The Best of Books, Cookbooks and Movies about Peru

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The Best of Books, Cookbooks and Movies about Peru www.compassandfork.comOur Hand Picked Selection of Books, Cookbooks and Movies about Peru

Books are a great way to both learn about a destination and relive the memories once you return home. This month we hand pick the best of books, cookbooks and movies about Peru to help get you in the mood for the destination we will feature on Compass & Fork in early 2016.

We have 4 featured categories: fiction, non-fiction, movies and cookbooks. These are all listed below and are in the Compass & Fork shop as well. (You can find these collections from previous destinations in the shop as well.)

Many of these recommendation we have read or watched either to prepare or as we traveled through Peru. Others are popular recommendations. Often when you are in a destination, books will be available that are not distributed internationally, buy these to take home. A book or cookbook can make a great memory of your trip.

Disclosure: These links are to Amazon. I have selected the main link, but you can order it in different formats from that link (kindle, hardback, paperback). These are affiliate links. This means the price you pay is the same but by ordering from our site we receive a small commission from your purchase. Thank you for your support we really appreciate it, affiliate income is one way we offset the costs of running Compass & Fork.

So without further ado . . .

Fiction Books about Peru

A novel is a great way to explore a place, perhaps in a different era to get the history, or in the present day to help better understand the culture. A great story can really make a place come alive.

  1. Chasing the Sun, by Natalia Sylvester set in 1992 in Lima.
  2. Red April by Santiago Roncagliolo
  3. Conquest of the Inca’s by John Hemming
  4. The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder
  5. Death in the Andes by Mario Vargas Llosa (author won a Nobel Prize)
  6. Conversation in a Cathedral by Mario Vargas Llosa

 


Non-Fiction Books about Peru

  1. Turn Right at Machu Picchu– Mark Adams- humorous personal travelogue of a New Yorker in Peru. Arecent publication, New York Times bestseller.
  2. Lost City of the Inca’s– travelogue by Hiram Bingham, the Yale academic that discovered Machu Picchu in 1911.
  3. The Celestine Prophecy (sort of fiction) by James Redfield. This book became a best seller when it was published in 1997.
  4. Last Days of the Incas– Kim MacQuarrie- a National Geographic pick
  5. Cloud Forest, A Chronicle of the South American Wilderness by Peter Mathiessen


 Cookbooks featuring Peruvian Cusine

  1. Peru, the Cookbook
  2. The Fire of Peru: Recipes and Stories from My Peruvian Kitchen
  3. The Art of Peruvian Cuisine, Vol. I
  4. The Art of Peruvian Cuisine, Vol. 2
  5. The Food and Cooking of Peru: Traditions, Ingredients, Tastes and Techniques in 60 Classic Recipes
  6. Ceviche: Peruvian Kitchen: Authentic Recipes for Lomo Saltado, Anticuchos, Tiraditos, Alfajores, and Pisco Cocktails


Movies about (or filmed) in Peru

  1. Raiders of the Lost Ark (starts in Peru)
  2. Kon Tiki– the expedition searching for the Polynesian Islands, leaves from Peru
  3. The Emperor’s New Groove (animated- great one for kids)
  4. Anaconda– if you are headed to the jungle
  5. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
  6. The Motorcycle Diaries– The charismatic figure from the Cuban Revolution, Che Guavara, and his trip through South America
  7. Secret of the Incas– 1954, Charlton Heston movie, credited as inspiration for the Raiders of the Lost Ark movie
  8. Touching the Void– story of a climber’s experience in the Andes Mountains near Huaraz. This is a truly amazing and inspirational story

What are your favorite books, cookbooks or movies about Peru? One of these or a new one to share? Please let us know in the comments below. See you shortly with travel and food ideas from Peru.


 

 The Best of Books, Cookbooks and Movies about Peru www.compassandfork.com

12 Responses

  1. Bianca @itsallbee
    | Reply

    I dying to visit this part of the world. Good to know someone has done the work in getting the best books about the place so I dont have to.

    • Editor
      |

      Thanks Bianca. Not a bad collection of books and movies, particularly the books about the Incas.

  2. Kristen Sarra
    | Reply

    I love this series – what a great idea to inspire wanderlust! I like to read books about a destination I’m visiting just prior to going. It helps you get a feel for it and keeps you excited until takeoff!

    • Editor
      |

      Couldn’t agree more with you Kristen. It adds a to the excitement prior to the trip and provides a deeper knowledge when you arrive at your destination. Thanks for your comment.

  3. Laura Nordberg
    | Reply

    Amazing. Peru is on my bucket list so will definitely come back to this post when the time comes to plan everything 🙂

    • Editor
      |

      Hi Laura. Some research before you go will definitely give you a deeper understanding of what you see when you get there. Thanks for your comment.

  4. Criz
    | Reply

    Awesome! Need to read those books, thanks for recommending! I had watched some of those movies. I didn’t know that the Kon Tiki leaves from Peru, great to know! I really love that movie and had been to the Kon Tiki museum too, in Oslo 😉

    • Editor
      |

      Yes the Kon Tiki was a truly global effort. Kon-Tiki after the Inca sun god, Viracocha, for whom “Kon-Tiki” was said to be an old name. Thanks for your comment.

  5. Natasha
    | Reply

    I’ve heard of a couple of those books before. Have always meant to read a couple before I get to South America. Thanks for this roundup!

    • Editor
      |

      Yes a good idea to find the time and read them. You will have a much greater appreciation of what you are seeing when you arrive in Peru. Thanks for your comment.

  6. Shanti
    | Reply

    Great list of books! I’ve bookmarked so I can come back to this.

    • Editor
      |

      Good books are a great starting point to educate yourself about the culture of the country, that’s for sure. It adds an extra dimension to your travels. Thanks for your comment.

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