What could be better than losing yourself in a book and being transported to another world, all the while lounging in a comfy garden chair, feeling the fresh air on your face, and catching the scent of roses on the breeze?

I have a great appetite for reading, which started early in my childhood. Most of the books I read back then shaped my life’s choices, and the majority of them fuelled my healthy obsession with exploring foreign lands.

My first ever encounter with London City was by following the fictional character Sherlock Holmes and his ability to solve severe cases. I was introduced to a whole new world of secret societies, slums, rules of etiquette and horse-drawn carriages.

I had a glimpse into the richness and savageness of Yukon when reading The Call of the Wild, and stumbling upon The Last of the Mohicans in the school library only added more fuel to my wanderlust and fed my growing appetite for more spine-tingling tales.

I can’t even remember how many times I re-read all the classic adventure books, but I can recall the intensity, joy, and rush of adrenaline those stories gave me.

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But it was much more than just about thrilling events taking place deep in the forests of an unexplored corner of the World that caught my attention.

By flipping through the pages, I learned that standing alone and paving my path in life will only strengthen my character. I learned about unconditional love and honour, and I was forever inspired by the never-ending possibilities in life.

Just like my adventure book heroes, I wanted to see and taste the world! I wanted to ride camels into the colourful sunset in Morocco and take in the views from the snow-capped mountaintops.

I wanted to relax underneath the palm trees and hike up the volcano. I desired to cross the ocean, and I longed for the excitement.

I travel every night. Sometimes I am making my way to the top of Everest, other nights I am paddling down the river, all thanks to the books, which can be powerful coping tools in times of uncertainty.

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#1. An Unsung Hero by Michael Smith

An Unsung Hero tells the truly remarkable tale of Irish native Tom Crean, who ran away to the sea aged just 15.

He joined Scott’s first Polar expedition almost by chance and played a vital part in Antarctic explorations.

Upon reading it, I gave the content of the book 5 stars as there’s something about the heroic age of Antarctic exploration that fascinates me, and this is one of the books appreciated for its photographs and maps. 

While the book focuses mainly on three Antarctic expeditions to the South Pole, it also features an account of Crean’s life before and after, including his time spent in the Navy.

Reading about the brutal freezing hardships, trekking solo without food through blizzard conditions and the deprivation he endured, makes Tom Crean an unsung hero of Scott and Shackleton’s Antarctic adventures.

Next time you are in Ireland,  go to the Dingle Peninsula and be sure to stop at the South Pole Inn in Annascaul and don’t miss the statue of Tom Crean in the village park.

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#2. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed

I’ve always been fascinated by people who set out to hike the trail solo, which is why I was excited about a memoir of one woman’s experience on the trail, despite having no prior knowledge of how to survive in the wilderness.

I was aware of the book’s stellar reviews and the hype surrounding the woman who loses her mother and then promptly takes up a long-distance hike.

Much to my surprise, I discovered that it is not a back-to-nature book, as the author does cover quite a bit of her background by writing extended stories about her life before hiking the trail. Yet, I found myself turning pages quite quickly due to the fantastic writing.

There were times the narrative got a little long, and the information felt extraneous, and there were pages where the sentences were sparkling with warmth and humour – Cheryl has a great writing voice, and although she’s a flawed human being, she isn’t afraid to write about the times she messed up.

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#3. Alone on the Wall by Alex Honnold and David Roberts

I picked up the book because I recently watched and loved the documentary “The Dawn Wall” which follows free climber Tommy Caldwell as he attempts to scale the impossible 3000ft Dawn Wall in Yosemite National Park.

As I became fascinated by climbers who have pushed themselves to the absolute limit of human capabilities, I searched for more books and found Alone on the Wall, which turned out to be a pretty good biography of the young, exceptional man Alex Honnold.

The book is about a thirty-year-old climbing phenomenon, Alex Honnold, who pushes the limits of free soloing in various parts of the world, including the Fitz Traverse in Patagonia and Sendero Luminoso in Mexico.

From the first pages, I realised that climbers speak a language of terms that non-climbers don’t know and therefore was pleased to learn a few new things that the author took time to explain to the reader.

