Travel / Special Interest Books

INTO THE WILD developed out of an article which Mr. Krakauer wrote for "Outside" magazine. The Emory University honors graduate Christopher Johnson McCandless--"Alexander Supertramp"--took off after school in rebellion against authority and his privileged upbringing. Krakauer reveals the details leading up to the boy's death in the Alaskan wilderness, where he was found by hunters in September of 1992, at the age of 24. The author shares personal reflections about his own risk-taking adventures, as well as impressions of those who knew Christopher. In 2007, the book was made into a film directed by Sean Penn.

First published in 1843, this collaboration by a lawyer and an artist has become a travel classic.

This is Slocum's first-hand account of his late-19th-century voyage, the first solo sailing journey around the world.

Paul Theroux revolutionized travel writing with his 1975 book THE GREAT RAILWAY BAZAAR, a stirring and very personal account of his travels by railway from London to Tokyo and back. Choosing to go by train, alone, and with minimal gear, afforded the intrepid Theroux the opportunity of encountering a fascinating galaxy of fellow travelers (who range from merely colorful to downright eccentric) as he makes his way across the continents of Europe and Asia, and of seeing the ever-changing landscape close-up. Theroux himself is, of course, the main character--sometimes arrogant, often impatient, always bluntly realistic, and ever-curious, eloquent, and very, very funny.

The Nikawa, or "river horse," is the boat on which William Least Heat-Moon crossed the United States, from New York to Oregon in 1995. This is his third book on his American travels, following the enormously successful BLUE HIGHWAYS, and PRAIRYERTH.

Originally published in 1966, this book tells the amazing true story of a naval crew trapped aboard a submarine just before the start of World War II. The tale stars Lieutenant Commander Swede Momsen, a man who has dedicated much of his career to devising escape and rescue tactics for underwater disasters, and who must finally apply his knowledge to a real-life situation.

Christopher McDougall, a journalist and running enthusiast, sets out in search of a legendary tribe of tireless runners who live within the massive Copper Canyon of Mexico. The Tarahumara Indians reportedly can run for hundreds of miles without wearing down, and switch instantly to sprint mode to chase down a deer if necessary. McDougall struggles through miles of wilderness to find the reclusive Tarahumara, and is surprised to find a mysterious outsider named Caballo Blanco, or "white horse," living among them. As McDougall trains with the Indians and learns their ancient secrets of health and endurance, he achieves a sense of enlightenment which will completely alter his perspective on running and every other form of motion. To celebrate his newfound spirituality and stamina, he organizes a grueling 50-mile race between members of the Tarahumara tribe and an eclectic mix of distance champions from the United States.

This true story of a father-son team who suffered a horrible fate in an underwater wreck off the coast of New Jersey tells of their dedication to diving and their unique teamwork. The writing conveys both the technical details of this activity and the grisly details of death under water.

Tim Severin travels to the island of Nuku Hiva in French Polynesia, where Herman Melville ended up in 1842. From his investigations Severin concludes that MOBY-DICK came largely out of that experience and, more specifically, out of the islanders' beliefs about whales. He includes a great deal of information about the Polynesians' methods of whale hunting and about how young Polynesian men come of age in the process.

In a book that is part travelogue, part rumination on life and love, Waterman, a mountain climber and adventurer, recounts his two-month-long expedition down the Sea of Cortez and his concurrent marital difficulties. He also details Baja's exquisite natural life.

Nearly all of the members of Rick Ridgeway's team reached the summit of K2, the second highest mountain peak in the world. This is the account of that incredibly difficult expedition, marking the first successful attempt by an American group.

In 1869, Civil War veteran John Wesley Powell and nine other men undertook a hazardous three-month excursion down the unmapped Colorado River. Three of them survived famine, Indian attacks, mutiny, and dangerous rapids, and Powell told their harrowing story in this 1874 account.