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"Terrifying... Eloquent... A heart-rending drama of human yearning." -- New York Times In April 1992 a young man from a well-to-do family hitchhiked to Alaska and walked alone into the wilderness north of Mt. McKinley. He had given $25,000 in savings to charity, abandoned his car and most of his possessions, burned all the cash in his wallet, and invented a new life for himself. Four months later, his decomposed body was found by a moose hunter.  How Christopher Johnson McCandless came to die is the unforgettable story of Into the Wild . Immediately after graduating from college in 1991, McCandless had roamed through the West and Southwest on a vision quest like those made by his heroes Jack London and John Muir. In the Mojave Desert he abandoned his car, stripped it of its license plates, and burned all of his cash. He would give himself a new name, Alexander Supertramp, and, unencumbered by money and belongings, he would be free to wallow in the raw, unfiltered experiences that nature presented. Craving a blank spot on the map, McCandless simply threw the maps away. Leaving behind his desperate parents and sister, he vanished into the wild. Jon Krakauer constructs a clarifying prism through which he reassembles the disquieting facts of McCandless's short life. Admitting an interst that borders on obsession, he searches for the clues to the dries and desires that propelled McCandless. Digging deeply, he takes an inherently compelling mystery and unravels the larger riddles it holds: the profound pull of the American wilderness on our imagination; the allure of high-risk activities to young men of a certain cast of mind; the complex, charged bond between fathers and sons. When McCandless's innocent mistakes turn out to be irreversible and fatal, he becomes the stuff of tabloid headlines and is dismissed for his naiveté, pretensions, and hubris. He is said to have had a death wish but wanting to die is a very different thing from being compelled to look over the edge. Krakauer brings McCandless's uncompromising pilgrimage out of the shadows, and the peril, adversity, and renunciation sought by this enigmatic young man are illuminated with a rare understanding--and not an ounce of sentimentality. Mesmerizing, heartbreaking, Into the Wild is a tour de force . The power and luminosity of Jon Krakauer's stoytelling blaze through every page. |
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The bestselling author of  Under the Tuscan Sun  discovers the hidden pleasures of Italy in a sumptuous travel narrative that crisscrosses the country, with inventive new recipes celebrating Italian cuisine.   Don’t miss Frances Mayes in PBS’s  Dream of Italy:   Tuscan Sun Special ! “Reading this book is a vacation in itself.”— The New York Times Book Review (Best Travel Books of the Summer) The Roman Forum, the Leaning Tower, the Piazza San Marco: these are the sights synonymous with Italy. But such landmarks only scratch the surface of this magical country's offerings. In See You in the Piazza , Frances Mayes introduces us to the Italy only the locals know, as she and her husband, Ed, eat and drink their way through thirteen regions—from Friuli to Sicily. Along the way, she seeks out the cultural and historic gems not found in traditional guidebooks. Frances conjures the enchantment of the backstreets, the hubbub of the markets, the dreamlike wonder of that space between lunch and dinner when a city cracks open to those who would wander or when a mind is drawn into the pages of a delicious book—and discloses to us the secrets that only someone who is on intimate terms with a place could find. |
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L'histoire d'une famille de 5 raconté en toute authenticité d'un rêve trop grand pour être contenu: Avides d’aventure depuis toujours, Annie et son mari Martin s’enfuient de leur Québec natal en 2016, accompagnés de leurs trois jeunes enfants alors âgés de 5, 6 et 7 ans. Armés de courage et de persévérance, ils prennent la mer sans aucune expérience préalable de navigation, outre quelques jours par-ci, par-là. Aspirés par la consommation compulsive et plongés dans un quotidien qui ne leur va plus, ils sont en quête du plus grand que soi, d’une expérience de bonheur, complète et inspirante, pour vivre dans la simplicité pure. Ils poursuivent un de leurs rêves le plus fou. Ils font le tour d’une partie de ce monde en voilier, certes, mais surtout le tour d’eux-mêmes. Ils reviennent sur terre transformés, angoissés, incertains sur les valeurs occidentales véhiculées mais reste convaincus que leur nouveau destin surpassera leurs plus grandes aspirations. Extrait Chapitre 14 «À 0200, je me lève pour mon quart de nuit. C’est le summum d’une