Geographical discovery and exploration Books

Book SynopsisJohn Hanning Speke writes about the history of his first two explorations in Africa that led to the discovery of the source of the Nile. The manner in which he traced the Nile down from the Victoria N'yanza, which is the great source or reservoir of the Nile, to Egypt is explained in this book.Table of ContentsSection 1: Journal of Adventures in Somali Land -- Introduction to the Journal -- Projects and hobbies -- Life in India -- Lord Clyde and Sir James Outram -- The position and physical geography of the Somali country -- The Nogal country, and historical sketches -- Costume and CustomsThe voyage -- An Akil -- The Somali shore -- Sultan (Gerad) Mahamed Ali -- Hidden treasure -- The Warsingali -- A royal reception -- Somali appetites -- Difficulties and impediments -- Sultan tries my Abban or protectorYafir Pass -- Rhut Tug (River) -- The ruins at Kin's city -- Abban apprehends future consequences -- Hyenas -- The Dulbahantas -- Camel drivers' tricks -- Briny water -- Antelope-shoooting -- Elephant-hunting -- Ostrich-hunting -- Gazelles -- Jealousy and suspicions of the people -- Rapid decline of propertyMeditations among the tombs -- A fracas -- The return march -- The north-east monsoon -- Relief from persecution -- Interesting animals -- Gori again -- Shooting a woman -- Arrival at Aden -- Fresh projects -- ArrangementsAden -- Departure -- Kurrum -- A conclave of sages -- Arrangement of the expedition -- The south-west monsoon -- Medical practice -- The camp besieged -- Wounded and captive -- A triumphal procession -- Flight Return to Aden and to England -- Fresh projects there. Section 2: Journal of a Cruise on the Tanganyika Lake -- The Royal Geographical Society -- The strange lake on the map -- Set off -- Arrive at Zanzibar -- A preliminary excursion -- A sail along the coast -- The Pangani river -- A jemadar's trick -- Journey to Fuga -- Adventures -- Return to Zanzibar -- Scenes there -- Objects of the expedition -- Recruiting for followers -- The Cafila Bashi -- The start -- Fevers -- Discussions about the Mountains of the Moon and the Victoria N'yanza -- The TanganyikaCanoes -- The crews -- The biography of Bombay -- The voyage -- Crocodiles -- The lake scenery -- Kivira island -- Black beetles -- An adventure with one of them -- Kasengé island -- African slaveryLeave Tanganyika -- Determine to visit the Ukéréwé lake, alias Victoria N'yanza -- Confusion about rivers running in and out -- Idea that it is the source of the Nile -- Arrangements for the journey -- Difficulties -- The march -- Nature of the country -- Formalities at the meeting of caravans -- A pagazi strike -- A sultana -- Incidents -- Pillars of graniteFirst sight of the Victoria N'yanza -- Its physical geography -- Speculations on its being the source of the Nile -- Sport on the lake -- Sultans Machunda and Mahaya -- Missionary accounts of the geography -- Arab accounts -- Regrets at inability to complete the discovery -- The march resumed -- History of the Watuta -- Hippopotamus-hunting -- Adventures -- KahamaGeneral character of the country traversed -- The huts -- The geology -- Productions -- Land of promise -- Advice to missionaries -- Leave Ulekampuri -- Return of the expedition -- Register of temperatureIndex.

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Book SynopsisA General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels by Robert Kerr is an 18 volume set that contains the complete history of the origin and progress of navigation, discovery, and commerce, by sea and land. In determining upon an era for the commencement of this work, Kerr was led, from a consideration of the accidental discovery of Iceland by the Norwegians in the ninth century, to adopt that period as the beginning of the series, both because the commencement of modern maritime discovery took place during the reign of a British sovereign, and because we derive the earliest written accounts of any of these discoveries from the pen of that excellent prince. It is true that the first accidental discovery of Iceland appears to have been made in 861, eleven years before the accession of Alfred to the throne; yet, as the actual colonization of that island did not take place till the year 878, the seventh of his glorious reign, we have been induced to distinguish the actual commencement of maritime discovery by the modern European nations as coinciding with his era.Table of ContentsPreface; General Plan of the Work; Discoveries in the time of Alfred, King of England, in the Ninth Century of the Christian Era; Original Discovery of Greenland by the Icelanders, in the Ninth Century; Early Discovery of Winland, or America, by the Icelanders, about the year 1001; Travels of two Mahometans into India and China, in the Ninth Century; Travels of Rabbi Benjamin from Spain to China, in the Twelfth Century; Travels of an Englishman in Tartary, in 1243; Sketch of the Revolutions in Tartary; Travels of John de Piano Carpini, in 1246; Travels of W. de Rubruquis, about 1253; Travels of Haitho, Prince of Armenia, in 1254; Travels of Marco Polo into China and the East; from A.D. 1260 to 1295; Travels of Oderic of Portenau, in 1318; Travels of Sir John Mandeville, in 1322; Itinerary of Pegoletti, between Asof and China, in 1355; Voyages of Nicolo and Antonio Zeno, in 1380; Travels of Schildtberger, in 1394; Travels of the Ambassadors of Shah Rokh, in 1419; Voyage and Shipwreck of Quirini, in 1431; Travels of Josaphat Barbaro, in 1436; Index.

