"In Russia, you will learn that Russia is the largest country in the world and its natural resources make it one of the richest. It has experienced enormous political, social, and economic upheaval during the last century, and as a result, Russia faces many challenges."--

The Land of Little Rain (1903) is a collection of essays and short stories by Mary Hunter Austin. Originally published with photographs taken by acclaimed American photographer Ansel Adams, The Land of Little Rain is a classic work of nature writing. Austin is now recognized as an early feminist and conservationist who understood the intricacy and fragility of ecosystems as well as the extent to which human civilization threatens their continued existence. In...

Mark Twain's semi-autobiographical travel memoir, "Roughing It" was written between 1870-1871 and subsequently published in 1872. Billed as a prequel to "Innocents Abroad", in which Twain details his travels aboard a pleasure cruise through Europe and the Holy Land in 1867, "Roughing It" conversely documents Twain's early days in the old wild west between the years 1861-1867. Employing his characteristically humoristic wit and flare for regional dialect,...

The story of Shoko, a Japanese woman who married an American GI, and her grown daughter, Sue, a divorced mother whose life as an American housewife hasn't been what she'd expected. When illness prevents Shoko from traveling to Japan, she asks Sue to go in her place. The trip reveals family secrets that change their lives in dramatic and unforeseen ways.

"In Iran, you will learn that Iran, formerly known as Persia, is one of the world's oldest civilizations. Since the revolution in 1979, Iran has been governed as an Islamic Republic with an ayatollah, or Shia religious leader, as its supreme ruler. This has led to profound changes and tensions in Iranian society."--

He was Sam Clemens, steamboat pilot, before he was Mark Twain, famous author. His better-known name originated with the lingo of navigation, and much of his writing was informed by his shipboard adventures on one of the world's great rivers. In this classic of American literature, Twain offers lively recollections ranging from his salad days as a novice pilot to views from the passenger deck in the twilight of the river culture's heyday. Under the...

"Based on the Emmy award-winning documentary series of the same name, Ring of Fire is a first-person account of the adventures of two English brothers as they explore the astonishingly rich cultures of the Indonesian islands. nduring record of a vanishing world."--

'A Beard In Nepal' is the story of the five months Tod and Fiona spent in a small, remote village high in the Himalayas of Nepal, attempting to teach English to the village children. It is the story of an ordinary (?) middle aged couple from Liverpool who did an extraordinary thing, and lived to tell the tale. The book is an often humorous account of the challenges they faced while, for example, trying to teach the children in a small wooden...

The author, a travel journalist, was born and lives in Germany. This guide focuses on the Rhine and Mosel Valleys, including Mainz, Cologne, Bonn, Trier, Worms, Speyer and more - with the kind of inside detail that only a resident can provide. The Rhine valley is one of Germany's prime tourist attractions. The most interesting part of the valley is between Speyer, with the largest Romanesque cathedral in Germany, and Cologne (Koln), with the largest...

There are other guides to this exciting city, but this is the one I will take with me on my next visit... Arnold Greenberg has visited Argentina more than 40 times, obvious from the wealth of information he gives you." - Travel Books Review "Packed with in-depth information." - Philadelphia Inquirer "Learn to tango, visit gaucho camps on the pampas and enjoy some of the world's finest beef. Written in a highly readable style, this guide seems to have...