Last-minute book gifts for the outdoor and travel lover in your life
Check out some good reads for last-minute gift-giving
LAST-MINUTE BOOK IDEAS FOR THE HOLIDAYS:
I’ve come across some good reads in 2022 and wanted to share them for those of you needing down-to-the wire stocking stuffers or gifts for the adventurous bibliophile. Here are five:
Headwaters: The Adventures, Obsession, and Evolution of a Fly Fisherman
By Dylan Tomine
Spanning two decades of personal and sometimes-hilarious essays, chronicling his life as a former fish bum (and “world’s worst fly-fishing guide”) to a father and angler concerned about the future of wild fish and water, the book opens readers’ eyes to the allure of the sport and lays out what’s at stake for future generations. A book detailing the author’s obsession for the sport, it also addresses environmental issues, establishing hope for the future of fly fishing.
In the Shadow of the Mountain: A Memoir of Courage
By Silvia Vasquez-Lavad
As the daughter of a well-to-do businessman in Lima, Peru, Vasquez-Lavado writes about her complex relationship with both her parents, especially in the face of sexual abuse by a trusted family friend. She later heads to the U.S. for college, climbing her way up the corporate ladder plagued by alcoholism and promiscuity. Finding solace in climbing, the author’s first feat is helping a group of young sexual-abuse survivors make to Everest Base Camp; then she must conquer the rest of the mountain on her own. Beautifully written, especially given that English isn’t the writer’s first language.
Mythbusting the Great Outdoors: What’s True and What’s Not?
By Jamie Siebrase
The second book by fellow Colorado writer Jamie Siebrase, the author tackles some of the most popular outdoor myths. For instance, can humans really outrun an avalanche? Are wild mushrooms as dangerous as we’ve been told? Does moss really grow only on the north side of a tree? Using science to debunk beliefs that even longtime outdoor enthusiasts may still deem accurate, Siebrase tackles some common ones so it’s easier for us both to enjoy and remain safe in the great outdoors.
Shape of a Boy: Family Life Lessons in Far Flung Places
By Kate Wickers
A travel memoir by British travel journalist and mother of three, Kate Wickers, whose motto is “Have kids, will travel” details the lessons they’ve learned while traveling the globe from 2000-2019 as a family. Starting with Wickers’ startling first lesson in becoming a parent while traveling with her firstborn in utero through Jerusalem and Jordan, to helping toddlers navigate disappointment in Thailand, and grappling with the death of a beloved family member while traveling in Mexico, Wickers illustrates how travel has shaped her sons into near-adulthood. Definitely worth the read for traveling parents.
Uphill Both Ways: Hiking Toward Happiness on the Colorado Trail
By Andrea Lani
Written by a Coloradan who first journeyed the 489 miles along the Colorado Trail from Denver to Durango with her then-boyfriend 20 years ago, Lani returns to her home state with her now-husband and three reluctant teen sons to attempt it a second time. Trying to escape an unhappy work life back home in Vermont, the environmentalist and naturalist weaves in history and science, as well as some beautiful sketches, as she and her family attempt to find some happiness and peace on the iconic hiking trail.
And of course, you can still buy my book, “Colorado Family Outdoor Adventure”!