The Meaning Of Sports
In The Meaning of Sports, Michael Mandelbaum, a sports fan who is also one of the nation's preeminent foreign policy thinkers, examines America's century-long love affair with team sports. In keeping with his reputation for writing about big ideas in an illuminating and graceful way, he shows how sports respond to deep human needs; describes the ways in which baseball, football and basketball became national institutions and how they reached their present forms; and covers the evolution of rules, the rise and fall of the most successful teams, and the historical significance of the most famous and influential figures such as Babe Ruth, Vince Lombardi, and Michael Jordan. Whether he is writing about baseball as the agrarian game, football as similar to warfare, basketball as the embodiment of post-industrial society, or the moral havoc created by baseball's designated hitter rule, Mandelbaum applies the full force of his learning and wit to subjects about which so many Americans care passionately: the games they played in their youth and continue to follow as adults. By offering a fresh and unconventional perspective on these games, The Meaning of Sports makes for fascinating and rewarding reading both for fans and newcomers.
The Crackers
Beginning in an era before traffic jams, air-conditioning, and Atlanta's ascension to international fame, Tim Darnell chronicles the emergence of amateur and minor-league baseball in various forms in Atlanta from just after the Civil War through the rise of the Crackers (1901-65). Through never-before-published player interviews, rare illustrations, extensive charts and statistics, and thorough research, Darnell examines the drama and politics that affected the Crackers over the years. Also profiled is the Black Crackers, Atlanta's Negro Southern League franchise whose success and popularity paralleled those of their white counterparts. The Crackers is a light-hearted, fun, and engrossing history of a time, a people, and one very special centerfield magnolia tree whose stories are legend to this day. Includes a Crackers Trivia Quiz, and appendices with records and statistics.
A Falcon Guide Hiking Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountains National Parks
Carlsbad Caverns National Park in southeastern New Mexico is renowned for its amazing system of limestone caves. Both Carlsbad and the nearby Guadalupe Mountains National Park, just across the state line in Texas, are also blessed with spectacular above-ground trails. This thoroughly revised edition is the authoritative and the only comprehensive guide to all of the hiking trails in both parks.
Falcon Guide Best Easy Day Hikes Redwood National and State Parks
Redwood National and State Parks are home to some of the world's tallest trees: old-growth coast redwoods, living to be 2000 years old and growing to over 300 feet tall. Author and hiker Dan Brett includes trail descriptions and maps of nearly 22 easy day hikes within these spectacular parks. This indispensible guide provides accurate hike descriptions, easy-to-follow maps, and concise trail information for the author's favorite trails.
Lighten Up!
Short, to-the-point, and humorously illustrated by famed outdoor illustrator Mike Clelland, this book presents everything hikers and backpackers need to be safe, comfortable, and well fed while carrying a very small and lightweight pack.
Where The Mountain Casts Its Shadow
Maria Coffey's Where the Mountain Casts Its Shadow is a powerful, affecting and important book that exposes the far reaching personal costs of extreme adventure.Without risk, say mountaineers, there would be none of the self-knowledge that comes from pushing life to its extremes. For them, perhaps, it is worth the cost. But when tragedy strikes, what happens to the people left behind? Why would anyone choose to invest in a future with a high-altitude risk-taker? What is life like in the shadow of the mountain? Such questions have long been taboo in the world of mountaineering. Now, the spouses, parents and children of internationally renowned climbers finally break their silence, speaking out about the dark side of adventure. Maria Coffey confronted one of the harshest realities of mountaineering when her partner Joe Tasker disappeared on the Northeast Ridge of Everest in 1982. In Where the Mountain Casts Its Shadow, Coffey offers an intimate portrait of adventure and the conflicting beauty, passion, and devastation of this alluring obsession. Through interviews with the world's top climbers, or their widows and families-Jim Wickwire, Conrad Anker, Lynn Hill, Joe Simpson, Chris Bonington, Ed Viesturs, Anatoli Boukreev, Alex Lowe, and many others-she explores what compels men and women to give their lives to the high mountains. She asks why, despite the countless tragedies, the world continues to laud their exploits. With an insider's understanding, Coffey reveals the consequences of loving people who pursue such risk-the exhilarating highs and inevitable lows, the stress of long separations, the constant threat of bereavement, and the lives shattered in the wake of climbing accidents.