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Book SynopsisA General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels by Robert Kerr is an 18 volume set that contains the complete history of the origin and progress of navigation, discovery, and commerce, by sea and land. In determining upon an era for the commencement of this work, Kerr was led, from a consideration of the accidental discovery of Iceland by the Norwegians in the ninth century, to adopt that period as the beginning of the series, both because the commencement of modern maritime discovery took place during the reign of a British sovereign, and because we derive the earliest written accounts of any of these discoveries from the pen of that excellent prince. It is true that the first accidental discovery of Iceland appears to have been made in 861, eleven years before the accession of Alfred to the throne; yet, as the actual colonization of that island did not take place till the year 878, the seventh of his glorious reign, we have been induced to distinguish the actual commencement of maritime discovery by the modern European nations as coinciding with his era.Table of ContentsPreface; PART I (Continued): Voyages and Travels of Discovery, from the Era of Alfred, King of England, in the Ninth Century, to the Era of Don Henry, Prince of Portugal, at the commencement of the Fifteenth Century -- Account of various early Pilgrimages from England to the Holy Land, between the years 1097, and 1107; Discovery of Madeira; Account of the Discovery and Conquest of the Canary Islands. PART II: General Voyages and Travels, chiefly of Discovery; from the era of Don Henry Prince of Portugal, in 1412, to that of George III. in 1760 -- BOOK I. History of the Discoveries of the Portuguese along the Coast of Africa, and of their Discovery of and Conquests in India, from 1412 to 1505; Summary of the Discoveries of the World, from their first original, to the year 1555, by Antonio Galvano; Journey of Ambrose Contarini, Ambassador from the Republic of Venice, to Uzun-Hassan King of Persia, in the years 1473, 4, 5, and 6 written by himself; Voyages of Discovery by the Portuguese along the Western Coast of Africa, during the life, and under the direction of Don Henry; Original Journals of the Voyages of Cada Mosto, and Pedro de Cintra, to the Coast of Africa the former in the years 1455 and 1406, and the latter soon afterwards; Continuation of the Portuguese Discoveries along the Coast of Africa, from the death of Don Henry in 1463, to the Discovery of the Cape of Good Hope in 1486; History of the Discovery and Conquest of India by the Portuguese, between the years 1497 and 1505, from the original Portuguese of Hernan Lopez de Castaneda; Letters from Lisbon in the beginning of the Sixteenth Century, respecting the then recent Discovery of the Route by Sea to India, and the Indian trade; Index.

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Book SynopsisA General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels by Robert Kerr is an 18 volume set that contains the complete history of the origin and progress of navigation, discovery, and commerce, by sea and land. In determining upon an era for the commencement of this work, Kerr was led, from a consideration of the accidental discovery of Iceland by the Norwegians in the ninth century, to adopt that period as the beginning of the series, both because the commencement of modern maritime discovery took place during the reign of a British sovereign, and because we derive the earliest written accounts of any of these discoveries from the pen of that excellent prince. It is true that the first accidental discovery of Iceland appears to have been made in 861, eleven years before the accession of Alfred to the throne; yet, as the actual colonization of that island did not take place till the year 878, the seventh of his glorious reign, we have been induced to distinguish the actual commencement of maritime discovery by the modern European nations as coinciding with his era.Table of ContentsPreface; PART II (Continued): BOOK II: HISTORY OF THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA, AND OF SOME OF THE EARLY CONQUESTS IN THE NEW WORLD -- History of the discovery of America, by Christopher Columbus, written by his son Don Ferdinand Columbus, Introduction, Epochs of American discovery, Authors Preface; Account of the Discovery of America, by Christopher Columbus; The voyages of Americus Vespucius to the New World; Summary of the discoveries and settlements of the Spaniards in the West Indies, from the death of Columbus to the expedition of Hernando Cortes against Mexico, Introduction; History of the discovery and conquest of Mexico, written in the year 1568 by Captain Bernal Diaz del Castillo, one of the conquerors; Index.

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Book SynopsisA General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels by Robert Kerr is an 18 volume set that contains the complete history of the origin and progress of navigation, discovery, and commerce, by sea and land. In determining upon an era for the commencement of this work, Kerr was led, from a consideration of the accidental discovery of Iceland by the Norwegians in the ninth century, to adopt that period as the beginning of the series, both because the commencement of modern maritime discovery took place during the reign of a British sovereign, and because we derive the earliest written accounts of any of these discoveries from the pen of that excellent prince. It is true that the first accidental discovery of Iceland appears to have been made in 861, eleven years before the accession of Alfred to the throne; yet, as the actual colonization of that island did not take place till the year 878, the seventh of his glorious reign, we have been induced to distinguish the actual commencement of maritime discovery by the modern European nations as coinciding with his era.Table of ContentsPreface; Part II (Continued); BOOK II. HISTORY OF THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA, AND OF SOME OF THE EARLY CONQUESTS IN THE NEW WORLD -- History of the discovery and conquest of Mexico, continued; History of the discovery and conquest of Peru, by Francisco Pizarro; written by Augustino Zarate, treasurer of that kingdom, a few years after the conquest; Continuation of the early history of Peru, after the death of Francisco Pizarro, to the defeat of Gonzalo Pizarro, and the re-establishment of tranquillity in the country; written by Augustino Zarate; Index.

