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Explore granite domes, thundering waterfalls, and towering trees: Moon Yosemite, Sequoia & Kings Canyon reveals the best of these stunning national parks. Inside you'll find:Flexible Itineraries: Unique and adventure-packed ideas for day hikers, winter visitors, families with kids, campers, and more The Best Hikes in Each Park: Detailed hike descriptions, individual trail maps, mileage and elevation gains, and backpacking options Experience the Outdoors: Ride the open-air tram through Yosemite Valley or hike downhill from Glacier Point past roaring waterfalls. Drive the legendary Generals Highway or take a scenic bike ride to pristine lakes (and yes, more waterfalls!). Go for a horse-drawn wagon ride on a history tour or take a rock-climbing lesson. Walk among the goliaths of Sequoia's Giant Forest and stop at a historic lodge for dinner and a well-deserved drink How to Get There: Up-to-date information on traveling between the parks, gateway towns, park entrances, park fees, and tours Where to Stay: From campgrounds and rustic lodges to the majestic Ahwahnee, find the best spots to kick back, both inside and outside the parks Planning Tips: When to go, what to pack, safety information, and how to avoid the crowds, with full-color photos and easy-to-use maps throughout Expertise and Know-How from seasoned explorer and outdoor expert Ann Marie Brown Find your adventure in Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon national parks with Moon. Visiting more of North America's incredible national parks? Try Moon USA National Parks or Moon Death Valley National Park. Hitting the road? Try Moon Northern California Road Trips.About Moon Travel Guides: Moon was founded in 1973 to empower independent, active, and conscious travel. We prioritize local businesses, outdoor recreation, and traveling strategically and sustainably. Moon Travel Guides are written by local, expert authors with great stories to tell—and they can't wait to share their favorite places with you.

Pack a lunch, lace up your boots, and head out to discover the rugged coastline, towering redwoods and best hiking trails in NorCal with Moon Northern California Hiking. Inside you'll find:Diverse Hiking Options: Whether you plan to take leisurely seaside walks or challenging journeys around the Sierras, enjoy outdoor getaways ranging from easy day hikes to multi-day backpacking trips Find Your Hike: Looking for something specific? Choose from strategic lists of the best hikes for breathtaking waterfalls, spring wildflowers, or hiking with your dog, plus a breakdown of the best hikes by season The Top Outdoor Experiences: Wander the terraces of the Ecological Staircase in Mendocino, hike up granite domes and through the high meadows of Yosemite. Hear the waves crash as you walk to a majestic tide fall in Point Reyes National Seashore. Conquer the summit of Lassen Peak, roam through vineyard-covered hills in Napa and Sonoma or look out upon Lake Tahoe's crystal waters. Nearby Fun: Relax post-hike at a local brewery, savor a plate of fresh oysters or stargaze before bed at a nearby campground Essential Planning Details: Each hike is described in detail and marked with round-trip distance and hiking time, difficulty, terrain type, elevation gain, and access points Maps and Directions: Find easy-to-use maps, driving directions to each trailhead, and details on where to park Expert Advice: Longtime hikers Ann Marie Brown and Felicia Kemp shares their local secrets, unique tips, and honest opinions of each trail Tips and Tools: Advice on gear, first aid, and camping permits, plus background information on climate, landscape, and wildlife Whether you're a veteran or a first-time hiker, Moon's comprehensive coverage and local expertise will have you gearing up for your next adventure.About Moon Travel Guides: Moon was founded in 1973 to empower independent, active, and conscious travel. We prioritize local businesses, outdoor recreation, and traveling strategically and sustainably. Moon Travel Guides are written by local, expert authors with great stories to tell—and they can't wait to share their favorite places with you. Hitting the road? Check out Moon Northern California Road Trips!

