Run for the Love of Life is a must-read for anyone who desires to escape the day-to-day sameness of our new pandemic-informed lives, or who seeks to feel alive, inspired, and filled with a renewed enthusiasm for the year ahead.

It recounts the extraordinary journey of South African Erica Terblanche, an ordinary woman who manages to not only achieve – but excel – on the world stage of extreme distance-running in some of the most inhospitable and majestic landscapes across the planet. Raw, honest and infinitely human, this part-memoir, part-travel novel thunders through one exotic race location after the other, as the runners battle the elements and each other across the vastness of the Sahara, Atacama and Namib Deserts, the great Grand Canyon, Turkish Cappadocia and the Kalahari Desert, to name only a few.

But more than just a book on racing, what makes this novel infinitely compelling and rewarding is that in the echoes of Erica’s story, one begins to sense the pulse of one’s own potential and long-forgotten dreams. While you may laugh, cry, and forget to take a breath at times, it is inevitable that Run will spur you on to find your own bliss, that which is buried deep within your soul and body.

At its heart, Run for the love of life is a story about love, forgiveness, perseverance and growth, and about the important things in life that ultimately makes us happy. Told with wit, humour and vulnerability, it is a book that will stay with the reader long after the final page is turned.

Teasing out the history of a place celebrated for timelessness where the waters have cleaned the slate of countless paddle strokes requires a sure and attentive hand. Stephen Wilbers's account reaches back to the glaciers that first carved out the Boundary Waters and the pioneers who discovered them. He does so without losing the personal relationship built through a lifetime of pilgrimages (anchored by almost three decades of trips with his father). This story captures the untold broader narrative of the region as well as a thousand different details sure to be recognized by fellow pilgrims, like the grinding rhythm of a long portage or the loon call that slips into that last moment before sleep.

Experience southwestern heritage, culture and cuisine while learning to rope and herd cattle, trail ride through the wilderness or make prickly pear syrup. With roots dating back to the mid-1800s, southern Arizona's historic guest ranches and farm stays include Spain's first mission in the continental United States, a former World War II prison camp and boys' boarding school and a Butterfield Stagecoach stop. Intimately connected to Arizona's land and legacy, these unparalleled retreats have hosted countless artists, movie stars and politicians and continue to enrich their present-day communities through food, education and conservation. Pack your bags and join travel writer Lili DeBarbieri for a journey into the rural west south of the Gila River.

This guide is packed with practical, interpretative information on the most commonly encountered animals and plants of the Lowveld - information that is usually only available if you have a game ranger or field guide by your side in the bush! It teaches people how to observe, identify and interpret what they see in the bush in a meaningful way, without having to wade through the reams of technical information found in most other field guides. The reader-friendly mind-map layout of the book, with pictures linked to brief but informative text boxes, makes pertinent information accessible at a glance. Other features include colour-coded chapters for ease of reference, while blocked information and icons in the mammals and trees sections provide technical details in a concise form. Hundreds of stunning interpretative images, highlighted keywords and a flowchart structure to each spread direct the eye to the different topics on each featured species, allowing the reader to pick out whatever is of interest to him or her. Game Ranger in your Backpack is an essential companion for amateur naturalists of all descriptions including first-time international visitors to South Africa's bushveld, annual local holidaymakers or aspiring 'game rangers'.

Stand-up Paddleboarding in Great Britain is the essential companion to anyone curious about one of Britain’s most exciting water sports. Providing details on how to get started in stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) in a safe and environmentally friendly manner, this guide then suggests over 30 incredible places to SUP in England, Scotland and Wales. Enthusiastic paddleboarder Jo Moseley captures the joy of SUP by weaving together her experiences with suggestions for your own adventures. These routes will inspire you to gaze at fell tops from Derwent Water, drift along the Afon Teifi, stroll along the Isle of Mull’s Calgary Bay or spot another SUPer on London’s Regent’s Canal. Including information on each route’s difficulty, public transport, parking, refreshments and equipment hire, as well as stunning photography and overview maps, this book has something for both SUP enthusiasts and beginners. But most importantly, it exudes a passion for SUP which will inspire anyone who reads it.

In 1895, emissaries from the New York Yacht Club traveled to Deer Isle, Maine, to recruit the nation's best sailors, an "All American" crew. This remote island in Penobscot Bay sent nearly thirty of its fishing men to sail "Defender," and under skipper Hank Haff, they beat their opponents in a difficult and controversial series. To the delight of the American public, the charismatic Sir Thomas Lipton sent a surprise challenge in 1899. The New York Yacht Club knew where to turn and again recruited Deer Isle's fisherman sailors. Undefeated in two defense campaigns, they are still considered one of the best American sail-racing teams ever assembled. Read their fascinating story and relive their adventure.

