Download or read book Learning to Fly written by Steph Davis and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2013-04-02 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: WITH A NEW EPILOGUE BY THE AUTHOR World-class free climber Steph Davis delivers a “thrilling and infectiously interesting” (San Francisco Book Review) memoir about rediscovering herself through love, loss, and the joy of letting go. The paperback includes a new epilogue in which Davis shares how her husband Mario’s tragic accident has affected her relationship to climbing and flying. Steph Davis is a superstar in the climbing community and has ascended some of the world’s most challenging and awe-inspiring peaks. But after her first husband makes a controversial climb in a national park, the media fallout escalates rapidly and in one fell swoop leaves her without a partner, a career, a source of income...or a purpose. In the company of only her beloved dog, Fletch, Davis sets off on a search for a new identity and discovers skydiving. Falling out of an airplane is completely antithetical to the climber’s control she’d practiced for so long, but she perseveres, turning each daring jump into an opportunity to fly, first as a skydiver, then as a base jumper. As she opens herself to falling, she also finds the strength to open herself to love again, even in the wake of heartbreak. And before too long, she meets someone who shares her passion for living life to the limit. With gorgeous black-and-white photos throughout, Learning to Fly is Davis’s fascinating account of her transformation. From her early tentative skydives, to zipping into her first wingsuit, to surviving devastating accidents against the background of breathtaking cliffs, to soaring beyond her past limits, she discovers new hope and joy in letting go.
Download or read book Bird Dream written by Matt Higgins and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2014-07-31 with total page 303 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: PEN / ESPN Award for Literary Sports Writing (2015 LONGLIST) “[P]erversely entertaining... In a truly intoxicating read that was hard to put down, Matt Higgins has managed to make real a world about as far removed from daily life as it gets.” --Daily Beast "Matt Higgins cracks open this astonishingly dangerous sport and captures the spectacular adrenaline surges it delivers."--The Wall Street Journal "[R]iveting... a must-read. A highflying, electrifying story." --Kirkus (STARRED) A heart-stopping narrative of risk and courage, Bird Dream tells the story of the remarkable men and women who pioneered the latest advances in aerial exploration—from skydiving to BASE jumping to wingsuit flying—and made history with their daring. By the end of the twentieth century BASE jumping was the most dangerous of all the extreme sports, with thrill-seeking jumpers parachuting from bridges, mountains, radio towers, and even skyscrapers. Despite numerous fatalities and legal skirmishes, BASE jumpers like Jeb Corliss of California thought they had discovered the ultimate rush. But all this changed for Corliss in 1999, when, high in the mountains of northern Italy, he and other jumpers watched in wonder as a stranger—wearing a cunning new jumpsuit featuring “wings” between the arms and legs—leaped from a ledge and then actually flew from the vertiginous cliffs. Drawing on intimate access to Corliss and other top pilots from around the globe,Bird Dream tracks the evolution of the wingsuit movement through the larger than life characters who, in an age of viral video, forced the sport onto the world stage. Their exploits—which entranced millions of fans along the way—defied imagination. They were flying; not like the Wright brothers, but the way we do in our dreams. Some dared to dream of going further yet, to a day when a wingsuit pilot might fly, and land, all without a parachute. A growing number of wingsuit pilots began plotting ways in which a human being might leap from the sky and land. A half dozen groups around the world were dedicated to this quest for a “wingsuit landing,” conjuring the pursuit of nations that once inspired the race to first summit Everest. Given his fame as a stuntman, the brash, publicity-hungry Corliss remained the popular favorite to claim the first landing. Yet Bird Dream also tracks the path of another man, Gary Connery—a forty-two-year-old Englishman—who was quietly plotting to beat Corliss at his own game. Accompanied by an international cast of wingsuit devotees—including a Finnish magician, a parachute tester from Brazil, an Australian computer programmer, a gruff hang-gliding champion-turned-aeronautical engineer, a French skydiving champion, and a South African costume designer—Corliss and Connery raced to leap into the unknown, a contest that would lead to triumph for one and nearly cost the other his life. Based on five years of firsthand reporting and original interviews, Bird Dream is the work of journalist Matt Higgins, who traveled the world alongside these extraordinary men and women as they jumped and flew in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Offering a behind-the-scenes take on some of the most spectacular and disastrous events of the wingsuit movement, Higgins’s Bird Dream is a riveting, adrenaline-fueled adventure at the very edge of human experience.
