This is the inspiring account of her adventures, of hiking thousands of miles (mostly alone) from Mexico to Canada, through the Mojave Desert and the High Sierra, and then in the Appalachian Mountains from Georgia to Maine. When she hasn't been hiking, she has been designing ultralight backpacking gear; award winning gear that has been acclaimed not only nationally but internationally as well. She shares her ultralight hiking expertise here, as well as some of her designs and sewing techniques. There are detailed instructions for making 12 important gear items, including her 8 ounce silnylon backpack. She also includes her latest gear list (with weights) and information on resupply and ultralight hiking in winter. Just want to say a "thumbs up" to Brawny's new book "My Journey to Freedom and Ultralight Backpacking." There is a lot of information regarding what she carried for the PCT and AT, ultralight gear, cook systems, shelters, clothing, etc., along with chapters on how to make your own gear. It might be helpful to some of you who are trying to eliminate the excess bulk and weight. You can read more about it and also order it on www.trailquest.net. It's $14.95 plus $2.00 for shipping. It's autographed, too! Congratulations to Brawny for a terrific book! ----Carol Reese I picked up Brawny's book with some mixed feelings. But you know, now I can't put it down! I'm SO impressed by her. She did her hikes on a shoestring budget by making/modifying most of her gear. She took responsibility for her own happiness, and she rebuilt a life as full and rich as I could ever hope to have! --J.W. My copies of Brawny's book arrived Thursday. Most excellent. I have not finished reading yet, but very much like the style in which it is written. Some books have a feeling that the author is trying to make you like what they are writing so what is presented is subject to skepticism, but all I feel from Brawny's book is genuine. I enjoyed some of the insights which were either not noted in her journals, or reflected on again from a slightly different perspective (maybe with hot coffee in a real mug, with real food simmering on a stove, and possibly rain OUTSIDE, lol). Even though I have read Brawny's journals and knew some of the information, I still enjoyed reading it again. I am only sad that when I finish the book, I will have finished it!!! Sort of like running out of trail on a long hike, I would think. Anyway, thank you for putting your experiences into a good read. -- Joanne Feige I have just finished reading, and very thoroughly enjoying, Brawny Wellman's great new book, "My Journey to Freedom & Ultralight Backpacking." I very highly recommend it to all. Read about it here: http: //www.trailquest.net/dlgcmyjourney.html It's a great read, for many reasons. Mainly, she's a power-hiker who has logged 5000 miles in the last 3 years, carrying mostly homemade gear, and thru tremendous attention to detail, has truly refined her gear & methods of ultralighting. Brawny's sentiments on the "why's" of long-distance hiking, her treatment of, and definitions of the "journey," are themselves worth the price of admission. Get a copy today, before it makes Oprah's list and gets discovered. -- Brian in Oregon I got the book on friday, and read almost all of it over the weekend. Really interesting to read. Brawny she has put together a very interesting, helpful book; and good to read trailstories, nice nature descriptions, and all the tips. A superb combination. A book, one has to read, if he/she is interested in (ultra)lightweight-hiking. And congratulations to Brawny, that she can enjoy her life now. My mother took almost 20 years after her divorce to free herself mentally from her unhappy marriage. --Harald Loeffel, Austria

Jorgen Johansson was a traditional backpacker for decades until he started using and adapting ultralight and lightweight backpacking techniques to the demanding circumstances of the tundra mountains of northern Europe. Apart from his books he also contributes articles to outdoor magazines and holds courses and lectures on lightweight hiking techniques. More info can be found at www.smarterbackpacking.com -- from publisher.

Jeff Garmire was living the fast paced life of a successful young professional when he gave it all up to embark on the adventure of a lifetime. He set out to become only the fifth person to thru-hike the Pacific Crest Trail, Appalachian Trail and Continental Divide Trail in a single calendar year. Finishing the 8,000 mile Calendar Year Triple Crown would be an adventure of a lifetime. The journey was riddled with inclement weather, shady characters, wildlife attacks, and injuries. Along the way Jeff swam frozen rivers, encountered wildfires and battled his own mind. He offers a captivating story of strength and courage. Hiking through some of the most remote areas in America, Jeff is continually overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity of strangers. Free Outside is the fascinating story of Jeff Garmire's journey along the national historic trails that define wild America. Finishing would take everything he had, and he was willing to give it all.

