The Call Of Sagarmatha

By the author of Pond Puckster! Making diving headers on the soccer field or climbing the toughest walls of rock, Mardi Slote lives life to the fullest. Like her father, she fearlessly "pushes the envelope" in all she does. But when her father announces that he is going to climb the world's tallest mountain, a mountain that has already claimed more than a hundred lives, Mardi is afraid. The Call of Sagarmatha follows David Slote's battle for survival against the elements on Mount Everest, or Sagarmatha, as the native people of Nepal refer to it. Meanwhile, Mardi must come to grips with her anger over that climb, an anger which threatens to destroy her zest for life, and tear her family apart. In a novel which captures the drama of climbing, from the rocky cliffs of New Hampshire to the slopes of Mount Everest, the greatest struggle is in the soul of a twelve year-old girl.

Up in the “Death Zone” of Mt. Everest, world famous freelance photographer Aaron Temple is dying. Paralyzed by altitude sickness, he has been left behind by Dave Horton, leader and financial backer of the 50th anniversary climb of the famed mountain. As the deep sleep of hypothermia edges closer, his unsettled consciousness still ponders the question of why this was happening to him. “Not here,” he whispers as the light begins to fade and the wind whips sheets of cascading snow down upon him. “Not now.” Aaron perishes on the mountain. Back in Orlando, when hotel accountant Hank Longo, Aaron’s best friend, hears the news, it is a crushing loss. The buddy who had been his life sharing, brother-in-arms comrade had died and questions still remain as to how he had succumbed to the harsh elements when everyone else managed to get off the mountain. Hank dreams about Aaron lying half buried in the snow with an arm outstretched and frostbitten fingers reaching for a handhold. When he meets Umesh Bhuju, a former Sherpa climber, he is told that the dreams will continue as long as Aaron’s body remains on Everest and his spirit trespasses with the deities that protect the mountain. Hank concludes he cannot leave his friend where he is. In spite of his lack of climbing skill, the power of loyalty compels Hank to travel to the Himalayas in order to find his friend and bring him home. With an amazing assembled crew of men & women, he journeys to retrace the same steps Aaron had taken, hoping that the answer as to why his friend had died lies somewhere between Katmandu and the 29,000 foot summit of Everest. Bringing back Aaron from the highest point on Earth will be the greatest challenge of his life. The road he is about to take, “The Road to Sagarmatha,” is the only one that can once again make him whole.

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From the author of Pond Puckster and Baseball Sleuth! More than anything, eight-year-old Jimmy Jarvis wants a baseball autographed by his favorite major league player, and he is willing to do almost anything to get it. Jimmy has another wish, too. After living in six different foster homes in six years, Jimmy wants a family that will be his forever. But will he risk a chance at a real home for the ball of his dreams?

The journey up Mount Everest is never easy. Climbers risk their lives as they struggle around jagged towers of ice, over snow-covered boulders, and across gaping crevasses. Pete Athans knows these dangers well. He has climbed Mount Everest fourteen times and reached the summit seven times. What is it like to climb the highest mountain on Earth? In this book, you'll follow Pete to the top—and learn about his adventures along the way.

“When the Spirit of Adventure Calls to our Heart, we must go.” This quote, written in memory of Mark Auricht who died on Mt Everest in 2001, reminds us of our enduring connection with nature and the magnetic attraction of adventure. It not only enlivens our soul, but also has the power to draw from within us, a strength, courage, resilience and passion that for some lies dormant until awakened. Beyond the story of triumph and tragedy in the Himalayan landscape, this book is also about the journey that takes place within us, when we explore the limits of our self-imposed boundaries to find the hidden treasures of our heart. As the world enters a time of unprecedented change, we must evolve new ways of thinking, living, learning and leading that will help us to navigate the challenging terrain of this new frontier. May this heart-felt tribute to the enduring spirit of Mark Auricht, serve as an inspiration and a compass for future leaders, adventurous souls and explorers of human potential.

Due to financial difficulties, ten-year-old Jason Quinn and his mother move to rural Maine, where he learns more about his Acadian roots, life, and hockey than he had ever dreamed.