75 Scrambles In Oregon
* Scramble routes to popular Oregon peaks including Mount Hood, the Sisters, Mount Thielsen, and Mount McLoughlin, as well as lesser-known peaks * Go off trail safely with the GPS waypoints and contour maps in this guidebook * Scramble-finder chart for selection of routes according to length, difficulty, season and elevation gain Calling all hikers with a yen for high, lonely places: you can bag that peak if you want to. Scrambling is the bridge between hiking and rock climbing. It involves off-trail travel-making your way over rough terrain and sometimes using your hands for balance and safety on nearly vertical rock-but does not require technical climbing gear. 75 Scrambles in Oregon will take you to some of the same summits that climbers enjoy-but by less extreme routes. These scrambles (short, easy introductory routes and longer, more difficult scrambles) are generously spread across Oregon: the Cascades; Klamath Mountains (SW corner); East Cascades; the Wallowas, Elkhorns, and Blue Mountains (NE); the Strawberry Mountains near John Day; and remote desert ranges (SE corner). Routes are rated for difficulty and skill level. Where nonstandard equipment such as an ice axe, crampons, rope, or helmet are advised, that is noted route by route. Barbara I. Bond is a trip leader for the Mazamas, an outdoor activities and conservation club. She is a professional writer and lives in Portland, Oregon. You can find Barbara on FACEBOOK, or you can visit her web site for more information at OregonScrambles.com.
Into the Bermuda Triangle
Still unsolved, still baffling, still claiming new victims. Here are the untold stories. A pilot reports a strange haze enveloping his plane, then disappears; eleven hours after fuel starvation, as if calling from a void, he is heard 600 miles away. He requests permission to land, then vanishes forever. A freighter steaming over placid seas disappears without a trace. A pleasure yacht ghosts past without a soul on board. A pilot calls for help because a "weird object" is harassing his plane. A jet collides with an "unknown" and is never found. . . . Into the Bermuda Triangle is the first comprehensive examination of these baffling disappearances in more than a generation. Drawing on official reports from the NTSB and other investigative agencies as well as interviews with scientists, theorists, and survivors, leading authority Gian Quasar not only sets the record straight on previously examined cases, he also offers a bulging file of new cases, the collective results of his twelve-year investigation. In meticulous detail this unflinching account: Documents confirmed disappearances of airplanes and ships Gathers new testimony and reexamines old interviews from eyewitnesses and survivors Explores possible explanations ranging from zero-point energy to magnetic vortices Challenges our assumptions with the sheer weight of accumulated evidence In this age of technological and scientific discovery, there are still mysteries that transcend understanding. The Bermuda Triangle is one. "The best book I've ever read on this important subject."-Andrew Griffin, The Town Talk
Timeless Bowhunting
Timeless Bowhunting will help you: Choose a bow based on the merits of technical designFind a hunting arrow that gives optimum accuracy, trajectory, and penetrationShoot accurately uphill, downhill, from tree stands, and in the windChoose an effective shooting style for your type of huntingPerfect your shooting form by eliminating common shooting flawsFind the best aiming method for you
66 Days Adrift
A Powerful Account of Struggle and Survival at Sea The lure of paradise was unmistakable, and Bill Butler was on a quest to find it with his wife Simonne--riding the Pacific currents on their sloop Siboney, with a world of possibilities ahead. But, twelve hundred miles from land, the alluring ocean showed its deadly side when, without warning, a pod of pilot whales attacked their sailboat, battering it until it sank beneath the waves. The dazed couple was left drifting in midocean in a leaky six-foot raft meant for coastal waters, with only a few hastily grabbed provisions to sustain them. Simonne, who had never truly shared Bill's dream of circumnavigating the globe, blamed him bitterly for their desperate plight. In this powerful account of their 66-day odyssey, Butler tells a gritty, harrowing tale of their battles against nature, despair, and their own demons. He reveals how he and Simonne found the strength to survive despite the ravages of hunger, storms, and sharks. Based on Butler's faithful log entries, 66 Days Adrift is both a chilling cautionary tale for sailors with big ideas and an inspiring story of love, faith, and survival against long odds. "How a lifetime dream to sail around the world becomes a fight to survive."--Yachting "A vivid account of the complete will to live."--The San Juan Star
The Ultimate Guide to Calling and Decoying Waterfowl
No waterfowl hunter can afford to be without this complete, up-to-date guidebook.