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Book SynopsisA General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels by Robert Kerr is an 18 volume set that contains the complete history of the origin and progress of navigation, discovery, and commerce, by sea and land. In determining upon an era for the commencement of this work, Kerr was led, from a consideration of the accidental discovery of Iceland by the Norwegians in the ninth century, to adopt that period as the beginning of the series, both because the commencement of modern maritime discovery took place during the reign of a British sovereign, and because we derive the earliest written accounts of any of these discoveries from the pen of that excellent prince. It is true that the first accidental discovery of Iceland appears to have been made in 861, eleven years before the accession of Alfred to the throne; yet, as the actual colonization of that island did not take place till the year 878, the seventh of his glorious reign, we have been induced to distinguish the actual commencement of maritime discovery by the modern European nations as coinciding with his era.Table of ContentsPreface; PART II (Continued); HISTORY OF THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA, AND OF SOME OF THE EARLY CONQUESTS IN THE NEW WORLD -- Continuation of the early history of Peru, after the death of Francisco Pizarro to the defeat of Gonzalo Pizarro, and the reestablishment of tranquillity in the country; written by Augustino Zarate; Continuation of the early history of Peru, from the restoration of tranquillity by Gasca in 1549, to the death of the Inca Tupac Amaru; extracted from Garcilasso de la Vega; History of the Discovery and Conquest of Chili; Discovery of Florida, and Account of several ineffectual Attempts to Conquer and Settle that Country by the Spaniards; Index.

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Book SynopsisA General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels by Robert Kerr is an 18 volume set that contains the complete history of the origin and progress of navigation, discovery, and commerce, by sea and land. In determining upon an era for the commencement of this work, Kerr was led, from a consideration of the accidental discovery of Iceland by the Norwegians in the ninth century, to adopt that period as the beginning of the series, both because the commencement of modern maritime discovery took place during the reign of a British sovereign, and because we derive the earliest written accounts of any of these discoveries from the pen of that excellent prince. It is true that the first accidental discovery of Iceland appears to have been made in 861, eleven years before the accession of Alfred to the throne; yet, as the actual colonization of that island did not take place till the year 878, the seventh of his glorious reign, we have been induced to distinguish the actual commencement of maritime discovery by the modern European nations as coinciding with his era.Table of ContentsPreface; PART II (Continued); BOOK II (Continued): HISTORY OF THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA, AND OF SOME OF THE EARLY CONQUESTS IN THE NEW WORLD -- Early English voyages of discovery to America; The Voyages of Jacques Cartier from St Maloes to Newfoundland and Canada, in the years 1534 and 1535. BOOK III. CONTINUATION OF THE DISCOVERIES AND CONQUESTS OF THE PORTUGUESE IN THE EAST; TOGETHER WITH SOME ACCOUNT OF THE EARLY VOYAGES OF OTHER EUROPEAN NATIONS TO INDIA -- Discoveries, Navigations, and Conquests of the Portuguese in India, from 1505 to 1539, both inclusive, resumed from Book I. of this Part; Particular Relation of the Expedition of Solyman Pacha from Suez to India against the Portuguese at Diu, written by a Venetian Officer who was pressed into the Turkish Service on that occasion. Introduction; The Voyage of Don Stefano de Gama from Goa to Suez, in 1540, with the intention of Burning the Turkish Gallies at that port. Written by Don Juan de Castro, then a Captain in the Fleet; afterwards governor-general of Portuguese India; Continuation of the Portuguese transactions in India, after the return of Don Stefano de Gama from Suez in 1541, to the Reduction of Portugal under the Dominion of Spain in 1581; Index.

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Book SynopsisA fascinating account of the first exploration of the Missouri River, the journey over the Rocky Mountains, and the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean. This 2 volume book contains an accurate diary of the journey to discover the Northwest Passage, commissioned by and reported to Thomas Jefferson.

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Book SynopsisHistory of the Expedition under the Command of Captains Lewis and Clark, is a fascinating account of the first exploration of the Missouri River, the journey over the Rocky Mountains, and the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean. This 2 volume book contains an accurate diary of the journey to discover the Northwest Passage, commissioned by and reported to Thomas Jefferson.

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Book SynopsisA classic 1930s memoir relates a couple''s wintertime trek with a group of trappers through one of Canada''s most pristine and challenging landscapes, a journey during which they experienced both the imminent danger and the majestic beauty of nature. Reprint.

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Book SynopsisIntended as an antidote to potted biographies and piecemeal reconstructions of his voyages, this volume draws on judicious selections from Christopher Columbus's own writings--chronologically arranged, and translated into idiomatic English--to relate his self-perception and personal history, as far as is possible, in his own words. The result is a full and vivid (and often surprising) portrait of this complex man and the role he thought he was destined to play as God's instrument on earth.Twenty-four illustrations, maps of Columbus’s routes across the Atlantic and his travels in the West Indies, and an index further enhance this introduction to his life and discoveries.Trade ReviewColumbus had been the subject of many biographies, but the approach of Columbus on Himself is unique. Fernández-Armesto has created, as far as it is possible, an account of Christopher Columbus's life based on his own words. Columbus left far more potentially autobiographical writings than his contemporary explorers from the age of European expansion, but there are gaps in the record. Fernández-Armesto has arranged Columbus's writings chronologically so readers can see Columbus's development, and intersperses them with his insightful commentary. The translations are Fernández-Armesto's own. Recommended. --R. Fritze, Athens State University, in Choice

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Book SynopsisIntended as an antidote to potted biographies and piecemeal reconstructions of his voyages, this volume draws on judicious selections from Christopher Columbus's own writings--chronologically arranged, and translated into idiomatic English--to relate his self-perception and personal history, as far as is possible, in his own words. The result is a full and vivid (and often surprising) portrait of this complex man and the role he thought he was destined to play as God's instrument on earth.Twenty-four illustrations, maps of Columbus’s routes across the Atlantic and his travels in the West Indies, and an index further enhance this introduction to his life and discoveries.Trade ReviewColumbus had been the subject of many biographies, but the approach of Columbus on Himself is unique. Fernández-Armesto has created, as far as it is possible, an account of Christopher Columbus's life based on his own words. Columbus left far more potentially autobiographical writings than his contemporary explorers from the age of European expansion, but there are gaps in the record. Fernández-Armesto has arranged Columbus's writings chronologically so readers can see Columbus's development, and intersperses them with his insightful commentary. The translations are Fernández-Armesto's own. Recommended. --R. Fritze, Athens State University, in Choice

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Book SynopsisWhen Josephine Knowles left for the Klondike gold fields with her husband in 1898, she didnt know she would be facing a constant battle with cold, disease, malnutrition, and the ever-present possibility of death. With quiet determination, she resolved to survive, to endure each fresh hardship without complaint, and to be of service to the community around her. Gold Rush in the Klondike is Knowless true story of her year in the Yukon territory, a revealing, never-before-published personal memoir of day-to-day life at the height of the Klondike Gold Rush. Written in a clear, forthright, nineteenth-century style, Gold Rush in the Klondike presents terrifying struggles against a hostile environment, picturesque descriptions of an untouched Arctic wilderness, and Knowless keen observations of men and women on the frontier. A Victorian gentlewoman of refinement, Knowles found herself among swearing, whoring, sometimes violent miners, whom she won over with her grit and compassion. Deciding to never moralize or condemn, Knowles writes frankly of the intense hardships that drove miners into lives of drink and dissipation and the frontier women who were forced to make stark choices between prostitution and starvation. Knowless adventures include encounters with author Jack London (Knowles firmly disapproved of Londons cruel mistreatment of his sled dogs), nursing miners during a typhoid outbreak until she fell ill herself, witnessing savage fights among the miners, dangerous travel through the mountain passes and river rapids of the Yukon, and a daring surreptitious visit to a gambling saloon. Amid all hardships, Knowles formed warm relationships with the mining community, for, as she put it, All the diseases and other troubles had knitted us into one large family. Illustrated with period photographs, Gold Rush in the Klondike is an invaluable historical document of a lost time and place and an admirable portrait of one womans determination in the face of danger.

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Book SynopsisIn May 2014, the mountaineer and scientist John All fell into a crevasse near Everest and took a series of videos as he struggled to climb out 70 feet of ice and snow with fifteen broken bones - including 6 cracked vertebrae, internal bleeding, a severely dislocated shoulder, and his face covered in blood. The videos of him went viral and appeared in newscasts all over the world: CNN, BBC, Australia, Brazil, Israel, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, etc. and every website imaginable - from People Magazine to National Geographic. NPR called him "a badass for science."Yet this story is only the latest of All's adventures. He's also won a footrace for his life with a wild hyena, stepped on a black mamba in the African bush, and scaled Everest - all in pursuit of his true passion: the future of adaptation to our world's changing climate. Icefall is more than a fascinating adventure story-it is a report from the extremes, which hold new lessons about the impact of climate change. It is about the collapsing Andean glaciers, the hidden jungles in Honduras where native people have learned about surviving hurricanes, and the highest points on earth, where more scientific secrets lie. The result is a thrilling adventure memoir with profound lessons for how humans will adjust as our world continues to change beneath our feet.

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Book SynopsisIdeally suited for use in swift-moving surveys of World, Atlantic, and Latin American history, this abridgment of Ted Humphrey and Janet Burke's 2012 translation of the True History provides key excerpts from Diaz's text and concise summaries of omitted passages. Included in this edition is a new preface outlining the social, economic, and political forces that motivated the European discovery of the New World.Trade ReviewBernal Díazs True History of the Conquest of New Spain, the chronicle of an ordinary soldier in Hernando Cortéss army, is the only complete account (other than Cortéss own) that we have of the Spanish conquest of ancient Mexico. It makes for consistently fascinating reading, and Ted Humphrey and Janet Burke have provided the best, and the most engaging, translation ever to have appeared in English. Anthony Pagden, UCLA[Humphrey and Burkes] translation takes full advantage of the best scholarship of the last fifty years, providing useful context and interpretation for the non-specialist. The result is a highly readable, engaging book that will prove a valuable teaching tool in a variety of classroom settings. Lyman Johnson, University of North Carolina Charlotte

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Book SynopsisIdeally suited for use in swift-moving surveys of World, Atlantic, and Latin American history, this abridgment of Ted Humphrey and Janet Burke's 2012 translation of the True History provides key excerpts from Diaz's text and concise summaries of omitted passages. Included in this edition is a new preface outlining the social, economic, and political forces that motivated the European discovery of the New World.Trade ReviewBernal Díazs True History of the Conquest of New Spain, the chronicle of an 'ordinary' soldier in Hernando Cortéss army, is the only complete account (other than Cortéss own) that we have of the Spanish conquest of ancient Mexico. It makes for consistently fascinating reading, and Ted Humphrey and Janet Burke have provided the best, and the most engaging, translation ever to have appeared in English. -- Anthony Pagden, UCLA"[Humphrey and Burkes] translation takes full advantage of the best scholarship of the last fifty years, providing useful context and interpretation for the non-specialist. The result is a highly readable, engaging book that will prove a valuable teaching tool in a variety of classroom settings." -- Lyman Johnson, University of North Carolina Charlotte

