5 comments about A Sense of the World: How a Blind Man Became History's Greatest Traveler (P.S.).

1. Jason Roberts has done a fantastic job researching and writing about a forgotten "celebrity" of the early 19th century, a man made historically obscure largely by misconceptions and prejudices against the blind.
   
   James Holman would not become blind until age 25. He was an ambitious, thoughtful, assertive, resourceful, moral man who was willing to work hard and pay his dues to rise up the social ladders that were such an integral part of British society. Holman's ambition was tempered by his unquenchable, sincere, and respectful curiosity about other lands, cultures, people, languages, literature, and science - a remarkably open-minded man for the time. Holman reminds me of a wandering and gregarious Henry David Thoreau, though he was not as philosophical, he was certainly just as fond of intense observation, quiet and solitary contemplation, and sharing his thoughts in written form, even if he wasn't fond of living by a pond.
   
   Holman's travels around the world and his writings would be remarkable even if he were sighted, healthy, and independently wealthy. That he was none of these makes this story not only more fantastic but compulsively readable. At the time, anyone who declared an interest in traveling the world on foot and horseback, alone, for pleasure and curiosity, would have been thought out of his senses and possibly locked up for his own good. But Holman was not out of his senses, even with the loss of his sense of sight. What is even more amazing, partly because it is so understated, is that Holman manages to pull it off without drawing much attention to his blindness or to his own accomplishments. For Holman, the subject is the world, not himself. By all accounts, he was a man with whom people around the world liked to be in company, and it's easy to understand why. But then, as the author states, Holman was a man who could form attachments and perhaps more importantly let them go, as needed. But as much as Holman relied on the hospitality and generosity of people, he never took advantage. He never overstayed his welcome or stayed in any one place merely for comfort or convenience.
   
   I must agree with other reviewers at being surprised that this book is not available on audio. But such things are not controlled by the author or even the publisher. This is a fine book of narrative history and biography, and includes ample excerpts from Holman's writings. There are also chapter notes and a bibliography, but strangely, no index in the hardback edition I read.



2. It amazes me that such a highly reviewed book about a blind man is not available in audiobook on Amazon! Who better to be inspired by this book than the visually impaired? I was hoping to buy this book for my mother's birthday, but since she is blind she relies on audiobooks, and I will have to search somewhere else.



3. I just finished reading this book and I loved it. Not only did I learn about Mr. Holman's amazing life, but I got a clear sense of the period in which he lived. All in all a great read. I recommend it to all, but especially those who love history.



4. I have just finished reading A Sense of the World, which I found while aimlessly wandering around Borders one day. What an amazing book.
   
   This book is a fascinating, real-life adventure story. It introduces the reader to James Holman, an inspirational man who ignored both physical & financial constraints to follow his dream of circumnavigating the world. It also brings to life early 19th century England, and the experience of travelling to Europe & way, way beyond.
   
   On top of that, it is an extremely well-written biography, entertaining, informative, respectful & true to its subject. I hope to read more of Jason Roberts' books in future.



5. Jason Roberts does an exquisite job of research on a man whose very own autobiography most likely was thrown away after being stored in a madhouse owned by Holman's friend for several decades. Hats off to Roberts for so thoroughly researching this amazing man, but now about Holman himself.
   
   Roberts does an excellent job of portraying James Holman's early life as a lieutenant on a ship in the Americas, getting his first taste of the world and exploration. Holman lost his sight in his mid 20's from what we later learn is most likely idiopathic blindness, meaning there is really no explanation for exactly why he went blind.
   
   Holman made several trips, first attempting to circumnavigate the world east through Siberia and Russia, only to be turned back after being suspected of being a spy. He would later begin his true circumnavigation of the world westward to confuse people because he was all too cognizant that there were many who would have held him back from doing so because of his condition. Yet deep down, he was not a man whose nature allowed him to stay in one place for very long. His circumnavigation was later published in a book entitled A Voyage Round the World.
   
   The mere fact that he completed several trips encompassing a total of 250,000 miles, with one total circumnavigation of the globe is remarkable enough. But the fact that he did all of this in the early 19th Century as a blind man is what makes his story so astounding. And it is made even moreso by the fact that he liked to undertake his journeys alone, and without understanding the language of the countries in which he traveled, but rather picking it up as he went along. And he lived in a time when there were no special accommodations made for the blind. En total, remarkable does not begin to describe what he did.
   
   James Holman put all of his thoughts to paper via a Noctograph, a device used to aid the transcription for the blind. He would carry this with him the world over, and detail every nuance, down to the paint on tribal peoples' faces, so detailed in fact that it was more thorough and descriptive than that of his contemporaries who also wrote travel essays. Charles Darwin even used his writings as a reference.
   
   The one criticism one could make of A Sense of the World is the fact that it is exhaustively detailed in the early part of Holman's life but much less so in the later years. But again, this is probably due to the paucity of references Roberts had to work with in putting this work together, as I am sure he would have been more thorough if indeed he had been able to provide us with those details, as Roberts' respect and admiration for the man shows in his writing on every page.
   
