Suggested Reading.
by Leo Chaves
Naturalist guide.

Since the 19th century naturalists, mostly Americans and Europeans, have been taking field notes about Costa Rica's volcanoes, plants and animals. We are grateful to have the valuable collection of nature books witch help explain Costa Rica's rich Biodiversity.

The INBIO ( The National Institute of Biodiversity) constantly publishes new books on Costa Rica's Natural History. Our guides carry many of the most popular guide books with them. For the traveler's convenience there are many pocket size guides found in bookstores in San José ( we recommend 7th Street Books on Calle 7, Avenida Central y Calle 1) and souvenir shops across the country.

Stiles, Gary and A. Skutch. 1990. A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica. Cornell University Press, Ithaca. Highly recommended field guide, a classic.

Kricher, John C. 1999. A Neotropical Companion. Princeton University Press. Good introduction to the animals and plants in the tropics.

Forsythe, Adrian. 1990. Portraits of the Rain forest. Camden East, ONT.
Great pictures by Michael and Patricia Fogden, and an amazing text by Forsythe. Many of the pictures were taken in Costa Rica.

Henderson, Carrol L. 2002. Field Guide to the Wild Life of Costa Rica. University of Texas press, Austin, TX. This highly recommended new photography guide covers birds, butterflies, mammals, reptiles . Good natural history information.

Hilty, Steven. Birds of Tropical America. Chapters Publishing Ltd, Vermont. One of the best introductions to tropical birds, easy reading.

Reid, Fiona .1998. A Field Guide to the Mammals of Central America and Southeast Mexico. Oxford University Press, New York.

Lenders, Twan. 2001. Amphibians and Reptiles of Costa Rica. Published by Zona Tropical. Pocket size and useful field guide to the rich life of frogs, snakes and other reptiles in Costa Rica.

Hargreaves, Dorothy and Bob. 1960. Tropical Blossoms of the Caribbean. A beautiful pocket size guide to some of our common tropical flowers found in gardens of hotels and lodges around.

Hargreaves, Dorothy and Bob. 1965. Tropical Trees.

Perry, D. 1987. Life Above the Jungle Floor. Simon & Shuster, New York. A description of life in the rainforest canopy, the last biological frontier.

Molina, Ivan and Steven Palmer. 1997. History of Costa Rica. Editorial de la Universidad de Costa Rica. San Jose. Available at the 7th Street Books.

Urbina, Nely. My kitchen. Good cook book.

The New Costa Rican Cuisine. Editorial de la Universidad de Costa Rica. San Jose.

Ras, Barbara, 1994. Ed. Costa Rica: A Traveler's Literary Companion. Introduction by Oscar Arias, Whereabouts Press, San Francisco, CA. An excellent collection of 26 Costa Rican short stories, translated into English.