Literally Italian for "bad air," malaria once plagued Rome, tropical trade routes and colonial ventures into India and South America and the disease has no known antidote aside from the therapeutic effects of the "miraculous" quinine. This first book from journalist Honigsbaum is a rousing history of the search for febrifuge or, more specifically, the rare red cinchona tree, the bark from which quinine is derived.

It's called "White Blaze Fever" and although you will not find the fever mentioned in any medical journal, have no doubt in your mind - it does exist and no one is immune. Only the most casual, most minute contact with the Appalachian Trail is needed to catch the fever. I now welcome you to be my vicarious hiking partner as we pursue the two-inch by six-inch white blazes from Springer Mountain, Georgia to Mount Katahdin, Maine. Through my daily journal entries - revised only a little - you will share encounters with bear, moose, snakes and other wildlife. You will feel the thrill of viewing the most magnificent vistas east of the Mississippi and come to know a unique collection of individuals guaranteed to bring a smile to your face and warmth to your heart.

Have you ever imagined giving up your day job and heading for the hills in search of gold? Journalist Steve Boggan decided to do just that when the price of the precious metal scaled dizzying heights in the wake of the global financial crisis. Clueless, and with neither equipment nor experience, Boggan flew to California and followed in the footsteps of the '49ers', miners who fuelled the original Gold Rush of 1849. Along the way, terrified of bears, bubonic plague and rattlesnakes, he met a cast of colourful characters, including a former Navy Seal who risked his life every day and a man who once went on the run for five years in the mistaken belief that he was wanted by the law. In charming and witty prose, gold-fevered Boggan recaptures the excitement, the hopes and disappointments of the hunt, going beyond the story of modern prospectors to give a moving insight into the birth of modern America.

2020 Banff Mountain Book Competition Finalist in Adventure Travel In Journeys North, legendary trail angel, thru hiker, and former PCTA board member Barney Scout Mann spins a compelling tale of six hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail in 2007 as they walk from Mexico to Canada. This ensemble story unfolds as these half-dozen hikers--including Barney and his wife, Sandy--trod north, slowly forming relationships and revealing their deepest secrets and aspirations. They face a once-in-a-generation drought and early severe winter storms that test their will in this bare-knuckled adventure. In fact, only a third of all the hikers who set out on the trail that year would finish. As the group approaches Canada, a storm rages. How will these very different hikers, ranging in age, gender, and background, respond to the hardship and suffering ahead of them? Can they all make the final 60-mile push through freezing temperatures, sleet, and snow, or will some reach their breaking point? Journeys North is a story of grit, compassion, and the relationships people forge when they strive toward a common goal.

A wickedly funny and astute chronicle of the 1996 presidential campaign--and how we go about choosing our leaders at the turn of the century. In it Michael Lewis brings to the political scene the same brilliance that distinguished his celebrated best-seller about the financial world, Liar's Poker. Beginning with the primaries, Lewis traveled across America--a concerned citizen who happened to ride in candidates' airplanes (as well as rented cars in blinding New Hampshire blizzards) and write about their adventures. Among the contenders he observed: Pat Buchanan, a walking tour of American anger; Lamar Alexander, who appealed to people who pretend to be nice to get ahead; Steve Forbes, frozen in a smile and refusing to answer questions about his father's motorcycles; Alan Keyes, one of the great political speakers of our age, whom no one has ever heard of; Morry Taylor--"the Grizz"--the hugely successful businessman who became the refreshing embodiment of ordinary Americans' appetites and ambitions; Bob Dole, a man who set out to prove he would never be president; and Bill Clinton, the big snow goose who flew too high to be shot out of the sky. We watch the cliches of this peculiar subculture collide with characters from the real world: a pig farmer in Iowa; an evangelical preacher in Colorado Springs; a homeless person in Manhattan; a prospective illegal immigrant in Mexico. The politicians speak and speak, often reversing positions, denying direct quotations, mastering the sound bite, dodging hard questions, wreaking havoc on the English language. Spin doctors spin. Rented strangers (campaign workers) proliferate. One particular toe sucker goes awry. Ads are honed tomisrepresent and distort. Money makes the world go round. And the citizens are left dumbfounded or cheering empty platitudes. When trail fever breaks on Election Day, half of America's eligible voters stay home. This book offers a striking look at us and our politics and the mammoth unlikelihood of connection between the inauthentic modern candidate and the voter's passions, needs, and desires. In telling the story, Michael Lewis once again proves himself a masterful observer of the American scene.

