Browse by Author

W. H. Edwards

Voyage up the River Amazon: Including a Residence at Para in 1846 By W. H. Edwards In 1846, Edwards, an American naturalist and author of "Butterflies of North America" headed for the Amazon. He made it back and published one of the first adventures about anacondas, piranhas, electric eels, and army ants -- as well as the richness of the jungle and peculiarities of the native societies. This very book inspired Bates and Wallace to go to the Amazon the following year, "to solve the problem of the origin of the species." Read More... ISBN: 1-58976-244-4 Pages: 228 $14.95

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Jeffrey Eling

First to the Parklands: Original Narratives from the History of Western Exploration By Jeffrey Eling This is a collection of 19th century journals, diaries, articles, memoirs, and reports of the first explorations of what would become our national parks. There are 50 first-person accounts in all, each with an historical introduction that sets the time and place. These explorers describe the wonders that became the parks at the Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, Yosemite, the Wind River Range, the Redwoods, Big Bend, Glacier, Organ Pipe, Mount Rainier, the Grand Canyon, Kings Canyon, Bryce, Zion, and many others. (Second Edition) Read More... ISBN: 1-58976-247-9 Pages: 448 $26.95

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Patrick Leigh Fermor

The Traveller's Tree: Island-Hopping Through the Caribbean in the 1940's By Patrick Leigh Fermor Find out what might make a cannibal eat his meal in depressed silence in Fermor's narrative of his experiences tooling around the Caribbean in the 1940's. This Anglo-Irish adventurer traveled by steamer, airplane, and sailboat along the entire length of the West Indian island chain. He was a very acute observer and carefully documented the unique geographical, cultural, and linguistic features of the islands. The mixtures of cultures and religions in the Caribbean are unique in the world, and the author writes down every detail of what he sees, from Voodoo rituals to eclectic fashion. (Second Edition) Read More... ISBN: 1-58976-248-7 Pages: 304 $25.95

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Yvonne de Ridder Files

The Quest for Freedom: A Story of Belgian Resistance in World War II By Yvonne de Ridder Files This is the story of a true hero of WWII, a young woman who risked her life fighting the Nazis during the entire war. She was extensively involved in both sabotage and espionage, and later in the sheltering and movement of allied airmen. She was betrayed, tortured, and when she refused to divulge any information she was sentenced to be hanged. She was saved at the last moment by the liberation of Antwerp on September 4th, 1944. For the actions she describes in this book, she was later awarded a certificate of merit by General Eisenhower. Read More... ISBN: 1-58976-128-6 Pages: 128 $12.95

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John Franklin

To the Shores of the Polar Sea: Three Years Exploring the Canadian Arctic, 1819-1822 By John Franklin Franklin was an officer in the Royal Navy (and later governor of Tasmania), but he was also one of the great polar explorers. This is the intimate narrative of his expedition in 1819. With only three companions, he explored the Canadian Arctic from Hudson's Bay east to the Coppermine River and Bathurst Inlet. It was tough sledding: they were reduced to eating the leather parts of their clothes. Nevertheless, Franklin mapped 1,200 miles of coastline and logged 663 plants. Back in England he became a national hero. He died in 1845, leading another expedition to the arctic. A classic. Read More... ISBN: 1-58976-239-8 Pages: 232 $16.95

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John C. Fremont

Report of the Exploring Expedition to the Rocky Mountains: In the Year 1842, and to Oregon and North California in the Years 1843-44 By John C. Fremont Gold rush fever! If you were going west in the late 1840's, this was the guide to use. It was so popular that not only American, but German and British editions appeared. John Fremont explored this area as a lieutenant in the Corps of Topographical Engineers. His and his men’s enthusiasm, daring, and fortitude is evident throughout his report. Fremont describes his findings in detail, from geographical analysis to botanical and zoological specimen gathering, and more. Fascinating reading. Read More... ISBN: 1-58976-200-2 Pages: 412 $24.95

