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Blind Descent: The Quest to Discover the Deepest Place on Earth
by James M. TaborThe deepest cave on earth was a prize that had remained unclaimed for centuries, long after every other ultimate discovery had been made. This is the story of the men and women who risked everything to find it, earning their place in history beside the likes of Peary, Amundsen, Hillary, and Armstrong.In 2004, two great scientist-explorers attempted to find the bottom of the world. Bold, American Bill Stone was committed to the vast Cheve Cave, located in southern Mexico and deadly even by supercave standards. On the other side of the globe, legendary Ukrainian explorer Alexander Klimchouk - Stone's opposite in temperament and style - had targeted Krubera, a freezing nightmare of a supercave in the Republic of Georgia.Blind Descent explores both the brightest and darkest aspects of the timeless human urge to discover - to be first. It is also a thrilling epic about a pursuit that makes even extreme mountaineering and ocean exploration pale by comparison. These supercavers spent months in multiple camps almost two vertical miles deep and many more miles from their caves' exits. They had to contend with thousand-foot drops, deadly flooded tunnels, raging whitewater rivers, monstrous waterfalls, mile-long belly crawls, and much more. Perhaps even worse were the psychological horrors produced by weeks plunged into absolute, perpetual darkness, beyond all hope of rescue, including a particularly insidious derangement called 'The Rapture'.Blind Descent is a testament to human survival and endurance - and to two extraordinary men whose relentless pursuit of greatness led them to heights of triumph and depths of tragedy neither could have imagined.
Blind Mountain
by Jane Resh ThomasUnsure of himself and annoyed at having to spend a day climbing a Montana mountain with his bossy father, twelve-year-old Sam must become the guide on their perilous journey down when his carelessness temporarily blinds his father. This story deals with father son conflict. Ages 9-12. This book would appeal to boys age 11-13. The boy in the story uses a few swear words, but it is not adult content.
Blind Reef: A Nautical Adventure Set In North Africa (The Richard Mariner Nautical Adventures #30)
by Peter TonkinA couple&’s quest to rescue a kidnapped girl leads them into the perilous heart of the Sinai desert: &“A sure bet for adventure fans&” (Booklist). Nautical entrepreneurs Richard and Robin Mariner are relaxing off the coast of Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt when their boat flounders on Shaab Ruhr Siyoul—known as the Blind Reef—and they suddenly find themselves saving the lives of several refugees. One of the survivors, Nahom, tells them that his twin sister Tsibekti has been kidnapped and is being held for ransom by smugglers. Shocked by Nahom&’s story, Richard and Robin travel into the heart of the Sinai in a quest to find the lost girl. Now they must evade Egyptian police, Bedouin smugglers and militant Islamists in order to rescue Tsibekti and get out of the desert alive . . . Blind Reef is a ripped-from-the-headlines installment in a seafaring thriller series that &“resembles a mixture of Ian Fleming and Hammond Innes&” (Publishers Weekly).
Blitzed by a Blizzard! (Disaster Survivors)
by Joyce MarkovicsOn December 29, 2007, a fierce blizzard hit Olympia National Park in Washington State. Cross-country skier Randy Kraxberger, traveling alone, was caught by himself in the severe winter storm. Park rangers knew they had to save the lost skier. Could their daring rescue effort succeed through blinding snow, high winds, freezing temperatures, and the threat of avalanches? Safety tips show young readers how to stay out of harms way during a blizzard.
Blizzard
by John RoccoBlizzard is based on John Rocco's childhood experience during the now infamous Blizzard of 1978, which brought fifty-three inches of snow to his town in Rhode Island. Told with a brief text and dynamic illustrations, the book opens with a boy's excitement upon seeing the first snowflake fall outside his classroom window. It ends with the neighborhood's immense relief upon seeing the first snowplow break through on their street. In between the boy watches his familiar landscape transform into something alien, and readers watch him transform into a hero who puts the needs of others first. John uses an increasing amount of white space in his playful images, which include a gatefold spread of the boy's expedition to the store. This book about the wonder of a winter storm is as delicious as a mug of hot cocoa by the fire on a snowy day.
Blizzard (The Heights)
by The Editors at the Saddleback Educational PublishingThis book that talks about Latino family--who have an uncanny knack for finding humor, hope, and colorful personalities--even in unusual circumstances. The light snow got heavier. The road was slippery. Soon snow covered the ground. The car struggled to get up the hill. It got hard to see. Everything was white.
