Along the Inca Road: A Woman’s Journey into an Ancient Empire by Karin Muller.
The author records her exciting, six month, 3,125 mile trip through Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Chile after receiving a National Geographic grant. She provides historical background to ancient sites and festivals in the Andes Mountains and discusses modern issues such as land mines and drug traffic. RC 52259.

Aquagenesis by Richard Elllis.
Marine biologist traces the evolution of ocean life from the earliest microbes to the myriad species discovered in the twentieth century. Includes discussion of hydrothermal vents, land mammals that adapted to the sea, and the humans who study these creatures. RC 54352.

The Blue Reef by Walter A. Starck.
A marine biologist and shark authority tells of his underwater observations and adventures while doing marine research at Enewetak Atoll, a coral reef in the Pacific Ocean. RC 14228.

The Boat and the Town by Geoffrey Moorhouse.
Portrait of a New England fishing village and those who earn their living from the sea. Based on a year in which the author worked as a deckhand aboard the fishing boats, sharing the crewmembers' home life as well as the dangers and comradeship of life at sea. RC 15127.

Distant Water: The Fate of the North Atlantic Fisherman by William W.Warner.
Captures all the frenzy of hauling nets, the tensions of ship handling, and the frustrations of long sea voyages as Warner describes commercial fishing aboard the huge factory-equipped freezer stern trawlers of the North Atlantic. The author's stints on board several ships provide some firsthand accounts on how the fishing industry has been transformed, and yet remains part of the seafaring tradition. Some strong language. RC 19564.

The Dolphin Doctor by Sam H. Ridgway.
A government marine biologist, selected to train and study a group of bottlenosed dolphins, conveys his affection and respect for these special mammals, especially Tuffy, a dolphin he worked with for more than ten years. Ridgway provides an anecdotal account of the daily activities of a marine biologist. RC 28870.

Driver #8 by Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr., son of the late NASCAR racing champion, describes his own first year on the stock car circuit. Details the strategy and camaraderie between the drivers and their support teams, the difficulties a rookie encounters, and the tragedy of his father's death. Some strong language. RC 53666.

Firehouse by David Halberstam.
Account of the New York City firefighters from Engine 40, Ladder 35, who responded to the attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Of the thirteen men on duty only one survives. RC 54444.

From Botswana to the Bering Sea: My Thirty Years with National Geographic by Thomas Y. Canby.
Memoir of a career as a National Geographic writer and science editor. Describes behind the scenes work at headquarters in Washington, D.C., where Canby started in 1961, and recounts some of his adventures and misadventures as a world traveler on assignment. RC 49705.

Journey of the Pink Dolphins by Sy Montgomery.
Naturalist Montgomery searches the confluence of rivers near Manaus, Brazil, for pink dolphin, an elusive freshwater species. She recounts anecdotes and legends about their behavior and habitat, while including facts on the history of the region and details of her adventures on this odyssey. RC 51514.

Jumping Fire by Murry Taylor.
The fifty-year-old author, a veteran forest firefighter from Alaska, reminisces about decades of jumping from planes into potential disaster, concentrating on the 1991 season. Details mishaps, malfunctions, and other problems crews encounter during their perennial struggles with nature. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. RC 52866.

Just Barbara: My Story by Barbara Woodhouse.
Characteristically unsentimental account of the author's early years and her heyday as an animal trainer for the British film industry. Gifted with an uncanny ability to make animals heed her wishes, Woodhouse also trained police dogs and guide dogs for the blind. Her memoirs are anecdotal and quirky, and her theme is that when species meet, it is generally the humans who require a trainer. RC 25947.

The Man Who Listens to Horses by Monty Roberts.
A portrait of Monty Roberts, the horse trainer who discovered a humane technique for taming wild horses. Appalled by traditional methods of "breaking" horses that he witnessed in his youth, Roberts developed a gentle procedure for "joining-up" with a horse through a process of man-animal communication. Monty Roberts Horse Training, Book 1. RC 45002, BR 11288.

Offshore: A North Sea Journey by A. Alvarez.
Curiosity prompted the author to visit the oil rig 300 miles off the coast of Scotland in the North Sea to see what it was like to live and work in such a hostile environment. Alvarez came to know the men working the Brent Field area, who live on the edge of danger and work to near collapse. Some strong language. RC 24520.

On High Steel: The Education of an Ironworker by Mike Cherry.
A former math teacher leaves the classroom for the precarious world of the ironworker. He tells of his experiences with the men who work atop the tall columns. Strong language. RC 8750.

