# Recommendations for exploration/survival books **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 25, 2010, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-exploration-survival-books/547919 "2010-07-25T04:06:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-exploration-survival-books/547919/1 "2010-07-25T04:06:34Z")
There’s nothing like a good (true) survival story or a well-written discovery saga. They are hands-down my favorite reading choice. Unfortunately, I’m coming up dry on a search for new material. I’ve read (at minimum) the following: Down the Great Unknown The Exploration of the Colorado River and Its Canyons The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon The Last Days of the Incas Skeletons on the Zahara: A True Story of Survival The White Cascade: The Great Northern Railway Disaster and America’s Deadliest Avalanche In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex Jungle Darkest Jungle Shackleton Endeavor 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus Uncommon Valor White Nile Blue Nile Touching The Void Any recommendations would be welcome. ---
**Author:** ![bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bandit)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-exploration-survival-books/547919/2 "2010-07-25T17:06:33Z")
Based on what you’ve read, you’d definitely like these: Shadowdivers Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea Stalingrad Into Thin Air Into the Wild ---
**Author:** ![Turble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Turble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turble)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-exploration-survival-books/547919/3 "2010-07-25T17:11:12Z")
A couple more classics: Two Years Before the Mast Sailing Alone Around the World ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-exploration-survival-books/547919/4 "2010-07-25T17:34:46Z")
[Mawson’s Will: The Greatest Polar Survival Story Ever Written](http://www.amazon.com/Mawsons-Will-Greatest-Survival-Written/dp/1586420003). [Douglas Mawson](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Mawson) was on an exploring expedition far from base in Antarctica in 1912 with two companions when one of them was killed falling into a crevasse with the sled carrying almost all of their food. On the way back, they were forced to eat their sled dogs, but fell ill due to the excessive vitamin A in the dog’s livers. Mawson’s other companion died, but Mawson was able to make it back to base through sheer force of will. [Cooper’s Creek](http://www.amazon.com/Coopers-Creek-Tragedy-Adventure-Australian/dp/1616080221/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1280078368&sr=8-1), the story of the [Burke and Wills](http://www.amazon.com/Coopers-Creek-Tragedy-Adventure-Australian/dp/1616080221/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1280078368&sr=8-1) expedition that crossed Australia from south to north, but ran into disaster on the way back. [Ordeal by Hunger](http://www.amazon.com/Ordeal-Hunger-George-R-Stewart/dp/0395611598/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1280078539&sr=1-1), the story of the Donner Party. [The Fearful Void](http://www.amazon.com/Fearful-Void-Geoffrey-Moorhouse/dp/0571243576/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1280078598&sr=1-1). Although Geoffrey Moorhouse was completely inexperienced in desert travel, he set out to attempt the first crossing of the Sahara from east to west. If you’ve read _Lost City of Z_ you might be interested in Fawcett’s own account in [Exploration Fawcett.](http://www.amazon.com/Exploration-Fawcett-Col-Percy/dp/1842124684/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1280078778&sr=1-2) [Death Raft](http://www.amazon.com/Death-raft-human-Medusa-shipwreck/dp/B0006WY9EA/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1280079005&sr=1-1), the story of the Medusa shipwreck commemorated in the famous [painting.](http://artandperception.com/2007/10/gericaults-the-raft-of-the-medusa-by-tree.html) [Darien: The Scottish Dream of Empire](http://www.amazon.com/Darien-Scottish-Empire-John-Prebble/dp/1841580546/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1280079215&sr=1-1), about the disastrous attempt by Scotland to found a colony in Panama in 1698. ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-exploration-survival-books/547919/5 "2010-07-25T17:46:06Z")