Blizzard Night: Blizzard Night (Disaster Strikes #3)
by Marlane KennedyWhen disaster strikes, the only thing you can count on is yourself!A winter trip in the remote Michigan wilderness seemed like the perfect way for Jayden to get to know his new foster family. Though he doesn't have much in common with siblings Maggie and Connor, he's hoping they'll get to like each other over snow mobile races and steaming mugs of cocoa.But when the snow really starts to come down, the family van crashes and the three kids must go out into the bleak, white storm to search for help. Soon the wind is howling and night is starting to fall. Jayden, Maggie, and Connor will have to think fast, find shelter, watch out for bears, and somehow stay warm if they don't want to end up frozen in their tracks....
Blizzard! Sudden Storm! (Fountas & Pinnell LLI Red #Level M)
by Anne PhillipsBlizzard!: A sister gets her brother home from school during a blizzard. Sudden Storm: In this true event many duck hunters perish in a sudden storm.
Blizzard's Wake
by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor<P>Ever since fifteen-year-old Kate Sterling's mother died four years ago, nothing has been the same. <P>Filled with resentment and sadness, and trying to fill the void left by her mother, Kate has shut herself off from the world and her family. <P>Zeke Dexter is heading home to begin a new life after completing his prison term, but he is filled with anxiety. <P>Will anyone in his small town be able to forget his shameful past -- or the crime he committed -- and let him start anew? <P>And if he's not welcomed at home, where else could he go? <P>Phyllis Reynolds Naylor weaves a taut, gripping story about grief, determination, and healing as the lives of the Sterling family and Zeke Dexter bind together. <P>Set against the actual events of the March 1941 blizzard, Naylor's touching new period novel will be welcomed by her many fans.
Blizzards (Dangerous Weather)
by Michael AllabyRemain where you are . . . Dig a cave in the snow and shelter in it until conditions improve"-- this is Michael Allaby's advice to anyone caught outdoors in severe blizzard conditions known as "whiteouts." Wandering in search of shelter in such a storm would subject the pursuer to a featureless, disorienting whiteness, rendering senses useless and familiar landmarks unidentifiable. Blizzards describes what distinguishes a blizzard from an ordinary snowstorm, explains how blizzards develop and how they can deliver building-crushing volumes of snow, and chronicles dramatic blizzards of the past and the peculiar counter-intuitive measures required to survive these great white storms. The Dangerous Weather series imparts fundamental weather science to readers through author Michael Allaby's vivid descriptions of extreme weather systems. The series focuses on the five most dangerous kinds of weather activity; diagrams related meteorological, climatological, and environmental basics in clear, compelling language; chronicles the history of each form of dangerous weather; and offers safety precautions for extreme weather conditions. Fully illustrated and indexed, the Dangerous Weather series is an invaluable tool for student research. Other volumes include: hurricanes, tornadoes, floods droughts. Michael Allaby is the author of more than 40 books, mainly on science, natural environmental topics. A few of his previous works include Basics of Environment, The Weather: How It Works, The Environment, and The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Ecology.
Blizzards (Learn About)
by Natasha VizcarraLearn about wild weather events, including how to prepare for them, with this new series of fascinating books! A blizzard is a storm with high winds that blow snow around. It lasts for more than three hours. Experts say climate change is making these storms even fiercer. Discover why blizzards happen, how they are measured, and how we can prepare for them in Blizzards, a perfect first introduction to the topic for young readers.About This Series:In the era of climate change, wild weather events such as hurricanes, tornadoes, heat waves, and blizzards are becoming more frequent and more destructive. Now more than ever, education around these topics is essential. Using age-appropriate language and easy-to-understand science, the books in this series will offer a first exploration of different wild weather events that can be unleashed on Earth: why they happen, how they are measured, and how we can prepare for them. Illustrated with arresting full-color photography and sprinkled with fascinating facts, these books will follow pioneering climate change curricula for early elementary grades across the United States.
