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St. John's is the capital of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It is the oldest city in North America and is located on the Avalon Peninsula in the southeast corner of the island of Newfoundland. The city is the easternmost point on the Trans-Canada Highway, a network of roads leading more than 8000 km westward to Victoria, British Columbia. Wink Travel Guides introduce you to the best world travel destinations, in a clear and concise way, illustrated by photos. |
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Bien fait et facile à utiliser, le guide Fabuleuse Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador est un excellent allié pour satisfaire les envies de chacun. Un circuit, un plan, des adresses, des activités et des coups de cœurs vous aident à profiter au maximum de votre séjour. Grâce à eux, partez sans soucis à la rencontre des attraits de cette régions et de ses secrets bien gardés. |
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‘The Camino’ is a personal account and visual photographic journal of walking Europe’s most popular pilgrimage trail in Spain, written by a two-time veteran of the Camino and a middle-aged independent traveller who has walked a total of four different pilgrimage trails in Europe. This interactive multi touch eBook shares the author’s personal experiences that are unique to this type of walking adventure, along with the social and community elements that define the Camino. To assist you with your preparations, the book includes an interactive online map of the route taken by the author, and relevant information on a variety of subjects, such as accommodation, food, what to take, signage, and history. At the end of this eBook is a brief list of resources and websites for additional information. ‘The Camino’ is a useful innovative resource for people who are considering walking the Camino for the first time, and for those who have walked it before, and want to relive their own personal Camino adventure. |
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Rising from the depths of the North Pacific lies a fabled island, now submerged just 15 feet below the surface of the ocean. Rumors and warnings about Cortes Bank abound, but among big wave surfers, this legendary rock is famous for one simple (and massive) reason: this is the home of the biggest rideable wave on the face of the earth. In this dramatic work of narrative non-fiction, journalist Chris Dixon unlocks the secrets of Cortes Bank and pulls readers into the harrowing world of big wave surfing and high seas adventure above the most enigmatic and dangerous rock in the sea. The true story of this Everest of the sea will thrill anyone with an abiding curiosity of and respect for mother ocean. |
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Read the Dutch bestseller, now available  in translation. Already over 30.000 copies sold! Would you dare to follow your dream and move or retire to Italy to live La Dolce Vita? Have a Reality Check first. Would you dare to follow your dream and move or retire to Italy? Stef & Nico did, although their dog Sara had her doubts. Now from your comfortable armchair you can share in the hilarious & horrendous adventures they experienced when they moved to Italy to start a bed and breakfast. For lovers of amusing travelogue memoirs who like a good laugh. And for those interested in practical advice on how to buy a house in Italy there is useful information along the way, pleasantly presented within the short stories. Glossary of Italian words included ! Learn the true meaning of Italian phrases and expressions like " non ci sono problemi ", " di fiducia ", " persone serie ", " tutto a norma " and many more. Learn a bit of the foreign language before going to Italy. " a comical, often downright hilarious account " Reader's Favorite Review ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️ " Smulders' storytelling artistry is wildly entertaining " Blogcritics/Reader Views ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️ " There is more of the flavor of Italy in this book than in ... Frances Mayes’ ‘Under the Tuscan Sun’ " Amazon review by Grady Harp HALL OF FAME TOP 100 REVIEWER " now I can add Stef Smulders to the list of my favorite ex-pat authors " N.N. Light In 2008 Stef Smulders , his partner Nico and their dog Saar emigrated to Italy to start a new life and set up their B&B Villa I Due Padroni . They sold their home, left their friends and family behind and took a leap into the unknown. Now Stef shares his experiences in a collection of witty short stories . The book treats the trials and tribulations of an emigration : what it was like to buy and renovate a house, to import a car, to gain residency, and much more. The reader is introduced to a full range of Italian characters , from the trustworthy to the rogue, from the gentle to the shameless, flesh and blood Italians. Some are stereotype, others unexpectedly original. Yet they never fail to amuse and entertain.     Amazon 4.3 rating (119 ratings) Readers’ reviews: “ I was hooked after the first couple of lines and couldn’t put the book down until the end. ” “ What a fantastic read! ” “ Hilarious! " " Addicting! " " Recommended! " |