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Book SynopsisAgnes C. Lauts The Cariboo Trail is a fascinating history of the Canadian gold rush that began in 1858. When, in early 1849, a group of ragged miners arrived in the sleepy town of Victoria from California, no one would have believed that a little over ten years later a gold rush would hit the Fraser River. Between 1859 and 1871, thousands of miners and prospectors travelled north and east from the headwaters of the Fraser River, with the hopes of striking it rich. And many didover the course of twelve years, twenty-five million dollars in gold came from the Cariboo country. Originally published in 1920 as part of the Chronicles of Canada series, Lauts exciting and personalized account of the Cariboo gold rush is filled with tidbits gleaned through conversations with old-timers still living on the trail and facts acquired on trips in the Rockies guided by prospectors. From the story of the construction of the famous Cariboo road"one of the wonders of the world"and the Overlanders journey across the width of the continent to details about the techniques and machinery used in the mines and life in the camps, the period, the gold rush, and the Cariboo region are brought to life for the reader. Though it had ended by federation with the Canadian Dominion, the inrush of miners during the Cariboo gold rush gave birth to the colony of British Columbia. The Cariboo Trail is a more than just a narrative of those eventsit is a thoroughly enjoyable and integral part of the history of the region and of Canada.

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Book SynopsisIn 1986, as part of a Canadian team, Sharon Wood became the first woman from the Americas to summit Mount Everestand the first woman in the world to do so via the West Ridge from Tibet and without Sherpa support. But it's how she got there that is truly compelling.In Rising, the personal motivation that drove Wood to reach further and further heights are detailed through the years leading up to the career-defining climb. Often the only woman on expeditions, Wood was an outlier in a predominantly male bastion of high altitude alpine climbing. Against the backdrop of the stunning Himalayan mountains in the days before Everest became as commercialized as it is today, Wood explores the camaraderie and rivalry, the relatable challenges of falling in and out of love, and how she kept her drive to persevere. Subsequently, she recounts how she struggled with unexpected acclaim and expectations following her ascent of Everest, but ultimately found fulfilment and her place in the world.As she tells her story today, her perspective is steeped in six decades of life experience rich with adrenalin, change, reflection and humility. It is a tale that still feels poignantly relevanta testament to the strength of the human spirit to overcome all obstacles, whether mountain peaks, social expectations or self-imposed barriers.

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Book SynopsisA dynamic retelling of the deadly 1906 sinking of the SS Valencia off the southwest coast of Vancouver Island, one of the worst maritime disasters in Canadian history. There are few places on earth that have such a high record of marine casualties as the short yet treacherous stretch of coastline known as the Graveyard of the Pacific. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, the fifty-six kilometres between Port Renfrew and Cape Beale off Vancouver Island saw dozens of shipwrecks and claimed hundreds of lives. On a blustery night in late January 1906, the steamship SS Valencia, heading from San Francisco to Seattle and Victoria, met its tragic fate on the rocks near Pachena Point. With over one hundred passengers and sixty-five crew members on board, only thirty-seven people survived the wreck. All of the women and children perished. With journalistic precision, compassion for the victims, and condemnation for those who neglected to prevent the tragedy, author Michael C. Neitzel recounts the Valencias ill-fated final voyage, drawing heavily on first-hand accounts of the survivors and witnesses. The Final Voyage of the Valencia is a must-read for anyone interested in the maritime history of Canadas west coast.

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Book SynopsisThis is a remarkable story, not just about the extraordinary achievements of a family, but about the power of the individual to spur innovation, even when the consenTrade ReviewWith a foreword by James Cameron.

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Book SynopsisWhat does it mean to be an explorer in the twenty-first century? Explorer is the story of what first led Benedict Allen to head for the farthest reaches of our planet - at a time when there were still valleys and ranges known only to the remote communities who inhabited them. It is also the story of why, thirty years later, he is still exploring. It's the story of a journey back to a clouded mountain in New Guinea to find a man called Korsai who had once been a friend, and to fulfil a promise made as young men. It is also a story of what it is to be 'lost' and 'found'. Honest, sensitive and packed with insight, in Explorer Allen considers the lessons he has learnt from his numerous expeditions - most importantly, from the communities he has encountered and that he has spent so much of his life immersed in. 'To me personally, exploration isn't about planting flags, conquering Nature, or going somewhere in order to make a mark - it's about the opposite. It's about opening yourself up, allowing yourself to be vulnerable, and letting the place and people make their mark on you.'Trade ReviewA nuanced and sensitive long conversation with the people of Papua New Guinea. . . [Allen] is a sensitive observer . . . [he] has an ear for dialogue and the inconsequential, and a gift for bringing alive the characters he meets * * The Times * *A remarkable journey unfolds . . . [Allen] writes clean, honest prose, creating startling images of all he sees . . . an extraordinary story, painfully assembled and beautifully told * * Spectator * *A love song to the Yaifo and all peoples struggling to maintain dignity and culture in a world gone wrong * * Daily Telegraph * *Honest, sensitive and gives a brilliant look at a world most of us just dream about * * Our Man On The Ground Travel * *Brilliant. Reads like a thriller -- MARCUS du SAUTOY

