Shadows moving in the underbrush, the glint of sunlight off
the ice, the roar of the river: exploring uncharted lands allows you to
experience undeniable thrills and beauty, but involves danger and unknowable
threats as well. These books tell
stories of the famous expeditions of our past, as well as showing us that there
are still new places to discover.
Peter Stark retells the thrilling tale of John Jacob Astor’s
1810 expedition to claim the Pacific coast for the United States in Astoria. A party of one hundred and forty odd members
set out to reach the West Coast, nearly half perishing along the way, and
ultimately succeeded in opening the way for America to become a global trading
power.
In 1916 British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton performed the
greatest act of survival in history by sailing across the Southern Ocean from
Antarctica and crossing the mountains in South Georgia to return with help and rescue
stranded members of his expedition. In Shackleton’s Epic by Tim Jarvis, Jarvis relates his attempt to recreate Shackleton’s
feat using only period gear and a crew of 6.
The book includes photos and illustrations of Shackleton’s
original expedition and Jarvis’ recreation.
Paul Rosolie describes his experiences in the Madre de Dios
region of Peru in Mother of God. Rosolie’s wonder surrounding this
region is palpable as he relates how he encountered giant snakes, uncontacted
native tribes, floating forests, and witnessed a jaguar’s
death. This modern-day explorer sheds
light on one of the last dark spaces on the map, revealing the greatest
concentration of disparate life on Earth.
Check this one out on Edelweiss.
Crack open one of these from the comfort of your favorite
reading spot and be transported through time and space to the farthest corners
of the globe.
-Amanda