navigation de nuit. L’air est chaud et confortable. Les étoiles scintillent par milliers, contrastant avec ce fond noir infini. La Voie lactée est franche et traverse le ciel en entier, touchant l’horizon de bâbord à tribord. Les étoiles filantes sont trop nombreuses pour les compter. Le vent est constant et il y a peu de vagues. Tout est calme et serein autour de moi. Le bateau avance bien, tout le monde dort paisiblement. Je savoure ce moment seule avec moi-même dans cette nuit réconfortante, avec la mer, avec cette immensité et avec ce monde plein de mystère sous mes pieds. Je souhaite que ce moment ne s’arrête jamais, précieux et impeccable. Puis trois heures plus tard, qui ne m’apparaissent qu’un moment, je m’installe sur la banquette extérieure pour dormir mon quart de nuit quand Martin me remplace.» Extrait Chapitre 17 «Pas question de prendre un taxi à cette heure. Il n’y a pas d’ambulance ici. Nous essayons en vain de rejoindre les pompiers. Nous réussissons à rejoindre les policiers. Ils viendront escorter Nelson et Martin à l’hôpital. Mais les policiers sont tellement corrompus... Ils arrivent une vingtaine de minutes plus tard. Nelson et Martin partent ainsi, me laissant derrière, totalement dénuée de pouvoir. Je reste seule dans la rue désertique à les regarder s’éloigner en refoulant mes sanglots. Je me répète continuellement que je dois rester brave pour mes enfants. Je m’inquiète atrocement et les idées tournent trop vite dans ma tête. Je me crée des scénarios des plus atroces, comme un film d’horreur. Il est 0400 du matin et je n’ai pas encore fermé l’oeil de la nuit. J’ai peur pour mon garçon. Peur pour mon amour. Peur de cette ville meurtrière. Peur que cette ville ne les efface à jamais sans laisser de traces. Peur de cette nuit noire. Une peur viscérale de la part d’un cœur de maman.» |
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絕景露營 看山.望海.住進大自然 Taipei Walker Vol.281 2020年9月號 **小提醒:本雜誌內介紹之優惠與抽獎,皆需實體書才可使用。** 絕景露營 看山.望海.住進大自然 想出遊、又不想人擠人,不如相約來露營~ 流行了好幾年的露營,這兩年由Glamping當道,不用裝備就能享受野奢露營的樂趣; 然而,崇尚簡約自然的愛好者仍不少,不論是森林控還是海濱迷,台灣的山海景致絕不讓你失望; 若是攜家帶眷,露營車則是個不錯的選擇,在親近自然的同時還能住得舒服,這次就跟著我們露營去,一起追逐讓人驚歎的美景吧! Part 1:玩家分享 Part 2:奢華無極限 Part 3:夢幻山林 Part 4:無敵海景 Part 5:度假風露營車 Part 6:露營好物推薦 日本特輯:下町咖啡時光 部落客特輯:文青味正濃!台北15家有風格的店 名人專訪: 築間幸福鍋物董事長_林楷傑 小三元創辦人_吳珮菁 錢都涮涮鍋創辦人_張景德 |
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GHOST RIDER: A ESTRADA DA CURA  Após a morte da única filha, Selena, e da esposa, Jackie, o músico Neil Peart se transformou em um fantasma – um homem sem motivação, esperança ou fé. Sozinho em casa, convivendo com as lembranças, ele decide pegar a estrada com sua moto, uma BMW R1100GS, para rodar sem destino em busca de um motivo para preencher o vazio que sente e seguir adiante. Em uma viagem de 90 mil quilômetros, começando pelo Quebec, no Canadá, até o Alasca, descendo pela costa americana e canadense, depois cruzando o México, Neil vai se conectar à natureza para tentar superar a dor, conhecendo pessoas e lugares inesquecíveis, contemplando as cores e os sons da paisagem. Esta é a história real de um homem que partiu carregando a morte e o luto, mas transformou sua jornada em uma poderosa narrativa sobre a solidão, o amor e, acima de tudo, a paixão pela vida, mesmo quando tudo ao nosso redor nos leva a desistir dela. O CICLISTA MASCARADO Pedale com o roqueiro Neil Peart em uma extraordinária jornada de bicicleta por estradas de chão batido, encontros com milícias armadas e crises estomacais na África Ocidental dos anos 1990. Graças a esse meio de transporte – rápido para ir de uma cidade a outra em apenas uma manhã e lento o bastante para perceber a alegria das pessoas humildes pelo caminho – a longa jornada proporciona surpresas, choques culturais, momentos de fome, sede e conflitos internos. Este é o livro de estreia de Neil Peart, compositor do Rush, a lendária banda de rock canadense, publicado originalmente em 1996 e só agora traduzido no Brasil. LONGE E DISTANTE Imagine que um amigo seu é músico e escritor conhecido mundialmente, como Neil Peart, baterista e letrista da lendaria banda de rock Rush. A cada dois ou três meses, ele envia para você uma carta cheia de grandes sacadas, ricamente ilustrada com fotos, falando sobre viagens, música, natureza, arte e vida, observações reunidas durante as viagens de moto pelas estradas da América do Norte, Europa e América do Sul entre os shows da turnê do Rush. Cobrindo um período de quatro anos, essas 22 histórias são cartas abertas que relatam aventuras que são ao mesmo tempo pessoais e universais, dos desafios e realizações na vida profissional de um artista ao nascimento de uma criança.  MÚSICA PARA VIAGEM – VOLUME 1 As lembranças, a imaginação, o reino da pura sensação abstrata para onde a música leva são o combustível das reflexões de Neil Peart nesta viagem de carro de Los Angeles até o parque nacional Big Bend. As associações emocionais e as histórias por trás de cada álbum que toca nestes quase dois mil quilômetros – seja Frank Sinatra ou Linkin Park – guiam esta coleção de pensamentos que passam pelas recordações da infância no lago Ontário, as primeiras descobertas musicais, as primeiras bandas, os sons do momento, as viagens com o Rush… Com sua escrita vívida e envolvente, o mestre de uma inconfundível voz autoral nos leva de carona nestas memórias que capturam os meandros de uma mente musical que aprecia cada nota, cada compasso, cada palavra, cada som para além da melodias e dos ritmos. |
