Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been a ski racer my entire life. I started hiking up mountains as a teenager to get in shape for winter, but I soon found climbing peaks to be as rewarding as skiing down them. When I stand on top of a mountain I feel on top of the world! And I’ve been lucky enough as a travel writer and adventurer to trek in some truly special places, including the Himalayas in Bhutan, the Rainbow Mountains in Peru, and Simien Mountains in Ethiopia, as well as throughout North America. My favorite books are the ones that inspire me to keep exploring.


I wrote

Hiking the Adirondacks: A Guide to the Area's Greatest Hiking Adventures, 3rd Edition

By Lisa Ballard,

Book cover of Hiking the Adirondacks: A Guide to the Area's Greatest Hiking Adventures, 3rd Edition

What is my book about?

Three’s the charm! This is a color, photo-heavy guidebook that has expanded to 50 most beautiful, inspiring mountaintops and backcountry…

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of The Hobbit

Lisa Ballard Why did I love this book?

Talk about an epic adventure, much of it on foot through mountains and forests! And the destination was the Lonely Mountain, similar to several stand-alone peaks in the Adirondack Park.

The Shire, where Bilbo Baggins lives, reminds me of the peaceful fertile countryside between the Adirondacks and Lake Champlain to the east and the St. Lawrence River to the North. The dense, primeval Fangorn Forest and other Elvin woodlands are similar to the endless acres of untouched forest in the Adirondacks.

And the alpine summits atop the High Peaks can be as welcoming or as wild as the mountains in this book. The only things missing are the colorful characters, though there are arguably a few of those, too, namely the people, birds, and the occasional critter you might see along the trail.

By J.R.R. Tolkien,

Why should I read it?

48 authors picked The Hobbit as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Special collector's film tie-in hardback of the best-selling classic, featuring the complete story with a sumptuous cover design inspired by THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY and brand new reproductions of all the drawings and maps by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely travelling further than the pantry of his hobbit-hole in Bag End.

But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard, Gandalf, and a company of thirteen dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an unexpected journey 'there and back again'. They have a plot to raid…


Book cover of The Winter Fortress: The Epic Mission to Sabotage Hitler's Atomic Bomb

Lisa Ballard Why did I love this book?

I’m a skier as well as a hiker. This book appeals to both of these outdoor loves, but it goes much deeper.

This is a true story about a small band of Norwegians who ski and hike across the Norwegian wilderness, and nearly freeze to death and starve doing it. Their mission is to sabotage a remote, heavily guarded power plant, where the Nazis are developing heavy water for a nuclear bomb.

In addition to the perils that nature throws at them, these resourceful members of the local resistance must also evade their Gestapo hunters at every snowdrift. It’s a low-odds, high-risk adventure that altered the outcome of World War II.

It’s also engulfed me like the blizzards of the Norwegian winter and taught me how ingenuity, perseverance, and grit are the keys to survival when the odds are overwhelming.

By Neal Bascomb,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Winter Fortress as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

It's 1942 and the Nazis are racing to build an atomic bomb. They have the physicists, but they don't have enough 'heavy water' - essential for their nuclear designs. For two years, the Nazis have occupied Norway, and with it the Vemork hydroelectric plant, the world's sole supplier of heavy water. Under threat of death, its engineers push production into overtime. For the Allies, Vemork must be destroyed. But how could they reach the plant, high in a mountainous valley? The answer became the most dramatic commando raid of the war: the British SOE brought together a brilliant scientist and…


Book cover of Not Without Peril: 150 Years of Misadventure on the Presidential Range of New Hampshire

Lisa Ballard Why did I love this book?

This book is a collection of true short stories about the misadventures of 22 different climbers on New Hampshire’s iconic Presidential Range, particularly Mount Washington, between 1849 and 1994.

One of my other guidebooks cherry-picks the best routes in New Hampshire, one of my favorite places to stand atop a peak, which is why I first picked up this book. (I went to college in New Hampshire and then lived there for another 20+ years.)

The stories drive home how these exposed summits can surprise even experienced hikers in tragic ways. Nick Howe is a good writer, who has done his research. If you have an interest in climbing mountains or New England history, this is a must-read.

By Nicholas Howe,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Not Without Peril as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Among the most dangerous mountains in the world, Mount Washington has challenged adventurers for centuries with its severe weather. From the days when gentlefolk ascended the heights in hoop skirts and wool suits to today's high-tech assaults on wintry summits, this book offers extensive and intimate profiles of people who found trouble on New Hampshire's Presidential Range, from the nineteenth century through present day. Veteran journalist Nicholas Howe draws on his investigative skills and familiarity with the mountains of his childhood to create this gripping collection. The result is a compelling story about our changing relationship with the mountains we…


Book cover of High Exposure: An Enduring Passion for Everest and Unforgiving Places

Lisa Ballard Why did I love this book?

Mount Everest is arguably the location of the most epic adventures ever.

This is my favorite book about Everest, perhaps because the author, David Breashears, is a friend who shared many Thanksgiving dinners with me during the thick of his climbing and high-altitude film career. He is most well-known for producing the popular IMAX film, Everest.