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An intimate journey across and in search of America, as told by one of its most beloved writers, in a deluxe centennial edition In September 1960, John Steinbeck embarked on a journey across America. He felt that he might have lost touch with the country, with its speech, the smell of its grass and trees, its color and quality of light, the pulse of its people. To reassure himself, he set out on a voyage of rediscovery of the American identity, accompanied by a distinguished French poodle named Charley; and riding in a three-quarter-ton pickup truck named Rocinante.   His course took him through almost forty states: northward from Long Island to Maine; through the Midwest to Chicago; onward by way of Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana (with which he fell in love), and Idaho to Seattle, south to San Francisco and his birthplace, Salinas; eastward through the Mojave, New Mexico, Arizona, to the vast hospitality of Texas, to New Orleans and a shocking drama of desegregation; finally, on the last leg, through Alabama, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey to New York.   Travels with Charley in Search of America is an intimate look at one of America's most beloved writers in the later years of his life—a self-portrait of a man who never wrote an explicit autobiography. Written during a time of upheaval and racial tension in the South—which Steinbeck witnessed firsthand— Travels with Charley is a stunning evocation of America on the eve of a tumultuous decade. This Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition also features French flaps and deckle-edged paper. For more than sixty-five years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,500 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators. |
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'A rare and wonderful book... I could not be more enthusiastic.' Simon Winchester 'A treasure trove of human history and obsession...the breadth of research and insight is dazzling.' Glasgow Herald Colour unlocks the history of the colours of the rainbow, and reveals how paints came to be invented, discovered, traded and used. This remarkable and beautifully written book, part travelogue part narrative history, remembers a time when red paint was really the colour of blood, when orange was the poison pigment, blue as expensive as gold, and yellow made from the urine of cows force-fed with mangoes. It looks at how green was carried by yaks along the silk road, and how an entire nation was founded on the colour purple. 'A highly companionable guide, adventurous and romantic' Independent on Sunday Exciting, richly informative, and always surprising, Colour lifts the lid on the historical palette and unearths an astonishing wealth of stories about the quest for colours, and our efforts to understand them. |
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Even five months on the Big Island can change you forever. Being invited to visit the fiery home of Madame Pele, getting scared half-to-death by a UFO hovering over a lava field, and manifesting a blue feather out of thin air has that effect. Yet Andrew’s most powerful transformation was still ahead. A routine hitchhiking trip into town brings a new person into Andrew’s life that just might have the perfect opportunity for him. His new friend is a volunteer at a Vipassana meditation center. She invites him to join her on a 10-day silent meditation course and then live near the meditation center afterward, doing a very different kind of work-trade than he’s ever done. Andrew accepts and plunges into an intense experience, delving deeper into his mind and body than ever before, unearthing trauma that he thought he had healed long ago. In the process, a profound realization hits him and propels him into a new chapter of his life. Ten Thousand Hours in Paradise is a 3-volume true story about community, sustainability, and a remarkable journey on the Big Island of Hawaii. In Volume 2: Tribulations , Andrew dives deep into a life-changing Vipassana meditation course, gains a new perspective on unrequited love, and is wished “Happy Birthday” from a man beyond the grave. |
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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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With superb skill and feeling, Graham Greene retraces the experiences and encounters of his extraordinary life. His restlessness is legendary; as if seeking out danger, Greene travelled to Haiti during the nightmare rule of Papa Doc, Vietnam in the last days of the French, Kenya during the Mau Mau rebellion. With ironic delight he recalls his time in the British Secret Service in Africa, and his brief involvement in Hollywood. He writes, as only he can, about people and places, about faith, doubt, fear and, not least, the trials and craft of writing. |
