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No Easy Way: The Challenging Life of the Climbing Taxman
- Narrated by: Christopher Knight
- Length: 10 hrs and 53 mins
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No Easy Way: The Challenging Life of the Climbing Taxman
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Publisher's summary
"If we were guaranteed success in everything we tried then life would be pretty boring."
Mainstream news reports about climbing are dominated by action from the world’s highest mountains, more often than not focusing on tragedy and controversy. Far removed from this high-altitude circus, a group of visionary and specialist mountaineers are seeking out eye-catching objectives in the most remote corners of the greater ranges and attempting first ascents in lightweight style.
Mick Fowler is the master of the small and remote Himalayan expedition. He has been at the forefront of this pioneering approach to alpinism for over 30 years, balancing his family life, a full-time job at the tax office and his annual trips to the greater ranges in order to attempt mountains that may never have been seen before by Westerners, let alone climbed by them.
In No Easy Way, his third volume of climbing memoirs following Vertical Pleasure and On Thin Ice, Fowler recounts a series of expeditions to stunning mountains in China, India, Nepal, and Tibet. Alongside partners including Paul Ramsden, Dave Turnbull, Andy Cave and Victor Saunders, he attempts striking, technically challenging unclimbed lines on Shiva, Gave Ding and Mugu Chuli - with a number of ascents winning prestigious Piolets d’Or, the Oscars of the mountaineering world.
Written with his customary dry wit and understatement, he manages challenges away - the art of securing a permit for Tibet - and at home - his duties as Alpine Club president - all the while pursuing his passion for exploratory mountaineering.
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5 out of 5 stars
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4 out of 5 stars
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2 out of 5 stars
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5 out of 5 stars
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Great Book
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5 out of 5 stars
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 48
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2 out of 5 stars
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Tedious, redundant
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3 out of 5 stars
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This is not a book about the search for Sandy Irvine
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5 out of 5 stars
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 47
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3 out of 5 stars
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 52
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- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 48
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 45
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 45
Master of Thin Air opens with a fall that the author very nearly could not stop down an almost vertical rock ramp leading to a 3,000-foot drop. The qualities that saved him then on K2 - in addition to his mountaineering know-how and sheer good luck - drove his 16-year journey to summit all of the world's 8,000ers, the 14 peaks that exceed 8,000 meters (26,000-plus feet) and take climbers into the death zone. Incredibly, he accomplished that feat without the aid of bottled oxygen for every mountain but one.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Tedious, redundant
- By Mike Milward on 11-06-16
By: Andrew Lock
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The Third Pole
- Mystery, Obsession, and Death on Mount Everest
- By: Mark Synnott
- Narrated by: Steve Campbell
- Length: 12 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 475
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 406
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 408
A hundred-year mystery lured veteran climber Mark Synnott into an unlikely expedition up Mount Everest during the spring 2019 season that came to be known as “the Year Everest Broke”. What he found was a gripping human story of impassioned characters from around the globe and a mountain that will consume your soul - and your life - if you let it.
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3 out of 5 stars
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This is not a book about the search for Sandy Irvine
- By erik on 09-15-21
By: Mark Synnott
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Conquistadors of the Useless
- From the Alps to Annapurna
- By: Lionel Terray, David Roberts - foreword
- Narrated by: Nigel Patterson
- Length: 15 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 80
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 68
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Story5 out of 5 stars 68
Frenchman Lionel Terray is one of mountaineering history's greatest alpinists, and his autobiography, Conquistadors of the Useless, stands among the "100 Greatest Adventure Books of All Time", according to National Geographic Adventure magazine. Following World War II, when France desperately needed successes to heal its wounds, Terray emerged as a national hero, conquering summits atop the planet's highest mountains.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Conquistadors of the Useless
- By Stephen on 05-23-21
By: Lionel Terray, and others
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The World Beneath Their Feet
- Mountaineering, Madness, and the Deadly Race to Summit the Himalayas
- By: Scott Ellsworth
- Narrated by: Scott Ellsworth
- Length: 13 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 47
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 41
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Story5 out of 5 stars 41
While tension steadily rose between European powers in the 1930s, a different kind of battle was raging across the Himalayas. Contingents from Great Britain, Nazi Germany, and the United States had set up rival camps at the base of the mountains, all hoping to become recognized as the fastest, strongest, and bravest climbers in the world. Climbing the Himalayas was the Greatest Generation's moonshot - one shrouded in the onset of war, interrupted by it, and then fully accomplished.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Near fatal flaws
- By A. Hill on 04-23-20
By: Scott Ellsworth
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No Summit out of Sight
- The True Story of the Youngest Person to Climb the Seven Summits
- By: Jordan Romero, Linda LeBlanc - contributor
- Narrated by: Kyle Tait
- Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 52
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 40
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Story5 out of 5 stars 40
On May 22, 2010, at the age of 13, American teenager Jordan Romero became the youngest person to climb to the summit of Mount Everest. At 15, he became the youngest person to reach the summits of the tallest mountains on each of the seven continents. In this energizing memoir for young adults, Jordan recounts his experience, which started as a spark of an idea at the age of nine and, many years of training and hard work later, turned into a dream come true.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Great book. Very inspiring for the youth of today.