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Josiah Gregg

Commerce of the Prairies: Life on the Great Plains in the 1830's and 40's By Josiah Gregg Gregg crossed and recrossed the Great Plains four times as a trader, frontiersman and trail-blazer in the 1830's and 40's. His epic account of early Santa Fe trade has been used as a guide by historians, naturalists and sociologists because of its accuracy and detail. "Commerce of the Prairies" gives a remarkably clear view of the country as it was when white people first arrived. Gregg describes the thrill of a buffalo hunt, the disappointment of a desert mirage, and the terror of an Indian attack with first-hand immediacy. Read More... ISBN: 1-58976-018-2 Pages: 266 $25.95

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Will Hale

Twenty-Four Years a Cowboy & Ranchman: Or, Desperate Fights with the Indians and Mexicans By Will Hale Hale tells the story of his years as a cattle rancher and cowboy in unadorned, often humorously authentic language. Battles with Comanches and Mexicans, cattle raids, love affairs, and murders spice up the pages of this narrative of 19th century life in Texas and Mexico. Read More... ISBN: 1-58976-100-6 Pages: 172 $17.95

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Mark Hassall

Love for Sail: The Here and Now of Ocean Cruising By Mark Hassall Mark Hassall wrecked his first boat on Anacapa Island, off Santa Barbara, but he built himself another -- a trimaran this time -- and took off on a three-and-a-half year around-the-world cruise with his wife and son. This book is a transcription of tape recordings he sent home to his friends, which in fact gives the action a potent immediacy (hilarious at times, and terrifying at others). Besides being a great adventure story, this book is a philosophical look at the cruising lifestyle. Great stuff! Read More... ISBN: 1-58976-201-0 Pages: 220 $15.95

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Lansford W. Hastings

The Emigrants' Guide: To Oregon and California in 1844 By Lansford W. Hastings A combination of observation and propaganda, Hastings' guide was invaluable for pioneers travelling to Oregon or California in the 1840's and afterwards. It describes geography, climate, and economic possibilities and lists equipment and resources necessary for the journey west. It places the modern reader in the mind of the pioneer, with all of the pioneer's attitudes, ideals and prejudices of the time. Read More... ISBN: 1-58976-032-8 Pages: 212 $17.95

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Tom Horn

Life of Tom Horn: Government Scout and Interpreter By Tom Horn Guilty or not? Many thought that Tom Horn, the great Indian scout who was hanged for the murder of a fourteen year-old boy, was innocent. In fact, this book was published as "A Vindication." Can reading the story of his life as he tells it convince you? Horn fought the Apache, and like many scouts of the day, he displays a mixture of admiration and contempt for the Indians he knew, among them Geronimo, who is a major figure in this book. Tough, and unrepentant. Read More... ISBN: 1-58976-068-9 Pages: 196 $16.95

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John Treat Irving

Indian Sketches: Taken During an Expedition to the Pawnee Tribes in 1833 By John Treat Irving The precocious nephew of Washington Irving creates vivid and varied sketches of Pawnee life. Inexperienced but astute and enthusiastic, 20-year-old John Treat Irving volunteered as a secretary on an 1833 expedition to the disputed and violence-ridden Pawnee hunting grounds. He describes what he observed there with the awe and excitement of an unbiased young person. Read More... ISBN: 1-58976-050-6 Pages: 204 $16.95

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Thomas James

Three Years Among the Indians and Mexicans: Expeditions to the Frontier in 1809-1810 and in 1821-1822 By Thomas James In 1809, Thomas James joined up with the Missouri Fur Company to trap beaver on the upper river. But he was cheated, left the party, and struck out on his own. He and his companions faced starvation and hostile natives constantly. Later, in 1821 and 1822 he made two other trading expeditions into New Mexico. His accounts are extraordinary high adventure, but they are also a treasure of frontier names, places, and customs. Read More... ISBN: 1-58976-202-9 Pages: 176 $13.95

