The Outdoors & Nature category has 284 audiobooks on Listento.it, with an average listener rating of 4.4★ across 2,023 ratings. The most-rated is American Buffalo.
Edge of the Map
Summary
Edge of the Map is equal parts inspiring, dramatic, and heartbreaking. One of America's greatest high altitude mountaineers, Christine Boskoff was at the top of her career when she and her partner perished in an avalanche in 2006. Principled and humble, Boskoff was also a deeply loved role model in the climbing community. Edge of the Map traces the sharp twists and turns in Boskoff's life, from her early years as a Lockheed engineer, through her first successes in the climbing world, to her purchase of Seattle-based Mountain Madness after owner and climber Scott Fischer was lost in the 1996 Everest disaster. Her life was one of constant achievement mixed with personal tragedy. The story follows Boskoff as she perseveres and moves on to even bigger peaks, earning acclaim as a world-class mountaineer, then later as she finds an alpine partnership with legendary Colorado climber Charlie Fowler.
©2020 Johanna Garton (P)2020 Tantor
Everest: It's Not About the Summit
Summary
In 2014, Mount Everest was closed to all climbers after a devastating avalanche claimed the lives of 16 Nepali mountain workers ferrying loads up through the Khumbu Icefall on the mountain's southern approach through Nepal. Almost a year to the day later, in late April 2015, the mountain was once more rocked to its core after a large earthquake struck Nepal, sending shock waves rippling across the Himalayas. These ripples left a trail of devastation in their path causing, yet again, another avalanche to wreak havoc on the mountain. This time, 22 people lost their lives, in what would become the deadliest day in the mountain's history. Back in 2013, Ellis J. Stewart, a then 40-year-old from the UK, had but one goal: to climb the mountain. Something he had targeted achieving for over 20 years. This book is the author’s story of those endeavors during the two most devastating years in the history of attempts on Everest. Not every climber who goes to Everest succeeds; not every climber returns to tell the tale, but to return unscathed after such a large loss of life is a story to be told. This is that story. Everest: It’s Not About the Summit is a very honest account of a lifelong dream shattered in tragic circumstances. From the streets of northern England through to the valleys and high mountains of Nepal, Stewart shared his story with thousands of followers on social media, winning over the hearts and minds of many. A groundswell of support sent Ellis to achieve his dream, not once but twice. Nobody could have anticipated the events that would follow. Events that would define Stewart in ways he couldn't possibly have imagined. This book invites you into an intoxicating world - one where the margin between success and failure is brutally slim. This is a moving book with tragedy and commitment to a cause as a very central theme. It is a real story about real people. Whether it’s your usual genre of book or not doesn't matter, as it's basically a fantastic story. You don’t need to be a climber to enjoy this book, at all. It has universal appeal, and is a true inspirational cliff-hanger for all. This book should be in the audiobook collection of all - active and armchair mountaineers, alike.
©2016 Ellis James Stewart (P)2019 Ellis James Stewart
Rising Wolf, the White Blackfoot
Summary
J. W. Schultz (1859-1947) was an author, explorer, and historian who lived among the Blackfeet as a fur trader. In his famous book Rising Wolf, Schultz tells the story of Hugh Monroe who came to the Blackfoot country when he was 16 and was adopted into the Blackfeet tribe. He accompanied war parties, took part in buffalo hunts, and helped to make peace between the Crows and Blackfeet. The author claims to have been intimately acquainted with Hugh Munroe, and that this story of his first experiences upon the Saskatchewan-Missouri River plains is related just as it was told to him around the lodge fires of long ago. A masterpiece of adventure that makes history come alive.
