Expeditions: popular accounts Books

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 SynopsisTouch the Sky recounts the experience of Tess Burrows’ climb to the summit of Africa’s highest mountain. This gutsy and compassionate grandmother has spent more than a decade pushing herself to incredible limits to fulfil her dream. She has climbed the world’s highest summits and trekked to both the North and the South Poles to call out thousands of peace messages she collected from every nation on earth. On this latest journey, we share in Tess’s experiences of the vibrancy and colours of Africa and its people. And ultimately, in the challenges of her climb.

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Book SynopsisThis book is a celebration of the life and adventures of Andy Jackson, Scottish kayaking legend. In December 2004 the kayaking community was stunned by the premature death of Andy Jackson. "Tall Stories" collates accounts and photos of the tall man's adventurous life. As we follow him around the world, Andy's gregarious good humour comes across at every turn. From his native Scotland to Nepal, New Zealand and North America on his 'World Tour' and on to Iceland and Chile, Andy made a friend of everyone he met.Every first weekend in September, kayakers from around the world gather at the Wet West Paddlefest to celebrate his life and paddle two of his favourite rivers. Andy will remain an inspiration for generations to come.Ron Cameron first encountered Andy Jackson in Tain, Easter Ross when Andy was 19 and he was 43 and kayaked, skied and climbed with him regularly until the time of his death, suffering no significant injuries as a result. He was stupid/smart enough to rent Andy a house for about six years. Sometimes he thinks he should have stuck to climbing but paddling and skiing with Andy was a life enhancing experience.Table of Contents1 Boy Meets Girl 62 Wild Child 243 World Tour - Nepal 364 World Tour - New Zealand 445 World Tour - North America 546 The House 727 The Home Front 808 The Summer of 96 1029 Iceland 11410 Chile 12211 Flying Fish 12812 The Legacy 136

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Book SynopsisWhen English naturalist Joseph Banks (1743–1820) accompanied Captain James Cook (1728–1779) on his historic mission into the Pacific, the Endeavour voyage of 1768–71, he took with him a team of collectors and illustrators. Banks and his team returned from the voyage with unprecedented collections of artefacts and specimens of stunning birds, fish and other animals as well as thousands of plants, most seen for the first time in Europe. They produced, too, remarkable landscape and figure drawings of the peoples encountered on the voyage along with detailed journals and descriptions of the places visited, which, with the first detailed maps of these lands (Tahiti, New Zealand and the East Coast of Australia), were afterwards used to create lavishly illustrated accounts of the mission. These caused a storm of interest in Europe where plays, poems and satirical caricatures were also produced to celebrate and examine the voyage, its personnel and many ‘new’ discoveries. Along with contemporary portraits of key personalities aboard the ship, scale models and plans of the ship itself, scientific instruments taken on the voyage, commemorative medals and sketches, the objects (over 140) featured in this new book will tell the story of the Endeavour voyage and its impact ahead of the 250th anniversary in 2018 of the launch of this seminal mission. Artwork made both during and after the voyage will be seen alongside actual specimens. And by comparing the voyage originals with the often stylized engravings later produced in London for the official account, the book will investigate how knowledge gained on the mission was gathered, revised and later received in Europe. Items separated in some cases for more than two centuries will be brought together to reveal their fascinating history not only during but since that mission. Original voyage specimens will feature together with illustrations and descriptions of them, showing a rich diversity of newly discovered species and how Banks organized this material, planning but ultimately failing to publish it. In fact, many of the objects in the book have never been published before. The book will focus on the contribution of Banks’s often neglected artists Sydney Parkinson, Herman Diedrich Spöring, Alexander Buchan as well as the priest and Pacific voyager Tupaia, who joined Endeavour in the Society Islands, none of whom survived the mission. These men illustrated island scenes of bays, dwellings, canoes as well as the dress, faces and possessions of Pacific peoples. Burial ceremonies, important religious sites and historic encounters were all depicted. Of particular interest, and only recently recognised as by him, are the original artworks of Tupaia, who produced as part of this mission the first charts and illustrations on paper by any Polynesian. The surviving Endeavour voyage illustrations are the most important body of images produced since Europeans entered this region, matching the truly historic value of the plant specimens and artefacts that will be seen alongside them.Trade Review“Handsome volume … a work of fine scholarship.” * International Journal of Maritime History *Beautifully presented and detailed … an authoritative and high-quality book which will be enjoyed by many readers. * Journal of Historical Geography *Endeavouring Banks is beautifully illustrated: 143 objects heavy with the weight of provenance. More powerful perhaps are the underlying resonances … it was a different world that the Endeavour had sailed into, in more than the physical sense." * World of Interiors *A lavishly illustrated account of the expedition." * Australian Geographic *In this fascinating publication, specimens collected by naturalist Joseph Banks on his HMS Endeavour voyage, along with scientific drawings, maps of the ship, and profiles of his travelling companions, including James Cook, give insight into what it might have been like to explore the uncharted South Pacific. * Gardening Australia *

