Expeditions: popular accounts Books

Book Synopsis‘If we were guaranteed success in everything we tried then life would be pretty boring.’Mainstream news reports about climbing are dominated by action from the world’s highest mountains, more often than not focusing on tragedy and controversy. Far removed from this high-altitude circus, a group of visionary and specialist mountaineers are seeking out eye-catching objectives in the most remote corners of the greater ranges and attempting first ascents in lightweight style.Mick Fowler is the master of the small and remote Himalayan expedition. He has been at the forefront of this pioneering approach to alpinism for over thirty years, balancing his family life, a full-time job at the tax office and his annual trips to the greater ranges in order to attempt mountains that may never have been seen before by Westerners, let alone climbed by them.In No Easy Way, his third volume of climbing memoirs following Vertical Pleasure and On Thin Ice, Fowler recounts a series of expeditions to stunning mountains in China, India, Nepal and Tibet. Alongside partners including Paul Ramsden, Dave Turnbull, Andy Cave and Victor Saunders, he attempts striking, technically challenging unclimbed lines on Shiva, Gave Ding and Mugu Chuli – with a number of ascents winning prestigious Piolets d’Or, the Oscars of the mountaineering world.Written with his customary dry wit and understatement, he manages challenges away – the art of securing a permit for Tibet – and at home – his duties as Alpine Club president – all the while pursuing his passion for exploratory mountaineering.

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Book SynopsisContains the descriptions of North America, a bountiful land of grapes and vines, discovered by Vikings five centuries before Christopher Columbus. This title counts the Icelandic settlement of Greenland by Eirik the Red and the chance discovery by seafaring adventurers of a mysterious new land.

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Book SynopsisThis under-documented expedition was a pivotal moment in the annals of polar exploration and was the starting point, in historical terms, of revealing the great unknown continent of Antarctica. It was the first time in nearly 70 years since Captain James Cook had circumnavigated Antarctica, that a Royal Naval voyage of discovery had ventured so far South. They set a new 'furthest south' record in the process beating the one set up by James Weddell in a whaling ship in 1823. The expedition set sail from Greenwich in 1839. It consisted of two wooden sailing ships commanded by Captain James Clark Ross and Commander Francis Crozier. The ships were manned exclusively by Royal Naval personnel and each ship had a complement of 64 men and officers. Their primary task was of a scientific nature to study the Earth's magnetic field and build up a set of results that could provide a greater understanding of the effects of magnetism on compasses and their use in navigating the world's oceans. This voyage had a set of planned targets and all were accomplished. In the process a vast amount of scientific information was collected. Many exotic places were visited during the voyage amongst them Madeira, St Helena, Cape Town, Kerguelen island, New Zealand, Australia and the Falkland Islands but the pinnacle was the discovery of the Ross Sea, The Ross Ice Shelf and the mighty volcanoes of Erebus and Terror (named after the two ships). The crews experienced the dangers of navigating in ice-strewn waters and narrowly escaping being crushed by icebergs. Illness was kept at bay although several lives were lost due to accidents. It would be another 60 years before the scenes of their greatest discoveries were visited again and then the Golden Age of Discovery was ushered in with the likes of Scott, Shackleton and Amundsen.Table of ContentsPart 1 - The Expedition. In the Beginning; Targets and instructions; James Clark Ross and Francis Crozier; Setting sail to Madeira and the Atlantic Islands; Cape Town and beyond; Next stop - Hobart, Tasmania; First taste of the ice; Amazing discoveries and wonders to behold; Turning North; South again to the Great Ice Barrier; Impending Disaster; Wild cattle hunt and a third winter away; Return to the Antarctic. Part 2 - The sailors' stories. Part 3 - The sailors' ships

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Book Synopsis 'This is a book to be awed by.' – Daily MailIn 1924, the British Mount Everest Expedition led by George Mallory set out to reach the summit of the world’s highest peak. In 2024, documentaries and exhibitions – some sponsored, like the original climb, by the Royal Geographical Society – will commemorate the 100th anniversary of this famous adventure. Everest 24, published with the RGS, presents a newly curated portfolio of images from the expedition and those that preceded it. These include John B. Noel’s hand-coloured lantern slides and film stills; retouched black-and-white photographs; artefacts discovered on George Mallory’s body in 1999; mountain cartography; and the original expedition correspondence. The book casts new light on this exceptional archive through ‘from the collection’ features; and narrates the story of Mallory and ‘Sandy’ Irvine’s

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Book SynopsisFor acclaimed Australian chef Aaron Turner, hot chicken isn’t just food – it’s salvation in crispy, fried and devilishly spicy form. In The Hot Chicken Project, he travels back to Nashville, the place of its birth, to pay his respects to the makers, to chart the love and obsession that has shaped his world, and to make sure that what he does back home is doing it justice. Part cookbook, part pilgrimage, The Hot Chicken Project is both an epic love letter to the fiery bird and a celebration of a way of life that is in danger of vanishing forever.The Hot Chicken Project is part recipe book (40 recipes covering the best mains, sandwiches, sides, salads and sauces), part narrative, part pictorial celebration of the history and power hot chicken holds over the city of Nashville – and now beyond (including London!). It frames the stories of the people and families and communities who have cooked and eaten and appropriated it in Nashville over several generations. It offers a loud, opinionated take-no-prisoners perspective on food culture in the US (and beyond) today, as well as being an incomparable how-to manual for the VERY best hot chicken and accompaniments – wherever you are.

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Book SynopsisRobert Falcon Scott was born in 1868. He became a naval cadet at the age of 13 and he was made a full lieutenant in the Royal Navy in 1889. The Royal Geographical Society appointed him to command the National Antarctic Expedition of 1901-1904. The expedition set sail on the Discovery and reached further south than anyone before. Scott returned to Britain as a national hero. In 1910 Captain Scott organised a second expedition to sail to the Antarctic on board the Terra Nova. On the 17th January 1912 the party reached the pole, only to find that they had been beaten by the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen. Scott and his companions died on their march back to safety on 29 March 1912.Eight months later, a search party found the tent, the bodies and Scott's journals. The journals were first published in 1913.Trade ReviewThe death of Captain Oates ("I am just going outside and may be some time") and Scott's last entry ("For God's sake look after our people") have become the stuff of legend, but what stands out is his skill as a writer. Unlike Amundsen, who simply raced to the South Pole, Scott took a more leisurely, scientific interest in everything he saw, making notes on the "green ghostly light" of dawn, the changeable weather, the blizzards, the penguins, the killer whales, even his own dogs and ponies. He has nothing but praise for his men * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisAround 1600, Richard Hakluyt sought to honour his nation by publishing a compilation of every document he could find relating to English voyages beyond Europe’s boundaries. In a dazzling account of an editorial project seminal to England’s encounter with the world and the nation’s idea of itself, Fuller unlocks Hakluyt’s work for modern readers.Trade Review“Mary Fuller is one of the foremost scholars of early modern English travel writing, and Lines Drawn across the Globe is the result of a long career of nuanced assessment of writings on travel and encounter. Not just a textual study, this is also an investigation into early modern geography, European rivalries, and global expansion. It provides the most comprehensive guide to reading Hakluyt that is currently available.” Daniel Carey, University of Galway“Lines Drawn across the Globe is a magisterial work many years in the making, a personal reading of Richard Hakluyt's Principal Navigations of the English Nation by a scholar of literature that deploys real expertise, and an indispensable analytical guide to a text whose size and diversity can be daunting. While Hakluyt is often interpreted in the context of the history of early English colonialism in the Atlantic, emphasizing long-term historical consequences and the mythology of New World exceptionalism, Fuller offers a more nuanced exploration of the book’s rich and varied contents.” Joan-Pau Rubiés, Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra

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Book SynopsisThe story of the world''s largest, longest, and best financed scientific expedition of all time, triumphantly successful, gruesomely tragic, and never before fully told The immense 18th-century scientific journey, variously known as the Second Kamchatka Expedition or the Great Northern Expedition, from St. Petersburg across Siberia to the coast of North America, involved over 3,000 people and cost Peter the Great over one-sixth of his empire''s annual revenue. Until now recorded only in academic works, this 10-year venture, led by the legendary Danish captain Vitus Bering and including scientists, artists, mariners, soldiers, and laborers, discovered Alaska, opened the Pacific fur trade, and led to fame, shipwreck, and one of the most tragic and ghastly trials of suffering in the annals of maritime and arctic history.