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Lisa Napoli was in the grip of a crisis, dissatisfied with her life and her work as a radio journalist. When a chance encounter with a handsome stranger presented her with an opportunity to move halfway around the world, Lisa left behind cosmopolitan Los Angeles for a new adventure in the ancient Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan—said to be one of the happiest places on earth.   Long isolated from industrialization and just beginning to open its doors to the modern world, Bhutan is a deeply spiritual place, devoted to environmental conservation and committed to the happiness of its people—in fact, Bhutan measures its success in Gross National Happiness rather than in GNP. In a country without a single traffic light, its citizens are believed to be among the most content in the world. To Lisa, it seemed to be a place that offered the opposite of her fast-paced life in the United States, where the noisy din of sound-bite news and cell phones dominate our days, and meaningful conversation is a rare commodity; where everyone is plugged in digitally, yet rarely connects with the people around them.   Thousands of miles away from everything and everyone she knows, Lisa creates a new community for herself. As she helps to start Bhutan’s first youth-oriented radio station, Kuzoo FM, she must come to terms with her conflicting feelings about the impact of the medium on a country that had been shielded from its effects. Immersing herself in Bhutan’s rapidly changing culture, Lisa realizes that her own perspective on life is changing as well—and that she is discovering the sense of purpose and joy that she has been yearning for.   In this smart, heartfelt, and beautifully written book, sure to please fans of transporting travel narratives and personal memoirs alike, Lisa Napoli discovers that the world is a beautiful and complicated place—and comes to appreciate her life for the adventure it is. |
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When an old friend asked him to write a weekly dispatch from New Hampshire for the Mail on Sunday's Night and Day magazine, Bill Bryson firmly turned him down. So firm was he, in fact, that gathered here are nineteen months' worth of his popular columns about the strangest of phenomena -- the American way of life.Whether discussing the dazzling efficiency of the garbage disposal unit, the mind-boggling plethora of methods by which to shop, the exoticism of having your groceries bagged for you, or the jaw-slackening direness of American TV, Bill Bryson brings his inimitable brand of bemused wit to bear on the world's richest and craziest country. |
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Some of the maps in this title are best viewed on a tablet device. A classic of travel writing, ‘A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush’ is Eric Newby’s iconic account of his journey through one of the most remote and beautiful wildernesses on earth. It was 1956, and Eric Newby was earning an improbable living in the chaotic family business of London haute couture. Pining for adventure, Newby sent his friend Hugh Carless the now-famous cable - CAN YOU TRAVEL NURISTAN JUNE? - setting in motion a legendary journey from Mayfair to Afghanistan, and the mountains of the Hindu Kush, north-east of Kabul. Inexperienced and ill prepared (their preparations involved nothing more than some tips from a Welsh waitress), the amateurish rogues embark on a month of adventure and hardship in one of the most beautiful wildernesses on earth - a journey that adventurers with more experience and sense may never have undertaken. With good humour, sharp wit and keen observation, the charming narrative style of ‘A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush’ would soon crystallise Newby's reputation as one of the greatest travel writers of all time. One of the greatest travel classics from one of Britain's best-loved travel writers, this edition includes new photographs, an epilogue from Newby's travelling companion, Hugh Carless, and a prologue from one of Newby's greatest proponents, Evelyn Waugh. Reviews 'The master storyteller. He transformed travel writing' Independent 'One of the most enjoyable reads of the last century' Herald Tribune 'The most successful travel writer of his generation. It's impossible to read this book without laughing aloud' Observer 'Endlessly entertaining and self-deprecating' Daily Mail 'Full of serendipity and surprise' The Economist 'A total success' New Yorker 'Notable addition to the literature of unorthodox travel … tough, extrovert, humorous and immensely literate' Times Literary Supplement '”A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush” established