Bücher veröffentlicht von Pathfinder Books

Retire to Adventure!, first published in 1962, is the lively account by Harrison and Shirley Karr of their travels in the 1950s across Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Traveling first by an early model of teardrop trailer, then a larger Airstream, the author recounts their experiences with the aim of helping others achieve a satisfying retirement, rich in experiences and memories. Illustrated with 16 pages of photographs.From the Foreword: "Since I retired in 1954 my wife Shirley and I have spent a major part of the time traveling the highways and byways of the United States, Canada, and Mexico in a travel trailer. Always we have been searching for adventure - adventure suitable to our years and physical capacities. Other adventurers no doubt have faced greater hardships and dangers, and have performed more feats of daring. But not one of them, I feel sure, has derived more downright fun from searching for and finding lively adventure. The following pages recount some of the outstanding events in our eight years of carefree wandering. If this book succeeds in making some small contribution to the literature on adventure, the contribution will be this: it suggests a mode of adventuring that is available to almost any retired person of reasonably good health and a modicum of financial independence."

Hill Towns of Italy, first published in 1963, is a close look at a number of Italy's picturesque hill towns and villages. More than just a travel guide, author Lucy Notestein discusses each region's art, architecture, history, culture, cuisine, and more. Indexed, and illustrated throughout by pen-and-ink sketches. From the Preface: "The essence of travel is discovery. It is a personal adventure in curiosity. This book is but an introduction to Italian hill towns. There are hundreds of other hill towns worth exploring, and it is my hope that the reader of this book will be inspired to set out for himself to see what is on many a hilltop and on the other side, in the Pistoian Alps, for instance, or to the east of Florence by Poppi, in much of the Marches, in the Abruzzi, in Latium, in Calabria, Apulia, and Sicily. Italy is inexhaustible. There are ancient peoples with whom to get acquainted, personages of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, painting, sculpture, architecture, regional customs, and always views."

The Autobiography of Upton Sinclair, first published in 1962, is the author's recounting and examination of his life and large body of published works. Beginning with his his childhood in Baltimore, Sinclair describes his struggles with his alcoholic father, his long-term estrangement from his mother, his education, and the start of his writing career. He has success writing short stories and magazine articles, and achieves prominence with the publication of The Jungle in 1906, his exposé of the Chicago meat-packing industry. Many of his books likewise reflected his deep sense of social justice. Sinclair also ran unsuccessfully for Congress as a Socialist, and was the Democratic Party nominee for Governor of California in 1934, though his highly progressive campaign was defeated. Sinclair would go on to write nearly 100 books and plays until his death in New Jersey in 1968. Included are 8 pages of illustrations.

The King was first published in 1961, shortly after the death of Hollywood legend Clark Gable in 1960. The book traces Gable's life from its humble, hard-scrabble beginnings in Ohio, to his hard-work and determined efforts to achieve success on Broadway, to his meteoric rise to stardom in Hollywood, his time spent in the Army Air Force in Europe, and his many loves, including Carole Lombard who was tragically killed in an airplane crash in 1942. The King paints an intimate, contemporary portrait of Clark Gable the man, both on and off camera, and ends with Gable's work on his last film, The Misfits, and his subsequent decline in health and his death on November 16, 1960, at age 59.