> [@bandit](#): > > Based on what you’ve read, you’d definitely like these: > > Shadowdivers > > Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea > > Stalingrad > > Into Thin Air > > Into the Wild Which _Stalingrad_ are you recommending? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-exploration-survival-books/547919/6 "2010-07-25T17:49:54Z")
> [@bandit](#): > > Based on what you’ve read, you’d definitely like these: > > Shadowdivers > > Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea > > Stalingrad > > Into Thin Air > > Into the Wild I’ve read _Into the Wild_, but will give the others a look. I believe I also read _Ordeal by Hunger._ Another one that I forgot to add to the list (among others, I’m sure) is a book called _[Ada Blackjack](http://www.amazon.com/Ada-BlackJack-Story-Survival-Arctic/dp/078688746X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1280079873&sr=1-1)_, about an Inuit woman who was the sole survivor of an ill-conceived and ultimately disastrous experiment on Wrangell Island. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-exploration-survival-books/547919/7 "2010-07-25T17:53:13Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > [Mawson’s Will: The Greatest Polar Survival Story Ever Written](http://www.amazon.com/Mawsons-Will-Greatest-Survival-Written/dp/1586420003). [Douglas Mawson](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Mawson) was on an exploring expedition far from base in Antarctica in 1912 with two companions when one of them was killed falling into a crevasse with the sled carrying almost all of their food. On the way back, they were forced to eat their sled dogs, but fell ill due to the excessive vitamin A in the dog’s livers. Mawson’s other companion died, but Mawson was able to make it back to base through sheer force of will. > > [Cooper’s Creek](http://www.amazon.com/Coopers-Creek-Tragedy-Adventure-Australian/dp/1616080221/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1280078368&sr=8-1), the story of the [Burke and Wills](http://www.amazon.com/Coopers-Creek-Tragedy-Adventure-Australian/dp/1616080221/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1280078368&sr=8-1) expedition that crossed Australia from south to north, but ran into disaster on the way back. > > [Ordeal by Hunger](http://www.amazon.com/Ordeal-Hunger-George-R-Stewart/dp/0395611598/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1280078539&sr=1-1), the story of the Donner Party. > > [The Fearful Void](http://www.amazon.com/Fearful-Void-Geoffrey-Moorhouse/dp/0571243576/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1280078598&sr=1-1). Although Geoffrey Moorhouse was completely inexperienced in desert travel, he set out to attempt the first crossing of the Sahara from east to west. > > If you’ve read _Lost City of Z_ you might be interested in Fawcett’s own account in [Exploration Fawcett.](http://www.amazon.com/Exploration-Fawcett-Col-Percy/dp/1842124684/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1280078778&sr=1-2) > > [Death Raft](http://www.amazon.com/Death-raft-human-Medusa-shipwreck/dp/B0006WY9EA/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1280079005&sr=1-1), the story of the Medusa shipwreck commemorated in the famous [painting.](http://artandperception.com/2007/10/gericaults-the-raft-of-the-medusa-by-tree.html) > > [Darien: The Scottish Dream of Empire](http://www.amazon.com/Darien-Scottish-Empire-John-Prebble/dp/1841580546/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1280079215&sr=1-1), about the disastrous attempt by Scotland to found a colony in Panama in 1698. These look great. I’m very interested in the Darien book, as _Darkest Jungle_ was about an expedition into this horrifying place that had the usual consequences. Also, Percy Fawcett was an amazing human specimen, if somewhat deluded in his search. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-exploration-survival-books/547919/8 "2010-07-25T18:15:20Z")
_Men Against the Sea_, part of the Bounty Trilogy. Also _True North: A Journey into Unexplored Wilderness_ > **[True North: A Journey into Unexplored Wilderness: Merrick, Elliott, Millman,...](https://www.amazon.com/True-North-Journey-Unexplored-Wilderness/dp/1556439091)** > > True North: A Journey into Unexplored Wilderness \[Merrick, Elliott, Millman, Lawrence\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. True North: A Journey into Unexplored Wilderness ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-exploration-survival-books/547919/9 "2010-07-25T18:31:29Z")
This thread got me wondering (and please forgive me for the slight hijack): Is there a definitive, **Into Thin Air** -like account of the sinking of the [USS Indianapolis](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Indianapolis_%28CA-35%29) (and ensuing, **Jaws** -recounted tragedy)? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-exploration-survival-books/547919/10 "2010-07-25T18:39:16Z")