   James Holman was truly an exceptional man. You would be well advised to get to know this remarkable person, who almost went by the wayside of history.
   
   One of the best biographies I have ever read.

5 comments about Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster.

1. I remember the spring of 1996 and the Everest disasters very well. I was stuck in traffic when a writer named Jon Krakauer was briefly interviewed on NPR when he first returned as one of the survivors of a deadly climb. I had never given mountaineering or Everest much thought but the drama, and especially Krakauer's traumatized voice, inspired a curiosity I've only now actually pursued by reading this book.
   
   If you have ever been at a popular tourist spot when several buses pulled up and disgorged different tours, you have the picture of what mountaineering on Everest had become by 1996. The golden era of exploration and mountaineering on Everest was over. Commercial expeditions charging $65,000 a head would take up clients who could pay, not necessarily those who were vetted mountaineers. Base Camp was a cross between a vanity fair and a scout jubilee. Krakauer, a practiced climber who was commissioned by Outside Magazine to write about the experience, had signed on with an ethical and highly skilled outfit. There was, to the climbers, little warning that anything could go wrong. Across the next several weeks, the climbers moved slowly up the mountain, becoming acclimated. Perhaps the first clue of the reality of Everest was encountering dead bodies from previous years that had simply been left behind. The 1996 groups kept going. The ravages of altitude sickness, the increasing consumption of oxygen canisters, and the physical punishment should have been more flags. The day scheduled for achieving the summit became a train wreck of bad choices, rejection of basic guidelines such as turn around times, altitude sickness, and the surprise of a subzero storm that suddenly grabbed the top of the world with hurricane force. The scramble for survival meant, in some cases, abandoning people for dead on the mountain, people who had become comrades on the ropes. Krakauer documents incredible stories of heroism and survival, as well as the death toll and permanent physical injuries incurred by some.
   
   Krakauer is an astonishing writer who does a good job of sorting out a confusing series of events. Realizing the limitations of one person's memory in the midst of a traumatic experience that has bequeathed a sense of guilt, he went back and interviewed other survivors to get at the truth. Although he never imposes overarching themes on the narrative, his story illustrates classic conflicts as humans are seen tempting mortality on the grandest scale on earth. The more they push their human capacities, the more the mountain seems determined to push the climbers down into their very flawed human place. In the end, this is not so much a tour of a mountain as it is an exploration of humanity. There are a lot of Monday morning quarterbacks pointing fingers at those who survived, and some are pointed weakly at Krakauer, but I found this to be very evenly handled.



2. Krakauer said entirely untrue things about Anatoli Boukreev, one of the greatest mountaineers who ever lived, and the hero of the expedition. Boukreev wrote a book, THE CLIMB, about the same trek, explaining why he did what he did, but it wasn't as popular because his writing wasn't as polished as Krakauer's. There is no doubt that Boukreev single handedly rescued three of the climbers during a raging blizzard, climbers who would have died otherwise. I was reading THE CLIMB while on the Annapurna trek in 1999. I reached Annapurna base camp, and there was a memorial to Anatoli Boukreev, who had been killed in an avalanche while climbing Annapurna only 1 year 9 months before. I had no idea this memorial was there, and was awed and humbled by the combination of reading Boukreev's book, seeing his memorial and being in the same area where he had recently been killed. Boukreev should never have been ridiculed by Krakaur. Boukreev was one of the greatest climbers who ever lived, and he knew what he was doing.
   
   I believe Boukreev's words should be taken into account. They are quoted below:
   
   "I am writing because I think Jon Krakauer's "Into Thin Air," which appeared in [the September, 1996 issue of Outside Magazine], was unjustly critical of my decisions and actions on Mount Everest on May 10, 1996. While I have respect for Mr. Krakauer, share some of his opinions about high altitude guiding and believe he did everything within his power to assist fellow climbers on that tragic day on Everest, I believe his lack of proximity to certain events and his limited experience at high altitude may have gotten in the way of his ability to objectively evaluate the events of summit day.
   
   My decisions and actions were based upon more than twenty years of high altitude climbing experience. In my career I have summitted Everest three times. I have twelve times summitted mountains over 8,000 meters. I have summitted seven of the world's fourteen mountains over 8,000 meters in elevation, all of those without the use of supplementary oxygen. This experience, I can appreciate, is not response enough to the questions raised by Mr. Krakauer, so I offer the following details.
   
   After fixing the ropes and breaking the trail to the summit, I stayed at the top of Everest from 1:07 PM. until approximately 2:30 PM., waiting for other climbers to summit. During that time only two client climbers made the top. They were Klev Schoening, seen in the summit photograph (pages 46-47) taken by me, and Martin Adams, both of them from Scott Fischer's expedition. Concerned that others were not coming onto the summit and because I had no radio link to those below me, I began to wonder if there were difficulties down the mountain. I made the decision to descend.
   