Blood Memory: The Tragic Decline and Improbable Resurrection of the American Buffalo
by Ken Burns Dayton DuncanThe epic story of the buffalo in America, from prehistoric times to today—a moving and beautifully illustrated work of natural historyThe American buffalo—our nation&’s official mammal—is an improbable, shaggy beast that has found itself at the center of many of our most mythic and sometimes heartbreaking tales. The largest land animals in the Western Hemisphere, they are survivors of a mass extinction that erased ancient species that were even larger. For nearly 10,000 years, they evolved alongside Native people who weaved them into every aspect of daily life; relied on them for food, clothing, and shelter; and revered them as equals.Newcomers to the continent found the buffalo fascinating at first, but in time they came to consider them a hindrance to a young nation&’s expansion. And in the space of only a decade, they were slaughtered by the millions for their hides, with their carcasses left to rot on the prairies. Then, teetering on the brink of disappearing from the face of the earth, they would be rescued by a motley collection of Americans, each of them driven by different—and sometimes competing—impulses. This is the rich and complicated story of a young republic's heedless rush to conquer a continent, but also of the dawn of the conservation era—a story of America at its very best and worst.
Blood Money: An SAS Thriller
by Johnny "Two HowardBoat Troop are sent upriver into Sierra Leone on a mission to secure a vital ore mine. While the men battle their way past vicious hippos and poisonous snakes, political events are rapidly overtaking the city-based HQ. As the balance of power swings between government and rebels, HMG wavers in its intentions. Soon after Boat Troop arrive at the mine, they discover they are on their own and now have the extra burden of civilians to hamper their task.
Blood Moon: Poems
by Patricia Kirkpatrick&“Why would I expect to feel blameless?&”Troubled and meditative, Blood Moon is an examination of racism, whiteness, and language within one woman&’s life. In these poems, words are deeply powerful, even if—with the onset of physical infirmity—they sometimes become unfixed and inaccessible, bringing together moral and mortal peril as Patricia Kirkpatrick&’s speaker ages. From a child, vulnerable to &“words / we learned / outside and in school, / at home, on television&”: &“Some words you don&’t say / but you know.&” To a citizen, reckoning with contemporary police brutality: &“Some days need a subject and an action / or a state of being because it&’s grammar. / The cop shot. The man was dead.&” And to a patient recovering from brain surgery: &“I don&’t have names. / Words are not with me.&”Throughout the collection, the moon plays companion to this speaker, as it moves through its own phases, disappearing behind one poem before appearing fully in the next. In Kirkpatrick&’s hands, the moon is confessor, guide, muse, mirror, and—most of all—witness, to the cruelty that humans inflict upon one another. &“The moon,&” she reminds us, &“will be there.&”Compassionate, contemplative, occasionally wonderstruck, Blood Moon is a moving work of moral introspection.
Blood Orchid: An Unnatural History of America
by Charles BowdenThe renowned author explores the violent and corrupt history of America in “a haunted, often brilliant journey into the heart of our darkness” (Frederick Turner).Blood Orchid is the first volume in Charles Bowden’s Unnatural History of America sextet. It is a deeply personal and bracingly sharp chronicle of his quest to unearth our ugly truths. Through stark observations and visceral experiences, Bowden presents a dizzying excavation of the systemic violence and corruption at the roots of American society. Bowden visits dying friends in skid row apartments in Los Angeles, traverses San Francisco byways lined with clubs and joints, and roams through village bars and streets in the Sierra Madre mountains. In these wanderings resides a yearning for the understanding of past and present sins, the human penchant for warfare, abuse, and oppression, and the true war between humanity, the industrialized world, and the immense tolls of our shared land.
Blood Orchid: An Unnatural History of America
by Charles BowdenThe renowned author explores the violent and corrupt history of America in “a haunted, often brilliant journey into the heart of our darkness” (Frederick Turner).Blood Orchid is the first volume in Charles Bowden’s Unnatural History of America sextet. It is a deeply personal and bracingly sharp chronicle of his quest to unearth our ugly truths. Through stark observations and visceral experiences, Bowden presents a dizzying excavation of the systemic violence and corruption at the roots of American society. Bowden visits dying friends in skid row apartments in Los Angeles, traverses San Francisco byways lined with clubs and joints, and roams through village bars and streets in the Sierra Madre mountains. In these wanderings resides a yearning for the understanding of past and present sins, the human penchant for warfare, abuse, and oppression, and the true war between humanity, the industrialized world, and the immense tolls of our shared land.
