Annotated Bibliography

Travel / Adventure

There is a bewildering variety of travel books out there and I'm only just getting started exploring them. Here are a few of my favorites so far.

Henri Charriere

Papillon
I read this book a couple times ages ago. It is a true (I think) story of a man's incredible escape from a prison island off the coast of French Guyana. It is the ultimate escape story, the ultimate adventure story.

Nicholas Crane

Clear Waters Rising
Crane walked across Europe west to east mostly through mountains. It was quite an endeavor, and he met a lot of interesting people along the way. He writes very entertainingly.

Nick Danziger

Danziger's Travels
Danziger set off across Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and into China by land following the old silk road. It's a rather daring tale that'll keep you on the edge of your seat. He's a little arrogant, I think, but he treated all the locals respectfully and was very well-informed about their culture and history, so I won't complain.

Peter Jenkins

A Walk Across America
This is a great adventure tale of one man and his dog walking west across America. He stays with locals he meets along the way several times and ends up painting a beautiful picture of the pious and good-hearted people living in the heart of this great country. The second part is called The Walk West. (There is apparently another book out called Looking for Alaska telling of 20000 some miles of walking around Alaska?)

Redmond O'Hanlon

In Danger Again
O'Hanlon is off again into the jungle, this time into the Amazon to visit Angel Falls or something or other. It won't disappoint you if you liked Into the Heart of Borneo.
Into the Heart of Borneo
This is a classic side-splitting account of O'Hanlon and a friend traveling up river in Borneo like two fish out of water. I love the British sense of humor.
No Mercy
...and again into the Congo.

John Wesley Powell

The Exploration of the Colorado River and its Canyons
Powell was the first man to lead an expedition down the Colorado river from Green River Wyoming to present-day Lake Mead. The is the original travel adventure. Even though it distracts with its typical florid gushy 19th century prose, it is a remarkably exciting tale to read today.

Cindy Ross

Journey on the Crest
Cindy hiked the PCT in two seasons; this is her tale. She captures the social element of the long distance hike better than any. I found her a bit frustrating at times, but it was still entertaining reading.

Mark Salzman

Iron and Silk
This is an account of the author's two years teaching English in China. It is a sensitive but eye-opening fascinating up-close picture of Chinese culture. It is amusing as well as adventurous at times.

Ted Simon

Jupiter's Travels
Simon essentially rode his motorcycle around the world. Many adventures accompany him along the way. It is a very exciting read.

Joe Simpson

Into the Void
This is one of the greatest tales of man's capacity for survival in the face of inconceivable difficulties. Simpson was part of a climbing expedition to some remote South American peak when disaster occurred. It is his story of how he managed to get down off the mountain and save himself.

Peter Smayle

A Year in Provence series
Smayle was an ad executive that decided to leave everything behind to live a dream in picturesque southeastern France. The wacky French characters he has to deal with as he settles into his new home provide ample material for this wonderful, hilarious novel. No words are spared in describing several sumptuous gastronomical extravaganza's -- Smayle is a man after my liking! The sequels deteriorate, but were each very entertaining.

Jim Wickwire

Addicted to Danger
Wickwire writes very candidly of his life as a mountain climber. He describes the complex drives to leave behind family and friends for months at a time to try to climb silly lumps of rock -- fascinating.