   Just below the summit I encountered Rob Hall, the expedition leader from New Zealand, who appeared to be in good shape. Then I passed four of Scott Fischer's client climbers and four of his expedition's Sherpas, all of whom were ascending. They all appeared to be alright. Above the Hillary Step I saw and talked with Scott Fischer, who was tired and laboring, but he said he was just a little sick. There was no apparent sign of difficulty, although I had begun to suspect that his oxygen supply was, then, already depleted. I said to Scott that the ascent seemed to be going slowly and that I was concerned descending climbers could possibly run out of oxygen before their return to camp IV. I explained I wanted to descend as quickly as possible to camp IV in order to warm myself and gather a supply of hot drink and oxygen in the event I might need to go back up the mountain to assist descending climbers. Scott, as had Rob Hall immediately before him, said "OK" to this plan.
   
   I felt comfortable with the decision, knowing that four Sherpas, Neal Beidleman (like me, a guide), Rob Hall and Scott Fischer would be bringing up the rear to sweep the clients to camp IV. Understand, at this time there were no clear indications that the weather was going to change and deteriorate as rapidly as it did.
   
   Given my decision: (1) I was able to return to camp IV by shortly after 5:00 PM. (Slowed by the advancing storm), gather supplies and oxygen and, by 6:00 PM., begin my solo effort in the onset of a blizzard to locate straggling climbers; and (2) I was able, Finally, to locate lost and huddled climbers, re-supply them with oxygen, offer them warming tea and provide them the physical support and strength necessary to get them to the safety of camp IV.
   
   Also, Mr. Krakauer raised a question about my climbing without oxygen and suggested that perhaps my effectiveness was compromised by that decision. In the history of my career, as I have detailed it above, it has been my practice to climb without supplementary oxygen. In my experience it is safer for me, once acclimatized, to climb without oxygen in order to avoid the sudden loss of acclimatization that occurs when supplementary oxygen supplies are depleted.
   
   My particular physiology, my years of high altitude climbing, my discipline, the commitment I make to proper acclimatization and the knowledge I have of my own capacities have always made me comfortable with this choice. And, Scott Fischer was comfortable with this choice as well. He authorized me to climb without supplementary oxygen.
   
   To this I would add: As a precautionary measure, in the event that some extraordinary demand was placed upon me on summit day, I was carrying one (1) bottle of supplementary oxygen, a mask and a reductor. As I was ascending, I was for a while climbing with Neal Beidleman. At 8,500 meters, after monitoring my condition and feeling that it was good, I elected to give my bottle of oxygen to Neal, about whose personal supply I was concerned. Given the power that Neal was able to sustain in his later efforts to bring clients down the mountain, I feel it was the right decision to have made.
   
   Lastly, Mr. Krakauer raised a question about how I was dressed on summit day, suggesting I was not adequately protected from the elements. A review of summit day photographs will show that I was clothed in the latest, highest quality, high altitude gear, comparable, if not better, than that worn by the other members of our expedition.
   
   In closing, I would like to say that since May 10, 1996, Mr. Krakauer and I have had many opportunities to reflect upon our respective experiences and memories. I have considered what might have happened had I not made a rapid descent. My opinion: Given the weather conditions and the lack of visibility that developed, I think it likely I would have died with the client climbers that in the early hours of May 11, I was able to find and bring to camp IV, or I would have had to have left them on the mountain to go for help in camp IV where, as was in the reality of events that unfolded, there was nobody able or willing to conduct rescue efforts.
   
   I know Mr. Krakauer, like me, grieves and feels profoundly the loss of our fellow climbers. We both wish that events would have unfolded in a very different way. What we can do now is contribute to a clearer understanding of what happened that day on Everest in the hope that the lessons to be learned will reduce the risk for others who, like us, take on the challenge of the mountains. I extend my hand to him and encourage that effort."
   
   My personal regards,
   Anatoli Boukreev
   Almaty, Kazakhstan
   
   Anatoli Boukreev was killed in an avalanche December of 1997 on a winter ascent of Annapurna.



3. If you are interested in mountain climbing, and have not read this book, run right out and purchase it. The same is true, if you are a fan of non-fiction adventure stories where man is struggling for survival. This story tells of the disastrous events on Mount Everest in May of 1996, when eight people died in one storm while trying to summit. If you are thinking of reading only one book on this subject, then this is the book for you. The telling of the events that spelled out death for some, and life for others, is a first hand narration by Jon Krakauer, who was on the mountain to write a magazine article when the tragic events took place. You will not only learn about the events of 1996, but you will also learn how mountain climbing has become a profitable business, where clients pay large sums of money to have a chance to get to the top. In some case this guided climbing can help someone's dream that may have otherwise been impossible, come true. Still, in some cases there are clients who just shouldn't be attempting such a climb. I was surprised to come to an understanding that the mountain may actually become crowded, with lines of climbers waiting to traverse some tricky areas of the climb. Krakauer's analysis of the events, and his telling of the story reads like a novel. Although I knew basically how the story would end, even before beginning the book, I still found it to be a page-turner.



4. In May 1996, a rogue storm killed nine climbers on Mount Everest, several of them from an expedition led by Rob Hall of New Zealand, the others from an expedition led by American Scott Fischer. Hall and Fischer were themselves counted among the victims. One of the survivors from Hall's expedition was John Krakauer, a writer from Outside Magazine, who had volunteered to go on the expedition to research and write a story on the commercialization of Everest.
   
