The book describes a 21st century journey following the direction taken by anatomically modern humans who left the African nursery around 80000 years ago and reached Australia 20000 years later. Along the way, they laid the genetic foundations for humanity's oldest civilizations - and ultimately inhabited every corner of the globe. The result of these travels is not a scientific treatise. Although the science is not ignored, the centre lies elsewhere. The author undertakes this west-to-east endeavor in the imagined company of his autistic grandson, who serves both as confidant and as a human archetype. This allows the book to verge upon a unique blend of factual travel writing and an almost magical internalised interpretation. What the two travellers find together is a tangle of new experiences and responses, from which the linkages between primeval past and complex present gradually emerge. Here is a work of literary travel writing that describes an enchanted journey through some of the ancient places of the world and into the currently deeply troubled heart of the human adventure. The evidence encountered on the journey suggests that a fundamental universality of humanity's place in the cosmos lies beneath all regional differences and is characterised as much by humility and co-operation as it is by the imperative to survive and/or the will to power. The book does not set out to prove a point, however, but to celebrate the complexity of human responses. It is more a creative work than it is a dissertation with an unambiguous conclusion. Nevertheless, the bibliography gives an indication of some of the sources used, which includes the work of historians, archaeologists, political scientists, biographers and psychologists, as well as authors writing on the various religions of the world.

In April 2012 Mark Horrell travelled to Tibet hoping to become, if not the first person to climb Mount Everest, at least the first Karl Pilkington lookalike to do so. He joined a mountaineering expedition which included an Australian sexagenarian, two Brits whose idea of hydration meant a box of red wine, and a New Zealander who enjoyed reminding his teammates of the perils of altitude sickness and the number of ways they might die on summit day. The media often write about Mount Everest deaths and how easy the world's highest mountain has become to climb, but how accurately does this reflect reality? The Chomolungma Diaries is a true story of ordinary people climbing Mount Everest with a commercial expedition, and preparing for the biggest day of their lives. Imagine your life clipped into a narrow line of cord five miles above the earth, on the world's most terrifying ridge walk. This book will bring you just a little bit closer to that experience.

In May 1804, Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, and their Corps of Discovery set out on a journey of a lifetime to explore and interpret the American West. The Lewis and Clark Expedition Day by Day follows this exploration with a daily narrative of their journey, from its starting point in Illinois in 1804 to its successful return to St. Louis in September 1806. This accessible chronicle, presented by Lewis and Clark historian Gary E. Moulton, depicts each riveting day of the Corps of Discovery's journey. Drawn from the journals of the two captains and four enlisted men, this volume recounts personal stories, scientific pursuits, and geographic challenges, along with vivid descriptions of encounters with Native peoples and unknown lands and discoveries of new species of flora and fauna. This modern reference brings the story of the Lewis and Clark expedition to life in a new way, from the first hoisting of the sail to the final celebratory dinner.

"Walking with Houyhnhnms", published in 2017, is a true adventure story along the Roman Military Way, in the shadow of Hadrian's Wall. Follow the exploits, often humorous, of three previously free-living ponies - Roamer, Thorn and Solo. After enduring pack-animal training, they share an epic, once-in-a-lifetime quest, coast to coast, westwards. Discover the unique emotional connection, bonding and interdependency that is possible between houyhnhnm and human. As Solo says, "It was a momentous time." Targeted at a 15+ and general adult audience, the 400-page, 114,000-word, largely present-tense narrative transcends faction: this factually accurate travelogue diary, told in a unique fictional style, is a story of friendship, mutual reliance, perseverance and survival. The author - with contributions from more than 100 schoolchildren met en route and from 12 teenage artists - describes, through the senses of non-human, philosopher companions, an expedition of illumination not attempted previously in the modern era. Explore informally, during rendezvous with experts, inspiring geographical, historical and archaeological facets of changing landscapes partially shaped by the ancestors of modern-day native houyhnhnms. Understand why Britain's remaining virtually wild equine herds are facing imminent extinction in their semi-natural habitats and how we might protect them. Should we redefine the term "biodiversity" in recognition of a view that places humans at the periphery of world ecosystems? As your journey continues, you may sense a new meaning to our relationship with wild and virtually wild species. "One day," insists Roamer, "you might enjoy walking with houyhnhnms." Copyright D A Murray 2018