> [@MTCicero](#): > > This thread got me wondering (and please forgive me for the slight hijack): Is there a definitive, **Into Thin Air** -like account of the sinking of the [USS Indianapolis](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Indianapolis_%28CA-35%29) (and ensuing, **Jaws** -recounted tragedy)? Am[azon search](http://www.amazon.com/Harms-Way-Indianapolis-Extraordinary-Survivors/dp/0805073663/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1280083120&sr=1-1). If you scroll down, there are at least a half-dozen books on the subject. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-exploration-survival-books/547919/11 "2010-07-25T18:44:25Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > These look great. I’m very interested in the Darien book, as _Darkest Jungle_ was about an expedition into this horrifying place that had the usual consequences. Darien has had all kinds of bizarre expeditions (though it’s not that horrifying if you know what you’re doing). One of my favorites is described in [White Indians of Darien](http://www.amazon.com/White-Indians-Darien-Richard-Oglesby/dp/B000859C06/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1280082625&sr=8-1), by adventurer, pathological liar, and general nutcase Richard Oglesby Marsh. Marsh believed that the Kuna Indians of Darien, who have one of the highest rates of albinism in the world, could reveal something about how Caucasians had evolved. He led an expedition into the Darien in 1925 looking for albino Kunas that resulted in him helping lead a rebellion against the Panamanian government. [The Hundred Days of Darien](http://www.amazon.com/hundred-days-Darien-Russell-Braddon/dp/0002161508/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1280083009&sr=1-1) describes an expedition by John Blashford Snell of the British Royal Engineers to drive through the roadless jungle of the Darien Gap during the 1970s. His own account is told in [Where the Trails Run Out.](http://www.amazon.com/Where-trails-run-John-Blashford-Snell/dp/0091213606/ref=sr_1_10?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1280083151&sr=1-10) For flakier adventure, I would recommend the books by professional adventurer Richard Halliburton, especially [New Worlds to Conquer.](http://www.amazon.com/New-Worlds-Conquer-Richard-Halliburton/dp/B00085YWHE/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1280083222&sr=1-6) Halliburton swam the Panama Canal from end to end (and paid the lowest toll on record), dove into a Mayan sacrificial well, traveled through South America as an organ-grinder complete with monkey, spent a night in a cell on Devil’s Island, and played Robinson Crusoe on the island of Tobago in hand-made goatskin clothes. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-exploration-survival-books/547919/12 "2010-07-25T18:55:00Z")
Well, I’m bummed: so far, most of these books are not available for Kindle, which means I’d have to get off my butt and go to a lib…lirb…book lending place. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-exploration-survival-books/547919/13 "2010-07-25T19:05:34Z")
> [@MTCicero](#): > > This thread got me wondering (and please forgive me for the slight hijack): Is there a definitive, **Into Thin Air** -like account of the sinking of the [USS Indianapolis](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Indianapolis_%28CA-35%29) (and ensuing, **Jaws** -recounted tragedy)? _In Harm’s Way_ is very good. My mother has never forgiven me for giving it to my dad as an audio book one Christmas, though, because they both listened to it on a long car trip and it was way too much for her. (The same Christmas I gave them _Isaac’s Storm_ - I was persona non grata entirely.) Mary Kingsley’s _Travels in West Africa_ is fantastic - it’s never been out of print, I think. She was one of those wealthy British people who decided, hey, I think I’d like to go to Darkest Africa and walk around a bit. She was the first white woman to go to most of those places, and she did it in skirts and petticoats. (Once she falls into a pit trap and was saved by her voluminous skirts, and she goes on about how some dumb people thought pants would be more practical.) It’s keen and smart and fascinating and often quite funny. Classic of the genre. Also, Eric Newby’s _A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush_ is another true account that’s side-splittingly funny in some places. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-exploration-survival-books/547919/14 "2010-07-25T19:09:34Z")
