This book about climbing Mount Everest made Krakauer famous with good reason. It’s a page turner. Suspenseful. Informative. A terrific read.
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Getting Stoned with Savages by J. Maarten Troost *** (of 4)
In the style of Bill Bryson, self-effacing and laugh aloud funny, Troost describes his adventures on the Pacific isles of Vanuatu and Fiji. He leaves you with no illusions. These islands may be paradise for the rich and famous that can afford secluded beaches, but for the natives, and those imported by British colonists, these are third world countries rife with poverty, corruption, inept government, and apalling colonial legacies. Still, it’s funny. November 2009. -
Fifty Miles from Tomorrow by William L. Iggiagruk Hensley ** (of 4)
The life story of a native Inupiaq from the early 40s when native Alaskans were virtually untouched by Westerners, except missionaries, through statehood and the battle for native rights to the land. Alas, not many surprises: life was hard, but pure in the early days, but the introduction of alcohol, Christianity, disease, and, well, you know, all the rest of the problems that decimate native populations play out in the narrative. May 2009. -
The Endurance by Caroline Alexander ** (of 4)
About explorers trapped on the ice of Antarctica. Outstanding photos, OK read.
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Born to Run by Christopher McDougall **** (of 4)
The author immerses himself in the ultra marathoning community and finds, and compellingly describes, the kind of people that run 100 miles, up and down mountains, in the desert, in the summer, for fun. Then he finds a hidden tribe of Taruahmara Indians in the remotest mountains of Mexico, a tribe that runs ultras as a way of life. He recounts a race between the best of the American nutters and the best of the Taruahamara and along the way makes running sound exhilarating and running shoes sound like an enormous, overpriced hoax guaranteed to induce injuries. August 2009. -
The Best American Travel Writing 2007 Edited by Susan Orlean *** (of 4)
On the upside, no kidding, Orlean and the series editor really do skim the cream from thousands of annual travel articles. On the down, there are only so many travel stories you can read in one sitting. It’s like reading a magazine that never ends. Among my favorites are Ian Frazier’s account of getting sick in Russia, Kevin Fedarko’s description of the drug addicted nation of Djibouti, and Matthew Power’s experience with the economics of garbage picking communities in the Phillipines. June 2008. -
Lost on Planet China by J. Maarten Troost **** (of 4)
Lost on Planet China by J. Maarten Troost It’s a travel book, most fun because Troost has a keen eye, a sharp tongue, precise wit, and he is no sissy when it comes to difficult journeys (See Getting Stoned With Savages.) So it is especially appealing in a literary sense to see through his eyes how much there is to not like about China: First, the pollution; second, the overwhelming crowds; third Chinese disdain for foreigners; fourth, their preoccupation with international recognition. The book lingers a little too long, and his inability to speak Chinese is a barrier. Nevertheless, I take away an insight (and laughed aloud on more than one occasion) I have not been able to find anywhere else. January 2010.
