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The Way of Wanderlust
by Don GeorgeAs a professional travel writer and editor for the past 40 years, Don George has been paid to explore the world. Through the decades, his articles have been published in magazines, newspapers, and websites around the globe and have won more awards than almost any other travel writer alive, yet his pieces have never been collected into one volume. The Way of Wanderlust: The Best Travel Writing of Don George fills this void with a moving and inspiring collection of tales and reflections from one of America’s most acclaimed and beloved travel writers. From his high-spirited account of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro on a whim when he was 22 years old to his heart-plucking description of a home-stay in a muddy compound in Cambodia as a 61-year-old, this collection ranges widely. As renowned for his insightful observations as for his poetic prose, George always absorbs the essence of the places he’s visiting. Other stories here include a moving encounter with Australia’s sacred red rock monolith, Uluru; an immersion in country kindness on the Japanese island of Shikoku; the trials and triumphs of ascending Yosemite’s Half Dome with his wife and children; and a magical morning at Machu Picchu.
The Way of Whisky: A Journey Around Japanese Whisky
by Dave BroomWinner of the André Simon John Avery award'This book is incredible' - Alex KratenaAn in-depth, personal journey around Japan's whisky distilleries.Award-winning author and Japanese whisky expert, Dave Broom, tells their story and unveils the philosophy that lies behind this fascinating whisky culture, and how it relates to many Japanese concepts. Dave looks at the history and output of each distillery, considering the elements that make that particular whisky what it is, and including tasting notes. Features on aspects of Japanese life and culture that are crucial to a wider understanding, from the importance of the seasons to the role of craftsmanship, add to the picture. And interwoven throughout the book is the fascinating narrative of the journey across Japan which Dave made with photographer Kohei Take, offering further insight into the country which creates this wonderful drink and making this a must-have edition for any whisky lover, whisky drinker, whisky collector or Japanophile.
Way Off the Road: Discovering the Peculiar Charms of Small-Town America
by Bill GeistCelebrated roving correspondent for CBS News Sunday Morning and bestselling author Bill Geist serves up a rollicking look at some small-town Americans and their offbeat ways of life. "In rural Kansas, I asked our motel desk clerk for the name of the best restaurant in the area. After mulling it over, he answered: 'I'd have to say the Texaco, 'cuz the Shell don't have no microwave.'" Throughout his career, Bill Geist's most popular stories have been about slightly odd but loveable individuals. Coming on the heels of his 5,600-mile RV trip across our fair land is Way Off the Road, a hilarious and compelling mix of stories about the folks featured in Geist's segments, along with observations on his twenty years of life on the road. Written in the deadpan style that has endeared him to millions, Geist shares tales of eccentric individuals, such as the ninety-three-year-old pilot-paperboy who delivers to his far-flung subscribers by plane; the Arizona mailman who delivers mail via horseback down the walls of the Grand Canyon; the Muleshoe, Texas, anchorwoman who delivers the news from her bedroom (occasionally wearing her bathrobe); and the struggling Colorado entrepreneur who finds success employing a sewer vacuum to rid Western ranchers of problematic prairie dogs. Geist also takes us to events such as the Mike the Headless Chicken Festival (celebrating an inspiring bird that survived decapitation, hired an agent, and went on the road for eighteen months) and Sundown Days in Hanlontown, Iowa, where the town marks the one day a year when the sun sets directly between the railroad tracks Along the wacky and wonderful way, Geist shows us firsthand how life in fly-over America can be odd, strangely fascinating, hysterical, and anything but boring. "To say it very simply, freezer burn may very well have set in." --neighbor on the frozen dead guy kept on ice in a backyard shed in Nederland, Colorado. "Everybody loves a parade; we were just geographically challenged." --David Harrenstein, organizer of a parade in tiny Whalan, Minnesota, where viewers are in motion and the "marchers" stand still. "We haven't lost anyone off these switchbacks in at least ten days" --Mailman Charlie Chamberlain, leading us on horseback 2,500 feet down the sheer walls of the Grand Canyon. "Ours are the finest cow chips in the world today," --Kirk Fisher, enthusiast, in Beaver, Oklahoma, world cow-chip capital and cow- chip exporter. "We live out in the middle of the corn and bean fields, and there's not a whole lot to get excited about, you know?" --Dan Moretz, on celebrating the day the sun sets in the middle of the railroad tracks in Hanlontown, Iowa. "It's like drilling for oil; sometimes you come up dry." --Gay Balfour, who sucks problematic prairie dogs out of the ground with a sewer vacuum in Cortez, Colorado. "All you have to do is beat the flies to it," --Michael "Roadkill" Coffman on the secrets of cooking with roadkill outside Lawrence, Kansas. "I ain't gonna brake ´til I see God!" --driver named "Red Dog," taking the track at a figure-eight school bus race in Bithlo, Florida. "It's a gift; you either got it or you don't." --Lee Wheelis, world watermelon-seed-spitting champion, Luling, Texas.