What begins as the sheer desire for adventure turns into a spiritual quest as a young woman comes to terms with her family, her dreams, and her first love. Tania Aebi was an unambitious eighteen-year-old, a bicycle messenger in New York City by day, a Lower East Side barfly at night. In short, she was going nowhere—until her father offered her a challenge: Tania could choose either a college education or a twenty-six-foot sloop. The only catch was that if she chose the sailboat, she’d have to sail around the world—alone. She chose the boat, and for the next two and a half years and 27,000 miles, it was her home. With only her cat as companion, she discovered the wondrous beauties of the Great Barrier Reef and the death-dealing horrors of the Red Sea. She suffered through a terrifying collision with a tanker in the Mediterranean and a lightning storm off the coast of Gibraltar. And, ultimately, what began with the sheer desire for adventure turned into a spiritual quest as Tania came to terms with her troubled family life, fell in love for the first time, and—most of all—confronted her own needs, desires, dreams, and goals…

Three friends, each on the brink of a quarter-life crisis, embark on a year-long backpacking adventure around the world in The Lost Girls. “A triumphant journey about losing yourself, finding yourself and coming home again. Hitch yourself to their ride: you’ll embark on a transformative journey of your own.” —New York Times bestselling author Allison Winn Scotch With their thirtieth birthdays looming, Jennifer Baggett, Holly C. Corbett, and Amanda Pressner are feeling the pressure to hit certain milestones—score the big promotion, find a soul mate, have 2.2 kids. Instead, they make a pact to quit their high-pressure New York City media jobs and leave behind their friends, boyfriends, and everything familiar to set out on a journey in search of inspiration and direction. Traveling 60,000 miles across four continents, Jen, Holly, and Amanda push themselves far outside their comfort zones to embrace every adventure. Ultimately, theirs is a story of true friendship—a bond forged by sharing beds and backpacks, enduring exotic illnesses, trekking across mountains, and standing by one another through heartaches, whirlwind romances, and everything in the world in between. “A real-life fairy tale for anyone who’s ever wanted to chuck it all and see the world with a best friend on each arm.” —Cathy Alter, author of Up for Renewal “Three cheers to The Lost Girls for showing us, with good humor and graceful prose, the beauty and importance of leading life astray.” —New York Times bestselling author Franz Wisner

Maajid Nawaz spent his teenage years listening to American hip-hop and learning about the radical Islamist movement spreading throughout Europe and Asia in the 1980s and 90s. At 16, he was already a ranking member in Hizb ut-Tahrir, a London-based Islamist group. He quickly rose through the ranks to become a top recruiter, a charismatic spokesman for the cause of uniting Islam’s political power across the world. Nawaz was setting up satellite groups in Pakistan, Denmark, and Egypt when he was rounded up in the aftermath of 9/11 along with many other radical Muslims. He was sent to an Egyptian prison where he was, fortuitously, jailed along with the assassins of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat. The 20 years in prison had changed the assassins’ views on Islam and violence; Maajid went into prison preaching to them about the Islamist cause, but the lessons ended up going the other way. He came out of prison four years later completely changed, convinced that his entire belief system had been wrong, and determined to do something about it. He met with activists and heads of state, built a network, and started a foundation, Quilliam, funded by the British government, to combat the rising Islamist tide in Europe and elsewhere, using his intimate knowledge of recruitment tactics in order to reverse extremism and persuade Muslims that the ‘narrative’ used to recruit them (that the West is evil and the cause of all of Muslim suffering), is false. Radical, first published in the UK, is a fascinating and important look into one man's journey out of extremism and into something else entirely. This U.S. edition contains a "Preface for US readers" and a new, updated epilogue.

