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My Wandering Voyage

The Best Nature Books for your Next Adventure in the Great Outdoors

This list of best nature books includes memoirs, biographies, fiction, how-to books and guidebooks. Escape into nature with this list of 38 books about the great outdoors | My Wandering Voyage travel blog #books #GreatOutdoors #Hiking #NatureBooks #Readings

There’s nothing better than kicking back, with your tent set up, campfire going and the stars up above you. Sometimes, though, it’s not always possible to get outside and live the good life. Reading, for me, is a form of escapism, and when life gets tough or stressful, all I want to do is pick up a book and escape to a new world, especially when it’s one of the best nature books.

NOTE: Travel is not recommended at this time. These posts are here to serve as inspiration when we can explore again. Hey there – this post likely contains affiliate links, which means I earn a commission (at no extra cost to you) if you purchase from them. This helps me earn a few dollars to run this website.

Lands of Lost Borders by Kate Harris

Into the wild by jon krakauer, wild: from lost to found on the pacific crest trail by cheryl strayed, from source to sea by tom chesshyre, beyond the trees: a journey alone across canada’s arctic by adam shoalts, northland: a 4,000-mile journey along america’s forgotten border by porter fox, on trails: an exploration by robert moor, walden by henry david thoreau, a walk in the woods: rediscovering america on the appalachian trail by bill bryson, welcome to the goddamn ice cube by blair braverman, ranger confidential by andrea lankford, called again: love and triumph on the appalachian trail by jennifer pharr davis, she explores: stories of life-changing adventures on the road and in the wild by gale straub, the adventure gap: changing the face of the outdoors by james mills, black faces, white spaces: reimagining the relationship of african americans to the great outdoors by carolyn finney, tracks: a woman’s solo trek across 1700 miles of australian outback by robyn davidson, braiding sweetgrass: indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge, and the teachings of plants by robin wall kimmerer, girl in the woods by aspen matis, leave only footprints: my acadia-to-zion journey through every national park by conor knighton, the lost girls of camp forevermore by kim fu, the wildfire season by andrew pyper, the mountain story by lori lansens, the bear by claire cameron, greenwood by michael christie, the ultimate hiker’s gear guide by national geographic, a woman’s guide to the wild: your complete outdoor handbook by ruby mcconnell, the natural navigator by tristan gooley, the lost art of reading nature’s signs by tristan gooley, a history of canada in ten maps: epic stories of charting a mysterious land by adam shoalts, the nature fix: why nature makes us happier, healthier, and more creative by florence williams, the great outdoors: a user’s guide: everything you need to know before heading into the wild by brendan leonard, fifty places to hike before you die by chris santella, america’s best day hikes by derek dellinger, 50 hikes in (state) series by countryman press, 100 hikes of a lifetime: the world’s ultimate scenic trails by kate siber, great hiking trails of the world: 80 trails, 75,000 miles, 38 countries, 6 continents by karen berger, lonely planet’s epic hikes of the world, loops and lattes – ontario hiking guidebooks.

This list of best nature books includes memoirs, biographies, fiction, how-to books and guidebooks. Escape into nature with this list of 38 books about the great outdoors | My Wandering Voyage travel blog #books #GreatOutdoors #Hiking #NatureBooks #Readings

This book list of Best outdoors books includes memoirs and biographies of people who have gone outside and done incredible things, fiction books about the outdoor adventurers, how-to books for surviving in the wild, and guidebooks for hiking and camping in North America. These are some of the best nature books.

The best nature books: non-fiction biographies

Have you always wanted to hike the Pacific Crest Trail or explore the wildest places? Well, these people have done it. These best outdoors books are about journeys, usually an excellent hiking journey or a trip to a particular place. These people have done incredible things and are sharing their experiences with us. Here’s a list of best nature books that are memoirs.

nature travel guide book

Kate Harris always wanted to go to Mars; she even got so far as taking part in a Mars camp before realizing what she craved what exploration. She found that by cycling across Asia on the Silk Road. This book is an incredible mixture of travel narrative, deep reflection and history lesson, perfect for anyone wanting an excuse to start an adventure.

Get it here: Kobo | Chapters | Kindle | Amazon

nature travel guide book

Many of us know the story of Christopher McCandless, who set off into the wilds of Alaska and lived for 119 in an abandoned bus before succumbing to nature. This book is about his journey, compiled from diaries and research by Jon Krakauer. Was he irresponsible or inspiring? You decide after reading this book.

If you are inspired to visit the bus after reading this book, think again. The Alaskan Army National Guard removed the bus in the summer of 2020 as it was a public safety issue due to the number of people needing rescuing.

nature travel guide book

I couldn’t mention the best nature books without mentioning Wild. Wanting to heal from a life that was thrown into chaos, Cheryl Strayed hit the Pacific Crest Trail, a five-month journey from the Mexican to the Canadian border. Against all odds, it seems, she succeeds, and this is her story.

nature travel guide book

UK Travel writer Tom Chesshyre has written numerous times about trains, but it’s the pull from the Thames River that inspired this book. Walking 200 miles from the source of the Thames to the sea, commenting on the communities on its banks, it’s vibrant history, and, of course, the people who call this place home.

nature travel guide book

Adventurer Adam Shoalts sets off on a 4,000km journey through Canada’s most wild and remote place: the Arctic. He sets off in spring and has to make to his destination before winter sets in, all alone. Follow his tumultuous journey in the great white north.

nature travel guide book

Did you know that the longest undefended border in the world lies between the US and Canada? Stretching from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean, 4,000 miles of borderland touches seven provinces and 11 states. Adventurer Porter Fox explores this border region in his book Northland, diving into the history and culture of this imaginary line.

nature travel guide book

Inspired by his trek through the Appalachian Trail, hiker Robert Moor set out across the globe to discover how trails become, well, trails. Through interviews, research and reflection, he connects trails with human life itself.

nature travel guide book

Love him or hate him, there’s no doubt that Henry David Thoreau has influence outdoors culture since writing the book in the late 1800s. “All good things are wild, and free,” and “In wildness is the preservation of the world,” are some of his quotes that make reading this book in the 21st century all that much more enjoyable.

nature travel guide book

Bill Bryson is known for his entertaining prose. In his book, A Walk in the Woods, he takes that voice and heads out on the Appalachian Trail, where he discovers the history, the people and the culture of one of the longest treks in the US.

nature travel guide book

What’s it like to live in the arctic? Well, Blair Braverman, a sled-dog driver, glacier tour guide and all-around “tough girl,” spills the beans of her funny but terrifying life in Norway and Alaska. Getting through this book might just make you exhausted!

nature travel guide book

Have you ever wanted to be a park ranger? Get the behind-the-scenes look at the life of a park ranger in some of the coolest US national parks like Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Yosemite and more. From having to protect people from the dangers of the park and protecting the park from the risks of people, this book tells all.

nature travel guide book

Normally the Appalachian trail can take months, but Jennifer Davis completed the trail in just 46 days. While she holds the record for the first female to set that mark, this book is more about her reflections of endurance and love that she found on the trail.

nature travel guide book

This collection of stories from adventure-loving women is the most inspiring book on this list. From advice to inspirational stories and incredible photos, this book has it all, wrapped in a bit a girl power. It’s recommended reading for any adventurous woman!

nature travel guide book

James Mills chronicles his ascent of Denali as the first all-African American group to attempt a summit. He also argues for the importance of Black influence in the adventure-seeking industry as role models for future generations.

nature travel guide book

Heading out to the great outdoors is a different experience if you are a BIPOC. In this book, Carolyn Finney discusses the history of racism, the impact of whitewashing an industry and how Black adventurers are working to change it for the better.

nature travel guide book

It takes over 1,700 miles to cross Australia through the desert and rough terrain. Tracks documents one woman’s journey to complete that trek with four camels and a dog. It’s a story you won’t forget.

nature travel guide book

Botanist and member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, author Robin Kimmerer brings together traditional wisdom and scientific knowledge to celebrate the environment and the place we occupy in it.

nature travel guide book

When a disgusting and traumatic even happens to Aspen while in university, she turns to nature to heal. In her 2,000-mile journey from Mexico to Canada on the Pacific Crest Trail, this 19-year-old finds strength and resilience.

nature travel guide book

Heartbreak leads Conor Knighton out to the US National Parks, but he ended up changing his world view by taking a year to visit every one of America’s national parks from Acadia to Zion.

RELATED: 25 best scenic lookouts in Ontario you have to see for yourself

The best outdoors books: fiction

Woman overlooking Mount Nemo | Hiking the Bruce Trail: 14 side trails to explore | My Wandering Voyage travel blog

Spooky stories, raging wilderness and harrowing stories. That’s what I love about reading fiction books about the great outdoors. This list of best nature books will get you started. Don’t worry; Lord of the Flies is not on this list. That book is terrible, and no one should read it. These best outdoors books are ones you should definitely read while on your own adventure.

nature travel guide book

When a group of young girls head into the woods for an overnight paddle trip, they find themselves stranded and alone. Now the girls are older and are trying to deal with the trauma they faced.

nature travel guide book

This book is about a wildfire fighter who escapes to an end-of-the-road town in the Yukon after a tragic accident leaves him scarred. His former partner and child show up looking for him and turn his life upside down. I read this over a decade ago and again a couple of years ago. It’s an incredible and suspenseful story.

Get it here: Kobo | Chapters | Amazon

nature travel guide book

Four strangers head up a mountain, not all of them make it home. This harrowing tale of survival in the wild will have your skin crawl, not being sure what you can believe. It’s such a wild ride from page one.

nature travel guide book

Taking place in the wilderness of Ontario’s Algonquin Provincial Park, a five-year-old girl and her younger brother find themselves without their parents in the shadow of a bear. This short but heart-wrenching story is a must-read, but maybe not while you’re camping.

nature travel guide book

Following the history of the Greenwood family from future to past, this fictional book talks about the last remaining forest in BC through the environmental protests of the 70s back to the maple syrup farm in the 30s. It’s a book about family, history and, of course, the environment.

RELATED: Hiking the Bruce Trail: 14 incredible side trails to explore

The best how-to outdoors books

Bruce Peninsula National Park viewpoint

Alright, fiction and memoirs are great, but no list of best nature books is complete with a few how-to books to help you learn everything you can before heading out in the wild. Whether you want to learn to read nature’s signs, become a better hiker or camper, or are looking for a better place to hike, this list of best outdoors books is for you.

nature travel guide book

If you’re heading out into the wilderness, do what the Scouts do, and be prepared. This guidebook will give you everything you need to be prepared for hiking, camping and even ultralight backpacking.

nature travel guide book

You may be a woman that loves the outdoors, but finding a guide about being a woman in the wild was sorely missing from the bookshelf. Well, this one takes the cake. Read this and be confident about getting out there and tackle the world.

nature travel guide book

Have you ever wondered how people who which way is north, or how to tell if it will start to rain? This guide helps you discover natural cues, diving into the science behind it, all in a fun, stimulating way.

nature travel guide book

Discover nature’s signs from the stars to the seas to the trees in the book about reading what nature is telling you. Note, this book is based in the UK and so specific species might be different!

nature travel guide book

I love maps, but even cartography has an agenda. This book is all about the history of Canada told through maps, from Vikings to present day, and those who drew them.

nature travel guide book

There’s no secret that being outside can improve your mood, but how exactly does it do that, and how can we harness it to improve our lives?

nature travel guide book

Want to know how to bandage a wound? Fight off a tick invasion? Survive outside? Brendan Leonard has you covered in this guidebook on coming back from the wilderness in one piece.