Download or read book American English File 3e Level 4 Student Book written by Christina Latham-Koenig and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2020-07-28 with total page 172 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: American English File Second Edition retains the popular methodology developed by world-renowned authors Christina Latham-Koenig and Clive Oxenden: language + motivation = opportunity. With grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation practice in every lesson, students are equipped with a solid foundation for successful speaking. Plus - an array of digital resources provides even more choice and flexibility. Students can learn in the classroom or on the move with Online Practice. language assessment. The first goal is to explore the difference between fairness and justice in language assessment. The authors distinguish internal and external dimensions of the equitable and just treatment of individuals taking language tests which are used as gatekeeping devices to determine access to education and employment, immigrant status, citizenship, and other rights. The second goal is to show how the extent of test fairness can be demonstrated and improved using the tools of psychometrics, in particular the models collectively known as Rasch measurement. “This book will have an enormous impact on the field of language assessment. Using Rasch analysis models to explore and identify sources of unfairness, the authors make a compelling case for fairness in the design and implementation of language assessment instruments and for justice in the interpretation and use of test results. A real strength of the book is that it guides readers through analytical techniques in an accessible way.” Dan Douglas, Professor Emeritus, Applied Linguistics Program, Iowa State University.
Download or read book English File 4E Upper intermediate Student Book written by Christina Latham-Koenig and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2020-01-02 with total page 172 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: English File's unique, lively and enjoyable lessons are renowned for getting students talking. In fact, 90% of English File teachers we surveyed in our impact study found that the course improves students' speaking skills.
Download or read book At Home in Nature written by Rob Wood and published by Rocky Mountain Books Ltd. This book was released on 2017-09-22 with total page 141 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The compelling story of one family's life among the rugged landscapes of British Columbia's Coast Mountains, converting youthful ideals, raw land and a passion for the outdoors into a practical off-grid homestead. Rob Wood grew up in a village on the edge of the Yorkshire Moors, where he eventually developed a preoccupation with rock climbing. After studying architecture for five years at the Architectural Association School in London, England, he made his way to Montreal and ended up in Calgary. During his time in Calgary, Rob became a pioneer of ice climbing and posted numerous first ascents in the Rockies during the early 1970's. Eventually, life in corporate Alberta proved unfulfilling and Rob realized that he needed to find a place where he could reconnect with nature, which brought him to the remote reaches of Canada's West Coast. Settling on Maurelle Island, he and his wife built an off-the-grid homestead and focussed on alternative communities and developing a small house-design practice specializing in organic and wholesome building techniques. At Home in Nature is a gentle and philosophical memoir that focuses on living a life deeply rooted in the natural world, where citizens are connected to the planet and individuals work together to help, enhance and make the world a better -- and sustainable -- place.
Download or read book The Happy Rant written by Ted Kluck and published by Harvest House Publishers. This book was released on 2022-08-02 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the hive mind behind the popular Happy Rant podcast (Ted Kluck, Ronnie Martin, and Barnabas Piper) comes this cornucopia of humorous and thought-provoking critiques of Christian culture. Come for the good-natured cynicism. Stay for the enlightenment. Ted Kluck, Ronnie Martin and Barnabas Piper, hosts of the Happy Rant podcast, take their faith-based back-and-forth from the recording booth to the book page with this collection of insightful and often hilarious takedowns of pastor trends, personality tests, political engagement, and more. The Happy Rant crew have a lot of strong opinions, and occasionally they even agree with each other! Always candid and frequently compelling, Ted, Ronnie, and Barnabas tackle everything from the divisive, hot-button issues within the church to more lighthearted fare that reminds us never to take ourselves too seriously. As entertaining as it is engaging, The Happy Rant will help you to think more critically about the world around you and enjoy a laugh or two (or maybe three) along the way.
Download or read book The Art of Asking written by Amanda Palmer and published by Grand Central Publishing. This book was released on 2014-11-11 with total page 349 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Rock star, crowdfunding pioneer, and TED speaker Amanda Palmer knows all about asking. Performing as a living statue in a wedding dress, she wordlessly asked thousands of passersby for their dollars. When she became a singer, songwriter, and musician, she was not afraid to ask her audience to support her as she surfed the crowd (and slept on their couches while touring). And when she left her record label to strike out on her own, she asked her fans to support her in making an album, leading to the world's most successful music Kickstarter. Even while Amanda is both celebrated and attacked for her fearlessness in asking for help, she finds that there are important things she cannot ask for-as a musician, as a friend, and as a wife. She learns that she isn't alone in this, that so many people are afraid to ask for help, and it paralyzes their lives and relationships. In this groundbreaking book, she explores these barriers in her own life and in the lives of those around her, and discovers the emotional, philosophical, and practical aspects of The Art of Asking. Part manifesto, part revelation, this is the story of an artist struggling with the new rules of exchange in the twenty-first century, both on and off the Internet. The Art of Asking will inspire readers to rethink their own ideas about asking, giving, art, and love.