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Vancouver est une ville située aux portes des grandes forêts de la Colombie-Britannique au Canada. Une ville moderne de tours de verre avec une variété de festivals, de cultures et d'attractions. Pour d'autres, c'est Vansterdam, la ville décontractée et socialement progressiste. Avec son héritage asiatique et sa proximité relative avec la Chine et le Japon, certains le voient comme la porte d'entrée de l'Asie. Et avec toute cette nature à quelques minutes de votre porte, Vancouver est un paradis pour les amateurs de plein air. C'est l'un des rares endroits où vous pouvez skier dans les montagnes, aller à la plage et jouer au golf le même jour. Vancouver est, après tout, l’un des plus beaux endroits du monde. Les guides Clin d'Oeil vous présentent les principaux points d'intérêts de nombreuses destinations de voyage de manière claire et concise illustrés par des photos et des cartes. |
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Calgary est la plus grande ville de la province de l'Alberta dans les Prairies canadiennes situées dans l'Ouest du pays. En fait, Calgary est située là où les prairies se terminent pour laisser place aux montagnes et est ainsi une porte d'entrée idéale pour les montagnes Rocheuses en plus d'être une destination intéressante en elle-même. Calgary est le cœur du plus grand centre métropolitain entre Toronto et Vancouver et la quatrième plus grande zone métropolitaine au Canada. Les guides Clin d'Oeil vous présentent les principaux points d'intérêts de nombreuses destinations de voyage de manière claire et concise illustrés par des photos et des cartes. |
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Banff est la plus grande des deux villes situées dans le parc national de Banff. L'endroit a été conçu en tant que ville touristique depuis sa création. C'est un point de départ idéal pour explorer les montagnes Rocheuses et un bon endroit où loger l'hiver pour accéder aux centres de ski environnant. Plusieurs activitiés et tours sont organisés à partir de Banff. La ville comprend une grande variété de restaurants et de bars. Les guides Clin d'Oeil vous présentent les principaux points d'intérêts de nombreuses destinations de voyage de manière claire et concise illustrés par des photos et des cartes. |
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The finest guidebook ever written for the Big Island. Now you can plan your best vacation— ever . This all new ninth edition is a candid, humorous guide to everything there is to see and do on the Big Island. Best-selling author and longtime Hawai‘i resident, Andrew Doughty, unlocks the secrets of an island so vast and diverse that many visitors never realize all that it has to offer. Explore with him as he reveals breathtaking trails, secluded beaches, pristine reefs, delicious places to dine, relaxing resorts, Kilauea Volcano and so much more. Every restaurant, activity provider, business and resort is reviewed personally and anonymously. This book and a rental car are all you need to discover what makes the Big Island so exciting. • The most accurate up-to-date information available anyplace with up-to-the-minute changes posted to our website and smartphone app. The app is an optional separate purchase and includes features not possible in a book, but it provides free access to over 90 resort reviews with our detailed aerial photos—so you’ll know if oceanfront really means oceanfront—and you can filter them fast to find features and amenities you’re looking for. • Frank, brutally honest reviews of restaurants, hotels and activities show you which companies really are the best…and which to avoid— no advertisements • Driving tours let you structure your trip your way, point out sights not to be missed along the way and are complemented by over 120 spectacular color photographs • 35 specially-created maps in an easy-to-follow format with mile markers—so you’ll always know where you are on the island • Clear, concise directions to those hard-to-find places such as deserted black sand beaches, tropical rain forests, hidden