The Best American Sports Writing 2004
Since its inception in 1915, the Best American series has become the premier annual showcase for the country's finest short fiction and nonfiction. For each volume, a series editor reads pieces from hundreds of periodicals, then selects between fifty and a hundred outstanding works. That selection is pared down to twenty or so very best pieces by a guest editor who is widely recognized as a leading writer in his or her field. This unique system has helped make the Best American series the most respected -- and most popular -- of its kind. "Cracker-jack writing from some of the country's best-known sports journalists." -- Publishers Weekly With Richard Ben Cramer at the helm, this year's selections embrace the world of sports in all its drama, humanity, and excitement, from swimming the Arctic Ocean to high school football. Today's foremost journalists shed light on Mia Hamm, Amare Stoudemire, and on sports' underbelly as a professional baseball team scalps its own tickets and as women single-mindedly pursue million-dollar athletes. We witness the World Taxidermy Championships, the final days of the Michael Jordan Wizards, and much more.
Fly-Fishing the High Country
Tactics for fishing high country lakes, the conflicting currents of high mountain streams, and the ever-changing waters of beaver ponds Cutthroats, brook trout, goldens, rainbows, grayling The best weather and seasons to fish and the tackle and flies to take into the high country "The mountains--any mountains--can make you pay for your fishing with time, shoe leather, exertion, and even disappointment. But they usually give back more than they take in terms of solitude and a sense of adventure that you just won't find on more civilized waters." --John Gierach Fly-fishing in scenic and remote mountain waters is a special kind of fishing, explored in depth by veteran fly fisher John Gierach. Along with Fly Fishing Small Streams (0-8117-2290-2), this guide, Gierach's first book, now in print with Stackpole Books, explains how to find the best waters and how to fish them to the best advantage.
Fishing the Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is famous for its role in Civil War history and for its great natural beauty. But there is something else: it is a tremendous place to fish. Fishing the Shenandoah Valley: An Angler's Guide is the latest stop in author M. W. Smith's continuing tour of the Commonwealth's great fishing spots.Surveying the entire Shenandoah River drainage system, including the Allegheny Mountains to the west, Smith looks in depth at these remarkably diverse waters. The book takes you by county through many of the region's stocked trout streams, as well as the wild trout streams of Shenandoah National Park, with advice for both spinning and fly-fishing. The area's largest impoundments, Lakes Frederick and Shenandoah, are thoroughly covered, from access points and contact information to the best techniques for landing largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, and catfish. The book also devotes an entire chapter to the Shenandoah River, and includes more than just sound advice on catching smallmouth bass - you also get details on float trips, including tips on the river's rapids, as well as adjustments for winter and spring fishing.As with all of M. W. Smith's fishing guides, Fishing the Shenandoah Valley takes your complete fishing trip into account, answering questions about guide services, tackle shops, campsites - as well as providing detailed descriptions of the various species, so you know what you're catching, not simply how to catch it. There's always more to fishing than just getting a line wet.
Net Results
This is your guide to cooking wildfoods that you can hunt, fish, or forage--or buy from a growing number of wildfoods vendors--in the Upper Midwest. You'll savor treasured recipes like Rabbit Pie, Venison Stew, Orange Pheasant, Morel Mushroom Scramble, and Cathy's Plum Lake Bluegill. You'll also discover a wealth of dishes reflecting the region's ethnic riches--from Hassenpfeffer to savory Pierogies with Oyster Mushrooms, from flaky-crusted Goose Tortiere to Catfish Curry. Wild Rice Goose also revives overlooked dishes popular in times past. If you have carp, redhorse, smelt, or turtle, dandelion greens or mulberries, you can turn these humble finds into tasty treats with tips from experienced fishermen and foragers. Cooks will appreciate the clear, kitchen-tested recipes, and fans of sporting literature will enjoy the lyrical writing. You'll find here: - more than 100 recipes for wildfoods from asparagus to venison - sidebars on regional foods, specialty preparations, and folk history - tips on finding and cleaning game, fish, and wild edibles - advice on freezing and drying - a list of Upper Midwest wildfoods vendors. Best Regional Special Interest Books, selected by the American Association of School Librarians Best Regional General Interest Books, selected by the Public Library Reviewers
The Essential Guide To Geocaching
Here's everything you need to know to participate in this increasingly popular outdoor activity.
A Speck on the Sea
"A gripping compendium of noteworthy small-boat voyages made over the centuries."--John Harland, author of Seamanship in the Age of SailA Speck on the Sea chronicles the greatest ocean voyages attempted in the littlest boats. These feats include: Diego Mendez's voyage to rescue ColumbusWilliam Okeley's escape from slavery in a folding rowboatErnest Shackleton's death-cheating journeysAnd more
Backpacking Washington’s Alpine Lakes Wilderness
Miles of hiking trails surround more than 600 glacier-carved lakes tucked among the craggy peaks of the central Cascade Range that are the centerpiece of this magnificent wilderness. This guide not only covers backpacking options inside the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, but includes many of the popular routes across the highway for a selection of the best overnight hikes in the region.