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Book SynopsisA classic book from the bestselling travel writer and historian, Charles Allen, author of Plain Tales from the Raj, first published by Abacus in 1983.Trade ReviewFor 30 years Allen has been quietly plugging away at the unfashionable field of colonial history, producing a whole shelf-full of well-researched, well-written and eminently readable works of narrative history, illuminating a whole succession of previously unwritten corners of British Indian history -- William Dalrymple

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Book Synopsis''A life-affirming book'' Daily Mail''An uplifting personal story of a year lived like no other'' Daily ExpressTwo days after her husband of sixty-seven years dies, nonagenarian Miss Norma is diagnosed with cancer. When given her treatment options - surgery, chemo and radiotherapy - she rises to her full five feet and says in the strongest voice she can muster: ''I'm ninety years old. I'm hitting the road!'' Driving Miss Norma is the story of her inspirational road trip across the US in a thirty-six-foot motorhome with her son, Tim, his wife, Ramie and their Poodle, Ringo - showing us that it''s never too late to begin an adventure, inspire hope or become a trailblazer. As the journey unfolds, Miss Norma finally spreads her wings and lives life on her own terms for the very first time. With each adventure a once timid Miss Norma says YES to living in the face of death - whether it''s experiencing her very first pedicure or tTrade ReviewProfound * The Guardian *This life-affirming book is an inspirational account... It's about three people learning to let go of their fears and find love and trust in each other and the world around them. * Daily Mail *The author celebrates life and offers a heartfelt vision of what dying a good death really means . . . Uplifting and life-affirming. * Kirkus Reviews *Joyful and moving… offers profound insights into how we choose to live. * Publishers Weekly (starred review). This text refers to the Audio CD edition. *An uplifiting personal story of a year lived like no other... a touching and eloquently argued manifesto for a different kind of care for the elderly, one that embraces joy, life and human connection. -- Jane Warren * Daily Express *

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Book SynopsisFrank A. Worsley was the Captain of the H. M. S. Endurance, the ship used by the legendary explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton in his 1914-16 expedition to the Antarctic. On its way to the Antarctic continent the Endurance became trapped and then crushed by ice, and the ship''s party of twenty-eight drifted in an ice floe for five months. Finally reaching an uninhabited island, Shackleton, Worsley and four others sailed eight hundred miles in a small boat to the island of South Georgia, an astounding feat of navigation and courage. All hands survived this ill-fated expedition; as Worsley writes, ''By self-sacrifice and throwing his own life into the balance, (Shackleton) saved every one of his men...although at times it looked unlikely that one could be saved.''Trade ReviewA breath-taking story of courage, skill and determination under the most appalling conditions -- Sir Edmund HillaryOne of the great survival stories of our time * Library Journal *A remarkable book... Worsley writes without heroics...but makes us feel to the marrow the conditions that the party endured before all hands were rescued * New Yorker *Simply gripping * Irish Mountain Log *A stirring account of a fascinating adventure * Sunday Tribune *

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Book SynopsisHenry Birdie' Bowers realised his life's ambition when he was selected for Captain Scott's Terra Nova expedition to the Antarctic, yet he also met his death on the journey. Born to a sea-faring father and adventurous mother on the Firth of Clyde, Bowers' boyhood obsession with travel and adventure took him round the world several times and his life appears, with hindsight, to have been a ceaseless preparation for his ultimate, Antarctic challenge. Although just 5ft 4in, he was a bundle of energy; knowledgeable, indefatigable and the ultimate team player. In Scott's words, he was a marvel'. This new biography, drawing on Bowers' letters, journals and previously neglected material, sheds new light on Bowers and tells the full story of the hardy naval officer who could always lift his companions' spirits.

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Book SynopsisA collection of Sir Wally's paintings, together with personal anecdotes of his experiences in the Polar World and his connection with the polar pioneers of the past, as well as his descriptions of the inspiration behind his paintings.Trade Review"'Profoundly evocative... a uniquely insightful book.' H.R.H. Prince Charles 'A vastly important book about these extraordinary regions of the world. The Polar World stands as a magnificent epitaph to a genuine explorer and great man of the modern age.' Sir Ranulph Fiennes"

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Book SynopsisThe recent discovery and filming of Frankin's HMS 'Terror' has brought the tragic story of the expedition into the international spotlight. The only man who knows the true narrative is Ernest Coleman.

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Book SynopsisIt was in large part the lure of riches, such as spices and gold, and the promise of fertile land which tempted the British and other Europeans to venture out to unknown lands.These intrepid explorers, who devoted and often lost their lives on journeys of discovery, were frequently accompanied by artists. At the time there was no other way of pictorially recording their exploits and experiences.James Cook and his botanist Joseph Banks had artists Alexander Buchan and Sydney Parkinson on board for their initial voyage to the South Seas. Buchan's first pictures were of the natives of Tierra del Fuego as the Endeavour rounded Cape Horn but tragically within a month he died, apparently of epilepsy. Thomas Baines travelled with Livingstone while Charles Heaphy in New Zealand and the Governor''s wife in India were amongst many others who produced drawings and paintings.The many fine works in this book fashioned the British public''s image of their countrymen's discoveries and, later, of the

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Book SynopsisThe definitive account of Sir Vivian Fuchs and Sir Edmund Hillary's Trans-Antarctic Expedition, completed 60 years ago this year.

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Book SynopsisWhether you're a seasoned explorer or keen to discover the great outdoorsfor the first time, this book is designed to expand your horizons, inspire newadventures, and help protect our beautiful planet. Explore The Elements is acool collection of 48 eco-missions that will take you out of your front doorand into the wonderful wild world. You'll have fun and learn new skills alongthe way, and connect with nature everywhere: in your own back yard, aroundyour neighbourhood, and further afield in the UK's fabulous National Parks.

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Book Synopsis“Exciting, funny, and occasionally heart-stopping … readers can stay home and dry, but feel like they are on the high seas.”—BOOKLISTA man and his chicken sail 45,000 nautical miles in this powerful story of following your dreams no matter what stands in your way.When Guirec Soudée was 21 years old, he bought a 30-foot sailboat and set out across the Atlantic, despite having only sailed a dinghy before.His only companion? His plucky pet hen, Monique.Guirec never intended to sail the world with a chicken, but after reaching the Caribbean, he and Monique made for Greenland—and emerged from the pack ice 100 days later.Their next goal? San Francisco. Then, Antarctica. But first, could they navigate the treacherous Northwest Passage? One thing was for sure: Monique would help her trusty skipper by laying an egg! Heart-stopping adventure story: navigating treacherous icebergs with a chicken on the mast is just one of many nail-biting maneuvers from this action-packed book. Perfect for readers of The Art of Racing in the Rain: Guirec and Monique’s bond is unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. Inspirational: Guirec shows that all you have to do is believe to achieve something big. Photographs and maps: show the epic voyage and provide breaks in the text. Guirec and Monique’s unbelievable journey won the hearts of people all over the world and caused a social media frenzy when it happened. Now, in their long-awaited first book, readers will uncover their gripping voyage from start to finish.Trade Review“Soudée’s deeply adventurous spirit finds a home at sea. From Arctic pack ice to the Roaring Forties, this young man and his chicken show the world what’s possible with a little boat and a big dream.”—Caroline Van Hemert, author of The Sun is a Compass“Guirec Soudée’s page-turning tale of his round-the-world ocean adventure is a delight. Setting off with no solo sailing experience whatsoever, he learns by doing—crossing the Atlantic, overwintering alone in Greenland’s profound pack ice, then sailing the length of the Pacific to survive raging storms and rogue icebergs in Antarctica. Add Monique, his unlikely but charming feathered first mate, and you’re reminded that our dreams are in fact possible if we dare to risk following them.”—Kim Brown Seely, author of Uncharted“If madcap single-handed sailing (with a chicken) is your thing, then you'll love the hair-raising adventures of Guirec Soudée.”—John Krestchmer, author of Sailing to the Edge of Time and Flirting with Mermaids“Don't mistake Guirec Soudee's youthful adventures for just another sailing book—this is a coming-of-age story for our times. Guirec writes with an inspiring mix of humility and wonder as he and Monique complete an epic voyage that takes them to extreme latitudes, propelled by a wellspring of courage—and revealing a humanity that fills you with joy. An incredible book.”—John Krestchmer, author of Sailing to the Edge of Time and Flirting with Mermaids“Guirec’s thirst for adventure is infectious, yet this intrepid Breton remains humble despite his extraordinary achievements, writing with both humor and good grace. A clucking good read!”—Emma Bamford, author of Casting Off and Untie the Lines“Funny, charming and endearing, this gem of a book immerses you into the world of a true adventurer. A classic high-seas yarn that you never want to end..”—Frank Wolf, adventurer and author of Lines on a Map“I greatly enjoyed reading this. It overflows with the author's good humor and his ability to always come up smiling, whatever the oceans of the world throw at him. For a novice to achieve a voyage like this is truly remarkable.”—Paul Heiney, broadcaster and author of One Wild Song: A Voyage in a Lost Son's WakeTable of ContentsWhere It All BeganPART 1Our Atlantic CrossingPART 2Hibernating in the IcePART 3The Northwest PassagePART 4From Alaska to Canada, and BeyondPART 5How Far South Can We Go?PART 6The Long Journey HomeAcknowledgmentsGlossaryPartners

