Regular readers know that, from time to time, I'll review a recent book release that may be of interest to them. Most of the books I've reviewed in the past have been about climbing, such as Ed Viestur's No Shortcuts To The Top or Cliff Willis' The Boys of Everest. This book review is about a different type of adventure altogether.

Lois On The Loose by Lois Pryce is, simply put, a fun, funny, travel book that chronicles the author's 20,000 mile journey, by motorcycle, from Anchorage, Alaska to Ushuaia, Argentina. In essence, the length of the Trans-America highway. Along the way, Lois encounters unusual people, unique stretches of road, and a wide variety of police officers stretching from Canada through Central America, and continuing to the very end of the World.

The book opens with Lois returning to her job at the BBC in London, fresh from a motorcycle holiday in Europe. As she returns to the daily grind, she finds she is missing the open road, and the thrill of adventure. Her mind begins to hatch a plan that would see her quitting her job, shipping her motorcycle to Alaska, and setting off on an epic journey throughout the length of the Americas.

The book is an enjoyable read, and certainly instills a desire to travel. More than once I wanted to purchase a motorcycle of my own, and follow Lois off down the highway. The author writes with a wonderful conversational style in which you almost feel like you're listening to her personally convey her stories to you. Combine this with a liberal dash of British humor, and you have a charming travel tale that reinforces the point of most travel tales - The Journey Is It's Own Reward!

You can find out more about Lois and her adventures at her official website where you can also learn that she recently completed a Trans-African journey by motorcycle as well. After completing Lois On The Loose I can only hope that there will be a follow-up to detail her adventures in Africa. I'm one reader who hasn't gotten his fill of Lois and her motorcycle odysseys, and if you enjoy a good travel story, that is both funny and thoughtful, I have a feeling you might just fall for Lois too.

Is there a more interesting character from history than Genghis Khan? The Mongol leader managed to unite the legendary horse clans and build the the largest contiguous land empire that the world has ever seen. The Great Khan was a legendary leader, a fearsome warrior and an unrelenting enemy. More than 700 years after his death, he still casts a large shadow over the Mongolian people and his mark on history is undeniable, altering the destiny of two continents.

Of course, the Kahn and his Mongol Horde were able to accomplish great things because they were perhaps the greatest horseman to ever live. It is with that spirit in mind that Australian adventurer Tim Cope set out to accomplish something that hadn't been done since the time of Genghis Kahn himself. With little previous experience in the saddle prior to setting out, Cope launched a 10,000 km (6000 mile) journey starting in Mongolia and ending in Hungry. An expedition that he chronicles in his new book, On The Trail Of Genghis Khan.

Before he ever launched this epic excursion, Cope new he was in for a challenge. After all, he was an inexperienced rider with thousands of miles of open steppe to conquer on his own. The trip began in June of 2004 and would ultimately take him three years to complete. Traveling with a number of horses and his loyal dog Tigon, he faced harsh and difficult climates, wild wolves, horse thieves and a host of other challenges. He also met some incredible people and was continually surprised and humbled by the hospitality and kindness of the strangers he met along the way. Tim's journey was as much about finding himself on the trail while following in the footsteps of a legend.


Cope's new book takes readers along for the ride as he wanders across Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Russia, Crimea, the Ukraine and finally Hungary. The story is a compelling one for anyone who enjoys a good tale of adventure but Tim's writing style draws readers in even more. It is a wonderful mix of his personal experiences framed against a historical backdrop that gives us a glimpse of what the Kahn experienced when he made a similar ride centuries earlier.

Reading On The Trail, it is impossible to not get swept up in Tim's infectious sense of adventure. His story is an amazing one, but he also approaches it in such a way that you'll think that it might be possible for you to attempt an epic adventure of your own. That's the kind of inspiration that Tim creates through his writing, which is at times very sensitive and thoughtful in its approach. If the writing were less compelling, the 450+ page book could run the risk of feeling as long as Cope's journey across Asia and Europe, but fortunately that isn't the case. It is a real page turner that will leave you staying up later than you intended so you can read "just one more chapter."

On The Trail Of Genghis Kahn is available in bookstores now and is wonderful read for anyone looking for a grand adventure. With the holidays fast approaching, it would also make a great gift for your favorite adventurer or traveler. If you've ever dreamed of escaping to a far off, remote destination with hundreds of miles of open space all to yourself, you'll likely appreciate what Tim has accomplished. His tale is the very definition of the "epic" and by the time you finish reading it, you'll be ready to set out on  your own journey. That's what a great book is all about.