In 1847 Joseph Dalton Hooker (1817-1911) embarked on an expedition to Sikkim in the eastern Himalaya, a region where he would discover a huge number of botanical treasures previously unknown to the West. A scientist of breath-taking ability, Hooker would go on to become one of the greatest botanists and explorers of the 19th century and is perhaps the greatest of the lauded Directors of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. In this fascinating travelogue, author Seamus O'Brien retraces Hooker's footsteps in Sikkim, bringing alive the adventure, dangers and discoveries that Hooker and his companions experienced in the mid- 19th century. Seamus describes how his drive for this expedition came from a yearning to see in the wild the plant discoveries made famous by Hooker, who described the region as 'a perfect microcosm of the Himalaya.' Following in Hooker's footsteps, the author describes how these places compare to the descriptions made by Hooker 170 years previously, and how in many ways how little Sikkim has changed little over the course of time. Hooker was a highly skilled geographer and cartographer, and in Sikkim he created the first comprehensive map of the kingdom, highlighting mountain passes that would be of enormous strategic value in the decades to come. Some of these maps are reproduced in the book along with Hooker's original sketches of the region and plants, as well as illustrated throughout with stunning photographs by the author. This is a wonderful celebration of one of the greatest adventures by one of history's greatest scientists, and ideal for anyone with an interest in the flora and history of the region.

In April 2014 Mark Horrell went on a mountaineering expedition to Nepal, hoping to climb Lhotse, the fourth-highest mountain in the world, which shares a base camp and climbing route with Mount Everest. He dreamed of following in the footsteps of Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary, by climbing through the infamous ice maze of the Khumbu Icefall, and he yearned to sleep in the grand amphitheatre of Everest Base Camp, surrounded by towering peaks. He was also intrigued by the media publicity surrounding commercial expeditions to Everest. He wanted to discover for himself whether it had become the circus that everybody described. But when a devastating avalanche swept across the Khumbu Icefall, he got more than he bargained for. Suddenly he found himself witnessing the greatest natural disaster Everest had ever seen. And that was just the start. Everest Sherpas came out in protest, issuing a list of demands to the Government of Nepal. What happened next left his team shocked, bewildered and fearing for their safety.

Emil Bessels was chief scientist and medical officer on George Francis Hall's ill-fated American North Pole Expedition of 1871-73 on board the ship Polaris. Bessels' book, translated from the German in its entirety for the first time, is one of only two first-hand accounts of the voyage, and it is the only first-hand account of the experiences of the group which stayed with the ship after it ran afoul of arctic ice, leaving some of its crew stranded on an ice floe. Bessels and the others spent a second winter on shore in Northwest Greenland, where the drifting, disabled ship ran aground. Hall died suspiciously during the first winter, and Bessels is widely suspected of having poisoned him. Bill Barr has uncovered new evidence of a possible motive. Polaris includes considerable detail which does not appear elsewhere. It is the only account of the expedition which includes rich scientific information about anthropology, geology, flora and fauna. It provides much more information than other accounts on the Greenland settlements Polaris visited on her way north. Bessels' is the only published first-hand account of the second wintering of part of the ship's complement on shore at Polaris House, near Littleton Island, and of that party's attempt at travelling south by boat until picked up by the Scottish whaler Ravenscraig. The same applies to the cruise aboard the whaler, Arctic, after Bessels and his companions transferred to that ship. Essential reading for researchers and students of arctic exploration history, this book is also a compelling read for the interested general reader.

