Best Peru History Books of 2025

Wilson Cook
Last Updated: May 11, 2023

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Peru has a rich and fascinating history, and there are many excellent books available that delve deep into its past. These books cover everything from the pre-Columbian civilizations to the Inca Empire and the Spanish conquest. They explore the country's diverse cultures, religions, and traditions, as well as its struggles for independence and modernization. Whether you're a history buff or just curious about this beautiful South American nation, Peru history books are a great way to learn about its past and gain a deeper appreciation for its present.

At a Glance: Our Top Picks

#TOP 1
Mother of God: An Extraordinary Journey into the Uncharted Tributaries of the Western Amazon
ftb score rating icon9.8
#TOP 2
Turn Right at Machu Picchu: Rediscovering the Lost City One Step at a Time
ftb score rating icon9.7
#TOP 3
Bolivar: American Liberator
ftb score rating icon9.5

Top 10 Peru History Books

Mother of God: An Extraordinary Journey into the Uncharted Tributaries of the Western Amazon

Rosolie, Paul
Harper Paperbacks
Mar 17, 2015
Mother of God: An Extraordinary Journey into the Uncharted Tributaries of the Western Amazon
ftb score rating icon9.8
FTB Score

Mother of God: An Extraordinary Journey into the Uncharted Tributaries of the Western Amazon is a captivating read that takes readers on an adventure through the Madre de Dios region of Peru. Author Paul Rosolie, an explorer and conservationist, vividly captures the awe-inspiring beauty of the Amazon and the urgent need to protect it from the dangers of development, oil drilling, and mining. Rosolie's poetic storytelling ability and enthusiasm for the wilderness make him a compelling voice for conservation. The book also features 16 pages of stunning color photos that further bring the Amazon to life. Overall, Mother of God is a unique and important read for anyone interested in exploring the uncharted territories of the Western Amazon and preserving its natural wonders.

Turn Right at Machu Picchu: Rediscovering the Lost City One Step at a Time

Adams, Mark
Dutton
Apr 24, 2012
Turn Right at Machu Picchu: Rediscovering the Lost City One Step at a Time
ftb score rating icon9.7
FTB Score

Turn Right at Machu Picchu is a captivating travel memoir by Mark Adams, where he sets out to retrace the steps of Hiram Bingham III, who in 1911 discovered Machu Picchu. Adams, an unadventurous adventure writer, hires an Australian survivalist to guide him through the Andes Mountains of Peru to uncover the truth about the lost city. This book is a fascinating blend of history, adventure, and humor, providing an informative guide to the Inca civilization while narrating Adams' own journey. Overall, Turn Right at Machu Picchu is a delightful read that offers a fresh perspective on one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the last century.

Arana, Marie
Simon & Schuster
Apr 8, 2014
Bolivar: American Liberator
ftb score rating icon9.5
FTB Score

Bolivar: American Liberator is a sweeping biography of the famous South American general and statesman, Simon Bolivar, who freed six countries from Spanish rule and is still revered in South America today. Written by Marie Arana, the book is a major work of history that vividly captures the early 19th-century South America that made Bolivar the man he became: fearless general, brilliant strategist, consummate diplomat, dedicated abolitionist, gifted writer, and flawed politician. Arana's writing style reads like a novel, yet the book is researched like a masterwork of history. In conclusion, Bolivar: American Liberator is a magnificent and compelling story that offers invaluable lessons about leadership and passion.

The Last Days of the Incas

MacQuarrie, Kim
Simon & Schuster
Jun 5, 2008
The Last Days of the Incas
ftb score rating icon9.5
FTB Score

The Last Days of the Incas is a captivating historical account of the fall of the Inca Empire to the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro. It tells the story of a bloody civil war and the subsequent discovery of the lost guerrilla capital of the Incas. The book is a welcome addition to the literature on Native American history, and its vivid and energetic narrative makes it a fascinating read. The author's meticulous research and attention to detail bring the story to life, making it a must-read for anyone interested in this fascinating period of history.

Forgotten Continent: A History of the New Latin America

Reid, Michael
Yale University Press
Nov 14, 2017
Forgotten Continent: A History of the New Latin America
ftb score rating icon9.3
FTB Score

A newly updated edition of Michael Reid's best-selling book, Forgotten Continent: A History of the New Latin America, offers a comprehensive view of the social, political, and economic challenges facing Central and South America. Reid's revised account of the region reveals dynamic societies more concerned about corruption and climate change, uncertain relations with the United States, and political cycles turning from left-wing populism to center-right governments. This essential new edition provides important insights into the sweeping changes that have occurred in Latin America in recent years and indicates priorities for the future. Overall, this book is an excellent resource for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of Latin America.