RELATED: Why you should use a Hiking Log for your Adventures

The best nature guidebooks

Canada's Dark Sky Preserves | Canada Travel Guide | My Wandering Voyage travel blog

Some of the best nature books are actually guidebooks for hikes and camping around the world. These best outdoors books are perfect for any nature-lover’s coffee table. The books also can be a present to yourself if you just LOVE the outdoors.

nature travel guide book

There are so many incredible places to set out on the trail, like in Bhutan, Italy, Rwanda and more. This book serves as inspiration with descriptions and photos, to get your feet itchy to start hiking!

nature travel guide book

Many of the country’s most incredible hikes are generally multi-day hikes. Well, what if you just want to go out for the day? This book helps you find incredible day hikes for many states in the US.

nature travel guide book

This series of “50 Hikes in (state)” lets you find the best hikes in your state or area. I’m itching to get 50 Hikes in Coastal and Inland Maine and head back to that beautiful state!

nature travel guide book

The ultimate list of hikes you’ll want to take, coupled with beautiful National Geographic photography! Perfect for any hiker’s coffee table.

Get it here: Chapters | Amazon

nature travel guide book

Another beautiful book filled with breathtaking hikes from around the world. These 80 hikes are divided into six sections: pilgrimages, historic hikes, mountain hikes, wilderness trails, trails through diverse environments, and long-distance trails

nature travel guide book

This epic hiking book packs in 200 hike suggestions from 30 countries. It also includes hike planning advice like how to get there, where to stay, what to pack and where to eat, and more.

nature travel guide book

I love hiking in Ontario. It’s one of my goals to hike the Bruce Trail from end to end. But some parts of the trail can get pretty busy! That’s where Loops and Lattes hiking guidebooks come in. They’ve got one for almost every region in southern Ontario! Try starting with Halton Hikes.

Get it here: Direct | Amazon

There you have it. Here are 38 best nature books to fill your shelves and get you excited and prepared for your next hike or camping adventure.

This list of best nature books includes memoirs, biographies, fiction, how-to books and guidebooks. Escape into nature with this list of 38 books about the great outdoors | My Wandering Voyage travel blog #books #GreatOutdoors #Hiking #NatureBooks #Readings

Olivia Rutt

Olivia Rutt is the travel writer and photographer behind My Wandering Voyage, a travel website helping working millennials find time to travel. She shares insight in trip planning, travel inspiration and photography tips. Olivia hails from southern Ontario, Canada where she works in the media industry between travels. Follow Olivia on Instagram where she shares her travel photos, or catch up with her on Facebook or Twitter.

Further Reading...

Discover the largest freshwater island in the world. This one-week itinerary will help you find the best things to do on Manitoulin Island, places to stay, where to eat and more. | My Wandering Voyage Travel Blog #Manitoulin #Ontario #Canada #Travel

Best things to do on Manitoulin Island

Discover pristine natural environments, incredible hiking and jaw-dropping vistas in the six national parks in Ontario. Bruce Peninsula National Park, Georgian Bay Islands National Park, Point Pelee National Park, Pukaskwa National Park, Rouge National Urban Park and Thousand Islands National Park. | The Ultimate Guide to National Parks in Ontario | My Wandering Voyage travel blog #travel #Ontario #Canada #BrucePeninsula #ThousandIslands #camping

The Ultimate Guide to National Parks in Ontario

Have you ever stared up at the sky at night and tried to count all the stars you could see? With light pollution from cities, it can be hard to see those celestial beauties, but at Dark Sky Preserves in Canada, you can lose yourself in the tapestry of the night. | My Wandering Voyage #darksky #canada #travel

Travel to Dark Sky Preserves in Canada and see the stars without light pollution [+Map]

Mywanderingvoyage.

This is Chapter 32, page 1. 🥳⁠⁠Well, here I am, another year older. What a year it's been. I don't think I've hustled as hard as I have this year. Working full-time and running a business has been mind-blowing. Good and bad.⁠⁠There are things I couldn't do this year because I just didn't have the time. And sadly, travel has taken a back seat this year. But there is still so much I accomplished, and it's at this time of year that I look back on all these things that brought joy to my life. ⁠⁠This year I: ⁠🏕️ Visited 14 provincial parks, 5 of which were new to me⁠🎞️ Renewed my love for film photography and ended up owning 12 film cameras 😅⁠🛶 Took my first backcountry canoe trip⁠⛵ Went sailing for the first time⁠🛌 Stayed in three tiny cabins⁠🚐 Fell in love with van life⁠🎶 Went to my first concert! (And then two more!)⁠🧳 Travelled internationally for the first time since 2019⁠🎤 Screamed the lyrics to Noah Kahan for approx. 5829 minutes ⁠And so much more! ⁠⁠I've got big plans for 2024, and it is going to shake up everything! So thank you for following along and your support over the last year. ❤️‍🔥⁠⁠⁠•⁠•⁠•⁠•⁠•⁠#GoodTimesOutside #NatureTherapy #HikeON #SheWanders #She_Explores #MerryBirthday #DecemberBirthday #DecemberBaby #SagittariusSeason #ChristmasBirthday #FilmPhotography #FilmIsNotDead #AnalogPhotography

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Paulina on the road

13 Best Outdoor Adventure Books You Must Read

By Author Paulina

Posted on Published: April 17, 2020  - Last updated: January 25, 2024

Looking for great Outdoor Adventure Books? This is the ultimate list with the best Best Outdoor Adventure Books you must read. Inspiring true stories of real people surviving in the great outdoors incl. amazing outdoor photography. #mustread #outdooradventure #outdooradventurebooks #outdoors #outdoortravel #adventuretravel #outdooradventurequotes #outdoorquotes #outdoorphotography

Nothing beats the experience of an exciting outdoor adventure trip. However, sometimes life gets in the way, and therefore, the next best alternative is to find inspiration in other places.

To extend your adventurous feeling, I created this ultimate list of the best outdoor adventure books you should read.

Aside from the deep escapism the books about the outdoors offer, there is something indulgent about stealing time away from everything and everyone else. 

Breakfast with a book in the open air. Steam over a thermo cup. Open book on nature. Book and drinking coffee. Reading at outdoor.jpg

Becoming an active participant in an outdoor adventure that you never thought was possible. All while relying on written words and your imagination to take you on a magical journey. 

I am a voracious reader, and today, I share some of the books I’ve read recently, and if you are looking for some great reads, here is my list of the 13 best outdoor adventure books to inspire you to travel far-off lands. 

They are also a perfect match with these survival stories books based on true stories or the picks of these gorgeous travel coffee table books .

You, dear reader, support this blog. When you purchase through a link, I may earn a small commission. As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Table of Contents

Overview: Best Outdoor Adventure Books to Read This Year!

  • The National Parks
  • Feel the Wild
  • No Shortcuts to the Top
  • Deep Survival
  • Wilderness Ethics

National Geographic The National Parks: An Illustrated History | REI Co-op

1. National Geographic: The National Parks, An Illustrated History

By kim heacox.

This outdoor travel adventure book is an inspired tribute to the amazing beauty and priceless cultural treasures of America’s National Parks.

The writer takes you on a magical journey of America’s rich natural and cultural heritage, with the stories of the first female park ranger, an amateur scuba expedition that unearthed a submerged Civil War treasure trove.

The full sweep of wonders from pristine coral reefs to the Gettysburg battlefield to glaciers and every one the fantastic diversity in between offers a wide-ranging tour of the absolute best of America’s national treasures.

National Geographic – The National Parks has the very best of National Geographic’s photographs, combined with an expertly told history. This book presents a breathtaking panorama of the National Parks.

Feel the Wild | REI Co-op

2. Feel the Wild

By daniel fox.

Feel the Wild is an intimate and powerful story about nature and our relationship with it told through stunning and delightful photography and through-provoking writing.

This is what happens when a solo wilderness explorer, who happens to be a professional photographer, creates a book about nature. 

I have seen many adventure books for adults filled with nature photography and have read many wonderful books about exploring nature, but I haven’t quite read a book like Daniel Fox’s Feel the Wild .

The book illustrates the journey of growth told through the lenses of humility, vulnerability, and perspective connecting you with nature emotionally, physically, spiritually, and philosophically.

The book serves as a road map for experiencing nature and as a framework for personal transformation. 

Grinnell | REI Co-op

3. Grinnell

By john taliaferro.

John Taliaferro, a former senior editor at Newsweek, delivers a powerful, eminently readable biography of the great conservationist George Bird Grinnell (1849–1938). Taliaferro meticulously draws from 40,000 pages of correspondence, about 50 diaries and notebooks covering Grinnell’s travels.

The son of a New York merchant, George Bird Grinnell saw a different future for a nation in the thrall of the Industrial Age. Railroads damaged virgin lands and the formerly vast buffalo herds decimated, the country faced a crossroads.

The alarm that Grinnell sounded would spark America’s conservation movement. John Taliaferro’s commanding biography now sets right with historical care and narrative flair. This book won a National Outdoor Book Award.

Mountaineers Books Turn Around Time: A Walking Poem for the Pacific Northwest | REI Co-op

4. Turn around Time

By david guterson.

Reflections on life and landscape expressed in elegant verse By the New York Times best-selling author, David Guterson. Most outdoor enthusiasts understand the phrase “turnaround time”.

It is a point in an adventure when you must stop moving forward so that you have enough time to safely return to camp or home, no matter whether you have reached your destination.

For award-winning novelist David Guterson, Turn Around Time is a metaphor for where we discover ourselves within the middle of our lives, and his new narrative poem explores this concept through a lyrical journey. Similar to those in Washington’s mountain ranges which he hiked while growing up.

With a fast-moving, propulsive quality, his writing offers lush language, vivid imagery, and pacing that resonates as a journey on foot.

Outdoor lovers will relate to the hiking represented here, from endless trail switchbacks to pains, as well as observant descriptions of the mountain landscape.

Random House Inc. No Shortcuts To The Top | REI Co-op

5. No Shortcuts To The Top

By ed viesturs  .

This gripping and triumphant description from the author of The Mountain follows a living legend of utmost mountaineering as he assaults history, one 8,000-meter summit at a time.

In the opening scene of No Shortcuts to the Top , the protagonist is on a quest to become the first American to climb the 14 mountains in the world higher than 8,000 meters.

He and his friend nearly get thrown off the face of K2 when they’re caught in an avalanche.

From his earliest climbs on the peaks of the Pacific Northwest to his final climb up the Himalayan mountain of Annapurna, Viesturs testifies to the sacrifices (personal and professional) in giving your life over to a dream. 

Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies and Why | REI Co-op

6. Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies and Why

By laurence gonzales.

“When challenged with a life-threatening situation, 90% of individuals freeze or panic”, says Laurence Gonzales in this exploration.

The author has covered many survival stories for National Geographic Explorer, Outside , and Men’s Journal uncovers the biological and psychological reasons why people risk their lives and why some are better at it than others.

The opening scene is about the author talking to dozens of thrill-seekers like mountain climbers, sailors, jet pilots, and they all say the same thing: the danger is a great rush. This can make you feel more alive because it is an integral part of saving your own life.

In Deep Survival , the author shares some rules for adventure gleaned from the survivors themselves, which are; stay calm , be decisive and never give up! Remembering these rules when crisis strikes may be tough, but the vivid descriptions of life in the balance will stay with readers.

Wilderness Ethics: Preserving the Spirit of Wildness - Second Edition | REI Co-op

7. Wilderness Ethics

By laura and guy waterman.

In this environmental call-to-action book, Laura and Guy Waterman look beyond preserving the ecology of the backcountry to focus on what they call its spiritual dimension, and its fragile, untamed wilderness.

It’s nowadays considered one of the best adventure books out there.

However, with too much management or the wrong kind of management, we can destroy the spiritual component of wildness in our passion to preserve its physical side.

Technology such as radios, cell phones, global positioning devices, and emergency helicopters, all have an impact on our experience of exploring the pristine beauty of the wild.

With humor and insight, the Watermans explore these difficult Wilderness Ethics and its related management issues. They ask us to evaluate the impact that even “environmentally-conscious” values have on the wilderness experience, and to ask the question: “What are we trying to preserve?”