A new dynamic has been discovered concerning the relationship between God and the universe. You'll find it in the first verse essay of SOUNDINGS, beginning with a statement, followed by two questions: God, who is Ultimate Reality and Truth, would not bring into existence anything less than real or true, it would seem. With this in mind, could the newly created universe- the early space-time continuum- have been anything other than it was? Could the primordial light and elements, with their forces of electromagnetism and gravity, have been anything other than they were? Thus begins a spiritual quest, ranging from the dawn of time to the summit of contemporary civilization. Embark on a journey with Frank L. Jordan III as he unravels some of the oldest known mysteries pertaining to God and the universe-mysteries involving the problem of evil, and of God's role in connection with death, accidents, natural disasters, and disease. Equipped with a new philosophy called derivism*, Jordan methodically chips away at the barriers between us and God, while pointing to a true avenue of healing ... an exalted way. What People Are Saying About SOUNDINGS: "Frank Jordan's profound struggle to understand God and the world and the reality of evil have brought him to a path very like that of process theology. I congratulate him for finding it on his own ... What gives poignancy and power to Jordan's thinking is the way it has come out of his personal suffering and joy." Dr. John B. Cobb, Jr., process theologian and co-director of the Center for Process Studies "I read it all through in one night. What a strong and lovely and deep sharing " Dr. Pamela Anne Bro, pastor of Living Waters Sanctuary and author of SoulQuest: A Trail Guide to Life "Definitely worth reading." Lawrence William Kozoyed, USN Commander (Ret.) and founder/director of the Institute for Mentoring (+) Science * Art * Spirituality "A must read for any true spiritual seeker." Rev. Nicki Royall Peet, ecumenical minister and author of the upcoming book, The Medicine Man's Daughter "I have read SOUNDINGS and I feel Frank Jordan has been able to put into words some Universal Truths from his own experience." Dr. Eleanora Woloy, Jungian analyst and author of The Symbol of the Dog in the Human Psyche: A Study of the Human-Dog Bond *The philosophy of derivism introduced in SOUNDINGS is not the religious doctrine found at the website or in the book Derivism: A New Understanding in a New Age. Each author arrived at the term derivism independently.

This pocket-sized gift and souvenir photo book captures the beauty of America's quintessential wilderness hiking trail. From desert California to the Washington-Canada border, the compelling photography of Bart Smith brings the entire 2,650-mile trail to life. This beautifully illustrated book, officially published with the Pacific Crest Trail Association in a pocket-sized gift and souvenir format, highlights this legendary footpath with more than 170 spectacular contemporary images taken by the foremost hiking photographer in America. Readers can experience the trail as if their boots were on the path--passing by the trail blazes, taking in the surrounding wilderness at scenic overlooks, meeting other hikers at lean-tos or shelters, and freezing at the sight of bear, elk, or other majestic wildlife. Designated as one of the first two national scenic trails in 1968, the Pacific Crest Trail is a continuous footpath of more than 2,650 miles--from the Mexican to the Canadian border. It is often called the "wilderness trail" because roughly half of it runs through federal wilderness--25 national forests, six national parks, five state parks, three national monuments, and 48 federal wilderness areas. The trail symbolizes everything there is to love--and protect--in the western United States. This book is perfect for anyone interested in conservation, outdoor recreation, or American history, or for those who dream of one day becoming thru-hikers themselves.

First published in 1973, The Pacific Crest Trail, Vol. 1, California quickly established itself as the "PCT Bible"-- the book trekkers could not do without. Now thoroughly updated and redesigned into two portable volumes, Pacific Crest Trail: Southern California starts at the Mexican border and guides you to Yosemite's beautiful back country. Its companion volume meets the trail at Tuolumne Meadows and drops you at Oregon's door. Thru-hikers to Canada will find the rest of their journey in Pacific Crest Trail: Oregon & Washington. Our PCT gurus help you locate the trail, water sources, and resupply access routes with detailed descriptions, customized maps, and tips on alternate routes. Whether you're planning day hikes, weekend or week long backbacks, or an ambitious thru-hike, everything you need to know about--from bears to trees--is here.

In The Trail of Gold and Silver, historian Duane A. Smith details Colorado's mining saga - a story that stretches from the beginning of the gold and silver mining rush in the mid-nineteenth century into the twenty-first century. Gold and silver mining laid the foundation for Colorado's economy, and 1859 marked the beginning of a fever for these precious metals. Mining changed the state and its people forever, affecting settlement, territorial status, statehood, publicity, development, investment, economy, jobs both in and outside the industry, transportation, tourism, advances in mining and smelting technology, and urbanization. Moreover, the first generation of Colorado mining brought a fascinating collection of people and a new era to the region. Written in a lively manner by one of Colorado's preeminent historians, this book honors the 2009 sesquicentennial of Colorado's gold rush. Smith's narrative will appeal to anybody with an interest in the state's fascinating mining history over the past 150 years.