After a decade of research, author and broadcaster George Edmunds has finally unlocked the meaning of the mysterious cipher carved into the famous Shepherd's Monument in the grounds of the Shugborough Estate, Staffordshire, Lord Anson's ancestral home. This 300 year old secret is the final link to locating the multi-million pound Treasure hidden by a Spanish Captain-General. Lord Anson heard of this treasure through his position as Lord of the Admiralty and membership of the Royal Society. A secret expedition met with unforeseen circumstances preventing recovery. The decoding of the cipher proves Lord Anson's involvement and when you know the secret, it is obvious that this is what the monument was for. This revelation also proves the direct link to Rennes-Le-Chateau in the South of France and its enigmatic 'religious' mystery. A mystery no more. Besides telling the story of Lord Anson's search for this huge treasure, stories are told of the unsuccessful treasure hunts that followed. Seemingly unrelated, these include Cocos Island, Juan Fernandez Island and Oak Island. All have common DNA connecting them to Lord Anson's expedition. Also, the enigmatic treasure charts of Captain William Kidd found before WW2 whilst linked to this story, are shown to be fraudulent.

When English naturalist Joseph Banks (1743-1820) accompanied Captain James Cook (1728-1779) on his historic mission into the Pacific, the Endeavour voyage of 1768-71, he took with him a team of collectors and illustrators. Banks and his team returned from the voyage with unprecedented collections of artefacts and specimens of stunning birds, fish and other animals as well as thousands of plants, most seen for the first time in Europe. They produced, too, remarkable landscape and figure drawings of the peoples encountered on the voyage along with detailed journals and descriptions of the places visited, which, with the first detailed maps of these lands (Tahiti, New Zealand and the East Coast of Australia), were afterwards used to create lavishly illustrated accounts of the mission. These caused a storm of interest in Europe where plays, poems and satirical caricatures were also produced to celebrate and examine the voyage, its personnel and many 'new' discoveries. Along with contemporary portraits of key personalities aboard the ship, scale models and plans of the ship itself, scientific instruments taken on the voyage, commemorative medals and sketches, the objects (over 140) featured in this new book will tell the story of the Endeavour voyage and its impact ahead of the 250th anniversary in 2018 of the launch of this seminal mission. Artwork made both during and after the voyage will be seen alongside actual specimens. And by comparing the voyage originals with the often stylized engravings later produced in London for the official account, the book will investigate how knowledge gained on the mission was gathered, revised and later received in Europe. Items separated in some cases for more than two centuries will be brought together to reveal their fascinating history not only during but since that mission. Original voyage specimens will feature together with illustrations and descriptions of them, showing a rich diversity of newly discovered species and how Banks organized this material, planning but ultimately failing to publish it. In fact, many of the objects in the book have never been published before. The book will focus on the contribution of Banks's often neglected artists Sydney Parkinson, Herman Diedrich Spoering, Alexander Buchan as well as the priest and Pacific voyager Tupaia, who joined Endeavour in the Society Islands, none of whom survived the mission. These men illustrated island scenes of bays, dwellings, canoes as well as the dress, faces and possessions of Pacific peoples. Burial ceremonies, important religious sites and historic encounters were all depicted. Of particular interest, and only recently recognised as by him, are the original artworks of Tupaia, who produced as part of this mission the first charts and illustrations on paper by any Polynesian. The surviving Endeavour voyage illustrations are the most important body of images produced since Europeans entered this region, matching the truly historic value of the plant specimens and artefacts that will be seen alongside them.

The history of Fort Phantom Hill is an interesting saga of defense, a story of both political necessity and individual hubris, and a tale of human perseverance and shortsightedness. The story of the "Post on the Brazos River" has all the elements that characterize human activity with its triumphs and tragedies, victories and defeats.
As time passed, circumstances dictated changing uses for the structures at Fort Phantom Hill, from military outpost to stage station to hunter's outpost. Eventually, opportunities for adaptation ran their course and the stone structures fell into neglect. The frontier was occupied by new immigrants who possessed a more modern technology. The threat of Indians was replaced by the hard daily work of living in a semi-desert environment.
In "Fort Phantom Hill: The Mysterious Ruins on the Clear Fork of the Brazos River," Bill Wright weaves the threads of this story into the larger warp and weft of western history and shows how this small fort was conceived, lived, and died as an important part of the "winning of the West."