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Book SynopsisFor Somerville this was a kind of pilgrimage, a journey unlike any he had undertaken in 20 years of travel-writing. It was an expedition where he traded the usual comforts and certainties for a real physical and mental challenge, with no mobile phone or other technological aids. The only plan for his journey was to begin in the East at Easter and finish at Whitsun in the extreme West, at the Monastery of the Golden Step, whose gold step, legend says, can only be seen by those who have purged themselves into purity. During his 300-mile walk, he tackled four mountain ranges, high slopes and the numerous gorges of the West. Speaking only basic Greek and trying to follow a poorly way-marked path, he had to rely on his own instincts when climbing mountain passes and crossing high plateaux, farming and shepherding country, where villages are scarce and each night's accommodation was uncertain. He saw a Crete few ever encounter.

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Book SynopsisIn an exquisite personal pilgrimage, Corinne Hofmann delves into the slums of Nairobi to uncover the heart-warming and heart-breaking stories of unforgettable people and places, then treks 500 miles across the Namibian desert to discover the lives of the nomadic Himba people. Joined by her half-Kenyan daughter, Napirai, they travel to Nairobi together for the first time to discover Napirai s roots and finally meet her father and half-siblings. Africa, My Passion is a poignant, touching and exciting story about one woman's love affair with a unique man, which led to a lifelong obsession with Africa. Moving, vividly recounted, eye-opening and, above all, filled with passionate hope and unparalleled detail, this is an extraordinary sequel to a bestselling series of memoirs.

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Book SynopsisHeart of the Hero' gives a compelling insight into the lives of some of the world’s most famous explorers, through the eyes of the women who inspired them to achieve great things. Author Kari Herbert explores the unpredictable, often heartbreaking stories of seven remarkable women who were indispensable companions, intrepid travellers and sometimes even the driving force behind our best-loved polar heroes, such as Scott and Shackleton. Drawing on her own unique experience as the daughter of a pioneering polar explorer, and using extracts from previously unpublished historic journals and letters, Herbert blends deeply personal accounts of longing, betrayal and hope with tales of peril and adventure.Trade Review“A fascinating and hugely enjoyable book which makes a valuable contribution to polar literature” -- Sir Ranulph Fiennes."Refreshing and absorbing... remarkable stories"“A must-read for anyone who wants to understand the true heart of these polar heroes”“This highly enjoyable book is an important addition to polar and exploration history”“Writes with the insight of someone who has the land in her blood”

