Over the last couple years as I prepared for and then lived in Peru, I did a lot of research into the best and most useful Peru related materials. So I’d like to share the fruits of this labor in case anyone else is interested in learning more. This is far from an exhaustive list. I am saving many of my Peru related books for the trip, so because I haven’t yet read them, I haven’t included them here. Also, I’ve included links to my photos and essay from my 2007 trip, and various other links.

Doug’s Guide to Cusco – recommended places to stay, eat, visit, and shop!
http://www.dojoklo.com/CuscoPlacesToVisit.doc

My 40 Tips for Better Travel Photography, a handout from my lectures.  It isn’t quite the same without the slideshow of example images, but if you are familiar with basic photography and camera functions, you should be able to understand it.
http://www.dojoklo.com/DJKTravelPhotoTips.doc

A downloadable, Word version of the following list – Fruits of my Labor:
http://www.dojoklo.com/FruitsofMyLabor.doc

Fruits of my Labor:

Photos
My website, with wonderful photos of Peru can be viewed at http://www.dojoklo.com
Photos from my 2007 trip to Peru, including volunteering at Aldea Yanapay, Cusco can be seen here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dojoklo/collections/72157600540497203/

Aldea Yanapay
My essay about volunteering at Aldea Yanapay, Cusco in June, 2007:
http://www.tabblo.com/studio/stories/view/1026012/
Another wonderful essay about Aldea Yanapay by American volunteers Sasha and Andrea, 2006:
http://www.volunteersouthamerica.net/vsa_sacha_andrea.htm
And the site for Aldea Yanapay:
http://www.aldeayanapay.org

Volunteering in South America
This is the best website for researching free and low cost volunteering opportunities in South America:
http://www.volunteersouthamerica.net/
The South American Explorer’s Club is also a tremendous resource for traveling and volunteering in South America, although you have to be a member to access some content. If you plan on spending an extended period in South America, or making return visits, a membership will be invaluable. Their clubhouses are a true home away from home for me:
http://www.saexplorers.org

Digital and Travel Photography Books
David D. Busch’s Guides to Digital Photography – excellent, in depth and easy to understand manuals for specific cameras, such as:
David Busch’s Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi/450D Guide to Digital SLR Photography
The Digital Photography Book, Volumes 1, 2 and 3 by Scott Kelby – straightforward pro tips for every aspect of digital photography.
Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photographs with a Film or Digital Camera (Updated Edition) by Bryan Peterson
Learning to See Creatively: Design, Color & Composition in Photography (Updated Edition) by Bryan Peterson
National Geographic Field Guides for Photography – There are several great books in this series, and I especially like the advice and behind the scenes stories from the pros.
Rick Sammon’s Travel and Nature Photography by Rick Sammon
Rick Sammon’s Complete Guide to Digital Photography 2.0 by Rick Sammon
Spirit of Place: The Art of the Traveling Photographer by Bob Krist – one of the masters of travel photography.
Waiting for the Light by David Noton – Breathtaking landscape photos all demonstrating the importance of patience and light.  Also includes some great travel pictures and bits of practical advice for capturing these kinds of images.
Portraits by Steve McCurry – Stunning portraits of people from all over the globe, capturing the “unguarded moment,” by a renowned National Geographic photographer.
Peru by Robert Frank – Beautiful photos of campesinos and landscapes of Andean Peru. While the subjects are often the indigenous people, the visual approach and sparseness of the images also strongly captures a sense of the land and the environment where they lived and worked.  What is also astonishing is the timelessness of these photos, in that the dress and the places remain largely unchanged in many rural areas of Peru. One could capture many of these images today – all they need is the talent, sensibilities, and eye of Robert Frank!  An inspiring must-view for any photographer traveling to Peru.

Books
The Peru Reader: History, Culture, Politics – A collection of writings that serves as a good introduction to many aspects of Peru then and now.
1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus by Charles C. Mann – Turns out everything we learned in school was completely wrong, and that the real story is much more fascinating.
The Conquest of the Incas by John Hemming – A historical account that is actually a page-turner as Pizarro and his tiny band make their way to Cusco and conquer Peru.
The Mapmaker’s Wife by Robert Whitaker – Two somewhat different but related true stories from 18th Century South America. The first follows a French scientific expedition sent to South America to measure and determine the exact shape of the Earth. The author in effect takes an old map that one would glance at for two seconds in a museum and brings to life the interesting story and real people behind its making. The second part is the twenty year quest of one of the scientists and his Peruvian wife to reunite, including her harrowing ordeal as the sole survivor of her expedition through the Amazon jungle.
Cusco Tales by Richard Nesbit – A hilarious collection of stories about the “side of Cusco you won’t find in the guidebooks.”
Captain Pantoja and the Special Service by Mario Vargas Llosa – A side-splitting book about “servicing” the army stationed in the Amazon. Also has been made into a movie a couple times (see below).
Death in the Andes by Mario Vargas Llosa – A somber story of civil guards sent into the Andes to investigate disappearances during the period of the Shining Path.
The White Rock by Hugh Thompson – An exploration of the Inca civilization, as well as contemporary Peru, by a true modern day explorer.
A Sacred Landscape: The Search for Ancient Peru by Hugh Thomson – A physical and historical journey through the pre-Inca civilizations of Peru. Turns out I unknowingly followed in the author’s footsteps to many of these sites, and I even met some of the people in this book!
Trail of Feathers: In Search of the Birdmen of Peru by Tahir Shah – A generally true detective story as the author attempts to discover whether the Incas were really able to fly like birds over the Amazon jungle, or whether they were experiencing drug-induced hallucinations. A great primer on the true purpose of ayahuasca.