- By Amazon Customer on 08-31-20
By: Jordan Romero, and others
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Life Lived Wild
- Adventures at the Edge of the Map (Patagonia)
- By: Rick Ridgeway
- Narrated by: Rick Ridgeway
- Length: 12 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 327
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 295
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Story5 out of 5 stars 293
At the beginning of his memoir Life Lived Wild: Adventures at the Edge of the Map, Rick Ridgeway tells us that if you add up all his many expeditions, he’s spent over five years of his life sleeping in tents: “And most of that in small tents pitched in the world’s most remote regions.” It’s not a boast so much as an explanation. Whether at elevation or raising a family back at sea level, those years taught him, he writes, “to distinguish matters of consequence from matters of inconsequence.” He leaves it to his listeners to do the final sort of which is which.
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1 out of 5 stars
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The hypocrisy and boasting ego. Blood boiling.
- By Amazon Customer on 12-30-21
By: Rick Ridgeway
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Ghosts of K2
- By: Mick Conefrey
- Narrated by: Barnaby Edwards
- Length: 12 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 136
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 123
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 121
At 28,251 feet, K2 might be almost 800 feet shorter than Everest, but it’s a far harder climb. It will kill you on the way up and the way down. Mick Conefrey guides us through the early story of the legendary mountain and the extraordinary attempts that led up to its first ascent in 1954 - these are tales of riveting drama and unimaginable tragedy.
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3 out of 5 stars
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First Review? It was an "okay" book
- By Matthew on 10-20-15
By: Mick Conefrey
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Denali's Howl
- The Deadliest Climbing Disaster on America's Wildest Peak
- By: Andy Hall
- Narrated by: Jim Manchester
- Length: 7 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,029
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 900
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 896
In 1967, 12 young men attempted to climb Alaska's Mount McKinley—known to the locals as Denali—one of the most popular and deadly mountaineering destinations in the world. Only five survived. Journalist Andy Hall, son of the park superintendent at the time, investigates the tragedy. He spent years tracking down survivors, lost documents, and recordings of radio communications. In Denali's Howl, Hall reveals the full story.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Disappointing
- By David Shear on 07-07-14
By: Andy Hall
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Race for the South Pole
- The Expedition Diaries of Scott and Amundsen
- By: Roland Huntford
- Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot
- Length: 14 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 194
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 166
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 167
For the first time ever Roland Huntford presents each man's account of the race to the South Pole in their own words. In 1910, Robert Falcon Scott and Roald Amundsen set sail for Antarctica, each from his own starting point, and the epic race for the South Pole was on. 2010 marks the centenary of the last great race of terrestrial discovery. For the first time Scott's unedited diary entries run alongside those of Amundsen and Bjaaland, never before translated into English.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Great account, might be better in hard copy
- By Error9312 on 05-24-22
By: Roland Huntford
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On the Ridge Between Life and Death
- A Climbing Life Reexamined
- By: David Roberts
- Narrated by: David de Vries
- Length: 15 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 32
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 24
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 24
What compels mountain climbers to take the risks that they do? Is it the thrill in the physical accomplishment, in managing to defy the odds, or both - and why do they continue to do what they do in the face of such great danger? In On the Ridge Between Life and Death, David Roberts confronts these questions head-on as he recounts the exhilarating highs and desperate lows of his climbing career.
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2 out of 5 stars
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The same book as Deborah and Mountain of My Fears
- By joe on 02-16-22
By: David Roberts
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The Art of Shralpinism
- Lessons from the Mountains
- By: Jeremy Jones
- Narrated by: Gary Tiedemann
- Length: 11 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 38
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 34
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 35
Not a technical guide on snowboarding but, rather, a very personal approach to how to think about mountains, snow, and adventure, The Art of Shralpinism reflects the remarkable journey of snowboarding superstar Jeremy Jones. Drawing on the hundreds of journals he has kept over the years, Jones offers intriguing snapshots of time and place that include his own on-the-slope stories and white-out moments, as well as those of other prominent adventurers such as Jimmy Chin, Zahan Billimoria, and Christina Lusti.