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Book Synopsis​​For readers of Madhouse at the End of the Earth, Endurance, and other seafaring adventure stories comes a thrilling account of a 21st-century Arctic mission.“ A contemporary classic!”—Ken McGoogan, author of Fatal Passage“Show-stopping.”­—Publisher’s Weekly STARRED ReviewThe Greatest Polar Expedition of All Time vividly describes one year aboard the Polarstern, a powerful ice-breaker ship that journeyed deep into the Arctic in 2019, carrying over 100 scientists and crew known as the MOSAiC Expedition. Hailing from across the world, they would become the largest expedition to ever survive a polar winter. Their purpose? To understand—and predict—the impacts of climate change on the Arctic.Written by the expedition’s leader, the renowned atmospheric scientist Markus Rex, this page-turner reads like a captain’s log of daily life aboard the Polarstern. Living in one of the most remote, dangerous, and electrifying places on earth, Rex describes incredible sights: polar bears playing with scientific equipment, Christmas parties in the bitter cold, frostbitten scientists, and hair-raising storms that threaten to break the Polarstern’s cables and send it flying across the ice. He also reveals breathtaking science from deep inside the sea ice.Filled with sobering, heart-warming, and bone-chilling moments, The Greatest Polar Expedition of All Time is a testament to Rex’s extraordinary drive to save a precious ecosystem. It’s also an ode to a place that has beguiled sailors and explorers for centuries.Trade Review“With Arctic ice in steep decline and the dangers inherent in our rapidly changing climate, there is no scientific research more crucial or urgent than the explorations launched by MOSAiC in 2019. In this compelling account, lead scientist Markus Rex shares the personal moments and the planetary stakes of the largest polar expedition in history.”—Andrea Pitzer, author of Icebound: Shipwrecked at the Edge of the World“An illuminating portrait of a part of the planet that almost no one ever sees and of an undertaking whose scientific findings will be informing global decision making for years to come.”—James Raffan, author of Ice Walker and Emperor of the North“This marvelous book brings us aboard a unique 21st-century Arctic expedition—science-driven, multi-national, unprecedented—as it sails into the epicenter of the worsening climate crisis. For anyone concerned about global warming—and that should be all of us —this book is essential reading. A contemporary classic!”—Ken McGoogan, author of Fatal Passage: The Story of John Rae, The Arctic Hero Time Forgot and Dead Reckoning: The Untold Story of the Northwest Passage

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Book SynopsisNigel Barley travels to the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia to live among the Torajan people, known for their spectacular buildings and elaborate ancestor cults. At last he is following his own advice to students, to do their anthropological fieldwork `somewhere where the inhabitants are beautiful, friendly, where you would like the food and there are nice flowers. With his customary wit and delight in the telling detail, he takes the reader deep into this complex but adaptable society. The mutual warmth of his friendships allows Barley to reverse the habitual patterns of anthropology. He becomes host to four Torajan carvers in London, invited to build a traditional rice barn at the Museum of Mankind. The observer becomes the observed, and it is Barley s turn to explain the absurd complexities of an English city to his bemused but tolerant guests in a magnificent, self critical finale. Not a Hazardous Sport provides a magnificent end to a trilogy of anthropological journeys that began with The Innocent Anthropologist and A Plague of Caterpillars (both published by Eland). A postscript, penned thirty years after these adventures had been concluded, confirms the rich arc of this storyline of role reversals.

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Book SynopsisAre you ready to take a walk on the seriously wild side? In the early 1980s, John Pakenham walked a total of 1,500 miles, with a series of companions from the local Turkana and Samburu tribes and their long-suffering donkeys, around a lake in the Great Rift Valley of northern Kenya. Repeatedly beset by extreme thirst and dehydration, bitterly cold torrential rains, poisonous spiders, vindictive mosquitoes and the ever-present threat of bandits, not to mention a fatal fight between two of his companions, he was lucky to live to tell his tale. Pakenham's account provides a rare glimpse of a tough terrain and its even tougher inhabitants, where every day was a battle for survival. This is extreme travel that, four decades on, still packs a powerful punch.Trade Review‘A lock-down read that transports you to lesser explored lands, packs a powerful punch and examines the attraction to extreme travel’ – The Focus

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Book SynopsisDecember, 2014: In the forbidding waters off Antarctica, Captain Hammarstedt of the Bob Barker embarks on a voyage unlike any seen before. Across ten thousand miles of hazardous seas, Hammerstedt's crew will relentlessly pursue the Thunder - an infamous illegal fishing ship - for what will become the longest chase in maritime history. Wanted by Interpol, the Thunder has for years evaded justice: accumulating millions in profits, hunting endangered species and ruthlessly destroying ocean habitats. The authors follow this incredible expedition from the beginning. But even as seasoned journalists, they cannot anticipate what the chase will uncover, as the wake of the Thunder leads them to trail of criminal kingpins, rampant corruption, modern slavery and an international community content to turn a blind eye. Very soon, catching Thunder becomes more than a chase but a pursuit of the truth itself and a symbolic race to preserve the well-being of our planet. A Scandinavian bestseller, Catching Thunder is a remarkable true story of courage and perseverance, and a wake-up call to act against the destruction of our environments.Trade Review'This 110-day, round-the-world pursuit of a rogue trawler reads like a noir thriller ... recorded with flair and precision. The book promises all the pleasures of a crime novel, but it is after bigger game.' 5/5* Telegraph; 'An uproarious adventure - one predicated on the protestors’ ferocious sense of moral rectitude. Engdal and Sæter are energetic writers with a sense of pace and cinematic detail … Catching Thunder is an exciting read.' Spectator; 'A gripping story ... A clarion call for those who want to save our seas.' National Geographic Traveller; 'A true story that reads like a spy novel, peppered with scary organized crime villains, charismatic environmental activists and Interpol agents, and enough tidbits about sailing treacherous seas, commercial fishing, and endangered species to satisfy the most dedicated nautical adventure fan.' 5/5* Foreword Reviews; 'This is a modern pirate story, but the plunder isn't pieces of eight – it's the Patagonian Toothfish, as valuable as narcotics … A solid piece of collaborative journalism.' Sydney Morning Herald; `True adventure, life and death moments, and real life heroism: what reader could ask for more?’ Ingrid Newkirk, President, PETA; 'Engdal and Sæter are to journalism what Jagger and Richards are to rock and roll – sexy, irreverent and brilliant.' Luke Harding, Guardian journalist and author of The Snowden Files; `This is the story of our time: the blind destruction of the oceans and our ecosphere, and the actions of those with the courage to stand up and confront it.’ Peter Heller, author of The Whale Warriors and Celine; `The pursuit of the Thunder has become celebrated folklore by those of us fighting to protect our oceans. This is a captivating story, one which highlights the weaknesses in the global system but also, ultimately, gives us hope.’ Tony Long, CEO, Global Fishing WatchTable of Contents1. The Pirate2. "The Bandit 6"3. Operation Icefish4. The Occupation5. Hot Pursuit6. Operation Spillway7. The Ice8. Vesturvon9. The Pirate Capital10. The Storm11. The Secret Channel12. The Longest Day13. The Shipmaster14. Desolation Island15. The Phantom Ship16. The Wall of Death17. The World Record18. "The Only Sheriff in Town"19. The Flying Mariner20. A Bloody Nightmare21. La Mafia Gallega22. God's Fingerprint23. Buenas Tardes, Bob Barker24. Message in a Bottle25. Raid on the High Seas26. Operation Sparrow27. Exercise Good Hope28. The Bird of Ill Omen29. The Wanderer30. The Man in the Arena31. The Third Ship32. "You Are Nothing"33. The Snake in Paradise34. The Armpit of Africa35. Mayday36. A Weird Dream37. A Last Resort38. The Island of Rumours39. 48 Hours40. Three Condemned Men41. The Luck of the Draw42. The Escape43. The Unluckiest Ship in the World44. The Judgment45. Prisoners' Island46. The Man from Mongolia47. The Last Viking48. Operation Yuyus49. The Tiantai Mystery50. A Dirty Business51. The Showdown52. The Madonna and the Octopus53. The Final Act