The Way Out: A True Story of Ruin and Survival
by Craig ChildsA breakout book from a writer increasingly celebrated as the 21st-century bard of the American Southwest--a writer in the tradition of Barry Lopez, Peter Matthiessen, Terry Tempest Williams, among others. In March 2003, Craig Childs received the Spirit of the West Literary Achievement Award, given to a writer whose body of work captures the unique spirit of the American West. As a chronicle of adventure, as emotionally charged human drama, as confessional memoir, The Way Out is a transcendent book, a work destined to earn a lasting place in the literature of extremes. Not since John Krakauer's bestselling Into the Wild has a book so compellingly explored the boundary between wilderness adventure and madness.
The Wayfarer's Handbook: A Field Guide for the Independent Traveler
by Evan S. RiceAn inventive and visually-appealing passport to the wide world of travel, The Wayfarer's Handbook doesn't tell readers to go anywhere, it shows them how to go everywhere.The Wayfarer's Handbook is a treasure trove of information about the art of travel that is specifically crafted for the modern adventurer. The book is an offbeat guide full of actionable advice, a worldwide exploration reference work, an unconventional collection of world trivia, and an exciting resource of inspiration, all designed for use in a great global adventure.With a visual aesthetic inspired by the look of vintage field guides, The Wayfarer's Handbook is tailor-made for modern readers, providing the distilled essentials of hundreds of interesting topics, presented in a direct and precise but stylish way. This twist on traditional travel genres covers everything from the world's 27 most common travel scams and the fascinating history of hot air balloons to everyday gestures that are offensive in foreign cultures and how to avoid a hippopotamus attack. Sketches, infographics, small maps, and illustrative charts appear throughout, allowing readers to open to any page and discover fascinating new insights into the art of travel.Though The Wayfarer's Handbook is compact enough for the road, it is equally suited to be a gem in the library of anyone interested in exploration.
Wayfaring Stranger: A Musical Journey in the American South
by Emma JohnCan you feel nostalgic for a life you've never known?Suffused with her much-loved warmth and wit, Emma John's memoir follows her moving and memorable journey to master one of the hardest musical styles on earth - and to find her place in an alien world.Emma had fallen out of love with her violin when a chance trip to the American South introduced her to bluegrass music. Classically trained, highly strung and wedded to London life, Emma was about as country as a gin martini. So why did it feel like a homecoming?Answering that question takes Emma deep into the Appalachian mountains, where she uncovers a hidden culture that confounds every expectation - and learns some emotional truths of her own.
Wayfaring Stranger: A Musical Journey in the American South
by Emma JohnCan you feel nostalgic for a life you've never known?Suffused with her much-loved warmth and wit, Emma John's memoir follows her moving and memorable journey to master one of the hardest musical styles on earth - and to find her place in an alien world.Emma had fallen out of love with her violin when a chance trip to the American South introduced her to bluegrass music. Classically trained, highly strung and wedded to London life, Emma was about as country as a gin martini. So why did it feel like a homecoming?Answering that question takes Emma deep into the Appalachian mountains, where she uncovers a hidden culture that confounds every expectation - and learns some emotional truths of her own.
Wayfaring Stranger: A Musical Journey in the American South
by Emma JohnCan you feel nostalgic for a life you've never known?Suffused with her much-loved warmth and wit, Emma John's memoir follows her moving and memorable journey to master one of the hardest musical styles on earth - and to find her place in an alien world.Emma had fallen out of love with her violin when a chance trip to the American South introduced her to bluegrass music. Classically trained, highly strung and wedded to London life, Emma was about as country as a gin martini. So why did it feel like a homecoming?Answering that question takes Emma deep into the Appalachian mountains, where she uncovers a hidden culture that confounds every expectation - and learns some emotional truths of her own.