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5 out of 5 stars
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A must for any snowboarder
- By Anonymous User on 04-22-23
By: Jeremy Jones
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Microadventures
- Local Discoveries for Great Escapes
- By: Alastair Humphreys
- Narrated by: Alastair Humphreys
- Length: 8 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 79
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 67
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Story4 out of 5 stars 66
So whats a microadventure? Its close to home, cheap, simple, short and 100 percent guaranteed to refresh your life. A microadventure takes the spirit of a big adventure and squeezes it into a day or even a few hours. The point of a microadventure is that you don't need lots of time and money to meet a new challenge. This practical guide is filled with ideas for microadventures for you to experience on your own or with friends and family, plus tips and advice on safety and kit.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Inspiring!
- By Peter Marshall on 10-19-19
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Skywalker
- Highs and Lows on the Pacific Crest Trail
- By: Bill Walker
- Narrated by: Bill Walker
- Length: 7 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 318
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 290
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Story4 out of 5 stars 289
The Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail (PCT )is the perfect place for an average person to do something extraordinary. Bill Walker ("Skywalker"), who stands 6'11", might seem like anything but average. Yet in a brutally honest tone, he lays to bare all his considerable weaknesses and fears. Among these are crushing weight loss and fatigue, along with a fear of getting lost or a bear stealing his food. Nonetheless, he is bound and determined to hike the PCT which - at 2,663 miles - runs all the way from Mexico to Canada.
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5 out of 5 stars
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One persons account
- By Virginia on 03-30-15
By: Bill Walker
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Beyond the Trees
- A Journey Alone Across Canada's Arctic
- By: Adam Shoalts
- Narrated by: Adam Shoalts
- Length: 9 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 115
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 101
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 101
What does it mean to explore and confront the unknown? Beyond the Trees recounts Adam Shoalts's epic, never-before-attempted solo crossing of Canada's mainland Arctic in a single season. It's also a multilayered story that weaves the narrative of Shoalts's journey into accounts of other adventurers, explorers, First Nations, fur traders, dreamers, eccentrics, and bush pilots to create an unforgettable tale of adventure and exploration.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Impressive accomplishment but a boring story
- By chris on 02-01-22
By: Adam Shoalts
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To Dakar and Back
- 21 Days Across North Africa by Motorcycle
- By: Lawrence Hacking, Wil De Clercq
- Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
- Length: 11 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 138
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 123
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 123
Recounting the three weeks of blood, sweat, and tearsthat make up a 7,000 mile journey from the glitzy streets of Paris to the hinterland of northwestern Africa, this incredible tale highlights the most arduous and notorious off-road motorsports event on the planet, the Paris-Dakar Rally. Since its inception in 1979, the rally has attracted more than 3,000 participants from all walks of life.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Great tale, not great narration
- By Catherine Perkins on 07-12-16
By: Lawrence Hacking, and others
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Both Feet on the Ground
- Reflections From the Outside
- By: Marshall Ulrich
- Narrated by: Adam Verner
- Length: 5 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 20
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 17
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Story5 out of 5 stars 17
You’re stressed, tired of answering the beeps on your phone and computer. Your kids get too much screen time. You don’t know where your next meal was grown or raised. One of the best forms of therapy is simple: Get out and stay out - as often and for as long as you can. In Both Feet on the Ground, Marshall Ulrich champions “disconnecting to reconnect”, urging you to spend time unplugged, eat food whose origins you understand, and push yourself to try something bold and personally compelling.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent!
- By Sandy on 06-16-20
By: Marshall Ulrich
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The Worst Journey in the World
- By: Apsley Cherry-Garrard
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 20 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 708
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 524
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 521
This gripping story of courage and achievement is the account of Robert Falcon Scott's last fateful expedition to the Antarctic, as told by surviving expedition member Apsley Cherry-Garrard. Cherry-Garrard, whom Scott lauded as a tough, efficient member of the team, tells of the journey from England to South Africa and southward to the ice floes. From there began the unforgettable polar journey across a forbidding and inhospitable region.
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4 out of 5 stars
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What a story!
- By A. Massey on 05-25-04