What would you do if you were travelling alone believing that you were joining a tour group for a holiday, only to find that you are the only person in the group? What turned out to be very different holiday from that expected, is shared with warmth and humour. This delightful travelogue in its easy to read style, will not only inspire you to travel solo, but absorb you into the culture and experience of Vietnam. Susan has the rare ability to draw you into her journey, not just physically around Vietnam but also into her private thoughts and feelings as a solo traveller. Adventure, entertainment and sadness are all here, and we feel that we personally know the characters she encounters along the way. This is not a travel guide, although the insights and descriptions from a personal perspective would be a useful addition for any visitor to Vietnam.

Captain Bungle's Odyssey. Singlehanded Round the World. The author describes life as a cruising sailor culminating in an attempted to break the solo circumnavigation record.

The Antarctic is the last, vast terrestrial frontier on Earth. Less than a century ago, no one had ever seen the South Pole. Today, odd machines and adventure skiers from many nations converge there every summer. They arrive from many starting points on the Antarctic coast and go back some other way. But not until very recently had anyone completed a round trip from McMurdo Station, the U.S. support hub on the continental coast. The last man to try that perished in 1912; a surface route remained elusive until John H. Wright and his crew finished the job in 2006. Blazing Ice is the story of the team of Americans who forged a thousand-mile transcontinental “haul route” across Antarctica. For decades, airplanes from McMurdo Station supplied the South Pole. A safe and repeatable surface haul route would have been cheaper and more environmentally benign than airlift, but the technology was not available until 2000. As Wright reveals in this gripping narrative, the hazards of Antarctic terrain and weather were as daunting for twenty-first century pioneers as they were for Norway’s Roald Amundsen or for England’s Robert Falcon Scott when they raced to be first to the South Pole in 1911–1912. Wright and his team faced deadly hidden crevasses, vast snow swamps, the Transantarctic Mountains, badlands of weird wind-sculpted ice, and the high Polar Plateau. Blazing Ice will appeal to Antarctic lovers, adventure readers of all stripes, conservationists, and scientists grappling with the conjunction of institutional culture and their fieldwork.

NEWS: IN MARCH 2014, EVERY INCH OF THE WAY WAS RE-RELEASED, HAVING BEEN PROFESSIONALLY EDITED
'A challenge that tested Tom to his limit but in return gave him more than he could ever have imagined.' - Bear Grylls
"Every Inch of the Way is a great page turning adventure which is as close as you can get, without actually saddling up and pedalling yourself into the unknown. It takes real magic to turn a great adventure, into a great book. For one thing, most people can't relate to the mindset of the long distance cyclist and I found myself laughing along to Tom's thoughts and observations, wondering if they were in - jokes, shared by those who had seen the world at the speed of a bike, for example his relationship with Serbia's stray dogs . But his anecdotes have a great balance of the cultures and places, as opposed to just inward reflections, so I am sure would be enjoyed by anyone with an interest in travel and human experience. A lovely story, written from the heart." - Mark Beaumont (around the world record breaking cyclist and adventurer)
This was the journey that changed my life. I had dreamed about it for so long, but I never actually thought I'd complete a trip around the globe by bike. It started off as seed in the back of my mind, that grew and grew until the idea consumed me. In March 2011 I set off on the adventure of a lifetime, from my front door, across Europe, Asia and finally the USA. On the way, I spent nights in people's houses all over the world, slept in Yurts, camped with nomads, ate delicious food ranging from Tibetan stew to alligator meat, drunk home-made Georgian wine, was given clothes, partied with Kazakhs on the Caspian Sea ferry, saw photos of USSR soldiers in front of statues of Lenin, saw Stalin's house the Grand Canyon and the Great Wall. I cycled through sweltering deserts and over huge mountains. I overcame mechanical problems with the help of an Azerbaijani mechanic and illness due to the kindness of a Tajik Pamiri doctor. On the way I cycled with local people and friends, both old and new.
I've written this book to share my story and the amazing experiences that I had. It's not a book full of arty descriptions about beautiful places, it doesn't have any clever metaphors; it's just my story. It tells the story of a normal person spending nine months experiencing the world from the saddle of a bike. I've included bits of history, observations about people's daily life, comparisons of countries and my own opinions as my story is told. There are black and white photos included in the book too and colour photos in the ebook version. I only had one rule; I had to make it round the world on a bike: every inch of the way. I hope you enjoy my story; it will be great to have you along for the ride... The book contains around 100 photos and maps (in black and white in the hard copy). Why not follow my adventure on my website as you read the book? I have thousands of photos, route maps and lots more at www.tombrucecycling.com