Award-winning memoirist Meg Stafford has an adventurous spirit, and this time she takes us along for the ride. When her daughters venture into terra incognita—one of them meditating in the Himalayas and the other negotiating with the Colombian military—Stafford decides to go too. In the process, she reflects on her own lifetime of wanderlust and what it means for a parent to love and to let go. Generous, insightful, and deeply funny, Stafford is the ideal tour guide for a journey as big as the world and as intimate as the human heart. ​“So profoundly moving, so beautifully crafted, so brave . . . A story about being true to oneself. Stafford brings all of herself to the reader as she shares her fears, doubts, triumphs, excitement, and love of life. This book is 100% authentic—because it is so human, so real.” —Susan Frankl, MD, Harvard Medical School “A road map for parenting adventurous adults . . . Stafford asks all the right questions: Where are we headed in life? Who will come with us on the journey? How do we hold our children close while allowing them the freedom to grow? The most touching part: She doesn’t hide the struggle as she tries (with love and curiosity and humor) to find the answers.” —Fran Booth, LICSW, trainer, Internal Family Systems

"The most up-to-date and comprehensive guide to equipment and technique available anywhere."—Backpack (UK) This enormously practical guide includes everything from essential techniques such as map and compass work to the skills needed for more remote wilderness journeys—such as how to ford rivers safely and how to choose a route through untracked terrain. As a gear advisor, this book is unequaled. You'll find the last word on: How to choose packs and footwear—and make sure they fit What clothing to take on the trail Tents, tarps, stoves, water purifiers, and other gear GPS, cell phones, and other electronic devices And much more Now in its third edition, The Backpacker's Handbook also covers desert hiking, ultralight backpacking, and adventure trekking in distant corners of the globe. Indeed, there is little about backpacking Chris Townsend does not cover. This trusted reference will prepare you for the challenges and excitement of backpacking the wilderness. "A clear and comprehensive primer on backpacking gear. Townsend's knowledge is immense."—Sierra "Belongs in every bookcase dealing with outdoor topics. . . . Chockablock full of useful, practical, commonsense info. . . . If you tramp the outdoors, get this book."—Maine Sportsman "For those thinking of taking a backpack journey, The Backpacker's Handbook is required reading."—Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)

Whether you're a first-time backpacker, an occasional weekend warrior, or a seasoned long-distance trekker, this guide is a must for any backpacking, hiking, or camping trip. Supreme long-distance hiker Andrew Skurka—accomplished adventure athlete, speaker, guide, and writer—shares his knowledge in this essential guide to backpacking gear and skills. Skurka recounts what he's learned from more than 30,000 miles of long-distance hikes, including the Appalachian, Pacific Crest, and Continental Divide Trails, and the 4,700-mile Alaska-Yukon Expedition. A show-and-tell guide to clothing, footwear, backpacks, shelter and sleep systems, camp stoves, and more, as well as tips on foot care, campsite selection, and hiking efficiency, this single book contains all the knowledge you'll need to hit the trail. This second edition features 16 new pages (including food on the trail and other essentials), and updates all gear recommendations.

A day-by-day account of Aron Ralston's unforgettable survival story. On Saturday, 26 April 2003, Aron Ralston, a 27-year-old outdoorsman and adventurer, set off for a day's hike in the Utah canyons. Eight miles from his truck, he found himself in the middle of a deep and remote canyon. Then the unthinkable happened: a boulder shifted and snared his right arm against the canyon wall. He was trapped, facing dehydration, starvation, hallucinations and hypothermia as night-time temperatures plummeted. Five and a half days later, Aron Ralston finally came to the agonising conclusion that his only hope was to amputate his own arm and get himself to safety. Miraculously, he survived. 127 Hours is more than just an adventure story. It is a brave, honest and above all inspiring account of one man's valiant effort to survive, and is destined to take its place among adventure classics such as Touching the Void.