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'I am just going outside and may be some time.' With these words, on 17 March 1912, Captain Oates walked out to his death in an Antarctic blizzard and won a place for himself in history as 'a very gallant gentleman'. His reputation for courage and endurance as one of the members of Scott's doomed expedition to the South Pole is as powerful today as it was almost a century ago. Yet, as Sue Limb and Patrick Cordingley reveal in this new edition of their classic biography of the man, there is much more to Captain Oates's life than his final famous act of self-sacrifice. Their work is, as Sir Ranulph Fiennes noted, a 'fascinating character study of a quintessential British hero'.

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Book SynopsisThe deepest cave on earth was a prize that had remained unclaimed for centuries, long after every other ultimate discovery had been made. This is the story of the men and women who risked everything to find it, earning their place in history beside the likes of Peary, Amundsen, Hillary, and Armstrong.In 2004, two great scientist-explorers attempted to find the bottom of the world. Bold, American Bill Stone was committed to the vast Cheve Cave, located in southern Mexico and deadly even by supercave standards. On the other side of the globe, legendary Ukrainian explorer Alexander Klimchouk - Stone's opposite in temperament and style - had targeted Krubera, a freezing nightmare of a supercave in the Republic of Georgia.Blind Descent explores both the brightest and darkest aspects of the timeless human urge to discover - to be first. It is also a thrilling epic about a pursuit that makes even extreme mountaineering and ocean exploration pale by comparison. These supercavers spent months in multiple camps almost two vertical miles deep and many more miles from their caves' exits. They had to contend with thousand-foot drops, deadly flooded tunnels, raging whitewater rivers, monstrous waterfalls, mile-long belly crawls, and much more. Perhaps even worse were the psychological horrors produced by weeks plunged into absolute, perpetual darkness, beyond all hope of rescue, including a particularly insidious derangement called 'The Rapture'.Blind Descent is a testament to human survival and endurance - and to two extraordinary men whose relentless pursuit of greatness led them to heights of triumph and depths of tragedy neither could have imagined.Trade ReviewHeart-stopping and relentlessly gripping. Tabor takes us on an odyssey into unfathomable worlds beneath us, and into the hearts of rare explorers who will do anything to get there first. -- Robert Kurson, author of Shadow DiversHair-raising . . . the chronicle of an obsession to reach the deepest, darkest, loneliest, scariest, least survivable pocket of the planet....A big thumping man-book like The Perfect Storm. * Washington Post. *Using a pulse-pounding narrative, this is tense real-life adventure pitting two master cavers mirroring the cold war with very uncommonly high stakes. * Publishers Weekly, starred review *Blind Descent is as awe-inspiring as any adventure story above ground. Tabor's claustrophobic and pulse-pounding narrativepulls no punches in describing the many terrifying hazards that cavers face underground. Blind Descent is a captivating summer read for adventure seekers and armchair adrenaline junkies alike. * Amazon.com Best Books of June 2010 *A fascinating and informative introduction to the sport of cave diving, as well as a dramatic portrayal of a significant man-vs.-nature conflict. * Kirkus Reviews *

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Book SynopsisFootsteps in the Snow recounts a life shaped and dominated by Antarctica, a multi-facetted account of a life dedicated to Antarctic science, policy and governance. It is also the story of growth from callow youth to Antarctic professional in the most challenging of environments. Joining the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) straight from university in 1966 meant two years as a scientist at an isolated British research station with all the challenges of wintering in the hostile environment half a century ago. After just two years he became one of the youngest men to be made a base commander, and as Sir Vivian Fuchs (then Director of BAS) recounts ‘proved himself one of the best we ever had under the most testing conditions’. The story recounts the many challenges of those testing conditions, while developing scientific ideas and accomplishing engineering feats with his team and on occasion looking death in the face and surviving. There were new developments in building research stations on the ice shelf, and the discovery of the ozone hole that gripped the world. Then followed the transition from research scientist to policy maker and diplomat when he became Deputy Director of BAS and advisor to the British delegation at the Antarctic Treaty. Tragedy struck at a base resulting in the author leading the first ever British midwinter flight into Antarctica. Since retiral, the author has become a polar historian “of repute”, and his efforts have been directed to writing and being a guide for Antarctic tourism. This book allows the reader to feel the wonder, awe, excitement and passion for Antarctica which drove John Dudeney throughout his career, and which is as fresh today as it was on first encounter half a century ago.

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Book SynopsisErnest Shackleton sailed to the South Pole as the First World War broke out in Europe, intent on making the first ever trans-Antarctic crossing. South! is Shackleton's first-hand account of the epic expedition, which he described as 'the last great journey on earth'. During the journey their ship, the Endurance, became trapped by ice and was crushed, forcing the men to survive in and escape from one of the world's most hostile environments. With no hope of rescue, Shackleton and four others set sail in a small open boat on a 600-mile crossing to South Georgia. Shipwrecked on the uninhabited side of the island, they were forced into making the first ever winter crossing of the island, all the time threatened by brutal cold and hunger. South! made Shackleton's name as an explorer. The dramatic story, one of the most astonishing feats of Polar escapology, remains as enthralling now as when it was first published in 1919. Stanfords Travel Classics feature some of the finest historical travel writing in the English language, with authors hailing from both sides of the Atlantic. Every title has been reset in a contemporary typeface to create a series that every lover of fine travel literature will want to collect and keep.

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Book SynopsisThroughout history, a handful of unusually driven individuals have been inspired to explore the limits of the known world, inspiring us and changing our perceptions of our planet through their courageous adventures. What is it that makes these men and women risk their lives in desperate, often fatal efforts to discover distant and inaccessible places? Robin Hanbury-Tenison, himself one of the most distinguished explorers of the 20th century, looks at the greatest of their kind in history, bringing their experiences to life in vivid and compelling anecdotes and drawing on their own first-hand accounts. Among the explorers he features are some who are well known, like James Cook and David Livingstone, and some less so, such as Herodotus, the first European to record an expedition and Nain Singh, who walked huge distances to map the forbidden lands of Tibet, counting every pace. And he asks: what was it, and is it, that motivates these unusual people? And how have they enriched our world through their adventures? 

