Ada Blackjack by Jennifer Niven: Book Review

4 Stars. I found this book absolutely fascinating. The remarkable thing about Ada’s survival is that she knew very little about surviving Arctic conditions. She was raised in the village of Nome. She’d seen some Inuit (the preferred term now) elders hunting and employing traditional skills when she was very young but she […]

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Into the Planet by Jill Heinerth: Book Review

Into the Planet by Jill Heinerth Book Cover

4 Stars. I don’t even remember why I added this to my library wishlist but I’m so glad I did! I’m not a very good swimmer, much less a diver, but I still found Heinerth’s experiences fascinating. She writes beautifully about what keeps her going back in the water, even after many of her friends have passed away on dives. She […]

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Unbeaten Tracks in Japan by Isabella Bird: Book Review

Unbeaten Track in Japan by Isabella Bird Book Cover

3 Stars. I read one of Ms. Birds earlier books, Adventures in the Rocky Mountains, during my blogging break and quite enjoyed it. I could only admire a woman who, in Victorian times, not only traveled alone, but managed to summit Longs Peak in a dress. When I needed a travel book as part of the 20201 Nonfiction Challenge, Ms. […]

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In the Kingdom of Ice by Hampton Sides: Book Review

In the Kingdom of Ice by Hampton Sides Book Cover

This is probably one of the best nonfiction books I’ve ever read. I’ve been reading about one nonfiction book a month for the past five years or so but I’m still a fiction reader in my heart of hearts. I generally read my nonfiction at night before bed because I don’t worry too much about falling into the “one more chapter” trap […]

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The Lost City of Z by David Grann: Book Review

In 1925, Percy Fawcett, a seasoned Amazonian explorer, his son and son’s friend set out to find a fabulous city in the Amazon that Fawcett calls only “Z.” The world had become fascinated with the expedition. Fawcett sent back a few reports, but then none of the men were ever heard from again. Over the […]

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