Hiking the Redwood Coast
Including more than 50 of the Redwood Coast's most fascinating hikes, this one-of-a-kind guide leads readers through the dazzling array of geographic, historical, biological, and cultural diversity that makes this region unique. From the towering majesty of Redwood National Park to the sea caves and blowholes of Mendocino's shores to the wildflower meadows of Big Sur, the Redwood Coast offers abundant opportunities to satisfy cravings for nature at its best. Whether it's whale watching from rugged coastal bluffs, delving deep into ancient Redwood forests, or combing beaches for Neptune's treasures, Hiking the Redwood Coast will guide hikers through this land of stark contrasts, stirring history, and incomparable beauty. In addition to detailed directional cues, hike stats, and local information, this book provides comprehensive trail descriptions and GPS-quality, digitally designed route maps for each hike.
Tennis
Dating from the time of the Crusades, beloved of both royalty and commons, tennis possesses a timeless appeal that's irresistible to players and spectators alike. Readers of all ages will likewise be enthralled by this fascinating compilation of tennis lore and legend. Author Malcolm D. Whitman was one of the great lawn tennis players at the turn of the twentieth century: an undefeated Davis Cup champion, he continued his longstanding study of tennis after his retirement from competition at age 25. His findings confirmed his conviction that tennis represents the ideal outdoor sport, promoting alertness, endurance, and self-control, as well as mental and physical health.Whitman's outstanding contribution to the history of tennis and lawn tennis is not only a book of absorbing interest to players and followers of the game but also a valuable reference and historical record. The author's painstaking and exhaustive research involved locating original documents -- some in remote, difficult-to-access places -- and a scrupulous authentication of facts. Yet there is nothing pedantic about his entertaining and informative text. Blending fact with humor and philosophy, he recounts the origins of the game, how it was named, uses of the terms and equipment, scoring methods, and other practical and historical elements. This handsome gift edition, ideal for any tennis buff, features 29 antique illustrations.
Making the Most of Your Deer
All-purpose guide to utilizing your deer after the killDetailed instructions on field dressing and butchering Varied recipes for venison plus tips on do-it-yourself taxidermyYou've braved the elements, spent hours lying in wait, and had your share of near misses, but you've finally bagged that prize whitetail or mule deer. Now what? In this wide-ranging guide, Dennis Walrod tells you everything you need to know to maximize the use of your deer. In addition to essential instruction on field dressing and transport, the author goes on to cover salting and tanning hides, aging venison, leathercrafting, soapmaking, trophy mounting, and creating home furnishings and decorations. Also included is a selection of mouthwatering venison recipes, making this an indispensable resource for any hunter looking to extend the hunting experience beyond the moment of the kill.
Fifty Places to Fly Fish Before U Die
In this beautiful guide, fly-fishing experts reveal their picks for the world's greatest fishing spots to author Chris Santella. For both armchair travelers and avid outdoorsmen who may have already started a checklist of their own, Fifty Places to Fly Fish Before You Die maps out the meccas of the fly-fishing world. Through in-depth interviews with the sport's acknowledged gurus, author Chris Santella goes beyond standard guides to convey the very essence of the recommended locations. With breathtakingly beautiful photos of the spots, many by celebrated fly-fishing photographer R. Valentine Atkinson, the book also provides adventurous anglers with enough travel-and-tackle information so that they, too, can start planning excursions to go fish around the globe. Amateur or expert, every angler dreams of landing "the big one," but that's only part of the appeal of fly fishing. Because even when hours pass without a bite, nothing beats the rugged beauty of the surroundings. Readers can vicariously cast mouse pattners to fifty-pound taimen in the wilds of Mongolia, wrangle with wily permit off the Florida Keys, and match the hatch on Montana's Armstrong's Spring Creek. Jardines de la Reina, Cuba (tarpon), the Zhupanova River, Kamchatka (rainbow trout), and the Rio Negro, Brazil (peacock bass). The essays include a cultural and natural history of each site, along with colorful anecdotes based on the author's and authorities' experiences. Fifty Places to Fly Fish Before You Die is the essential travel companion for fly-fishers of all levels of expertise. Featured destinations include: - Bristol Bay, Alaska - Rio Traful, Argentina - Florida Keys, Florida - Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts - Boca Paila, Mexico - South Island, New Zealand - North Umpqua River, Oregon - Peralejos de las Truchas, Spain - Madison River, Wyoming and Montana - Zambezi River, Zambia Books in the Fifty Places to Go series are the perfect gift for the adventurer in your life--whether they're planning their next trip or dreaming from their armchair.