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Book Synopsis'Hypnotic... raises questions of exploration and wonder, of nature and humanity' New York Times Book Review 'Exquisite and shocking... just as any exploration of the deep should be' Helen Scales, author of The Brilliant Abyss '[A] rich, strange book' China Miéville, author of The City & the City ____________ 11 June, 1930. On a ship floating near the Atlantic island of Nonsuch, a curious steel ball is lowered 3000 feet into the sea. Crumpled up inside, gazing through three-inch thick quartz windows, sits the famed zoologist William Beebe. With uncontrollable excitement, he watches as bizarre, never-before-seen creatures flit out of the inky blackness, illuminated by explosions of bioluminescence. He is the first person to witness this alien world. Beebe's dives take place against the backdrop of a transforming and paradoxical America, home to ground-breaking scientists, eccentric adventurers, and eugenicist billionaires. Yet under the ocean's crushing pressure, scientific expectations disintegrate; the colour spectrum shatters into new dimensions; outlandish organisms thrive where no one expected them. The Bathysphere Book blends research, storytelling, and poetic experiments, traveling through entangled histories of scientific discovery into the bottomless magic of the deep unknown. ____________ Further praise for The Bathysphere Book 'The life work of an explorer-scientist becomes a thing of rich poetry' Helen Gordon, author of Notes from Deep Time 'A breathtaking book, full of suspense, revelation, and beauty' Sy Montgomery, author of The Soul of an Octopus 'An exhilarating read... shiveringly exciting, important, and new' Martin MacInnes, author of In Ascension 'An impressionistic work of art depicting one of the greatest moments of discovery in human history... tantalizing glimpses of deep-sea life' Edith Widder, author of Below the Edge of Darkness: Exploring Light and Life in the Deep Sea 'A genre-deying book about oceans that is imbued with intelligence, curiosity and wonder' Joanna Pocock, author of Surrender 'A brilliant work of literary art... a time-bending, gem-laden constellation' Wayne Koestenbaum, author of UltramarineTrade Review'Brad Fox knows that the descent into the deep meant a sea-change not just in science, but in aesthetics, philosophy, the sense of what it is to be human. All have been changed, become rich and strange, as this rich, strange book shows so beautifully' - China Mieville, author of 'The City in the City' and 'Perdido Street Station''A work of vaulting ambition, wonder, and peerless technique, with startling ideas and insights on every page, The Bathysphere Book is an exhilarating read and one of the best things I've read in years. Its reckoning with ecology - its refusal to ignore the legions of animal life humanity is tangled up in - is shiveringly exciting, important, and new.' - Martin MacInnes, author of In Ascension and Infinite Ground'A breathtaking book, full of suspense, revelation, and beauty. Masterful!' - Sy Montgomery, author of The Soul of an Octopus'Brad Fox blends excursions into science, history, colour theory, sea exploration and language to weave together a genre-defying book about oceans that is imbued with intelligence, curiosity and wonder.' - Joanna Pocock, author of Surrender'Brad Fox has created a brilliant work of literary art-at once almanac and seance, wonder-cabinet and hallucinogen. The vigor, pluck, and compression of his language turn a linear chronicle into a time-bending, gem-laden constellation, with surprising flashes of wit, gossip, and melodrama' - Wayne Koestenbaum, author of 'Ultramarine' and 'The Cheerful Scapegoat'

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Book SynopsisArmed with a toilet trowel and a converted Mazda Bongo called Roxy, self-styled 'ordinary' ultrarunner, Gavin Boyter, embarks on his latest long-distance challenge: to run the 3400km from Paris to Istanbul along the route of the world's most illustrious railway journey, the Orient Express. And, despite work on Roxy having hampered his training programme, Gavin remains undeterred and plans to run through eight countries, to cross 180 rivers and to ascend 16,500 metres, through forests, mountains, plains and major cities - aided all the way by temperamental mapping technology and the ever encouraging support of his girlfriend, Aradhna. En route, Gavin will pass through urban edgelands and breathtaking scenery, battlefields and private estates, industrial plants and abandoned villages, and on through a drawn-back Iron Curtain where the East meets West. He will encounter packs of snarling, feral dogs, wild boar, menacing cows, and a herd of hundreds of deer. But he will also meet many fascinating characters, including a German, leg-slapping masseuse, music-loving Austrian farmers, middle-class Romanians, itinerant Romanies, stoic soldiers, and boisterous Turks. However, confined to the cramped conditions of Roxy, and each other's company, Gavin and Aradhna's journey is not only a test of the endurance and stamina required to put in the hard miles, but of their relationship, too. After all, if they can survive this challenge, they can survive anything. But will Gavin's legs make it all the way to Istanbul, where he has planned a special surprise for Aradhna?

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Book SynopsisRobert Mads Anderson is an elite mountaineer with a solitary goal: to conquer Everest. After nearly getting killed on his first expedition, he led a team up a new route on the Kangshung Face without oxygen or Sherpa support, climbed solo on the remote North Face, and finally guided a team to the top of the world.Incorporating a who’s who of internationally recognised climbers, including Stephen Venables, Reinhold Messner and Chris Bonington, Nine Lives traces the story of Everest, from the big, nationally supported expeditions of the 1980s; through the small teams forging new routes and climbing solo; to the commercially guided expeditions of today.Set against the majestic backdrop of the world’s tallest peak, Anderson’s nine Everest expeditions over eighteen years define what truly drives a human being to the greatest of heights. With a foreword by Peter Hillary and 32 pages of colour photography, in Nine Lives Robert Mads Anderson offers his personal account of the world’s highest mountain.Trade Review‘An amazing story capturing the essence of life’s moments climbing on Everest.’ (Chris Bonington)‘Robert’s story of climbing on all three sides of Everest is full of narrow escapes. But what really shines out is the canny wisdom, courage, determination and sheer fun-loving chutzpah of a defiant optimist.’ (Stephen Venables)‘I must say this was some of the best writing I have enjoyed – ever! And not just mountaineering literature. Bravo!’ (Dr Peter Hackett, world-renowned high-altitude expert)‘I could not have climbed with any better team while being led by the best. Thank you for sharing your ninth life with me on the slopes and the summit of Mount Everest.’ (Sibusiso Vilane, first black African to summit Everest)‘Robert loves the environment of mountains, the challenge of mountains, the camaraderie built upon their flanks and the uncertainty that mountains toss into our lives.’ (Peter Hillary)

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Book SynopsisWinner, Mountain Literature (Non-Fiction) Award, Banff Mountain Book Festival 2018Nick Bullock is a climber who lives in a small green van, flitting between Llanberis, Wales, and Chamonix in the French Alps. Tides, Nick's second book, is the much-anticipated follow-up to his critically acclaimed debut Echoes. Now retired from the strain of work as a prison officer, Nick is free to climb. A lot. Tides is a treasury of his antics and adventures with some of the world's leading climbers, including Steve House, Kenton Cool, Nico Favresse, Andy Houseman and James McHaffie. Follow Nick and his partners as they push the limits on some of the world's most serious routes: The Bells! The Bells! and The Hollow Man on Gogarth's North Stack Wall; the Slovak Direct on Denali; Guerdon Grooves on Buachaille Etive Mor; and the north faces of Chang Himal and Mount Alberta, among countless others. Nick's life can be equated to the rhythm of the sea. At high tide, he climbs, he loves it, he is good at it; he laughs and jokes, scares himself, falls, gets back up and climbs some more. Then the tide goes out and he finds himself alone, exposed, all questions and no answers. Self-doubt, grieving for friends or family, fearful, sometimes opinionated, occasionally angry - his writing more honest and exposed than in any account of a climb. Only when the tide turns is he able to forget once more.Tides is a gripping memoir that captures the very essence of what it means to dedicate one's life to climbing.Table of ContentsPrologue: Living Scared; 1 Love and Hate; 2 Immortal?; 3 Nothing More; 4 The Cutting Lap; 5 The Rain; 6 The Emotional Tightrope; 7 Bad Shit; 8 Deception; 9 The Web; 10 Cravings; 11 Death or Glory; 12 Slave to the Rhythm?; 13 Bittersweet Desire; 14 Strange Eden; 15 How Soon is Now?; 16 You Only Live Twice; 17 The Cathedral; 18 Trapped; 19 Evening Redness in the West; 20 Into the Shadow; 21 Similar to a Scottish Quarry; 22 Best Before; 23 Death of Paradise; 24 The Pitfalls of a Peroni Supermodel; 25 What Were His Dreams?; 26 Balloons; 27 That's Rowdy Dude; 28 Over the Top; 29 Flames; 30 Dreams and Screams; 31 Just Beneath the Surface; 32 The Light of the Moon; 33 The Mountain Soundtrack; 34 Please Queue Here; 35 Dawn to Dusk to Dawn; 36 Threshold Shift; Postscript.