Download or read book Base 66 written by Jevto Dedijer and published by iUniverse. This book was released on 2004-11 with total page 145 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: BASE 66 is the true, nerve-wracking account of three young skydivers and their quest for membership in the most select extreme sports club on earth: The BASE club. In order to become a full-fledged member, Jevto Dedijer, Bernard Poirier, and Scott Elder had to parachute from the top of a building, an antenna tower, a bridge and a cliff, and survive to tell the story--a feat only some 800 adrenaline addicted people have succeeded in doing. In BASE 66, Jevto Dedijer tells the tale of his hunger for the ultimate adrenaline rush. He and his companions shared several near death experiences while traveling across Europe with their parachutes and beer in Bernard's dented Renault 4. They were pioneers in a sport so dangerous that several of their fellow BASE jumpers died in action. "BASE 66 is a fascinating story about life and death, terror and joy, and intimate friendship. It is an account of extraordinary people taking a step beyond the edge." Yuri Kuznetsov--BASE 416 "Everyone will enjoy reading Jevto's thrilling and humorous tale of his fascinating BASE odyssey and his discovery of a way of life that surpasses artificial boundaries and provides lifelong inspiration." Jean Boenish--BASE 3
Download or read book Good Trouble written by Joseph O'Neill and published by Vintage. This book was released on 2018-06-12 with total page 136 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A masterly collection of eleven stories about the way we live now from the best-selling author of Netherland. From bourgeois facial-hair trends to parental sleep deprivation, Joseph O’Neill closely observes the mores of his characters, whose vacillations and second thoughts expose the mysterious pettiness, underlying violence, and, sometimes, surprising beauty of ordinary life in the early twenty-first century. A lonely wedding guest talks to a goose; two poets struggle over whether to participate in a “pardon Edward Snowden” verse petition; a cowardly husband lets his wife face a possible intruder in their home; a potential co-op renter in New York City can’t find anyone to give him a character reference. On the surface, these men and women may be in only mild trouble, but in these perfectly made, fiercely modern stories O’Neill reminds us of the real, secretly political consequences of our internal monologues. No writer is more incisive about the strange world we live in now; the laugh-out-loud vulnerability of his people is also fodder for tears.
Download or read book Handy Dad written by Todd Davis and published by Chronicle Books. This book was released on 2012-01-20 with total page 570 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The host of HGTV’s Room Crashers presents twenty-five awesome projects for dads to build with their kids—including skate ramps, zip lines, go-carts, and more! On his popular home improvement show, Todd Davis is known for transforming interiors with eye-popping DIY design. But in Handy Dad, he uses his know-how to create twenty-five simple yet super-fun projects that dads can build with their kids. Dads can choose from projects that range from basic to challenging and take anywhere from five minutes to a full weekend. Readers are given all the directions they need to grab materials that can be found around the house or at the local hardware store and get to work banging up a sweet BMX ramp or half-pipe, building a tree house or tire swing, or throwing together a slip-and-slide or tie-dye station for an afternoon of fun. With plenty of color photographs, easy-to-follow instructions, and detailed illustrations, Handy Dad is chock-full of creative and inexpensive ways to keep kids (and dads) endlessly entertained.
Download or read book The Brain written by David Eagleman and published by Vintage. This book was released on 2015-10-06 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the renowned neuroscientist and New York Times bestselling author of Incognito comes the companion volume to the international PBS series about how your life shapes your brain, and how your brain shapes your life. "An ideal introduction to how biology generates the mind.... Clear, engaging and thought-provoking." —Nature Locked in the silence and darkness of your skull, your brain fashions the rich narratives of your reality and your identity. Join renowned neuroscientist David Eagleman for a journey into the questions at the mysterious heart of our existence. What is reality? Who are “you”? How do you make decisions? Why does your brain need other people? How is technology poised to change what it means to be human? In the course of his investigations, Eagleman guides us through the world of extreme sports, criminal justice, facial expressions, genocide, brain surgery, gut feelings, robotics, and the search for immortality. Strap in for a whistle-stop tour into the inner cosmos. In the infinitely dense tangle of billions of brain cells and their trillions of connections, something emerges that you might not have expected to see in there: you. Color illustrations throughout.