waterfalls, lava flows, freshwater lava pools and scores of other hidden gems listed nowhere else • 32 pages on Big Island’s beaches with detailed descriptions including ocean safety • 70 pages of exciting adventures and activities • All new and expanded Island Dining chapter with over 160 places to eat • Fascinating sections on Hawai‘i’s history, culture, language and legends "Hawaii The Big Island Revealed" covers it all—from the snow-covered top of Mauna Kea, to the sparkling underwater reefs. This is the best investment you can make for your Big Island visit. Whether you are a first time visitor, or a longtime kama‘aina, you will find out more about the Big Island from this book than from any other source. Discover the island of your dreams with "Hawaii The Big Island Revealed". |
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A sparkling new translation of one of the greatest travel books ever written: Marco Polo's seminal account of his journeys in the east, in a collectible clothbound edition. Marco Polo was the most famous traveller of his time. His voyages began in 1271 with a visit to China, after which he served the Kublai Khan on numerous diplomatic missions. On his return to the West he was made a prisoner of war and met Rustichello of Pisa, with whom he collaborated on this book. His account of his travels offers a fascinating glimpse of what he encountered abroad: unfamiliar religions, customs and societies; the spices and silks of the East; the precious gems, exotic vegetation and wild beasts of faraway lands. Evoking a remote and long-vanished world with colour and immediacy, Marco's book revolutionized western ideas about the then unknown East and is still one of the greatest travel accounts of all time. For this edition - the first completely new English translation of the Travels in over fifty years - Nigel Cliff has gone back to the original manuscript sources to produce a fresh, authoritative new version. The volume also contains invaluable editorial materials, including an introduction describing the world as it stood on the eve of Polo's departure, and examining the fantastical notions the West had developed of the East. Marco Polo was born in 1254, joining his father on a journey to China in 1271. He spent the next twenty years travelling in the service of Kublai Khan. There is evidence that Marco travelled extensively in the Mongol Empire and it is fairly certain he visited India. He wrote his famous Travels whilst a prisoner in Genoa. Nigel Cliff was previously a theatre and film critic for The Times and a regular writer for The Economist , among other publications, and now writes historical nonfiction books. His first book, The Shakespeare Riots , was published in 2007 and shortlisted for the Washington-based National Award for Arts Writing. His second book, The Last Crusade: Vasco da Gama and the Birth of the Modern World appeared in 2011 and was shortlisted for the PEN Hessell-Tiltman Prize. |
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An award-winning writer reveals a changing China—one conversation and adventure at a time. When Stephan Orth lands in China, he knows it’s his last visit, having lied about his job as a journalist to get into the country. So, he makes the most of it, couch-surfing with locals instead of hitting the nearest hotel. Starting in Macau—a former Portuguese colony and now gambler’s paradise—Orth takes on the world’s biggest casino. Next, he visits Shenzen, where more than 200 million sidewalk cameras monitor citizens who win and lose points on Sesame Credit, an app that sends data to Alibaba—and to the government. As his adventure continues, Orth encounters a bewildering mix of new tech and old traditions. Over a steaming bowl of hot pot, he learns ancient chopstick etiquette from a policewoman who later demos the facial recognition app she could use to detain him. He eats dog meat as a guest of honor one day—and finds himself censored on live TV the next. He even seriously considers joining an outlawed sect. Self-deprecatingly funny, compassionate, and observant, High Tech and Hot Pot is a formidable addition to a well-loved series, and offers a timely travelogue of an enigmatic country poised to become the world’s next superpower.  |
