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Armchair Travel February 2023 |
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| Polar Exposure: An All-Women's Expedition to the North Pole by Felicity Aston with contributions from members of the Women's Euro-Arabian North Pole ExpeditionHands up! British polar explorer Felicity Aston put out a call for women who'd like to go on a polar ski expedition and received hundreds of replies. She chose ten, many with little experience.
What happened: The team, made up of women from Europe and the Middle East, trained for two years before setting out.
Read it for: adventure, a variety of viewpoints, and vibrant color photos. |
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| Waypoints: My Scottish Journey by Sam HeughanWhat it is: a memoir and travelogue by Scottish actor Sam Heughan, star of the TV series Outlander, who walked the West Highland Way, pondering his childhood, his life as an actor, whiskey, and more.
About the route: At nearly 100 miles, the lovely Scottish path, which is part of the International Appalachian Trail, runs from just past Glasgow to Fort William in the Highlands, passing Ben Nevis along the way.
Read this next: Clanlands by the author and his Outlander costar Graham McTavish, Robert Macfarlane's The Old Ways: A Journey on Foot, or Rory Stewart's The Marches. |
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| The Half Known Life: In Search of Paradise by Pico IyerWhat it is: a lyrical, thought-provoking look at the meaning of paradise, which took talented author Pico Iyer to a variety of places and led him to ponder how people can live more peacefully in a divided world.
Locations include: Iran, Sri Lanka, Jerusalem, Japan, Ethiopia, India, North Korea, and Northern Ireland.
Reviewers say: "Immersive and profound" (Publishers Weekly); "With keen observation and beautiful language, Iyer shows us the essential truths of places, people, and ideas" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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| Complete National Parks of the United States: 400+ Parks, Monuments, Battlefields... by Mel WhiteWhat it is: the browsable latest edition of a popular National Geographic Society book that presents an updated overview of all 400+ of the United States national parks, monuments, battlefields, seashores, trails, and historic sites.
Don't miss: the stunning color photos, the fascinating facts and history, helpful maps, and information about recreation areas, hiking, and camping. |
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Books You Might Have Missed
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| The Naked Don't Fear the Water: An Underground Journey with Afghan Refugees by Matthieu AikinsThe setup: Having lived in war-torn Afghanistan since 2008 and able to pass as a local, award-winning journalist Matthieu Aikins left his identity and passport behind in 2016 to accompany his friend, translator Omar. Omar had worked with the U.S. military but been denied a visa, so the two men set out on a desperate refugee journey heading for Europe.
Reviewers say: "riveting" (Kirkus Reviews); "a heart-wrenching portrait of resilience and ingenuity" (Publishers Weekly). |
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| The Man Who Could Move Clouds by Ingrid Rojas ContrerasHow it began: After an injury caused a brief bout of amnesia when she was 23, author Ingrid Rojas Contreras learned that her mother had suffered the same ailment in childhood, spurring her ability to see ghosts.
What happened: Rojas Contreras and her mother returned to their native Colombia to disinter the remains of Rojas Contreras' grandfather, a curandero whose gifts they both now shared and who was appearing to them in dreams.
Awards buzz: This "compulsively readable" (Booklist) blend of memoir, travelogue, and Colombian history was a National Book Award finalist and made numerous Best of 2022 lists. |
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| Two Wheels Good: The History and Mystery of the Bicycle by Jody RosenWhat it is: a wide-ranging combination of history, reportage, memoir, and travelogue (locales include Bangladesh, New York, England, and more), and a fascinating exploration of the humble bicycle, from its 1817 invention to its modern renaissance as an eco-friendly way to get around.
Did you know? "Around the world, more people travel by bicycle than by any other form of transportation."
Reviewers say: a "wildly eclectic cornucopia" (Booklist); "excellent...calls to mind Bill Bryson, John McPhee, Rebecca Solnit" (The New York Times Book Review). |
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| Imagine a City: A Pilot's Journey Across the Urban World by Mark VanhoenackerWhat it's about: A commercial airline pilot and writer reflects on the impact of his small Massachusetts hometown on his life and thoughtfully considers the storied cities he once imagined as a child (London, Istanbul, Cairo, Rome, etc.) and has now visited multiple times.
Reviewers say: "an absolute pleasure...sparkling" (Kirkus Reviews); "offers unique insights, and...draws on poetry and history to add further dimension" (Booklist).
Read this next: the author's previous book, Skyfaring, or Patrick Smith's Cockpit Confidential, which provides a more nuts and bolts look at flying. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Daviess County Public Library
2020 Frederica Street
Owensboro, Kentucky 42301
(270) 684-0211
www.dcplibrary.org
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