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Home / Latin Culture

Books About Belize

Latin Culture Last Updated · Aug 24th, 2022 · Layer Culture

Are you interested in learning about the history of Belize?

belize culture
Rasta Art in Belize by jayhem (CC BY)

Then the best place to start is with some of the following books about Belize, designed to give you an informed understanding of its history and culture.


Quick Answer: Books About Belize

  • Understand The Unique Nature of Belize – One Man In Belize
  • Appreciate Belize’s Links To Maya – Understand Mayan Culture Closer
  • Understand The Maya forests – Learn About Local Ecology
  • See Of 600 Birds Of Prey – Perfect For Bird Lovers
  • Complete Book Buyers Guide – Best Books About Belize

The world is full of major nations and what we would term minor nations. For Belize, it’s very much a nation that falls into the latter category.

Table of Contents

  • Books About Belize
    • Why Read Books About Belize?
  • Best Books About Belize
    • The Ancient Maya of the Belize Valley
    • Understanding Belize: A Historical Guide
    • Time Among the Maya
    • Birds of Belize
    • Our Man in Belize: A Memoir
    • Sastun: My Apprenticeship with a Maya Healer
    • A Natural History of Belize
    • Flavors of Belize
  • Books About Belize
    • Want More Latin America Inspiration?

Books About Belize

While it might not have the political clout or the geographical size of many of its neighbors, though, this is no shrinking violet.

Belize is, without a doubt, one of the most interesting nations in the Americas.

Why Read Books About Belize?

Tucked neatly away between the Caribbean Sea and the rest of Central America, it’s a very interesting little nation with a long history.

It was previously known as British Honduras, but today stands as its own nation.

Like many parts of this region, it’s been the victim of famine, corruption, war, and various problems.

It’s known for having some truly amazing old-school Mayan ruins and some unique animals, though, which has helped to build and grow a booming tourist industry.

books about belize
Carnival in Belize by jayhem (CC0)

Sadly, it’s a nation with a serious problem of crime. Drug trafficking is a common issue in Belize and has become a common problem that has held the nation back.

With a population of just 366,000, though, this is a nation with a massive amount of potential to grow and become something better.

Best Books About Belize

If you intend to learn about Belize, then you should look to read some of the following books on the nation.

It’s a complex place, so start here. You will find a raft of useful details that should help you to fully understand why Belize is often such a confusing, complex place – and why it’s so beloved.

The Ancient Maya of the Belize Valley

books about belize

Book Features:

  • Understand Mayan culture closer
  • Appreciate Belize’s links to Maya
  • Filled with great anecdotes

Price via Amazon

Understand how Belize came to be with the help of this most informative of books and guides on this interesting little nation. Combines the works of Gordon Willey like never before; edited by James. Garber.


Understanding Belize: A Historical Guide

belize historical guide

Book Features:

  • Appreciate Belize’s complex political history
  • Understand its unique early days
  • Explore why Belize is so diverse

Price via Amazon

Despite being such a small place, Belize manages to pack in an exceptional amount of interesting historical facts and details. This is why reading about books from Belize might make such a good idea – it’s going to help you understand these nations’ unique history.


Time Among the Maya

maya in belize

Book Features:

  • Understand old-school Belize
  • Start from the ninth century
  • Appreciate how this nation came to be

Price via Amazon

Belize holds a very interesting past, and it’s become one of the finest examples of what like can be like if you fight for what you need. It’s a fantastic place, helping you to understand the deeply rooted links within Belize to the ancient Mayan cultures of history.


Birds of Belize

birds of belize

Book Features:

  • Learn about the species here
  • Over 600 birds covered
  • Perfect for avian lovers

Price via Amazon

If you want to know all about making a tremendous time of it when it comes to Belize, you should look to learn about its birds. The birds here are some of the most famous in the world, with as many as 5 new species found every year!


Our Man in Belize: A Memoir

book about belize

Book Features:

  • Learn from Richard Conroy
  • Appreciate the US role in Belize
  • Understand the unique nature of this nation

Price via Amazon

From king-sized roaches to hurricanes that caused disasters, read all about the time spent in Belize by U.S. Vice Consul Richard Timothy. A fantastic chance to understand what life was like when it was known as British Honduras such a long time ago.


Sastun: My Apprenticeship with a Maya Healer

books about belize maya

Book Features:

  • A fantastic dramatical writing
  • Great for Belizean historians
  • Understand traditional healing techniques

Price via Amazon

Like many nations with a Mayan past, Belize has a long attachment to the power of natural healing. This book breaks down the story of Rosita Arvigo who looks to preserve the wisdom of Don Elijio Panti. A fantastic place to learn about this incredible cultural artifact.


A Natural History of Belize

history of belize

Book Features:

  • Understand the Maya forests
  • Learn about local ecology
  • Appreciate the changing of the nation

Price via Amazon

Through this book, you can learn all about the history of nature that is found in Belize. A tremendous read if you are passionate about nature, as this succinctly breaks down everything you need to know about the natural order in this amazing part of the world.


Flavors of Belize

books about belize

Book Features:

  • An excellent cooking companion
  • Try out new recipes
  • Grow to love Belizean food

Price via Amazon

For anyone from an amateur cooker to a Latin American-inspired hobbyist, this is a cookbook worth owning. Loaded with delicacies that you can eat at almost any period of time in the day, giving you something very impressive indeed to look forward to and give you a taste of what food in Belize can be like.


If you choose to come to this part of the world, you can expect to enjoy something totally unique to many other Central American nations.

At around 8,867 square miles in size, this is a nation that can grow, build, and improve moving forward far into the near future. Its past and history, though, are very much worth reading about.

Books About Belize

With so much to think about and learn about a nation, Belize can often be a hard place to ‘get’.

With the above books, though, it should become much easier for you to fully appreciate what a special, unique place this actually is.

For a literary experience that will open your eyes to what these incredible nations are all about, you should absolutely read these books.

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books about belize
belize books
Did this help your search for a book about Belize?

Want More Latin America Inspiration?

Hopefully, you’ve found these books about Belize useful.

Do you require more book ideas for your reading pleasure?

  • Books About Nicaragua – Learn all about Nicaraguan culture.
  • Books About Argentina – Read more about Argentina.
  • Books About Guatemala – Learn all about Guatemala’s history.
  • Books About Jamaica – Jamaican culture learning books.
  • Books About Mexico – Learn all about Mexican culture.

Maybe you’re traveling soon and in need of some gear for your trip? Check out this best travel gear page for ideas on what to carry.


“Dear friend! Some links in this post contain affiliate links. Meaning, if you click through and make a purchase, book a hostel or sign up for a tour, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Your support means a lot and helps me to keep traveling and maintaining the quality of this site for you.”

Filed Under: Latin Culture

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Helping thousands of people worldwide to learn more about Latin America. Layer Culture means to dig deeper into the ideas, customs, and behavior of a group of people.

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