The Wayfinders: Why Ancient Wisdom Matters in the Modern World
by Wade DavisEvery culture is a unique answer to a fundamental question: What does it mean to be human and alive? Anthropologist and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Wade Davis leads us on a thrilling journey to celebrate the wisdom of the world’s indigenous cultures. In Polynesia we set sail with navigators whose ancestors settled the Pacific ten centuries before Christ. In the Amazon we meet the descendants of a true Lost Civilization, the people of the Anaconda. In the Andes we discover that the Earth really is alive, while in the far reaches of Australia we experience Dreamtime, the all-embracing philosophy of the first humans to walk out of Africa. We then travel to Nepal, where we encounter a wisdom hero, a Bodhisattva, who emerges from forty-five years of Buddhist retreat and solitude. And finally we settle in Borneo, where the last rainforest nomads struggle to survive. Understanding the lessons of this journey will be our mission for the next century. For at risk is the human legacy -- a vast archive of knowledge and expertise, a catalogue of the imagination. Rediscovering a new appreciation for the diversity of the human spirit, as expressed by culture, is among the central challenges of our time.
Waynesburg
by Candice L. Buchanan Glenn J. Toothman IIIWaynesburg was founded in 1796 as the county seat of the newly formed Greene County, Pennsylvania. The state's General Assembly approved its formation after a petition was submitted by the citizens of this southwesternmost corner of the state. The people desired a more convenient location to transact their legal affairs, not wanting to ride the rugged roads north 30 miles to the county and town of Washington. The new county and its capital were named in honor of soldiers who helped General Washington to win the Revolutionary War, Nathaniel Greene and Mad Anthony Wayne, respectively. Waynesburg travels back to the early days of the area's growing years, documenting the evolution of High Street from the time of dirt roads to brick pavers and revisiting the Downey House and its tragic fire, the men of Company K, the Waynesburg Brewery, the Soldiers and Sailors Monument as it was built, the Hookstown Cemetery, the Courthouse Square, the Waynesburg College campus, and other icons of local history.
Waynesville (Images of America)
by Michael Beadle Peter YurkoPerched near the eastern edge of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Waynesville has long been an attractive destination with its stunning vistas, cool mountain air, and small town charm. For centuries, the Cherokee lived and hunted in what is now western North Carolina. After the Revolutionary War, white settlers moved into the area from all directions to farm and build a new life on the frontier. By the end of the 18th century, families had established a small community known as Mount Prospect. In 1810, the town was renamed Waynesville after the Revolutionary War general "Mad" Anthony Wayne. With the coming of the railroad in the 1880s, Waynesville blossomed as a summer retreat for guests who came to stay at numerous boardinghouses and hotels. By the early 1900s, Waynesville's neighboring town, Hazelwood, became a hotbed of industrial growth with lumber mills and assorted factories producing furniture, leather goods, and rubber products. Hazelwood later merged with Waynesville in 1995.
Ways to Come Home
by Kate Mathieson“I began to notice how everything out there, in the wild, seemed to move. Oceans. Sharks. Wolves. Elephants. Rivers. Nothing stayed in the same place. I wanted to be like them too, and the only way to do this was to keep moving.” When Kate Mathieson finds herself with nothing to show except a well-adorned house and too many business suits, she makes the sudden decision to leave everything behind, and begins an elemental journey across Africa. Weaving a personal tale of reflection, adventure and discovery, Kate beautifully details the lives we have marked for ourselves – school, university, careers, marriages, mortgages, children, school – and that other life, the one that calls to us from dreams, and out of books, that suggests the life we are living, may not be ours. Shortlisted for the 2017 Finch Memoir Prize, Ways to Come Home is a powerful memoir about the need to know who we really are, and what it means to find our way back home.
Ways to the West
by Tim SullivanIn Ways to the West, Tim Sullivan embarks on a car-less road trip through the Intermountain West, exploring how the region is taking on what may be its greatest challenge: sustainable transportation. Combining personal travel narrative, historical research, and his professional expertise in urban planning, Sullivan takes a critical yet optimistic and often humorous look at how contemporary Western cities are making themselves more hospitable to a life less centered on the personal vehicle.The modern West was built by the automobile, but so much driving has jeopardized the West's mystic hold on the American future. At first, automobility heightened the things that made the West great, but love became dependence, and dependence became addiction. Via his travels by bicycle, bus, and train through Las Vegas, Phoenix, Denver, Boise, Salt Lake City, and Portland, Sullivan captures the modern transportation evolution taking place across the region and the resulting ways in which contemporary Western communities are reinterpreting classic American values like mobility, opportunity, adventure, and freedom.Finding a West created, lost, and reclaimed, Ways to the West will be of great interest to anyone curious about sustainable transportation and the history, geography, and culture of the American West.