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The world is calling. Time to answer.   The world’s wonders, continent by continent: A trek through Morocco’s Atlas Mountains. Sri Lanka’s Hill Country. A sunrise balloon safari over the Masai Mara. Canyon de Chelly. The sacred festivals of Bhutan. The Amalfi Coast. Sailing the Mekong River.   In all, 1,000 places guaranteed to give travelers the shivers: sacred ruins, coral reefs, hilltop villages, deserted beaches, wine trails, hidden islands, opera houses, wildlife preserves, castles, museums, and more. Each entry tells why it’s essential to visit and includes hotels, restaurants, and festivals to check out. Then come the completely updated nuts and bolts: websites, phone numbers, prices, best times to visit. 1,000 Places to See Before You Die is the world’s bestselling travel book and a #1 New York Times bestseller. 1,000 Places reinvented the idea of travel book as both wish list and practical guide. As Newsweek wrote, it “tells you what’s beautiful, what’s fun, and what’s just unforgettable—everywhere on earth.” Second edition includes 600 full-color photographs, over 200 entirely new entries. More suggestions for places to stay, restaurants to visit, festivals to check out. And along with starred restaurants and historic hotels, you'll also find moderately priced gems that don’t compromise on atmosphere or charm. |
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Full of unforgettable figures and an unrelenting spirit of adventure, Strange Stones is a far-ranging, thought-provoking collection of Peter Hessler’s best reportage—a dazzling display of the powerful storytelling, shrewd cultural insight, and warm sense of humor that are the trademarks of his work. Over the last decade, as a staff writer for The New Yorker and the author of three books, Peter Hessler has lived in Asia and the United States, writing as both native and knowledgeable outsider in these two very different regions. This unusual perspective distinguishes Strange Stones, which showcases Hessler’s unmatched range as a storyteller. “Wild Flavor” invites readers along on a taste test between two rat restaurants in South China. One story profiles Yao Ming, basketball star and China’s most beloved export, another David Spindler, an obsessive and passionate historian of the Great Wall. In “Dr. Don,” Hessler writes movingly about a small-town pharmacist and his relationship with the people he serves. While Hessler’s subjects and locations vary, subtle but deeply important thematic links bind these pieces—the strength of local traditions, the surprising overlap between apparently opposing cultures, and the powerful lessons drawn from individuals who straddle different worlds. |
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This new, full-colour edition of one of RMB’s bestselling hiking guides has been completely updated and redesigned for a whole new generation of hiking enthusiasts. Trekking the Continental Divide from the U.S. border to Kakwa Lake is a demanding adventure. In this new edition of the bestselling guidebook devoted to Canada’s 1,200-kilometre Great Divide Trail (GDT), Dustin Lynx helps hikers piece together the myriad individual routes that form a continuous trail along the Divide. Outlining the six major sections of the GDT, Lynx breaks the trail into shorter, more attainable segments and thoroughly describes the terrain and condition of each. Not only are these trail segments invaluable for planning shorter trips along the GDT, Lynx’s pre-trip planning advice will also prove indispensable for long-distance hikers overcoming such daunting logistical challenges as resupply, navigation and access. Complete with colour photos, detailed maps and updated information, Hiking Canada's Great Divide – 3rd Edition will continue to serve domestic and international hikers alike in navigating this remarkable mountain wilderness trail. |
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2 works of Alexander Mackenzie Scottish explorer (1764-1820) This ebook presents a collection of 2 works of Alexander Mackenzie. A dynamic table of contents allows you to jump directly to the work selected. Table of Contents: Voyages from Montreal Through the Continent of North America to the Frozen and Pacific Oceans in 1789 and 1793 - Volume I Voyages from Montreal Through the Continent of North America to the Frozen and Pacific Oceans in 1789 and 1793 - Volume II |
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It was a severe case of hippie envy that impelled Peter Moore to travel home from London to Sydney without ever stepping on to an aeroplane. Hippies had the best music, the best drugs, the best sex. But most of all, they had the best trips. With woefully inadequate funds and little hope of actually making it through such notorious hot-spots as the Balkans, Iran and Afghanistan, Peter – never one to err on the side of caution – followed the trail overland to the East over the next eight months and through twenty-five countries. It would prove to be a journey of exhilarating highs and, on occasions, frustrating lows, of diverse experiences – including the world’s most expensive disco (in Albania), the bombed-out villages of Croatia, the opium fields of Laos, student riots in Jakarta, an all-night beach rave in Thailand – and memorable encounters with a wonderful cast of often eccentric, at times exasperating and, once in a while, overly amorous characters. Striking a chord with anyone who has embarked on such a life-enhancing Grand Tour and entertaining (and perhaps alarming) all who love to read about such adventures but would never be fool enough to grab that rucksack and go, The Wrong Way Home is a funny, irreverent, acutely observed travel classic. ‘Inspirational stuff’ - FHM ‘Moore’s a sharp observer of the bizarre … Read, enjoy, escape’ - Maxim ‘A perceptive, subversive and hilarious book’ - Sydney Morning Herald |