   Krakauer was no inexperienced novice, having been a climber for over 30 years at the time of the expedition, and that is part of what makes his telling of the story particularly compelling. He had the background and personal experience necessary to write the story in a way that someone who had never climbed a mountain could not. And he was there when the disaster happened, observing with a writer's eye for details.
   
   I have never had any desire to climb a mountain, nor any real knowledge of mountain climbing, despite living near some of the most-climbed peaks in the Pacific Northwest - Mount Rainier and Mount Hood. I didn't pay much attention to the Everest disaster at the time, and all I remembered hearing before reading Krakauer's book was that some guy was able to call his wife on the phone from the top of Everest right before he died. Perhaps it was my recent unexplained interest in disaster stories that led me to Into Thin Air a few weeks ago, twelve years after the Everest disaster.
   
   In the author's note at the end of the book, Krakauer writes, "My intent ... was to tell what happened on the mountain as accurately and honestly as possible, and to do it in a sensitive and respectful manner." Krakauer succeeds in this admirably. There are no "bad guys" in this book, just real human beings who did the best they could in unexpected and calamitous circumstances. The book is not about blame, but about understanding what happened.
   
   Albeit through Krakauer's eyes, we get to know many of the climbers from Hall's and Fischer's expeditions as they prepare to ascend the mountain: a postal worker making his second attempt at Everest, an attorney who had climbed six of the Seven Summits, a pathologist, a publisher who had attempted Everest three times, an anesthesiologist, a cardiologist, a 47-year old Japanese woman, a female "millionaire socialite-cum-climber," among others. Most of the climbers had had at least some high-altitude climbing experience. We also get to know the leaders and guides for both expeditions, most of whom were very experienced climbers. These were expeditions that should have succeeded.
   
   The immediacy of Krakauer's writing, as he relives every day, every hour, and sometimes every minute of the experience, conveys the hard work involved in climbing to the peak of Everest and the desire that drove the climbers on, until a sudden turn in the weather left them struggling to stay alive in a hostile environment where they only had themselves to depend upon.
   
   No one seemed aware of the approaching storm. Some bad decisions were made. Mistakes and more bad decisions were made by men and women weakened both physically and mentally by the elements. In the end, some of the most experienced people failed to survive, while other less experienced people miraculously did.
   
   This is a true and tragic story that's not easily forgotten, especially by Krakauer, who ends his introduction to the book by confessing, "I was a party to the death of good people, which is something that is apt to remain on my conscience for a very long time." This is a story Krakauer had to tell in the way that only he could, and I for one am glad he shared it with us.



5. I saw the Frontline documentary "Storm over Everest" by David Brashears which features interviews with several of the individuals mentioned in the book. You definitely get two different perspectives when watching the documentary and reading this book, but both accounts are riveting. I found myself pulling for the characters throughout the book, and I was exhausted when I finished.

2 comments about Birdwatcher: The Life of Roger Tory Peterson.

1. This is an accurate and vital portrait of Roger Tory Peterson. The author brings the visionary artist/conservationist back to life: She interviewed over 100 surviving colleagues and proteges, so the book is full of excellent quotes and great stories. She also quotes extensively from RTP's writings. The result feels alive, not dry or academic. It is a remarkable form of biography, and is also carefully accurate in my experience. One gets a sense of how environmental education and conservation were done: The field guides; the DDT story; restoration of endangered birds such as the Peregrine Falcon (and RTP's similar vision for the California Condor); and great land conservation campaigns such as the Coto Donana in Spain; are all carefully and colorfully documented. This is great reading, and it is an engaging book for students too.



2. Roger Tory Peterson is the most famous birdwatcher in history. 2008 is the 100th anniversary of his birth, and what better way to celebrate it than by learning more about the man himself?
   
   After reading this book, you will not only find out much about Peterson's life and accomplishments, but you will come to know the man personally. The biographer conducted extensive interviews with his relatives, friends, and disciples (or in some cases their spouses or children). Their voice, often in the form of direct quotes, permeates the book. This was a very effective technique, and contributed much to the reader's growing sense of familiarity with Peterson.
   
   Instead of being organized in a stricly chronological order, Rosenthal instead organizes much of the book by topic. When Peterson's life started branching out in many directions, they are focused on seperately. Thus, there are chapters on conservation efforts, travels, the continuing saga of the field guides, and the people that he influenced. With the exception of that last one, which seemed very incongruously placed, the story still flows in a very understandable fashion. This organization, instead of being confusing, actually helped keep me engaged and interested.
   
   Overall, Birdwatcher is a well-written and enjoyable look at the life of the most famous birder in history. After reading this biography, I certainly know much more about Roger Tory Peterson's life and accomplishments. But what's more, I feel like I got to know the man himself. If you would like to do the same, this book is a great way to do so.

5 comments about Medicine Woman.

1. The first of Lynn Andrews books that I had ever read. I couldn't put this down, I am now a Lynn Andrews fan. It gives you pleanty to think about or it could just be a fantistic read.