In 1987, adventurers Richard Bangs and Christian Kallen led an expedition to paddle the Upper Yangtze River, a place that was about as remote and unexplored as anywhere on the planet at that time. Their journey was a challenging one to say the least, as several previous expeditions to the region had failed, sometimes resulting in the death of a member of the team. But the two men managed to complete their excursion and would later go on to write a book entitled Riding the Dragon's Back that recounted their tale as well as that of others who had tried before them.

A few days ago, Richard posted an excerpt from that book on the Huffington Post. The article has the ominous title of "A Death on the Yangtze," and it offers details of a previous expedition that set out to raft the river. This brief portion of the book offers insights into a major river expedition and gives us a glimpse of the challenges that teams faced when paddling the wild and untamed Yangtze at that time.

The members of the team faced any number of obstacles including difficult water conditions, weather that changed on a moments notice, logistical and supply problems and illness. It is the last of those that brings about the death of one of the members of the team who contracted pulmonary edema hundreds of miles away from a hospital and with no means of being evacuated.

The excerpt is an excellent read and offers some lessons for anyone planning a major expedition. But most of all, it'll probably inspire you to want to read the full book and get the entire story of the race to explore a wild river that wouldn't be conquered easily.

I've been teasing a book review for The Eiger Obession since before I left for Africa. There is something to be said for a 28 hour (One way!) travel time for helping you get caught up on your reading. Here are my thoughts on the book...

The Eiger Obession by John Harlin III is an interesting dichotomy of parts. On the one hand, it's a biography of Harlin's father, John Harlin II, who was an amazing climber in the Alps during the 50's and 60's, and on the other hand it's an auto-biography of Harlin III himself, and his life following his father's death on the Eiger back in 1966. Finally, it's the story of a son, following in his father's footsteps, to silence some demons, and even breakout from a long shadow, and form his own identity.

John Harlin II was pilot for the U.S. Airforce stationed in Europe during the 1950's. He was tall, athletic, and very charismatic. He was also a climber of no small skill, and he loved the Alps. They were practically his own personal playground, and over the years, he put up new routes, and climbed all the major peaks in the range. He became a legend in the European climbing community and even earned the nickname "The Blonde God". There was one route however that Harlin hadn't conquered, but continued to have dreams of completing: The Eiger Direct. Up until that time, there was only one route up The Eiger, the biggest, baddest face in the Alps, and it wandered all over the wall until it reached the top. Harlin wanted to put up a straight route, a more direct route. So, in 1966 he went after that route, with a team of excellent climbers I might add, but in doing so, he lost his life when a frayed rope broke while he was on it. In the end, the team reached the top, and the route was called the "John Harlin Route", but his death had profound consequences on the people who knew him.

The second half of the book follows Harlin's son, John Harlin III, as he grows up and becomes quite a good climber in his own right. However, along the way, he can always feel the shadow of his father over him, as other climbers question his abilities and accomplishments. And of course, always looming over him, is The Eiger itself, which he finally faces for an upcoming IMAX film entitled The Alps. Upon conquering The Eiger, Harlin III at last puts some of those demons to rest.

The book itself is very well written and does a good job of mixing the biographical and autobiographical elements. Harlin III, who is no stranger to writing and editing, paces the book nicely, and you'll find that it's quick and easy to read, while still offering all the details and information necessary to tell the story it needs to. He also does a fine job of walking the fine line of being an adoring son, who remembers his father in one light, while still examining the way others saw him as well. Harlin II was known to exaggerate the truth from time to time, and other climbers found him to be a bit of prima donna or poser on the mountain, and yet the author acknowledges those elements in his father, without losing his own boyish admiration that many of us can relate to with our own fathers.

The book is also a nice history of The Eiger itself. Harlin gives us plenty of background on the mountain that became the stage for both his father, and in due time, himself. It's probably the most famous face in the Alps, and while it's been climbed numerous times, it still remains iconic to this day.

In the end, The Eiger Obession is a very satisfying read. It's a well told story of two men, father and son, who climbed for different reasons, but shared much more than just a name. I enjoyed the book all the way through, and would highly recommend it to climbers and non-climbers alike. The story is compelling and told in such a way that anyone can enjoy it. It should also make a great companion to The Alps when it's released to IMAX theaters soon. The book would also make a great Father's Day gift in a few months as well, and will make a fine addition to anyone's personal climbing library.

I've got another book finished that I'll be reviewing soon as well. Something of a completely different nature, but just as enjoyable for very different reasons.