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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 SynopsisAn engrossing narrative of one man's struggle to achieve his dream against all odds, this is both a fast-paced adventure and a telling commentary on how heroes are often made despite the system they operate in, by dint of sheer perseverance and commitment to a chosen path. Above all, it's a paean to the power of self-belief that serves to inspire, motivate and exhilarate. On 19 May 2010, as he sailed INSV Mhadei into Mumbai harbour, Commander Dilip Donde earned his place in India's maritime history by becoming the first Indian to complete a solo circumnavigation under sail, south of the 3 Great Capes. The feat, successfully completed by just over 200 people in the world, had never been attempted in his country before. In his own words, the book chronicles his progress over four years, from building a suitable boat with an Indian boat-builder; weaving his way through the sea-blind and often quixotic bureaucracy; and training himself with no precedent or knowledge base in the country, to finally sailing solo around the world. During this gruelling task he was mentored by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first man to sail solo non-stop around the world.Trade Review“The First Indian launches you into ‘Sagar Parikrama’, a five-year mission that built the Mhadei from scratch in India and primed it for the conquest of the ‘Everest of the Seas’, her skipper Commander Dilip Donde’s incredible voyage around the world. His account of the voyage is riveting and unputdownable. This nautical page turner drips with old-school man-versus-the-elements adventure.” (India Today) “With so many odds stacked against him, Dilip Donde’s achievement is an inspiration to anyone attempting an expedition. There are many life lessons in this candid book, but what stands out most is that besides grit, determination and strength, what one really needs to go through any pioneering journey is patience, a sense of humour and a dedicated team of supporters.” (National Geographic Magazine India) “A riveting tale of enduring conviction and grit. Cdr Donde’s evocative rendering of his intrepid path breaking voyage has the reader vicariously live through the whole experience in its measured advance, unforeseen intricacies and iridescent afterglow. The maverick seafarer, who survived bureaucratic lulls on land and daunting gales at sea, is equally adroit at telling tales.” (The Hindu) “Cdr Donde’s wry wit makes you forget just how daunting the experiences described in this book must have been. Such tales of courage and pioneering adventure are rare in our times, when there are few firsts left. For an Indian to accomplish this, given the many constraints, is even more extraordinary.” (Hindustan Times) “A solo sailor is solo, cut off from the world and outside assistance and dependent upon their own character and resourcefulness. This book is a tribute to Dilip’s determination to achieve the objective and become the first Indian to ever sail solo around the planet.” (Sir Robin Knox-Johnston) "An entertaining read." (Flying Fish) "A delight to read" (Little Ship Club)Table of ContentsForeword; Preface; Acknowledgements; Chapter 1: A Path Less Travelled; Chapter 2: An Invaluable Apprenticeship; Chapter 3: A Suitable Boat; Chapter 4: Apprenticeship Again; Chapter 5: Finding a Boatyard; Chapter 6: Training on Old Sameer; Chapter 7: Humour in Uniform; Chapter 8: Training Boat; Chapter 9: The Eldemer Episode; Chapter 10: Training Sortie That Wasn’t; Chapter 11: A Womb for the Boat; Chapter 12: Finally, Some Sailing; Chapter 13: Robin’s First Visit; Chapter 14: The First Hurdle; Chapter 15: Our Boat Building Guru; Chapter 16: Adieu Sameer; Chapter 17: Mhadei; Chapter 18: Mhadei’s Baby Steps; Chapter 19: Colombo Calling; Chapter 20: The Mauritius Adventure; Chapter 21: Charting My Course; Chapter 22: The Final Checklist; Chapter 23: Down Under; Chapter 24: First Taste of the Southern Ocean; Chapter 25: A Little Town with a Large Heart; Chapter 26: The Everest of Ocean Sailing; Chapter 27: Hop Across the Atlantic; Chapter 28: Home Run; Epilogue; Glossary

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Book SynopsisWhen Hernan Cortes met the Mayans, Aztecs and other cultures of the gulf coast of Mexico in 1519, it was the first extended contact between the peoples of continental America and Europe. The Spanish found cities larger and better run than any in Europe, and pyramids greater than Egypt's. The Aztecs believed time was running down and they lived in the final age of the world. Many Spaniards believed Christ's millennium was approaching, and God's revelation of Americas had opened the final act: the conversion of the remote races of the earth. After the Day of Judgement God's experiment with man was over. The laboratory, the physical world, would be destroyed. Both cultures were acting out the last days. Halfway through researching this book John Harrison had a scan which told him he would not live to write it; he was seeing out his own days. The Aztec people were concerned with the transitory nature of worldly things; some of their rulers were revered as much for their philosophical poetry as their conquests. John Harrison follows Cortes's route along the Mexican coast and across country to modern Mexico City, home of the Aztecs.A journey within journeys to the end of time, the book becomes a meditation on time, on mortality and self, from a modern master of travel writing.Trade Review'His approach is thorough and his excitement contagious...' --The Independent on Sunday '...[a] brave and beautifully written book...' --The Telegraph '...Harrison is a great travel writer and an illuminating historical one.' --Jonathan Edwards, 2014 Costa Prize winner