This book is worthwhile, as it not only shines a light on some fantastic outdoor adventures but also shows us that it is possible to carve out a very unique career by following your heart.

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#4. Hearing Birds Fly by Louisa Waugh

Hearing Birds Fly is Louisa Waugh’s passionately written account of her time in a remote Mongolian village.

The book provided an impressive and favourable reading experience for me, as I couldn’t help but admire her determination to live and work in the village, spending most of that time lonely and wretched.

She lived for a year in the most remote, forbidding and bleak region of western Mongolia, thousands of miles away from the convenience of urbanity, all to experience authentic nomadic Mongol life, where just waking up and making a cup of tea can be a struggle.

Waugh talks about Mongolia with affection but does not try to gloss over the fact that things can be difficult there, for both Mongolians and foreigners trying to make a living.

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#5. Everest – The First Ascent by Harriet Tuckey

On 29 May 1953, the summit of Mount Everest was finally reached. The achievement brought fame and honours to many involved – except the man who made the ascent possible.

The book is written by Harriet Tuckey, who is the daughter of Griffith Pugh, a physiologist who worked with the first team to summit Everest in 1953.

The author has a first-class honours degree in English Literature and an MA in the Sociology of Literature from the University of Essex, and she did a great job telling the story of the first successful ascent of Everest and the science behind it.

This is not a eulogy to her father, but a well-researched look at his contributions and the British climbing culture.

I found Pugh’s physiological work and research fascinating. For example, he and a group of scientists spent a winter in a “Silver Hut” at over 5800 meters on the Mingbo Glacier in the Himalayas to study the long-term effects of cold and altitude on human physiology.

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#6. Four Quarters Of Light: An Alaska Journey by Brian Keenan

I’m a great fan of personal stories that take place in Alaska, but I am not sure what to make of this one, as I ended up skim-reading a fair bit.

The book follows an Irishman and his family as they set out for Alaska to discover its four geographical quarters from snowmelt in May to snowfall in September, taking in anthropology, encounters with Native Alaskans and natural history.

While I enjoyed Keenan’s details about the places he visited and the spirituality of the Alaskans and Eskimos, I struggled with the last few chapters.

The book was too heavy on philosophising for my tastes, and after reading most of the book, my attention flagged, and I gave up.

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#7. I Love the Seaside Surf & Travel Guide to Great Britain and Ireland by Alexandra Gossink and Gail Bennie

I Love The Seaside is the perfect book for the surfing and ocean-loving adventurer!

I bought this book as a gift for myself as I was drawn to all the amazing and inspiring photos spread through the 464-page thick beauty showcasing many epic places and surf spots along the NC500 coastal route, the Outer Hebrides, England’s east coast, Wales, the Causeway Coast and County Kerry in Ireland.

It’s a brilliant guide about surf shops, schools, and camps.

There are plenty of detailed and clear descriptions of surf breaks for all levels, as well as interviews with seaside locals, accommodation and restaurant recommendations, tips on the best beaches, shops and coastal walks and outdoor activities to try out.

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#8. On the Road by Jack Kerouac

Given my enjoyment of travel, I was excited to start reading On The Road, a book based on the travels of Kerouac and his free-spirited friends across the United States in a quest for self-knowledge & experience.

The novel contains five parts and is largely autobiographical, with Sal Paradise being the author and Dean Moriarty standing for Kerouac’s friend Neal Cassady.

On the Road was a truly great promise, as I love any book with a road trip involved. I was excited to tuck into its 281 pages, only to find out that this is the kind of book that I probably would have enjoyed much more at 18 than at 40.

While there was some really nice writing, there was also plenty of boring and frustrating stuff that annoyed me and made me wonder how this novel happens to be a modern classic.

Reading a book with very little character development and erratic pacing about the two lazy self-centred white males who were on four different road trips from 1947 through to 1950 chasing sex and drugs, all while stealing cars, partying and taking advantage of 15-year-old schoolgirls, made me realise I’ve never had so many mixed feelings about a book.

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Now, over to you!

Do you like to read adventure books? What’s your favourite?

Let us know in the comments below!

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