Realm of the Incas

US: Harper Collins, 2001. Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. A copy that has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged. Realm of the Incas is a celebration of the extraordinary diversity at the h eart of Tihuantinsuyo, or 'Land of the Four Quarters,' as the Inca Empire w as known before its conquest in 1533. Max Milligan's book charts a journey of breathtaking beauty, from the sacred snows of the Andes down into the vi rgin Amazon rainforest, encompassing the most richly biodiverse area on the planet. At the centre of the region stands Cuzco, meaning literally 'The Navel' to its founders, and today acknowledged as the archaeological capital of South America and a World Heritage Site. Within a single day's drive to Cuzco ar e eight distinct climates and habitats; and the myths, beliefs and customs of the inhabitants of these areas are equality diverse. In the highlands, r emote communities still farm llamas and alpacas in medieval style, while th e islanders of Lake Titicaca use solar panels to generate their electricity . Beyond the gaze of eco-tourists, deep in protected reserves, the rainfore sts of Madre de Dios support tribes of native Indians pursuing a stone-age existence. Max Milligan has left virtually no stone unturned in his explorations; whether recording the icy source of the Amazon, the Sacred Valley of the Incas, Fitzcarraldo's trade routes or the cactus forests of Apurimac, his passion and determination to do his subject justice shine through. With its magical photography and lively text, endorsed in the foreword by John Hemming (whose own definitive work The Conquest of the Incas was desc.