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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 Synopsis"Portugal is not all that far away, or exotic, or dangerous, but it felt like a huge stretch for me to leave my partner, family, job and home and just go off. An overland solo trip lasting months in an ancient little campervan was not the kind of thing I did. But it was something I was about to do."In her debut memoir A Van of One's Own, Biddy Wells tells the story of how, propelled by a thirst for peace and quiet, for a modest adventure and, perhaps, for freedom, she left for Portugal on her own, with only her old campervan, Myfawny, and her GPS, Tanya, for company. Having left just about everything behind, her solo trip forces her to face her fears, her past, and herself. The road provides the perfect canvas to connect the dots between a past breakdown and her present need for freedom, as she reflects on her own life, her relationship, her family and the world around her - to see whether her life still has room for her in it. As she meets wise and not-so- wise people, members of the campervan community and friendly locals, her outlook on life begins to shift, and a chance meeting in a bar leads to the person who will put her on the right track.But will she go back home, to Wales?And what is the meaning of 'home? 'A Van of One's Own is a journey through the breath-taking scenery of France, Spain, and finally Portugal, populated by colourful characters and the roar of the ocean, the taste of fresh fish and the grind of the asphalt; but more importantly, it is a journey through past memories and present conflicts to inner peace.

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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 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 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 SynopsisWhen Otto Ecroyd embarked on a voyage to sail a broken boat from Norway to France - and failed - he decided to do what any other hapless adventurer would do: cycle from Alaska to Mexico. But, as Otto says, he 'had never ridden further than across town.' So, with no experience, the wrong type of bike and with panniers overflowing with lentils, Otto pedals across vast American landscapes, cowers from juggernaut RVs, and all the while wonders when he will next meet a grizzly bear. En route, Otto's wit and self-deprecating charm ensure he wins many friends, from an array of regional characters, to a cosmopolitan mix of fellow long-distance cyclists, each with their own motivation for riding the hard miles. With some, he cycles leisurely in tandem; with others, in lungbusting sprints; and with others still, in bedraggled pelotons. But then, this is no grand depart from the daily grind to the upper echelons of sport, for Otto is not in it for the competition - just the adventure of a lifetime. Northbound and Down isn't Ranulph Fiennes crossing Antarctica, or 'The Man Who Cycled the World'. It's more entertaining than that. Three months in North America, 100km a day on a bike. The places, the people, the misadventures of the journey. Like a Bill Bryson book if Bill stayed out of the pub once in a while. The local wildlife in the northern frontier. The moose, the bears, the refugees from 'The Lower 48' states. The characters in cowboy country. People who defy any stereotype of heartland America, and those who definitely don't. Down the Pacific Coast, redwood forests, hippie surf towns, mansions and homeless camps. Californian plastic perfection and the weirdness of the American dream. The preparation for cycling 5,000 miles was questionable at best. The furthest Otto had ridden before landing in Anchorage was from London to Brighton. He rode through a golf course and along a motorway, did laps of Gatwick airport and rolled into Brighton two hours late, ready for bed. He learned how to fix a puncture from YouTube and discovered that not all Porsche drivers are dickheads. Otto's touring skills start from a low base. The steep learning curve and daily struggles with reality on the road bring humour to the book. The challenge and the shared experience with people along the way leads to a lasting sense of the rewards of adventure. Otto's motivations for embarking on this adventure were relatable ones. He was bored at work, too old to get wasted in every hostel in Latin America and too poor for a proper mid-life crisis. This is the story of a normal guy breaking out of the daily grind. Cheryl Strayed's 'Wild', but inspired by a struggle against a life on autopilot rather than a life collapsing. A whole middle class, middle career and middle fulfilled generation is in a similar position. They are searching for inspiration. Northbound and Down gives them a taste of this, without having to miss a mortgage payment. Northbound and Down is the everyman's take on breaking the everyday.

