1. Nonfiction Unit Book Choices

2. A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson Aging travel writer Bill Bryson has lived and hiked all over the world, and written comedic accounts of his exploits In this book, he finally decides to heed the call of the seemingly humble & harmless trail adjacent to his New Hampshire backyard. He reunites with an unlikely travelling companion and sets out to see the storied AT before it is too late

3. You’ll like this book if you: Appreciate a good laugh Are interested in hiking the AT Enjoy “people watching” Don’t mind some potentially hurtful commentary: Bryson tends to attack everyone with his trademark sardonic wit Appreciate the allure of nature and wonder about pushing yourself to try new things

4. Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat Recent biology grad Mowat lands a job with the Canadian Wildlife Service and is assigned his first project He is to head to the Canadian Wilderness and “prove” the department’s suspicion that bloodthirsty wolves are decimating the caribou population Mowat allegedly makes surprising discoveries that challenge the prevailing beliefs of the time

5. You’ll like this book if you: Have a dry sense of humor Can appreciate a good knock on bureaucracy Are interested in biologists who have studied animals by living closely with them (Dian Fossey) Love dogs/wolves/critters

6. Alive by Piers Paul Read In October 1972, a chartered plane with 40 aboard crashed in the Andes mountains Despite devastating loss, life-threatening injuries, inhospitable surroundings and little to no food, crash survivors somehow manage not only to survive, but take their lives into their own hands Find out how 16 make it back to civilization

7. You’ll like this book if you: Appreciate a good survival story Have ever wondered about the limits people will go to to survive in times of extreme hardship Can get into a good moral debate Are into team sports and understand the bond that can form between teammates Are curious about the supernatural, power of mind over matter, religion

8. Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer You could argue that thrill-seeking journalist Krakauer is no stranger to exploiting the suffering of others… No one expected the overwhelming response when he wrote a cover story for Outside magazine in 1993 about a young man whose badly decomposed body was found in an abandoned bus in the Alaskan wild As more and more people came forward with compelling stories about this complicated youth, Krakauer realized there was much more to the story…

9. You’ll like this book if you: Are interested in heeding the call of the wild and ever wondered about trading a life of materialistic comforts for a nomadic lifestyle Have a rebellious streak Don’t mind a journalistic writing style that has a tendency to play with chronology Appreciate a good “mystery” and want to trace the footprints of an eccentric figure

10. Other choices If you read sample excerpts of the four main choices, and are still compelled to read something else, consult with Ms. Litsch or me Some possibilities: – Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer – Miracle in the Andes by Nando Parrado – Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand