What is a Storyville? Whether you're in Toast, North Carolina, Monkey's Eyebrow, Kentucky, or Winner, South Dakota, a Storyville is a real town you can find on a map, with a tale behind its quirky name. Covering 20,000 miles of U.S. roads, Dale Peterson drove with his kids, Britt and Bayne, from Start, Louisiana, to Deadhorse, Alaska in search of small-town America in the "garage sale of the open highway." Along the way they explored open spaces, wild places, and country back roads and met people who weren't afraid to talk to one another. Together, they discovered the sights, sounds, tastes, and smells of nearly sixty small towns, as well as the zany stories behind them, guided by an AAA Road Atlas, expert local storytellers, and lots of curiosity. They dipped into Caddo Lake and the everglades of Uncertain, Texas, went a little crazy in Loco, Oklahoma, and learned about bee colonies in Climax, New York. Conversations with townsfolk range from the refrigerator at the center of Noodle, Texas, and the hazards of Accident, Maryland, to issues of civil rights, religion, and environmental preservation. Collected here are the landscapes, landmarks, faces, thoughts, and conversations of a sentimental, idiosyncratic, and often hilarious American odyssey. Storyville, USA is a long, winding trip into the back roads of the country and a longer one into the hinterland of our own hearts.

This book (hardcover) is part of the TREDITION CLASSICS. It contains classical literature works from over two thousand years. Most of these titles have been out of print and off the bookstore shelves for decades. The book series is intended to preserve the cultural legacy and to promote the timeless works of classical literature. Readers of a TREDITION CLASSICS book support the mission to save many of the amazing works of world literature from oblivion. With this series, tredition intends to make thousands of international literature classics available in printed format again - worldwide.

John Hare has made three expeditions to the Mongolian and Chinese Gobi deserts, the first in 1993 with Russian scientists and the second and third with Chinese scientists in 1995 and 1996. The book records the amazing adventures he has experienced on those expeditions and will record details of the 30-day walk on foot in the formidable Kum Tagh sand dunes in the spring of 1997. He is the first recorded foreigner to have crossed the Gashun Gobi from north to south.
The expeditions were primarily concerned with tracking down the mysterious wild Bactrian camel 'camelus bactrianus ferus' which lives in the heartland of the desert and is the ancestor of all domestic Bactrian stock. There are under a thousand left in the world and the wild Bactrian camel is more endangered than the giant Panda.
This is John Hare's magnificent account of a formidable feat of modern exploration.
 

Bart de Graaff is ’n Nederlandse historikus en joernalis wat ’n besonderse belangstelling in die Suid-Afrikaanse politiek en kultuur het. In 2015 en 2016 het hy verskeie besoeke aan Suid-Afrika en Namibie gebring. Sy oogmerk was om die nasate van die Khoi-Khoin, synde die eerste “ware mense” van die subkontinent, op te spoor, en aan die woord te stel. Hierdie boek is die resultaat van sy onderhoude. De Graaff kontekstualiseer nie net die geskiedenis van die Khoi-Khoin en haar vele vertakkings nie, maar stel ook bepaalde eietydse leiersfigure in die onderskeie gemeenskappe aan die woord. Daarvolgens word die historiese kyk na legendariese kapteins soos die Korannas se Goliat Yzerbek, die Griekwas se Adam Kok, die Basters se Dirk Vilander, Abraham Swartbooi van die Namas en Frederik Vleermuis van die Oorlams afgewissel met De Graaff se persoonlike reisindrukke en die talle gesprekke wat hy met die waarskynlike nasate van bogenoemde leiers gehad het. In sy onopgesmukte skryfstyl, vol deernis en humor, vertel De Graaff van hierdie ontmoetings en gesprekke en algaande kom die leser onder die indruk van die sistemiese geweld wat teen die Khoi-Khoin oor soveel eeue heen gepleeg is. Dit is ’n belangrike boek wat die geskiedenis en huidige stand van die bruin mense onder hulle landsgenote se aandag bring.

Travelogues Collection offers readers a unique glimpse into the diverse landscape, culture and wildlife of the world from the perspective of late 19th and early 20th century esteemed travelers. From the exotic islands of Fiji to the lush jungles of Africa to the bustling streets of New York City, these picturesque backdrops set the scene for amusing, and at times prejudiced, anecdotes of adventure, survival and camaraderie. Photographs and whimsical illustrations complement the descriptive text, bringing to life the colorful characters encountered along the way. The Shelf2Life Travelogues Collection allows readers to embark on a voyage into the past to experience the world as it once was and meet the people who inhabited it.

This handbook offers a systematic exploration of current key topics in travel writing studies. It addresses the history, impact, and unique discursive variety of British travel writing by covering some of the most celebrated and canonical authors of the genre as well as lesser known ones in more than thirty close-reading chapters. Combining theoretically informed, astute literary criticism of single texts with the analysis of the circumstances of their production and reception, these chapters offer excellent possibilities for understanding the complexity and cultural relevance of British travel writing.

"Safari-Safari" is the story of Ernest Abernathy's ventures into Africa, where a realization came while dealing with a rhino that effectively led to his evolution from being a dedicated hunter into a life concentrating on the conservation of wildlife and retiring from hunting altogether at the ripe old age of forty. Before Africa, Ernest's hunting experiences were in North and South America, Central America, Alaska, and on the Arctic ice. His successes in these two African safaris include seven world record-class entries, including the forty-first largest lion ever recorded (listed in Rowland Ward's World Record Books in London) and an elephant whose size at twelve-foot and eight inches would qualify him as second behind the thirteen-foot and two-inch elephant ranked as number one at Rowland Ward. Jack O'Connor, former shooting editor of Outdoor Life magazine was very much an influence on Ernest's decision to venture on a Safari in Botswana, which led to other African experiences described in detail within this book. The ultimate story of this book, however, is not all about guns and shooting, but more about the not hunting, meaning the interesting details about the animals, environment, people, and cultures encountered. It's about how the author came from for a life of hunting, along with some interest in conservation, then he came to Africa, what happened there, and the events leading to the reversal of those interests and his retirement from hunting. For many years now the author has been active in various wildlife conservation groups and associations, including his favorite, Ducks Unlimited, where he has raised many tens of thousands of dollars. This book contains the tales of atrue hunting safari in Botswana (formerly Bechuanaland) in the days before it became so well-known and popular, and a safari in Tanzania (formerly Tanganyika) where an opportunity with a rhinoceros led to a thoughtful conversion of Ernest to the conviction he should to retire fr

In 2002 Guillermo Fesser quit his morning radio talk show in Madrid, and moved with his family to Rhinebeck, N.Y., for a sabbatical year. Finding himself in a rural community 6,000 miles from home and 100 miles from New York City, Fesser began to discover an America he had never imagined existed.

"One Hundred Miles from Manhattan" is a fresh, funny, positive and affectionate portrait of life in small-town America and beyond. This book is filled with the stories of the people Fesser met, the places he visited and the things he learned during his year in Rhinebeck. From the German neighbors who welcome in the New Year by jumping back and forth from the couch to the coffee table to a Texan rancher who follows Native American traditions in the raising of bison. From a guide who leads fishing expeditions into Alaska s Kuskokwim Mountains to the engineer responsible for the steam conduction system in Manhattan s underbelly. And from a former follower of Reverend Moon-turned-track coach to the man who created Big Bird.

" One Hundred Miles from Manhattan" is a book that Jon Stewart should have written. But he couldn t have since he rarely leaves Manhattan. Thankfully Guillermo Fesser did. This famous Spanish wit dispels pre-conceived notions about America by using good old wanderlust and fresh eyes to document what a rich country we are. Not materially; but in spirit, history and character. Guillermo should sit back down and try his hand at the great American novel. Bill Owens, Executive Editor, 60 Minutes, CBS

Fesser looks at daily life through a unique lens. "One Hundred Miles from Manhattan" is wacky, funny and full of characters I would like to meet. Bravo Pedro Almodovar, Filmmaker

With fast-paced and witty storytelling, going well beyond the stereotypes and cliches we are so used to hearing about America, Fesser captures the true essence of this country and its people, their vast cultural wealth and exhilarating complexity. Juan Manuel Benitez, Anchor, NY1, New York City

As he struggled to reconcile what he learned from the people he met with his preconceptions about the U.S., their tales became fodder for a bestseller in Spain: "A Cien Millas de Manhattan." Now the book has just been translated into English, giving Guillermo a crack at surprising you about a place you know. You should let him. Nick Leiber, Editor, Bloomberg Businessweek, New York City

About the author: Guillermo Fesser is a Spanish journalist mostly known in his country for his innovative morning radio talk show, Gomaespuma, which ran 25 years and had over 1 million listeners.

Fesser studied journalism at the Universidad Complutense of Madrid and filmmaking at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles via a Fulbright scholarship. He has written and directed films; edited and hosted television news programs; and published articles in the major Spanish newspapers "El Pais" and "El Mundo."

Fesser lives with his family in Rhinebeck, New York, where he broadcasts weekly stories on life in small-town America to Onda Cero Radio in Spain and blogs for "The Huffington Post.""

