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Aloha Rodeo
Three Hawaiian Cowboys, the World's Greatest Rodeo, and a Hidden History of the American West One of NPR’s 100 Best Books of the Year
2020 Oregon Book Award Winner In August 1908, three unknown riders arrived in Cheyenne, Wyoming, their hats adorned with wildflowers, to compete in the world’s greatest rodeo.
Steer-roping virtuoso Ikua Purdy and his cousins Jack Low and Archie Ka’au’a had travelled 3,000 miles from Hawaii, of all places, to test themselves against the toughest riders in the West. Dismissed by whites, who considered themselves the only true cowboys, the native Hawaiians would astonish the country, returning home champions—and American legends. An inspiring and impeccably crafted story of against-all-odds triumph. |
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Smokejumper
A Memoir by One of America's Most Select Airborne Firefighters 
Jason Ramos, a U.S. Smokejumper in his 16th season, has been fighting fires for nearly 26 years from Alaska to Florida.
Based out of the North Cascades Smokejumper Base in the rugged Cascade Mountains of Washington State, Jason has faced burning buildings, raging wildfires and nearly everything between. Smokejumpers are highly trained wildland firefighters who parachute into remote areas to fight fires at their source, before they grow too large to manage. These elite professionals work independently in some of the most rugged terrain and under the worst conditions imaginable. They remain one of the oldest resources deployed by government agencies today. Jason's story is a thrilling inside look into one of the world's most dangerous and difficult jobs. A fun and valuable read...[a] touching and fast-paced memoir. |
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Crossing the Heart of Africa
An Odyssey of Love and Adventure Journalist Julian Smith is madly in love with his girlfriend of seven years . . . but terrified by the idea of making a lifelong commitment.
Inspired by the story of British adventurer Ewart Grogan, who marched the length of Africa in 1898 to win the hand of the woman he loved, Julian faces down his fears by retracing an incredible 4,500-mile journey from South Africa to Sudan, just months before his own wedding. Crossing the Heart of Africa is the unforgettable account of these twin adventures, beautifully interweaving Julian's contemporary journey with Grogan’s larger-than-life tale of charging elephants, cannibal attacks, deadly jungles and romantic triumph. Both a mission impossible and a mission of love. Awards
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