Public Domain (P)2020 Museum Audiobooks
Hunting Camp 52: Tales from a North Woods Deer Camp
Summary
Meet the Jolly Boys - five men from northern Wisconsin who built a deer hunting shack in 1955 and established a tradition that has now lasted over six decades. Hunting Camp 52, affectionately known as Blue Heaven, is a place where every trail, rock, and ravine has its own nickname; every kill is recorded by hand on a window shade; every hunter happily croons along during evening songfests; and every rowdy poker game lasts late into the night. The outhouse is always cold, the porcupines are always a problem, and the vehicles are always getting stuck in the mud, but there’s nowhere else these men would rather be. In Hunting Camp 52: Tales from a North Woods Deer Camp, John Marvin Hanson - the son of one of the original Jolly Boys - recounts the sidesplitting antics, the memorable hunts, and the profound camaraderie that has developed over almost 60 seasons at Blue Heaven. Hanson also includes more than 20 recipes for gourmet comfort foods prepared each year at camp, from pickled venison hearts to Norwegian meatballs to the treasured recipe for Reali Spaghetti. As the Jolly Boys age and younger generations take up the mantle of Blue Heaven, Hanson comes to appreciate that hunting camp is not about bagging a trophy buck as much as it is about spending time with the friends and family members who matter most.
©2016 John Marvin Hanson (P)2019 Wisconsin Historical Society Press
Upland Autumn
Summary
Tales of New England bird hunting by an acclaimed novelist and sportsman. In this collection of original stories, highly acclaimed novelist and outdoor writer William Tapply shares his finest stories of bird hunting in the Northeast country. Every season for over 30 years, Tapply has hunted the fields and backcountry of New England. Tapply’s warmth and knack for evoking the subtle, telling details of the places and hunts that he loves will stir a new appreciation and excitement in every listener. With his dog Burt, Tapply takes the listener out to his best spots. These are hard-charging tales of success and disappointment, anticipation, and triumph - familiar feelings to any experienced hunter. Tapply combines passion, wisdom, and wit in the nearly twenty stories presented in Upland Autumn. With rich prose and Tapply’s strong eye for detail, this book is a fine testament to bird hunting, bird hunters, and the rugged country that they tread each and every season. For those who love to hunt and those who simply love great outdoor writing, this is Upland Autumn.
©2009 William G. Tapply (P)2012 Audible, Inc.
Walking the Himalayas
Summary
Following his trek along the length of the Nile River, explorer Levison Wood takes on his greatest challenge yet - navigating the treacherous foothills of the Himalayas, the world's highest mountain range. Praised by Bear Grylls, Levison Wood has been called "the toughest man on TV" (The Times UK). Now, following in the footsteps of the great explorers, Levison recounts the beauty and danger he found along the Silk Road route of Afghanistan, the Line of Control between Pakistan and India, the disputed territories of Kashmir, and the earthquake-ravaged lands of Nepal. Over the course of six months, Wood and his trusted guides trekked 1,700 grueling miles across the roof of the world. Packed with action and emotion, Walking the Himalayas is the story of one intrepid man's travels in a world poised on the edge of tremendous change.
©2016 Levison Wood (P)2016 Hachette Audio
Found
Summary
Mountain search-and-rescue volunteer Bree Loewen's to-do list isn't quite the same as most people's. On any given day, it might include: Go grocery shopping Bake pie seen on Pinterest Figure out what to do with my life Rescue climbers caught in avalanche on Chair Peak Pick up Vivi at Mom's A former Mount Rainier climbing ranger and trained leader in mountain search-and-rescue, Bree shares the drama and the camaraderie of this work, as well as the challenges of trying to fit her other roles as wife and mother into what is still largely a masculine environment. In a fearless voice - disarming yet laced with dark humor - Bree guides us through intense recoveries, vivid wilderness landscapes, and the warmth she discovers in motherhood, community, and purpose.
