Adventurers, Explorers & Survival

16 countries, 124 days and 18,000 miles. This is the story of one woman’s solo lap of the planet by bike....

I was born and broken in Birkenhead, abused from infancy by a network of every kind of pervert from ‘thinks it’s love’ to ‘show it hurts’. I was unwanted, beaten, sold, swapped, photographed, filmed, left for dead, corrupted, blamed, betrayed, ignored and orphaned....

From New York Times bestselling author Hampton Sides, an epic account of the most momentous voyage of the Age of Exploration, which culminated in Captain James Cook’s death in Hawaii, and left a complex and controversial legacy still debated to this day....

Two friends, zero preparation, one dream. From the author of the beloved bestseller The Emerald Mile comes a rollicking and poignant account of an epic 750-mile odyssey, on foot, through the heart of America’s most magnificent national park and the grandest wilderness on earth.

Into Thin Air is the definitive, personal account of the deadliest season in the history of Everest...

On a May afternoon in 1943, an Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and a slick of oil, gasoline, and blood....

Meriwether Lewis and his partner, William Clark, endured incredible hardships and witnessed astounding sights on their 1803 cross-country trip to unexplored West....

The River of Doubt brings alive extraordinary events in a powerful nonfiction narrative thriller that happens to feature one of the most famous Americans who ever lived....

Even among iconic frontiersmen like John C. Fremont, Kit Carson, and Jedediah Smith, Jim Bridger stands out. A mountain man of the American West, straddling the fur trade era and the age of exploration, he lived the life legends are made of....

From one of Outside magazine’s “Literary All-Stars” comes the thrilling true tale of the fastest boat ride ever through the Grand Canyon, atop the legendary Colorado River flood of 1983.

In Campfire Stories: Narrow Escapes & More Close Calls, storytellers take us from Florida to the Northern Rockies to the Arctic Ocean with wild and true stories, a reminder that the natural world is rugged and unpredictable....

In this grand and thrilling narrative, the acclaimed biographer of Magellan, Columbus, and Marco Polo brings alive the singular life and adventures of Sir Francis Drake, the pirate/explorer/admiral whose mastery of the seas during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I changed....

From Booker Prize winner Salman Rushdie, a searing, deeply personal account of enduring—and surviving—an attempt on his life thirty years after the fatwa that was ordered against him.

The mesmerizing, larger-than-life tale of an eccentric adventurer who traversed some of the greatest frontiers of the twentieth century, from uncharted Arctic wastelands to the underground resistance networks of World War II....

Three friends, women in their fifties, set out to hike "the most beautiful long-distance trail in the world," the John Muir Trail....

As thrilling as any novel, as taut and exciting as any adventure story, Peter Hathaway Capstick’s Death in the Long Grass takes us deep into the heart of darkness to view Africa through the eyes of one of the most renowned professional hunters.

The true survival story of an early polar expedition that went terribly awry—with the ship frozen in ice and the crew trapped inside for the entire sunless, Antarctic winter....

438 Days is the miraculous account of the man who survived alone and adrift at sea longer than anyone in recorded history....

The rags-to-riches story of one of America's wealthiest and least-known financial giants, self-made billionaire Kirk Kerkorian....

From the Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, an entwined narrative of the most adventurous year of all time, when three expeditions simultaneously raced to the top, bottom, and heights of the world....

In 1528, a mission set out from Spain to colonize Florida. But the expedition went horribly wrong. Of the 300 men who had embarked on the journey, only four survived....

After years of physical and mental abuse, Jade thought her kindly foster mother would be the answer to her prayers. She was wrong...this is her staggering true story....

Paul Rosolie’s extraordinary adventure in the uncharted tributaries of the Western Amazon - a tale of discovery that vividly captures the awe, beauty, and isolation of this endangered land....

Martha Sherrill brings us to a world that Americans know very little about---the snow country of Japan during World War II....

The Irish-American story, with all its twists and triumphs, is told through the improbable life of one man....

When Dr. Richard Greenberg, accompanied by his wife and three children, set out for a scenic day hike on the Nā Pali Coast of Kaua'i, he had little idea that the dream-like setting would soon be the backdrop of a living nightmare. With an unforeseen change in the weather, Dr. Greenberg and his family soon found themselves fighting for their lives. In this harrowing retelling of the unexpected events of that day and the journey that followed, Dr. Greenberg shares a miraculous story of disaster and rescue, of strength and faith, and of grief and recovery.