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Book SynopsisIn the years leading up to Charles Darwin's 1832â6 voyage on the Beagle, the ship and its captain Robert Fitzroy (1805â65) had participated in an expedition to the desolate southern coast of South America. This three-volume work, published in 1839, describes both voyages. Volumes 1 and 2, compiled by Fitzroy, contain accounts by professional mariners. Volume 3 is the first published version of the young Darwin's now famous journal. It later appeared as a free-standing publication (1840) and in a more popular second edition (1845), both reissued in this series. Darwin's preface refers to the detailed scientific publications resulting from his research: the geological studies of volcanic islands and coral reefs (also available in the Cambridge Library Collection), and the co-authored, multi-volume zoology. Darwin expresses thanks to Fitzroy for his 'most cordial friendship', to the ship's officers for their 'undeviating kindness', and particularly to his Cambridge mentor John Stevens HenTable of ContentsPreface; 1. Porto Praya; 2. Rio de Janeiro, excursion north of Cape Frio; 3. Monte Video, excursion to R. Polanco; 4. Rio Negro; 5. Bahía Blanca; 6. Set out for Buenos Ayres; 7. Excursion to St. Fe; 8. Monte Video, excursion to Colonia del Sacramiento; 9. Rio Plata; 10. Santa Cruz, expedition up river; 11. Tierra del Fuego; 12. Falkland Islands; 13. Strait of Magellan; 14. Valparaiso, excursion to base of Andes; 15. Chiloe; 16. San Carlos, Chiloe; 17. Valparaiso, passage of Andes by Portillo pass; 18. Bell mountain, excursion to Cordillera; 19. Galapagos Islands volcanic; 20. Tahiti, New Zealand; 21. Sydney, Van Diemen's Land; 22. Keeling Island; 23. Mauritius, Brazil, Azores; Addenda; Index.

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Book SynopsisThe East Country is a work of creative nonfiction in which the acclaimed nature writer Jules Pretty integrates memoir, natural history, cultural critique, and spiritual reflection into a single compelling narrative. Pretty frames his book around Aldo Leopold and his classic A Sand County Almanac, bringing Leopold's ethicthat some could live without nature but most should notinto the twenty-first century. In The East Country, Pretty follows the seasons through seventy-four tales set in a variety of landscapes from valley to salty shore. Pretty convinces us that we should all develop long attachments to the local, observing that the land can change us for the better.Trade ReviewI'm in step with Prof Jules Pretty. Who wouldn't be, when he rightly recognises the link between a healthy natural world and good mental health in humans – and trumpets the message? Like him, I love getting outdoors to feel the sun (and rain) on my skin and notice the different rhythm. You could say I've bought the T-shirt along with the waterproof walking boots and warm coat. * The East Anglian Daily Times *His celebration of the landscape incorporates memoir and poetry, natural history and spiritual reflection, but also a critique of where current policies are leading us. ‘Nature will carry on regardless,’ he suggest. ‘It is just that we might not.’ -- Matthew Reisz * Times Higher Education *Table of ContentsPreface A Geographic Locator January 1. The Winter Hesitation 2. One Glossy Ibis and Many Ticks 3. Winter Gales and Beliefs 4. Walk the Line 5. The Weight of a Snipe 6. The Old Battlefield February 7. Paths and Prints in Snow 8. Closing Time 9. To Iken 10. Saturation 11. The Box Valley March 12. Disturbing Hints of Spring 13. The Beach Crows 14. Some Spring for Celandine 15. Blackthorn Days 16. The Blue Light of Spring April 17. Two Buzzards 18. The Long Night of Hope 19. Mystery Solved 20. Nightingales and Green Men 21. Sailors' Reading Room 22. The Assington Elms May 23. The Owl and the Sun 24. The Bat and the Wild 25. Time Travel 26. Since Records Began 27. Bells in the Cow Parsley Section 28. Encounters 29. The Northern Sky 30. All Four Margins June 31. Magic in the Thicks 32. The Lost Shore 33. Hollyhock Summer 34. A Submission 35. Lay-Bys of the A12 36. The Cottage Hospital 37. Come Back the Wild 38. Anniversary July 39. Village Edgelands 40. Nature at a Nuclear Power Station 41. Digging for Victory 42. Under Another Atomic Sky 43. Heat Wave August 44. Pause for Ragwort 45. The End of the Road 46. Nightwalk 47. Soon, the Departure 48. The Tinker's Cottage 49. The Turn September 50. The Path 51. Mud Birds 52. Angels in the Back Lanes 53. Season of Mist and Fire 54. In Memoriam 55. The Rhythym of Farm Names October 56. Insect Life 57. A New Anniversary 58. Things and Doubt 59. Alarm Call 60. The Sands of Another Summer 61. Wait for the End November 62. Bonfire Night 63. At First, Silence 64. The Night Hours 65. Leaf Fall and Mists 66. Beach Fishermen and Water Sprites 67. Much Can Change in a Short Time 68. Passing Years December 69. A Marsh Murmuration 70. Poor Man's Heaven 71. Dark and Wet at Solstice 72. Pruning and Planning 73. Dark and Wet, Again 74. An East Wind Crossing the New Year Acknowledgments Notes by Tale Bibliography List of Photographs

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Book SynopsisIntrepid journalist Nellie Bly raced through a 'man's world' - alone and literally with just the clothes on her back - to beat the fictional record set by Jules Verne's Phileas Fogg in Around the World in 80 Days. She won the race on 25 January 1890, covering 21,740 miles by ocean liner and train in 72 days, and became a global celebrity. Although best known for her record-breaking journey, even more importantly Nellie Bly pioneered investigative journalism and paved the way for women in the newsroom. Her undercover reporting, advocacy for women's rights, crusades for vulnerable children, campaigns against oppression and steadfast conviction that 'nothing is impossible' makes the world that she circled a better place. Adventurer, journalist and author, Rosemary J Brown, set off 125 years later to retrace Nellie Bly's footsteps in an expedition registered with the Royal Geographical Society. Through her recreation of that epic global journey, she brings to life Nellie Bly's remarkable achievements and shines a light on one of the world's greatest female adventurers and a forgotten heroine of history.

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Book SynopsisA global quest to comprehend the meaning of Happy Valley on three continents and how these mountain communities continue to survive in a world that constantly challenges the very notion of happiness.Over her 17-year career as a travel writer, Jane Marshall has wandered the planet, always in search of wild, high-altitude, off-the-beaten-track places. During her travels she discovered something profound. On three continents, separated by vast oceans, she found hidden valleys known locally as Happy Valley. Her quest: to discover what makes them happy and learn from their Indigenous keepers.The happy valleys share common characteristics. They are geographically isolated and protected by walls of mountains; they are home to rare and endangered plants and animals; they exist outside of protections zones which gives them autonomy but also makes them vulnerable; their Indigenous populations name the land after human and divine body parts; and women are seen as powerful. Inside these Happy Valleys a balance between humans and nature has been struck. Sleeping on ridges, in caves, and in the traditional homes of local people, Marshall makes gruelling journeys to the heart of the happy valleys as she strives to comprehend the deep peace she feels within them.In a world facing environmental devastation, illness, and unprecedented mental anxieties, Marshall's book offers an alternative. She immerses herself in the land and forms deep connections with its people so she can learn sustainable ways of living their Indigenous populations have honed over millennia. From a goat herder's hut in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, to a Sundance ceremony with the Blackfoot/Soki-tapi people of Alberta, and ultimately to her dangerous pilgrimage in Nepal where she reaches the heart of a sacred land studded with treasures hidden by a famous yogi, Jane Marshall takes readers on the greatest adventure of all: The search for Shangri-La and the wisdom that can save the planet and our own hearts.

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Book SynopsisAn adventurous and thoughtful photographic exploration of Canada and Canadian identity.This collection of images, taken over a decade and in every corner of the country, explores and questions what being a Canadian means. The photographs depict Taylor's poignantly observed, first-person experience, visiting both recognizable and remote places that vary drastically in geography, history, socio-economic status, and overarching lifestyle.Roades intrigues the viewer with images of the cultural threads that hold Canada together, and effortlessly weaves local idiosyncrasies together with iconic landscapes from coast to coast. If you have travelled in any part of Canada, you will see something delightfully familiar, and in a country with so much to explore somewhere new to add to your list.