The Expedition | REI Co-op

8. The Expedition

by Chris Fagan

The Expedition is an outdoor adventure book about Chris and Marty, a married couple who are working on their careers, raising their only child, and chasing their big adventures. All this, based on a true story.

“The Expedition” illustrates their biggest dream, ski 570 miles from the edge of Antarctica to the South Pole, with no guide or resupply.

At midlife, they find themselves weighing the responsibility of parenthood against the likelihood of one more grand adventure. From the luxurious Pacific Northwest to the barren landscape of Antarctica, Chris and Marty take on one of the toughest challenges on the earth.

In this outdoor adventure travel book, experience a boundless white wonderland like no other on earth, encounter life-threatening dangers lurking in the bitter cold, feel the intensity of 220-pound sleds, relentless wind, 40-below temperatures, and mind-numbing isolation.

Dirty Gourmet: Food For Your Outdoor Adventures

9. Dirty Gourmet: Food For Your Outdoor Adventures

by Aimee Trudeau

Aimee Trudeau, Mai-Yan Kwan, and Emily Nielson began blogging about their passion for the outdoors in 2009, complete with delicious provisions. Their Dirty Gourmet showcases the Southern California landscape and some attractive and mouth-watering fine food in stunning color photos.

The book highlights their philosophy that food is not just fuel for outdoor adventures but is a significant part of a journey and the memory itself.

The book is divided into three sections, On the Trail, Car Camping , and Backcountry Camping . Each part covers useful advice for meal planning, cooking tips, a list of essential gear, and recipes.

The reader gets clear instructions and motivation for enjoying the outdoors, whether you are considering a simple day hike with kids and a backpack filled with fun picnic foods, or launching a restorative week-long backwoods getaway with friends, capped with end-of-trail cocktails and desserts.

Best Outdoor Adventure Books for Women

Women Who Hike | REI Co-op

10. Women Who Hike

by Heather Balogh Rochfort

A celebration of athleticism, wisdom, and skill!

The Women Who Hike features profiles of over twenty of America’s most inspiring women adventurers, ranging from legends to the rising stars of today.

Being myself an avid hiker, I liked this book a lot.

It is inspirational and aspirational as each adventurer tells her story featuring their favorite hike, highlighting personal challenges, accomplishments, as well as it provides readers with practical how-to suggestions on hiking.  

Mountaineers Books Rising: Becoming the First North American Woman on Everest | REI Co-op

11. Rising : Becoming the First North American Woman on Everest

by Sharon Wood

Rising is a memoir of an elite alpinist Authentic story of rising above limitations to realize your potential. Written by Sharon Wood about her expedition to Mount Everest, this book is inspiring.

Sharon Wood was part of a self-supported Canadian team with big ambitions. In 1986, they were attempting to reach the summit of Everest through a variation on the dangerous West Ridge and envisioned that Wood would be the first North American woman to reach the summit.

However, at the same time, there was an American team on the mountain with a plan to make Annie Whitehouse the first North American woman.

This book is fast-paced, with twists and turns, relatable characters, and dialogue to keep you glued. It’s a must-read when looking for outdoor adventure books.

the sharp end of life outdoor adventure book

12. The Sharp End of Life: A Mother’s Story

by Dierdre Wolownick

The wife, mother, teacher, musician, marathoner, and rock climber Dierdre Wolownick became, at age 66, the oldest woman to climb El Capitan in Yosemite. In The Sharp End of Life , she shares her journey, revealing how her climbing achievements reflect a broader story of courage and persistence. 

She struggled in her marriage and after divorce, found inspiration in her now-adult children’s passions as well as new depths within herself. She took up running at age 54 and completed several marathons, and at age 58, she took to rock climbing.

The author proves that age is just a number, and that determination is all that you need to pursue your dreams, and take you to unexpected heights. The story of her drive to push her body beyond her mental limits serves as a stimulant for those yearning to do more with their lives.

The Sharp End of Life: A Mother’s Story is a motivational tale of a woman who overcame her biggest critics, including her inner self to achieve one dream after another. 

Mountaineers Books Edge of the Map: The Mountain Life of Christine Boskoff | REI Co-op

13. Edge of the Map

by Johanna Garton

The Edge of the Map is an inspiring and dramatic adventure story based on the lives of trailblazing mountaineer Christine Boskoff and her partner Charlie Fowler.

Edge of the Map written by Johanna Garton traces Christine’s life as a high-altitude climber and mountain guide, from a two-day climbing course to her remarkable leadership of Seattle’s Mountain Madness guiding company. 

Despite challenges both on the personal and professional level, Christine finally found freedom and balance with nature on the earth’s wildest peaks. It’s one of the most intriguing outdoor adventure books you can read.

  • 20 Travel Coffee Table Books You’ll Love!
  • 20 Beach Coffee Table Book You Must See!
  • 20 Best National Park Coffee Table Books
  • 15 True Survival Stories Books

Looking for great Outdoor Adventure Books? This is the ultimate list with the best Best Outdoor Adventure Books you must read. Inspiring true stories of real people surviving in the great outdoors incl. amazing outdoor photography. #mustread #outdooradventure #outdooradventurebooks #outdoors #outdoortravel #adventuretravel #outdooradventurequotes #outdoorquotes #outdoorphotography

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23 must-read outdoor adventure books (updated 2023).

Best Outdoor Adventure Books

When we can’t actually get away from work or school to travel and explore, we satisfy our wanderlust with the adventures of others. I, for one, love reading outdoor adventure books. If it takes place on a river or mountain, perfect. If it’s a true story or memoir, even better. Continue reading for, what I believe, to be the best outdoor adventure books .

And why not forward this post to your adventure buddies? Choose a book and start an outdoor adventure book club!

23 Must-Read Outdoor Adventure Books

Endurance: shackleton’s incredible voyage.

By Alfred Lansing

This is the 22nd book to be added to this list and it’s going in the number one spot. I can’t believe I only learned about this book two weeks ago. It is perhaps the most incredible story I’ve ever read.

Endurance is a book written about Sir Ernest Shackleton’s incredible voyage and self-rescue in the Antarctic. Let’s set the scene. It’s 1915 and a team of 28 men hop aboard a wooden ship. They have 69 sled dogs and three lifeboats, canvas tents and wool clothing. There’s not an inch of Gore-tex or satellite communication to be found.

In the middle of 1915, their ship (named the Endurance) gets trapped in ice and the group is stuck on the ship for the long, dark nights of an Antarctic winter. Then the ship begins getting crushed by ice and they must move onto the floe. Once summer arrives, the floes begin to break and the team must move to increasingly smaller floes. I won’t go into the rest of the ordeal (believe me, it gets worse). But all 28 men survive. It’s the most miraculous survival story.

And what makes the novel itself so incredible is how it’s written. The author, Alfred Lansing, interviewed all of the men from the expedition at length. He read their diaries and included snippets throughout the story. Holy crap, I cannot believe the book I just read. If you take one recommendation from this list, let it be Endurance.

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Touching the Void: The True Story of One Man’s Miraculous Survival

By joe simpson.

This book is a rollercoaster of emotions. It’s a lot of ‘ no way Joe survives this’ and ‘ he is definitely about to die ‘ until you remember Joe is the one who wrote the book, so clearly he does survive. But oh my goodness I don’t think I’ve read a better survival story.

Joe and his climbing partner are mountain climbing in South America, attempting a first ascent. On the descent, there is a terrible storm, Joe is injured and from there on it’s just disaster-miracle-disaster-miracle.

There’s tension when his climbing partner must decide whether to stay or abandon his partner. You’ll hold your breath as Joe dangles over a crevasse, about to drop. If you have high blood pressure, maybe don’t read this book. But if you love to be kept up at night on the edge of your seat, you’ll love this book.

Check Prices Here

Touching the Void: The True Story of One Man's Miraculous Survival ...

Wild: from Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail

By cheryl stayed.

In Wild, Cheryl’s life has just about hit rock bottom. She is grieving the death of her mother, her marriage has just ended, and she was dangerously close to a heroin addiction. Then, with no experience and very little guidance, she makes the impulsive decision to hike 1,000 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail alone .

If you don’t know anything about camping, this book will give you some confidence that it’s never too late to fall in love with hiking. If you do know camping, you’ll appreciate Cheryl’s descriptions of pain and perseverance on the trail. What’s beautiful about Wild is that it goes beyond just another trip report.

In the book, Cheryl tackles her demons throughout the hike and overcomes many of the barriers that had existed in her mind.

Check Price Here

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A Woman in the Polar Night

By christiane ritter.

I read this book when I was on a 2-week canoe trip in the Canadian Arctic this summer and I couldn’t put it down. This is a first-hand account of the year Christiane spent living in Svalberg with her husband in the 1930s. Without modern luxuries like Gore-Tex, freeze-dried food, and satellite phones, it is truly incredible how resourceful and resislent people can be.

What I love about this book is its romanticism and lack of bravado. Christiane’s husband has spent many summers and winters in Svalberg, but it’s believed that Christiane was the first European woman to winter this far north. Everything is new to her as she adapts to the Arctic. For example, she struggles to mend socks (something she has done a thousand times back home) because she’s mending socks made of sealskin.

I think modern feminists will dislike how Christiane is responsible for all of the homemaking duties and is treated differently than the two men she lives with, but I think it needs to be remembered that this was the 1930s, and division of labor was necessary for survival. Christiane cooks, cleans, and mends clothing in their remote arctic cabin while the men are hunting – this is her role to keep the group alive and it is a vital role. And she performs plenty of male-dominant tasks as well, like learning to hunt and ski over glaciers.

While this book doesn’t have the adrenaline or excitement of others on this list, it’s a beautiful story about what the day-to-day was like in the Arctic back then. I highly recommend this book!

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Into the Wild

By jon krakauer.

It’s likely you’ve already seen the movie Into the Wild , but I’d still urge you to read the book. If you haven’t read or seen it and you have no idea what it’s about, here is a quick summary. Into the Wild is the story of Chris McCandless.

Fed up with the commercialism and lack of authenticity in society, he donates all of his possessions, abandons his family and hitchhikes his way to Alaska. Both the movie and book are emotionally moving, however, the book provides more context.

Plus, Jon Krakauer draws a parallel between the reckless decisions both he and Chris made in their young lives, and how luck worked out in one person’s favour, but not the other. This novel sets the standard for outdoor adventure books – it’s a true classic.

Into the Wild: Krakauer, Jon: 9780385486804: Books - Amazon.ca

Kings of the Yukon: A River Journey in Search of the Chinook

By adam weymouth.

While I was reading this book, I was always trying to convince people it was more interesting than it appeared. “ Mikaela, you’re reading a book about salmon?!? ” On the surface, it’s a story about paddling the Yukon River (Adam is in a canoe, after all) but the story goes so much deeper than that.

This is the journey of the Chinook Salmon and the communities along the Yukon River whose lives have been forever altered by the salmon’s near disappearance. The story goes into the history of the Chinook and Indigenous communities; it details salmon farming throughout the world; it reveals some (alarming!) information about the salmon we find in the grocery store.

Meanwhile, it’s all set in wild and vast Alaska. I know it sounds like a book about fish, but it’s seriously worth the read.

Kings of the Yukon: A River Journey in Search of the Chinook eBook ...

River of Fire: Conflict and Survival on the Seal River

By Hap Wilson

Hap Wilson is the father of modern canoeing, having paddled over 60,000 km, completed 250 expeditions and created the first canoe guide books for many of the most popular rivers we paddle now.

In River of Fire, Hap recounts his experience paddling the Seal River during an enormous and dangerous forest fire (one of the worst the Boreal Forest has ever seen). He has a terrible co-guide and two completely inexperienced clients. And this was during a time when you didn’t have satellite phones to call for help.

