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A Time of Gifts
Patrick Leigh Fermor - 1977
A Time of Gifts is the first volume in a trilogy recounting the trip, and takes the reader with him as far as Hungary. It is a book of compelling glimpses - not only of the events which were curdling Europe at that time, but also of its resplendent domes and monasteries, its great rivers, the sun on the Bavarian snow, the storks and frogs, the hospitable burgomasters who welcomed him, and that world's grandeurs and courtesies. His powers of recollection have astonishing sweep and verve, and the scope is majestic. First published to enormous acclaim, it confirmed Fermor's reputation as the greatest living travel writer, and has, together with its sequel Between the Woods and the Water (the third volume is famously yet to be published), been a perennial seller for 25 years.
Counter Culture: The American Coffee Shop Waitress
Candacy A. Taylor - 2009
Includes interviews with fifty-nine waitresses in forty-three towns and cities.
The Green Unknown: Travels in the Khasi Hills
Patrick Rogers - 2017
The book is an attempt to express what it’s like trying to explore, mile by mile, village by village, valley by valley, a place that’s beautiful, complex, and fascinating, but most of all, unique.
Around Madagascar on My Kayak
Riaan Manser - 2010
For over two years, he padalled a mammoth 37,000kms through 34 countries; some of which rank as the most dangerous places on Earth. It was a feat that earned him the title Adventurer of the Year 2006 and made his resulting book, Around Africa on my Bicycle, a best-seller.In July 2009 Riaan again set another world first when he became the first person to circumnavigate the world's fourth largest island of Madagascar by kayak; another expedition achieved alone and unaided. This incredible journey, 5000km in eleven months, was considerably more demanding, both physically and mentally. Daily, Riaan had to conquer extreme loneliness while ploughing through treacherous conditions such as cyclones, pounding surf and an unrelenting sun that, combined with up to ten hours in salt water, was literally pickling his body. The perseverance, of course, brought memorable close encounters with Madagascar's marine life - humpback whales breaching metres away from his kayak, giant leatherback turtles gliding alongside him and even having his boat rammed by sharks. Riaan travelled around Madagascar during a period of the country's political turmoil, which gave him unrivalled insight into the exotic island's psyche and even earned him two nights in prison on suspicion of carrying out mercenary activities. Around Madagascar in my Kayak is packed with engaging stories and beautiful photographs and is set to become another best-seller.
The Mad Trapper of Rat River: A True Story of Canada's Biggest Manhunt
Dick North - 1972
Now author Dick North (of course) may have solved the mystery of the Mad Trapper's true identity, thereby enhancing the saga."--Thomas McIntyre, author of Seasons & Days: A Hunting Life "A courageous and unrelenting posse on the trail of a furious and desperate wilderness outlaw . . . Lean and bloody, meticulously researched, The Mad Trapper of Rat River is a dark and haunting story of human endurance, adventure, and will that speeds along like the best fiction."--Bob Butz, author of Beast of Never, Cat of God They called it "The Arctic Circle War." It was a forty-eight-day manhunt across the harshest terrain in the world, the likes of which we will never see again. The quarry, Albert Johnson, was a loner working a string of traps in the far reaches of Canada's Northwest Territories, where winter temperatures average forty degrees below zero. The chase began when two Mounties came to ask Johnson about allegations that he had interfered with a neighbor's trap. No questions were asked. Johnson discharged the first shot through a hole in the wall of his log cabin. When the Mounties returned with reinforcements, Johnson was gone, and The Arctic Circle War had begun. On Johnson's heels were a corps of Mounties and an irregular posse on dogsled. Johnson, on snowshoes, seemed superhuman in his ability to evade capture. The chase stretched for hundreds of miles and, during a blizzard, crossed the Richardson Mountains, the northernmost extension of the Rockies. It culminated in the historic shootout at Eagle River.
Graham Greene: The Enemy Within
Michael Shelden - 1994
"Bold and unhesitating".--Times Literary Supplement (London). 16 pages of photos.
At Play in the Fields of the Lord
Peter Matthiessen - 1965
Martin Quarrier has come to convert the fearful and elusive Niaruna Indians to his brand of Christianity. Lewis Moon, a stateless mercenary who is himself part Indian, has come to kill them on behalf of the local commandant. Out of their struggle Peter Matthiessen has created an electrifying moral thriller, a novel of Conradian richness that explores both the varieties of spiritual experience and the politics of cultural genocide.