Blood Ties: A Story of Falconry and Fatherhood
by Ben CraneRaised in rural England before the rise of the internet, Ben Crane grew up in the company of wild things, with hawks and other birds of prey alive in his mind—and woods and fields—as symbols of a kind of self-possessed, solitary power. He spent time with them, knew them, and loved them. But as Crane grew into adulthood, situations that may seem to many of us natural, or even comforting, were challenging: he found it difficult to be around other people and to read social cues, sometimes retreating in fear or lashing out in misunderstanding. Eventually, he was diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum. When Crane became a father, these challenges became unbearable, and he fled to isolation. Hawks brought him back. In this artful and moving memoir, we follow Crane on his remarkable journey of flight and return. Traveling from the United Kingdom to Pakistan, we learn first about the history and practice of falconry, a beautiful and brutal partnership between humans and birds that has persisted for thousands of years. And as Crane’s personal story unfolds, we come to understand how he found solace and insight through his relationships with these animals. “I saw that my feelings toward nature, and birds of prey in particular, ran in parallel with my feelings for my son,” Crane writes. “I worked out that they were, in fact, two sides of the same coin—the deep love of one could, with gentle observation, inform and unlock the deep love for the other. . . . Perhaps this then is the central theme of my story.” Many of us rely upon animal companions to provide a sense of joy, compassion, and empathy. But as Blood Ties teaches us, our relationships with the creatures among us can also transform us, illuminating what it means both to be human and to be part of the greater wild—what it means to be alive.
Blood Weather: Poems
by Alice FrimanBlood Weather, Alice Friman’s sharply etched new collection of poetry, reminds readers that times of reckoning are marked by blood: the knife, the sword, the cutting word. Blood runs through our history, stories, religion, and art, and we cannot help but play our part by adding to the storm of “fang and claw” and its inherent sorrow. Friman traces this unending path through biblical tales, the war of the sexes, the continuum of art, and her own family and personal life. Her poems reflect on figures ranging from Lady Macbeth—whom Friman sees in the blood-red tree outside her bedroom window—to Cain and Abel in the biblical account of the first murder, through Judge Judy’s frustrations when faced with the death of a marriage, to the poet herself as a child learning to read “the ancient writing of the butcher block / streaked with cuts and sacrifice” and the butcher’s hands, “blunt-fingered and stained.” By turns stark and resilient, the poems in Blood Weather draw on tragic themes and painful memories to evoke the tumult of human nature.
Blood Will Out: A Contraband Shore Novel (The Contraband Shore)
by David DonachieThe third volume in The Contraband Shore trilogy.1787: Captain Edward Brazier is wounded and in desperate need of medical attention, but his allies have no idea where he is—although neither do his enemies. With his beloved Betsey facing confinement in an asylum at the behest of her brother, time is running out for both.Can Brazier save Betsey, or are his hopes to be dashed by matters about which he could not have known? The revelations will blow apart the den of criminality in which the smuggling town of Deal, and those who live in it, have existed for too long.
Blood and Earth: Modern Slavery, Ecocide, and the Secret to Saving the World
by Kevin BalesFor readers of such crusading works of nonfiction as Katherine Boo's Beyond the Beautiful Forevers and Tracy Kidder's Mountains Beyond Mountains comes a powerful and captivating examination of two entwined global crises: environmental destruction and human trafficking--and an inspiring, bold plan for how we can solve them. A leading expert on modern-day slavery, Kevin Bales has traveled to some of the world's most dangerous places documenting and battling human trafficking. In the course of his reporting, Bales began to notice a pattern emerging: Where slavery existed, so did massive, unchecked environmental destruction. But why? Bales set off to find the answer in a fascinating and moving journey that took him into the lives of modern-day slaves and along a supply chain that leads directly to the cellphones in our pockets. What he discovered is that even as it destroys individuals, families, and communities, new forms of slavery that proliferate in the world's lawless zones also pose a grave threat to the environment. Simply put, modern-day slavery is destroying the planet. The product of seven years of travel and research, Blood and Earth brings us dramatic stories from the world's most beautiful and tragic places, the environmental and human-rights hotspots where this crisis is concentrated. But it also tells the stories of some of the most common products we all consume--from computers to shrimp to jewelry--whose origins are found in these same places. Blood and Earth calls on us to recognize the grievous harm we have done to one another, put an end to it, and recommit to repairing the world. This is a clear-eyed and inspiring book that suggests how we can begin the work of healing humanity and the planet we share.