Handbook of Gem Identification, first published in 1947 and extensively revised over the years, is an authoritative look at the methods used to identify both common and rare gemstones. This reprint of the 6th edition, published in 1962, updates the original work and incorporates much new information. As the author states: "Although many books have been written describing gemstones and their occurrence, there is a need for books which give both the jeweler and the layman with limited equipment an outline for making the simple and often conclusive tests that identify gems. If properly used this handbook will help to fill that need."From the Foreword to the first edition: Today jewelers and the general public are better informed concerning gems than ever before. In the United States, this is due in large measure to the wide dissemination of gemological information during the last quarter of a century through the publication of authoritative texts on gems, the formation of many mineralogical clubs, and especially through the activities of the Gemological Institute of America, founded in 1931, and of the American Gem Society, organized in 1934. For some time, however, it has been recognized that there is need for a manual describing in detail the various methods and procedures to be followed in the identification of gems. This need is now being supplied by Richard T. Liddicoat's Handbook of Gem Identification.By his excellent scientific training and his extensive experience at the Gemological Institute of America, Mr. Liddicoat is well qualified to author an authoritative handbook. Moreover, he has had the benefit of the counsel and advice of Director Robert M. Shipley and others at the Institute.In the opening chapters, the essentials concerning the important properties of gemstones are described in a lucid manner. Manufactured stones and the instruments used for testing are discussed in several chapters. The main portion of the book is devoted to the tests and procedures to be followed in the identification of gemstones, which are grouped according to As the tests and procedures are outlined in great detail, there should be no difficulty whatever in following them. The book also includes useful tables of properties, a glossary, and various flow charts.This handbook should prove to be very helpful in the making of accurate determinations of gemstones. It is a valuable addition to gemological literature, and will be welcomed by dealers in, and lovers of, gems.

By Sled Dog For Byrd, first published in 1931, is an exciting account of the Byrd Antarctic Expedition of 1928-30. Author John O'Brien was a member of the geological party led by Laurence Gould, and took part in a grueling 1,600 mile dog-sled journey across the Antarctic ice. Included are 16 pages of photographs and maps.

The Long Rescue, first published in 1960, is the dramatic story of the ill-fated Greely Expedition launched in 1879 as a scientific study the Arctic region. Of the original complement of 25 men, only 6 would survive to reach the U.S. following their rescue in June 1884. Included are 18 pages of maps and photographs.From the dust jacket: "We'll leave at two P.M.," Lieutenant Greely announced. It was 10 a.m., August 9, 1883. The commander of the Lady Franklin Bay Expedition had concluded he could not wait another day in hope of the relief ship's reaching his little band of men in the Far North. Summer was passing. New ice might close the harbor and trap them. They had to leave and leave quickly.This was the beginning of the retreat of the Lady Franklin Bay Expedition-twenty-five men under the command of Lieutenant Adolphus A. Greely, who had been sent by the United States in 1879 to study the Arctic phenomena. From a scientific standpoint, their expedition had been successful, but before their mission was over, disaster was to strike again and again.The Long Rescue tells the terrible, suspenseful drama of the heroic attempt of Greely and his men to escape from the treacherous North. Fighting not only against the unpredictable forces of the Arctic, where a sudden shift in wind could take them miles off their course or move a gigantic ice floe in their path, but against time-for Greely knew that a few hours' delay could destroy any chance of reaching the relief ship-the expedition had to meet and conquer elements of nature unknown to most men. But the sinister Arctic was to strike a deathblow to their hopes of reaching the rescue ship on time, and they were to find themselves a prisoner of the North for a third long winter.The story of the desperate fight for survival of the Greely expedition is an adventure story of almost unbearable dramatic suspense. It is also an epic of the courage and leadership of the men responsible for this heroic task-many of whom gave their lives for the winning of the Farthest North.

Antarctic Night: One Man's Story of 28,224 Hours at the Bottom of the World, first published in 1957, is author Jack Bursey's account of his lengthy experiences in the Antarctic. Bursey (1903-1980), accompanied Commander Richard E. Byrd to Antarctica in 1927 and 1939. On his second expedition, Bursey would make one of the longest dog-sled journeys ever recorded - over 1,200 miles in 83 days. In World War II, Bursey served as an officer in the U.S. Coast Guard in the Philippines before returning to the region in 1955. Antarctic Night is a fascinating look at the early days of Antarctic exploration, the establishment of the Little America bases, the use of dog-teams and sno-cats for transportation, the living conditions of the men, and their struggle with the cold and long periods of winter darkness. Included are 17 pages of illustrations.

A Good Fight, first published in 1960, is the story of Franklin D. Roosevelt from the onset of his polio at Campobello, New Brunswick, to his death at Warm Springs, Georgia, on April 12, 1945. Author Jean Gould's contention is that difficult as were his political battles, so much more arduous were his victories over his physical impediments. Here, in a view rarely given of F.D.R., is a moving account of his struggles and the agonizing exercises he endured which allowed him to function effectively on the campaign trail, in office, and in the critical years of the Great Depression and the Second World War.