We Are Experiencing a Slight Delay: (tips, tales, travels)
by Gary JanettiA Town & Country Must-Read Book of Summer 2024!"A delightful and sharp-witted tour through a lifetime’s worth of travel exploits and misadventures. . . . Readers are bound to catch the travel bug." — Publishers WeeklyIn this hilarious and often touching collection, the New York Times bestselling author, television writer, and producer takes us with him on travels across the globe.Gary Janetti has gained a devoted following, with a huge audience on social media, and two bestselling collections of essays under his belt. His new collection will prompt laughter but also delighted recognition as Janetti tackles the absurdity and glory of travel.In We Are Experiencing a Slight Delay, he shares stories of his varied trips around the world. Tag along as he enjoys an unexpectedly transformative stay at a rigorous Italian spa where he and his husband go from deep grumpiness to exaltation. Take a ride on the Orient Express to Venice and discover a surprising side of London, including a hilarious dinner with actress Maggie Smith. And pull up a deck chair to watch the entertainment as Gary embarks on a family cruise on the Queen Mary 2.Interspersed with recollections of his trips are personal meditations on dining alone as well as journeys to such diverse destinations as Mykonos, Australia, a Noma pop-up, and other glamorous spots. Gary is unabashedly frank about his very exacting travel needs, and delivers practical advice on all aspects of the traveler’s life, from very precise packing instructions, suggestions on how to get upgrades, and restaurant and hotel recommendations in his favorite cities.Aspirational, charmingly acerbic, and as diverting as the best vacation can be, delivering both laughs and moments of sharp recognition, Gary’s funny collection is the perfect getaway companion, for both seasoned nomads and curious armchair travelers.
We Are Not Eaten by Yaks: An Accidental Adventure
by London C. AlexanderEleven-year-old twins Oliver and Celia Navel live on the 4-1/2th floor of the Explorers Club with their father, Dr. Navel. Their mother, Dr. Navel, has been missing for years. So when an explorer shows up with a clue as to where his wife could be, Dr. Navel drags Oliver and Celia to Tibet to find her. Once there, the twins fall out of airplanes, encounter Yetis, travel through waterfalls, and end up in the Demon Fortress of the Warrior King where they-just possibly-might find their mother and save their father from the Poison Witches. Thing is, they would much rather be watching television. And if their trip doesn't work out as planned, the twins could end up as slaves to Sir Edmund Thitheltorpe III, an evil explorer with breath that smells like boiled carrots, who has it in for the whole Navel family.
We Are Not Eaten by Yaks
by C. Alexander LondonEleven-year-old twins Oliver and Celia Navel could care less about adventure and they really do not like excitement. They’d rather be watching television. Unfortunately for them, their thrill-seeking parents have dragged them from continent to continent their entire lives. But when their mother goes missing and their father makes a bet with the devious explorer Sir Edmund, the twins are forced into action. They head to Tibet where they fall out of airplanes, battle Yetis, poison witches, and encounter one very large yak. If they can unravel the mysteries and outwit Sir Edmund, they might just make the discovery of a lifetime . . . and get cable television!From the Trade Paperback edition.
We Came Naked and Barefoot: The Journey of Cabeza de Vaca across North America
by Alex D. KriegerPerhaps no one has ever been such a survivor as álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca. Member of a 600-man expedition sent out from Spain to colonize "La Florida" in 1527, he survived a failed exploration of the west coast of Florida, an open-boat crossing of the Gulf of Mexico, shipwreck on the Texas coast, six years of captivity among native peoples, and an arduous, overland journey in which he and the three other remaining survivors of the original expedition walked some 1,500 miles from the central Texas coast to the Gulf of California, then another 1,300 miles to Mexico City.
We Came, We Saw, We Left: A Family Gap Year
by Charles WheelanCharlie Wheelan and his family do what others dream of: They take a year off to travel the world. This is their story. What would happen if you quit your life for a year? In a pre–COVID-19 world, the Wheelan family decided to find out; leaving behind work, school, and even the family dogs to travel the world on a modest budget. Equal parts "how-to" and "how-not-to"—and with an eye toward a world emerging from a pandemic—We Came, We Saw, We Left is the insightful and often hilarious account of one family’s gap-year experiment. Wheelan paints a picture of adventure and connectivity, juggling themes of local politics, global economics, and family dynamics while exploring answers to questions like: How do you sneak out of a Peruvian town that has been barricaded by the local army? And where can you get treatment for a flesh-eating bacteria your daughter picked up two continents ago? From Colombia to Cambodia, We Came, We Saw, We Left chronicles nine months across six continents with three teenagers. What could go wrong?