One River: Explorations and Discoveries in the Amazon Rain Forest by Wade Davis.
Ethnobotanist Richard Schultes took a leave of absence from Harvard from 1941 to 1953 to collect specimens of psychoactive and medicinal plants in the Amazon rain forest. His student Tim Plowman embarked on a similar journey with the author during 1974 and 1975. Davis recalls the discoveries, travels, and adventures of both. RC 44722.

Out of the Crater: Chronicles of a Volcanologist  by Richard Virgil Fisher
Scientist recalls fifty years of studying volcanoes all over the world, in Hawaii, Martinique, Europe, Mexico, China, and elsewhere. Describes a visit to Washington's Mount St. Helens three weeks after its eruption in 1980 and a trip to the still-active Mount Vesuvius in Italy. RC 51144.

Ringmaster! My Year on the Road with “The Greatest Show on Earth” by Kristopher Antekeier and Greg Annapu.
In 1986, Antekeier became the twenty-seventh ringmaster in the 115 year history of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. This account of his year under the big top relates tales of travels to 52 cities in 28 states in 47 weeks and tells of the glamour as well as the drudgery of life with the circus. RC 31680.

The Sea Hunters by Clive Cussler.
A hunter of shipwrecks documents the discovery or survey of twelve major ships in deep waters. Each ship's story begins with an account of its final voyage, then describes how the ship was found. Featured are the Confederate submarine Hunley and the Allied troop transport Leopoldville, among others. Sea Hunters series, Book 1. RC 43934.

The Sea Hunters II by Clive Cussler.
In this sequel to The Sea Hunters (RC 43934), the author and his colleagues from the National Underwater and Marine Agency, a nonprofit group that searches for shipwrecks of historical significance, continue their adventures. Among the wrecks they seek are French explorer La Salle’s flagship, Civil War ironclads, and PT-109. Sea Hunters series, Book 2. RC 57292.

The Secret Life of Cowboys by Tom Groneberg.
A young college graduate relates how, with his new wife, he rejects an urban lifestyle to become a cowboy. Describes beginning as a Colorado trail guide then settling on a small Montana ranch. He recounts his growth and discovery in the beautiful but brutal Western wilderness. RC 58774.

Surviving Galeras by Stanley Williams.
The volcanologist who led the expedition to the Columbian volcano Galeras when it erupted in 1993 recounts his personal perspective of events and the subsequent physical and mental effects. An experienced field worker, Williams discusses procedures and his team members, six of whom died in the blast. RC 52807.

Tales of a Shaman’s Apprentice by Mark J. Plotkin.
Describing himself as "hooked on plants, hooked on Indians, (and) hooked on the Amazon," an ethnobotanist explains why he has spent over a decade making trips into the rain forest to collect plants and absorb the shamans’ medicinal knowledge. With the diminishing forest and a dearth of apprentice shamans, Plotkin warns that this information may soon be lost. RC 38383.

Trauma Junkie: Memoirs of an Emergency Flight Nurse by Janice Hudson.
Emergency room nurse describes her career with the California Shock/Trauma Air Rescue service in the San Francisco Bay area. Provides anecdotes of the helicopter crews' varied missions during earthquakes, forest fires, shark attacks, and multiple highway and shooting incidents. Violence and strong language. RC 54544.

Young Men and Fire by Norman MacLean.
Montana, 1949. The profession of smoke jumping--parachuting to trench around forest fires--is less than a decade old. A crew of young smoke jumpers lands for a routine job in Mann Gulch. Within two hours the fire escalates into a "blowup," and thirteen men are killed. Author Maclean spent the last years of his life investigating the fateful fire and the accusations that the crew leader’s actions caused the deaths. Violence. RC 35639.

Warrior Soul: The Memoir of a Navy SEAL by Chuck Pfarrer.
Screenwriter recounts his most memorable assignments throughout his eight year naval special forces career. Chronicles missions in Central America and the Middle East where he and his team performed combat patrols, reconnaissance, and counterterrorist operations. Describes the personal challenges he faced. Strong language, some descriptions of sex, and some violence. RC 59647.

Yeager: An Autobiography by Chuck Yeager.
Autobiography of a real life hero. Born in the hills of West Virginia, Chuck Yeager first became known for his abilities as a fighter pilot during World War 2. Grit, a strong instinct for survival, and keen eyesight made him the victor in countless dogfights. He also became the nation's premier test pilot, defying death and breaking all speed records. Some strong language. RC 21539, BR 6204.