Points Unknown: A Century of Great Exploration (Outside Books);

This collection of adventure writing ranges from Robert Falcon Scott's final journal entry to Jon Krakauer's reckless solo climb of the Devil's Thumb to Tom Wolfe's brilliant portrayal of Chuck Yeager shattering the sound barrier in "The Right Stuff". A frigid winter ascent of Mount McKinley; the vastness of Arabia's Empty Quarter; the impossibly thin air at Everest's summit; the deadly black pressure of an underwater cave; a desperate escape through a Norwegian winter - these stories recount the minutes, hours, and days of lives pushed to the brink.