2. I just pulled out my copy of this book to read ready and was struck by how applicable it is for me today at my journey (54) as it was when I was 40.
   
   Particularly useful for women who may have lead a protected life, this is helpful to help one examine one's fears and anxieties about putting oneself out into the world where one can be "seen" by others!



3. I found this book and was so impressed with beauty and challenges and sacrifices that the writer allowed herself to go through to learn the old ways of the red road and the native american medicine way all her books i have read are great this one the first my favorite ... JG



4. I love this book and have recommended it to many people over the years. It's an adventure, a spiritual tome, a wonderful intro to Native American wisdom and lore, and just a hell of a fun read! It is most important to begin with this book, since everything else Ms Andrews has penned, has sprung from this effort. Have a good time and tell others of this exceptional story. Additionally, have fun deciding whether or not this is fiction or non-fiction!



5. If you enjoy learning about spirituality in all different cultures, then you will love this true story by Lynn Andrews. It's definitely a woman-power book, but I'm sure it will hold some truth for men too.

5 comments about The Story of My Life (Penguin Classics).

1. I gave this book four stars only because Casanova is such a well-known figure whose name has actually entered the English language. The book is a supposed autobiography and Casanova's sexual escapades and has much more in common with Baron von Munchhausen's fanciful tales than they do with reality. Casanova, who regarded himself as an artistic man of letters, tells literally unbelievable stories on himself. I especially like the tale in which a town's physician tells him to return "anytime" because he's infected half the women in the city with venereal diseases!
   
   The whole thing is one long dirty joke and, if you believe this thing, the joke is on you and Casanova gets the last laugh.
   
   Ron Braithwaite author of novels--"Skull Rack" and "Hummingbird God"--on the Spanish Conquest of Mexico



2. There are dozens of different versions of this book, and they are all DRAMATICALLY different. Do not buy this "Penguin Classics" edition!!!!!!!!!
   
   It is horrible! All the good parts have been "abridged" out of it.
   
   
   This is one of the silliest ideas I ever heard-but Penguin apparently tried to "clean up" Casanova. They have removed most of his stories about seduction from his auto-biography! Since Casanova was the world's greatest lover, I don't know why they think anyone would want the book except to read about seductions but those are exactly the parts they took out!
   
   Only Penguin could make Casanova boring.
   
   Buy a different edition of the book!



3. I love reading about Casanova's exploits, so I bought this copy for my collection. The pages are durable and strong, the spine doesn't bend or break like some books tend to do, so you end up with that funny "bump", you know what I mean? The text is legible and large enough, the font is a good choice. The front photo is cute to look at, and it doesn't fade. Over all, an excellent copy of this often reprinted story.



4. Giacomo Casanova (his name has become synonymous with that of a fiery amatory male!) was born in 1725. Somehow he managed to live until 1798 in a life which would make many people tired by just reading about his countless adventures!
   Among his many avocations was that of priest; soldier; courtier; gambler; violinist; spy;translator and famed author. Casanova managed to cram several lifetimes into his 73 wild years. If you want to follow this ultimate rake across the world be prepared to visit Italy, Germany,England,France, Spain, Switzerland, the Ottoman Empire of Turkey and Russia. Along the roue's route he met such luminaries as Voltaire, Frederick the Great and Catherine the Great.
   Casanova a serial lover of the fair and innocent maidens he seduce dwith wit, charm and seductive skills. He was imprisoned at times always managing a daring escape or the ability to have friends in high place save his love machine hide. He was no dunce being able to write and converse in many languages. His autobiography was written in French being widely published in his lifetime and ever since.
   The Penguin edition is an abridgement of his monumental work which in its entirety would swell to over 3,000 pages. The translators add material which connects the episodes. The book is filled with colorful characters; excellent descriptions of what Europe was like among the elite and filled with enough sex scenes to keep the reader searching for more.
   Casanova was not someone you would want your daughter to bring home to meet her family. He would make an excellent guest on the TV chat shows!
   Enjoy a few hours of pure escapism with this famous work!



5. I found the book delightful. Not so much all of Casanova's exploits, they became a bit boring in time, but the descriptions of life around him, the rentals of houses, rooms, parlors, the modes of transportation, the meetings with others, the management of money, they were told splendidly and believably. The now so popular movie can't do justice to the story told in the book. Even the advertisements are bad. No one ever called Casanova a "pig."
   
   For anyone who likes to explore living situations of any class of people in the past, this is a great book.

5 comments about Captain James Cook.

1. I knew a few things about the three voyages of Captain Cook so I decided to read his biography. Well I think I chose right, the author vividly tells the fascinating story of a brave man and his explorations in the pacific and South seas that you just don't want to stop reading, full of adventure and totally enjoyable.
   In each voyage they were away from home almost three years, exploring mostly the polynesian islands, tahiti, new zealand and the fatal Hawai. They were also in the east coast of Australia, Eastern Island, Tierra del Fuego and Cape Horn. I wish I have the opportunity to meet all theses places.
   
   Another great british explorer.



