O'Hanlon starts this impossibly witty account of a four-month journey into the Venezuelan Amazon with a litany of the insects, protozoa, snakes and predators that can do you harm. A comic masterpiece, the book is also noteworthy for its excellent descriptions of the wildlife, environment and peoples of the Amazon. Imagine a PBS documentary hosted by the Monty Python troupe.  (AMZ04, $13.95)

The 86 Greatest Travel Books of All Time
Around the World in 80 Travel Books
Amazon
Venezuela
Brazilian Amazon
Tropical Forest