As much as we all love adventure, sometimes it’s hard to get away. So, take a seat and relax because here are four books to get your adrenaline pumping and satisfy that adventure craving. Warning: some spoilers ahead, but even with spoilers, all these books are still worth reading.
Into the Wild is a non-fiction novel written by Jon Krakauer based on the life and journal entries of Chris McCandless. After college graduation, Chris decided that law school, an office job, settling down – none of it was for him. He gave away his life savings and headed out west to live a vagabond life. He ditched his traditional name and started going by Alex Supertramp. With all his belongings fitting in a backpack, Alex (McCandless), hitchhiked up and down the California coast, worked on a farm in South Dakota and eventually made his way to the Stampede Trail in Alaska. The journey of Alex’s couple years of life on the road is an exciting one and might make you want to hop in the car for a west coast road trip.
The only fiction book in the list, Lord of the Flies is about a group of schoolboys who survived a plane crash and must survive on a deserted island. The boys create a community on the island. They build shelter, hunt for food and try to have some fun while they wait for rescues. However, delusions and paranoia overcome the boys and they start to turn on each other. This book is a short and fun read about island life, survival and what happens when you start to lose your humanity.
Touching the Void is a non-fiction book written by Joe Simpson recounting his and Simon Yates’ nearly fatal climb of Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes. I might have a thing for survival books. The two had successfully reached the summit at 20,813 feet, and during the decent, Simpson slipped down an ice cliff and broke his leg. Bad weather was moving in, and the boys needed to find shelter. Yate’s had attempted to lower Simpson off a ridge but because of bad weather, inadvertently lowered him off a cliff. Unable to communicate, and stuck in a bad situation, Yate’s decided to cut the rope to so they both didn’t die. This tale of survival is too good to put down.
My favorite book on this list, Wild (also non-fiction) is about a woman named Cheryl Strayed and her journey hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. Cheryl had experienced some tragedy in her life and was headed down a dark path of destruction. Determined to turn her life around, she quit her job in Minnesota, sold her belongings and headed for California. Cheryl had never hiked a day in her life before embarking on the PCT, and here she was in the Southern California desert with a “monster” on her back about to hike through the state of California and into southern Oregon. This book deals with grief and self-discovery set to the backdrop of the Sierra Nevada and is a must-read for any adventure lover.
Let’s talk! Did I mention one of your favorite adventure books? Do you know of one I must read? Tell me in the comments below! School is done in mid-May, and I’m looking to fill my kindle library.
Until next time…..
Cheers!
Keelie
All book cover images are courtesy of Amazon
Adventures and Life with Keelie 