Kayak Memoir

Travis’ path was similar to most other suburban-raised, middle-class white kids from Milwaukee—that is, until he found himself in Colombia, making his own cocaine with one of Pablo Escobar's former top scientists. After finishing a Master’s Degree at the age of 28, Travis couldn’t bring himself to follow the blueprint laid out for success in the U.S., so he took off to South America. That first flight was the start of an adventure around the world—an adventure that his friends didn’t understand and of which his father openly disapproved. Over four years and four continents, ...

It seemed like the perfect romantic afternoon: a kayaking trip for two on the Hudson River. But it ended in tragedy when beautiful, blonde Angelika Graswald called 911 to report that her fiance, the handsome and athletic Vincent Viafore, had fallen into the choppy frigid waters. Authorities assumed it was an accident. But when the bereft bride-to-be posted videos of herself doing cartwheels on social media - shortly before Vincent's body was found - suspicions of murder rose to the surface.

Erik Weihenmayer is the first and only blind person to summit Mount Everest, the highest point on Earth. Descending carefully, he and his team picked their way across deep crevasses and through the deadly Khumbu Icefall; when the mountain was finally behind him, Erik knew he was going to live. His expedition leader slapped him on the back and said something that would affect the course of Erik’s life: “Don’t make Everest the greatest thing you ever do.” No Barriers is Erik’s response to that challenge.

This 148-day journey began on Darcy Gaechter’s 35th birthday. She sold her successful outdoor adventure business, upsetting her partner and boyfriend of 12 years and getting them both fired in the process. The emotional waters that would fester and erupt on the ensuing journey were often more challenging to navigate than the mighty river itself. With blistering lips and irradiated fingernails, Darcy would tackle raging Class Five whitewater for 25 days straight, barely surviving a dynamite-filled canyon being prepared for a new hydroelectric plant.

Upside Down in the Yukon River is an inspiring, true story full of dreams, fear, doubts, success, failure, and hope, in which an ordinary guy from Iowa takes on an extraordinary challenge that quickly turns into a fight for his own life against Mother Nature herself. Steve Cannon's honest and humble storytelling throughout this engaging adventure challenges each one of us to live every precious moment empty of regret and reminds us all that our only real failures are those steps never taken in pursuit of our own dreams.

A spirited, wise, often hilarious, profoundly moving story of one woman's efforts to survive caregiving, trauma, love, and the systems seemingly set up to fail us. Only if you are a very able swimmer trained in open-water rescue should you approach drowning victims . . . Reach with a rope or...