The Sun Is a Compass

The Sun Is a Compass

Author: Caroline Van Hemert

Publisher: Little, Brown Spark

Published: 2019-03-19

Total Pages: 299

ISBN-13: 0316414433

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For fans of Cheryl Strayed, the gripping story of a biologist's human-powered journey from the Pacific Northwest to the Arctic to rediscover her love of birds, nature, and adventure. During graduate school, as she conducted experiments on the peculiarly misshapen beaks of chickadees, ornithologist Caroline Van Hemert began to feel stifled in the isolated, sterile environment of the lab. Worried that she was losing her passion for the scientific research she once loved, she was compelled to experience wildness again, to be guided by the sounds of birds and to follow the trails of animals. In March of 2012, she and her husband set off on a 4,000-mile wilderness journey from the Pacific rainforest to the Alaskan Arctic, traveling by rowboat, ski, foot, raft, and canoe. Together, they survived harrowing dangers while also experiencing incredible moments of joy and grace -- migrating birds silhouetted against the moon, the steamy breath of caribou, and the bond that comes from sharing such experiences. A unique blend of science, adventure, and personal narrative, The Sun is a Compass explores the bounds of the physical body and the tenuousness of life in the company of the creatures who make their homes in the wildest places left in North America. Inspiring and beautifully written, this love letter to nature is a lyrical testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Winner of the 2019 Banff Mountain Book Competition: Adventure Travel


Wilds of the United States

Wilds of the United States

Author: Alexander Vidal

Publisher: Chronicle Books

Published: 2022-07-05

Total Pages: 131

ISBN-13: 1797200615

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The definitive guide to the wildlife of the United States. Do you know which animal evades rattlesnakes by dancing? Or that some squirrels can glide on the air for hundreds of feet? Or that alligators can create their own year-round pools? Put on your best pair of hiking boots, grab a sturdy walking stick, and explore the wild places of the United States with this stunning guidebook! Soak up new and shocking facts about this unexpected world of ours; pore over captivating, detail-rich illustrations; and discover surprising new creatures (some may be closer than you think!) every time you open the book. From glistening, snow-packed mountain ranges to searing deserts, this immersive and accessible guide is a one-stop shop for outdoor adventurers, animal enthusiasts, inquisitive minds—and anyone who listens to the call of the wild. WILD CREATURES OF THE US: Alexander Vidal tells the story of the wild creatures of the United States, offering accessible and fun visual cues like flags and badges to identify particular features in a gamified, graphic, and eye-catching way. ONE NATION: Focusing on the individual characteristics of different regions that collectively make up the rich, diverse, and unique place that is the United States, readers will be excited to both find their own hometowns and explore the places they've haven't been . . . yet! This book is perfect for fans of The 50 States! OUR UNIQUE ENVIRONMENT: A great way to introduce conversations about the unique environment of the United States. Teachers and librarians will find this the perfect addition to their curricula! FAMILY TRAVEL: Perfect for any family embarking on summer or spring break travel into the great outdoors, this engaging guide will inspire young adventurers and serve as the ideal gift for readers passionate about our wild environment. GIFT BOOK: With lush illustration and a hefty, deluxe package, this is a fantastic gift for anyone who is passionate about the environment, animals, and traveling—regardless of age! It's also perfect for fans of oversize nonfiction like Maps and Animalium! Perfect for: • Nature enthusiasts • Science teachers and educators • Families who love road trips or national parks • Children who love animals • Anyone looking for artful gift books


Life Lived Wild

Life Lived Wild

Author: Rick Ridgeway

Publisher: Patagonia

Published: 2021-10-26

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781938340994

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At the beginning of his memoir Life Lived Wild, Adventures at the Edge of the Map, Rick Ridgeway tells us that if you add up all his many expeditions, he’s spent over five years of his life sleeping in tents: “And most of that in small tents pitched in the world’s most remote regions.” It’s not a boast so much as an explanation. Whether at elevation or raising a family back at sea level, those years taught him, he writes, “to distinguish matters of consequence from matters of inconsequence.” He leaves it to his readers, though, to do the final sort of which is which."--Amazon.