The history of North Carolina's Outer Banks is as ancient and mesmerizing as its beaches. Much has been documented, but many stories were lost--until now. Join local author and historian Sarah Downing as she reveals a past of the Outer Banks eroded by time and tides. Revel in the nostalgic days of the Carolina Beach Pavilion, stand in the shadows of windmills that once lined the coast and learn how native islanders honor those aviation giants, the Wright brothers. Downing's vignettes adventure through windswept dunes, dive deep in search of the lost ironclad the "Monitor" and lament the decline of the diamondback terrapin. Break out the beach chair and let your mind soak in the salty bygone days of these famed coastal extremities.

While the Adirondack Mountains are New York's most beautiful region, they have also been plagued by insidious crimes and the nasty escapades of notorious lawbreakers. In 1935, public enemy number one, Dutch Schultz, went on trial and was acquitted in an Adirondack courtroom. Crooks have tried creative methods to sidestep forestry laws that protect the flora of the state park. Members of the infamous Windfall Gang, led by Charles Wadsworth, terrorized towns and hid out in the high mountains until their dramatic 1899 capture. In the 1970s, the Adirondack Serial Killer, Robert Francis Garrow, petrified campers in the hills. Join local author Dennis Webster as he explores the wicked deeds and sinister characters hidden among the Adirondacks' peaks.

The Antarctic: An Anthology features an international mix of classic first-person accounts of exploration, literary travelogues and works of cultural history, natural science and fiction about the South Pole. Contributors include British, American, Australian, Scandinavian, Japanese and Russian explorers such as Ernest Shackleton, Apsely Cherry-Garrard, Robert Falcon Scott, Roald Amundsen, Richard Byrd and Fouglas Mawson; novelists such as H. P. Lovecraft, Diane Ackerman, Jenny Diski and Kim Stanley Robinson; and popular travel writers such as Sara Wheeler. It is published alongside acompanion volume, The Arctic: An Anthology.

From its humble beginnings as a place to swim and row a boat, Ideal Beach eventually became Indiana Beach, a small amusement park where families could have good old-fashioned fun. Founded by Earl Spackman in 1926, its popularity was bolstered by the addition of a dance hall that drew the top bands of the nation during the Depression and war years of the 1940s. When Earl passed away, his son Tom continued his legacy, setting Indiana Beach on a course that would make it one of the most popular vacation resorts and amusement parks in the entire Midwest, delighting nearly one million visitors every year.

Manhattan's past whispers for attention amongst the bustle of the city's ever-changing landscape. At Fraunces Tavern, George Washington's emotional farewell luncheon in 1783 echoes in the Long Room. Gertrude Tredwell's ghost appears to visitors at the Merchant's House Museum. Long since deceased, Olive Thomas shows herself to the men of the New Amsterdam Theatre, and Dorothy Parker still keeps her lunch appointment at the Algonquin Hotel. In other places, it is not the paranormal but the abnormal violent acts by gangsters, bombers, and murderers that linger in the city's memory. Some think Jack the Ripper and the Boston Strangler hunted here. The historic images and true stories in Ghosts and Murders of Manhattan bring to life the people and events that shaped this city and raised the consciousness of its residents.

The great Potomac River begins in the Alleghenies and flows 383 miles through some of America's most historic lands before emptying into the Chesapeake Bay. The course of the river drove the development of the region and the path of a young republic Maryland's first Catholic settlers came to its banks in 1634 and George Washington helped settle the new capitol on its shores. During the Civil War the river divided North and South, and it witnessed John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry and the bloody Battle of Antietam. Author Garrett Peck leads readers on a journey down the Potomac, from its first fount at Fairfax Stone in West Virginia to its mouth at Point Lookout in Maryland. Combining history with recreation, Peck has written an indispensible guide to the nation's river.

The North Fork's natural riches have been seducing people for more than four hundred years. The Algonquin Indians -and, later, Dutch and English colonists- first recognized the area for its waters rich with clams and fish, its fertile soil for growing crops and its abundant forests to support shipbuilding. Hearing the ocean's call, many have long admired the inlets, creeks and bays and contrast the ruggedness of the Long Island Sound with the tranquility of Peconic Bay. In this pictorial history, local author Rosemary McKinley showcases the nautical history, idyllic seaside settings and lush landscapes of this picturesque country.