Getting Started in Fly Fishing
The fastest and easiest way to try your hand at fly fishingGetting Started in Fly Fishing is dedicated to the simple but neglected truth that the best learning happens while doing. With leisure time more precious and limited than ever, author Tom Fuller gets readers started with only the information that's absolutely necessary for that first day on the stream. In a few quick strokes, Fuller introduces the contents of a pared-down start-up kit and identifies heavily promoted items of gear that are definitely not needed. With succinct, easy-to-follow instructions, he shows readers how to: Start fishing after just an hour with this book Make their first cast to a rising trout Play and land their first fish Fish with dry flies, wet flies, nymphs, and streamers Cast to all kinds of fish in all waters, fresh and salt
Grand Junction Hiking Guide
Mountains, plains, and foothills surround Grand Junction, Colorado, making it a hiker's paradise. Grand Junction Hiking Guide is a definitive guide to this area, written by Steve Kolarik, an experienced Colorado Outward Bound instructor and mountain guide. Short hikes on paved paths and all-day hikes through rugged terrain are included. Here is an indispensable reference for those wanting to explore diverse geologic regions-from Colorado's plateau sandstone canyons to mountainous subalpine terrain.
Cooking Aboard Your Rv
Written for long-term live-aboard RVers and casual weekenders, Cooking Aboard Your RV addresses the unique problems faced by RV cooks--limited water, insufficient counter space, and little room for the extra appliances of today's kitchens. This new edition is fully updated with: - Instructions for using a combination convection-microwave oven Hundreds of recipes for every palate and dietary preference, adapted to the confines of the small RV galley Ingenious tips on making the most of limited counter and storage space Helpful illustrations
Ken Schultz's Field Guide to Saltwater Fish
The definitive field guide to North American saltwater fish-from the absolute authority on sportfishing Before you head out to the open seas, listen up: Your tackle box is not complete without Ken Schultz's Field Guide to Saltwater Fish! Written by one of the foremost experts in sportfishing, this colorful reference provides anglers and fish enthusiasts of all levels an easy-to-use, indispensable guide to help you identify and learn about the most common species found off the North American coastlines-from albacore to yellowtail. Based on the award-winning reference book Ken Schultz's Fishing Encyclopedia, this handy field guide compresses the essence of its bestselling predecessor into a more manageable, compact size. Arranged alphabetically by species, each entry covers the identification, size/age, distribution, habitat, life history/behavior, and feeding habits of each fish. This fully illustrated, full-color guide makes it easy to identify what's at the end of your line. You'll learn how to distinguish an Atlantic mackerel from a Spanish mackerel, for instance; why you might mistake a cobia for a shark or a remora; how the red grouper's saddle spot will help you tell it apart from a Nassau grouper; and so much more. Written for the 16 million people who enjoy saltwater fishing, Ken Schultz's Field Guide to Saltwater Fish features: 227 of the most common saltwater fish Large, full-color illustrations to help you identify your catch Approachable organization in a compact, take-along size A comprehensive glossary that explains the terms used in the species profiles Overview and anatomy sections written in layman's terms Ken Schultz's Field Guide to Saltwater Fish is a must-have for any fan of America's favorite pastime: fishing!
The Trails of Virginia
In this new edition of the most comprehensive guide to the trails of Virginia, Allen de Hart gives directions to and descriptions of more than 1,400 trails, noting nearby points of interest, botanical and zoological features, and characteristics of the region's terrain. From the mountains to the coast, he covers all national, state, county, and city recreational areas with hiking or interpretive trails accessible to the public. Maps and photographs supplement the descriptions.The third edition has been completely revised and updated to reflect the addition of hundreds of miles to the state's trail systems, showing which trails are best suited for foot traffic, bicycles, and horses, and which trails are handicapped-accessible. The book also includes information on how to prepare for hikes, more comprehensive introductions to parks and scenic areas, and sections on Native American and pioneer trails.This is an indispensable guide for hikers, walkers, birders, anglers, and anyone interested in exploring the Old Dominion's wealth of natural areas.
Plugger
From a pioneer in catch-and-release and a legend in saltwater wade-fishing. Rudy Grigar, one of America's most notorious characters of saltwater wade-fishing, lends the inimitable voice of experience to these yester yarns of the coastal waters of Texas and Louisiana. A fisherman's fisherman, Grigar claimed to have caught more than a million pounds of fish in his sixty years along the coast. Yet fervent and abiding concern for those waters spurred his commitment to a catch-and-release policy for all fish under three pounds and to Gulf Coast conservation. His tales and tips are the bible of those now wading the Plugger's favorite spots.
