Lourie completed his trip. It took him three weeks and marked the first time anyone has traveled from the source of the Hudson to the mouth in a single vessel. The Hudson proved to be a very changeable river. It includes seven locks and nine power dams. The northern half is a true river with strong current, but the lower half is tidal, a sunken river from the days of glaciers. In its first 165 miles, it drops more than 4,000 feet to Albany. The second half falls no more than a foot. Lourie's account of his trip is a fresh look at one of America's great and complex waterways, one of the few, in fact, that still contains its his­torical and biological species of fish. It is also the longest inland estuary in the world. Henry Hudson called it the "great river of the moun­tains." Nowadays, too often the Hudson is stereotyped as a ruined, polluted industrial river. Its glorious past is compared to its present neglect. In River of Mountains, Peter Lourie combines the Hudson's rich history and descriptions of some of the region's most impressive landscape with the residents of its mill towns, the loggers, commercial fishermen, and barge pilots-all of whom are proof that the river is still a thriving, vital waterway. So, come with Peter Lourie on his trip, come explore with him from a canoe one of this coun­try's great rivers, join him in his wonderful adventure.

Yu Qiuyu is one of China's greatest modern essayists. Sometimes a prickly commentator, he is above all a storyteller. In this volume he takes his inspiration from China's geography, both human and physical, and brings the culture of his country to life with human characters and historical narrative. The forests of Hainan, the Three Gorges, classical pagodas, ancient remains under modern Shanghai, even the open skies... all have their stories and cultural connections, traced with erudition and wit by an inquisitive mind. "I sought a path across mountains and rivers, plastering my brief life across a rugged corner of this planet," explains Yu Qiuyu. The Book of Rivers and Mountains is another in a series of meditative essays about Chinese culture and history. In this book he returns to the Chinese mainland in contemplation of its people and the natural landscape that has shaped their way of life. He refers to mountains and rivers as the "facial expressions of the land" and the only true way of understanding the history of the country and its people.

Mountains are Mountains and Rivers are Rivers deals with such subjects as achieving peace of mind, coping with stress, accepting lifes disappointments, enhancing creativity,finding meaningful work, and improving relationships with your family members. There is also a useful dictionary of the terms, such as zazen, dharma, and sartori, used in the readings, along with concepts such as attentiveness, simplicity, and acceptance. This is an excellent and accessible guide for anyone wishing to slow down lifes frantic pace and develop a more peaceful lifestyle.

From one of our most important modern poets comes an essential early collection, including the famous long poems “The Skaters” and “Clepsydra” When Rivers and Mountains was published in 1966, American poetry was in a state of radical redefinition, with John Ashbery recognized as one of the leading voices in the New York School of poets. Ashbery himself had just returned to America from ten years abroad working as an art critic in France, and Rivers and Mountains, his third published collection of poems, is now considered by many critics to represent a pivotal transition point in his artistic career. The poet who would gain widespread acclaim with his multiple-award-winning Self-Portrait in a Convex Mirror (1975) is, in this collection, still very much engaged in the intimate, personal project of taking his poetry apart and putting it back together again, interrogating not just the act of writing but poetry itself—its purpose, its composition, its fundamental parts. Nominated for a National Book Award by a panel of judges that included W. H. Auden and James Dickey, Rivers and Mountains includes two of Ashbery’s most studied and admired works. “Clepsydra,” which takes its name from an ancient device for measuring the passage of time, echoes both the physical form and the philosophical weight of a water clock in its contemplation of the experience of time as it passes. “The Skaters,” the long poem that closes the collection, was immediately praised as a masterpiece of modern American poetry, and is the work that perhaps most clearly introduces the voice for which Ashbery is now well known and loved: generous, restless, wide-ranging, and human.

Now completely updated and revised with new color photos and topos, this guidebook is the ultimate resource to technical climbing routes, hiking trails, and peak-bagging routes in Wyoming's Wind River Range, a popular playground for backcountry enthusiasts and alpine rock climbers. More than 200 new climbing routes have been completed in the Wind Rivers since this book was last published in 1994, and this guide is the only comprehensive collection of information available to climbers. Includes hiking and climbing information for these areas: Ross LakesGreen RiverDinwoody GlacierPeak LakeTitcomb BasinAlpine LakesMiddle Fork LakeEast Fork ValleyBaptiste LakeCirque of the TowersDeep LakeSouth Pass

As executive director of the Sierra Club through the 1950s and '60s, David Brower spearheaded its landmark campaigns, launched its publishing program, and, in Jerry Mander's words, "essentially vaulted the ecology movement into ... a major international force." Brower was the movement's charismatic pied piper, inspiring countless young people to follow his lead. This incendiary and vastly entertaining volume is vintage Brower, recounting events from his life and times as preludes to his siren songs on behalf of the Earth. His voice is erudite, beautifully cadenced, infuriatingly opinionated, and spiced with dry humor. And his insights are uncannily prescient; back in the early 1990s he called for the adoption of hybrid cars, urban core infilling, wildlife corridors, and more. We also see Brower's other sides: as a leading mountaineer and officer in the famed 10th Mountain Division during WWII and as an innovative and discerning editor. Brower's tale begins at a Grateful Dead concert, where he is mentally composing a speech that will move the young audience to as much passion for conservation as they express for their music. With this delightful book available again, still more young (and not-so-young) people can be moved by his words.

The Rocky Mountains are renowned for rugged grandeur, but the rivers flowing off the peaks are just as extraordinary in their beauty, nature, and allure. Tim Palmer reveals these natural wonders with their irresistible opportunities for paddling in swift currents and hiking along scenic shores with Field Guide to Rivers of the Rocky Mountains. He guides readers across Colorado, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming in this essential and inspiring reference for residents of the Rockies and visitors alike. Look inside to find: Detailed descriptions of 70 rivers Paddling difficulty and trail locations Directions to landings and trailheads Natural science and conservation history 200 brilliant photos by the author Maps locating all rivers