Download or read book SAS Tracking Handbook written by Barry Davies and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2014-08-05 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Tracking originated with man’s need for food; he needed to understand what he was following and what the rewards would be if he was successful. Little has changed over time about the terms of tracking. We still track game for sport and food, but we have also found other uses for tracking. Border police patrol to stop illegal immigrants from entering their country; the military tracks down wanted terrorists or enemy forces. Tracking has become a military skill. In the SAS Tracking Handbook, former SAS soldier and British Empire Medal (BEM) award–winner Barry Davies teaches not only how to survive in the outdoors with the skills of tracking, but how to use these skills from a military standpoint. Included in this book are many helpful tips on topics including: The types of dogs used for tracking. Traps for catching wild animals. Modern military tracking. Using your surroundings to your advantage. And much more. The success or failure of the modern tracker is dependent on the personal skills of the individual tracker. Training is vital in learning tracking skills, and continuous exercise the best way to interpret signs. These skills are rarely found, but they remain hidden deep within all of us. So whether you’re already a skilled tracker or a novice in the field, the SAS Tracking Handbook will be your guide to mastering this old and respected art.
Download or read book K2 written by Ed Viesturs and published by Crown. This book was released on 2010-08-03 with total page 354 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A thrilling chronicle of the tragedy-ridden history of climbing the world's most difficult and unpredictable mountain, by the bestselling authors of The Mountain and No Shortcuts to the Top “Gripping . . . reveals a good deal about the rarefied noble-gonzo world of high-altitude mountaineering.”—The New York Times Ed Viesturs, one of the world's premier high-altitude mountaineers, explores the remarkable history of K2 and of those who have attempted to conquer it. At the same time, he probes the mountain's most memorable sagas in order to illustrate lessons about the fundamental questions mountaineering raises—questions of risk, ambition, loyalty to one's teammates, self-sacrifice, and the price of glory. Viesturs knows the mountain firsthand. He and renowned alpinist Scott Fischer climbed it in 1992 and got caught in an avalanche that sent them sliding to almost certain death before Ed managed to get into a self-arrest position with his ice ax and stop both his fall and Scott's. Focusing on seven of the mountain's most dramatic campaigns, from his own troubled ascent to the 2008 tragedy, Viesturs crafts an edge-of-your-seat narrative that climbers and armchair travelers alike will find unforgettably compelling. With photographs from Viesturs's personal collection and from historical sources, this is the definitive account of the world's ultimate mountain, and of the lessons that can be gleaned from struggling toward its elusive summit.
Download or read book Snazzy Cat Capers written by Deanna Kent and published by Macmillan + ORM. This book was released on 2018-09-18 with total page 151 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "I want to be Ophelia when I grow up!! And I want Oscar to be my BFF—Best Fishy Friend! Snazzy Cat Capers is fabulous, funny and fin-tastic fun with illustrations that pounce off the page." —Mo O’Hara, New York Times bestselling author of the My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish series Life is short. Diamonds are fur-ever. Internationally famous cat burglar Ophelia von Hairball V adores jewels—the only thing she loves more is a challenge. She's never met a safe she couldn't crack. Now the Furry Feline Burglary Institute (FFBI) offers her the ultimate caper: steal the giant Himalayan diamond and win their top award! There's a catch! The FFBI sends an enthusiastic inventor to help Ophelia...but this cat works alone, and Oscar Fishgerald Gold smells fishy. Can the smartest, stealthiest, and snazziest of cats learn to work with a fintastic sidekick and prove she's still the world's most purr-fect burglar? Adventure, heists, and teamwork abound in this fun, witty middle grade series brimming with cat-tastic black-and-white illustrations. Includes graphic novel-style pages! This book has Common Core connections. Check out the whole Snazzy Cat Capers series! Snazzy Cat Capers Snazzy Cat Capers: The Fast and the Furriest An Imprint Book
Download or read book The Art of Gathering written by Priya Parker and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2020-04-14 with total page 322 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Hosts of all kinds, this is a must-read!" --Chris Anderson, owner and curator of TED From the host of the New York Times podcast Together Apart, an exciting new approach to how we gather that will transform the ways we spend our time together—at home, at work, in our communities, and beyond. In The Art of Gathering, Priya Parker argues that the gatherings in our lives are lackluster and unproductive--which they don't have to be. We rely too much on routine and the conventions of gatherings when we should focus on distinctiveness and the people involved. At a time when coming together is more important than ever, Parker sets forth a human-centered approach to gathering that will help everyone create meaningful, memorable experiences, large and small, for work and for play. Drawing on her expertise as a facilitator of high-powered gatherings around the world, Parker takes us inside events of all kinds to show what works, what doesn't, and why. She investigates a wide array of gatherings--conferences, meetings, a courtroom, a flash-mob party, an Arab-Israeli summer camp--and explains how simple, specific changes can invigorate any group experience. The result is a book that's both journey and guide, full of exciting ideas with real-world applications. The Art of Gathering will forever alter the way you look at your next meeting, industry conference, dinner party, and backyard barbecue--and how you host and attend them.