2. Destiny. Some people possess an innate psyche as to what they want to do in life. James Cook would be one of those people. From his days as a youth working in an English seaside shop, Cook dreamed of sailing in a ship to discover other lands and people. He did it, becoming one of England's greatest navigators.
   Richard Hough effects a daring read of this fascinating man. With firsthand quotes from the men who were on Cook's three voyages, the book is complete of adventure, misfortunes, perilous storms, native peoples with their ensuing customs and demeanor, geographical descriptions, disorientation, cannibalism, scurvy outbreaks, etc.
   He joined the Royal Navy and worked his way up the ranks becoming surveyor in eastern Canada. With honor and distinction from these years of service, he accepts a position to captain an expedition to the South Pacific for exploration and to study the Transit of Venus for astronomical observations.
   With accolades from this voyage, Cook is again asked to lead an expedition to the South Pacific in order to discover and survey the South Pole. Adventure after adventure follows.
   His third and final voyage is to locate the mythical northwest passage by first journeying east around the Cape of Good Hope and then straight north through Hawaii to the northwest coast of North America. We see during this final expedition that due to a possible parasitic intestinal infection from his previous voyage, Cook's character and conduct is unbecoming of him and at times his behavior is unrestrained. He meets his final days at the hands of Hawaiian natives.
   A discerning look into an accomplished and extraordinary man.



3. When I read this book, I was fascinated by the story of Cook's life (who wouldn't be?) but I was sure this book was a reprint of some turn of the 19th/20th century author. But no, it was published in 1995. So where does this guy get that Australian aborigines are negrotoid and Inuits are mongoloid? Has he read any recent anthropology? Does he still believe in phrenology? He seems not to have read anything besides Beaglehole's biography and Beaglehole's editions of the journals, except for a few other journals by the crew. There is no historiography and no analysis. This book was originally a manuscript Hough found in a Victorian attic, I am sure of it!



4. We Aussies have a great deal of affection for dear old Captain Cook, who mapped our east coast whilst exploring the pacific. This book traces Cook's life and long career in an expert and readable fashion. Cook never advanced as rapidly as Lord Nelson, and traded in strictly military missions for other roles of importance to the Admiralty. But, as this fine biography shows, he stands alongside Nelson as a great British naval hero.



5. Before Captain Cook left on his first Voyage of Discovery, 40% of the Earth's surface had not been mapped. By the time he died - eaten by the Hawaiians, with only his thigh bone and uneated hands, one of them bearing a recognizable scar, delivered back to the ship - he had mapped essentially all of the unknown surface of the Earth. This biography is beautifully written. A few months ago I was sitting at a bar in Cook Islands, reading this book, and a local said to me that he had bought about 20 copies to hand out to his boatie friends. You are in for hours of discovery and enjoyment.

5 comments about A Man's Life: Dispatches from Dangerous Places.

1. If you like to read of adventure travel then you do not want to miss this book. If you are already familiar with Mark Jenkins you will definitely not want to miss this book. Jenkins has the ability to transport you along on his journeys with him. You finish one chapter fatigued from a 100 mile bike ride and the next overwhelmed by the beauty of a summit view at 15,000 feet. He has a writing style that conveys the sights, sounds and emotions of the moment without sounding cliched and sappy. In one chapter he writes of a Lithuanian friend whom he felt an instant connection with when they first met. You will feel that same connection with Jenkins when you read this book.



2. This is a book any outdoorsman would enjoy. It is full of adventure and outdoor experiences.



3. It was this book's subtitle that first captured my attention -- Dispatches from Dangerous Places. If you like great travel writing, you'll really enjoy Mark Jenkins's A Man's Life. Jenkins walks across northern Afghanistan, following Marco Polo's ancient route. He bicycles across Lithuania with a friend he met there years before. He climbs Mont Blanc and explores deep inside Icelandic glaciers. Some climbs are aborted short of the summit, but Jenkins wisely learns to accept such failures. This from the book's dust cover: "The tales in A Man's Life explore the razor's edge between life and death, as well as the nature of love and friendship, failure and redemption. Together they unite Jenkins's stunning travels with his lucid contemplations on the meaning of it all." This is very good travel writing -- definitely worth a read.



4. Mark Jenkins is my favorite author. I have read all of his books, and this one and Off the Map are my favorites. Buy this simply because Mark Jenkins is one of the most incredible authors ever. Period.



5. While I'd read and enjoyed Mark Jenkins's writings in "Outside" magazine for a long time, this is the first of his books I've read and I was sorry that it had to come to an end. I now look forward to reading his older books. Jenkins's writing style makes for easy, enjoyable reading and his adventures that he shares make me wish I've experienced even half as much as he has in his life - although there are a few sufferfests and life-threatening chapters I would be happy to pass on, such as his attempt to follow a historic route in Southeast Asia which involved getting past an outpost of Burmese soldiers who were itching to kill him. If you like outdoor/adventure stories, you'll love this book.

2 comments about The Narrative of Cabeza de Vaca.

1. You can take it from the head of the cow: America is a lot different than the Europhile blowhards from the International School say. This epic journey of a quasi- transcontinental romp is not for the faint-hearted or loose-boweled....this is some scary stuff. Few books are a exhilirating as this one. Pitch your tent and start reading!



