Good read

[Ridgerunner]

Heading to Peru in 2 weeks. Anybody have a good book to suggest - à la Snow Leopard ? Thanks.

 

[bruno]

"teewinot" by jack turner. he's a longtime exum guide in jackson hole. good 'nature' writing (without all the dour baggage that can sometimes imply these days). highly recommended. i may think of others later but i'm sure more recommendations wil be posted. have a good trip!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Thanks

I'll get it. Hey, isn't Teewinot the name of a chairlift at Jackson Hole too?

 

[bruno]

yeah. and a peak (12325ft) in the tetons.

 

[Warren]

Not the Snow Leopard, but I'd fancy a re-read of "Seven Pillars of Wisdom" by T. E. Lawrence for a two week trip.

An account of the the WWI Arab revolt it also covers the authors fascination with the desert and the culture.

 

[mavs00]

Not so much " à la Snow Leopard", but awhile back I recall you saying you enjoyed "Wilderness Ethics" by the Watermans so you may enjoy another title by Jack Turner, "Abstract Wild". Similar to WE, but with more intensity ).

Also, I enjoyed "The Lost Grizzlies : A Search for Survivors in the Wilderness of Colorado" by Rick Bass. - As you get into the book, you realize, it's It's less about bears and more about ourselves. Pretty interesting stuff.

 

[Johnnycakes]

Teewinot

I just finished readin Teewinot myself. The book was absolutely fantastic. Jack Turner has a gift.

 

[shadowcat]

suggestion

if you want a good laugh, read "a walk in the woods" by bill bryson - also the book "touching the void" is awesome. i couldn't put it down. better than the movie but the movie (out on dvd) is really good & highly recommended.

 

[Jean]

Salut Bertrand,

Try "Wind, Sand & Stars" from Saint-Exupéry.
If you want to read it in french it's "Terre des Hommes".

It's a great read. Ranked #3 on the National Geographic's 100 greatest adventure books of all time.
I think there was a thread on this a few months ago.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Thanks all

I already read Terre des Hommes (et Pilote de guerre). Touching the Void when it came out. Bryson ? I think not. Teewinot it is and Turner' book will follow. I just finished Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance for the third time...so I need something light !

 

[Blue]

Not the Snow Leopard either, but I'm reading,


Last of the Donkey Pilgrims: A Man's Journey Through Ireland
by Kevin O'Hara


or

how about
On The Road by Kerouac?

 

[woodstrider]

Anything by this guy...

Gary Ferguson. A good writer on outdoors issues. Try "The Sylvan Path" or "Hawks Nest"

"Touching the Void", by Joe Simpson

Anything by the Great Masters- John Muir or Henry Thoreau (SP?)

Too...many...good..writers...can't...go...on..

ENJOY

SOLVITOR AMBULANDO

 

[cooperhill]

"My Summer in the Sierra" by John Muir

 

[jfb]

"The Mountains of My Life" by Walter Bonatti is pretty good.

 

[bruno]

good for long days in tent

if you're stuck in your tent or on a portaledge for days i'd also recommend "the count of monte cristo". lots o' good stuff in there. and long too. there's sailing and brigands and revenge and all the stuff that makes for good readin'!

 

[LittleBear]

"North to the Night: A Spiritual Odyssey in the Arctic" by Alvah Simon.

While not a hiking or mountaineering story, this is a great book. Here is a brief description:

In the summer of 1992, Simon and his wife, both experienced adventurers, set off in a 36-foot sailboat, the Roger Henry, toward northern Canada to spend a year above the Arctic Circle. In his survival memoir, Simon recounts the physical and psychological demands of the Arctic with an almost sheepish bravado; his capacity to discuss the beauty of the landscape, the culture of the Inuit and the protean nature of glacial ice is matched only by a reckless drive to make his journey more "authentic".

I couldn't put this one down.

 

[dundare]

A couple books I would suggest:

McCarthy's Bar by Pete McCarthy: A half Irish half English (raised in England) guy decides to search for his roots by touring Ireland and visiting every McCarthy's Pub on the isle. Its pretty funny travel writing and contains travel by plane, bus, car, running and walking. There are encounters with crazy old women, bulls, tourists, hippies, hikers, drinkers, and pretty much everyone else you could imagine. Its a great read.

The Gold Coast by Nelson DeMille: A story about a WASP lawyer and his wife living in the old guest house of their family estate. They are both suffering the burdens of living such a life and its only complicated when a mob boss buys the next estate over. Its a book that people keep recomending to others - the word of mouth is amazing. I have told a number of people about and all of them really enjoyed it. Its a story about getting old, the ups and downs of marriage at the twenty year mark, part legal thriller part mob story, and part drama. Its also pretty damm funny. It is kind of a modern version of the Great Gatsby.

I would also second Touching the Void. The one comment I would make is that its pretty short and you would probably get hooked on it and finish it fast.

I just finished rereading Robinson Crusoe for the first time since I was a kid. Its a pretty good tale and easy enough reading once you get into it. Its good nighttime reading in the woods - depending on where you are you can feel some empathy for ole Robinson...

Lastly, if you like Science Fiction/Fantasy, check out Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb. Its a great book, interesting plot, and fairly long so it should last an entire trip.

Enjoy your trip...

 

[Ridgerunner]

Wow !

Bonatti...read all his work in my teens as all the other greats : Terray, Cassin...but Kerouac struck a nerve...always wanted to read THAT book ...

 

[Warren]

Does anyone know if any Bonatti's work aside from "Mountains of my Life" is still in print?

I guess I really mean in print in english.

 

[Jaytrek57]

Kind of a tangent. I apologize.

Do most people read "outdoor" type material while outdoors (camping/backpacking)?

I find I like the complete opposite---mostly a good fiction type paperback while I'm backpacking. My wife and I are very avid readers (Barnes and Nobles loves her)...and while I love the "outdoor/climbing/adventure" genre…I find in the woods…esp. extended backpacks…a need to escape mentally more. I save the outdoor books for home while I am thinking of my own adventure. I hope that made some sense.

Anyhow…did not mean to highjack the thread.

PS….anything by Dr. Seuss with any age kid, is always a good way to pass the time after dinner and learn a little something along the way . The Lorax, especially if outdoors.

Peace.