Muskogee Phoenix, USA
May 17, 2008
By Margrett Kelley
Librarian Assistant, Muskogee Public Library
Usually I don't bother reading the preface to a book, however when I opened "Edge of Blue Heaven: A Journey through Mongolia," and read author Benedict Allen’s preface; I knew I had found something very special to read.
Author and filmmaker Allen tells us ’that exploration is not about leaving your mark.’ He goes on to says it's, "about making yourself vulnerable, opening yourself up to whatever's there and letting the place leave its mark on you."
As a modern day explorer Allen is the consummate traveler and adventurer. He travels alone using a country's indigenous "tribal" people as guides. He has written six books about his various expeditions in the Amazon, New Guinea, Australia's Gibson Desert, Sumatra, and Mongolia. His book on Mongolia, "Edge of Blue Heaven," describes in remarkable detail his extraordinary travels through the forests of Siberia, across the open plains of the Mongolian steppe and on alone for 1,000 miles through the Gobi Desert. He found children riding reindeer to herd horses in the Mongolian steppe, and snow leopard activity which was tracked very near their camp, although no one actually saw the leopard; such is the elusive and ethereal animal. This is a wonderful book to read even if you have seen the BBC TV series which the book was published to accompany.
If you are the reader who enjoys more historical travel tales you will want to read "In Search of New Horizons" by Robert B. Downs, whose travel tales begin around 464 to 447 B.C. all the way to the chapter on "St. John Hunt's The conquest of Everest, in 1953." And, for those of us who may never visit the Holy Land in person you will want to read "Come See the Place the Holy Land Jesus Knew" by photographer Gordon N. Converse with text by Robert J. Bull and B. Cobbey Crisler.
The non-denominational text traces Jesus' life from his birth to the Ascension. If you have more interest in books on tape you will enjoy "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer, which is about a young man who invents a new life for himself after giving his $25,000 in savings to charity. He walked away from his car and other possessions, ignited his wallet and walked alone into the land north of the icy crown of Mount McKinley, the highest mountain in North America.
The Washington Post said: "A narrative of arresting force. Anyone who ever fancied wandering off to face nature on its own harsh terms should give a look. It's gripping stuff."
Another great travel book-on-tape is "Route 66-The Mother Road," by Michael Wallis. Read by the author; it is pure enjoyment. Let author Wallis take you down one of America's most famous and exciting roads! So travel on down to the library, there's plenty to read, DVDs, and videos to see, books-on- tape to enjoy, free computer classes, free public access Internet, WiFi for your laptop and events happening at your library.
Library cards are free, drop by, browse, and stay a while; we'd love to say hello.
No comments:
Post a Comment