And all of this is set amid the beautiful scenery of the Seal River. I love Hap’s descriptions of the estuaries and eskers, the big sky and spiny trees.

I really enjoyed this book, though there were parts where I wanted to scream at Hap. There are so many red flags ahead of the trip and I know, personally, I never would have set out on this trip. I imagine that, were Hap in this situation today, he wouldn’t either.

But it’s because he moves forward with the trip, despite the emerging problems, that we get to read such an entertaining and thrilling account of a nearly disastrous trip. So I definitely recommend this book!

River Of Fire: Conflict And Survival On The Seal River by Hap Wilson

Beyond the Trees: A Journey Alone Across Canada’s Arctic

By adam shoalts.

I was so excited to read this book. I liked Adam’s first book (Alone Against the North, featured below) and I also love the arctic . So, no surprise I loved this book (much more than his first, actually).

In Beyond the Trees , Adam recounts his nearly 4000 km journey across Canada’s unforgiving arctic, alone.

It’s a race against time; he must reach his destination before winter sets in, so he cannot rest or make mistakes. On his journey, he battles gale winds, paddles upriver and has a handful of close wildlife encounters.

I want to emphasize just how much upriver paddling he does, because anyone who has paddled a whitewater river knows it takes skill to paddle down the river; paddling up seems impossible. Yet Adam manages to paddle up the Coppermine River.

It isn’t thrilling the way Touching the Void or River of Fire is, but instead of thrills, the reader will get a deep look into a landscape untouched by modern development. I found the book to read kind of like an elaborate love letter to the wilderness. Plus, Adam is so damn funny in his prose. I love it.

Check prices Here

Beyond The Trees: A Journey Alone Across Canada's Arctic by Adam Shoalts

Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube

By blair braverman.

This book will surprise you in many ways. Blair Braverman is a tough girl obsessed with the North. She has lived in Norway and Alaska, working with sled dogs and guiding on glaciers.

You’ll be fascinated by her descriptions of attending dog sledding school, panic when she gets trapped in snow, fear for her as she navigates empty tundra at night. And yet, while the story is exciting in nature, there is so much more to the book than sled dogs and chilly environments.

The novel also confronts the fear of living in extreme environments, sexism in adventure guiding, owning your story and your own body, among other topics. Also, Blair is a total badass and it’s an entertaining read. As far as outdoor books go, this one is a total knock-out.

Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube: Chasing Fear and Finding Home in ...

Trails and Tribulations: Confessions of a Wilderness Pathfinder

I first learned about this book while researching the Missinaibi River before a summer of guiding. I came across a passage from the book about more than 30 fatalities that occurred on the river due to mistakes on the topographic maps (critical portages and waterfalls were incorrectly marked or missing altogether).

Years later I returned to read the book in its entirety and found it to be incredibly interesting. The book, written by canoeing legend Hap Wilson, resembles a memoir in parts but goes much further than that.

Hap details what it was like working as a wilderness guide in the 70s and 80s and how the canoeing infrastructure (both social and physical) has evolved over time. He touches on Indigenous history and I found the sections on Thunderhouse Falls and the Bloodvein River to be particularly chilling. There’s also stories of conservation efforts, especially in regards to Temagami and the old growth forest of Wolf Lake.

This is a great book for anyone, but I think it’s an especially important read for young wilderness trippers (myself included). The book illustrates a history for the recreational canoeing we’re familiar with now; it also provides insight into how the fight to conserve these areas is not over (and probably never will be).

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A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail

By bill bryson.

I love the way Bill Bryson writes. In A Walk in the Woods , Bill Bryson and his recovering alcoholic friend set out to walk the entire length of the Appalachian Trail. Neither are experienced hikers, so you can imagine the blunders encountered along the way.

This book is very different from all the others on the list because it isn’t about an impressive expedition or an insane survival story. In fact, the walk itself is pretty mundane. But then again, Bill Bryson wrote an entire (best selling) book on home furniture , so Bill can make literally anything an amusing book to read.

Honestly, this book will have you laughing out loud, thinking of your own hiking memories and continuously turning the pages. I found a few sections to be a little frustrating (the lack of preparation! ahh!) but once I let that go I found it very funny.

No Shortcuts to the Top: Climbing the World’s 14 Highest Peaks

By eric viesturs.

This story takes you to the peaks of the world’s tallest mountains. Eric Viesturs was the sixth person to ever each of the 14 8,000 meter-plus mountains and in this memoir, he details everything from his early obsession with the mountains to the logistics of mountaineering and finally, the incredible feat that is climbing the tallest mountains in the world.

This is one of those “he did an impressive thing so let’s have him write a book about it”. I wasn’t taken on an emotional rollercoaster; there were no long nights where I couldn’t put the book down. That said, it was interesting learning about what goes into an expedition and how your mindset changes as you navigate an obsession.

No Shortcuts to the Top: Climbing the World's 14 Highest Peaks by Ed Viesturs

Alone Against the North

In this book, Adam Shoalts sets out to paddle an unnamed river in the Hudson Bay Lowlands that has no record of ever being paddled. Without a map, anything can lie beyond the river bend (say, a 20 ft. waterfall…) and I can only imagine the courage it takes to paddle not knowing what you’re in for.

In total honestly, this is my least favourite Adam Shoalts book. When he began his journey as explorer-author, I think he placed a little too much emphasis on ‘discovery’ and ‘conquering the land’. He’s evolved so much as a story teller since this book and I don’t have this critique for anything else he’s written.

Despite it being my least favourite, I still think it’s a great read. Adam has incredible determination and courage to face the unknown, on his own, and the book is entertaining.

I’d recommend this book to anyone who loves canoeing, but even if you don’t you may find it sparks a desire in you to go paddling (or never get in a boat again).

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Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster

Here is another book by Jon Krakauer (who also wrote Into The Wild ), and this is the epitome of outdoor adventure books. Into Thin Air is an exhilarating and heartbreaking account of the Mount Everest disaster of 1996. John, a writer for Outside Magazine , joins an Everest Expedition led by one of the world’s most celebrated climbers, Rob Hall.

On the summit day, a huge storm hits and those who did not abide by the 2:00 pm turnaround time get caught in it. Over the next day, eight people die, including Rob Hall. Jon does extensive research to support the personal account of what happened and he interviews survivors after the fact.

Honestly, it isn’t one of my favourites (I’d recommend Touching the Void over this one), but it’s celebrated enough to command a spot on this list.

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The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest

By anatoli boukreev.

While Into Thin Air gets all the press and fanfare, it’s been brought to my attention that The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest is a more accurate depiction of the events of the 1996 disaster. I haven’t read this one personally, so I don’t know how good it is.

Check it out Here

Amazon.com: The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest eBook : Boukreev,  Anatoli, DeWalt, G. Weston: Kindle Store

Alone on the Wall

By alex honnold with david roberts.

Alex Honnold is a legend in the climbing community, and the outdoor adventure world overall. In this book, we get to see the world through Honnold’s eyes and the thoughts he had while alone on a sheer rock face.

In total honesty, I didn’t like this book (part of it is because Alex Honnold didn’t write it himself). If you want to learn more about Alex and his climbing, I would recommend watching the documentary Free Solo instead. That said, it’s a largely celebrated book so who am I to say it doesn’t below on this list?

Braving It: A Father, a Daughter, and an Unforgettable Journey into the Alaskan Wild

By james campbell.

In Braving It, James Campbell and his daughter make three trips to the Alaska wilderness, each progressively more difficult. The first visit is a summer trip to help a friend construct a cabin, the second a visit to the constructed cabin in the winter, and the third a canoe trip.

Overall, I really liked this book. It was easy to read and provided vivid imagery of Alaska. I saw parts of myself in James’ daughter and could relate to her fascination and enthusiasm with the north.

While the book will have you longing for a trip to the Alaskan backcountry, I think the real story is about the connection between fathers and daughters. The worrying from both sides, the acknowledgment that not all feelings need to be said to be shared. It’s made me even more eager to plan a camping trip with my dad.

Braving It: A Father, A Daughter, And An Unforgettable Journey Into The Alaskan Wild by James Campbell

Paddling My Own Canoe

By audrey sutherland.

This book was excellent. I’ll admit I bought the book because it had the word “canoe” in the title and was disappointed that she isn’t actually in a canoe for much of the book. The misleading title, however, allowed me to read a book I’d likely never pick up otherwise – and I’m so glad I did.

In this story, Audrey is mesmerized by the Molokai coastline one on of Hawaii’s islands. With a terrain so rugged, walking the coastline is impossible. The waves are too much for a boat – something more nimble is needed… So Audrey elects to swim the coastline. She nearly dies on her first attempt, but her second is much more fruitful. In addition to being an amazing story, the imagery itself is lovely.

Also, I love this edition of the book specifically. There are beautiful watercolour paintings to illustrate the Hawaii coastline, and it really adds to the vivid descriptions Audrey uses. I love turning a page and seeing an illustration of the cascading waterfall I’ve just read about, or the bright yellow fish swimming under breaking waves.

Read it Now: Paddling My Own Canoe Paddling My Own Canoe

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Paddle to the Amazon: The Ultimate 12,000-Mile Cano e Adventure

By don starkell.

I don’t know much about this book – other than that it involves canoeing the Amazon – however, if you scroll down to the comments this is the #1 recommendation (I even get people emailing me about this book so it must be good).

Read it Now: Paddle to the Amazon: The Ultimate 12,000-Mile Canoe Adventure

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Currently Reading: A Woman in the Polar Night

Based on the recommendations below, I have picked up a copy of A Woman in the Polar Night . This is a memoir written in 1934 by the Austrian painter Christiane Ritter. She and her husband spend a year on the Spitsbergen, a remote island in the arctic.

For the first section of the book, Christiane isn’t a big fan of the arctic. It’s cold and barren and desolate. But over time she starts to fall in love with its charm. It reminds me a lot of my time in the arctic, where I spent the first part painfully lonely but completely fell in love with the region.

So far it’s been really good!

Find It Here: A Woman in the Polar Night

A Woman in the Polar Night: Christiane Ritter: 9781782275640: Amazon.com:  Books

Currently Reading: The Dangerous River: Adventure on the Nahanni

By rm patterson.

I was supposed to paddle the Nahanni River with my dad in 2020 but a pesky little virus cancelled those plans. Then we were supposed to in 2021 but couldn’t because of this gosh darn persistent pandemic. So while our Nahanni plans are on hold, I’ve gotten a copy of The Dangerous River: Adventure on the Nahanni to tide me over.

In this memoir, RM Patterson details two journeys down the Nahanni River in the 1920s. After leaving a comfortable banking job in England, RM Pattersere journeys to the Canadian wilderness in search of gold. He hunted, trapped, fished, and explored, ultimately falling in love with the landscape.

Along the Nahanni River, he faced all of the hardships characterized by a wild, northern river. I am very excited to read this book next!

Find it Here: The Dangerous River: Adventure on the Nahanni

Dangerous River: Adventure on the Nahanni by R.M. Patterson

On the Reading List: The Last Season

By eric blehm.

Unlike most of the other books on this list, this is not a memoir. In The Last Season, Eric Belhm tells the story of an incredible park ranger in the Sierra Nevada. Randy Morgenson, a seasoned ranger of 28 years, protected the mountainous landscape and its visitors with introverted enthusiasm.

But then Randy faces a series of setbacks; tie in the intense isolation, and many suspected his disappearance as being a suicide… or the result of foul play.

So what happened? Well, read the book and piece the puzzle together yourself!

Find it Here: The Last Season

The Last Season (P.S.): Blehm, Eric: 9780060583019: Amazon.com: Books

On the Reading List: To Shake the Sleeping Self

By jedidiah jenkins.