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'A hugely enjoyable romp through the pleasures and pitfalls of setting up home in a foreign land' PD Smith, Guardian When she was suddenly given the opportunity of a new life in rural Jutland, journalist and archetypal Londoner Helen Russell discovered a startling statistic: the happiest place on earth isn’t Disneyland, but Denmark, a land often thought of by foreigners as consisting entirely of long dark winters, cured herring, Lego and pastries. What is the secret to their success? Are happy Danes born, or made? Helen decides there is only one way to find out: she will give herself a year, trying to uncover the formula for Danish happiness. From childcare, education, food and interior design (not to mention 'hygge') to SAD, taxes, sexism and an unfortunate predilection for burning witches, The Year of Living Danishly is a funny, poignant record of a journey that shows us where the Danes get it right, where they get it wrong, and how we might just benefit from living a little more Danishly ourselves. |
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From the staff of New York Magazine comes the perfect gift for the Manhattanite in all of us. My First New York is a glorious collection of recollections and reminiscences as fifty of the city’s most famous residents recapture the kicks and thrills of first arriving in the Big Apple. Actors and athletes, rock stars and porn stars, writers, artists, and politicos—from Yogi Berra to Liza Minnelli, from Chloe Sevigny to Andy Samberg to Diane Von Furstenberg—they all share their hilarious, touching, frightening, amazing early big city adventures in My First New York. |
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Livre-culte dans le monde entier, Into the Wild a été magistralement porté à l'écran par Sean Penn. En 1992, le cadavre d'un jeune homme est découvert dans un bus abandonné en Alaska, au pied du mont McKinley, loin de tout lieu habité. Fils de bonne famille, Chris McCandless aurait dû en toute logique devenir un Américain bien tranquille à l'avenir sans surprise. Mais, dès l'obtention de son diplôme universitaire, il décide de partir à l'aventure. Après avoir fait don de ses économies à une oeuvre humanitaire, il entame son périple sous un nom d'emprunt avec sa vieille voiture, qu'il abandonnera un peu plus tard. Il sillonne le sud des Etats-Unis, subsistant grâce à de menus travaux, avant de réaliser son grand projet: s'installer au coeur de l'Alaska, seul, en communion avec la nature. Mais on ne s'improvise pas trappeur, ni homme des bois... Ce parcours dramatique d'un jeune homme qui a voulu vivre jusqu'au bout son impossible idéal est retracé par Jon Krakauer, l'auteur du best-seller Tragédie à l'Everest . Livre-culte dans le monde entier, Into the Wild a d'emblée fasciné Sean Penn, qui en a réalisé une adaptation cinématographique applaudie par la critique américaine. |
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National Bestseller  A bank of clouds was assembling on the not-so-distant horizon, but journalist-mountaineer Jon Krakauer, standing on the summit of Mt. Everest, saw nothing that "suggested that a murderous storm was bearing down." He was wrong. The storm, which claimed five lives and left countless more--including Krakauer's--in guilt-ridden disarray, would also provide the impetus for Into Thin Air , Krakauer's epic account of the May 1996 disaster. By writing Into Thin Air , Krakauer may have hoped to exorcise some of his own demons and lay to rest some of the painful questions that still surround the event. He takes great pains to provide a balanced picture of the people and events he witnessed and gives due credit to the tireless and dedicated Sherpas. He also avoids blasting easy targets such as Sandy Pittman, the wealthy socialite who brought an espresso maker along on the expedition. Krakauer's highly personal inquiry into the catastrophe provides a great deal of insight into what went wrong. But for Krakauer himself, further interviews and investigations only lead him to the conclusion that his perceived failures were directly responsible for a fellow climber's death. Clearly, Krakauer remains haunted by the disaster, and although he relates a number of incidents in which he acted selflessly and even heroically, he seems unable to view those instances objectively. In the end, despite his evenhanded and even generous assessment of others' actions, he reserves a full measure of vitriol for himself. This updated edition of Into Thin Air includes an extensive new postscript that sheds fascinating light on the acrimonious debate that flared between Krakauer and Everest guide Anatoli Boukreev in the wake of the tragedy.  "I have no doubt that Boukreev's intentions were good on summit day," writes Krakauer in the postscript, dated August 1999. "What disturbs me, though, was Boukreev's refusal to acknowledge the possibility that he made even a single poor decision. Never did he indicate that perhaps it wasn't the best choice to climb without gas or go down ahead of his clients." As usual, Krakauer supports his points with dogged research and a good dose of humility. But rather than continue the heated discourse that has raged since Into Thin Air 's denouncement of guide Boukreev, Krakauer's tone is conciliatory; he points most of his criticism at G. Weston De Walt, who coauthored The Climb , Boukreev's version of events. And in a touching conclusion, Krakauer recounts his last conversation with the late Boukreev, in which the two weathered climbers agreed to disagree about certain points. Krakauer had great hopes to patch things up with Boukreev, but the Russian later died in an avalanche on another Himalayan peak, Annapurna I. In 1999, Krakauer received an Academy Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters--a prestigious prize intended "to honor writers of exceptional accomplishment."  According to the Academy's citation, "Krakauer combines the tenacity and courage of the finest tradition of investigative journalism with the stylish subtlety and profound insight of the born writer.  His account of an ascent of Mount Everest has led to a general reevaluation of climbing and of the commercialization of what was once a romantic, solitary sport; while his account of the life and death of Christopher McCandless, who died of starvation after challenging the Alaskan wilderness, delves even more deeply and disturbingly into the fascination of nature and the devastating effects of its lure on a young and curious mind." |
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Jim Byers has spent a dozen years wandering around Ontario as a travel writer. He's found some amazing and very surprising places and people along the way. His book, “Ontario Escapes: 19 Places To Visit Right Now!”, details a series of captivating destinations that are easy to explore. Within a few hours of the province's biggest cities you can roll down giant sand banks as high an eight-storey building, swim in water that’s as blue as the Aegean Sea and enjoy towering waterfalls five minutes from one of Canada’s busiest highways.  You can experience some of the world’s best sunsets on Lake Huron, go boating among the beautiful islands of Muskoka, or dine on amazing meals in small, comfy towns.  You also can wander around a stunning garden filled with Zimbabwean Stone Art near Peterborough, learn about important Black history near Chatham, zigzag along pretty creeks in a national park in Toronto and explore a former silver mining community outside Thunder Bay. Come along for the road trip of a lifetime.  You will be happy that you did. |
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In the tradition of A Year in Provence and Under the Tuscan Sun , acclaimed English travel writer Tahir Shah shares a highly entertaining account of making an exotic dream come true. By turns hilarious and harrowing, here is the story of his family’s move from the gray skies of London to the sun-drenched city of Casablanca, where Islamic tradition and African folklore converge–and nothing is as easy as it seems…. Inspired by the Moroccan vacations of his childhood, Tahir Shah dreamed of making a home in that astonishing country. At age thirty-six he got his chance. Investing what money he and his wife, Rachana, had, Tahir packed up his growing family and bought Dar Khalifa, a crumbling ruin of a mansion by the sea in Casablanca that once belonged to the city’s caliph, or spiritual leader. With its lush grounds, cool, secluded courtyards, and relaxed pace, life at Dar Khalifa seems sure to fulfill Tahir’s fantasy–until he discovers that in many ways he is farther from home than he imagined. For in Morocco an empty house is thought to attract jinns, invisible spirits unique to the Islamic world. The ardent belief in their presence greatly hampers sleep and renovation plans, but that is just the beginning. From elaborate exorcism rituals involving sacrificial goats to dealing with gangster neighbors intent on stealing their property, the Shahs must cope with a new culture and all that comes with it. Endlessly enthralling, The Caliph’s House charts a year in the life of one family who takes a tremendous gamble. As we follow Tahir on his travels throughout the kingdom, from Tangier to Marrakech to the Sahara, we discover a world of fierce contrasts that any true adventurer would be thrilled to call home. |