2. I bought this after reading a little about Cabeza de Vaca in another book (Richard Grant's American Nomads--check it out). It was worth reading if you have an interest in these kinds of things: whether its history, exploration, and discovery that interest you, or wandering, roughing it, and exciting stories of survival.
   
   I haven't looked at any other versions of this book, so I don't have anything to compare it to. That being said, this version did have a lot of background, in the forms of introductory material as well as footnotes. These were both helpful and cumbersome. A lot of the footnotes were essentially useless for my purpose in reading the book. I just wanted the story-- I didn't really care about the exact locations and time frames, which is what a lot of the footnotes were about. But I'm sure that if you were doing something more scholarly with the book, the footnotes would be invaluable.
   
   One of it's most interesting features to me was Cabeza de Vaca's thinking. By today's standards, he's still a racist, but for his time, he's outrageously sympathetic to the Indians and their ways of life. He tries to see the reasons behind actions that his civilized contemporaries would instantly dismiss as savage.
   
   It's a great story. A Spanish exploration goes bad, and the few survivors fight against the odds and eventually make it out alive after walking across North America. It's a true story that would put the best Hollywood screenwriter to shame. But like a lot of firsthand accounts from that time period, it can be kind of dense. I got used to that, but it did take a little time. On the plus side, the story doesn't really take off until a little ways into the book, so you can use the first part to get used to the writing style.

5 comments about Blue Latitudes: Boldly Going Where Captain Cook Has Gone Before.

1. While this is one of his earlier books, i just discovered this author and love his interplay of current experience and history. As in his other works, a new level of understanding emerges about the earliest interplay of European contact with the native peoples and, unfortunately, the consequences that are with us today. Highly recommended.



2. Horwitz's gambit is to retrace Cook's voyages as he chronicles his life. It's a good idea, and it's interesting (if depressing) to learn what Cook's stops have turned into. (Tahiti, once a paradise, is now a shabby tourist trap.) Horwitz's own explorations are given equal time to Cook's, which means that the biography of Cook is somewhat less detailed than you might want it to be. But he's an engaging writer.
   
   Check my list, "Books About Explorers," for more recommendations.



3. Well, consider paradise thoroughly debunked, between Horwitz's far-ranging journeys of disassembly here and J. Maartin Troost's more narrowly focused The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific about real life on a South Pacific speck.
   
   Horwitz applies his witty and accessible style to a popular cultural, anthropological, historical, and gastronomical view of Cook's travel stops and his impact on them. He even finds parallels to his earlier "Confederates in the Attic" (see my review there) in the way that the distant descendants of both English and native island-dwellers see their shared and separate histories. On these journeys, covering a wider geographic and ethnic range, Horwitz finds more room to spread his reportorial wings, and the results can be hilarious.
   
   He is also often joined by an often-drunk Australian friend (Horwitz is married to an Australian and lived there for a few years), and the interplay between the two and the sights and people they meet on the way adds to the insights and insanity that ensues. But throughout the book, Horwitz weaves the background of Cook and his ships, crews, and journeys so that we learn more than we realize.
   
   If you are interested in a more narrowly focused biography of Cook, consider (in addition to the ones Horowitz lists in his biography) Cook : The Extraordinary Voyages of Captain James Cook by Nicholas Thomas, which I review there and which came out shortly after Blue Latitudes.



4. Blue latitudes is an excellent book about Cook's adventures in the Pacific and about the person Cook. Mr. Horwitz entertains in a marvolous way and as a reader one feels to the core the atmosphere of the places visted by Cook and how they have changed today. One feels, having read the book, the inclination to further explore Cook and his travels.



5. In Blue Latitudes journalist Tony Horwitz follows in the footsteps of Captain Cook, beginning with a week working as a member of the crew on board a replica of Cook's ship Endeavor. I'd always thought of Cook as this stereotypical British officer, all his buttons properly polished and looking down a very long nose at all these dreadful loincloth-clad natives. In fact, Cook was born in a pigsty, was subject in his youth to a strong Quaker influence, and worked his way up from shoveling coal to captain in the British Navy. He wrote about the aboriginal people he met with respect and admiration. His name is now a bad word all over the Pacific, but in truth Cook was the best white man they'd ever meet. This already lively narrative is made more so by Horwitz' travelling buddy Roger, one of the most cynical and funniest guys ever to walk through the pages of a book.

5 comments about Touch the Top of the World: A Blind Man's Journey to Climb Farther than the Eye Can See: My Story.

1. About eight months ago (from the time of writing this review) my wife lost her eyesight. Knowing about Erik Weihenmayer from a Travel Channel special that included a segment about his leading the Global Explorers annual trek to Machu Picchu, I actually wrote his website in the hopes of getting someone there to give me ideas about how to help my wife enjoy the outdoors again. Little did I know I'd be hearing from Mr. Weihenmayer himself. He was truly gracious and helpful, and both he and some other folks from his site and Global Explorers suggested I give this book a look.
   
