My Old Man and the Sea, David and Daniel Hays Father and son set off for the ultimate adventure: sailing around Cape Horn.
Down the River, Edward Abbey For those who hope to ride some rivers this summer or for others who are traveling vicariously, this collection of essays about voyages down rivers in will be a treat. Written with curmudgeonly charm, Abbey demonstrates both his love of adventure and open spaces, as well as a ferocious dislike for the developers and the predators who are changing the face of the American wilderness. (recommended by Michele)
Walk in the Woods, Bill Bryson Returning to the U.S. after 20 years in England, Iowa native Bryson decided to reconnect with his mother country by hiking the length of the 2100-mile Appalachian Trail. Awed by merely the camping section of his local sporting goods store, he nevertheless plunges into the wilderness and emerges with a consistently comical account of a neophyte woodsman learning hard lessons about self-reliance. (Amazon)
West with the Night, Beryl Markham This is the autobiography of the first woman to fly the Atlantic solo from east to west. But it is much more than a story of aviation, revealing a poet's feeling for the land, an adventurer's engagement with life, and a philosopher's insights into the human condition. (Powells)
Life of Pi, Yann Martel (Recommended by Cassie)
Reservation Blues, Sherman Alexie “The life of Spokane Indian Thomas Builds-the-Fire irrevocably changes when blues legend Robert Johnson miraculously appears on his reservation and passes the misfit storyteller his enchanted guitar. Inspired by this gift, Thomas forms Coyote Springs, an all-Indian Catholic band who find themselves on a magical tour that leads from reservation bars to Seattle and New York--and deep within their own souls.” (Publishers Weekly)
So Brave, Young and Handsome, Leif Enger The story of an aging train robber on a quest to reconcile the claims of love and judgment on his life, and the failed writer who goes with him.