The author describes his spring 1996 trek to Mt. Everest, a disastrous expedition that claimed the lives of eight climbers, and explains why he survived

An expert on natural navigation invites readers to experience the outdoors like never before by combining his philosophy with 15 simple exercises that he hopes will reawaken the senses and help people their own discoveries about the natural world around them.

A powerful, blazingly honest, inspiring memoir: the story of a 1,100 mile solo hike that broke down a young woman reeling from catastrophe--and built her back up again. At twenty-six, Cheryl Strayed thought she had lost everything. In the wake of her mother's devastating death, her family scattered, and her own marriage was soon destroyed. With nothing more to lose, she made the most impulsive decision of her life: to hike the Pacific Crest trail from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State--and to do it alone. She had no experience as a long-distance hiker, and the trail was little more than "an idea, vague and outlandish and full of promise." But it was a promise of piecing back together a life that had come undone. Gorgeously told, sparkling with warmth and humor, Wild is the vivid story of a young woman forging ahead against all odds on a journey that maddened, strengthened, and ultimately healed her.

SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE Back in America after twenty years in Britain, Bill Bryson decided to reacquaint himself with his native country by walking the 2,100-mile Appalachian Trail, which stretches from Georgia to Maine. The AT offers an astonishing landscape of silent forests and sparkling lakes--and to a writer with the comic genius of Bill Bryson, it also provides endless opportunities to witness the majestic silliness of his fellow human beings. For a start there's the gloriously out-of-shape Stephen Katz, a buddy from Iowa along for the walk. Despite Katz's overwhelming desire to find cozy restaurants, he and Bryson eventually settle into their stride, and while on the trail they meet a bizarre assortment of hilarious characters. But A Walk in the Woods is more than just a laugh-out-loud hike. Bryson's acute eye is a wise witness to this beautiful but fragile trail, and as he tells its fascinating history, he makes a moving plea for the conservation of America's last great wilderness. An adventure, a comedy, and a celebration,A Walk in the Woods has become a modern classic of travel literature.

Offers an account of the author's walk from his home in Vermont to his former home in the Adirondacks, reflecting on the wonders of the natural world, what it means to be truly wild, and the impact of human intervention.

Suffering can sometimes literally stop us in our tracks, keeping us from fully participating in our own lives and the lives of those we love. Carolyn Scott Kortge’s discovery is that an important key to joyous re-engagement with the world can be to—just as literally—get moving. If you can learn to simply start a walking practice, you’re on the road to taking back your life. Kortge offers an eight-week program for navigating your way through life’s physical, emotional, and spiritual hard times, using the healing power of movement through walking for wellness. Within the supportive framework of this eight-week program is a way to regain a sense of balance and order, even if you’re weighed down by the lethargy and loss of control that often accompany illness, depression, or trauma. You’ll discover how to link mental focus with physical movement to create healing periods of stress release. You’ll find ways to match your steps with meditation in a way that clears a path through confusion. You’ll also learn how to use walking to redirect mental focus away from fear or stress and toward peace and renewal. This book will truly help you keep moving forward, both in good times and in tough ones.

The author describes his spring 1996 trek to Mt. Everest, a disastrous expedition that claimed the lives of eight climbers, and explains why he survived

A remarkable account of adversity and survival by a renowned climber, killed in an avalanche in 1997, describes how, in 1996, he braved a blinding storm to rescue a climbing expedition that had gone bad. Reprint. $85,000 ad/promo. NYT.

The director of Princeton University's Outdoor Action Program offers a comprehensive guide to skills, equipment, and trip planning for backpackers of all levels, in a revised handbook that includes the latest information on GPS technology, ultra-light hiking equipment, first aid, trip planning, resources for professional outdoor leaders, and more. Original. 25,000 first printing.

The author relates his nearly fatal adventures mountaineering in the Andes, adventures that included a fall into a crevice, broken limbs, and return to safety.