Abandoned, first published in 1961, is the riveting story of the ill-fated Greely Arctic Expedition. Launched in 1881 as part of the International Polar Year, the U.S. stationed a party of twenty-five men on what is today called Ellesmere Island off the northwest coast of Greenland. The volunteer crew was made up of 3 Army officers, 19 enlisted men, a civilian surgeon, and 2 Eskimo hunters. The commander of the group was thirty-seven-year-old Signal Corps Lieutenant Adolphus Washington Greely. During their first year on the ice, members of the expedition went farther toward the North Pole than anyone had gone before and collected a body of invaluable scientific data. The first supply ship sent to the men in the summer of 1882 was forced to turn back, and the men passed their second winter in isolation at their frigid base-camp. Personality clashes developed and grew steadily more intense. The second relief ship, sent in 1883, was crushed in the ice. Greely led his men south according to a prearranged plan, and they spent their third ice-bound winter encamped at Camp Sabine. Supplies ran out, the hunting failed, and the men began to die of starvation. In Washington an amazing controversy grew out of the failure of the rescue expeditions. Congress was reluctant to launch another attempt, but at last, largely because of the heroic efforts of Greely's wife, Henrietta, the Navy was authorized to go in search of survivors. In the summer of 1884 the 6 survivors of the Greely expedition were safely returned home. The excitement which their rescue generated soon turned into a national scandal when rumors of cannibalism were supported by forensic evidence. Abandoned remains the most complete and authentic account of the Greely Expedition ever published. Included are 15 pages of maps and photographs.

Treasure Express, first published in 1938, is an exciting account of the heady early days of the Wells Fargo offices and its paddlewheel, stagecoach, and express services. The book chronicles the story of Henry Wells (1805-78) and William Fargo (1818-81) who incorporated Wells, Fargo & Company in California in 1852, providing express services from the gold fields to financial centers of the East. The life-or-death struggles of the drivers and guards against bandits and outlaws as they fought to build a viable transportation and delivery network. Detailed too, are some of the most infamous robberies and attacks (and attackers) on the intrepid drivers. Indexed and illustrated throughout with photographs.

Camps and Cottages: How to Build Them, first published in 1939 (and revised in 1946), is an inspirational, classic treatise on the planning, building, and furnishing of a small rustic dwelling. Complete with a number of the author's house plans, and illustrated with numerous diagrams, the book remains relevant today for anyone of any skill level contemplating building his or her own small home or vacation get-away, using only simple tools and inexpensive local materials. Some of the topics discussed include selecting the perfect site, materials, tools, site preparation and building layout, framing, exterior and interior trim, doors and windows, roofing, chimneys, paints and finishes, and water supply and utilities.

Northwest of the World, first published in 1944, is the memoir of American explorer and fur-trader Olaf Swenson (1883-1938). The book chronicles his long career in Alaska and Siberia, and provides a fascinating look into the native culture of northeastern Siberia, as well as the difficulties - extreme cold, ships frozen in ice, nearly impossible travel conditions, and Soviet officials -- faced by Swenson and his crews. Illustrated with 8 pages of photographs.About the Author: Born and raised in Michigan, Swenson first reached the far north as a Nome prospector in 1901. The next year he signed on for a prospecting venture in Siberia, spending two summers and one winter on the Chukchi Peninsula. He returned to Siberia in 1905, this time with his wife and their infant son. His introduction to trading came when their ship was wrecked and he contracted to salvage cargo on a share basis. He continued to trade at Anadyr until 1911. In 1913, Swenson and C.L. Hibbard of Seattle formed the Hibbard-Swenson Company which operated trading schooners and steamers on the Siberian coast, buying furs and ivory and trading a variety of general merchandise until 1921. Swenson continued this business as Olaf Swenson & Co. until 1923 when the Bolshevik victory led to seizure of his business. Two years of negotiations led to a contract with the Soviet government to supply goods on a cost-plus basis and buy furs. This arrangement persisted through 1930. The difficulties of getting furs and personnel out of the Siberian Arctic led to the first commercial flights across the Bering Strait. The fourth such flight crashed in a Siberian winter storm, killing aviation pioneer Carl Ben Eielson and his mechanic in 1929. Swenson's Northwest of the World contains observations on commerce, conditions, and native life in northeast Siberia and has long been praised for vivid description of life in this harsh region.