©2017 Bree Loewen (P)2020 Tantor
How to Hunt Deer Like a Pro
Summary
How do you know if the land you hunt has a trophy deer on it? Wildlife manager Bob Zaiglin, of Uvalde, Texas and Jim Crumley, the father of modern-day hunting camouflage, tells you how to find out. GPS can make finding and taking that trophy buck easier. This hunting guide will teach you how to hunt big bucks where no one else can find them, how to call deer, and how to become versatile as a deer hunter, so that if one deer tactic doesn't work, another one will. Dr. Keith Causey, retired professor of Wildlife Science at Auburn University, says, "Deer of both sexes and all ages leave a wide variety and a large amount of information for other deer in their geological locations at scrapes. Although most people believe that dominant bucks in an area utilize these signposting regions, other deer use these signposts too for information." In the chapter, "How to find Bucks at Scrape," Causey describes the best way to hunt a scrape. Brad Harrison of Neosho, Missouri, is a nationally-known videographer, professional deer hunter and master at calling deer. Another master is Will Primos of Primos Game Calls. These two experts will tell the best deer calls and when to use them in this book. One question that's mystified deer hunters for many years, is how to know when bucks move. And for over 20 years, Bo Pitman, lodge manager of White Oak Plantation, has been studying deer movement patterns. He explains what types of conditions are best for predicting deer movement. How do you hunt deer in the snow? Norm LeBrun, of Quebec, Canada, a guide at Anticosti Island, hunts deer in the snow almost all year long and provides timely insights on how and where to take big bucks under these conditions. Eddie Salter lives in Alabama and Mark Drury in Mississippi, and these two master deer hunters give you hunting tips for when the weather is hot and for hunting in swamps.
©2012 John E. Phillips (P)2017 John E. Phillips
The Wonder of Birds
Summary
Birds, Jim Robbins posits, are our most vital connection to nature. They compel us to look to the skies, both literally and metaphorically, draw us out into nature to seek their beauty, and let us experience vicariously what it is like to be weightless. Birds have helped us in so many of our human endeavors: learning to fly, providing clothing and food, and helping us better understand the human brain and body. The Wonder of Birds illuminates qualities unique to birds that demonstrate just how invaluable they are to humankind - both ecologically and spiritually. The wings of turkey buzzards influenced the Wright brothers' flight design; the chickadee's song is considered by scientists to be the most sophisticated language in the animal world; and the quietly powerful presence of eagles in the disadvantaged neighborhood of Anacostia proved to be an effective method for rehabilitating the troubled young people placed in charge of their care. Exploring both cutting-edge scientific research and our oldest cultural beliefs, Robbins moves these astonishing creatures from the background of our lives to the foreground.
©2017 Jim Robbins (P)2017 Tantor
Dances with Trout
Summary
Brilliant, witty, perceptive essays about fly-fishing, the natural world, and life in general by the acknowledged master of fishing writers. With the wry humor and wit that have become his trademark, John Gierach writes about his travels in search of good fishing and even better fish stories. In this new collection of essays on fishing - and hunting - Gierach discusses fishing for trout in Alaska, for salmon in Scotland, and for almost anything in Texas. He offers his perceptive observations on the subject of ice-fishing, getting lost, fishing at night, tournaments, and the fine art of tying flies. Gierach also shares his hunting technique, which involves reading a good book and looking up occasionally to see if any deer have wandered by. Always entertaining, often irreverent, and illuminating, Gierach invites listeners into his enviable way of life, and effortlessly sweeps them along. As he writes in Dances with Trout, "Fly-fishing is solitary, contemplative, misanthropic, scientific in some hands, poetic in others, and laced with conflicting aesthetic considerations. It's not even clear if catching fish is actually the point."
