This is the true story of rescue, perseverance and the remarkable communication between elephants and man. Lawrence Anthony (died in 2012) along with his wife Francoise owned a 5,000 acre reserve in Zululand, South Africa when they received word that a herd of troubled elephants would be killed unless someone could provide them a home. Scrambling to fence the preserve in time for their arrival, they barely finished their work just in time. But … [Read more...]
The Promise of a Pencil: How an Ordinary Person Can Create Extraordinary Change by Adam Braun
While traveling through a slum in India, Adam came across a beggar child and asked him a question he would ask a child in every country he visited - “If you could have anything in the world, what would you want most?” Despite the life challenges and suffering, the child responded to him without the slightest hesitation: “A pencil”. The encounter ignited a flame in Adam’s heart and propelled him to pursue a noble cause he never thought he would … [Read more...]
Hidden Travel by Stephen W. Brock
This valuable traveler's resource is based on personal experiences and accounts from a well-seasoned traveler; Brock's book is a treasure trove of wealth - less so about about actual physical 'hidden' locations (although a few of these are sprinkled throughout the book) but more importantly about hidden discoveries relating to behavior, relationships and personal emotional discoveries. Brock digs deep into what it truly means to be a traveler … [Read more...]
The Dream Walker by Larry Prosor
Peter Martinez is the Wave Dancer, a surfer in modern day California. He is also a Native American (Noqoto tribe) whose job is to dress up as an "Indian Chief" for his tribe's casino. Not able to conform to the rules of the casino he soon finds himself without a job - fired by his mother. At the core of the story is a battle between environmental protection and an oil company, (appropriately named ENRG) who want to develop part of their … [Read more...]
Downhills Don’t Come Free by Jerry Holl
At age 57 Jerry Holl quit his corporate career, trading in a suit and a tie for bicycle apparel and deciding he would bike solo from Anchorage Alaska through British Columbia, Washington, Oregon and California to the Mexico border. And this proposed journey of 3,600 miles was by a man who had spent little time on a bicycle and had not trained prior to his ride. Nor did he have any training on basic bike repairs. Jumping into the saddle he … [Read more...]
Los Angeles by Serge Ramelli
This book showed up one day, still warm from sitting in the California sun. It is an impressive collection of epic photographs of this great city. The lightning in Ramelli's captures makes the City of Angels pop in a way not always seen. From downtown to the beaches, to architecture - these are inspiring photographs of America's second largest city. The photographs are laid out as double page spreads - providing maximum effect on the use of … [Read more...]
Angel on the Wing by Joan M. Zellar
In February 1965 American Airlines Flight number 320 was on its way from Chicago on New York. On its final approach into LaGuardia something went extremely wrong and the plane crashed into the frigid East River. 65 passengers died that evening but stewardess Joan Zeller somehow survived. Joan was inspired to write this book after coming across a forum online that discussed the crash and connected survivors and their families. This is her … [Read more...]
Mountain Lines by Jonathan Arlan
Author Jonathan Arlan is bored; bouncing around from New York, to Tokyo ultimately to Europe - he becomes a wanderer. Eventually he spots a map while in Serbia. For some reason it 'speaks' to him - a red line that runs from Lake Geneva through the Alps ending in the Mediterranean Sea indicating a route of about 400 miles. His curiosity peaked, Not a likely candidate to make this walk (no prior outdoor experience, long hikes or knowledge of … [Read more...]
The Cubans by Jay Seldin
Everything Cuba is on the tips of traveler's tongues from the states these days with the thawing of decades of strained relations. Photographer Jay Seldin's timely book of black and white photography documents an intimate look into the lives of Cubans. Cuba is cursorily known for vintage cars, futbol, older buildings, images of Castro and Che but his photographs in this book are exclusively of the Cuban people. They represent young and old; … [Read more...]
Ride of Your Life by Ran Zilca
Author Ran Zilca sets out on a journey, not a long one but a journey nonetheless. A journey doesn't need to involve months or years but it should involve elements of being able to revitalize oneself and see things from a new perspective. This book is both a travel memoir based on the experiences and people that Ran meets as he makes his way from New York to California solo on the back of a Yamaha V-Star 950. Remarkably Ran had never owned a … [Read more...]