Lost City of the Incas (Phoenix Press)

Bingham, Hiram
Phoenix
Oct 1, 2003
Lost City of the Incas (Phoenix Press)
ftb score rating icon9.1
FTB Score

The special illustrated edition of Hiram Bingham's classic work, "Lost City of the Incas," published by Phoenix Press, captures the magnificence and mystery of the amazing archeological sites he uncovered. Bingham's expeditions to the Eastern Peruvian Andes led to the discovery of Machu Picchu and two other lost cities, including Vitcos, where the last Incan Emperor was assassinated. The book is a rich, lively read that catalogs Bingham's finds with admirable concision and captures the majesty of the architecture in its dramatic and wild surroundings. Overall, this book is an excellent read for anyone interested in Native American history and archeology.

Pathologies of Power: Health, Human Rights, and the New War on the Poor (Volume 4) (California Series in Public Anthropology)

Paul Farmer
Amartya Sen
University of California Press
Nov 22, 2004
Pathologies of Power: Health, Human Rights, and the New War on the Poor (Volume 4) (California Series in Public Anthropology)
ftb score rating icon8.9
FTB Score

Pathologies of Power is a thought-provoking book that challenges conventional thinking within human rights circles. Paul Farmer, a physician and anthropologist, shares his experiences studying diseases in Haiti, Peru, and Russia to argue that promoting the social and economic rights of the world’s poor is the most important human rights struggle of our times. Farmer's examples are linked to a guarded optimism that new medical and social technologies will develop in tandem with a more informed sense of social justice. This urgent plea to consider critical issues of quality and access for the world’s poor should be of fundamental concern to pathologists, medical students, and humanitarians alike.

#TOP 8

The Andean World (Routledge Worlds)

Seligmann, Linda J.
Fine-Dare, Kathleen S.
Routledge
Nov 28, 2018
The Andean World (Routledge Worlds)
ftb score rating icon8.9
FTB Score

The Andean World (Routledge Worlds) is a comprehensive reference that provides an authoritative overview of Andean lifeways. The book covers the ecology and pre-Columbian history of the region, and addresses key themes such as cosmology, aesthetics, gender and household relations, modes of economic production, exchange, and consumption, postcolonial legacies, identities, political organization and movements, and transnational interconnections. With over 40 essays by expert contributors, this book is an essential resource for students and scholars alike. Compiled by two leading authorities, the book offers a multidisciplinary introduction to the region.

#TOP 9

Earth Beings: Ecologies of Practice across Andean Worlds (The Lewis Henry Morgan Lectures)

de la Cadena, Marisol
Foster, Robert J.
Reichman, Daniel R.
Duke University Press Books
Oct 16, 2015
Earth Beings: Ecologies of Practice across Andean Worlds (The Lewis Henry Morgan Lectures)
ftb score rating icon8.9
FTB Score

Earth Beings: Ecologies of Practice across Andean Worlds is an exceptional ethnography that explores the indigenous ways of knowing and being in the Peruvian Andes. The book presents the conversations between Mariano and Nazario Turpo, runakuna or Quechua people, and the author, Marisol de la Cadena. The book's discussion of indigenous political strategies reconfigures how to think about modern politics and pushes readers to think beyond "hybridity" and toward translation and communication that accepts incommensurability. Although theoretically sophisticated, the book's language and introductory asides make it accessible to advanced undergraduates unfamiliar with its core concepts. Overall, this book is an important read and a profound application of contemporary theory to Quechua ethnography.

The Conquest of the Incas

Hemming, John
Mariner Books
Aug 4, 2003
The Conquest of the Incas
ftb score rating icon8.7
FTB Score

The Conquest of the Incas by John Hemming is a definitive history of how the magnificent Inca empire fell to the invasion by Pizarro's small gang of conquistadors. Hemming takes readers on a journey from the Incas' valiant attempts to expel the invaders to the destruction of the Inca realm, the oppression of its people, and the modern discoveries of Machu Picchu and the lost city of Vilcabamba. Grounded in meticulous research and firsthand knowledge, this authoritative account is told from the viewpoints of both protagonists. The Conquest of the Incas is an extraordinary book that reads like the most skillful novel.

Buying Guide Image

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is Peru known for history?

One of the most important Peruvian cultures was the Inca, who lived in Peru around 600 years ago. Their capital, Cusco, is still a major city today. The Inca also built Machu Picchu, a famous and mysterious ancient city in the Andes. They thrived for centuries before being conquered by the Spanish in 1532.

2. What was Peru called before?

At this time — 10 years before Francisco Pizarro began his Conquest of Peru — the region known as Birú marked one of the southernmost points known to the Spaniards. Despite lying well to the north of the Inca Empire, the word Birú, which in turn became Peru, came to signify all that lay to the south.

Editor's Notes

During our peru history book research, we found 1,000+ peru history book products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 9,345 customer reviews through our big data system to write the peru history books list. We found that most customers choose peru history books with an average price of $17.91.

Written by

Wilson Cook is a talented writer who has an MFA in creative writing from Williams College and has published more than 50 books acquired by hundreds of thousands of people from various countries by now. He is an inveterate reading lover as he has read a vast amount of books since childhood.