Flies in the Water, Fish in the Air
In this clearly structured-and yet poetic-guide, Jim Arnosky explains his favorite sport for anglers and would-be anglers of all ages. Using a mix of lyrical text, artistry, experience on the stream, and enthusiasm, Arnosky not only instructs but also conveys his very contagious love for the sport of fly-fishing. His text combines advice with steam-tested experience. Includes illustrations by Arnosky, who makes his living as an author, a naturalist, and an artist.
Cathedral of the World
The curved lines of a sailing ship resemble the inverted dome of a great cathedral, surrounded not by soot-covered buildings and crowded streets but by a vast liquid wilderness. This physical and symbolic connection is at the thematic heart of Cathedral of the World, a collection of essays in which writer and professional small-boat sailor Myron Arms sets out on a journey both physical and spiritual, seeking to explore what he calls "the primal spaces" and to articulate the sailor's age-old quest to understand his world and himself. Arms, author of the Boston Globe bestseller Riddle of the Ice, weaves the experiences of four decades at sea into a series of reflections that range across half a lifetime and thousands of ocean miles. During these journeys, he takes readers to some of the last wild places on Earth, climbing the hills of the North Atlantic in a full gale, watching the flight of seabirds, listening to the night-breath of whales, and pondering the questions that all such encounters inspire. What John Muir did for western forests, what Edward Abbey did for the desert, Arms now does for the ocean. In a voice that is reverent, impassioned, and clear-sighted, he celebrates the wilderness he has come to love, mourns its wounds, and demonstrates for all of us its power to heal.
Fall of the Phantom Lord
In 1989, while attempting a new route on a difficult overhanging rock face, climber Dan Osman fell. Again and again, protected by the rope, he fell. He decided then that it would not be in climbing but in falling that he would embrace his fear--bathe in it, as he says, and move beyond it. A captivating exploration of the daredevil world of rock climbing, as well as a thoughtful meditation on the role of risk and fear in the author's own life. In the tradition of the wildly popular man-versus-nature genre that has launched several bestsellers, Andrew Todhunter follows the lives of world-class climber Dan Osman and his coterie of friends as he explores the extremes of risk on the unyielding surface of the rock. Climbing sheer rock faces of hundreds or thousands of feet is more a religion than a sport, demanding dedication, patience, mental and physical strength, grace, and a kind of obsession with detail that is crucial just to survive. Its artists are modern-day ascetics who often sacrifice nine-to-five jobs, material goods, and the safety of everyday life to pit themselves and their moral resoluteness against an utterly unforgiving opponent. In the course of the two years chronicled in Fall of the Phantom Lord, the author also undertakes a journey of his own as he begins to weigh the relative value of extreme sports and the risk of sudden death. By the end of the book, as he ponders joining Osman on a dangerous fall from a high bridge to feel what Osman experiences, Todhunter comes to a new understanding of risk taking and the role it has in his life, and in the lives of these climbers. Beautifully written, Fall of the Phantom Lord offers a fascinating look at a world few people know. It will surely take its place alongside Into Thin Air and The Perfect Storm as a classic of adventure literature.
The Sporting Road
More than just a "man and his dog" hunting adventure, The Sporting Road is a book about the land and man's place in it. It is also, in many ways, a book about relationships; with nature, animals, and the people with who live around us. As Rick Bass says in his introduction, Jim Fergus is a man for whom "The common denominator is not geographical, but internal; here is a man who belongs intensely to the living. And slowly, gradually --essay by essay--you become aware of the unsaid: the fact that he fits a diminishing time, a diminishing space, and a diminishing code of manners. That he always puts others before him; that he considers and respects his friends, his prey, his dogs, and the landscapes that engage these things."
Maybe It Should Have Been a Three Iron
Maybe It Should Have Been a Three-Iron is the funny and poignant story of one man's search for sporting glory.Lawrence Donegan had the desire but lacked the talent to be a professional golfer, so he settled for the next best thing--caddying for Ross Drummond, a little-known pro on the European PGA tour, ranking 438th in the world. With self-deprecating humor, Donegan recounts the days and endless nights he spent on the road with Drummond as they existed on a string of meager tournament checks and chased the elusive "big win" much as Don Quixote and Sancho Panza chased windmills.