©1994 John Gierach (P)2019 Tantor
The Fear Bubble
Summary
The brilliant, inspirational next book by the author of the incredible number one best seller First Man In. Without fear, there's no challenge. Without challenge, there's no growth. Without growth, there's no life. Ant Middleton is no stranger to fear: as a point man in the Special Forces, he confronted fear on a daily basis, never knowing what lay behind the next corner or the next closed door. In prison, he was thrust into the unknown, cut off from friends and family, isolated with thoughts of failure and dread for his future. And at the top of Everest, in desperate, life-threatening conditions, he was forced to face up to his greatest fear, of leaving his children and wife without a father and husband. But fear is not his enemy. It is the energy that propels him. Thanks to the revolutionary concept of the 'Fear Bubble', Ant has learned to harness the power of fear and understands the positive force that it can become. Fear gives Ant his edge, allowing him to seek out life's challenges, whether that is at home, pushing himself every day to be the best father he can be, or stuck in the death zone on top of the world in a 90mph blizzard. In his groundbreaking new book, Ant Middleton thrillingly retells the story of his death-defying climb of Everest and reveals the concept of the 'Fear Bubble', showing how it can be used in our lives to help us break through our limits. Powerful, unflinching and an inspirational call to action, The Fear Bubble is essential listening for anyone who wants to push themselves further, harness their fears and conquer their own personal Everests.
©2019 Ant Middleton (P)2019 HarperCollins Publishers Limited
The Ogre
Summary
Some mountains are high; some mountains are hard. Few are both. On the afternoon of July 13, 1977, having become the first climbers to reach the summit of the Ogre, Doug Scott and Chris Bonington began their long descent. In the minutes that followed, any feeling of success from their achievement would be overwhelmed by the start of a desperate fight for survival. And things would only get worse. Rising to more than 7,000 meters in the center of the Karakoram, the Ogre - Baintha Brakk - is notorious in mountaineering circles as one of the most difficult mountains to climb. First summited by Scott and Bonington in 1977 - on expedition with Paul "Tut" Braithwaite, Nick Estcourt, Clive Rowland, and Mo Anthoine - it waited almost 24 years for a second ascent and a further 11 years for a third. The Ogre, by legendary mountaineer Doug Scott, is a two-part biography of this enigmatic peak: In the first part, Scott has painstakingly researched the geography and history of the mountain; part two is the long-overdue and very personal account of his and Bonington's first ascent and their dramatic weeklong descent on which Scott suffered two broken legs and Bonington smashed ribs. Using newly discovered diaries, letters, and audio tapes, it tells of the heroic and selfless roles played by Clive Rowland and Mo Anthoine. When the desperate climbers finally made it back to base camp, they were to find it abandoned - and themselves still a long way from safety. The Ogre is undoubtedly one of the greatest adventure stories of all time.
©2017 Doug Scott (P)2018 Vertebrate Publishing
Standing in a River Waving a Stick
Summary
Brilliant, witty, perceptive essays about fly-fishing, the natural world, and life in general by the acknowledged master of fishing writers With his inimitable combination of wit and wisdom, John Gierach once again celebrates the fly-fishing life in Standing in a River Waving a Stick and notes its benefits as a sport, philosophical pursuit, even therapy: "The solution to any problem-work, love, money, whatever-is to go fishing, and the worse the problem, the longer the trip should be." After all, fly-fishing does teach important life lessons, says Gierach-about solitude, patience, perspective, humor, and the sublime coffee break. Recounting both memorable fishing spots and memorable fish, Gierach discusses what makes a good fly pattern, the ethics of writing about undiscovered trout waters, the dread of getting skunked, and the camaraderie of fellow fishermen who can end almost any conversation with "Well, it's sort of like fishing, isn't it?" Reflecting on a lifetime of lessons learned at the end of a fly rod, Gierach concludes, "The one inscription you don't want carved on your tombstone is 'The Poor Son of a Bitch Didn't Fish Enough.'" Fortunately for Gierach fans, this is not likely to happen.
©1999 John Gierach (P)2019 Tantor
Fisherman's Summer
Summary
An end to Roderick L. Haig-Brown’s seasons cycle, Fisherman’s Summer is a book that can be listened to again and again, for both knowledge and pleasure. In this installment, he focuses again on the rivers of his native British Columbia such as the Campbell, the Columbia, and the Nimpkish. Among his vast wealth of knowledge concerning fly fishing, listeners are also exposed to his wise reflections. His discussions of the past fishermen of these rivers, including Native Americans and pioneers, and his hope that the future of these rivers will remain abundant and full of life, will touch the hearts of fishers and non-fishers alike. Chapters included are:Summer DefinedThe Indian and MeThe Beginning of ChangeThe Dry Fly and Very Fast WaterStandard-BearerArctic Fish DerbiesThe Great DestroyersThe BeachesTableRiverBlackholeAnd many more Within these pages are the exciting angling stories of an expert flyfisherman, laced with thoughtful reflections and musings, all of which showcase Haig-Brown as the excellent writer and flyfisherman that he was.