I haven’t jumped into this book myself, but it’s been recommended to me by quite a few people. The memoir is written about 2019 when 30-year-old Jedidiah quits his jobs and bikes from Oregon to Patagonia. He documents his travels on Instagram, winning over hundreds of thousands of followers – all the while questioning, what makes a life worth living?

Perhaps I am judging a book by its cover (well, specifically, its synopsis) but I don’t have a lot of desire to read a “meaning of life” book written by someone just 5 years my senior.

That said, I can’t deny that biking from Oregon to Patagonia is bloody impressive, so I’ll give it a try and let you know what I think.

Find it Here: To Shake the Sleeping Self

To Shake the Sleeping Self: A Journey from Oregon to Patagonia, and a Quest  for a Life with No Regret: Jenkins, Jedidiah: 9781524761387: Amazon.com:  Books

What’s your favourite outdoor adventure book?

This is an evolving list. Comment below your favourite outdoor adventure books and I’ll do my best to give them a read and add it to the list!

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Mikaela | Voyageur Tripper

Mikaela has been canoeing, hiking and camping for over ten years. She previously worked as a canoeing guide in Canada, and spent a season guiding hiking and kayaking tours in the high Arctic. Mikaela is a Wilderness First Responder and Whitewater Rescue Technician.

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33 thoughts on “ 23 Must-Read Outdoor Adventure Books (Updated 2023) ”

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You should definitely read Mother of God by Paul Rosolie, he is a conservationist who works to protect the Amazon Rainforest!

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Oh that sounds really interesting! Thanks for sharing Abby, I’ll be sure to check that out 🙂

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The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest by Anatoli Boukreev is another account of the tragic events on Everest in May 1996. A good read after diving into Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air. I also really enjoyed Latitude Zero by Mike Horn. The stuff this guy did on this journey is nuts!

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I think Boukreev’s book is much more honest that Krakauer’s. Also of interest is Left For Dead by Beck Weathers, who was also a member of that ill-fated expedition.

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Oh my goodness! An amazing article.

Thanks Gabriel! I hope you find your next great read!

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You should read Only Fools & White Horses by Colin Skeath – The epic story of the first circumnavigation of the UK by open canoe

I haven’t heard of that one – I’ll check it out! Thanks Katrina!

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Mikaela, nicely done blog and list of book recommendations. I’ve been a lifetime reader of outdoor adventure books and I’m always on the look out for new titles. A DON’T MISS recommendation is “A Woman in the Polar Night” by Christiane Ritter. Written in 1934, it chronicles her time spent on Spitsbergen Island in the Arctic. The writing is luminous. For a time, it was one of the most popular books amongst German speakers.

Hi Sam! Thanks for your comment! I haven’t heard of that book but it sounds right up my alley! I’ll check it out once I finish my current book and add it to the list. Thanks!!

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The Last Season by Eric Blehm. Story is about a very knowledgeable and seasoned park ranger who goes missing. It’s was fantastic!

Thanks for the suggestion, Cade! That sounds super interesting – I’ll add it to my to-read list 🙂

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Paddle to the Amazon is one of my favourite books of all time!

Thanks Rob! I think I’ll read this one next! So many people have suggested it – must be a good one!

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“Paddle to the Amazon” by Don Starkell. A father and two sons set off from Winnipeg in a canoe to paddle to the Gulf of Mexico and then to the Amazon. It is a crazy read. Followed by “Paddle to the Arctic” also by Starkell of his attempt to kayak the North West Passage. Then you need to read “Kabloona in the Yellow Kayak” by Victoria Jason, also of Winnipeg, who accompanied Starkell on his first portion of the Arctic trip but ended up kayaking the Mackenzie river and then through the North West Passage by herself. She’s my hero! Then of course there are Freya Hoffmeister’s books about kayaking around Australia and South America and now the first one of kayaking around North America.

Those are some great recommendations – thanks so much Elizabeth! I’ll check out Paddle to the Amazon next and then, of course the one about the arctic. Though I’m keen to read Kabloona too – I’ve heard some great things about it

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I have mixed feeling with Beyond the trees, I like that his trip is up north as I can relate because I live in the Yukon but there a bit too much of “nobody has done this river like I’m doing it and bla bla bla) I could die here and this and that” sort of feel a bit egocentric especially from the second half of the book. I really like the book “To shake the sleeping self” by Jedidiah Jenkins he bikes from the US to Patagonia.

That’s interesting! I had mixed feelings when I read his first book, Alone Against the North, again as it has a “I’m here to conquer this never paddled river” and that rubbed me the wrong way. But still incredible trips! I’ll check out To Shake the Sleeping Self- thanks!

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I think you will be both impressed AND appalled by Paddle to the Amazon. It’s amazing that he and his sons survived given how many things they did wrong…

But if you would accept a book recommendation from me, ‘A Dangerous River’ by RM Patterson who explored the Nahanni and met people like Albert Faille is absolutely fantastic!

That’s next on my list! And I’ll check out A Dangerous River too – thanks!

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The Worst Journey in the World. Its Epic…..

Oh I’ll check that out – thanks Darryl!

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Check out Dude, Where’s My Walking Stick? by Kevin Moore. Great little adventure across New Zealand’s Te Araroa

I love the title of that – I will check it out! (My reading list has gotten so long haha!)

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My favorite book is: Lands of Lost Borders by Kate Harris

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The lost city of Z is a really good book. It’s a true story about a British explorer in the early 1900s looking for a lost city in the Amazon. Amazing what these guys put themselves through without modern conveniences.

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ALONE AT THE TOP by Lonnie Dupre with Pam Louwagie. Easy read, but most definitely an inspiring story of a solo journey to the summit of Denali in the dead of winter. My wife and I met Lonnie at an outdoor expo in Denver a few years ago. I had no idea who he was until he handed us his book. After reading it, I wish I would have known of him before I met him. Much respect for him.

Oh that’s so cool! I’ll check out the book – sounds like a really cool story!

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Great list! I can’t wait to order some of these. I came across your site while looking for some inspiration for spring reads. My favourites – The Sun is a Compass (Caroline Van Hemert), This Much Country (Kristin Knight Pace), Chasing Rivers (Tamar Glouberman).

Those all sound like great books! I’ll check them out!

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Thanks for the list, I’ve already read several of these. Shackleton is great. You might enjoy these: 1. One Man’s Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey by Richard Louis Proenneke, Sam Keith , et al.

2. Outermost House by Henry Beston (Cape Cod)

and of course my favorite: 3. My First Summer in the Sierra by John Muir

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What a great list, so nice to stumble on this in a search. I would HIGHLY recommend the Emerald Mile which is perhaps the greatest book ever written about whitewater river running that wraps in histories of John Wesley Powell, Glen Canyon Dam, Martin Litton and the introduction of dories to whitewater all wrapped around three crazy guides’ attempt to break the speed descent of the Grand Canyon during the historic flood/Run-off of 1983. Compellingly written, impossible to put down, If you have even an inkling of interest in rivers this is a must read.

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How to travel in 2022: 12 books to make you rethink the way you explore the world

The best travel books no longer merely answer the question ‘where’ but instead address questions such as ‘why’ and ‘who’. we explore titles that aim to shape the way we think about travel in 2022 and beyond..

nature travel guide book

The latest releases to make you rethink the way you travel in 2022. 

How we explore the world — and why — is the driving force behind the latest pioneering travel titles. Destination-led travel literature has been usurped by books that seek a more meaningful connection with our planet, be it questioning the colonialist perspectives of travel literature’s traditional blueprint, understanding how racial identity shapes our experiences of the world, or simply finding ways to make our travel more sustainable.

Books that re-examine our relationship with nature remain firmly in focus. A battalion of eco-conscious authors are setting out across the globe to spotlight vanishing species — from seeds to sea creatures, and so much more in between — in an attempt to encourage readers to develop a deeper connection with the living world in the face of climate breakdown. Since the runaway success of such books as H is for Hawk , and The Screaming Sky , books that focus on our planet’s bird populations have seen a surge in popularity, as have travelogues that encourage us to open our minds, and senses, to Earth’s unique orchestra of natural sounds, smells and seasonal sights — and cherish those that are fading.

We select 12 books that will help you reimagine how you might travel in 2022:

1.  Zero Altitude: How I Learned to Fly Less and Travel More , by Helen Coffey (Flint Books, £16.99)

Getting on a plane is an occupational hazard for the eco-conscious travel writer — the carbon-spouting elephant in the room addressed by Helen Coffey, who journeys as far as she can in the name of journalism, all without boarding a single flight. Rather than reducing her spectrum of experience and understanding of the world, Helen’s forays into parts unknown by train, car, boat and bike provide an exhilarating opportunity for adventure. Follow her as she meets climate experts and activists worldwide and take notes as she offers up practical tips on how to travel while keeping your feet firmly on the ground.

2.  The Green Traveller: Conscious adventure that doesn’t cost the earth , by Richard Hammond (Pavilion Books, £18.99)

Richard Hammond, the founder of the Green Traveller website, was a pioneer of eco travel, championing sustainable-yet-exciting ways to explore the world. His new book examines how green travel has developed in recent decades and the crucial role it plays in the future of our planet. Packed with practical tips to inspire adventure, this is a handbook to help you navigate tricky terminology, cut through the greenwash and plan your next trip via reviews of everything from the best off-grid accommodation to campsites reachable by public transport and places where you can get involved in exciting citizen science projects.

3.  The Travel Writing Tribe: Journeys in Search of a Genre , by Tim Hannigan (Hurst, £12.99)  

Journeying from Monaco to Berkshire and far beyond, travel writer Tim Hannigan asks the big questions of the genre. What of travel writing’s uncomfortable colonial connections? Where does the frontier between fact and fiction lie? He digs around into the diaries of such canonical authors as Wilfred Thesiger and Patrick Leigh Fermor, discusses the time he enjoyed a beer and words of wisdom with the late Dervla Murphy and gets frank insight from celebrated scribes such as Colin Thubron, Samanth Subramanian, Kapka Kassabova and William Dalrymple. Despite some discomfiting discoveries, Hannigan’s love of travel writing endures.

4.  Sounds Wild and Broken , by David George Haskell   (Faber & Faber, £20)

David George Haskell is the author of 2021’s Thirteen Ways to Smell a Tree: Getting to know trees through the language of scent . His new book tunes into our sense of hearing with a globe-trotting journey through time. Exploring everything from rainforests that vibrate with insect sounds to swamps pulsing with frog calls, Haskell shines a light on evolution's creative powers — how species learn to adapt through calls, song and sound. He takes us to threatened forests, noise-filled oceans and raucous city streets to show how vital sonic diversity is to the survival of our planet.

5.  Islands of Abandonment: Life in a Post-Human Landscape , by Cal Flyn (William Collins Books, £9.99)

Shortlisted for a bevy of writing awards in the past year and winner of two Sunday Times writing prizes in 2022, including Young Writer of the Year, this travelogue asks us to explore a post-human world. Taking in such eerie spots as Chernobyl, the mining regions of Scotland and volcano-devasted Caribbean destinations, the Scottish Highlands-born writer explores the world’s abandoned places — ghost towns, exclusion zones and no-man’s lands — and paints an unflinchingly vivid, if ultimately optimistic, picture of what happens when nature is allowed to reclaim its place.

6.  I Belong Here: A Journey Along the Backbone of Britain , by Anita Sethi  (Bloomsbury Publishing, £10.99)

British identities and their place in our landscapes is another area ripe for exploration, as seen in such books as Jini Reddy’s feted, Wanderland . This 2021 release follows the journey made by Anita Sethi who, after being a victim of racial abuse, decides to hike across the Pennines – the ‘backbone of Britain’ – in a bid to reclaim the natural landscapes of the north and expel the crushing sense of claustrophobia, anxiety and panic attacks that the race hate induced. The resulting travelogue is a heartfelt examination of identity and how it shapes and is shaped by the landscape and cultures we move through.