Penguin Summer, first published in 1960, recounts the husband and wife expedition to the Falkland Islands in the 1950s to study the penguins and other birds found on these harsh, isolated islands in the south Atlantic. In addition to a description of the birds and their habits, author Eleanor Pettingill describes her and spouse Sewall Pettingill's adventures on the islands and the life of the hardy islanders, all told in an engaging, likable style. Included are 54 pages of maps and photographs.

Karamojo Safari, first published in 1949, is a classic story of elephant hunting, safaris, native life, and the wilds of Uganda and Kenya in the late 1800s, at a time when the region (then known as "Karamojo") was completely unknown to the outside world. Walter Bell (1880-1954), a Scottish adventurer, traveled the area for 14 months, during which time he hunted and killed 180 elephants, and recovered a staggering total of more than 9 tons of ivory.Famous for being one of the most successful ivory hunters of his time, Bell was an advocate of the importance of shooting accuracy and shot placement with smaller caliber rifles versus the use of heavy large-bore rifles for big African game. He improved his shooting skills by careful dissection and study of the anatomy of the skulls of the elephants he shot, and perfected the clean shooting of elephants from the difficult position of being diagonally behind the target; this shot became known as the "Bell Shot".

Jungle Wife, first published in 1949, is the heart-warming story of a Philadelphia woman who married professional hunter and sportsman, Sasha Siemel (1890-1970), and raised a family in the wilds of the Brazilian state Mato Grosso. Sasha met his future wife, Edith Bray Siemel (1919-2012), in Philadelphia while on a lecture tour, and moved together to Brazil where they raised their three young children. The family's life, many adventures, and encounters with wildlife and native tribes are described in the book. Later, the couple returned to the U.S. and settled on a farm in southeastern Pennsylvania. Included are 2 maps and 8 pages of photographs.

Fever, Famine and Gold, first published in 1938, is the exciting account of the search for Incan treasure in the jungles and mountains of the Amazon basin and Andes of Ecuador. With the backing of financiers in New York, Loch assembled his expedition and spent two years searching for the fabled Valverde treasure. Along the way, the explorers collected valuable specimens of birds and mammals, and information about the remote native tribes they encountered. Returning home after failing to find the treasure, Loch is reported to have drunk a bottle of whiskey and shot himself with his army revolver. Author and Scotsman Captain E. Erskine Loch (1891-1944) was a veteran of the Uganda Highlanders and an officer in the British Army who fought in India and Africa. Included are 17 pages of maps and illustrations.

Cynthia Ann Parker, first published in 1959, is a fascinating account of the life of a girl of European descent, who at the age of about ten, was captured (along with her brother) in Texas by raiding Comanche. Cynthia would then grow up with her captors and live among the Comanche for the next 24 years. Parker was recaptured during the Battle of Pease River in 1860 and would spend the remaining 11 years with various members of her birth family. During her time with the Comanche, she married Peta Nocona, a chieftain, and had three children with him, including Quanah Parker, the last free Comanche chief. Cynthia Ann Parker never adjusted to the ways of the white man, and made at least one attempt to escape and return to her tribe. Included are 13 pages of photographs and a number of pen and ink drawings.

COLD: The Record of an Antarctic Sledge Journey, first published in 1931, is the account of the Byrd Antarctic Expedition by its second in command, Laurence Gould. The book documents life at the "Little America" base station and provides a lively account of the group's five-person, 1500 mile dog-sled journey across Antarctica. COLD, filled with details of cold-weather equipment and survival, cooking and food needs, the Antarctic landscape, their hardy dogs, and more, remains a classic in the field of Antarctic literature. Included are 37 pages of photographs and maps.

