* A collection of vivid, intimate essays and prose poetry on the universal themes of life, love, friendship, personal empowerment, and more, told through a career in climbing * 40 percent of these pieces debut here for the first time * Davis has been profiled in publications including Outside, Men's Journal, W Magazine, and Sports Illustrated. Throughout her life, Steph Davis has chosen to take risks, to trust her impulses, to make decisions based on what feels right inside -- and never look back. Studying to be a concert pianist, she quit music the day she was introduced to rock climbing. Later, she abandoned the respectability of university life and pursuit of a law degree to become a "dirtbag climber," living out of her grandmother's hand-me-down Oldsmobile sedan with Fletcher, a heeler mix dog. Today, through courage and perseverance, Davis is a high-profile athlete whose sponsors have included Patagonia, Mammut, Clif Bar, Five Ten and Cascade Designs. In High Infatuation, Davis writes on the universal themes of life, love, friendship, personal empowerment, and more, told through a career in climbing. We wait with her in the tent through weeks of rain, wind, snow, and sleet, hoping for the weather to improve in the mountains of Patagonia, then race with her up a towering rock wall of Yosemite's El Capitan in a single day. More than adventure stories, these pieces reveal Davis' soul. They draw us into her struggles with safety, independence, ambition, and compassion. By following the journey of this remarkable woman, we learn what it means to live a truly adventurous life.

A “sublime” and “radically original” exploration of the Sierra Nevadas, the best mountains on Earth for hiking and camping, from New York Times bestselling novelist Kim Stanley Robinson (Bill McKibben, Gary Snyder). Kim Stanley Robinson first ventured into the Sierra Nevada mountains during the summer of 1973. He returned from that encounter a changed man, awed by a landscape that made him feel as if he were simultaneously strolling through an art museum and scrambling on a jungle gym like an energized child. He has returned to the mountains throughout his life—more than a hundred trips—and has gathered a vast store of knowledge about them. The High Sierra is his lavish celebration of this exceptional place and an exploration of what makes this span of mountains one of the most compelling places on Earth. Over the course of a vivid and dramatic narrative, Robinson describes the geological forces that shaped the Sierras and the history of its exploration, going back to the indigenous peoples who made it home and whose traces can still be found today. He celebrates the people whose ideas and actions protected the High Sierra for future generations. He describes uniquely beautiful hikes and the trails to be avoided. Robinson’s own life-altering events, defining relationships, and unforgettable adventures form the narrative’s spine. And he illuminates the human communion with the wild and with the sublime, including the personal growth that only seems to come from time spent outdoors. The High Sierra is a gorgeous, absorbing immersion in a place, born out of a desire to understand and share one of the greatest rapture-inducing experiences our planet offers. Packed with maps, gear advice, more than 100 breathtaking photos, and much more, it will inspire veteran hikers, casual walkers, and travel readers to prepare for a magnificent adventure.

When your chance for getting into college and your date for the prom are all on the line... Sixteen-year-old Samantha Taylor is used to having things go her way. She's head cheerleader and has all the right friends and a steady stream of boyfriends. But when she tanks the SATs, her automatic assumptions about going to college don't appear to be so automatic anymore. She determines that her only hope for college admission is to win the election for student body president. Unfortunately, with her razor wit and acid tongue, she's better suited to dishing out insults than winning votes. When she brashly bets her classmate Logan that she can go two weeks without uttering a single insult, Samantha immediately realizes that she may have bitten off more than she can chew. And when her current boyfriend dumps her, less than three weeks before the prom, it couldn't be a worse time to be forced to keep her opinions to herself. Finding a new boyfriend will be a challenge now that Logan shadows her every move, hoping to catch her slipping back into her old ways. Samantha is determined to win the election and find a dream date for the prom, no matter what it takes. After all . . . all's fair in love and war (and high school!).

Cindy's violent boyfriend adds to her troubles with her mother and at school.

Young people need to feel empowered in their schools and communities-it's not enough to ask them to stay away from drugs and alcohol, we need to show them positive things they can do instead, both for themselves and others! A BETTER HIGH is a powerful tool for everyone, especially students, teachers and parents. Chapters include: 1. How to Get High Naturally; 2. Laughing, Smiling and Other Highs Better Than Cocaine; 3. Running, Surfing and Other Highs Better Than Weed; 4. Eating, Cooking and Other Highs Better Than Alcohol; 5. Helping, Listening and Other Highs Better Than Being Selfish; 6. Loving, Caring and Other Highs Better Than Hurting Yourself; 7. Unhealthy Natural Highs; 8. Creating Your Own Natural High. Author Matt Bellace holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology, has been performing stand-up comedy since 1995, and has been involved in youth drug and alcohol prevention efforts since high school. Most importantly, Matt is a passionate and effective speaker who presents his message with humor and lots of audience interaction.

Drawing on their expertise on personal growth in the workplace and from their experience with couples in their popular workshops, Morrie and Arleah Shechtman present a new approach that challenges common notions about what makes a good marriage work. They recognise that myths about marriage often lead people to aim for unrealistic ideals. Examining eight myths about relationships -- including: Love will carry you through the hard times; You need to work on your relationship if you want it to be good; and Spending lots of time together is very important -- the book also presents contrasting realities to help strengthen the bond. For those working to build a relationship or struggling to hold one together, this book provides powerful new ways to overcome old behaviours and create a new connection that springs from a shared understanding of one another's needs.

Darcy Trent is lucky Cooper Hudson is on hand to sweep her off her feet—literally—when she nearly drowns while swimming in the ocean. But life-saving aside, Mr. Perfect's timing stinks: Darcy's career is about to take her to the complete opposite side of the Atlantic. Still, a little summer loving with the tall, blond and sexy former cop is far too tempting to pass up. When his plans to enter the Secret Service went south thanks to a bum knee, Coop retreated to the family beach house to mull his future. Romance is the last thing on his mind, until he fishes a curvy brunette out of the sea. Now, spending time in Darcy's arms seems like the ideal distraction, even if it is just for a week. But with Darcy's departure date fast approaching and their careers on the line, can they realize in time that their beach fling might become the real thing? 46,000 words