Dogs That Point, Fish That Bite
Jim Dean, longtime editor of Wildlife in North Carolina, offers his personal observations on the pleasures and frustrations of hunting, fishing, camping, and other outdoor pursuits. Dogs That Point, Fish That Bite draws together fifty of the best columns that Dean has written for the magazine over the last seventeen years. The witty, sometimes poignant pieces are arranged into a loose chronicle of the sporting year, with a generous allowance for digression: the first is set in April, on the opening day of trout season, and the last tells of a New Year's Day spent alone in a mountain cabin.At first glance, hunting and fishing are the focus of most of the columns. Often, however, Dean is after bigger game. A crab that escapes the pot leads him to reflect on the capricious nature of life. The restoration of a cabin at the old family farm evokes memories of family and simpler times. And a May panfishing trip takes on the quality of ritual, performed by two old friends. The consistent theme uniting all the essays is the celebration of wild places and rural traditions that have become endangered in our modern world.
High Adventure
Fear lives among Everest's mighty ice-fluted faces and howls across its razor-sharp crags. Gnawing at reason and enslaving minds, it has killed many and defeated countless others. But in 1953, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay stared into its dark eye and did not waver. On May 29, they pushed spent bodies and aching lungs past the achievable to pursue the impossible. At a terminal altitude of 29,028 feet, they stood triumphant atop the highest peak in the world. With nimble words and a straightforward style, New Zealand mountaineering legend Hillary recollects the bravery and frustration, the agony and glory that marked his Everest odyssey. From the 1951 expedition that led to the discovery of the Southern Route, through the grueling Himalayan training of 1952, and on to the successful 1953 expedition led by Colonel John Hunt, Hillary conveys in precise language the mountain's unforgiving conditions. In explicit detail he recalls an Everest where chaotic icefalls force costly detours, unstable snow ledges promise to avalanche at the slightest misstep, and brutal weather shifts from pulse-stopping cold to fiendish heat in mere minutes. In defiance of these torturous conditions, Hillary remains enthusiastic and never hesitates in his quest for the summit. Despite the enormity of his and Norgay's achievement, he regards himself, Norgay, and the other members of his expedition as hardworking men, not heroes. And while he never would have reached the top without practiced skill and technical competence, his thrilling memoir speaks first to his admiration of the human drive to explore, to understand, to risk, and to conquer.
Reed's Sextant Simplified
Capably written by experienced seaman and navigator Dag Pike, Reed's Sextant Simplified is an accessibly practical and authoritative guide to using a navigational device that has served seamen and airmen across generations and down through the centuries. Practical tips, a straightforward tutorial to reading and taking sights, making adjustments and correcting for errors, advice on handling and caring for the instrument, and more fill the pages of this solid resource which is especially recommended for beginners and has much to offer even the more experienced seafarer!
Cape Horn
This is the story of Bernard and Fran癟oise Moitessier's honeymoon voyage aboard Joshua, sailing from Europe to the islands of the Pacific and back by way of Cape Horn, the "logical route," because it was the fastest. Setting out from Tahiti, they make their way through the Roaring Forties, iceberg territory, and the relentless gale-force winds of the higher latitudes. They owe their survival to careful preparation, superior seamanship, and their sens of harmony with Joshua and the sea. Cape Horn is also the tale of how Joshua, Moitessier's dream boat, became a reality, and how he recovered from the disaster of losing his previous boat--which he himself had built--to pursue his great love: sailing the world's oceans.
American Rock
American Rock is a celebration of the diversity of American rock climbing and an authoritative history of how the sport evolved at dozens of climbing hotspots around the country. The United States offers rock climbers a greater variety of geologic environments than any other country in the world. In recent years the sport has exploded and American climbers, once isolated from each other, now cross the country in search of new rock, sharing techniques, equipment, and information. In this thoughtful history and overview, veteran climber Mellor celebrates a dazzling mosaic of American geologic regions and the distinct climbing styles they have engendered. The rock, regions, and styles he explores include: Adirondack and White Mountain granite; Shawangunk conglomerate; the fragile red sandstone in the desert Southwest; western big-wall climbing on stark white walls of Sierra granite; steep walls and overhanging sandstone in the Southeast; and high-altitude mountaineering in the Rockies, Tetons, and Cascades. Mellor also chronicles the rich history and vibrant personalities of the climbing scene, and explores the meaning behind ongoing debates over access, techniques, and equipment. 42 black & white photographs, index.