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Book SynopsisThis is a book about expedition, adventure, our thirst for knowledge and pushing the limits of human endurance.From the navigational instruments that have led us through unknown lands, to the advanced engineering that carried us into the depths of the ocean, to the rocket science that propelled us into space, science and adventure have always been inextricably linked. Both are at the heart of everything we now know about the complex universe we find ourselves in.From the groundbreaking sea voyage in 1735 that settled the debate raging between Descartes and Newton about the shape of the earth to the balloon ride that led to the discovery of cosmic rays, we have pushed the limits of what’s possible, both on our planet and beyond the clouds.The Little Book of Big Explorations is a collection of some of the most daring and eye-opening adventures in history that have changed the way we view the world, as well as a look at what’s still to be discovered. Our insatiable curiosity has driven our survival as a species and can be charted through the centuries by these incredible voyages of discovery.Trade ReviewWith a delicate touch and deep understanding of the topic, Osman makes a compelling case to show how our great leaps into the unknown have consistently contributed to scientific discoveries that continue to change the way we interact with the world ... does a wonderful job of showing both how far we’ve come and how much more there is to discover. * Leon McCarron *A thoughtful smorgasbord of scientific expeditions made bite-sized. Perfect for the curious adventurers in your life. * Pip Stewart *

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Book SynopsisAccording to Apsley Cherry-Garrard, one of the men who went to Antarctica with Captain Scott, 'Polar exploration is at once the cleanest and most isolated way of having a bad time that has ever been devised.' Despite this there has never been a shortage of volunteers willing to endure the bad times in pursuit of the glory that polar exploration sometimes brings. Nick Rennison's compelling book tells the memorable stories of people who have risked their lives by entering the white wastelands of the Arctic and the Antarctic, from the compelling tales of Scott, Shackleton and Amundsen, to those of lesser known explorers such as Elisha Kent Kane and Douglas Mawson. A Short History of Polar Exploration also looks briefly at the hold that the polar regions have often had on the imaginations of artists and writers in the last two hundred years examining the paintings, films and literature that they have inspired.Trade ReviewOnce that interest has been stirred the polar regions will never loose their grip; they will never let you go -- Bill Spence * The York Press *

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Book SynopsisThe arrival of European missionaries in New Zealand had an immeasurable impact on Maori society. Like Them That Dream tells the intriguing story of early interaction between Maori and missionary, leading to the many distinctive responses to the arrival of Christianity. The book''s first two parts consider how the Christian word was spread and how Maori responded, explaining the identification they felt with the Israelites of the Old Testament. The third part relates the rise of indigenous religious movements, from the early Papahurihia through Pai Marire, Ringatu and the Parihaka Movement, and the later incarnations of the Arowhenua Movement in the South Island and what remains today''s leading Maori church, Ratana.

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Book SynopsisThe Scratch United Kingdom Print makes a great and unique gift for the traveller in your life. UK map which can be scratched off features every county clearly with coloured boundary lines. All major towns and cities are highlighted on our UK wall map. The map contains hill and sea shading bringing the map to life. Designed by specialist map makers, our team of cartographers create beautiful maps. The Scratch United Kingdom Print is incredibly accurate with special attention paid to marking any major towns, cities, and county and country borders clearly visible as well. Scratch the map to reveal an incredible neutral toned map base underneath, that you can display in your home or office space. The ideal UK travel gift, perfect for couples, adventurers and lovers of Great Britain. Size A2

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Book Synopsis‘When an accident occurs, something may emerge of lasting value, for the human spirit may rise to its greatest heights. This happened on Haramosh.’The Last Blue Mountain is the heart-rending true story of the 1957 expedition to Mount Haramosh in the Karakoram range in Pakistan. With the summit beyond reach, four young climbers are about to return to camp. Their brief pause to enjoy the view and take photographs is interrupted by an avalanche which sweeps Bernard Jillott and John Emery hundreds of feet down the mountain into a snow basin. Miraculously, they both survive the fall. Rae Culbert and Tony Streather risk their own lives to rescue their friends, only to become stranded alongside them.The group’s efforts to return to safety are increasingly desperate, hampered by injury, exhaustion and the loss of vital climbing gear. Against the odds, Jillott and Emery manage to climb out of the snow basin and head for camp, hoping to reach food, water and assistance in time to save themselves and their companions from an icy grave. But another cruel twist of fate awaits them.An acclaimed mountaineering classic in the same genre as Joe Simpson's Touching the Void, Ralph Barker’s The Last Blue Mountain is an epic tale of friendship and fortitude in the face of tragedy.Table of ContentsIntroduction to the 2020 Edition by Ed DouglasForeword to the 1959 Edition by Lord HuntAuthor’s Note1 HARAMOSH2 IN THE KUTWAL VALLEY3 ABOVE THE HARAMOSH LA4 TROUBLE WITH THE HUNZAS5 THE LOST FOOD DUMP6 THE CLIMB TO CAMP IV7 THE SNOW CAVE8 EMERY AND THE CREVASSE9 THE AVALANCHE10 THE SNOW BASIN11 THE TREACHEROUS TRAVERSE12 THE TRACKS DIVIDE13 FIGHTING FOR LIFE14 DISINTEGRATION15 ALONE AT CAMP III16 LAST NIGHTS ON THE MOUNTAINAfterwordAppendix: ‘The Runcible Cat’ by John EmeryPhotographs and IllustrationsIndex

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Book SynopsisThe perfect Leisure map of Scotland that shows significant locations and the best spots to visit around the country. Size A2

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Book SynopsisIt is said that the sparkle from Canadian diamonds mimics the awesome and seductive radiance of the northern lights. Yet until 1991, no one thought diamonds could even be found in Canada--no one except geologists Chuck Fipke and Stu Blusson, who uncovered diamond-rich kimberlite in the Barrens at Point Lake in the Northwest Territories. Their spectacular discovery caused great excitement in international diamond circles and sparked the largest claim-staking rush in Canada since the 1896 Klondike gold rush. The two geologists sank their lives and savings into their belief that they''d find diamonds in the Barrens, and the story of their quest is a dramatic tale of perseverance in the face of immense odds.

