This is the abbreviated life story of William C. Weaver, aka Wa Dok, who was an aquatic toxicologist. One day his mother took him to the kitchen and turned on the tap water, grabbed a glass and said, "Billy, most of the people in the world cannot do what I just did. They get their water the hard way, from a river, or hand-drawn well, and many times that water is dirty, and it can make them sick or even kill them. We are so lucky to have water right out of the tap that won't harm us or kill us." Sixty years later, this is still true. Measured by our water supply, as compared to most of the world, we look pretty good. Water is the most basic need for life to exist on earth. As we use our water, and fail to clean it up, the use of dirty water to keep our bodies hydrated, and our crops growing, will surely come home to roost. This is especially true as we let our children ingest all sorts of hidden poisons, assuming, as we are likely to do, that our water is safe and clean. In The Road Ends in Water, Weaver relates the many adventures his testing experiences provided.
Every year, countless runners, endurance athletes, and outdoor enthusiasts discover the sport of trail running. Whether they run for peace of mind, appreciation of nature, or competition, they find a sport unlike any other. Where the Road Ends: A Guide to Trail Running captures the excitement, intensity, and appeal of the outdoors. From training and preparation to overcoming nature’s obstacles, it’s all here, accompanied by detailed instruction, expert insights, and stunning color photography. Inside you’ll find these features: • Techniques for running over dirt, sand, roots, and rock • Equipment recommendations based on terrain, distance, and conditions • Safety guidelines for navigation, injury, and water crossings • Conditioning programs for all levels of runners • Strategies for improving race-day performance Whether you are an experienced road runner looking for new challenges or an extreme athlete pushing your physical limits, look no further than Where the Road Ends, the authoritative guide for conquering the trails, terrain, and conditions of the great outdoors.
Discover this powerful novel about a family falling apart, from the Booker Longlisted author of A TOWN CALLED SOLACE 'Tender and surprising... A vivid and evocative tale' New York Times Twenty-one-year-old Megan Cartwright has never been outside the small town she was born in but one winter's day in 1966 she leaves everything behind and sets out for London. Ahead of her is a glittering new life, just waiting for her to claim it. But left behind, her family begins to unravel. Disturbing letters from home begin to arrive and torn between her independence and family ties, Megan must make an impossible choice. 'Every bit as good as I expected. A heart-aching and beautifully written story of a family falling apart' Woman and Home
The colorful story of one couple's journey across the world to build their dream home in the heart of the Amazon In 1989, as their mid-life crises approached, concert pianist Binka Le Breton and her husband Robin, an agricultural economist, decided to uproot themselves from their home in Washington, D.C. and start a new life in Brazil. Where the Road Ends is their story of building a house, a rainforest research center, and a new dream. Since then, they've learned how to work with the trees, the animals, the weather, the local community, and each other. Their technology now ranges from the oxcart to the Internet, and in 2000 they opened a rainforest conservation and research center that is visited by foreign researchers and Brazilian school children. From meeting their resident cowboy, Albertinho, to beheading snakes, to chauffeuring a local wedding—the adventures described here are unparalleled. This delightful memoir takes the armchair traveler deep into another world where matters of providing food and shelter can never be taken for granted. Binka and Robin have embarked on an adventure that many readers only dream about—transplanting themselves in a different country and learning (often the hard way) what it takes to survive and flourish. "A good read for armchair travelers." - Kirkus Reviews
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER More than ONE MILLION copies sold A TODAY Show Read with Jenna Book Club Pick A New York Times Notable Book, and Chosen by Oprah Daily, Time, NPR, The Washington Post, Bill Gates and Barack Obama as a Best Book of the Year “Wise and wildly entertaining . . . permeated with light, wit, youth.” —The New York Times Book Review “A classic that we will read for years to come.” —Jenna Bush Hager, Read with Jenna book club “Fantastic. Set in 1954, Towles uses the story of two brothers to show that our personal journeys are never as linear or predictable as we might hope.” —Bill Gates “A real joyride . . . elegantly constructed and compulsively readable.” —NPR The bestselling author of A Gentleman in Moscow and Rules of Civility and master of absorbing, sophisticated fiction returns with a stylish and propulsive novel set in 1950s America In June, 1954, eighteen-year-old Emmett Watson is driven home to Nebraska by the warden of the juvenile work farm where he has just served fifteen months for involuntary manslaughter. His mother long gone, his father recently deceased, and the family farm foreclosed upon by the bank, Emmett's intention is to pick up his eight-year-old brother, Billy, and head to California where they can start their lives anew. But when the warden drives away, Emmett discovers that two friends from the work farm have hidden themselves in the trunk of the warden's car. Together, they have hatched an altogether different plan for Emmett's future, one that will take them all on a fateful journey in the opposite direction—to the City of New York. Spanning just ten days and told from multiple points of view, Towles's third novel will satisfy fans of his multi-layered literary styling while providing them an array of new and richly imagined settings, characters, and themes. “Once again, I was wowed by Towles’s writing—especially because The Lincoln Highway is so different from A Gentleman in Moscow in terms of setting, plot, and themes. Towles is not a one-trick pony. Like all the best storytellers, he has range. He takes inspiration from famous hero’s journeys, including The Iliad, The Odyssey, Hamlet, Huckleberry Finn, and Of Mice and Men. He seems to be saying that our personal journeys are never as linear or predictable as an interstate highway. But, he suggests, when something (or someone) tries to steer us off course, it is possible to take the wheel.” – Bill Gates
This book explores the complex physical, historical, and social factors that have allowed a small kettle lake in northeastern Michigan to remain ecologically and environmentally sound, a gem lake. The book investigates these within the context of local/regional, state, and national history. It also tells a story of how and why a community of residents has been formed in the forest and has functioned as an effective steward of its natural resources.