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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 Synopsis‘Scotland as I saw it on this journey is vibrant and exciting and very much alive, a tartan patchwork of the past, present and future of the country woven together by all those people who have ever called it ‘home’ and all the others who will.’ James McEnaney sees Scotland as a ‘complicated and conflicted place’ that needs a disruption of the status quo. He presents the country as he found it on his journey – struggling with contemporary mistakes and historic wrongs, but also bustling with energy and expectation, ultimately offering glimpses of the better, brighter future which might just be on the way.Trade ReviewPoignant and powerful...igniting a fire in your belly and a desire for change. - Chiara Bullen

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Book SynopsisTom is an Asian puppy, destined to be dinner. Instead, an Irish couple rescue him from a street vendor and take him into their care. Together they embark on a whirlwind tour through Vietnam, Nepal and Cambodia, thwarting street dogs and customs officials along the way. But can the three of them truly become a family?

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Book SynopsisOne woman, one bike and one richly entertaining, perception-altering journey of discovery. In 2015, as the Syrian War raged and the refugee crisis reached its peak, Rebecca Lowe set off on her bicycle across the Middle East. Driven by a desire to learn more about this troubled region and its relationship with the West, Lowe's 11,000-kilometre journey took her through Europe to Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Sudan, the Gulf and finally to Iran. It was an odyssey through landscapes and history that captured her heart, but also a deeply challenging cycle across mountains, deserts and repressive police states that nearly defeated her. Plagued by punctures and battling temperatures ranging from -6 to 48C, Lowe was rescued frequently by farmers and refugees, villagers and urbanites alike, and relied almost entirely on the kindness and hospitality of locals to complete this living portrait of the modern Middle East. This is her evocative, deeply researched and often very funny account of her travels - and the people, politics and culture she encountered. 'Terrifically compelling ... bursting with humour, adventure and insight into the rich landscapes and history of the Middle East. Lowe recounts the beauty, kindnesses and complexities of the lands she travels through with an illuminating insight. A wonderful new travel writer.' Sir Ranulph FiennesTrade Review'A terrifically compelling book, bursting with humour, adventure and insight into the rich landscapes and history of the Middle East. Lowe recounts the beauty, kindnesses and complexities of the lands she travels through with an illuminating insight. A wonderful new travel writer.' - Sir Ranulph Fiennes 'By cycling solo across the Middle East for 11,000 kilometres, Rebecca Lowe has achieved a remarkable feat. Her account of this grand journey is admirably observant, unfailingly humane and humorously self-aware to just the right degree. She shows sensitivity to the uniquely Middle Eastern lives she encounters while also maintaining an eye for their chaotic opera of quotidian dramas. This is a book that makes you laugh, gasp, cry and learn something about the many peoples of the Middle East.' - Arash Azizi, author of The Shadow Commander: Soleimani, The US and Iran's Global Ambitions 'This is modern travel writing at its very best, full of vim and vigour, painstakingly researched, laced with wry humour, political (without being too political), adventurous and rich with anecdote. As Lowe checks in her beloved, much dented and repaired bicycle (nicknamed Maud) at Tehran's airport, I couldn't help but whisper: bravo!' - The Critic

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Book SynopsisMore than fifty expeditions across all seven continents – by land, sea and air – have led adventurer Neil Laughton to some of the most remote places in the world. Adventureholic tells the stories of Neil’s most unforgettable and daring adventures yet. From summiting Mount Everest with Bear Grylls and playing cricket at the Geographic South Pole to piloting the world’s first road-legal flying car on a 10,000km journey across the Sahara Desert to Timbuktu, running with bulls, and train-surfing in Myanmar, Neil really has seen and done it all. Readers are invited to join Neil on a roller-coaster ride around the world, gaining the necessary insight, confidence and inspiration to add a little more adventure to their own lives.Trade Review'A story of the humans that we meet, and what they reveal about themselves in the most difficult situations.' -- The Blue Paper

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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 SynopsisHubert Sagnières is passionate about history and travel. He has amassed a unique collection of books, travel journals, drawings, and maps relating the adventures of both famous and lesser-known explorers. He published Daring French Expeditions: Trailblazing Adventures around the World, 1714-1854.