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Book SynopsisIn the early sixteenth century, the first exploratory ships arrived on the Pacific Coast of North America. These rovers were seeking gold and silver, fur pelts, a safe passage from the Pacific to the Atlantic, and above all, adventure. Though many of the voyagers didn''t survive the dangerous sea crossings or the perils that awaited them on land, their stories live on in Pioneers of the Pacific Coast. Agnes C. Laut chronicles long-forgotten true stories packed with hazards and surprise. In the 1500s, The Golden Hind breaks into the Pacific Ocean, despite harsh warnings from the Spaniards that it was a closed sea. Years later, the Russian explorer Vitus Bering and his crew are stranded on an island when their ship is caught in a storm. In the 17th century, British Captain Vancouver meets with Spanish Captain Quadra at Nootka Sound to decide who owns the Pacific Coast. All these explorers risked their lives to find out whether this perilous land was worthy of settlement.

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Book SynopsisFinding Jim describes Susan Oakey-Baker''s struggle to confront the realities of life after the death of her husband, renowned mountain guide Jim Haberl, the first Canadian to summit the most difficult mountain in the world: K2. For fifteen years they had spent time adventuring together around the world: skiing the Himalaya, rafting in Nepal and mountaineering in North America. In time, they got married, solidified a home for themselves in Whistler, British Columbia, and planned on starting a family. But the future Susan had imagined was not meant to be, and when Jim was killed in an avalanche in the University Range of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park in Alaska, she was faced with a loss greater than anything she ever could have expected. After Jim''s death, Susan spent time retracing the adventures they took together, in a desperate and obsessive attempt to gather and hold on to as many memories of him as she could. She travelled to the place in Alaska where he lost his life; searched the Queen Charlotte Islands where they had first met; trekked to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro where they had journeyed the year before his death; and scoured the hills around their Whistler home for traces of the man she had expected to spend the rest of her life with. In the spirit of books like Joan Didion''sThe Year of Magical Thinking and Maria Coffey''s Fragile Edge, Susan Oakey-Baker writes eloquently of her efforts to relive and reanalyze her husband''s death, to defy the pain that such a loss causes and embrace the healing power of mountains, adventure and wilderness as she reimagines her new life.

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Book SynopsisThis is a book about the amazing journey of people discovering the Arctic island of Novaya Zemlya, looking for traces of a small historical event against the backdrop of the ending of the Soviet Union. At the start of the age of exploration, the North Pole was believed to be hiding a continent, a land mass warmed by the midnight sun still inspiring today''s Lost World fantasies. In the summer of 1596, two ships departed from Amsterdam to sail by its shores. The nine-month struggle for survival of the shipwrecked crew during the long polar night remains iconic in the history of the Arctic. Four hundred years later, Russians and Dutch together searched Novaya Zemlya for the grave and shipwreck of leader and explorer Willem Barents. This is a book about the Arctic and what it was like up there. This is a book about the nineties. Over one decade we watched modern Russia take shape. This book has everything that makes the Arctic exciting, and the historical sensation on every page.

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Book SynopsisVoyages of Delusion in the Age of Reason: Williams’s book charts the 18th-century’s perilous and often fatal attempts to discover a passage through the Arctic to the Pacific. An astounding work of the history of arctic exploration.Trade Review‘Remarkable… never was there a tale which joined such horror and pity, disaster and triumph, such fortitude in adversity. Glyn Williams’ narrative brings out all the drama of the story.’ NAM Rodger, TLS

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Book SynopsisThe history of the African Association, the world’s first geographical society, dedicated to the exploration of the interior of a continent known only through legend and vague report.Trade Review‘Enthralling. One of the most fascinating accounts of exploration that I’ve read in a long time.’ Jim Blackburn, Wanderlust ‘In “The Gates of Africa”, Anthony Sattin has excelled himself’.’ Conde Nast Traveller ‘Absorbing, highly readable and in places ironically humorous, a well-rounded and definitive study.’ Martin Booth, Sunday Times ‘An extraordinary panorama of adventure, scholarship, intellectual enterprise and ideological conviction, enlivened by frequent splashes of eccentricity and beautifully written throughout.’ Jan Morris

