele, Herbert, Paper version fits the pocket better.
• The Birds of Hispaniola BOU Checklist Series 2003, Keith, Allan  Hard to find, but a fantastic resource.
• History of the Dominican Republic  by Frank Moya Pons, Markus Wiener Publishers 1998. THE definitive history of the Island and the Dominican Republic from 1492 to 1990 by " the best-known contemporary Dominican historian.

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

• A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago, Second Edition,  Richard ffrench, Illustrated by John P. O’Neill & Don R. Eckelberry. Cornell University Press, 1991. 464 pages, full color illustrations, b&w illustrations. Members of nearly all the families of South American birds can be found in these two beautiful West Indian islands, where the climate is pleasant and the habitats varied. This easy-to-use book is a comprehensive yet compact field guide to more than 430 species. Individual species accounts, arranged by family, cover habitat, status, range, subspecies, field description, voice, food, nesting, and behavior. They are illustrated by color pates and drawings—the work of two of the foremost artists in Neotropical ornithology. First published in 1973, this second edition has been brought up to date, with some redrawn and additional illustrations.
• Field Guide to the Birds of Trinidad & Tobago by Martyn Kenefick, Robin Restall & Floyd Hayes. Yale University Press, 2008.  Trinidad and Tobago, tropical islands on the continental shelf of northeastern South America, enjoy a rich diversity of bird species, including visitors from the nearby mainland and others traveling the migratory flyway from North America. This compact, portable field guide is designed to provide birders and ornithologists with all the up-to-date information they need to identify birds in the field. The book features color illustrations and descriptions of almost 470 different species—every species known to occur naturally in Trinidad or Tobago as well as those successfully introduced there.