If you're looking for a French treatise on the island, the best choice is Catherine Lavaux's La Réunion: Du Battant des Lames au Sommet des Montagnes.Sous le signe de la tortue, voyages anciens à l'île Bourbon is an interesting book that contains old texts gathered by Albert Lougnon, which outline the first journeys made by boat to Réunion.For pre-trip reading, look out for Blue Africa by Australian Colin Simpson, who wrote about his organised tour through Africa. It has a chapter on Réunion.The island is a fascinating place for the magically minded. Créole beliefs and potions have spawned a number of books and voodoo-style sorcery. For the serious student there is a four-book set entitled Vertus et Secrets des Plantes Médicinales des Tropiques et de la Réunion by Dr Robert Zamore and Ary Ebroin.The bible of Créole cookery is Les Délices de la Cuisine Créole. It costs a pretty penny for the six-volume set, but it's the crème de la crème of cookbooks.