Blood and Guile
by William Hoffman[From the front flap:] "From the award-winning author of Tidewater Blood comes a story of lifelong friendships, valor, and betrayal that unfolds with deadly calm. It begins on a hunting trip in the mountains of West Virginia. Walter, Drake, and Cliff have known one another for a lifetime. Blood brothers who have gone their separate ways over the years, they have gathered together again for a weekend of conviviality and the chance to shoot ruffed grouse. During the first morning in the woods, they are confronted with a tragedy. The fourth member of the hunting group--an invited newcomer--is shot and killed by Cliff. This seemingly accidental death is a problem for the local sheriff, and Cliff is called back to the mountains. His story doesn't fit the facts. Determined to help him, and standing in as Cliff's lawyer, Walter finds himself drawn into the investigation, even as he struggles to comprehend the changes in his friends. As the authorities build their case, Walter can no longer deny that all is not what it seems, and his trust in his friends slowly erodes. They have secrets they will not share--secrets that will ultimately tear their friendships apart and set them on a course to disaster. Evocative and suspenseful, Blood and Guile builds with a subtle force to expose the deepest desires buried in the hearts of men."
Blood of the Tiger
by J. A. MillsBlood of the Tiger takes readers on a wild ride to save one of the world's rarest animals from a band of Chinese billionaires. Many people think wild tigers are on the road to recovery, but they are in greater danger than ever--from a menace few experts saw coming. There may be only three thousand wild tigers left in the entire world. More shocking is the fact that twice that many--some six thousand--have been bred on farms, not for traditional medicine but to supply a luxury-goods industry that secretly sells tiger-bone wine, tiger-skin décor, and exotic cuisine enjoyed by China's elite. Two decades ago, international wildlife investigator J. A. Mills went undercover to expose bear farming in China and discovered the plot to turn tigers into nothing more than livestock. Thus begins the story of a personal crusade in which Mills mobilizes international forces to awaken the world to a conspiracy so pervasive that it threatens every last tiger in the wild. In this memoir of triumph, heartbreak, and geopolitical intrigue, Mills and a host of heroic comrades try to thwart a Chinese cadre's plan to launch billion-dollar industries banking on the extinction of not just wild tigers but also elephants and rhinos. Her journey takes her across Asia, into the jungles of India and Nepal, to Russia and Africa, traveling by means from elephant back to presidential motorcade, in the company of man-eaters, movie stars, and world leaders. She finds reason for hope in the increasing number of Chinese who do not want the blood of the last wild tigers to stain their beloved culture and motherland. Set against the backdrop of China's ascendance to world dominance, Blood of the Tiger tells of a global fight to rein in the forces of greed on behalf of one of the world's most treasured and endangered animals. From the Hardcover edition.
Blood! Not Just a Vampire Drink
by Stacy McAnultyFrom Stacy McAnulty, author of the entertaining and informative STEM picture book series Our universe, which includes Earth! My First 4.54 Billion Years, and Mars! Earthlings Welcome, comes an exciting picture book series focused on the science of the body. First up was Brains! Not Just a Zombie Snack, and now we have Blood! Not Just a Vampire Drink, with illustrations by Shawna J. C. Tenney, author-illustrator of Pirates Don't Dance!Welcome to I Don’t Vant to Suck Your Blood Smoothie Shop, where all products are 100% blood-free!That’s good news for humans, but bad news for a thirsty vampire who just wants a pint of O-positive. With a little help from a friend, he’ll realize that blood isn’t a beverage. Humans need it! Blood delivers oxygen and nutrients, helps fight off infections, and so much more. So grab Blood! Not Just a Vampire Drink and a pineapple-spinach smoothie, and find out why blood is such a fabulous fluid.
Bloom-Again Orchids: 50 Easy-Care Orchids that Flower Again and Again and Again
by JudywhiteOrchids have a reputation as the divas of the plant world: fussy, difficult-to-grow plants that—on top of all that—are prohibitively expensive. But there are plenty of orchids that anyone can grow. Orchids are no more difficult than familiar houseplants such as the African violet, and can be made to thrive and bloom in average indoor conditions. You just need to know what makes them happy.Bloom-Again Orchids highlights the easiest, most fuss free varieties and includes invaluable tips on where to buy orchids and how to keep them in bloom. Each of the fifty profiles focuses on a commonly available orchid variety and includes a description, photograph, chart of basic growing requirements, and a handy twelve-point checklist.
Bloom: A Novel (The Bloom Trilogy)
by Kenneth OppelThe first book in bestselling author Kenneth Oppel’s explosive new trilogyIt was just rain.But after the downpour, odd black plants begin to shoot up.Suddenly—They. Are. Everywhere.They take over fields and twine around houses. They bloom and throw off toxic pollen—and feed.Strangely, three Salt Spring Island teens seem immune. Anaya, Petra and Seth. What’s their connection? What’s their secret? A week ago, they wouldn’t have thought they had one. But they’d better figure it out fast—the invasion has already begun.