   I purchased this along with Sabriye Tenberken's "My Path Leads to Tibet." What I was hoping for was not so much the usual "inspirational" stories that make soccer moms cry when Oprah tells them to read this book but the day-to-day details that would give me insights into what my wife was experiencing and what I could do to help. "Tibet" provided some details, but didn't really cover a lot about how a person deals with losing their eyesight or what they learn about to adapt.
   
   Mr. Weihenmayer's book, however, provides a LOT of details about how he felt as he lost his sight and some decent information about how he learned t adapt. In fact, I used several of the things he mentions in his book to help my wife start adjusting. For example, he describes how his mother would make him put away the groceries that he liked (fruit, cereal, cookies, etc.) so he knew exactly where they were. On our next grocery trip, I laid out all of the foods that were mostly hers, or that she used a lot, and let her put them away. Those of us that have family and friends that have lost their eyesight, there can be a line to walk between wanting to limit their challenges as they adapt and thrusting challenges upon them so that they CAN adapt. This book provides enough insight into some of the challenges that can be helpful that it can give the reader ideas about how to help their blind friends and/or family.
   
   Likewise, Mr. Weihenmayer describes his adjustment to losing his eyesight with a combination of humor and bluntness that people who have lost their eyesight can sympathize one moment and laugh the next. I tracked down a copy on tape for my wife, and we actually listened to it while driving back and forth from the school for the blind she will be attending to learn the adaptive skills and technologies needed to get back into her career. It helped provide her with the understanding that her feelings, frustration, anger, and such were normal - that she was not the only one that had had these thoughts or moments. We're so inundated with mental pablum from the Lifetime and Hallmark channels' made-for-TV-movies about such things that many think they're supposed to face loosing their eyesight with the quiet, southern-belleesque dignity of Scarlet O'Hara or some garbage. No. There's times you want to bawl your eyes out and yell, "This sucks!!!! Why me!!?!?!!?!?" And that's okay.
   
   Mr. Weihenmayer's book helps show that such moments are perfectly normal. But he also shows how people eventually move on and learn to reclaim their lives. It should be noted, however, that the American Foundation for the Blind's credo mentions in part that, while there are exceptional people like Mr. Weihenmayer, the accomplishments of "normal" blind people are no less extraordinary. You don't have to climb Mt. Everest to be exceptional or inspirational as a blind person. Simply reclaiming your life as a human being in a world that is still rather unfriendly to blind people (seriously... you're set for life if your 400lbs and need a scooter, but you're still pretty much on your own if your blind) is no less awe-inspiring than climbing a mountain.
   
   If you know someone that has gone blind, or if you yourself have gone blind, pick up this book. Honestly I found the day-to-day details more interesting and helpful than the latter one-third that focused mostly on his climbing. But, that's because the first half to two-thirds focused more on the stuff I was actually reading it for.



2. I was disappointed in this book. I love to read about Everest and those who climb it, but this book was dry and too much about the authors whole life and not much about his Everest adventure.



3. I saw Erik speak last year and received a copy of this book. It sat on my bookshelf for a long time until I had a chance to read it! I loved hearing his stories when I saw him speak, but the book goes much further and provides a treasure trove of great anecdotes of how he has refused to sit back and be led through life. Erik's tales weave a tapestry of courageous and compassionate acts that are an inspiration to anyone who's ever climbed a mountain or reached for a goal "because it was there". I highly recommend it!



4. This was definately an interesting book, and it kept my interest. In the midst of so many mountaineering books that are often similar, this offers a substantially different perspective. Few of us would have the skill or determination to climb even one of the seven summits. The author, however, summits four...blind. That being said, I didn't particularly care for his writing style. It seemed fragmented and did not have a lot of continuity, at times I had to reread sections to determine what he was talking about. Also, as someone else mentioned, it would have been more impressive if he had waited until he completed all seven summits before he wrote the book. Most of all, I thought the repeated sexual references did nothing to enhance the story. Whether it was referring to the computer game they played at the camp for the blind, his exchanges with the various guides, or whatever, they were really unnecessary. Repeating middle and high school dirty phrases was not impressive either. If his intention was to inspire and impress us with his mountaineering feats, then those references did not help his cause.



5. Erik spoke at the American Dental Assoc. conference in Denver where my husband got the
   chance to meet him. He autographed a copy of the book "To Gray, Reach!".
   
   I happened upon it while cleaning last week and was immediately intrigued. I
   used to rock climb but have not been actively involved in the sport for a
   couple years. Anyway, I have never written to any author before but was so
   impressed with Erik's gift of story telling that I had to write. He is one
   funny dude. I laughed out loud at his adventures and dialog with his
   climibing partners. It brought back fond memories of previous climbing trips
   and the fun times I shared with my climbing buddies. I will probably never
   climb any of the seven summits but was able to enjoy expericing these climbs
   through his words.
   
   I am an Occupational Therapist and meet people everyday in my work that
   exhibit self-limiting behavior that prevents them from living full,
   enriched, healthy lives. I am going to recommend Erik's book to encourage
   others to REACH! Thanks for a great book! What a refreshing way to look at
   life...