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Martin Johnson

Camera Trails in Africa: A Photographer's Safari in British East Africa By Martin Johnson Johnson, previously a photographer of 'wild men' in the islands of the South Seas, takes his first African safari in the early 1920's. With his wife Osa he journeys through Eastern Africa, photographing and hunting wild animals. Replete with thrilling adventures, near-fatal mishaps, and moments of quiet beauty, this is the story of the beginning of the Johnsons' love affair with Africa. In his graceful, accurate prose, Martin describes the awesome creatures of the savannah, occasionally interjecting a tirade about the poisoning influences of the 'civilization.' A lovely and entertaining book. Read More... ISBN: 1-58976-016-6 Pages: 228 $17.95

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Clarence King

Mountaineering in the Sierra Nevada: With the Whitney Expedition and Alone, 1864 - 1870 By Clarence King Clarence King (born 1842) of Rhode Island was a Yale-educated geologist and mining engineer who rode horseback across the continent in 1863. In California, he was hired to work on Whitney's geological survey of the state. In this narrative, originally published 1872, King tells us about his experiences in the range, including his ascents of Mount Tyndall, Mount Shasta, and Mount Whitney; survey of Yosemite Valley; and field trips in the Merced Valley. King provides anecdotes of the mountains' people and natural history along the way. Read More... ISBN: 1-58976-250-9 Pages: 248 $18.95

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E. F. Knight

The Cruise of the 'Alerte': In Search of Treasure By E. F. Knight This is an old-fashion treasure hunt and a great nautical adventure. The author and a small amateur crew left England in 1889 aboard a 64 foot schooner, bound for the uninhabited island of Trinidad off Brazil. They had with them a description of the treasure's location, passed on to them from a dying pirate. Several months later they reached the island, went ashore, and realized that the land conformed exactly to the pirate's tale. They began to dig. Read More... ISBN: 1-58976-203-7 Pages: 200 $16.95

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The Falcon on the Baltic: A Coasting Voyage from Hammersmith to Copenhagen in 1887 By E. F. Knight A tale of a voyage of a very small yacht on the North and Baltic Seas in the summer of 1887, told with great detail and color. A favorite classic among nautical-book enthusiasts. Read More... ISBN: 1-58976-225-8 Pages: 232 $18.95

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Nelson Lee

Three Years Among the Comanches: The Narrative of Nelson Lee, the Texas Ranger By Nelson Lee This is a detailed account of Lee's captivity among the Comanches in the 1850's and his escape through the mountains back to white civilization. The story is full of encounters with alligators, snakes, and panthers, as well as hostile Comanches. Lee saw his fellow captives slaughtered most horribly: he was spared only because he convinced the Indians that the Great Spirit spoke to him through his pocket watch. Nevertheless, Lee gives excellent details about the tribe's way of life, albeit from the perspective of someone who doesn't have the kindliest feelings towards his captors. Read More... ISBN: 1-58976-094-8 Pages: 144 $13.95

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Zenas Leonard

Narrative of the Adventures of Zenas Leonard: Five Years as a Mountain Man in the Rocky Mountains By Zenas Leonard Zenas Leonard was a true mountain man. He lived in the Rockies for five years, cut off from civilization, surrounded by hostile Indian tribes and vicious grizzly bears, providing for himself with his guns and traps. He was also on Walker's expedition of 1833-34. His adventures provide a remarkable insight into the American fur trade, giving the perspective of a trapper and adventurer. He also describes battles between the Crows and Blackfeet, and tells the stories of some of his important contemporaries. Read More... ISBN: 1-58976-074-3 Pages: 148 $14.95

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David Livingstone

Missionary Travels and Researches in South Africa: Including a Sketch of Sixteen Years' Residence in the Interior of Africa By David Livingstone The Christian missionary and explorer Dr. Livingstone was among the first Europeans to penetrate into the interior of Africa on his own. He faced pestilence, animal attacks, and the brutal traffic in human beings that he was determined to eradicate. From South Africa, he traveled north to the Kalahari Desert in 1849, on to the west coast and then to the east coast. He saw fertile river valleys with abundant animal life and a variety of tribes -- not to mention the famous falls, which he named Victoria. Livingstone has a sly wit too, challenging the lion's place as "King of Beasts." Absorbing reading! Both volumes of the original are included in this single edition. Read More... ISBN: 1-58976-287-8 Pages: 484 $26.95

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