Other books that might interest you

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  Around the World on a Bicycle Vol 2

  Thomas Stevens

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  Thomas Stevens was the first person to circle the globe by bicycle, a large-wheeled Ordinary. His journey started in April 1884 in San Francisco from where he cycled to Boston to take a steamer to England. Crossing England, France, Central Europe and Asia Minor before he was turned back at the borders of Afghanistan. He returned part of the way to take a ship to Karachi, from where he crossed India. Another steam ship brought him from Calcutta to Hong Kong, and from Shanghai he set over to Japan, finally ending his journey after actually cycling 13.500 miles in Yokohama, December 1886. This is the second volume (of two) relating his travel experiences, detailing the part of the journey from Teheran to Yokohama. (Summary by Availle)

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  Three Women of Herat -...

  Veronica Doubleday

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  It's Afghanistan before the Soviet invasion, and Veronica Doubleday and her husband settle in Herat, where John is planning to study the local musical tradition. Veronica makes friends with three very different young women, slowly immersing herself in the unfamiliar world of Herati female culture. Although constrained by tradition, these women are far from submissive, each skilfully exerting influence in the management of their lives. They welcome Veronica into their homes and include her in family events and celebrations. It's a world of intense friendships, music-making, support and laughter, as well as illness, hardship and sadness. Veronica inhabits their world without judgement, even wearing a veil herself, and gives us rare, deep and privileged access to a hidden realm.

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  The Grand Canyon Expedition

  John Wesley Powell

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  The geologist and explorer’s own account of his perilous venture into one of the last unmapped portions of the continental United States. 
   
  Join John Wesley Powell’s expedition to explore one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World, and one of the last unmapped portions of the continental United States. Powell’s detailed descriptions of the rocks, plants, and animals seen in the canyon; the geography of the area; his team’s interactions with native groups; and dangers and mishaps along the trail allow readers to feel the thrill, the awe, and the humility of standing on the canyon’s edge. 
   
  After losing an arm in the Civil War, the young Powell took on an extraordinary challenge as he led a small team into this remarkable landscape. He would go on to become the director of the US Geological Survey and the Smithsonian, and is acknowledged today for his foresight on the importance of conserving natural resources—particularly water—as the nation rapidly expanded westward. 
   
  “Powell’s ideas powerfully shaped development of the West’s water supply.” —Scientific American  
   
  “He had entered the Grand Canyon as a pioneer, hoping that it could be exploited and settled, but the experience changed him. He realized that the presence of indigenous peoples, the landscape, water and ecosystems meant that it could not and should not be settled as the Eastern states had been. Now, as the Western states are threatened with a catastrophic water shortage, it is possible that he should be remembered not just as an explorer, but also as a prophet.” —BBC News Magazine

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  Through Dust and Darkness - A...

  Jeremy Kroeker

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  Jeremy Kroeker is a Mennonite with a motorcycle. When his seemingly unflinching faith in a Christian world view begins to shift, he hops on his bike to seek answers. After shipping his ride to Europe, Kroeker discovers that the machine now wobbles worse than his own opinions about spirituality. Still, he carries on, through Germany, Austria, Croatia, Albania, and into the Middle East: Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, and ultimately the theocratic nation of Iran. 
  It is there that Kroeker takes a forbidden visit to a holy Muslim shrine. Once he is inside, invisible hands rip from his heart a sincere prayer, his first in many years. And God hears that prayer. For before Kroeker can escape Iran, God steals into his hotel room one night to threaten him with death. At least, that's one way to look at it.

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  Fifty Places to Run Before You...

  Chris Santella

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  A breathtaking guide to the world’s fifty best places to run, as chosen by experts who’ve been there. 
   
  The beautiful thing about running is that all you need is a trusty pair of shoes and a little determination. When you can practice a sport almost anywhere, from your own neighborhood to courses across the world, where do you begin? In Fifty Places to Run Before You Die, Chris Santella gathers fifty bucket list recommendations from some of the running world’s most accomplished leaders and athletes, including ultra-runner and record breaker Jim Walmsley; Runner’s World chief running officer Bart Yasso; NPR star Peter Sagal; race director of the Boston Marathon Dave McGillivray; U.S. Olympian Magdalena Lewy Boulet; and internationally recognized endurance athlete Dean Karnazes. 
   
  Featuring a mix of popular foot races (such as marathons, 10Ks, and endurance runs) and scenic trails off the beaten path, this book divulges what makes each venue unique, offering firsthand anecdotes and practical advice for those who aspire to run there. Discover incredible events and trails both national and international, including the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc in France, the New York City Marathon, the Vancouver Sun Run, the Grand Canyon, the Dolomites in Italy, and the Great Ocean Road Marathon in Australia. Fifty Places to Run Before You Die is the essential travel companion for runners of all levels who seek to conquer new terrain while breaking personal records.

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  Walking English - A Journey in...

  David Crystal

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  From an acclaimed linguist, “part travelogue, part memoir, and part meditation on the intellectual and emotional underpinnings of language. . . . Priceless.” (Booklist)   In this discursive jaunt through the groves and thickets of the English language, David Crystal creates an entertaining narrative account of his encounters with the language and its speakers. Woven from personal reflections, historical allusions, and observations of travelers, this fascinating journey through the language we use every day will have readers thinking twice about each word they speak. Starting in Wales and moving from England to San Francisco by way of, yes, Poland, Crystal encounters numerous linguistic side roads that he cannot resist exploring, from pubs to trains to Tolkien. Walking English is a captivating exploration of language by “one of England’s greatest living language commentators.” (The New Statesman)   “In a conversational style that includes plenty of quirky facts, Crystal captures the exploratory, seductive, teasing, quirky, tantalizing nature of language study, and in doing so illuminates the fascinating world of words in which we live.” —Publishers Weekly   “An informative, transformative trip into the mysterious, mutating, magical thicket of English.” (Kirkus Reviews) “Like passing the afternoon with a knowledgeable uncle.” —The Wall Street Journal   “The Dr. Johnson of our age.” —The Sunday Herald   “The book reads like a donnish Bill Bryson, a Bryson possessed with a maniacal passion for the Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language! . . . [A] compelling guide.” —Independent   “Crystal proves an entertaining companion! It is pleasant to ramble with him along the byways of language.” —The Tablet

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