Bright with Silver, first published in 1947, is the fascinating story of the Fromm brothers of Wisconsin and their rise to become one of the world's largest silver fox ranches (raised for its beautiful pelt) and growers of the medicinal herb ginseng. The book recounts their struggles, successes and failures, and their important scientific discoveries, such as the canine distemper vaccine. Included are 32 pages of photographs.

City of the Bees, first published in 1947, is a lyrical account of one year in the life of a wild bee colony: the dangers faced - from badgers, wasps, moths, robber bees, mice, and woodpeckers - as the colony moves to a new location, the quiet period of winter, followed by rebirth in the spring, and the death of the queen. Also portrayed are the various roles performed by members of the colony: farmers, nurses, sentries, drones, caregivers for the young, and the queen bee herself.

Clear the Tracks!, first published in 1943, recounts Joseph Bromley's career as a locomotive engineer on the Lackawanna Railway in New York. Beginning as a teenager as a callboy, by age 17 Bromley was aboard the engine, throwing wood pieces into one of the last of the old wood-burning models. At 20 he was promoted to the right-hand side of the cab, becoming the youngest engineer with the line. His entertaining reminiscences describe the more relaxed freight schedules of the day, when the crew could stop on a siding for several hours of fishing or to visit family and friends. Illustrated with line drawings.

My Life of High Adventure, first published in 1962, is the autobiography of Grant Pearson, park ranger and later superintendent of Mount McKinley National Park (now Denali National Park and Preserve). He began work at the Park in February 1926 and retired as superintendent in November 1956, and also was an elected Alaska state representative. My Life of High Adventure describes the early days of the Park, his ascent of Denali in 1932, sled-dog teams and Park patrols, recovery of climbers who perished in their ascent attempts, and accounts of its diverse wildlife. An Appendix describes climbs (and attempted climbs) of the peak from 1909 to 1961. Includes 16 pages of b/w photos and two maps.

New Green World, first published in 1954, is a fascinating look at the life of American naturalist John Bartram (1699-1777) and his explorations across the newly formed United States. At his home near Philadelphia, he established America's first botanical garden, which exists to the present day. The book details his travels and interactions with prominent figures of his day, and his many discoveries and collections of plants unique to the Americas.Author's note from the first edition dust-jacket:I began to be interested in the Bartrams, father and son, because of a flower in my Pennsylvania garden but I stayed with them through New Green World because they were so alive, though long dead. Living for more than themselves, they were unafraid of new horizons and so their story breaks through parochial notions of our historical past to reach around the world. Long neglected, the Bartrams broke ground for Audubon, Thoreau and many others. The plants they rescued from the wilderness survive; the vitality of their search speaks to us today.

Farming with Nature, originally published in 1954, is a classic introduction to organic agriculture and the importance of soil-building and healthy soil. From the foreword: Few words in any civilized language are used less correctly than is the word nature. We are exalted by the beauties of earth and sky-a crimson sunset, a flower-decked meadow, the majesty of a snow-capped mountain. The emotionally inclined go into ecstasies over the prismatic colors in a rainbow and sigh romantically over a snowy landscape in the moonlight. And we call these pictures Nature, whereas they are but the manifestations of Nature. Nature is the law back of the manifestations; the principle that maintains rhythm throughout the universe.A fertile soil is Nature in superb manifestation. It is here that the universal rhythm is at its best. Productive land is a living workshop where many agents are on the job preparing ingredients, though inadvertently, to be used by growing plants in building complete foods, not only for themselves but for the animal kingdom as well. As goes this workshop of the soil, so goes humankind on the earth. Indeed, all organic life is completely at the mercy of the processes going on in the soil's workshop. The fact that plants secure the greater portion of their nutrients from the air in no wise lessens the value of the nutrients derived from the soil. Without the latter, there would be no life on the earth as we know it.I like to think of this soil-world as a chain made up of numerous fertility links. Each of these links, operating under the mandates of Nature, performs a series of specific tasks as a part of one harmonious whole. Though some of these fertility links would appear to be more essential than others in supporting organic life on the earth, the fact of the matter is-all are indispensables. From the standpoint of the farmer, though, some of the links that make up this marvelous chain are more vital than others, simply because they are within the farmer's power to control them. That is, through his land operations the farmer can either strengthen his fertility chain or he can wreck it almost completely by means of incorrect tillage practices.Consequently, good farming, whether that be understood as the growing of one plant in a pot or the cultivation of vast acreage, consists largely of maintaining an unbroken, dynamic fertility chain in the land. The wise farmer or gardener will seek to understand each one of those fertility links individually; then he will strive to get the most out of them-without violating the natural laws which rule both him and the land which gives him his food. And this is Farming with Nature.