7.  The Flightless Traveller: 50 modern adventures by land, river and Sea , by Emma Gregg (Greenfinch, £22)

An inspirational guide to travelling the globe sustainably, via trips that eschew winged transport in favour of such enticing experiences as backcountry bike rides, have-a-go sailing voyages, short jaunts on vintage railways and incredible intercontinental journeys. Packed with practical advice on everything from trip planning to budgeting, Gregg suggests new ways to explore well-known places, along with itineraries that include lesser-known destinations, activities and experiences, all encouraging us to make the journey an essential part of the adventure.

8.  The Eco-Conscious Travel Guide: 30 European Rail Adventures to Inspire Your Next Trip , by Georgina Wilson-Powell (Harper Collins Publishers, £12.99)

This book focuses on the best places to ride the rails via 30 themed routes where you can hop on and off at will. Via catchy itinerary categories, which include Alpine Ambles, Ski Escapes, Wine-Fuelled Wanders, and Chocolate, Cheese and Carb Delights, Wilson-Powell — founder of sustainable lifestyle magazine Pebble — explores everything from Europe’s top vineyards and the burgeoning crop of artisan food producers to the Alpine ski resorts striving to do things sustainably. Along the way, she finds plenty of places to take in the continent’s most impressive landscapes, either on foot or reclining in the comfort of a train carriage.

9.  Travelling While Black: Essays Inspired by a Life on the Move , by Nanjala Nyabola   (Hurst, £16.99)

Nanjala Nyabola’s collection of probing essays ask some tough questions: what does it feel like to move through a world designed to limit and exclude you? How are Black lives impacted by the legacy of colonial cultures? What can travel tell us about our sense of self, of home, of belonging and identity? Her stories, drawn from travels as far afield as Nepal, Botswana, Sicily and Nairobi, offer some shocking and sometimes very humorous answers. 

10.  Minarets in the Mountains: A Journey into Muslim Europe , by Tharik Hussain (Bradt Guides, £9.99)

Nominated for several awards in the past two years, Hussain’s travelogue focuses on the Western Balkans, exploring the history and culture of Europe’s largest Indigenous Muslim population. Setting off from his home in London, the writer explores a region where Islam has shaped places and people for more than half a millennium, painting a picture of a hidden Europe, a place where marginalised cultures coexist. He encounters blonde-haired, blue-eyed Muslims, visits mystical Islamic mountain lodges and prays in mosques older than the Sistine Chapel.

11.  Around the World in 80 Birds , by Mike Unwin (Laurence King Publishing, £22)

Mike Unwin’s avian tour sheds light on our relationship with the natural world, revealing just how much our feathered friends mean to us, inspiring myth, national pride and even scientific discoveries. The book gives a platform to every bird with a story to tell, from the sociable weaver bird, which builds multi-nest ‘apartment blocks’ in Namibia to the bar-headed goose of China, which takes on a twice-yearly trans-Himalayan journey at an extreme altitude. Accompanied by exquisite illustrations, these pages make for some beautiful armchair nature travel.

12.  Eating to Extinction , by Dan Saladino (Jonathan Cape, £25)

Saladino spans the globe, uncovering the hidden stories of the food we eat — notably those foods we’re at risk of losing entirely. From a tiny crimson pear in the West of England to fermented lamb dish that’s delicacy in the Faroe Islands, and exploding corn in Mexico, thousands of our most interesting foods risk being lost amid a deluge of readily available, mass-produced alternatives. Ironically, it’s this threatened culinary heritage that may well hold the key to our culinary futures. Celebrating crop biodiversity, Saladino meets the pioneering farmers, scientists, cooks, food producers and Indigenous communities who are both preserving food traditions and fighting for change.

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The Best Books of 2021

This Year's Must-Reads

The Ten Best Books About Travel of 2021

With many of our wings still clipped by Covid-19 this year, we needed to travel vicariously through these adventurous reads

Jennifer Nalewicki

Travel Correspondent

inArticle-travel-books2021-1400w.jpg

To put it mildly, the year 2021 has been an interesting one in terms of travel, thanks to the pandemic. While many countries are reopening their borders and inviting visitors back with open arms, others remain completely locked down to foreigners. Many travelers have seen this as a sign to keep their vacations closer to home, favoring road trips over intercontinental flights and cruises, while others prepare for long-awaited excursions they were forced to cancel due to Covid-19. 

Fortunately, one thing that the pandemic hasn’t changed is the ability to escape and experience new places through a book. Here are ten travel book releases from 2021 that are getting us excited about getting out on the open road again. 

Winter Pasture: One Woman’s Journey with China’s Kazakh Herders , by Li Juan

After many years of running a convenience store with her mother in China’s Altai Mountains, author Li Juan decided she wanted to experience the country’s rough and rugged landscape for herself and joined a family of Kazakh herders to help them with the challenging task of moving their livestock from one grazing area to another. Faced with minus-20-degree temperatures and a herd of 30 camels, 500 sheep and more than 100 cattle, Li experiences what herding life is like firsthand and chronicles it in her memoir, Winter Pasture , translated to English for the first time. In describing the inspiration for her book, she writes in an excerpt, “At first, my ambitions were grand. I wanted to spend the winter in a destination that was at least 250 miles away, which would mean over a dozen days by horseback, so that I could get a taste of the hardest, most unforgiving aspects of nomadic life.” Li had trepidations about traveling on horseback and withstanding the harsh elements though, eventually opting to spend just three days with the herders. Slate writes, “People can figure out how to survive under the most punishing circumstances, and learning about how these people do it—how they have done it for centuries—makes Winter Pasture an unlikely but inspiring getaway read for the late pandemic.”  

Preview thumbnail for 'Winter Pasture: One Woman's Journey with China's Kazakh Herders

Winter Pasture: One Woman's Journey with China's Kazakh Herders

Winner of the People's Literature Award, Winter Pasture has been a bestselling book in China for several years. Li Juan has been widely lauded in the international literary community for her unique contribution to the narrative non-fiction genre. Winter Pasture is her crowning achievement, shattering the boundaries between nature writing and personal memoir.

There and Back: Photographs from the Edge , by Jimmy Chin

Chances are good that you’ve seen Jimmy Chin’s work. Not only have his adventure photographs appeared in National Geographic , but his film Free Solo , which follows professional rock climber Alex Honnold’s gripping attempt to free climb Yosemite National Park’s El Capitan, won an Oscar for best documentary in 2019. Now the photographer-director-mountaineer is adding another hyphenate to his name as book author with the December 7 release of There and Back: Photographs from the Edge . Capturing some of Chin’s greatest (and most death-defying) adventures, from skiing Mount Everest to crisscrossing Tibet’s high-altitude Chang Tang region without a support crew, the book contains more than 200 striking photographs shot on all seven continents. Chin’s imagery is coupled with profiles of some of the world’s most exceptional athletes and adventurers, including Honnold and ski-mountaineer Kit DesLauriers. Fellow photographer Paul Nicklen has this to say about Chin’s work: “Jimmy’s photography takes you on a journey to places few have ever visited. No one else is capable of capturing such beauty while hanging by a thread from a towering rock face or skiing down the legendary slopes of Mount Everest. It is a pleasure to finally have all his most iconic images in one volume. I can't wait for you to get lost in the poetry he has unearthed at the most extreme corners of our planet.”  

Preview thumbnail for 'There and Back: Photographs from the Edge

There and Back: Photographs from the Edge

The Academy Award–winning director of Free Solo and National Geographic photographer presents the first collection of his iconic adventure photography, featuring some of the greatest moments of the most accomplished climbers and outdoor athletes in the world, and including more than 200 extraordinary photographs.

An Indian Among Los Indígenas: A Native Travel Memoir, by Ursula Pike

A member of the Karuk Tribe from Northern California, Ursula Pike joined the Peace Corps in her mid-20s in hopes of building relationships with indigenous groups far from home. As she writes in her debut book, An Indian Among Los Indígenas , it wasn't lost on her, though, that when she arrived in La Paz, Bolivia, to start her volunteer term, she “followed in the footsteps of Western colonizers and missionaries who had also claimed they were there to help.” Pike's travel memoir grapples with the lasting repercussions she witnesses of colonization across South America, providing an honest, straightforward and non-white-washed perspective. “Acutely aware of the legacy of colonialism on her own people, Pike examines her own potential complicity with frankness and wit,” writes Ms. Magazine . 

Preview thumbnail for 'An Indian Among Los Indígenas: A Native Travel Memoir

An Indian Among Los Indígenas: A Native Travel Memoir

An Indian among los Indígenas upends a canon of travel memoirs that has historically been dominated by white writers. It is a sharp, honest, and unnerving examination of the shadows that colonial history casts over even the most well-intentioned attempts at cross-cultural aid.

The Bears Ears: A Human History of America’s Most Endangered Wilderness , by David Roberts

Bears Ears National Monument in southeastern Utah has been a hotly contested region over the last few years. In December 2017, former president Donald Trump signed legislation that decreased the monument’s size by 85 percent in an effort to put the land on the auction block for future development as a drilling and mining site—one of the largest reductions of protected land by a president in history—only for the Biden administration to restore the territory to its original form this October. Now that the environmental battle has ended, author David Roberts takes readers on a trek through this rugged 1.35-million-acre expanse, which he calls “his favorite place on earth.” In The Bears Ears , Roberts combines archival research with his own personal adventures exploring some of the monument’s more than 100,000 archeological sites , which comprise nearly 14,000 years’ worth of human history. “Most tribes feel that North America is still theirs, that it’s been stolen from them by the government, by white people,” Mark Maryboy, a retired Navajo politician and activist, told Roberts for an opinion piece he wrote for The New York Times in February. “We still worship in those lands. The Bears Ears is our church, our cathedral.”   

Preview thumbnail for 'The Bears Ears: A Human History of America's Most Endangered Wilderness

The Bears Ears: A Human History of America's Most Endangered Wilderness

A personal and historical exploration of the Bears Ears country and the fight to save a national monument.

Windswept: Walking the Paths of Trailblazing Women , by Annabel Abbs

In her new book, English author Annabel Abbs adds weight to the famous quote , “Well behaved women rarely make history”—originally uttered by Harvard professor Laurel Thatcher Ulrich and often misattributed to Eleanor Roosevelt. Following along the paths of notable artists, authors, musicians and scholars, she embarks on an inspirational journey with the many women throughout history who refused to conform to gender norms and instead left behind their conventional homemaking roles to enter spheres historically populated by men. Abbs, who describes her own childhood experiences of growing up carless and relying on her own two feet to get around, “walks” alongside artist Georgia O'Keeffe in the secluded desert of New Mexico, English author Daphne Du Maurier and the River Rhone, and French writer and philosopher Simone de Beauvoir amidst the wild forests and mountains of France. Throughout Windswept , Abbs poses this simple yet thought-provoking question: “How does a woman change once she becomes windswept?”

Preview thumbnail for 'Windswept: Walking the Paths of Trailblazing Women

Windswept: Walking the Paths of Trailblazing Women

Annabel Abbs follows in the footsteps of women who boldly reclaimed wild landscapes for themselves, including Georgia O’Keeffe in the empty plains of Texas and New Mexico, Nan Shepherd in the mountains of Scotland, Gwen John following the French River Garonne, Daphne du Maurier along the River Rhône, and Simone de Beauvoir―who walked as much as twenty-five miles a day in a dress and espadrilles―through the mountains and forests of France.

