Other books that might interest you

• 

  Kingdoms of Experience - Everest...

  Andrew Greig

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  A novice’s tale of scaling Everest: “Recommended for all armchair adventurers who have ever wondered what it would be like to climb in the Himalayas.”—Geographical Magazine   The last attempt to conquer Everest by the unclimbed northeast ridge had ended in failure and tragedy, with the deaths of two great climbers, Joe Tasker and Pete Boardman. Now, in March 1985, Mal Duff would lead a new expedition. Andrew Grieg and the others knew the risks as well as the excitement of the challenge—and in this extraordinary book, Greig chronicles not only the assault on the peak but also the complex relationships of nineteen very different personalities living together.   “Poet, novelist, and novice climber Greig's insightful account of the 1985 ascent of Everest's previously unclimbed northeast ridge provides an unusual perspective on the world of climbing. In comparison to many seasoned mountaineers, with their sometimes obsessive ‘diehard’ drive, Greig possesses a refreshing sense of enthusiasm and innocence. His lack of experience allows him to describe with great intensity and detail the difficult tasks of climbing in a methodical step-by-step fashion, allowing readers to grasp the complex challenges. Greig is often able to step back and observe the goings-on, providing a detached analysis of the group and its dynamics. To complement his version of events, he also draws liberally from the diaries of the other participants. A unique addition to mountaineering literature with charming and distinct characteristics.”—Library Journal

  Show book

• 

  Winterdance - The Fine Madness...

  Gary Paulsen

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Fueled by a passion for running dogs, Gary Paulsen entered the Iditarod — the 1,180-mile sled-dog race through the Alaskan wilderness — in dangerous ignorance and with a fierce determination. For 17 days, he and his team of dogs endured blinding wind, snowstorms, frostbite, dogfights, moose attacks, sleeplessness, hallucinations — and the relentless push to go on.Winterdance is the enthralling account of a "stunning wilderness journey of discovery and transformation" (Chicago Tribune), lived and told by "the best author of man-against-nature adventures writing today" (Publishers Weekly).

  Show book

• 

  Spotting Danger Before It Spots...

  Gary Dean Quesenberry, RN Amber...

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  As adults, we like to think we have a good idea of what the world may have in store for our teenagers, but the fact of the matter is there's a vast divide between what we perceive as dangerous and what our teens are actually up against. 
  Teenagers (ages 13 - 19) face unique challenges when it comes to situational awareness. 
  These challenges are only exacerbated by the constant physical and biological changes teens are subjected to. As young people learn to deal with these changes, they begin to explore the limits of their individuality. 
  Unfortunately, this process often involves rebellious behavior and unnecessary risk-taking. The key to keeping teens safe during this time is to keep them alert and engaged with their environment. 
  Teenagers have to understand that real personal safety isn't about being scared of what lies around the next corner. It requires confidence that if something bad were about to happen, that they have these skills:Ability to identify the problem earlyCompetence to develop a plan of actionPower to control their fearAptitude to implement that plan 
  Spotting Danger Before It Spots Your Teens is designed around the principles of positive communication, trust, and teamwork. It’s written specifically to set parents' minds at ease and allow teens to confidently explore their independence, secure in the fact that they can spot dangerous situations before they happen and take the necessary steps to ensure their own well-being.

  Show book

• 

  Off Balance - A Memoir

  Teri Williams, Dominique...

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  In this searing and riveting New York Times bestseller, Olympic gold medalist Dominique Moceanu reveals the dark underbelly of Olympic gymnastics, the true price of success…and the shocking secret about her past and her family that she only learned years later.At fourteen years old, Dominique Moceanu was the youngest member of the 1996 US Women’s Olympic Gymnastics team, the first and only American women’s team to take gold at the Olympics. Her pixyish appearance and ferocious competitive drive quickly earned her the status of media darling. But behind the fame, the flawless floor routines, and the million-dollar smile, her life was a series of challenges and hardships.Off Balance vividly delineates each of the dominating characters who contributed to Moceanu’s rise to the top, from her stubborn father and long-suffering mother to her mercurial coach, Bela Karolyi. Here, Moceanu finally shares the haunting stories of competition, her years of hiding injuries and pain out of fear of retribution from her coaches, and how she hit rock bottom after a public battle with her parents.But medals, murder plots, drugs, and daring escapes aside (all of which figure into Moceanu’s incredible journey), the most unique aspect of her life is the family secret that Moceanu discovers, opening a new and unexpected chapter in her adult life. A mysterious letter from a stranger reveals that she has a second sister—born with a physical disability and given away at birth—who has nonetheless followed in Moceanu’s footsteps in an astonishing way.A multilayered memoir that transcends the world of sports, Off Balance will touch anyone who has ever dared to dream of a better life.

  Show book

• 

  Walking to Listen - 4000 Miles...

  Andrew Forsthoefel

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  At twenty-three, Andrew Forsthoefel headed out the back door of his home in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, with a backpack, an audio recorder, his copies of Whitman and Rilke, and a sign that read "Walking to Listen." He had just graduated from Middlebury College and was ready to begin his adult life, but he didn't know how. So he decided to take a cross-country quest for guidance, one where everyone he met would be his guide. 
  In the year that followed, he faced an Appalachian winter and a Mojave summer. He met beasts inside: fear, loneliness, doubt. But he also encountered incredible kindness from strangers. Thousands shared their stories with him, sometimes confiding their prejudices, too. Often he didn't know how to respond. How to find unity in diversity? How to stay connected, even as fear works to tear us apart? He listened for answers to these questions, and to the existential questions every human must face, and began to find that the answer might be in listening itself. 
  Ultimately, it's the stories of others living all along the roads of America that carry this journey and sing out in a hopeful, heartfelt book about how a life is made, and how our nation defines itself on the most human level.

  Show book

• 

  Fields of Battle - Pearl Harbor...

  Brian Curtis

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  In the wake of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the 1942 Rose Bowl was moved from Pasadena to Durham, North Carolina, out of fear of Japanese attacks on the West Coast. It remains the only Rose Bowl game to ever be played outside of Pasadena. Duke University, led by legendary coach Wallace Wade, Sr., faced off against underdog Oregon State College, with both teams preparing for a grueling fight on the football field while their thoughts wandered to the battlefields they would soon be on. 
  As the players and coaches prepared for the game, America was preparing for war. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill met to discuss the Allied strategy in Europe; a discussion that would change the lives of the boys and men on the field in Durham. 
  Finally, on New Year's Day 1942, under dark gray skies and occasional rain, the two teams clashed on the gridiron in front of a crowd of 56,000, playing one of the most unforgettable games in history. Shortly afterward, many of the players and coaches entered the military and would quickly become brothers on the battlefield. Scattered around the globe, the lives of Rose Bowl participants would intersect in surprising ways, as they served in Iwo Jima and Normandy, Guadalcanal and the Battle of the Bulge.

  Show book