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In his most delightful foray into the wonders of Provençal life, Peter Mayle returns to France and puts behind him cholesterol worries, shopping by phone, California wines, and other concerns that plagued him after too much time away. In Encore Provence , Mayle gives us a glimpse into the secrets of the truffle trade, a parfumerie lesson on the delicacies of scent, an exploration of the genetic effects of 2,000 years of foie gras, and a small-town murder mystery that reads like the best fiction. Here, too, are Mayle's latest tips on where to find the best honey, cheese, or chambre d'hìte the region has to offer. Lyric, insightful, sparkling with detail, Encore Provence brings us a land where the smell of thyme in the fields or the glory of a leisurely lunch is no less than inspiring. |
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One morning at breakfast, while gawking at his phone and feeling increasingly disconnected from family and everything else of importance in his world, it strikes writer Bruce Kirkby:  this isn’t how he wants to live . Within days, plans begin to take shape. Bruce, his wife Christine, and their two children—seven-year-old Bodi and three-year-old Taj—will cross the Pacific by container ship, then travel onward through South Korea, China, India and Nepal aboard bus, riverboat and train, eventually traversing the Himalaya by foot. Their destination: a thousand-year-old Buddhist monastery in the remote Zanskar valley, one of the last places where Tibetan Buddhism is still practised freely in its original setting. Taken into the mud-brick home of a senior lama, Tsering Wangyal, the family spends the summer absorbed by monastery life. In this refuge, where ancient traditions intersect with the modern world, Bruce discovers ways to slow down, to observe and listen, and ultimately, to better understand his son on the autism spectrum—to surrender all expectations and connect with Bodi exactly as he is. Recounted with wit and humility,  Blue Sky Kingdom  is an engaging travel memoir as well as a thoughtful exploration of modern distraction, the loss of ancient wisdom, and the challenges and rewards of intercultural friendships. |
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Voyages de rêve en train – 50 itinéraires autour du monde vous invite à l’évasion dès la première page. Rédigé par des passionnés de périples ferroviaires, cet album constitue une splendide source d’inspiration et une boîte à outils pour imaginer et préparer longues odyssées, escapades à bord de charmants tortillards et explorations de parcours légendaires. Abondamment illustré de photographies toutes plus spectaculaires les unes que les autres, Voyages de rêve en train – 50 itinéraires autour du monde vous propose de vivre des moments de pure extase : traversées de paysages exceptionnels, autrement inaccessibles, dans la nature norvégienne, au Myanmar et en Australie; circuits sur les traces d’El Chepe au Mexique, de l’Orient-Express et du Transsibérien; balades à bord de trains touristiques dans l’arrière-pays provençal, en Suisse et dans l’Ouest canadien; aventures sur rails dans l’Ouest américain, au massif du mont Blanc et au Japon; expéditions vers le toit du monde à bord du Lhassa Express, en Alaska et dans les Andes péruviennes; croisières ferroviaires dans les Alpes, le nord de l’Espagne et la vallée du Danube; échappées romantiques en Toscane, au Vietnam et au cœur de la campagne anglaise; excursions au fil de voies ferrées qui suivent le littoral aux Cinque Terre et aux abords de la mer du Nord; visites de lieux emblématiques au long des chemins de fer de la Vénétie, de l’Espagne méditerranéenne et de la Thaïlande; découvertes du Rajasthan à la manière des rois à bord du Palace on Wheels et des paysages changeants de l’Afrique du Sud dans le Blue Train. Voyages de rêve en train – 50 itinéraires autour du monde décrit au jour le jour chaque itinéraire, les villes et villages à découvrir et les panoramas à contempler. Il présente des indications utiles sur la vie à bord des trains et de précieux conseils pour profiter pleinement de votre voyage. Offrez ou offrez-vous des excursions de rêve aux quatre coins du monde avec ce livre époustouflant! |