A masterpiece of compelling narrative history, The White Ladder describes the epic rise of mountaineering's world altitude record, a story of ever higher climbs by figures great and small of mountaineering. Daniel Light describes how climbers used revolutionary techniques to launch themselves into the most forbidding conditions. The expeditions illustrate evolutionary changes in climbing style, the advancement of high-altitude science, and the development of mountain climbing as an industry.

Forty years ago, the park ranger Jon Waterman took his first journey into the Alaskan Arctic, to the Noatak headwaters. He was astonished by the abundant wildlife, the strange landscape, and its otherworldly light—how the “frequent rain showers glow like lemonade poured out of the sky.” Taken with a new sense of wonder, he began to explore the North on several trips in the 1980s.

The line between bravery and stupidity is so thin often people don't realize they have crossed the line until it is too late, and they are dead. Dan Lee, A master scuba diver, twice decorated with the distinguished medal of valor for those who have engaged in specific acts of bravery. Takes you on a journey. Beyond the gates of life and death where you begin to realize why it is so important to live a good life. Full of adventure in the service of your people.

As an ex junky I wrote this book to help addicts and their devastated families. Throughout my two decades of sobriety, I've been working with those still in the trenches and the folks caught in their orbit, trying to solve the riddle of an unstoppable addict. Why would a person do something so harmful to themself and the ones they love? Are they a disaster because they're on drugs, or on drugs because they were a disaster? The drugs are usually just a symptom of a bigger problem.

Outdoor journalist James Edward Mills's book The Adventure Gap is a groundbreaking volume that is equal parts adventure story, history, and inspiration as it chronicles the first American all-Black summit attempt on Denali in 2013. Mills uses this momentous expedition as a jumping-off point to explore diversity in the outdoors, from Mathew Henson who stood at the North Pole in 1909 to contemporary adventurers such as polar explorer Barbara Hillary and rock climber Kai Lightner.

As a 15-year-old, struggling with severe bullying, ADHD, adoption trauma, and undiagnosed autism, Meg became one of the unfortunate 120,000–200,000 youths who are funneled into the lucrative Troubled Teen Industry (TTI) every year. Over the next 3.5 years Meg was abused in two separate facilities that masqueraded as “treatment”. Over two decades later, Meg Appelgate has evolved into an advocate, activist and passionate spokesperson for survivors across the United States.

Broken by Love: The Story of an Atheist Turned Pastor is a raw and unflinching memoir that traces the harrowing journey of a woman caught in the crossfire of broken relationships and abuse. In a world where faith seemed distant, Pastor Cris navigates the chaos with a heart hardened by pain and a mind anchored in disbelief. This powerful narrative reveals the cracks that form when love is twisted and the resilience needed to piece life back together. Through her struggles, Pastor Cris discovers that even in the deepest darkness, love can find a way to heal even an unbelieving heart.

In 2021, Montana firefighter Dan Steffensen tried to outrun a 60 mile-an-hour wall of fire. But it overcame him, burning over 60% of his body. He should have died. The citizens of Red Lodge, Montana needed him and prayed for his life. Three more tragedies hit his hometime that "Summer of Hell". Through interviews and research, author A.J. Otjen tells this inspiring story of first responders, doctors, loved ones, his community, fellow firefighters, and Dan's own internal battle to live or die.

"3 Years in Pakistan: The Erik Aude Story" offers a riveting account of Erik Aude's tumultuous three-year journey through the heart of Pakistan. Falsely accused of drug trafficking, Aude's life takes an unexpected turn as he finds himself thrust into the unforgiving depths of a foreign prison system. Amid the harsh realities of death row, Aude discovers unexpected pockets of humanity and kindness that illuminate the darkness surrounding him.

This story is about a man who had his feelings bottled up for way too long. Not able to tell his family why he did the things he did and not able to recoup the lost years away from the people who he loved. In the Mexican-American community, you never show your sadness, your pain, or weakness. As an act of pride, you always keep all your emotions to yourself like as if nothing is wrong. Showing everyone that you're not suffering and everything is fine is strength.

This is a true story about Brandon C. Gandy, who overcame fifteen birth defects, twenty-eight surgeries, a medically induced coma, and cancer, and became the eighth person in the world to have a testicular and kidney transplant. During all of his near-death medical challenges, Brandon persisted; he would remain an athlete and he tackled many different sports. His brave, strong journey sheds light on real-life struggles of what a miracle child has to go through growing up and how he turned his preconceived weaknesses into his ultimate strengths with his endless faith.