him as a traveler who not only journeyed fruitfully but had the ability to bring his readers with him' William Trevor, Guardian 'I still think the last few sentences of “A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush” the funniest ending to any book I have read' Geoffrey Moorhouse, The Times 'The book that made [Newby's] reputation … typically ironic in its understatement' Observer 'Newby is easily the best of the bunch' Sunday Times 'All the lyricism, and spirit of adventure and discovery [in] Newby's work' The Times 'As good as its hype' Wanderlust About the author Eric Newby was born in London in 1919. In 1938, he joined the four-masted Finnish barque Moshulu as an apprentice and sailed in the last Grain Race from Australia to Europe, by way of Cape Horn. During World War II, he served in the Black Watch and the Special Boat Section. In 1942, he was captured and remained a prisoner-of-war until 1945. He subsequently married the girl who helped him to escape, and for the next fifty years, his wife Wanda was at his side on many adventures. After the war, he worked in the fashion business and book publishing but always travelled on a grand scale, sometimes as the Travel Editor for the Observer. He was made CBE in 1994 and was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award of the British Guild of Travel Writers in 2001. Eric Newby died in 2006. |
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After 40+ years of writing about Europe, Rick Steves has gathered 100 of his favorite memories together into one inspiring collection: For the Love of Europe: My Favorite Places, People, and Stories . Join Rick as he's swept away by a fado singer in Lisbon, learns the dangers of falling in love with a gondolier in Venice, and savors a cheese course in the Loire Valley. Contemplate the mysteries of centuries-old stone circles in England, dangle from a cliff in the Swiss Alps, and hear a French farmer's defense of foie gras . With a brand-new, original introduction from Rick reflecting on his decades of travel, For the Love of Europe features 100 of the best stories published throughout his career. Covering his adventures through England, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and more, these are stories only Rick Steves could tell. Wry, personal, and full of Rick's signature humor, For the Love of Europe is a fond and inspirational look at a lifetime of travel. |
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A city of sublime contrasts, Beijing has ancient temples, winding Hutongs and the Forbidden city, as well as edgy art districts, futuristic architecture and trendy restaurants - all within a stones-throw of the awe-inspiring Great Wall of China. Your DK Eyewitness Top 10 travel guide ensures you'll find your way around Beijing with absolute ease. Our newly updated Top 10 travel guide breaks down the best of Beijing into helpful lists of ten - from our own selected highlights to the best museums, places to eat, shops and festivals. You'll discover: -Eight easy-to-follow itineraries , perfect for a day-trip, a weekend, or a week -Detailed Top 10 lists of Beijing's must-sees, including detailed descriptions of the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, Tian'an Men Square, the Lama Temple, Bei Hai Park, Hou Hai, the Summer Palace, 798 Art District, the Ming Tombs and the Great Wall of China -Beijing's most interesting areas , with the best places for shopping, going out, and sightseeing -Inspiration for different things to enjoy during your trip - including children's attractions and things to do for free -Streetsmart advice : get ready, get around, and stay safe Looking for more on Beijing's culture, history and attractions? Try our DK Eyewitness China |
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A practical, armchair travel guide that explores eighty of the most iconic literary locations from all over the globe that you can actually visit. A must-have for every fan of literature, Booked inspires readers to follow in their favorite characters footsteps by visiting the real-life locations portrayed in beloved novels including the Monroeville, Alabama courthouse in To Kill a Mockingbird , Chatsworth House, the inspiration for Pemberley in Pride and Prejudice , and the Kyoto Bridge from Memoirs of a Geisha . The full-color photographs throughout reveal the settings readers have imagined again and again in their favorite books. Organized by regions all around the world, author Richard Kreitner explains the importance of each literary landmark including the connection to the author and novel, cultural significance, historical information, and little-known facts about the location. He also includes travel advice like addresses and must-see spots. Booked features special sections on cities that inspired countless literary works like a round of locations in Brooklyn from Betty Smith's iconic A Tree Grows in Brooklyn to Jonathan Lethem's Motherless Brooklyn and a look at the New Orleans of Tennessee Williams and Anne Rice. Locations include: Central Park, NYC ( The Catcher in the Ry e, JD Salinger) Forks, Washington ( Twilight , Stephanie Meyer) Prince Edward Island, Canada ( Anne of Green Gables , Lucy Maud Montgomery) Kingston Penitentiary, Ontario ( Alias Grace , Margaret Atwood) Holcomb, Kansas ( In Cold Blood , Truman Capote) London, England ( White Teeth , Zadie Smith) Paris, France ( Hunchback of Notre Dame , Victor Hugo) Segovia, Spain, ( For Whom the Bell Tolls , Ernest Hemingway) Kyoto, Japan ( Memoirs of a Geisha , Arthur Golden) |