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Book SynopsisWith his trademark charm and sharp wit, Newby leaves no stone unturned in his quest for wonderfully detailed and quirky knowledge to share with his reader. Insightful, hilarious and sheer fun, this is an adventure not to be missed, by Britain's best-loved travel guide, and father of the genre.Trade Review‘One of the most stimulating and rewarding travel books to be seen for a long time' Spectator 'A splendid book . . . With its generosity, quirkiness, encyclopaedic love of facts, wisdom, humour, sense of history and change, this is a lot more than even the very best of travel books. Its author is a Ulysses, the book an Odyssey' Guardian 'Newby, the most companionable of literary vagabonds . . . Surely his best work since “A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush”' Scotsman 'Whatever Newby writes, I read with uncritical pleasure. The Newby travels are classics of their kind' Financial Times 'A new book by Eric Newby is something of an event…It is a feast that combines and juxtaposes many different textures and flavours . . . A superb reporter, Mr Newby paints marvelously detailed portraits. . . An unrivalled eye for the ridiculous and, although this is essentially a serious book, it is frequently very, very funny. . . He is an extremely elegant writer, beautifully paced and rhythmic . . . For Newby admirers, this particular event is a memorable one, and it should also recruit a lot of new admirers to his ranks' Daily Telegraph 'Any book by Eric Newby is a must for me. But “On the Shores of the Mediterranean” is a particular favourite…The man's books are a marvelous tonic on dark and dismal British days' Barbara Dickson, Mail on Sunday

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Book SynopsisThe story of the only person to attempt to reach the North Pole by balloon, and the golden age of Polar Exploration.Trade Review‘Wilkinson’s writing is so flawless and engaging that I’d read him on a packed subway at rush hour.’ Sebastian Junger ‘The Ice Balloon tells a remarkable story, while also allowing those of other explorers and their ill-fated expeditions to float gracefully through its pages’ Carl Wilkinson, Financial Times ‘It does take a writer of Wilkinson’s diligence of research, elegance of style and perfect pitch as a storyteller to give a doomed, forgotten hero a fine memorial to his heroic adventure in the golden, amateur age of polar exploration’ Iain Finlayson, The Times ‘Wilkinson writes with insight and flair, artfully interleaving Andrée’s story with a brief history of Arctic exploration … his prose style suits the spare polar landscape, making his occasional poetic touches even more effective … He understands that the value of polar stories lies in our endless love of discovery and the drama of being human.’ Sara Wheeler, New York Times ‘An elegant history of Arctic exploration’ TLS ‘Some engaging material here’ Sunday Telegraph, Melanie McGrath ‘If Wilkinson does not add much that is new to the story, he re-tells it with panache and compassion’ Joanna Kavenna, Spectator

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisIn 1991, Doug Tompkins abandoned his comfortable life in San Francisco and flew 6,500 miles south to a shack in Patagonia. Instead of the Golden Gate Bridge, Tompkins stared out the window at Volcano Michinmahuida, blanketed in snow and prowled by mountain lions. Shielded by waterfalls and wilderness, the founder of such groundbreaking companies as Esprit and The North Face suddenly regretted the corporate capitalism from which he had profited from years. As a CEO he had caused much pollution and, “made things nobody needed.” Now, he declared, it was time to reverse the damage to the planet, and maybe even himself. In A Wild Idea, award-winning journalist and bestselling author Jonathan Franklin tells the incredible true story of Douglas Tompkins, who became one of the primary founders of our modern conservation and land protection movement. Piloting his small plane, Tompkins explored the uninhabited lands of Patagonia and gaped at the singular beauty: active volcanoes, forests never logged, rivers never dammed—all so undisturbed, so exquisitely designed. Could he protect this wild beauty? For the ensuing quarter century, that dream— that obsession—became his life. Only in death did it become his legacy.

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Book SynopsisAs war clouds darkened over Europe in 1914, a party led by Shackleton set out to make the first crossing of the entire Antarctic continent via the Pole. But their initial optimism was short-lived as ice floes closed around their ship, gradually crushing it and marooning 28 men on the polar ice. Alone in the world's most unforgiving environment, Shackleton and his team began a brutal quest for survival. And as the story of their journey across treacherous seas and a wilderness of glaciers and snow fields unfolds, the scale of their courage and heroism becomes movingly clear.Table of ContentsSouth: The Endurance ExpeditionIntroduction by Fergus FlemingPrefaceI. Into the Weddell SeaII. New LandIII. Winter MonthsIV. Loss of the EnduranceV. Ocean CampVI. The March BetweenVII. Patience CampVIII. Escape from the IceIX. The Boat JourneyX. Across South GeorgiaXI. The RescueXII. Elephant IslandXIII. The Ross Sea PartyXIV. Wintering in McMurdo SoundXV. Laying the DepotsXVI. The Aurora's DriftXVII. The Last ReliefXVIII. The Final PhaseAPPENDIX IScientific WorkSea-Ice NomenclatureMeteorologyPhysicsSouth Atlantic Whales and WhalingAPPENDIX IIThe Expedition Huts at McMurdo SoundIndex

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Book SynopsisEnding in Ice is about Wegener's explorations of Greenland, blending the science of ice ages and Wegener's continental drift measurements with the story of Wegener's fatal final expedition trying to rescue starving workers at the central Greenland ice station of Esmitte in 1930.Trade Review'This is a revealing and expertly written book that deserves a wide audience...' Polar Publishing, 2007Table of Contents1. Scientist and Explorer ; 2. Wegener's Shocking Idea ; 3. The World Reacts to Wegener's Idea ; 4. Preparing for Greenland ; 5. Arriving in Greenland ; 6. Establishing Eismitte ; 7. The Fourth Trip to Eismitte, September, 1930 ; 8. Winter at East Station and West Station, 1930-1931 ; 9. Winter at Eismitte ; 10. The Search for Wegener and Villumsen ; 11. Searching for Reasons ; 12. Remembering Wegener ; 13. Progress After 1960 ; Endnotes ; Select Bibliography ; Index

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