We Dine With Cannibals
by C. Alexander LondonWhen we last saw Oliver and Celia Navel, they had fallen into the clutches of Sir Edmund S. Titheltorpe-Schmidt III and were doomed to spend their entire summer vacation doing his deadly bidding. In their second unwanted adventure, We Dine with Cannibals, Oliver and Celia will travel from the ruins of ancient temples to the shadowy forests of the Amazon. They'll need all their reality TV survival skills when they ride a llama, race the rapids, and even fly an airplane! If that's not enough excitement for you (it is decidedly too much excitement for Oliver and Celia Navel), they'll be forced to learn the proper etiquette for a cannibal feast and confront the strangest and most brutal rite of passage ever devised by human imagination: dodgeball. The second installment of the Accidental Adventures series is just as funny, just as exciting, and just as kid-friendly as the first.
We Dine With Cannibals
by C. Alexander LondonOliver and Celia Navel have suffered through a whole summer exploring with their father's nemesis Sir Edmund, and are ready to begin a new school year glued to the TV. But when their mother vanishes (again) in search of the Lost City of Gold: El Dorado, the twins must trek from the ruins of ancient temples through the shadowy forests of the Amazon. This time, they'll need all their reality TV survival skills to brave raging river rapids, furious fire ants, and a most unusual jungle feast. Worst of all, if they can't outsmart the bad guys, they're going to miss all their favorite television shows!
We Dug Up the World: Unearth Amazing Archaeology Discoveries
by Alexandra StewartYou can find AMAZING things when you DIG. Shells, bottle tops and slimy snails. But can you imagine what would happen if one day you dug up something extra special, something that had an amazing story to tell about what life was like a long time ago . . .People have found some INCREDIBLE things by digging deep underground. Magnificent mummies from long, long ago. Dinosaur bones washed up on the beach. Beautiful cities buried by volcano ash. Mighty meteors from beyond the Milky Way. And even an ancient poo. Team up with archaeologists from around the world and travel through time to learn about fantastic historical artefacts. From Tutankhamun's tomb to the Titanic, and dinosaur bones on the beach to Pompeii, children will discover something new on every page and delight in learning about how the world used to be.
We Give a Squid a Wedgie: An Accidental Adventure
by C. Alexander LondonIf Oliver and Celia Navel had any hopes this year would be less life-threatening than the last, their hopes are quickly shattered. . . along with their television set. When a strange scientist warns them that their mother is--yet again--in peril, it's off to the Pacific Ocean they go. But navigating stormy seas proves easy compared to tackling a Kraken--an enormous squid--and the twins think they might have bitten off more than they can chew. In their quest for Atlantis, Oliver and Celia are in the worst trouble of their young lives; and survival comes down to one seemingly impossible task: giving a squid a wedgie.
We Stood Upon Stars: Finding God in Lost Places
by Roger W. ThompsonGet Lost. . . and Find What Really Matters We are made for freedom and adventure, friendship and romance. Yet too much of life is spent unfulfilled at work, restless at home, and bored at church. All the while knowing there is something more. You’ll find some of life’s best moments waiting for you over a campfire, on a river—even in that coffee shop or brewery you didn’t know you’d discover along the way. It’s time to begin the search. In the literary spirit of well-worn tales about America’s open road, this poetic, honest, often hilarious collection of essays shows how to embark on adventures that kindle spiritual reflection, personal growth, and deeper family connections. From surfing California’s coastlines, stargazing southwestern deserts, and fly-fishing in remote mountains of Montana, you’ll be inspired to follow the author’s footsteps and use the hand-drawn maps from each chapter to plan your own trips. There you will hear God’s voice – and it may help you find what you’re searching for. “We search mountaintops and valleys, deserts and oceans, hoping sunrises and long views through the canyons will help us discover who we are, or who we still want to be. The language of our hearts reflects that of creation because in both are fingerprints of God.” —Roger W. Thompson
We Took to the Woods
by Louise Dickinson RichMrs. Louise Dickenson Rich lives in very rural Maine in the 1940s. She tells about her life, having to stock up on canned goods for the winter, their fresh meat is when her husband hunts. She tells of her life and loving it, but what happens when she realizes that she is out of touch with life such as technology, life, movies, stores...
We Visit the Dominican Republic (Your Land and My Land)
by John TorresLush beaches, tropical waterfalls, and picture-postcard mountain ranges greet visitors looking for a Caribbean getaway to the country of the Dominican Republic. Although it is impoverished, it has plenty to offer. The colorful people of this developing country, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, are eager to share its beautiful resorts, unique wildlife, and thriving businesses. A closer look reveals a country steeped in history, dotted with reminders of explorer Christopher Columbus, who is hailed as a hero there, and Spanish conquerors. Take a tour of the country, meet the people, sample the foods, try your hand at making a Taino bowl, and maybe even hit the dance floor to see if you have what it takes to merengue!