Download or read book Corporia written by Mark Plemmons and published by Brabblemark Press. This book was released on 2014-03-10 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Corporia is a 208-page tabletop role-playing game of genre-bending fiction and futuristic urban fantasy. In Corporia, you take on the roles of reborn Knights of the Round Table or their supernaturally-powered allies, fighting an invisible war for justice in the struggle between otherworldly Chaos magics and the oppressive Order of the ruling mega-corporations! Corporia is 'knights in shining Armani.' It's what happens when you mix Camelot with a spoonful of Torchwood, add a pinch of cyberpunk, a dash of Joss Whedon's Angel, and a sprinkling of Shadowrun. If you enjoy these, you're going to love Corporia. Highlights One simple, unified game mechanic for all abilities, including fighting, spellcasting, and hacking! All characters can join the Hacker in virtual conflicts; no one gets left out! Spellcasters can cast whatever they can imagine, limited only by their skill rank in any of eight schools of magic - and all 64 sample spells can be easily modified at will! Four personality traits (three public, one private) keep situations interesting and provide points for permanent and temporary improvements, supplementing the core dice mechanics without becoming the main aspects of the rules! Metal melee weapons are more effective against monsters than firearms, keeping swords and daggers relevant even in a future of X-Calibre energy pistols and glowing raypiers! An innovative, modern design style in a book full of page-turning concepts!
Download or read book The Infinite Retina written by Irena Cronin and published by Packt Publishing Ltd. This book was released on 2020-05-08 with total page 403 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A compelling and insightful look at the future of Spatial Computing, and how this cutting-edge technology is changing the way we do business across seven primary industries, and what it means for humanity as a whole. Key Features Discover how Spatial Computing is changing the face of technology Get a roadmap for the disruptions caused by Spatial Computing and how it will affect seven major industries Gain insights about the past, present, and future of technology from the world’s leading experts and innovators Book DescriptionWhat is Spatial Computing and why is everyone from Tesla, Apple, and Facebook investing heavily in it? In The Infinite Retina, authors Irena Cronin and Robert Scoble attempt to answer that question by helping you understand where Spatial Computing?an augmented reality where humans and machines can interact in a physical space?came from, where it's going, and why it's so fundamentally different from the computers or mobile phones that came before. They present seven visions of the future and the industry verticals in which Spatial Computing has the most influence?Transportation; Technology, Media, and Telecommunications; Manufacturing; Retail; Healthcare; Finance; and Education. The book also shares insights about the past, present, and future from leading experts an other industry veterans and innovators, including Sebastian Thrun, Ken Bretschneider, and Hugo Swart. They dive into what they think will happen in Spatial Computing in the near and medium term, and also explore what it could mean for humanity in the long term. The Infinite Retina then leaves it up to you to decide whether Spatial Computing is truly where the future of technology is heading or whether it's just an exciting, but passing, phase.What you will learn Look back at historical paradigms that changed the face of technology Consider how Spatial Computing could be the new technology that changes our lives See how Virtual and Augmented Reality will change the way we do healthcare Learn how Spatial Computing technology will lead to fully automated transportation Think about how Spatial Computing will change the manufacturing industry Explore how finance and retail are going to be impacted through Spatial Computing devices Hear accounts from industry experts on what they expect Spatial Computing to bring to their sectors Who this book is for The Infinite Retina is for anyone interested in the future of technology and how Augmented Reality and Spatial Computing (among other developments) will affect both businesses and the individual.