Susan Hanf was dumped by her boyfriend, clobbered by the flu, and fired from her job all in one week. When the phrase, "When life hands you lemons ." passed through her mind, she skipped right over making lemonade and planted a whole lemon orchard. Susan sold her house, kissed her cat goodbye, and visited sixteen countries and the magnificent isles of Hawaii all in one year. Her unexpected and amazing journeys include floating amongst jellyfish and sharks in Palau, swimming with wild dolphins in New Zealand, and meditating with monks in South Korea. My Lemon Orchard chronicles Susan's personal growth as she strolls the streets of the world. Along the way, she shares international travel lessons, laugh-out-loud humor, and advice on how to handle "interesting" locals. Come away with Susan on her journey to Vienna for Christmas, to Ireland for a kiss on the Blarney Stone, and to Turkey to snorkel with exotic sea creatures. You will adore her honesty and courage as she blazes her trail across the world. Who knows? Perhaps you too will be inspired to plant your own orchard

In 2013, three friends set off on a journey that they had been told was impossible: the north-south crossing of the Congo River Basin, from Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, to Juba, in South Sudan.Traversing two and a half thousand miles of the toughest terrain on the planet in a twenty-five year old Land Rover, they faced repeated challenges, from kleptocracy and fire ants to non-existent roads and intense suspicion from local people. Through imagination and teamwork - including building rafts and bridges to cross rivers, conducting makeshift surgery in the jungle and playing tribal politics - they got through. But the Congo is raw, and the journey took an unexpected psychological toll on them all.Crossing the Congo is a story of friendship, what it takes to complete a great journey against tremendous odds, and an intimate look into one of the world's least-developed and most fragile states.

Paul Theroux, the author of the train travel classics The Great Railway Bazaar and The Old Patagonian Express, takes to the rails once again in this account of his epic journey through China. He hops aboard as part of a tour group in London and sets out for China's border. He then spends a year traversing the country, where he pieces together a fascinating snapshot of a unique moment in history. From the barren deserts of Xinjiang to the ice forests of Manchuria, from the dense metropolises of Shanghai, Beijing, and Canton to the dry hills of Tibet, Theroux offers an unforgettable portrait of a magnificent land and an extraordinary people.

"Jungle Rudy" moves between biography, history, anthropology and travel. Rudy Truffino was a legendary figure who established a civilization in the heart of the jungle, performed opera, and became one of the natives. When in 1956 he became lost in the rainforest of the Orinocco in Venezuela, the Pemon Indians saved him from death by starvation and he became immersed in their culture. He helped establish a National Park in the area and led many expeditions to the Auyan Tepi. Jan Brokken follows in his footsteps to discover the real Rudy Truffino.

Jan Brokken is one of Holland's most highly regarded writers with a passion for travel. He has published novels as well as travel narratives and literary journalism.

With his sixtieth birthday looming, Colin Renton decides that it’s time to escape office life and focus on achieving some of his unfulfilled goals.  He embarks on a year-long adventure that takes him from the busy streets of Edinburgh to the traffic-free roads, sodden fields and dusty paths of Europe’s winemaking regions. He laces up his running shoes and joins thousands of fellow athletes in races that test him over various distances, degrees of difficulty and levels of seriousness. His schedule, which culminates with a marathon debut, takes him to places he would otherwise not have visited. On his travels, he seeks out local wines that deserve a place in a carefully chosen twelve-bottle case, a process that throws up some fascinating insights and introduces him to a vintage crop of engaging characters. The crossover between running and wine uncorks a tale of endurance, curiosity and discovery, told in an accessible style and served up with a splash of local colour and a drop of wry humour.

'Oliver Sacks is a perfect antidote to the anaesthetic of familiarity. His writing turns brains and minds transparent' - Observer When Oliver Sacks, a physician by profession, injured his leg while climbing a mountain, he found himself in an unusual position - that of patient. The injury itself was severe, but straightforward to fix; the psychological effects, however, were far less easy to predict, explain, or resolve: Sacks experienced paralysis and an inability to perceive his leg as his own, instead seeing it as some kind of alien and inanimate object, over which he had no control. A Leg to Stand On is both an account of Sacks' ordeal and subsequent recovery, and an exploration of the ways in which mind and body are inextricably linked.

57 essays, poems, and engaging tales written by fifty-four "characters with character" including artists, news editors, elected officials, restaurateurs, shopkeepers, clergy, students, historians, visitors, and locals with one thing in common...they have all fallen in love with a town called New Hope, Pennsylvania.

Here is your chance to get an insider's view of New Hope. Partake in the history, explore the area's natural beauty, become acquainted with the locals, and discover for yourself why this town holds a special place in so many hearts. When you turn the last page, you will feel as if you have made a host of new friends and that you, too, have become part of the New Hope story.

As one author quipped, "Thanks for embracing me, New Hope-'cause I'm hugging you back with everything I've got." Feel the exuberance and the warmth. Step into the circle. Catch the good vibe in Embraceable You . . . and pass it on!

Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Hesperides Press are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

One of The Economist's Best Books of the Year

From the bestselling author of Oracle Bones and River Town comes the final book in his award-winning trilogy on the human side of the economic revolution in China.

Peter Hessler, whom the Wall Street Journal calls "one of the Western world's most thoughtful writers on modern China," deftly illuminates the vast, shifting landscape of a traditionally rural nation that, having once built walls against foreigners, is now building roads and factory towns that look to the outside world.