Postcards from the Baja California Border: Portraying Townscape and Place, 1900s-1950s , by Daniel D. Arreola

For many people, including Daniel D. Arreola, popping a postcard in the mail to friends and loved ones back home is a necessary part of traveling. In Postcards from the Baja California Border, the cultural and historical geographer looks at the history of some of the Mexican border’s many communities, particularly Tijuana, Mexicali, Tecate and Algodones, training his focus specifically on the first half of the 20th century. The book is the final installment of a four-part series that includes postcards from the Río Bravo, Sonora and Chihuahua. “In each of these excursions the goal has been the same: to understand how a popular media form, the postcard, is a window into the historical and geographical past of Mexican border communities that were tourist destinations from the 1900s through the 1950s,” Arreola writes in the book’s introduction. Many of the postcards are from Arreola’s personal collection while others are from archives. By spotlighting dozens of colorful postcards, Arreola shows what the borderlands look like from the perspective of visitors and provides a time capsule of the many cabarets, curios shops and other popular tourist haunts that have all but disappeared over time.  

Preview thumbnail for 'Postcards from the Baja California Border: Portraying Townscape and Place, 1900s–1950s

Postcards from the Baja California Border: Portraying Townscape and Place, 1900s–1950s

Postcards have a magical pull. They allow us to see the past through charming relics that allow us to travel back in time. Daniel D. Arreola’s Postcards from the Baja California Border offers a window into the historical and geographical past of storied Mexican border communities.

Come Fly the World: The Jet-Age Story of the Women of Pan Am , by Julia Cooke

Pan American World Airways, or simply Pan Am, is arguably one of the most recognizable and iconic international carriers in the world, leaving an impressionable mark on the airline industry long after it filed for bankruptcy in 1991. In her tell-all book Come Fly the World , author Julia Cooke brings the allure of traveling by air back to life, sharing the experiences of flight attendants (then called stewardesses) who worked for the airline between 1966 and 1975. Not only does Cooke highlight some of the ridiculous standards put forth by the airline for its employees, like requiring flight attendants to be between 5′3" and 5′9", 105 and 140 pounds, and under 26 years of age, but also their role during the Vietnam War, including providing assistance during Operation Babylift, which saw the mass evacuation of some 2,000 orphaned children in April 1975, during the fall of Saigon, who were later adopted by new parents throughout America. In a review of the book, author Kate Bolick ( Spinster: Making a Life of One’s Own ) writes, “Viewing the untold story of jet-age stewardesses through a modern feminist lens, Cooke brings vividly to life a contradictory profession, one that, for all its limitations, offered many women a chance for true liberation.”

Preview thumbnail for 'Come Fly The World: The Jet-Age Story of the Women of Pan Am

Come Fly The World: The Jet-Age Story of the Women of Pan Am

Glamour, danger, liberation: in a Mad Men –era of commercial flight, Pan Am World Airways attracted the kind of young woman who wanted out, and wanted up.

Around the World in 80 Books , by David Damrosch

As a professor of literature at Harvard University, David Damrosch knows a thing or two about books that have shaped the field of literature and also touched people’s lives. For Around the World in 80 Books , he pulls from his comprehensive knowledge of the written word and his personal library of texts to create an analysis of 80 books that offer readers a strong sense of place. From Charles Dickens ( Great Expectations ) and Eileen Chang ( Love in a Fallen City ) to Chinua Achebe ( Things Fall Apart ) and Marcel Proust ( In Search of Lost Time ), Damrosch draws together a diverse array of talented authors from all walks of life. They are both widely and lesser known, but all have one key thing in common: Their writing has the ability to transport readers to places near and far without ever needing to leave home.   

Preview thumbnail for 'Around the World in 80 Books

Around the World in 80 Books

A transporting and illuminating voyage around the globe, through classic and modern literary works that are in conversation with one another and with the world around them.

Islands of Abandonment , by Cal Flyn

During the early pandemic and subsequent lockdown, it became strikingly apparent how quickly nature takes over once human interference subsides. Air quality improved in cities around the world, and birds flocked to urban areas they normally would avoid. In Islands of Abandonment , investigative journalist and nature writer Cal Flyn takes things one step further by visiting places around the world abandoned by humans over time, whether it be due to war or famine, including the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that serves as a buffer between North and South Korea, and Chernobyl , the site of a deadly nuclear disaster that remains risky to human health nearly 40 years later. The book, which was a finalist for the Wainwright Prize , awarded to works that “include a celebration of nature and our natural environment or a warning of the dangers to it across the globe,” acknowledges the negative impacts humans have had on Earth, while making a strong case for humans’ collective ability to help rehabilitate the planet for future generations.  

Preview thumbnail for 'Islands of Abandonment: Nature Rebounding in the Post-Human Landscape

Islands of Abandonment: Nature Rebounding in the Post-Human Landscape

A beautiful, lyrical exploration of the places where nature is flourishing in our absence

Freedom , by Sebastian Junger

Over the course of a year, Sebastian Junger, the New York Times bestselling author of Tribe , and three of his friends—a conflict photographer and two military veterans—challenged themselves to leave behind the creature comforts they were used to for the everyday struggles that come with life on the road. Using the railroad lines coursing up and down the East Coast as their guide, they set out on a mission to experience what life is like without the safety net provided by conventional food and shelter. They spent their weeks living in the elements, sleeping under overpasses, escaping railroad police and scrambling to cobble together each day’s meals. Freedom places the group’s experiment in independence into context with historical accounts of labor strikes, resistance movements and life on the open frontier, ultimately shedding new light on the meaning of community and freedom. “Junger contemplates the intersection of autonomy and coterie at a time when the word itself, while holding so much meaning, is so often misunderstood,” writes Sarah Sicard in a review for the Military Times .

Preview thumbnail for 'Freedom

Throughout history, humans have been driven by the quest for two cherished ideals: community and freedom. The two don’t coexist easily. We value individuality and self-reliance, yet are utterly dependent on community for our most basic needs. In this intricately crafted and thought-provoking book, Sebastian Junger examines the tension that lies at the heart of what it means to be human.

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Jennifer Nalewicki | | READ MORE

Jennifer Nalewicki is a Brooklyn-based journalist. Her articles have been published in The New York Times , Scientific American , Popular Mechanics , United Hemispheres and more. You can find more of her work at her website .

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Five new nature travel books.

Exploring the UK's wild isles: 5 of the best new nature travel books

Discover the secrets of the UK's natural landscapes — and the creatures within — with these new nature travel titles.

1. Wild Isles HarperCollins, £25.

This rich photographic guide accompanies the new BBC documentary series of the same name, which sees Sir David Attenborough celebrate the wonders of British wildlife across a range of habitats. Written by natural history journalist Patrick Barkham and producer Alastair Fothergill, each chapter of the book focuses on a particular kind of wild space, from our wide variety of grasslands to our ocean shores, woodlands and scant remaining forests, taking a deep dive into the insect, bird and mammal life they support.  

2. North York Moors & Yorkshire Wold s Bradt Guides, £15.99.

A ‘slow travel’ guide to one of Britain’s most beloved landscapes, this newly updated book remains the only stand-alone guide to the region. Written by Yorkshire resident, outdoors enthusiast and travel writer Mike Bagshaw, it takes in sandy beaches, woodlands, chalk grasslands and heather-clad moors. It has information on walking and cycle paths, as well as wildlife-watching areas for otters, adders and seabirds. Whale- and dolphin-watching tours are also covered.  

3. Flight Paths Swift Press, £16.99.

Swallows, redwings, nightingales: spring brings new bird life to UK shores, but until recently little was known about seasonal avian journeys. Bird enthusiast and science writer Rebecca Heisman uncovers the mysteries of bird migration, profiling the eccentric group of ornithologists, engineers and scientists who dedicated their life to birds’ flight paths, behaviours, destinations and the challenges they face. It brings much needed insight into how best to protect and conserve the birds that visit our islands — and destinations far beyond. Swift Press, £16.99.

4. British Woodland Ebury Publishing, £22.

Discover the secret world of our trees with this book by bushcraft and survival expert Ray Mears, who takes us on a journey from the planting of the very first seedling in Britain millennia ago to the present day. The book looks to our ancestors to show how man’s hand is critical in shaping woodland. It’s structured around how we can ‘use’ our woods, providing a root to twig exploration of some of Britain’s most remarkable trees. Learn how to use pine and oak to navigate, make rope from willow and discover that hawthorn and beech have edible leaves.

5. Springwatch: Great British Walks BBC Books, £18.99.

Explore the UK’s richest regions for wildlife with 100 walks chosen for their unique flora and fauna. Written by Wales-based travel journalist Luke Waterson, with a foreword by Chris Packham, this new guide is published in tandem with the current Springwatch BBC TV series and features walks that best reveal the diversity of British nature. With easy-to-follow maps and route notes, line drawings and plenty of inspiring detail on why the natural landscapes featured are so special, this is a walker’s best companion.

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Opportunities to be transported around the world through the pages of a good read have been a balm for adventure seekers.

The Best Adventure Travel Books of 2020

These eight titles will keep your wanderlust fired up for when it's safe to travel again

Opportunities to be transported around the world through the pages of a good read have been a balm for adventure seekers.

Heading out the door? Read this article on the Outside app available now on iOS devices for members! >","name":"in-content-cta","type":"link"}}'>Download the app .

Opportunities to be transported around the world through the pages of a good read have been a balm for adventure seekers. And with so many great releases this year, we had some trouble narrowing down our list. So we asked eight authors whose own books recently took us to incredible places to recommend some of their favorites. These titles will sate you until it’s safe to travel again.

‘Rockaway’ by Diane Cardwell

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According To: Bonnie Tsui , author of four books, including  American Chinatown and  Why We Swim .

Bonnie Tsui, who examines the draw humans have to water in her most recent book,  Why We Swim , returns to a similar theme in her recommended pick. In Rockaway , Diane Cardwell’s focus is on staying above water—literally and figuratively—as she navigates a “failed marriage” and fevered career. “This book is all about starting over and finding the thing—surfing!—that transforms that life into something hopeful and new,” Tsui says. Through a physically challenging endeavor, Cardwell helps readers understand how she has weathered the storm and offers hope to others trying to do the same.  

Why We Need This Now: In a year when the pandemic has added a layer of difficulty onto all of our lives, Rockaway  serves as a guidepost to survival and exploration in our own backyards. “Diane Cardwell’s experience of figuring out how to surf while living in New York City is a great read in a time when we are all desperately seeking newness closer to home. It also has a healthy dose of joy and altered perspective,” Tsui adds.

Buy the book

‘Leave Only Footprints ’ by Conor Knighton

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According To:  Mark Adams , author of four books, including Turn Right at Machu Picchu and Tip of the Iceberg .

“Every human on earth is going to need a long vacation next year, which, if rosy vaccine forecasts come true, could be the greatest road-trip summer in decades. In this charming survey of dozens of national parks, Conor Knighton self-medicates a broken heart by soaking up the wonders of America’s greatest outdoor hits,” explains Mark Adams, whose prolific travel writing career has included journeys that led him to search for the lost city of Atlantis and follow in the footsteps of explorer Hiram Bingham III in the mountains of Peru. 

Why We Need This Now: For Adams, the book offers a worthy distraction from the exhausting news cycle we’ve been faced with this year. “Knighton will have you thinking about better uses for your pent-up energy. Like pitching a tent.”

‘I Hold a Wolf by the Ears: Stories’ by Laura Van Den Berg

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According To: Morgan Jerkins , author of three books, including Wandering in Strange Lands   and Caul Baby: A Novel .

One of Time ’s 100 Must-Read Books of 2020, Laura Van Den Berg’s  collection of female-focused horror stories may not seem like a travel narrative at first (unlike the writer’s previous novel, The Third Hotel ) but Morgan Jerkins says the author’s deft portrayal of Florida is just one example of how it is. “Florida is a character itself in the book. Van Den Berg deftly details the heat and nature as well as the people. It’s very distinct, and I’d put her in the group of young esteemed writers like Alissa Nutting and T Kira Madden who are carving out Florida as a necessary place in the literary canon,” Jerkins says.