Benjamin Leigh Smith discovered and named dozens of islands in the Arctic but published no account of his pioneering explorations. He refused public accolades and sent stand-ins to deliver the results of his work to scientific societies. Yet, the Royal Geographic Society's Sir Clements R. Markham referred to him as a polar explorer of the first rank. Travelling to the Arctic islands that Leigh Smith explored and crisscrossing England to uncover unpublished journals, diaries, and photographs, archaeologist and writer P.J. Capelotti details Leigh Smith's five major Arctic expeditions and places them within the context of the great polar explorations in the nineteenth century.

In 1842 John C. Fremont led a party of twenty-five men on a five-month journey from Saint Louis to the Wind River Range in the Rocky Mountains; his goal: to chart the best route to Oregon. In 1843 Fremont was commissioned for another expedition, to explore the Great Salt Lake, Washington, eastern California, Carson Pass, and the San Joaquin Valley, places that did not yet belong to the United States.

His journals from these expeditions, edited in collaboration with his wife, Jessie Benton Fremont, and published by Congress, thrilled the nation and firmly established Fremont's persona as the Great Pathfinder. Part descriptive survey, part rousing adventure story, Fremont's account was far more than a traveler's guide. His tales of courage and wit, descriptions of beautiful landscapes, and observations about Native Americans strengthened Americans' sense of a national identity and belief in Manifest Destiny. Still a fascinating page-turner today, Fremont's report documents the opening of the West even as it offers a firsthand look at the making of the American myth.

Anne F. Hyde provides an introduction to this signature American story that contextualizes the report, outlines Fremont's rise and fall, and shows how, for better or worse, this explorer exemplifies the nineteenth-century American spirit.

The Home of the Blizzard is a tale of discovery and adventure, of pioneering deeds, great courage, heart-stopping rescues and heroic endurance. This is Mawson's own account of his years spent in sub-zero temperatures and gale-force winds. At its heart is the epic journey of 1912-13, during which both his companions perished. Told in a laconic but gripping style, this is the classic account of the struggle for survival of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition - a journey which mapped more of Antarctica than any expedition before or since. The photographs included in this book were taken on the journey by Frank Hurley, later to achieve fame on Sir Ernest Shackleton's Endurance expedition. 'One of the greatest accounts of polar survival in history.' - Sir Ranulph Fiennes

"Finally Fram showed herself in all her glory as the best sea-boat in the world. It was extraordinary to watch how she behaved. ... the Fram gave a wriggle of her body and was instantly at the top of the wave, which slipped under the vessel. Can anyone be surprised if one gets fond of such a ship?" --Captain Nilsen of the Fram, 1912. From her launch in 1892, to the triumphant return to Norway in 1914, the polar expeditionary ship Fram sailed north almost to the North Pole, and south to Antarctica. supporting three of the most daring of all polar adventures. In the centenary year of Roald Amundsen's successful trek to the South Pole, this is the story of his ship, the Fram, and her voyages to the ends of the earth.