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Book SynopsisA medical practitioner and talented draftsman, Alessandro Ricci was born in Siena, Italy, at the end of the eighteenth century. He traveled extensively throughout Egypt and Sudan between 1817 and 1822. During his stay, he worked as an epigraphist for Giovanni B. Belzoni in the tomb of Seti I and later entered into the service of British consul general Henry Salt and English explorer William John Bankes, on whose behalf he visited and documented Siwa (1820), Sinai (1820), and Nubia (1818-19 and 1821-22). Ricci also became the physician to Ibrahim Pasha's Upper Egypt expedition and achieved fame for daringly saving the life of Ibrahim Pasha during the military campaign that led to Egypt's conquest of Sudan in 1821-22. Upon his return to Italy, Ricci wrote a long account of all his journeys and reworked a series of ninety plates into striking form, yet failed to publish either. In 2009, Daniele Salvoldi identified a complete typewritten copy of Ricci's Travels in the National Archives of Egypt in Cairo. Drawings intended to accompany the text as plates were tracked down in different locations in Italy and the United Kingdom. From Siena to Nubia is the English-translated critical edition, with notes and introductory chapters, of Ricci's travel account, which provides detailed information about the countries he visited, including descriptions of ancient ruins and social customs, botanical and geological remarks, and historical and ethnographical observations. It adds to the recent, growing corpus of exploration literature on nineteenth-century Egypt as well as bringing to light obscure sources important to the early history of Egyptology.Trade ReviewThe ‘package’ provided by this volume is a model for publishing ‘period’ manuscripts of this kind, both in content and immaculate presentation. It represents a major contribution to the study of early Egyptology and the history of early 19th century Egypt, and can be wholeheartedly recommended. * Egyptian Archaeology *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Sources of Plates Maps Alessandro Ricci and His Travels 1. Tuscany, Egypt, Ricci, and the First Steps of Egyptology The Grand Duchy of Tuscany and Egypt The Napoleonic Campaign and the Rise of Muhammad Ali Pasha The War of the Consuls and the Beginning of Egyptology 2. Alessandro Ricci: Early Life, Personality, and Cultural Background Early Life Personality Cultural Background 3. Travels in Egypt and Sennar (1817-22) Organization and Funding Tools Arrival in Egypt: 1815, 1817, or 1818? Alexandria to Cairo (February-March 1817) Travel to Upper Egypt, Epigraphic Copy of the Tomb of Seti I, and Expedition to Berenike (February-September 1818) Travel to Nubia (November 1818-May 1819) Work for William John Bankes (May 1819-February 1820) Travel to Siwa (March-April 1820) Travel to Sinai (September-November 1820) Second Voyage to Upper Egypt with Baron von Minutoli (December 1820-February 1821) Travel to Sennar (June 1821-February 1822) Last Works in Egypt 4. With Champollion and Rosellini between Europe and Egypt Work on the Manuscript, Research for a Publisher, and Acquaintance with Champollion The Franco-Tuscan Expedition to Egypt (1828-29) Sales Promotion of Rosellini's Book in Europe (1831) Sickness, Death, and Inheritance (1832-34) 5. The Archaeological, Anthropological, and Natural History Collections The Dresden Collection (1831) The Florence Collection (1832) Natural History and Anthropology Collections 6. The Travels: Topics and Problems Story of an Account Lost and Found Several Times The Plates: Sources and Descriptions 7. Identifying the Drawings for the Intended Plates The Importance of Ricci's Drawings Published Plates and Dispersion of the Originals 8. List of Plates Travel in Nubia Travel to the Temple of Jupiter-Amun Travel to Mount Sinai Travel to Sennar Notes to Sources of Plate and Chapters 1-8 The Manuscript of the Travels 9. Note on the Original Manuscript, the Typewritten Copy, and the Present Edition 10. Travels of Doctor Alessandro Ricci of Siena: Made in the Years 1818, 1819, 1820, 1821, 1822 in Nubia, to the Temple of Jupiter-Amun, Mount Sinai, and Sennar Travel to Nubia Travel to the Temple of Jupiter-Amun Travel to Mount Sinai Travel to Sennar Notes Plates Bibliography Index

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