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Book SynopsisNEW YORK TIMES 100 NOTABLE BOOKS OF 2017Over two full years, Dromgoole, the Artistic Director of the Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, and the Globe players toured all seven continents, and almost 200 countries, performing the Bard's most famous play. They set their stage in sprawling refugee camps, grand Baltic palaces and heaving marketplaces - despite food poisoning in Mexico, an Ebola epidemic in West Africa and political upheaval in Ukraine. Hamlet: Globe to Globe tells the story of this unprecedented theatrical adventure, in which Dromgoole shows us the world through the prism of Shakespeare's universal drama, and asks how a 400-year-old tragedy can bring the world closer together.Trade ReviewRichly entertaining . . . His love of language is contagious . . . the storytelling segues into scholarship with extraordinary skill from the off as he ricochets the modern world with a 400-year-old text * * The Times * *Taking in sandblown refugee camps, the hallucinatory effects of performing with chronic food poisoning in Mexico City and the politically-charged atmosphere of an auditorium in Ukraine on an election's eve, it is an entertaining, moving and informative read * * Evening Standard * *Dromgoole's witty account offers insight about the play and its enduring appeal * * New York Times, 100 Notable Books of 2017 * *Full of life lessons . . . Erudite and fascinating . . . There's a real sense of the camaraderie and sheer fun of assembling a company and, quite literally, putting the show on wherever they can . . . The universal themes explored in the play take on a new and thrilling resonance, as the actors learn as much from their audiences as vice versa . . . Truly compelling * * Observer * *A delightfully idiosyncratic account of the Globe's vagabond mission to perform Hamlet in every country in the world . . . the joy of the book is Dromgoole's gusto . . . the way he meanders from personal anecdote to wider textual or cultural significance makes his book feel like a shaggy-dog documentary that you just don't want to end **** * * Daily Telegraph * *Compulsively readable * * New York Times * *Delivers sharp insights into a play Dromgoole has spent a lifetime turning over in his mind * * Guardian * *This deeply humane, consistently enthralling account of a theatrical odyssey encompasses travelogue and literary criticism, theatre history and introspective narrative, political commentary and philosophical reflection with beguiling readability -- Sir Stanley WellsDominic Dromgoole's recounting of the Globe Theatre's exhausting global tour of Hamlet is exhilarating. The playing company's intrepid journey around the world - performing Hamlet's own troubled journey - succeeds in making the familiar unfamiliar and enables in turn a deeply illuminating journey into the play itself. -- James Shapiro, author of 1599 and 1606An epic journey which explores how a 400-year-old play can help to make sense of the modern world * * Sunday Post * *Fascinating * * Spectator * *Dromgoole and his company belong in the ancient tradition of strolling players - quick-witted and wise, generous, hard-drinking and open. His book is written in that spirit. It is bold and excited, hopeful, dashing . . . By the time we reach the final show back on London's Southbank, it is a wrench to part his company * * Financial Times * *Irresistible . . . a comic epic -- Gary Taylor * * Washington Post * *The tireless Dromgoole goes on a journey that would kill most of us, and connects our greatest poet to every corner of the human experience. Utterly extraordinary -- Emma ThompsonThis is an amazing story about a bold and eye-popping journey. I loved it. Dominic Dromgoole writes about Shakespeare and touring the globe the way he ran The Globe - with passion, insight, relish and irresistible humour -- Sir Nicholas Hytner, The Artistic Director of London’s National TheatreCompelling . . . proving, as Dromgoole had hoped, that this powerful tragedy not only has the ability to transcend time but to cross borders as well * * National Geographic * *In Dromgoole's breakneck journey from a retractable-roof theater in Poland to a crammed cream-and-gold palace in Peru to a sweltering, bat-infested auditorium in Cambodia, the narrative covers an astonishing swath of world-girdling geography . . . No chronicle ever gave more compelling meaning to Shakespeare's conviction that 'all the world's a stage' * * Booklist * *[A] thoroughly enjoyable and charming story . . . Besides detailing the two-year tour itself, it's a story of the play, its themes and language, famous past players, and how it has been performed and received over the years . . . Sly, witty, and delightful - a glorious Shakespearean romp * * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) * *Dromgoole is wise and witty; thoughtful, self-assured, even cocky . . . But he is never dull. His mission was to bring Hamlet to the world to show that Hamlet is the world, and he succeeded admirably. A wide readership, not just Shakespeare buffs and scholars, can enjoy this book * * Publishers Weekly * *Praise for WILL AND ME:'An absolute delight . . . utterly original and relishable' * * Sunday Times * *Friendly, inclusive, I warmed to it immediately . . . A terrific book * * Evening Standard * *Superb . . . thrillingly entertaining . . . throbs with vigour, honesty and passion * * Daily Telegraph * *Dromgoole is to the bard what Nick Hornby is to football * * Sunday Telegraph * *A record of a lifelong obsession - articulate, intelligent and passionately set down . . . Dromgoole's enthusiasm has a sincerity and warmth that are infectious * * Observer * *Irresistibly seductive * * Independent on Sunday * *

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Book Synopsis‘A riveting detective story … Revelation follows revelation.’ – Benedict Allen, author, explorer and TV presenterJames Fitzjames was a hero of the early nineteenth-century Royal Navy. A charismatic man with a wicked sense of humour, he pursued his naval career with wily determination. When he joined the Franklin Expedition he thought he would make his name; instead the expedition completely disappeared and he never returned. Its fate is one of history’s great unsolved mysteries, as were the origins and background of James Fitzjames – until now.Fitzjames packed a great deal into his thirty-two years, from trips down the Euphrates to fighting with spectacular bravery in Syria and China. But he was not what he seemed. He concealed several secrets, including the scandal of his birth, the source of his influence and his plans for after the Franklin Expedition.In this definitive biography of the captain of HMS Erebus, William Battersby draws extensively on Fitzjames’ personal letters and journals, as well as naval records, to strip away 200 years of misinformation, enabling us to understand for the first time this intriguing man and his significance.Trade ReviewWilliam Battersby’s work is the first to delve with any depth into the life of the third-in-command (of the Franklin Expedition) – James Fitzjames. Through painstaking research Battersby has detailed the life of the ambitious, accomplished and personable young naval officer. -- David WoodmanI commend this intriguing and interesting life of James Fitzjames, captain of HMS Erebus, during her ill-fated Arctic voyage, under Sir John Franklin’s overall command. -- Ann SavoursA riveting detective story that reveals a whole host of compelling details about the nature of nineteenth-century maritime endeavour, and the fated, enigmatic Captain Fitzjames … Revelation follows revelation – a worthy addition to the distinguished literature on the greatest Arctic naval disaster in history. -- Benedict AllenA well-crafted, highly readable biography. -- William Barr * Arctic *

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Book SynopsisPOMPEY returned to his home in the Antarctic in August after an absence of one-and-a-half years. He was one of about twelve thousand Gentoo penguins which lived on three islands, North Island, Middle Island and South Island. This book is a simple account of Pompey's life during the following nine months. He goes swimming among the ice-foes; he fishes for shrimps; he escapes from his arch-enemy, the Leopard Seal; and he meets the charming Jenny who becomes his wife. Together they make a nest and rear two fine, fluffy chicks. It is an accurate description of the life of a Gentoo penguin, made interesting by Mr. Bagshawe's wide knowledge of penguin habits and the conditions in which they live. Before the time comes for the baby penguins to swim away from home, Pompey and Jenny and many of their neighbours have become intimate friends. ]oan Kiddell-Monroe's pictures are accurate and quite outstanding. They help to make a really exceptional book.Trade Review‘Pompey was a Penguin’ by Thomas Wyatt Bagshawe and Illustrated by Joan Kiddell-Monroe is a simple tale beautifully told in a timeless manner. The storyline tells the tale of a penguin’s life from a penguins perspective and introduces other Antarctic creatures along the way. The book accurately describes the behaviour pattern of the Antarctic wildlife in a simple but accurate manner and in this respect is both educational and informative as well as being supported by some delightful artwork. The structure and the grammar used throughout the book is very descriptive and is ‘of it’s time’ but in a very positive and effective way. This book not just about telling a story and learning about the behaviour patterns of Antarctic creatures but also reminding us of what a rich heritage the English language gives us. To sum up, this book is a very enjoyable read for people of all ages but I found it a delightful book to read to a school at which I’m a chair of Governor’s. Reviewed by Steve Wroe (ex British Antarctic Survey)