The Appalachian Trail Girl's Guide: Part Memoir, Part Manifesto
Megan Maxwell - 2014
While she had a lively and beautiful six month journey, she noticed that there were not a lot of women on the trail. She wants to change that by inspiring other women to hit the A.T. and feel confident in their own backpacking abilities. In this book, Megan uses her own trials and errors to guide readers through their gear selections, mental preparation, dealing with weary friends and family, avoiding potentially dangerous situations, and everything else you need to know to be a successful solo girl in the wilderness. Some of the highlights of the book include: -Budgeting for your hike and cutting costs on the trail. -Selecting the best gear for your price range. -Choosing practical clothing that you will actually want to wear. -Getting a support system in place to improve your chances of success. -Dealing with things like your period and peeing in the woods. -Dealing with creepy or annoying men on the trail. -Learning skills like hitch-hiking, building fires, getting the most out of your phone battery, and Yogi-ing. -Megan's favorite spots to camp or visit in each state. -An outline of the best section hikes in each state. -Megan's personal account of her own thru-hike. -Awesome photos from Megan's thru-hike.
Round the World Again in 80 Days
Jean Cocteau - 1937
Taking up an impulsive challenge from the editor of Paris-Soir, Cocteau sets off with his very own ‘Passepartout’ as companion on a picaresque voyage some sixty-three years after his fictional predecessor. He finds that the journey has lost none of its hazards and adventures as he races around the globe in tramp-ship, railway and ocean liner. Observing and recording the frenetic change of scenes from Athens and Alexandria to Bombay, Rangoon, and Yokohama and finally across the United States, Cocteau’s witty, subjective and sometimes outrageous narrative gives this unique travel-memoir a camp and stylish spin.
The Motorcycle Diaries: Notes on a Latin American Journey
Ernesto Che Guevara - 1992
This new, expanded edition features exclusive, unpublished photos taken by the 23-year-old Ernesto on his journey across a continent, and a tender preface by Aleida Guevara, offering an insightful perspective on the man and the icon.Features of this edition include:A preface by Che Guevara’s daughter AleidaIntroduction by Cintio Vintier, well-known Latin American poetPhotos & maps from the original journeyPostcript: Che’s personal reflections on his formative years: “A child of my environment.” Published in association with the Che Guevara Studies Center, Havana
Wind, Sand and Stars
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry - 1939
Its exciting account of air adventure, combined with lyrical prose and the spirit of a philosopher, makes it one of the most popular works ever written about flying. Translated by Lewis Galantière.
Red Dust: A Path Through China
Ma Jian - 2001
So with little more than a change of clothes and two bars of soap, Ma takes off to immerse himself in the remotest parts of China. His journey would last three years and take him through smog-choked cities and mountain villages, from scenes of barbarity to havens of tranquility. Remarkably written and subtly moving, the result is an insight into the teeming contradictions of China that only a man who was both insider and outsider in his own country could have written.
Short Breaks in Mordor: Dawns and Departures of a Scribbler's Life
Peter Hitchens - 2014
A compendium of in-depth reports from all over the world, including Iran, North Korea, Bhutan, Japan, Pakistan, Israel, Africa Turkey and China.
Alone: The Classic Polar Adventure
Richard Evelyn Byrd - 1937
Byrd set out on his second Antarctic expedition in 1934, he was already an international hero for having piloted the first flights over the North and South Poles. His plan for this latest adventure was to spend six months alone near the bottom of the world, gathering weather data and indulging his desire “to taste peace and quiet long enough to know how good they really are.” But early on things went terribly wrong. Isolated in the pervasive polar night with no hope of release until spring, Byrd began suffering inexplicable symptoms of mental and physical illness. By the time he discovered that carbon monoxide from a defective stovepipe was poisoning him, Byrd was already engaged in a monumental struggle to save his life and preserve his sanity.When Alone was first published in 1938, it became an enormous bestseller. This edition keeps alive Byrd’s unforgettable narrative for new generations of readers.
For the Love of Prague: The True Love Story of the Only Free American in Prague During 30 Years of Communism
Gene Deitch - 1997
No reporter, who flew in, contacted a few dissidents, and flew out again, could ever match his experience, insight, or personal adventures. His book, For The Love Of Prague, is part love story, part history, part a record of national lunacy, and part terror. It is all true, with real names, real people, and real incidents. The New York Times, in a two-thirds page illustrated story, hailed it as a spicy, funny memoir!
About the Author:
Gene Deitch is an Oscar-winning animation film director and scenarist. He is a voting member of the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Scientists. In the early 1950s he was Creative Director of UPA s New York studio, where among his many gold-medal winning films were the famous Bert & Harry Piels beer commercials. His TV commercials were the first ever shown at the New York Museum of Modern Art. In 1956 CBS purchased the Terrytoons animation studio and named Gene Deitch as its Creative Director. Under his supervision and direction, the studio produced 18 CinemaScope cartoons per year for 20th Century-Fox, and won its very first Oscar nomination. He personally created and directed the Tom Terrific series for the CBS nationwide Captain Kangaroo show. Tom Terrific, with Mighty Manfred the Wonder Dog, was the very first animated serial for network television. In 1958 he set up his own studio, Gene Deitch Associates, inc., in New York.