Alexander at the End of the World

Alexander at the End of the World: The Forgotten Final Years of Alexander the Great by Rachel Kousser

The last years of Alexander the Great, when he was trying to integrate his many conquests from Macedonia to India into an integrated society. Interesting theories by the author of a subject that has been convered for millenia. Someplaces academic in nature, not surprising, but I am always surprised how much material is available to research aspects that are of really ancient nature.

Fur, Fortune, and Empire

Fur, Fortune, and Empire: The Epic History of the Fur Trade in America by Eric Jay Dolin

The history of the fur trade in the Americas, from pre-colonial times to the present. Very thoroughly researched and detailed story of the fur trade, which was a huge economic engine for a couple hundred years. The book focuses on the beaver trade in the 1700s and early 1800s. This is a good compliment, and more detailed acccount of the industry as described in the book Astor.

After the beaver trade faded for a time it was the American Buffalo that was hunted, almost to extinction. Also included here is not just the detail of the fur trade but the political implications and impact that the fur trade had.

A Walk in the Park and The Emerald Mile

A Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon by Kevin Fedarko

This book is by the same author of the well known "Emerald Mile". However, this is story a 'through hike' of the grand canyon, not the usual rim to rim hike, but hiking the length of the grand canyon following the Colorado from Lee's Ferry to where the river starts to enter Lake Mead. This is a tremendously difficult hike that has been completed by only a handful of people. The author and his photographer friend Pete started the hike fairly unprepared, and with the help experiences friends were able to accomplish their goal.

Along the way the history of through hikers, of the history of the national park and the story of the native people who have lived in the canyon for millenia. Also explored is the uncertain future of the canyon and its use and misuse.

The Emerald Mile: The Epic Story of the Fastest Ride in History Through the Heart of the Grand Canyon, was first published in 2014. Specifically this is the story of the fastest boat to travel through the Grand Canyon on the Colorado, but it is also the history of the rafting business that developed on the river. The many colorful personalities that made up the river guides are described, and of course these are a group of outsiders who lived a unique life on the river.

Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space.

Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space by Adam Higginbotham.

The story of the space shuttle Challenger and its tragic end. But also the story of the entire shuttle program and NASA in general. A lot of this story is known to anyone who was alive at the time, but the details are interesting. A lot of the story is the culture of NASA and the politics of the space program.

Chamber Divers

Chamber Divers: The Untold Story of the D-Day Scientists Who Changed Special Operations Forever by Rachel Lance

This is the history of the research done in the late 1930s and during the war on the effects on people of breathing different mixtures of oxygen, CO2 and nitrogen. This is with the intent of studying how people going at debts underwater. It was already known that coming up from depths too quickly caused the bends, but why this happened was not known. This was particularly important during the war as the leadership wanted to be able to scout beaches before sending in invasion troops. This resulted in what would become scuba gear, but a very early and crude version.

This also had implications for submarine crews and the development of mini-subs that could be used for spying. It is interesting that the scientists doing this research used themselves as the test subjects. They were of course very eccentric and quirky people, but definately pioneers. The title refers to the 'chambers' that they had access to that would simulate people going to depths.

Charlie Hustle: The Rise and Fall of Pete Rose

Charlie Hustle: The Rise and Fall of Pete Rose, and the Last Glory Days of Baseball by Keith O'Brien

A rather amazing account of Rose's career as a baseball player and as a gambling addict. He really was one of the greatest ball players of all time, but what is astounding is the way he was able to pull off the gambling he did for so many years. This is really interesting in light of the recent incidents with Shohei Ohtani. Rose gambled on horse racing, Jai Lai, dog racing, football, basketball really almost anything someone would take a bet on. Ultimately his downfall was betting on pro-baseball and on his own team. The manic energy that it took to live like he did for so many years is extraordinary.

Another interesting aspect of this is that when Rose finally caught and was banned from baseball, was right at the time of the rise of steroids in pro-baseball, which became a much bigger scandal but somehow with less consequences for the people involved.

The Wide Wide Sea

The Wide Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook by Hampton Sides

The last of Cook's three Pacific voyages proved to be fatal, and he would never return to England. As a navigator and map maker he was very much ahead of his time. It is amazing what he was able to accomplish with the crude instruments that he had available to him. The author points out that Cook had an 'anthropological' view of the new civilizations that he would find, long before the discipline of anthropology was founded, and against the trends of the time when most people viewed people as primitive and backward.

There is much that cannot be known about Cook on this last voyage, but evidence points to the fact that he acted uncharacteric on this voyage, which ultimately got him killed. By the time of his third voyage he was beyond the age that many captains would be when trying this kind of voyage. This is a great story of a great explorer. Among his crew on this last voyage were the young William Bligh and George Vancouver, so Cook did lay the groundwork for the future of British expansion into an Empire.