This week brings something new - an Armchair Traveler series I’m exploring for 2026. Take a mini-trip with me as we venture in a literary way to a new country each month. Grab your virtual passport, because today we’re going to Peru.
Peru borders the Pacific Ocean on the western side of South America, and is almost twice the size of Texas. Home of the ancient Incan Empire, 60% of Peru is covered by Amazon rainforest. The source of the Amazon River is in Peru along with a large portion of the Andes Mountains and the ruins of Machu Picchu. The wide range in geography has made Peru one of the world’s top biodiversity hotspots. The national animal of Peru is the vicuña, which produces some of the world’s most expensive wool. Llamas and alpacas are also native animals. Did you know potatoes come from Peru? They have over 3,500 varieties! Ceviche originated in Peru, and Peru is the world’s top exporter of asparagus. Make some ceviche, or learn more history:
Mario Vargas Llosa, noted Peruvian author who won a Nobel Prize in literature for his body of work, died in 2025 at age 89. The library has English translations of several of his books, as well as books by other Peruvian authors.
Other authors:
The King Is Always Above the People
Set in Peru:
-Blog post by Senior Collection Development Librarian Beth Wood. This article was originally published as part of her weekly column, Check It Out, in The Columbian.
New at the Library
This is just a small sampling of the many new titles added each week to the Fort Vancouver Regional Library District collection. Visit the district’s 15 locations, our website at www.fvrl.org, or call (360) 906-5000 to reserve titles or find additional listings.
FICTION
“Between Good and Evil” by Rochelle Alers
“Remember That Day” by Mary Balogh
“Meet the Newmans” by Jennifer Niven
NONFICTION
“Ursula K. Le Guin’s Book of Cats” by Ursula K. Le Guin
“Vegetable Genius: 200 Clever Recipes for Snacks, Starters, Mains, and More” by Anna Berrill
“The Burning Earth: A History” by Sunil Amrith
CHILDREN
“Do I Love You? Yes I Do!” by Ruth Forman
“My One-of-a-Kind Body” by Whitney Casares
“Sparrow, Always” by Gail Donovan
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