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Outdoor Project | 09.10.2019

Many publishers release their best titles in the summer and fall in preparation for the holiday season. Look no further than the list below for outdoor reads that have just come out or will be published in September and October. These are a mix of stories from the the trail, long-distance hiking narratives, biographies and newly released field guides to outdoor adventure. And if you are craving more, don't miss our best new releases from this past spring as well.

Stronghold: One Man's Quest to Save the World's Wild Salmon, by Tucker Malarkey

Malarkey's book Stronghold tells the story of Guido Rahr, founder of Wild Salmon Center and a key player in the effort to save wild salmon across their range spanning the Pacific Ocean. Part biography, part a story of fly fishing and scientific studies on Russia's most remote rivers, the book follows Rahr's life work. His stronghold strategy has been key to protecting salmon spawning grounds from Russia to Alaska, British Columbia and down the coastline to California.

 

The Outlaw Ocean: Journeys Across the Last Untamed Frontier, by Ian Urbina

Many of us live in relative ignorance of what happens on the high seas, but Ian Urbina, an investigative journalist for The New York Times, takes the reader on a journey through the illicit activities degrading our oceans. The Outlaw Ocean spans the continent covering topics like poaching in antarctic waters, slave labor and sex trafficking in Thailand, piracy and more.

 

Hiker Trash: Notes, Sketches, and Other Detritus from the Appalachian Trail, by Sarah Kaizar

Taking a slightly different approach to memorializing the Appalachian Trail, artist and author Sarah Kaizer shares sketches and other musings, along with excerpts from shelter log books, from her 2015 thru-hike. The book also features professional photographer Nicholas Reichard’s views from the trail. Hiker Trash is a great companion book for anyone who loves or looks forward to exploring the AT.

 

The Unlikely Thru-Hiker: An Appalachian Trail Journey, by Derick Lugo

A New York City comic who had never been hiking goes on a six month journey on the Appalachian Trail. What sounds like literature is non-fiction. And Lugo stood out, earning the trail name Mr. Fabulous for his ability to maintain his city grooming while on his thru-hike. In The Unlikely Thru-Hiker, Lugo's humility and sense of humor make for an engaging and inspiring story of how to take on new challenges.

 

Classic Krakauer: Essays on Wilderness and Risk, by Jon Krakauer

The ten essays compiled into Classic Krakauer cover a wide range of topics ranging from Everest, Fred Beckey, wilderness therapy, and a cave in New Mexico. Many of the pieces are reworked from articles in The New Yorker, Outside and Smithsonian. The book will be released on October 29 and is currently available for pre-order.

 

Stories Behind the Images: Lessons from a Life in Adventure Photography, by Corey Rich

Corey Rich, the official photographer for the Dawn Wall ascent, shares lessons from his life's work in Stories Behind the Images. His subjects include some of the best known names in the outdoors. The book will be released October 1 and is currently available for pre-order.

 

Oregon's Ancient Forests: A Hiking Guide, by Chandra LeGue

This is a truly unique guidebook that focuses on Oregon's old-growth forests and provides turn-by-turn directions on where you can find them. With so little old-growth remaining in pockets across the state, LeGue's book, Oregon's Ancient Forests, is a must-have for anyone who seeks solitude beneath big trees. You can read our full review of the book here.

 

Dark Skies: A Practical Guide to Astrotourism, by Valerie Stimac

In a first of its kind guidebook, published by Lonely Planet, Stimac focuses on 35 special destinations perfect for stargazing in Dark Skies. The book also covers other topics of interest related to the cosmos and making the most of a night under the stars, such as meteor showers, aurora, eclipses and satellites. The book releases on September 17 and is available for pre-order until then.

 

Atlas Obscura, 2nd Edition: An Explorer's Guide to the World's Hidden Wonders, by Joshua Foer, Dylan Thuras, and Ella Morton

Another guidebook unlike those you generally find at your bookstore, Atlas Obscura covers the strange, bizarre, quirky and mysterious things once hidden in the periphery. The second edition is entirely updated and reworked from the original best seller, with 120 new entries. It will be released on October 15 and is currently available for pre-order.

 

50 Hikes with Kids: California, by Wendy Gorton

Available October 29, 2019. Gorton first released 50 Hikes with Kids: Oregon and Washington in 2018 and returns a year later with 50 Hikes with Kids: California. Each of the hikes in the book comes with color photographs, a map, the pertinent trail information, and why your kids will love it. She specializes in designing scavenger hunts along the trail, and the book achieves its goal of making it fun for families to get into the flora, fauna and natural history of California's many outdoor recreation gems.

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