©1959, 1975 Roderick L.Haig-Brown (P)2014 Audible Inc.
No Shortage of Good Days
Summary
In No Shortage of Good Days John Gierach takes listeners from the Smokies in Tennessee to his home waters in Colorado, from the Canadian Maritimes to Mexico - saltwater or fresh, it's all fishing and all irresistible. As always he writes perceptively about a wide range of subjects: the charm of familiar waters, the etiquette of working with new fishing guides, night fishing when the trout and the mosquitoes are both biting, and fishing snobbery, a pitfall he seems to have largely avoided. "A friend and I recently realized that making fly-fishing a way of life instead of a hobby has made us a couple of pretty one-dimensional characters. On the other hand, we agreed we're two of the happiest people we know, albeit in a simple-minded sort of way." Gierach again demonstrates the wit, eloquence, and insight that have become his trademarks. No Shortage of Good Days is the next best thing to a day of fishing.
©2011 John Gierach (P)2017 Tantor
The Ledge
Summary
On June 21, 1992, two best friends summited Mount Rainier. Within hours, their exquisite accomplishment would be overshadowed by tragedy. On their descent, Jim Davidson fell through an ice bridge on Rainier's northeast flank, plunging eighty feet into a narrow crevasse inside the Emmons Glacier and dragging Mike Price in after him. Mike fell to his death; Jim, badly injured and armed with minimal gear, faced an almost impossible climb back out of the crevasse, up a nearly vertical ice wall. Mourning his friend's death, he miraculously climbed out of the crevasse and lived to relate his experiences. Told in parallel narratives of the tragedy and the climbers' lives, The Ledge is both a riveting, wrenching story and an inspirational adventure tale.
©2011 Jim Davidson and Kevin Vaughan (P)2011 Tantor
Hiking Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine
Summary
It was 1994, on my 23rd birthday, when my father gave me an envelope which I figured would be a gift certificate for something outdoors or even a golf club coupon. But to my surprise, it was an airline ticket to Atlanta! I was utterly confused. But that confusion soon turned into huge excitement when he said, "We are going to hike the Appalachian Trail in less than 50 days. Get ready son." I was excited, and I asked him why he hadn't ever hiked this trail. He said he'd always had the dream of hiking it with me. In his words, "I saved the best for you." That was a trip I will never forget. I think to date that is one of most fun and adventurous things I have ever done. We were able to finish it in 49 days, too. We both were very proud of each other. Soon after that trip, my dad was diagnosed with a severe case of arthritis. Even though the doctors said it was not because of that trip, they think it was too many hiking trips through many rough and rugged terrains that contributed to his condition. When I originally had the idea to write a guidebook on how to hike on the great Appalachian Trail, at first, I thought I should just write it like a journal of what we did. But then my father told me that might not help every listener. He suggested that I should write it like a guidebook that can help anyone from a beginner to an advanced hiker. This way we cover a broad range of hikers. So this book is not about my hiking trips, but yours. My main focus in this book is to get you familiarized with the trail and get you prepared for it. This book is truly a guidebook which is divided into two parts where I start off with some basic facts and information about the great Appalachian Trail, then give my listeners a clear overview of the trail in every region and state it crosses. Next, I talk about how to get started hiking the Appalachian Trail, along with all the different options like a day hike, multi-day hike, and through hike. Next, I spoke about what to expect on the trail, what kind of help and support is out there, how weather can affect your hiking, and what wild animals you have to be aware of. Then I discuss how you can find sanitation, restrooms, showers, etc. on the trail, and how to deal with various illnesses while on the trail. Next up is how you should pack, what gear you need, how to plan a through-hike, and how to actually get started on this amazing trip. In the second part of the book, I share how to hike each section day by day and what you can expect, what you need to be looking for, and what you need to be aware of on each section of your hike. After hiking through the great Appalachian Trail twice, I can assure you it can be done. No, it is not a monumental task, but yes, it will take effort and a strong willingness to go through with it. I know if I could do it, anyone can.