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With over 100,000 copies of the previous editions sold, Gillean Daffern’s bestselling hiking guides to Kananaskis Country have been completely reformatted, revised and updated. As the pre-eminent expert on the area, the author continues to offer something for every level of foot-traveller, be they novice or experienced hikers, scramblers or backpackers. Gillean’s clear and detailed text, enhanced with colour photos and maps, enables everyone to navigate safely through this complex and beautiful area. |
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Explore more than forty forsaken urban destinations around the world in a "highly entertaining read . . . for history buffs, mystery fanatics and travel junkies alike" (GoNomad). Cities are mortal, but the traces they leave behind tell a fascinating story. In Atlas of Lost Cities , an accomplished travel writer reveals the rise and fall of notable places, each pithy portrait illuminated by a vintage map that puts armchair explorers right in the scene. Wander with care through: Ancient and legendary places like Pompeii, Teotihuacá and Angkor Contemporary wonders like Centralia, a nearly abandoned Pennsylvania town consumed by unquenchable underground fire Eerie planned communities like Nova Citas de Kilamba in Angola, where housing, schools, and stores were built for 500,000 people who never came Epecuen, a tourist town in Argentina that was swallowed by water With each map are fantastical illustrations that help the reader envision these hubs as they were in their prime. A perfect gift for the traveler who believes he or she has seen it all. |
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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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A must-read for fans of Rachel Joyce's The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and Maria Semple's Where'd You Go, Bernadette 'A touching, sometimes funny, often wise portrait of grief.' Kirkus Heartbreaking and hilarious in equal measure, by the author of the New York Times bestselling phenomenon A Man Called Ove will charm and delight anyone who has ever had a grandmother. Everyone remembers the smell of their grandmother's house. Everyone remembers the stories their grandmother told them. But does everyone remember their grandmother flirting with policemen? Driving illegally? Breaking into a zoo in the middle of the night? Firing a paintball gun from a balcony in her dressing gown? Seven-year-old Elsa does. Some might call Elsa's granny 'eccentric', or even 'crazy'. Elsa calls her a superhero. And granny's stories, of knights and princesses and dragons and castles, are her superpower. Because, as Elsa is starting to learn, heroes and villains don't always exist in imaginary kingdoms; they could live just down the hallway. As Christmas draws near, even the best superhero grandmothers may have one or two things they'd like to apologise for. And, in the process, Elsa can have some breath-taking adventures of her own . . . |
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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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Idée d'itinéraire en Gréce - La Grèce d'île en île est tiré du beau livre Ulysse 50 itinéraires de rêve en Europe. Ce chapitre à petit prix est un outil idéal pour préparer un magnifique voyage en Europe. Le chapitre La Grèce d'île en île propose un itinéraire de 11 jours, en boucle au départ d'Athènes, en passant par l'île de Santorin et la forteresse de Koules à Héraklion, la capitale de la Crète. Ce chapitre a été conçu en collaboration avec des conseillers en voyage experts dans l’organisation d’itinéraires aux quatre coins de l’Europe et des guides accompagnateurs qui en sillonnent les routes depuis des années; chacun des circuits décrit au jour le jour le périple proposé. Ce chapitre tiré du livre Ulysse 50 itinéraires de rêve en Europe présente aussi pour chaque parcours les coups de cœur personnels des guides accompagnateurs, de nombreux encadrés sur des faits étonnants et des capsules mettant en lumière les expériences inoubliables à vivre au cours de chaque itinéraire. |
