I imagine that a lot of us enjoy reading books about climbing and mountaineering. I also imagine that a lot of us enjoy reading books about other adventure-type activities. What are some good ones (either mountaineering or other) that are less well known yet still good?

For example, I just finished reading Silent World by Jacques Cousteau (about the early days of the aqualung and SCUBA) and thought it was fantastic, yet I'd never heard of it before a week ago (though it seems to be better known than I thought since it is a Nat Geo Adventure Classic...).

What else ya got?

Well, I've said it before, but: Dana's "Two years before the mast."

http://www.borntorun.org/


I just finished this book: Born to Run, by Christopher McDougall. It is about the Tarahumara Indians down in Mexico and natural off road distance running/adventure. It was a pretty entertaining book.

My all time favorite, still little known I believe, The Long Walk....true account by Slavomir Rawicz as told to Ronald Downing...regarding an escape from Siberian prison to the Indian Ocean through the Himalayas, original print

White Death, the doomed 1913 voyage of the Karluk

In the Land of White Death, epic story of survival in the Siberian Artic, 1912-1914 voyage of the Russian vessel Saint Anna.

We Die Alone, the true story of Norwegian spy, Jan Baalsrud, original print

Don't believe any of these are mainstream, but boy are they good reads of men against the odds

Okay, a lot of us have probably heard of it, and it certainly isn't of the caliber of some of the books that will be mentioned in this thread, but I mention it because it is absolutely, bar none, the funniest book I've ever read (and I read a lot): A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson. True story of how Bryson, after living in England forever, decides to reacquaint himself with America by hiking the Appalachian Trail. His backpacking experience before that: Zero. A hoot of a book that will have you laughing out loud every turn of the page. Has some good moralizing about the U.S. Forest Service and environmentalism, as well.

--mark d.

For those in CA "The Last Season" is a great story based on real facts in the SEKI wilderness area. Scott

Hamish McInnes: Look behind the ranges



Still one of my favorites.

Dow Williams wrote:My all time favorite, still little known I believe, The Long Walk....true account by Slavomir Rawicz as told to Ronald Downing...regarding an escape from Siberian prison to the Indian Ocean through the Himalayas, original print

Do you really think it is true? The episode when they survive 2 weeks without water, while walking across a parched Gobi desert, had me thinking that at least part of the book is "enhanced."

MoapaPk wrote:

Dow Williams wrote:My all time favorite, still little known I believe, The Long Walk....true account by Slavomir Rawicz as told to Ronald Downing...regarding an escape from Siberian prison to the Indian Ocean through the Himalayas, original print

Do you really think it is true? The episode when they survive 2 weeks without water, while walking across a parched Gobi desert, had me thinking that at least part of the book is "enhanced."

Oh hell, don't you remember how Downing found Rawicz to begin with?.....the abominal snow monster account...come on man.....every great story of adventure told from memory is enhanced...the bottom line is the man had the balls to escape.....and walk one hell of a distance in doing so...thus the title...and the book was constructed by talking to the man himself...first hand account....precious reading in my book, no pun intended....same with We Die Alone. You would be pretty f&*^# delusional too if you survived and escaped a WW II Russia Siberian camp.

My favorite accounts by Joe Simpson, who so many adore on this site, are in his delusional moments, and he has had many of those.

It's pretty well known, but Caroline Alexander's version of Shackleton's Endurance voyage is pretty amazing. The inclusion of many of the expedition photographs make it a very worthwhile read.

Not really of the same caliber, but "Little Big Man" is a funny read. I agree that "Shackelton's Adventure" is a gret sdtory about survival, determination, and leadership.

Dow Williams wrote:

MoapaPk wrote:

Dow Williams wrote:My all time favorite, still little known I believe, The Long Walk....true account by Slavomir Rawicz as told to Ronald Downing...regarding an escape from Siberian prison to the Indian Ocean through the Himalayas, original print

Do you really think it is true? The episode when they survive 2 weeks without water, while walking across a parched Gobi desert, had me thinking that at least part of the book is "enhanced."

Oh hell, don't you remember how Downing found Rawicz to begin with?.....the abominal snow monster account...come on man.....every great story of adventure told from memory is enhanced...the bottom line is the man had the balls to escape.....and walk one hell of a distance in doing so...thus the title...and the book was constructed by talking to the man himself...first hand account....precious reading in my book, no pun intended....same with We Die Alone. You would be pretty f&*^# delusional too if you survived and escaped a WW II Russia Siberian camp.

Yes! This book is one of the most epic reads I've ever done. Highly, highly recommended.

This is an excellent read.

Heart of the Amazon or by the former title back from tuichi.
amazing real story set in the jungle basin of bolvia: 4 friends surviving in the jungle.
i have first hand knowledge that this story is 90% true which is more than i could say about any other real story novel that ive read.
plus the insight on life of a traveler in S.A back in the early 90s is very interesting to read seeing as how there was now internet back than.
good read trust me you wont go to sleep untill you have read the last page.

Dingus Milktoast wrote:A craftsman in the wilderness


and

one of Scotlands best and brightest, taken from us in his 30s, all too soon:



DMT

I certainly agree with ya Dingus.

One Man's Wilderness was a great read. The documentary on P.B.S. was execllent as well. I must have seen it a dozen times. It got better every time.

Dick Proenneke was an amazing person. He says he turned his back on tedious 50-hour work weeks and moved to Alaska "to do a thing to completion." Which I certainly think he accomplished.

The craftsmanship he put into everything was simply remarkable. Especially considering he used only hand tools and many of them were fashioned by himself. From the doors to bowls, and the fireplace, my favorite.

When I finally make it to Alaska his cabin will be one of my first stops.