There had been worse times before, moments when life had thrown her curveballs that felt impossible to overcome. Yet, nothing could prepare Teresa for the day she discovers her husband’s lifeless body— a haunting image that sears itself into her memory, forever. In the days that follow, she struggles to comprehend the depths of his pain and the silence that now fills their home. Alone and reeling from disbelief, Teressa must confront the unbearable weight of her grief while facing a future she never envisioned.

Sharon Stevens would never claim to be an angel. Early in life, perilous situations were thrust upon her. As an adult, she gravitated toward adventure and spur-of-the-moment decisions that often put her on the precipice of disaster and kept her in the pathway of people who would take advantage of her. If your aim is to find fault with her, she would be an easy target, but look again. This diminutive hair stylist was not the person you would have chosen for such a monumental task with a life hanging in the balance—but God chose her, nonetheless.

My life has been full of unrequested lessons. Some traumatic. Others can be described as torturous. But I have always learned something of value. I am a survivor. "Angst to Ascension" is part of my story, in poetic form. I say 'part' of my story because my story is still being written. But, no matter what life brings my way, I promise to keep surviving and learning. I will continue my ascension.

On a cold and cozy December night in 2018, Jim Kaveney thinks he is dying. He is a husband, a father, a business owner, an athlete, and innovator. He is also an Afib patient facing massive cardiac trauma. In this breakout memoir, Jim Kaveney recounts his dance with death and the events of his life leading up to this fateful, health-defining moment and the shifts in business perspective and priorities that followed.

Follow the thrills, drama, heartbreak and incomparable joy of a lifetime filled with dogs. Hold onto your chair as two Golden Retrievers get swept away by a roaring river. Chuckle at the misadventure of hiking up to a neighbor's house at night to retrieve a puppy that wandered into a...rattlesnake rescue.

He worked to bring to the world the freedom of flight, freedom from the limitation of Bondage. Her work and her assistance was monumental and her love made all the difference—for 37 years. He made the first flight and both brothers were in love with her. The definitive story of how they fought the government for decades—and won. A brief history of aviation for the first part of the 19th century.

Holding on is all fourteen-year-old Stephanie Clare Smith can do when she's left home alone in New Orleans during the summer of 1973. As she seeks to ease her solitude through her summer school algebra class, her wandering in the city, and her friendship with a streetcar operator, adults—particularly men—fail her again and again, with devastating consequences.

This book is an assembly of countless wild adventures experienced during my transition during being a young adult to adulthood while integrating to a new country with an American father and a French mother. It's about bravery, dreams, the power of optimism and healing your wounds: A series of melancholic drama, lovely encounters, wild trips, weird coincidences, loss, love and in between.

Missing Pieces is a true story about the effects of leaving trauma unhealed and finding the courage to fight for your life. At five-years-old, author Andi Hunt was changed forever. It would take three decades to understand why she struggled constantly with the darkness that had entered her world at such a young and vulnerable age.

MIT ENDE 40 bricht Geertje Marquardt aus ihrem Familienalltag als zweifache Mutter auf, um einen Lebenstraum zu verwirklichen: eine 550 Kilometer lange Überquerung des grönländischen Inlandeises auf Skiern. Sie erzählt von schwierigen Vorbereitungen, körperlichen Herausforderungen und persönlichen Zerreißproben. Von der Angst vor Eisbären, von tosenden Stürmen und dem Kampf mit den inneren Dämonen. Vor allem aber von ihrer tiefen Liebe zu Schnee und Eis und der fast schmerzhaft schönen Sehnsucht nach der klaren Weite des arktischen Horizonts.

In this book, I talked about what it means to be raised in the ghetto and how I navigated it, I talked about how my faith carried me through so much and how I came about the faith, I talked about my encounter with abuse, I talked about motherhood and friendship and so much more.

Against All Odds is more than just a biography—it's a powerful reminder that no matter how daunting the journey, perseverance can lead to extraordinary success. Perfect for listeners who love stories of overcoming adversity, this audiobook will motivate and resonate with anyone who believes in the transformative power of dreams and hard work.

In 1971, famed astronaut Alan Shepard returned from the moon and went to get a haircut. Before settling into the barber’s chair in Webster, Texas, near NASA’s Mission Control, Shepard gave his longtime barber and friend, Carlos Villagomez, an autographed golf ball. During his Apollo 14 moonwalk, Shepard had conducted a world-famous demonstration of gravity by hitting a golf ball in an out-of-this-world sand trap. It took him two tries.