Why We Need This Now: According to Jerkins, Van Den Berg’s ability to explore complex female emotion and transport readers to each destination offers readers a timely salve. “I think this is the perfect book about travel in 2020 because the author sets stories in different locations, both domestic and international, and the way in which she explores fear might be the sense of understanding we need in such an unprecedented time.”

‘Wanderland: A Search for Magic in the Landscape’  by Jini Reddy

nature travel guide book

According To: Gina Rae La Cerva, author of Feasting Wild: In Search of the Last Untamed Food .

In Jini Reddy’s memoir Wanderland , the London-based Canadian writer takes a magical journey through her adopted home’s natural landscapes to cope with feeling like an outsider. “Sometimes the best adventures happen in our backyards,’ Gina Rae La Cerva says. “Reddy follows her heart and a good dose of serendipity to explore Britain’s natural wonders. This book is a celebration of the joys of roaming and discovering who we are when we come face to face with nature’s mysteries.”

Why We Need This Now: La Cerva, whose own book is a world-spanning search of what foraging means to different cultures, understands how important connecting to nature is for our well-being. “For many people, the lockdown has made escaping into the wilderness more challenging. Reddy shows us that even the most mundane landscapes contain their own wild magic. I also love that this book is about a woman of color exploring her connection to nature, including the role of her Hindu upbringing in that relationship and her own feeling of otherness.”

‘Underland: A Deep Time Journey’   by Robert Macfarlane

nature travel guide book

According To: Tom Zoellner, author of eight nonfiction books, including Island on Fire: The Revolt That Ended Slavery in the British Empire and The National Road: Dispatches from a Changing America .

“Less a physical adventure than a startling intellectual journey, Underland invites us to become conscious of a base fact of our everyday existence: the ground we stand on conceals unseen chthonic layers,” says Tom Zoellner about Robert Macfarlane’s latest offering into underground spaces, which range from historic remnants, like nuclear waste burial chambers in Finland and the Paris Catacombs, to places that take us beyond easy accessibility, like Norway’s sea caves. “Macfarlane is like John Wesley Powell without the suntan, taking us on a psychological spelunking odyssey,” Zoellner adds. 

Why We Need This Now: As the world has seemingly shrunk during the pandemic, the idea of exploring our subterranean offerings gives a whole new meaning to appreciating our backyards. “Macfarlane gives us reasons to look deeper into pedestrian landscapes—not just the picturesque ones—and the language we use to make sense of them,” Zoellner says.

‘Spirit Run: A 6,000-Mile Marathon Through North America’s Stolen Land’  by Noé Alvarez

nature travel guide book

According To: Maggie Shipstead , author of three books, including Seating Arrangements and the forthcoming Great Circle (May 2021).

A quest for connection—to the land and his ancestors—is at the heart of the running journey that Noé Alvarez takes readers on over the course of his book . “The route [that Alvarez ran] was designed to pass through as many tribal lands as possible, and he found himself running alone on gravel roads or simple trails crossing through mountains, rainforest, punishing desert, volcanic moonscape, and sometimes urban centers, contemplating the relationship between Native peoples and the land taken from them,” explains Maggie Shipstead, whose own travelogue, set for release next May, also examines the connections forged on a journey across time (Prohibition through modern day) and place (America, New Zealand, and England). 

Why We Need This Now: “Alvarez is the child of Mexican migrants who endured decades of back-breaking labor [in Yakima, Washington] to make ends meet, and he weaves his parents’ stories into his account of the run, as well as those of the other [Indigenous] runners, many of whom have led crushingly difficult lives. For a lot of us, 2020 has been a year of grappling with the cruelties of the American system while also trying to make sense of mass suffering, and Alvarez’s memoir—deeply personal and moving in its rawness—does both,” Shipstead says.

‘The New Wilderness’  by Diane Cook  

nature travel guide book

According To: Rahawa Haile , author of the forthcoming In Open Country   (2022).

In her memoir about the Appalachian Trail, set for release in 2021, Rahawa Haile shares her experience of finding herself anew in wild frontiers. Diane Cook’s debut work does the same for its female protagonists who are fighting for their survival. “ The New Wilderness is a speculative novel involving a group of people who seek refuge in the last remaining wilderness when the air in the city is deemed too toxic for children,” explains Haile about the buzzy dystopian debut. “It’s an exhilarating and immersive work, centered on a mother and daughter, that deftly jumps between the physical and interpersonal challenges faced by those who have left everything behind for a chance at struggling anew.” 

Why We Need This Now: The book’s focus on the necessity of working with our neighbors—even those with whom we don’t share a similar life experience—to preserve the planet is timely. According to Haile, “This book is perfect for anyone who spent 2020 cooped up at home due to the pandemic while nursing a healthy anxiety about the climate crisis. If you wish to lose yourself in a story about the natural world set in the long-term consequences of unchecked extractive industries, this is your novel.”

‘Eat the Buddha’  by Barbara Demick

nature travel guide book

According To: Monisha Rajesh, author of Around the World in 80 Trains: A 45,000-Mile Adventure .

A trip to North Korea introduced Monisha Rajesh to   Barbara Demick’s Nothing to Envy , which she describes as “a gripping examination of the so-called hermit kingdom through the voices of six defectors.” In Eat the Buddha , Demick uses that same ability to turn out a “fair and measured narrative” to Tibet. “This time, she’s pieced together stories told by Tibetans from Ngaba County in China to shed light on the struggles that have taken place since China occupied Tibet [in 1950],” Rajesh explains. “Tracing and tracking down hundreds of eyewitnesses to events between 1958 to present day, she has conducted exhaustive interviews that allow her to recreate everything from the smell of burning villages and the screams of tortured grandparents to softer moments of salty yak butter glistening in tea.” Rajesh, who also visited Tibet by train for her own book, appreciated Demick’s even-handed approach. “We see the raw untouched land pre-invasion and witness the destruction of the natural surroundings as time goes on.”

Why We Need This Now: “Demick presents a nuanced take, explaining that many Tibetans, including the Dalai Lama, were initially open to Chinese assistance when it came to improving the lives of Tibetans, but not to the point that their culture and religion should be eroded,” says Rajesh about current-day acts of suppression against Uyghurs in Xinjiang Province . “This book is a very relevant read that sheds light on the way in which minorities are perceived and treated by the Chinese government and the reasons behind [their persecution],” Rajesh adds.

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IMAGES

  1. Travel Books

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  2. Adventures Book cover Design

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  3. lonely-planet-guides

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  4. The Best Nature Books for your Next Adventure in the Great Outdoors

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  5. The Adventure Book Ultimate Traveler's Edition

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  6. Discover Nature Booklet

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COMMENTS

  1. Amazon Best Sellers: Best Outdoors & Nature Travel

    Best Sellers in Outdoors & Nature Travel. #1. The Comfort Crisis: Embrace Discomfort to Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self. Michael Easter. 5,732. Audible Audiobook. 1 offer from $16.18. #2. The Comfort Crisis: Embrace Discomfort To Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self.

  2. Nature Travel Guide Series (23 book series) Kindle Edition

    This book from the Nature Travel Guide series is written by Dr Duncan James, a scientist turned writer. It is a birdwatching, mammal-watching and snorkelling site guide to South East Asia. Coverage is approximately 60% birdwatching, 15% mammal watching, 10% snorkelling and 15% other ecotourism. Note that it is not an identification guide.

  3. The Best Nature Books for your Next Adventure in the Great Outdoors

    The Wildfire Season by Andrew Pyper. This book is about a wildfire fighter who escapes to an end-of-the-road town in the Yukon after a tragic accident leaves him scarred. His former partner and child show up looking for him and turn his life upside down. I read this over a decade ago and again a couple of years ago.

  4. All 63 US National Parks The Complete Travel Guide: First Edition

    This concise guide targets the the newcomer to the US National Parks, and especially useful for a family traveler. The book is written for the traveler who plans to spend one or two days in each of the parks. A highlight of the book -- although some may find this controversial-- is the ranking of the parks.

  5. 6 of the best travel books to read in 2024

    1. Local: A Search for Nearby Nature and Wilderness. World explorer Alastair Humphries spent a year examining every square metre of a 12-mile radius around his home in suburban England and found ...

  6. 13 Best Outdoor Adventure Books You Must Read

    The book illustrates the journey of growth told through the lenses of humility, vulnerability, and perspective connecting you with nature emotionally, physically, spiritually, and philosophically. The book serves as a road map for experiencing nature and as a framework for personal transformation. Check prices here. 3. Grinnell.

  7. Nine of the best travel books for 2022

    After a decade of research trips for The Rough Guide to Bolivia, Meghji has produced a book that champions the dramatic landscapes, distinct cultures and diverse peoples of this South American nation, and its deserved place on the modern stage. Latin America Bureau/Practical Action Publishing, £14.95. 9. The family travel book: Shape of a Boy

  8. 23 Must-Read Outdoor Adventure Books (Updated 2023)

    It is perhaps the most incredible story I've ever read. Endurance is a book written about Sir Ernest Shackleton's incredible voyage and self-rescue in the Antarctic. Let's set the scene. It's 1915 and a team of 28 men hop aboard a wooden ship. They have 69 sled dogs and three lifeboats, canvas tents and wool clothing.

  9. Nature Travel

    Travel + Leisure evaluates nature-oriented tour companies, outfitters, and accommodations based on their value, quality, and environmental stewardship. Whether it's an outdoor adventure or a ...

  10. Nature Travel Books

    Bill Bryson. (shelved 15 times as nature-travel) avg rating 4.06 — 406,079 ratings — published 1998. Want to Read. Rate this book. 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail (Hardcover) by.

  11. How to travel in 2022: 12 books to make you rethink the way you explore

    Books that re-examine our relationship with nature remain firmly in focus. A battalion of eco-conscious authors are setting out across the globe to spotlight vanishing species — from seeds to sea creatures, and so much more in between — in an attempt to encourage readers to develop a deeper connection with the living world in the face of climate breakdown.

  12. The Best Books of 2022: Nature & Travel

    The Best Books of 2022: Nature & Travel. Posted on 16th September 2022 by Mark Skinner. Whether it's walking the south-west coast path with Raynor Winn, discovering remarkable - and endangered - animals with Katherine Rundell or rescuing Lake District farms with Lee Schofield, it's only natural that you should want to know what nature writing ...

  13. Explore Texas: A Nature Travel Guide (Myrna and David K. Langford Books

    Mary O (as she's known) released "Explore Texas -- A Nature Travel Guide" through Texas A&M University Press in June 2016 with her husband, award-winning nature photographer, Jeff Parker. The book, the second in Texas A&M's "Myrna & David K. Langford Working Lands" series, is perfect for nature lovers who love to travel and travelers who love ...

  14. The Ten Best Books About Travel of 2021

    With many of our wings still clipped by Covid-19 this year, we needed to travel vicariously through these adventurous reads. Jennifer Nalewicki. Travel Correspondent. November 23, 2021. Travel by ...

  15. Nature Guide to Yosemite National Park

    This field guide dedicated to wildlife of Yosemite National Park is an information-packed, pocket-sized book that introduces park visitors to the animals, plants, insects and more that reside in Yosemite National Park in a colorful and portable package. Published in cooperation with Yosemite Conservancy, this Nature Guide to Yosemite National ...

  16. The Best Books of 2023: Nature & Travel

    10+ in stock. Usually dispatched within 2-3 working days. A masterwork of travel writing fuelled by an impeccable narrative drive, Kassabova's spellbinding volume takes the reader on an unforgettable journey through the history, people and nature of the Mesta River region in her native Bulgaria.

  17. Exploring the UK's wild isles: 5 of the best new nature travel books

    2. North York Moors & Yorkshire Wolds. Bradt Guides, £15.99. A 'slow travel' guide to one of Britain's most beloved landscapes, this newly updated book remains the only stand-alone guide to ...

  18. Amazon.com: Nature Travel: Books

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