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In the summer of 1927, America had a booming stock market, a president who worked just four hours a day (and slept much of the rest of the time), a semi-crazed sculptor with a mad plan to carve four giant heads into an inaccessible mountain called Rushmore, a devastating flood of the Mississippi, a sensational murder trial and a youthful aviator named Charles Lindbergh who started the summer wholly unknown and finished it as the most famous man on earth (so famous that Minnesota consider renaming itself after him). It was the summer that saw the birth of talking pictures, the invention of television, the peak of Al Capone’s reign of terror, the horrifying bombing of a school in Michigan by a madman, the ill-conceived decision that led the Great Depression, the thrillingly improbable return to greatness of a wheezing, over-the-hill baseball player named Babe Ruth and an almost impossible amount more. In this hugely entertaining book, Bill Bryson spins a story of brawling adventure, reckless optimism and delirious energy. With the trademark brio, wit and authority that have made him our favorite writer of narrative non-fiction, he rolls out an unforgettable cast of vivid and eccentric personalities to bring to life a forgotten summer when America came of age, took centre stage and changed the world forever. |
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Deliciously funny, fact-filled and adventurous, In a Sunburned Country takes us on a grand tour of Australia. It's a place where interesting things happen all the time, from a Prime Minister lost — yes, lost — while swimming at sea, to Japanese cult members who may (entirely unnoticed) have set off an atomic bomb on their 500,000 acre property in the great western desert. Australia is the only island that is also a continent, and the only continent that is also a country. Its aboriginal people, a remote and mysterious race with a tragic history, have made it their home for millennia. And despite the fact that it is the most desiccated, infertile and climatically aggressive of all inhabited continents, it teems with life. In fact, Australia has more things that can kill you in extremely nasty ways than anywhere else: sharks, crocodiles, the planet's ten most deadly poisonous snakes, fluffy yet toxic caterpillars, sea shells that actually attack you, and the unbelievable box jellyfish (don't ask). The dangerous riptides of the sea and the sun-baked wastes of the outback both lie in wait for the unwary. Australia is an immense and fortunate land, and it has found in Bill Bryson its perfect guide. In a Sunburned Country offers the best of all possible introductions to what may well be the best of all possible nations. Even with those jellyfish. |
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Not long after he began reading the handwritten, 820-page diary of Scottish explorer John Rae, Ken McGoogan realized that here was an astonishing story, hidden from the world for almost 150 years. McGoogan, who was originally conducting research for a novel, recognized the injustice committed against Rae. He was determined to restore the adventurer’s rightful place in history as the man who discovered not only the grisly truth about the lost Franklin expedition, but also the final link in the elusive Northwest Passage. Fatal Passage is McGoogan’s completely absorbing account of John Rae’s incredible accomplishments and his undeserved and wholesale discreditation at the hands of polite Victorian society. After sifting through thousands of pages of research, maps and charts, and traveling to England, Scotland and the Arctic to visit the places Rae knew, McGoogan has produced a book that reads like a fast-paced novel—a smooth synthesis of adventure story, travelogue and historical biography. Fatal Passage is a richly detailed portrait of a time when the ambitions of the Empire knew no bounds. John Rae was an adventurous young medical doctor from Orkney who signed on with the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1833. He lived in the Canadian wilds for more than two decades, becoming legendary as a hunter and snowshoer, before he turned to exploration. Famous for what was then a unique attitude—a willingness to learn from and use the knowledge and skills of aboriginal peoples—Rae became the first European to survive an Arctic winter while living solely off the land. One of dozens of explorers and naval men commissioned by the British Admiralty to find out what became of Sir John Franklin and his two ships, Rae returned from the Arctic to report that the most glorious expedition ever launched had ended with no survivors—and worse, that it had degenerated into cannibalism. Unwilling to accept that verdict, Victorian England not only ostracized Rae, but ignored his achievements, and credited Franklin with the discovery of the Passage. Fatal Passage is Ken McGoogan’s brilliant vindication of John Rae’s life and rightful place in history, a book for armchair adventurers, Arctic enthusiasts, lovers of Canadian history, and all those who revel in a story of physical courage and moral integrity. |