©2017 Valencia Publishing House (P)2017 Valencia Publishing House
The Gunning of America
Summary
Americans have always loved guns. This special bond was forged during the American Revolution and sanctified by the Second Amendment. It is because of this exceptional relationship that American civilians are more heavily armed than the citizens of any other nation. Or so we're told. In The Gunning of America, historian Pamela Haag overturns this conventional wisdom. American gun culture, she argues, developed not because the gun was exceptional but precisely because it was not: guns proliferated in America because throughout most of the nation's history they were perceived as an unexceptional commodity, no different from buttons or typewriters. Focusing on the history of the Winchester Repeating Arms Company, one of the most iconic arms manufacturers in America, Haag challenges many basic assumptions of how and when America became a gun culture. Under the leadership of Oliver Winchester and his heirs, the company used aggressive, sometimes ingenious sales and marketing techniques to create new markets for their product. Guns have never "sold themselves"; rather, through advertising and innovative distribution campaigns, the gun industry did. Through the meticulous examination of gun-industry archives, Haag challenges the myth of a primal bond between Americans and their firearms. Over the course of its 150-year history, the Winchester Repeating Arms Company sold over eight million guns. But Oliver Winchester - a shirtmaker in his previous career - had no apparent qualms about a life spent arming America. His daughter-in-law, Sarah Winchester, was a different story. Legend holds that Sarah was haunted by what she considered a vast blood fortune and became convinced that the ghosts of rifle victims were haunting her. In this provocative and deeply researched work of narrative history, Haag fundamentally revises the history of arms in America and, in so doing, explodes the clichés that have created and sustained our lethal gun culture.
©2016 Pamela Haag (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
The Hidden Lives of Owls
Summary
In this New York Times best seller, a naturalist probes the forest to comprehend the secret lives of owls. Leigh Calvez takes listeners on an adventure into the world of owls: owl-watching, avian science, and the deep forest - often in the dead of night. These birds are a bit mysterious, and that's part of what makes them so fascinating. Calvez makes the science entertaining and accessible while exploring the questions about the human-animal connection, owl obsession, habitat, owl calls, social behavior, and mythology.
©2016 Leigh Calvez (P)2017 Tantor
Si-cology 1
Summary
You know him from the hit A&E show Duck Dynasty - now you can enjoy Uncle Si's tall tales, crazy exploits, and quirky one-liners in one raucous collection! "These hands are so fast, I can get your wallet before you know it. In a minute, you'll be standing there buck naked and won't know what hit you!" "Look here - if it wasn't for my tripped knee, I'd be playing in the NBA today." "Hey, Jack!" Any of these sound familiar? If they do - or even if they don't - you're in for a good laugh. The brother of patriarch Phil Robertson, Uncle Si has a limitless supply of stories about his childhood, duck hunting adventures, his days in Vietnam, and everything in between. Now the best of those tales are gathered into this roaring collection. Si shares stories of the more than 25 marriage proposals he's received in the mail (some with photos!), how he came to use a green Tupperware cup for his ever-present sweet tea, and how his cigarette smoke made a deer cough (he's since quit smoking). And in many of these never-before-heard tales, Si openly talks about his wife and two children - who are never seen and rarely mentioned on the show. Si's one-liners are sure to please die-hard fans and curious newbies alike. In no time, this smattering of zany stories will have you falling over with laughter and retelling them to all your friends.
©2013 Si Robertson (P)2013 Simon & Schuster