This is Breashear’s autobiography. It includes his perspective on the 1996 Everest tragedy, which he not only miraculously survived but also saved the lives of other climbers. I also enjoyed the book, Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer, which is about that same Everest episode and had much broader commercial success. Krakauer wrote the forward to this book.

However, I found this book one to be more personal, more revealing. After reading it, you’ll admire Breashears as much as Krakauer and I do.

By David Breashears,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked High Exposure as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

An IMAX cinematographer and mountaineer describes his participation in an expedition to Everest during the deadly 1996 season, detailing the creation of his IMAX film Everest and the dramatic impact on his life of his experiences in the face of disaster. 100,000 first printing. Tour.


Book cover of Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder

Lisa Ballard Why did I love this book?

This book is not about a specific outdoor adventure, though many outdoor experiences are included in it.

I value this groundbreaking book because it brings to light the need to get children outdoors to have adventures, even small backyard ones. Through numerous studies cited in the book, Louv links the absence of nature in children’s lives to childhood obesity, attention disorders, and depression and explains why. He calls it “Nature-Deficit Disorder” and offers solutions.

The effects of nature, or lack thereof, is true for adults, too, but it’s our children who will become the stewards of our natural world in the future. If they don’t cherish it, they won’t protect it and the chance for outdoor adventures will disappear.

If you are a parent, this book will motivate you take your kids to play in your local park, and then maybe a hike and ultimately a healthier, happier life.

By Richard Louv,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked Last Child in the Woods as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?


 The Book That Launched an International Movement
 
“An absolute must-read for parents.” —The Boston Globe
 
“It rivals Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring.” —The Cincinnati Enquirer
 
“I like to play indoors better ’cause that’s where all the electrical outlets are,” reports a fourth grader. But it’s not only computers, television, and video games that are keeping kids inside. It’s also their parents’ fears of traffic, strangers, Lyme disease, and West Nile virus; their schools’ emphasis on more and more homework; their structured schedules; and their lack of access to natural areas. Local governments, neighborhood associations, and even organizations devoted to the outdoors…


Explore my book 😀

Hiking the Adirondacks: A Guide to the Area's Greatest Hiking Adventures, 3rd Edition

By Lisa Ballard,

Book cover of Hiking the Adirondacks: A Guide to the Area's Greatest Hiking Adventures, 3rd Edition

What is my book about?

Three’s the charm! This is a color, photo-heavy guidebook that has expanded to 50 most beautiful, inspiring mountaintops and backcountry lakes in New York’s Adirondack Park. This 6-million-acre outdoor playground is the size of three Yellowstones. The book brings you on hikes throughout the park, including easy one-milers and up epic 4,000-footers. And if you’re not a hiker, this book is loaded with so much eye candy, it’s perfect for your coffee table.

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The Peace Puppy: A Memoir of Caregiving and Canine Solace

By Susan Hartzler,

Book cover of The Peace Puppy: A Memoir of Caregiving and Canine Solace

Susan Hartzler Author Of The Peace Puppy: A Memoir of Caregiving and Canine Solace

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm an accomplished author, award-winning writer, seasoned blogger, and savvy Public Relations Consultant, but my true passion lies in being a die-hard dog lover. Due to the demands of my current pack of Australian Shepherds, Seven and Paige Turner, I’ve built a rewarding career working from home, writing dog-centric books, blogging for diverse clients, consulting in public relations, and creating dog-friendly travel stories. I also launched the online shop, “Dog Travel Gear,” where I share tips and adventures with fellow dog lovers on the blog, “Paws on the Go.”

Susan's book list on life with dogs

What is my book about?

As one of 67 million Americans who serve as caretakers to their elderly parents, Susan Hartzler cared for her dad for three years, gaining profound insight into Parkinson's disease and the multifaceted challenges of caregiving. Throughout this period, Hartzler's rescue dog, Baldwin, a precious gift from her late mom, provided unwavering support.

This memoir offers a personal roadmap for those facing similar caregiving decisions. Thoughtful, tragic, and funny, it shows that, while demanding, caregiving can be a fulfilling endeavor, especially with a dog by one's side. The author's story will better prepare others in similar situations and encourage them to…

The Peace Puppy: A Memoir of Caregiving and Canine Solace

By Susan Hartzler,

What is this book about?

In a role 67 million Americans face as caretakers to their elderly parents, Susan Hartzler cared for her dad for three years, gaining profound insight into Parkinson's disease and the multifaceted challenges of caregiving. Throughout this challenging period, Hartzler's rescue dog, Baldwin, a precious gift from her late mom, provided unwavering support.

This memoir offers a personal roadmap for those facing similar caregiving decisions. Thoughtful, tragic, and funny, it shows that while demanding, caregiving can be a fulfilling endeavor, especially with a dog by one's side. Hartzler's story will better prepare others in similar situations and encourage them to consider…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in mountaineering, technology, and parenting?

Mountaineering 44 books
Technology 127 books
Parenting 367 books