Into the Wild

K2: The Savage Mountain. At 28,251 feet, it looms as the ultimate mountaineering challenge, a peak four times more deadly than Everest. In August 2008, eleven climbers perished in a single, horrific thirty-six-hour period, marking one of the worst tragedies in mountaineering history.

Ed Viesturs, one of the world's leading high-altitude climbers, delves into the compelling and tragic history of K2, exploring the driving forces behind those who dare to challenge its unforgiving slopes. More than just a chronicle of ascents and accidents, this is an examination of the profound questions K2 provokes: risk versus reward, ambition versus self-preservation, and loyalty versus the intoxicating lure of glory.

Viesturs brings firsthand experience to the page, recounting his own near-fatal 1992 climb with Scott Fischer, where only a desperate act of self-arrest saved them from certain death. Through vivid accounts of seven defining expeditions, including his own and the catastrophic 2008 event, Viesturs, along with David Roberts, crafts a gripping narrative that resonates with climbers and armchair adventurers alike. Featuring rare photographs and historical insights, this is a definitive, edge-of-your-seat exploration of the world's most dangerous mountain, and the profound human drama played out on its icy heights.

Driven by a nagging question—Why does my foot hurt?—award-winning journalist Christopher McDougall embarks on an epic quest into Mexico’s Copper Canyons, home to the reclusive Tarahumara Indians. These legendary runners possess a lost art: the ability to run hundreds of miles without injury, effortlessly chasing down anything from deer to Olympic marathoners.

Through Harvard science labs and sun-baked American valleys, McDougall encounters an eclectic cast of characters—ultra-runners pushing their limits, a barefoot guru, and a beer-drinking bikini-clad marathoner. With their help, he uncovers the Tarahumara's secrets and confronts conventional wisdom about running, revealing that everything we thought we knew is wrong.

Culminating in a climactic fifty-mile race pitting a motley crew of Americans against the Tarahumara, Born to Run is more than a story about running; it's an exploration of human potential, ancient wisdom, and the hidden power within us all. Prepare to be inspired, challenged, and transformed as you discover that you, too, were born to run.

In "The Wide Wide Sea," Hampton Sides, master of historical narrative, charts the gripping and tragic final voyage of Captain James Cook. Setting sail in 1776, Cook embarked on his most ambitious expedition yet: a quest to find the elusive Northwest Passage and expand the British Empire.

Sides masterfully recreates the perilous journey through the Pacific, vividly depicting encounters with diverse cultures, the allure of uncharted islands, and the growing tensions aboard the Resolution and Discovery. As Cook's obsession with his mission intensifies, his behavior becomes increasingly erratic, leading to a fateful clash with the people of Hawaii.

More than just a thrilling maritime adventure, "The Wide Wide Sea" is a nuanced exploration of ambition, cultural collision, and the complex legacy of exploration. Sides grapples with Cook's monumental achievements alongside the devastating consequences of his encounters, offering a compelling and thought-provoking portrait of a legendary figure at the edge of his world.

From a gritty London childhood to the glittering chaos of New York City, legendary restaurateur Keith McNally—the visionary behind Balthazar, Pastis, Minetta Tavern, and countless other iconic establishments—reflects on a life lived with unapologetic candor in this irreverent and surprisingly moving memoir.

A child actor grappling with angst, a young man traveling the hippie trail to Kathmandu in search of enlightenment, a twice-married father navigating complex family relationships, and ultimately, the proprietor of era-defining restaurants like Odeon, Cafe Luxembourg and Nell's. McNally bares it all, from the stroke that nearly claimed him to his unexpected notoriety on Instagram. Eloquent and opinionated, “I Regret Almost Everything” is a testament to a life of passion, regret, and the enduring allure of creating unforgettable experiences.