A Line Above The Sky

Guardian Books to Watch 2022 Evening Standard Books to Watch 2022 Bookseller Editor's Choice Winner of the Boardman Tasker Award for Mountain Literature 'A wonderful book - exhilarating and taut, fearless in its explorations of wildness, risk, motherhood, and the inner and outer worlds of the writer' Jon McGregor 'This book is beautiful' Emma Jane Unsworth 'Climbing gives you the illusion of being in control, just for a while, the tantalising sense of being able to stay one move ahead of death' As a child, Helen Mort was drawn to the thrill and risk of climbing, the tension between human and rockface, and the climber's need to be hyperaware of the sensory world - to feel the texture of rock under their fingers, how their crampons bite into the ice, the subtle shifts in weather. But when she becomes a mother for the first time, she finds herself re-examining this most elemental of disciplines, and the way that we view women who put themselves in danger. Written by one of Britain's most talented young writers, A Line Above the Sky melds memoir and nature writing to create what will surely become a classic of the genre; it asks why humans are compelled to climb and poses other, deeper questions about self, motherhood and freedom. It is a love letter to losing oneself in physicality, whether that in the risk of climbing a granite wall solo, without ropes, or the intensity of bringing a child into the world.

Guardian Books to Watch 2022 Evening Standard Books to Watch 2022 Bookseller Editor's Choice 'A wonderful book - exhilarating and taut, fearless in its explorations of wildness, risk, motherhood, and the inner and outer worlds of the writer' Jon McGregor 'This book is beautiful' Emma Jane Unsworth Climbing gives you the illusion of being in control, just for a while, the tantalising sense of being able to stay one move ahead of death. Helen Mort has always been drawn to the thrill and risk of climbing: the tension between human and rockface, and the climber's powerful connection to the elemental world. But when she becomes a mother for the first time, she finds herself re-examining her relationship with both the natural world and herself, as well as the way the world views women who aren't afraid to take risks. A Line Above the Sky melds memoir and nature writing to ask why humans are drawn to danger, and how we can find freedom in pushing our limits. It is a visceral love letter to losing oneself in physicality, whether climbing a mountain or bringing a child into the world, and an unforgettable celebration of womanhood in all its forms.

"A compelling, well-voiced look at how teenagers deal with tragedy." -- School Library Journal "Powerfully crafted and captivating." --Midwest Book Review From the author of We Speak in Storms comes a compelling mystery about three friends searching for the truth in the aftermath of a plane crash. The morning after their senior year beach party, Izzy, Cass, and Janie are woken by a thundering overhead. Then they and their classmates watch in shock as a plane crashes into the water. When the passengers are finally recovered, they are identified as Izzy's twin brother, Israel, Cass's ex-boyfriend, Shane, and Janie's best friend, Nate. But Izzy can feel when her brother is in pain, and she knows he's not really dead. So she, Cass, and Janie set out to discover what actually happened that day--and why the boys were on the plane. Told in alternating timelines and points of view, this powerful and captivating novel follows the three boys in the weeks leading up to that fateful flight, and the girls they left behind as they try to piece together the truth about the boys they loved and thought they knew. A spellbinding story about the ripple effects of tragedy, the questions we leave unanswered, and the enduring power of friendship. Praise for The Sky Above Us: "Achingly human with hints of magic, this tale of loss in its many forms builds a compelling mystery." --Booklist "Lund proves adept at smoothly navigating a complicated plot, building and holding suspense, and creating easily relatable, multidimensional characters." --Publishers Weekly "A bruising look at loss from many angles." --BCCB "A deftly written and simply spellbinding story about the ripple effects of tragedy, the questions we leave unanswered, and the enduring power of friendship." --Midwest Book Review

"These essays on a woman's wild ride through life give us Marion's bracing tonic–of–truth voice in splendid form—her voice that is always brilliantly funny, intelligent, brave, haunting, and full of surprises, revelations, and wise, wild connections. At this point, I don't think I could live without it. If you don't know her yet, your life is about to get better." —Naomi Shihab Nye Whether she is writing about the vagaries of family vacations on land and sea, about getting her tubes tied and the importance of a woman's right to choose, or her battles with her rebel pyromaniac teenage son, Marion Winik is searingly honest and unfailingly witty in the face of adversity. In this collection of essays, a treat for dedicated fans and new readers alike, Winik explores domesticity, midlife, and aging. A brand new final section brings Above Us Only Sky—originally published in 2005—up to date with essays from her award–winning column in the Baltimore Fishbowl, taking us through experiences with blended families, adult children, and empty nest.

Twelve--year-old Aisulu defies the expectations of her Kazakh family and tradition to train an eagle in order to save her brother, Serik, and prevent her family from giving up their nomadic life forever.

The delightful and often funny poetry of Zen’s quintessential free spirit, Master Ryokan—in a fresh translation by a beloved American Zen figure Ryokan Taigu (1758-1831) was a monk in the Soto lineage of Japanese Zen who spent a good part of his life as a hermit, writing poetry, playing with children, and creating simple and exquisitely beautiful calligraphies—sometimes using twigs as his instrument when he couldn't afford a brush. He was never head of a monastery or temple and as an old man, he fell in love with a young Zen nun who also became his student. His affection for her colors the mature poems of his late period. This loving tribute to the great legendary nonconformist includes more than 140 of his poems, 13 examples of his art, and a selection of laugh-out-loud funny anecdotes about his highly idiosyncratic teaching behavior.

Future events result in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam consolidating into one new religion, with a new all-powerful god, Godyallah. Science, meanwhile, is feverishly attempting to create the world's first genetically re-wired and superior human being. These two opposing forces race toward each other, until finally, the world stands on the brink of annihilation.

Undertake a sacred passage into the temple of nature, guided by meditation master and vision quest leader John P Milton. Since the 1940's, this pioneering spiritual teacher has led over 10,000 vision quests into the wilds of Colorado, the Himalayas, Bali, the Arctic, Mexico, and other sacred sites around the world. Now this pathfinder guides readers back to the wilderness within themselves, to discover how they are connected with the vast and sacred mystery of nature. Highlights include: why meditation in nature is unequaled in its power to transform lives, a full-body meditation for the deepest relaxation of one's life, how nature's healing energy can renew the body, how to clear and open blocked internal pathways to open them to earth's energy, and a 10-minute practice to restore one's internal balance with the natural world.