Into the Wild

Into the Wild

Author: Jon Krakauer

Publisher: Anchor

Published: 2009-09-22

Total Pages: 241

ISBN-13: 0307476863

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NATIONAL BESTSELLER • In April 1992 a young man from a well-to-do family hitchhiked to Alaska and walked alone into the wilderness north of Mt. McKinley. Four months later, his decomposed body was found by a moose hunter. This is the unforgettable story of how Christopher Johnson McCandless came to die. "It may be nonfiction, but Into the Wild is a mystery of the highest order." —Entertainment Weekly McCandess had given $25,000 in savings to charity, abandoned his car and most of his possessions, burned all the cash in his wallet, and invented a new life for himself. Not long after, he was dead. Into the Wild is the mesmerizing, heartbreaking tale of an enigmatic young man who goes missing in the wild and whose story captured the world’s attention. Immediately after graduating from college in 1991, McCandless had roamed through the West and Southwest on a vision quest like those made by his heroes Jack London and John Muir. In the Mojave Desert he abandoned his car, stripped it of its license plates, and burned all of his cash. He would give himself a new name, Alexander Supertramp, and, unencumbered by money and belongings, he would be free to wallow in the raw, unfiltered experiences that nature presented. Craving a blank spot on the map, McCandless simply threw the maps away. Leaving behind his desperate parents and sister, he vanished into the wild. Jon Krakauer constructs a clarifying prism through which he reassembles the disquieting facts of McCandless's short life. Admitting an interest that borders on obsession, he searches for the clues to the drives and desires that propelled McCandless. When McCandless's innocent mistakes turn out to be irreversible and fatal, he becomes the stuff of tabloid headlines and is dismissed for his naiveté, pretensions, and hubris. He is said to have had a death wish but wanting to die is a very different thing from being compelled to look over the edge. Krakauer brings McCandless's uncompromising pilgrimage out of the shadows, and the peril, adversity, and renunciation sought by this enigmatic young man are illuminated with a rare understanding—and not an ounce of sentimentality. Into the Wild is a tour de force. The power and luminosity of Jon Krakauer's stoytelling blaze through every page.


Lost in the Wilds

Lost in the Wilds

Author: Eleanor Stredder

Publisher: The Floating Press

Published: 2015-10-01

Total Pages: 193

ISBN-13: 1776591933

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Thirteen-year-old Wilfred Acland has been sent to spend time with his aunt and uncle in their hut in a remote Canadian wilderness. When he is offered the chance to participate in a buffalo hunt, he jumps at the opportunity. Little does he know that the expedition will devolve into a life-or-death struggle.


Trial of Strength

Trial of Strength

Author: Shona Riddell

Publisher: Exisle Publishing

Published: 2018-10-01

Total Pages: 268

ISBN-13: 1775593932

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The world’s subantarctic islands circle the lower part of the globe below New Zealand, Australia, Africa and South America in the ‘Roaring Forties’ and ‘Furious Fifties’ latitudes. They are filled with unique plants and wildlife, constantly buffeted by lashing rain and furious gales, and surrounded by a vast, powerful ocean. New Zealand and Australian subantarctic islands in particular have a rich and fascinating human history, from the early 19th-century explorers and sealers through to modern-day conservation and adventure tourism. And yet, the subantarctic islands are often called our ‘forgotten islands’ because so few people know of their existence, despite their status since 1998 as World Heritage sites. Trial of Strength is a history book filled with compelling photos for a modern audience, and one that, for the first time, includes women’s stories as more than just a footnote. Balanced and engaging, it features classic tales of infamous shipwrecks, lesser-known stories of intrepid pioneers, as well as more recent stories of adventure tourism, conservation wins, and dramatic helicopter rescues. Written by the descendant of two 19th-century British colonial settlers who attempted to create a home for their young family in this bleak environment, Trial of Strength will leave you with an appreciation for the tenacity of the human race and the forbidding forces of nature.


Crossing Denali

Crossing Denali

Author: Michael N. Fenner

Publisher:

Published: 2016

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781594859915

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"Since slowly transforming himself from an overweight and overworked chain-smoker into a two-time marathon runner, Michael Fenner had climbed one glaciated peak, Mount Rainier, in Washington State. Nonetheless, he embarks on a journey to the wilds of Alaska and the unknowns of North America's highest and most dangerous peak for what he hopes will be the adventure of a lifetime: a traverse of Denali, ascending up the West Buttress route to the summit, and then down the more ominous and treacherous Karstens Ridge and Muldrow Glacier"--Amazon.com.