Oh, I see that _Travels in West Africa_ is available quite inexpensively on the Kindle. Some of those cheap public domain versions are really crappy and some are quite nice, as I’m sure you may have already found out - samples are your friend. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-exploration-survival-books/547919/15 "2010-07-25T19:09:46Z")
By Redmond O’Hanlon: [Into The Heart of Borneo](http://www.amazon.com/Into-Heart-Borneo-ebook/dp/B002RI9L4Y/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_1) (available on Kindle) [In Trouble Again: A Journey Between Orinoco and the Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/Trouble-Again-Journey-Between-Orinoco/dp/0679727140) [No Mercy: A Journey Into the Heart of the Congo](http://www.amazon.com/No-Mercy-Journey-Heart-Congo/dp/0679737324/) ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-exploration-survival-books/547919/16 "2010-07-25T19:16:04Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > By Redmond O’Hanlon: > > [Into The Heart of Borneo](http://www.amazon.com/Into-Heart-Borneo-ebook/dp/B002RI9L4Y/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_1) (available on Kindle) > [In Trouble Again: A Journey Between Orinoco and the Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/Trouble-Again-Journey-Between-Orinoco/dp/0679727140) > [No Mercy: A Journey Into the Heart of the Congo](http://www.amazon.com/No-Mercy-Journey-Heart-Congo/dp/0679737324/) The Borneo book is not available for customers in the USA for some reason. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-exploration-survival-books/547919/17 "2010-07-25T19:23:58Z")
I second the books by Mary Kingsley and Eric Newby. I also very much enjoyed Redmond O’Hanlon’s books, although the series becomes progressively darker with each book. ---
**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-exploration-survival-books/547919/18 "2010-07-25T19:39:32Z")
If you like the mountaineering ones then [The White Spider](http://www.amazon.com/White-Spider-Heinrich-Harrer/dp/0874779405/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1280086035&sr=1-1) by Heinrich Harrer is classic - about the early attempts on the North face of the Eiger. All Joe Simpson’s books are good IMO. Another great one in this vein is [Shining Mountain](http://www.amazon.com/Boardman-Tasker-Omnibus-Shining-Mountain/dp/0898864364/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1280086187&sr=1-2)by Boardman and Tasker. Two great British mountaineers who were at the vanguard of the new era of Alpine-style ascents of the big Himalaya peaks in the 70s. Sort of a sad read in some respects as they both died on Everest in 1982 when they were only in their 30s. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-exploration-survival-books/547919/19 "2010-07-25T19:47:09Z")
[Inca Land](http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/10772) (Explorations in the Highlands of Peru) by Hiram Bingham I’ll limit myself to one contribution and stay away from the Australian explorations I always go for. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-exploration-survival-books/547919/20 "2010-07-25T20:34:41Z")
Compared to just about every other human endeavor, the total stockpile for cave exploration books is nearly trivial. Having said that, the ones out there are IMO pretty good. Caves Measureless to Man, by perhaps the best cave diver (now dead) ever seen, Sheck Exley. Roger Brucker has written a handful of Cave Exploration/Exploration History books. My favorite is The Longest Cave. Herbert and Jan Conn wrote a good one about the exploration of Jewel Cave. Carlsbad, Caves, and a Camera is a classic. Its written by a guy that was a young man and his pals back in the depression era. They find and explore the caves in the mountains around Carlsbad Caverns. Some pretty darn impressive photography and exploration for the time and considering who did it (young, poor men who had no guidance). While cavers love these books, I don’t think you have to be one to appreciate them. And often, there are aspects of these stories that have only a little to do with caving per se. And the books I’ve listed generally cover the era of caving where it was very new to everyone, discoveries were everywhere, and nobody really knew what they were doing and were just figuring it out as they went along. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-exploration-survival-books/547919.md?page=2)