The Best Books About Peru

One of the most essential items to pack on any trip abroad is a good book to read. Not only can this help to pass the sometimes long travel hours of an international trip, it’s also a great way to prepare for your time in a new country and learn a bit about the culture and people. That’s why we’ve prepared the following list of the best books about Peru. Pack one or two of these books and get to know this amazing country a little bit as you see some of its sights.

The Peru Reader

by Orin Starn, Carlos Iván Degregori, Robin Kirk

For a wide-ranging perspective of every aspect of Peruvian history and culture, this book is the best option available. This ambitious anthology covers the entire history of the country across multiple genres including historical accounts, literature, social commentary, poetry and more.

Last Days of the Incas

by Kim McQuarrie

This riveting account of the Inca Empire’s downfall really brings history to life for readers. Well-written and engaging, The Last Days of the Incas will help you to appreciate this chapter of history for the tragic epic that it was.

Cloud Road: A Journey Through the Inca Heartland

by John Harrison

This travelogue follows author John Harrison as he walks the entire length of the Inca royal road from Quito to Cusco. Read about his experiences visiting small villages in the most remote corners of the Andes and gain a deeper appreciation for the Andean people.

The Conquest of the Incas

by John Hemming

Written in the early 1970’s, this book set the standard for English-language texts about the Incas and is still the best book ever written about the subject today. Pick up this thoroughly-researched classic for the most in-depth treatment of the Inca Empire.

Cochineal Red: Travels Through Ancient Peru

by Hugh Thomson

Equal parts travelogue, history and ethnography, this wonderful book by writer and explorer Hugh Thomson takes readers on a whirlwind tour of Peru’s ancient past, with stops in places as diverse as Caral, the Nazca Lines, and the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

Other Options

The above list mainly consists of travel writings and history books to help you learn about Peruvian culture and history. This country also has a rich body of literary work that is worth checking out if fiction is more to your preference. Peru’s most famous literary mind is, without a doubt, Mario Vargas Llosa, the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2010. His most famous works include Conversation in the Cathedral, Death in the Andes and The Time of the Hero, each of which gives a unique look into Peruvian culture at a particular point in time.

Another, lesser-known but equally worthy literary voice is that of Jose Maria Arguedas, whose mid-20th century novels have achieved considerable acclaim despite a relative lack of English translations. His novels Yawar Fiesta and Deep Rivers, both originally written in a mixture of Spanish and Quechua, offer close-up looks at the culture of indigenous Peruvians which will give travelers in the region a greater understanding of the traditions of the area.

Hopefully our list of the best books about Peru has helped you to come up with an excellent reading list for your own trip to this wonderful country so rich in culture and history.

Header Image: Modified from Flickr / David Tesch