Spanish Language Books and Tapes
The Ultimate Spanish Review and Practice by Ronni L. Gordon and David M. Stillman
501 Spanish Verbs by Christopher Kendris and Theodore Kendris – The must-have reference book which frightens even native speakers.
Breaking out of Beginner’s Spanish by Joseph J. Keenan – The antidote to all the other language reference books.
Foreign Service Institute – Programmatic Spanish Course – Spanish tapes to train diplomats, dating from the late 1960’s. Arguably still the best course available, and free!
http://www.fsi-language-courses.com/
Plus, as you listen to the tapes, you can just imagine the government men, in dark blue suits at metal desks, cigarette smoke in the air, as they all learned to say, in Spanish:
“Really? What’s her name?”
“Her name is Nora.”
“But – - isn’t she married?”
“No. Nora is single. The married one is Maria.”
“Of course. Maria is the older one.”
Makes you envious of the fabulous cocktail parties they were training for…

Movies
Baraka – An astonishing and moving portrait of our planet, “…a dazzling barrage of images that transcend language. Filmed in 24 countries and set to an ever-changing global soundtrack.” I first saw this with the kids of Yanapay, which was an amazing experience in and of itself.
The Fall of Fujimori – A wonderful documentary about Peru’s former president Alberto Fujimori: his rise to power, his successes including defeating the country’s terrorists, and his fall. I watched it three times in two days.
Paloma de Papel (Paper Dove) – A realistic portrayal of an Andean town’s struggle against the Shining Path guerrillas, as seen through the eyes of a young boy.
Fitzcarraldo – The story of an opera obsessed wanna-be rubber baron in the Amazon at the turn of the century. The director of this movie mirrors the obsession of the character, and actually attempts to carry a steamboat over a mountain, without special effects. Does he succeed? Watch and see! A very different type of film-making than what we are used to.
Burden of Dreams – The making of Fitzcarraldo, where you can witness the insanity of Herzog and Kinski, and have a behind the scenes look at the incredible jungle settings and the indigenous extras. A must see if you’ve watched Fitzcarraldo.
Pantaleon y las Visitadores (Captain Pantoja and the Special Service) – A nice and accurate version of the Mario Vargas Llosa book. Doesn’t focus on the M*A*S*H (movie) style humor found in the book, but the characters are very much as I envisioned them – with Angie Cepeda as steamy as the air in Iquitos.
Tinta Roja – Set in contemporary Lima, an intern at a tabloid newspaper learns from his rough-edged mentor and gains success, but at what cost? Then suddenly their work and their lives collide! It all sounds contrived, but is very successfully presented and enjoyable to watch.
The Mission – 18th Century South America, the Spanish, the Portuguese, the Jesuits, the indigenous Guarani, Iguazu Falls, Robert DeNiro…a beautiful epic of a tragic history. Also has a great “making of” disc focusing on the indigenous Waunana actors.
The Dancer Upstairs – An intelligent, well-considered movie, directed by John Malkovich, based on the book by Nicholas Shakespeare. The story of this intense drama revolves around the pursuit and capture of the leader of the Shining Path, with several scenes based on actual events.
Soy Andina – www.soyandina.com A documentary by a friend I met at the SAE’s clubhouse when I first came to Peru to volunteer. A story of traditional dance and reconnecting with one’s roots, best described by Carolina Huaranca: “This film fully embraces Peru’s culture, traditions, and ethnic diversity. It not only helps re-ignite cultural pride amongst Peruvians-Americans from all walks of life, it encourages dialogue across all cultures.”

Music
The Rough Guide – Music of the Andes
Fiestas: Music of the High Andes (Explorer Series – Peru)
Kingdom of the Sun: The Inca Heritage (Explorer Series – Peru)
Inkuyo – Land of the Incas
Andean Legacy
Treasures of Indio Music, vol. 1-6
Any Grupo Cinco cd, preferably purchased at Molino in Cusco