Open for the Season, first published in 1950, is the entertaining, informative memoir by Karl Abbott of his family's long-time ownership and operation of hotels, inns, and resorts, from New Hampshire, to Boston, South Carolina, and Florida. Beginning with his childhood in his family's New Hampshire resort, The Uplands, Abbott would go on to manage or own popular hotels, inns, and resorts such as the Gasparilla Inn in Boca Grande, Florida, the Sagamore Resort in Lake George, New York, and the Hotel Vendome in Boston. Abbott paints a vivid picture of life at his properties, as well as providing insights into daily management, stories of his guests and workers, and what it took to be successful in the hotel business.

A Time in the Sun, first published in 1962, is a classic, fictional account of the Indian wars in the the Arizona Territory, and told from the point-of-view of both the Apache and the white settlers. Based on the author's extensive research, most of the Apache chiefs and some of the Americans who figure in the book are historical personages. The story centers on a young woman, Anna Stillman, who was on her way to Tucson to marry Lieutenant Linus Degnan, the son of the commandant of the U.S. fort there, when she was captured by an Apache raiding party. It was 1870, and the Apaches were making a fierce last stand against the white men who were driving them from their land. The novel continues with efforts to rescue Anna and the woman's changing feelings towards the Apache over time.

The Tiger Wore Stripes, first published in 1956, is an insightful, down-to-earth look at the career of baseball great Tyrus "Ty" Cobb (1886-1961), who spent 22 seasons with the Detroit Tigers (the last 6 years as the team's player-manager), followed by several seasons with the Philadelphia Athletics. Written by sports writer John McCallum, the book is based on the author's interviews with Cobb as he reflected back on his long and sometimes controversial career. Included are 41 pages of photographs, an appendix of Ty Cobb's career standings, and a comprehensive index.

China Sky, first published in 1941, is a romance by Pearl S. Buck set in war-time China. Dr. Gray Thompson, an American missionary doctor, works alongside Dr. Sara Durand in a hospital he has built in a small Chinese village, as Japanese forces approach. When Gray returns from a visit to America a trip, he shocks Sara (who is in love with him) by introducing his new socialite wife, Louise. In the midst of bombing attacks on the village, Dr. Thompson continues to help the local residents, and especially the insurgent leader Chen-Ta. To protect the hospital, a high-ranking Japanese prisoner gets a message to the Japanese commander which stops the bombing but, eventually, Japanese paratroopers land in the village, and fierce fighting ensues. China Sky was also the subject of a 1945 movie of the same name. Pearl S. Buck (1892-1973) received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1938 and was the author of numerous novels, short-stories and works of non-fiction.

The Dodgers and Me, first published in 1948, is Hall of Fame baseball player and manager Leo "The Lip" Durocher's account of his career with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Beginning with a history of the club and owner Charley Ebbets, to Durocher's arrival from St. Louis in 1938, the book details, in an often humorous manner, the rise of the cellar-dwelling Dodgers to their first pennant in 21 years. Manager Durocher goes on to detail the next five seasons of the team in this fascinating look at the Brooklyn Dodgers and major league baseball. Included are 10 pages of illustrations. Durocher, suspended for a year in a feud with Yankee owner Larry MacPhail, would return to the Dodgers in 1948 but was let go and hired by the rival New York Giants where he stayed until the end of the 1955 season. In 1966, Durocher returned to baseball as manager of the Chicago Cubs (1966-1972), and the Houston Astros (1972-73), before retiring. Durocher passed away in 1991 at the age of 86.