A Guide to Green New Jersey: Nature Walks in the Garden State: Forests, Beaches,
Winner of the New Jersey Studies Academic Alliance Book Award for Non-fiction popular book New Jersey is a state of surprises. Did you know there was a castle in Passaic County? Or that Essex County's Branch Brook Park, rather than Washington, D.C., has the largest concentration of flowering cherry trees outside of Japan? Did you know you could walk through a bamboo forest on the Rutgers University campus, dig for fossils in Middletown's Poricy Brook, visit an owl haven on the site of the Battle of Monmouth, or see wild river otters in Salem County? Despite its proximity to major urban areas and its high population density, the state has dozens of absolutely marvelous natural areas and preserved spaces. It boasts something for everyone, from Atlantic seashore to rugged mountains, rolling farmland to winding canals, historic trails to formal gardens, bird-filled marshes to hardwood forests, pine barrens to fragrant vineyards and orchards. There are outings for hikers, bikers, beachcombers, gardeners, power-walkers, and strollers of all kinds, and A Guide to Green NewJersey is your key to finding it all. The book is conveniently organized into forty geographic areas, spotlighting more than 200 nature walks. Each entry includes a description, visitor hours, fees, driving accessibility, and other pertinent information for walkers. At the end of the book, the authors provide an index with the names of each site, and their guide to choosing an outing according to individual tastes and interests. They identify sites that are wheelchair accessible, especially fun for kids, best for bicyclists, and those that are particularly physically challenging.Newcomers to the state will find the book indispensable, and long-time New Jerseyans will find it a pleasantly eye-opening guide to wonderful walks right in their own backyards.
Practical Turkey Hunting Strategies
Tactics and strategies from America's leading expert.
The Rudder Treasury
A compilation of the best articles from Rudder magazine, 'the greatest American yachting and boating magazine ever published.'
The Fish's Eye
In The Fish's Eye: Essays about Angling and the Outdoors, Ian Frazier "A Great Storyteller" (Newsweek), and one of the "American Originals" (Washington Post Book World) explores his lifelong passion for fishing, fish, and the aquatic world.He sees the angler's environment all around him-in New York's Grand Central Station, in the cement-lined pond of a city park, in a shimmering bonefish flat in the Florida keys, in the trout streams of the Rocky Mountains. He marvels at the fishing in the turbid Ohio River by downtown Cincinnati, where a good bait for catfish is half a White Castle french fry. The incidentals of the angling experience, the who and the where of it, interest him as much as what he catches and how. The essays (including the famous profile of master angler Jim Deren, late proprietor of New York's tackle store, the Angler's Roost) contain sharply focused observations of the American outdoors, a place filled with human alterations and detritus that somehow remains defiantly unruined. Frazier's simple love of the sport lifts him to straight -ahead angling description that are among the best contemporary writing on the subject.The Fish's Eye brings together twenty years of heartfelt, funny, and vivid essays on a timeless pursuit where so many mysteries, both human and natural, coincide.
Fly-Fishing Western Trout Streams
Learn to read and understand western water and what to expect in each season on different types of streamsHow to select the best, most effective patterns for western trout Western hatch chart Author Jim McLennan takes readers out on the water to show in detail how best to fish trout streams in the West from Canada to Mexico. The lessons come directly from McLennan's experiences on the water. Covers tactics for dry fly fishing as well as fishing from a drift boat.
The Helldivers’ Rodeo
The Helldivers frequently dive past 200 feet into the murky salt wash of the Gulf of Mexico, through the sea-life-covered steel beams of a giant oil platform. Members of different scuba/fishing clubs get together annually to compete.
Rock Climbing Desert Rock IV
The Colorado Plateau encompasses the high desert country of Colorado, New Maxico, Arizona, and Utah. In this fourth volume of Eric Bjornstadt's extraordinary climbing tour of the region, the author documents climbs on the region's spectacular backcountry towers and cliffs. Painstakingly illustrated and with a guide's eye for the fascinating natural history of the region, this book is a must for every Southwestern climber.
Above the Clouds
A breathtaking and lavishly illustrated autobiography in essays on Anatoli Boukreev, the late world-famous mountaineer and author of The Climb. When Anatoli Boukreev died on the slopes of Annapurna on Christmas day, 1997, the world lost one of the greatest adventurers of our time. In Above the Clouds, both the man and his incredible climbs on Mt. McKinley, K2, Makalu, Manaslu, and Everest-including his diary entries on the infamous 1996 disaster, written shortly after his return-are immortalized. There also are minute technical details about the skill of mountain climbing, as well as personal reflections on what life means to someone who risks it every day. Fully illustrated with gorgeous color photos, Above the Clouds is a unique and breathtaking look at the world from its most remote peaks.
The Ultimate Guide to Skinning and Tanning
From a master, a comprehensive guide to preserving skins and pelts.
Lefty's Little Fly-Fishing Tips
Dozens of practical tips and observations on how to catch the wiliest fish.