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Book SynopsisThese are the Journals of Francis Davies Leading Shipwright RN when on board Captain Scott's "Terra Nova" British Antarctic Expedition 1910 - 1913, Never seen before photos and historical artefacts, kept safe by his decadences, for over 100 years. Unique below decks prospective on Captains Scotts last Antarctic Expedition, Unabridged and never before Published. The geographic and scientific accomplishments of Captain Scott's two Antarctic expeditions changed the face of the Twentieth Century in ways that are still not widely appreciated over a hundred years later. The fact of accomplishment has tended to be lost in speculative argument as to how Scott should have done this instead of that, supposedly to achieve the extra few yards per day to save the lives of the South Pole Party in 1912. Also lost to a generation overwhelmed with information, however, is the sublime sense of adventure into the unknown, which Scott's expeditions represented to his generation. We have forgotten what it is to take the awesome life-gambling risk of sailing beyond the edge of the map into nothingness and rendering it known. We send robot explorers instead. As a result, after two millennia of maritime and exploration history, we have become detached from the sea which surrounds our island and the tradition of exploration which it represents. With Scott: Before the Mast is a unique account that serves as an antidote to this disconectedness. It is no fictional 'Hornblower', although it may seem so at times. This is a true story. It presents one man's account of his part in a great act of derring-do, the assault on the South Pole in 1912. Most records of Captain Scott's British Antarctic Expedition aboard Terra Nova (1910-1913) are the accounts of officers. With Scott: Before the Mast is the story of Francis Davies, Shipwright, R.N., and Carpenter. The title says it all but may be lost on landlubbers. Before the mast means 'to serve as an ordinary seaman in a sailing ship'. This makes it a rare and hugely important account, presenting a viewpoint from the lower ranks. Such insight is rarely available and the long overdue publication of this account is greatly to be welcomed.Trade ReviewAs a former Royal Navy Officer, who came from the ranks, I was hugely interested in this book and potential insights that it offered from a very different perspective than other books I have read about Scott. I am delighted to say that I was not disappointed and actually, the writings of Francis Davies offered not only an insight into Scott and the Terra Nova Expedition, but also the norms and the way that both the navy and society operated. In itself, this combination allows for a detailed consideration of the basis by which the expedition was undertaken and Scott’s leadership was executed. As a fellow naval Officer, who has led mixed groups of military and civilians in highly challenging environments and with a background of 30 years of expedition across the globe, I understand the complexities of managing mixed groups where the leadership of the military might necessarily be different to that needed to motivate and manage the civilians. I also understand how the reverse perspective of those being led, can lead to issues when the military contingent expect the civilian contingent to be led according to the same rules of military discipline as they are subject to. In my experience, when these forces combine, discontent and unruliness can commonly be the case unless the leader is able to establish a very high level of trust and respect. In doing so, the leader must walk the narrow margin between enforcing group compliance and being able to engage with every person at an individual level. There are many instances in the book where this is presented as a reality of Scott’s leadership, but the book is also very honest about some of his traits that were less desirable and this is essential to understand the man, as well as the expedition itself. The book is well written, with some quite comical observations on the operation of the Royal Navy and on Societal values at the time. It is also littered with a range of interesting photographs that enhance and support visual understanding of the writer’s words. As an avid reader of all things Antarctic and a practicing Historian who speaks regularly on Scott and Shackleton, I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in such matters. Review by; Lieutenant Commander Paul Hart FRGS MPhil (Cantab) Royal Navy. Leader of the first party to make a man-haul crossing of the Antarctic Peninsula to conduct science and exploration, to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of Captain Robert Falcon Scott reaching the South Pole.

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Book SynopsisTrekking a Thousand Kilometres Across Nepal Walking is a posture, a way of self-cultivation and a way of life. It is a state of physical and spiritual freedom that anyone can achieve if their natural instincts are sincere and forthright. Pearl is a city girl, living a hectic life in one of China's most bustling cities. She thought herself incapable of walking a thousand kilometres to the roof of world. When asked how she mustered the courage to complete this great journey, she replies that she just took one step after another before eventually reaching her destination. No courage is needed in taking just a single step.

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Book SynopsisJohn Wesley Powell's 1869 expedition down the Green and Colorado Rivers and through the Grand Canyon continues to be one of the most celebrated adventures in American history, ranking with the Lewis and Clark expedition and the Apollo landings on the moon. For nearly twenty years Lago has researched the Powell expedition from new angles, traveled to thirteen states, and looked into archives and other sources no one else has searched. He has come up with many important new documents that change and expand our basic understanding of the expedition by looking into Powell's crewmembers, some of whom have been almost entirely ignored by Powell historians. Historians tended to assume that Powell was the whole story and that his crewmembers were irrelevant. More seriously, because several crew members made critical comments about Powell and his leadership, historians who admired Powell were eager to ignore and discredit them.Lago offers a feast of new and important material about the river trip, and it will significantly rewrite the story of Powell's famous expedition. This book is not only a major work on the Powell expedition, but on the history of American exploration of the West.Trade ReviewThe Powell Expedition is a thought-provoking, nuanced work that reads at times like a detective story, and it should offer much fodder for historians."" - The Wall Street Journal""Lago examines many theories about the fate of three members of Powell's expedition who left the river before the end of the journey and were never seen again. While the true fate of these explorers may never be known, there are enough leads in this account to entertain Colorado River rafters around campfires for years. Grand Canyon enthusiasts will find much to consider in this book."" - Library Journal""This is no straightforward river adventure, but rather a collection of multiple intriguing theories about various disputed facts, making for excellent campfire stories after a long day on the river."" - Publisher's Weekly""Lago is a storyteller, and his accessible, sprightly writing style makes what could be a mind-numbing collection of facts read like an adventure yarn."" - New York Journal of Books""Written in a refreshingly transparent first-person style, Lago demythologizes Powell, corrects past libels and properly puts the focus on his crew. This book will be of interest to historians and river rats alike."" - True West Magazine""Lago's latest book is the result of 20 years of research across 13 states, digging into the history of the expedition's individual crew members to tell a far more specific story that the broad tale of river running and canyon mapping."" - Grand Canyon News""Conjecture - (readily admitted) and tangential - wanderings pervade the text, resting comfortably alongside nuggets of deep research that rewrite important aspects of Powell's story and offer insight on Western exploration."" - Roundup Magazine""Don Lago's The Powell Expedition: New Discoveries about John Wesley Powell's 1869 River Journeytakes a new, fresh look at the 1869 expedition down the Green and Colorado Rivers led by John Wesley Powell. He concentrates especially on the often-overlooked members of the crew, and the events that led to distrust, tension, and the eventual departure of three members of the party, as well as an in-depth look at the deaths of those three and the subsequent lives of most, if not all, of the men. The book is definitely a significant and novel contribution to the literature on Powell, and that's saying something. The sources Lago consulted are astounding, in a word."" - Roy Webb""Don Lago has spent over 20 years researching Powell's 1869 river expedition, ferreting out details nobody else has discovered, myth-busting, speculating, and clarifying the whys and wherefores of the trip. This book is a culmination of those details and speculation, with updates on his previous writings and adding a wealth of new material. Lago covers topics no other Powell biographer/author has addressed, or ones in this depth."" - Richard Quartaroli""In search of answers and explanations, he delves into details of chronologies, genealogies, and politics, but he keeps the stories alive by following out speculations and connections along unexpected trails of evidence... Offering many intriguing new ideas and directions for further research, Lago's The Powell Expedition will be of great interest to scholars of Powell's survey. For anyone with an interest in Colorado River history, Lago's book will be enjoyable reading."" - The Western Historical Quarterly

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Book SynopsisHighlighting the true heroism of Antarctic explorers, the dangers they face and the equipment used to prevailTrade ReviewSpine-chilling stuff -- Sir Ranulph FiennesCompelling

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Book SynopsisOn December 17, 1922, Andre Citroen sent an expedition of Citroen half tracks or autochenilles to follow the camel tracks across the Sahara desert from Algeria to Timbuktu on the banks of the River Niger. This was the first motorized crossing of the Sahara and took twenty-one days. It permitted the establishment of a land connection between North Africa and the Sudan, at that time extremely isolated, and opened the way for the exploration of the heart of Africa. This first crossing was the culmination of the long, slow penetration of the Sahara by car and plane between 1910 and 1921. During this time, the courageous drivers and pilots of the French military squadrons based in Algeria and Tunisia explored the dunes of the Grand Erg and Tanezrouft, sometimes losing their lives, but they paved the way for this first, victorious Citroen expedition. To reconstruct the history of this Crossing of the Sands, Ariane Audouin-Dubreuil has delved into the diaries and archives of her father who was one of the pioneers of the exploration of the Sahara during those years. Along with Georges Marie Haardt, Andre Citroen's close collaborator and partner, he planned and led the expedition which succeeded in reaching Timbuktu, and then returned by a different route to Algeria. The book is rich in wonderful period photographs and vividly recounts the dangers and difficulties of exploration in those times. First published in French in 2005, the book has now been translated into English by Dalton Watson Fine Books.

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