Whether you're visiting the park for a day hike or spending a long weekend under the stars, escape to the great outdoors with Moon Best of Yosemite. Inside you'll find:Easy itineraries for one to three days in Yosemite National Park, from a morning drive along the Tioga Pass Road, to a day hike along the Panorama Trail, to a full weekend exploring the park The top hikes in Yosemite: Whether you're looking to stretch your legs for a couple hours or challenge yourself to an epic trek, you'll find trailheads, detailed trail descriptions, individual maps, mileage, and elevation gains Can't-miss experiences: Make it the perfect getaway for you with the best waterfalls, views, picnic spots, and more. Ride the open-air tram through Yosemite Valley or hike downhill from Glacier Point past roaring waterfalls. Admire the towering trees in the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, or spot black bears and bighorn sheep Stunning full-color photos and detailed maps throughout, plus a full-color foldout mapEssential planning tips: Find out when to go, where to stay, and what to pack, plus up-to-date information on entrance fees, reservations, and safety advice Know-how from outdoorswoman and Yosemite expert Ann Marie BrownMake the most of your adventure with Moon Best of Yosemite. Spending more time in the park or expanding your trip? Try Moon Yosemite, Sequoia & Kings Canyon. Visiting more of North America's incredible national parks? Try Moon USA National Parks.About Moon Travel Guides: Moon was founded in 1973 to empower independent, active, and conscious travel. We prioritize local businesses, outdoor recreation, and traveling strategically and sustainably. Moon Travel Guides are written by local, expert authors with great stories to tell—and they can't wait to share their favorite places with you. For more inspiration, follow @moonguides on social media.

In exploring how Icelanders interact with nature—and their idea that elves live among us—Nancy Marie Brown shows us how altering our perceptions of the environment can be a crucial first step toward saving it.Icelanders believe in elves. Why does that make you laugh?, asks Nancy Marie Brown in this wonderfully quirky exploration of our interaction with nature. Looking for answers in history, science, religion, and art—from ancient times to today—Brown finds that each discipline defines what is real and unreal, natural and supernatural, demonstrated and theoretical, alive and inert. Each has its own way of perceiving and valuing the world around us. And each discipline can be defined, in the Icelandic perception, by its own sort of elf. Illuminated by her own encounters with Iceland's Otherworld—in ancient lava fields, on a holy mountain, beside a glacier or an erupting volcano, crossing the cold desert at the island's heart on horseback—Looking for the Hidden Folk offers an intimate conversation about how we look at and find value in nature. It reveals how the words we use and the stories we tell shape the world we see. It argues that our beliefs about the Earth will preserve—or destroy it. Scientists name our time the Anthropocene: the Human Age. Climate change will lead to the mass extinction of numerous animal species unless we humans change our course. Iceland suggests a different way of thinking about the Earth, one that offers hope. Icelanders believe in elves— and you should, too.

Con excesiva frecuencia, las experiencias de las personas consideradas «locas», en particular las mujeres, han sido colonizadas o explicadas por otros, ya sea por la teoría o por la ciencia. Aquello que constituye el «saber» o la «verdad» está dictado por quienes poseen poder institucional. De allí que en este libro se busque desestabilizar adrede los textos académicos tradicionales de un modo que honre las experiencias femeninas, subjetivas y marginadas, de lo que, comúnmente, recibe el nombre de «psicosis». La obra se divide en cuatro partes: «Las mujeres y la psicosis en el arte y la cultura»; «Las mujeres, la psicosis y el cuerpo»; «Las mujeres, la psicosis y la espiritualidad» y «Perspectivas psiquiátricas sobre las mujeres y la psicosis». Dentro de cada sección, se incluyen diversos enfoques epistemológicos. Algunos capítulos son teóricos mientras que otros son científicos, históricos o narran experiencias en primera persona. En este recorrido se busca comprender no solo la interacción de dos identidades marginadas, aquellas consideradas «psicóticas» y las mujeres, sino también luchar contra esta doble marginación y sus raíces discriminatorias. La originalidad de este libro radica en su enfoque multidisciplinario, tanto en el contenido como en la forma.

Whether you're visiting the park for a day hike or spending a long weekend under the stars, escape to the great outdoors with Moon Best of Yosemite. Inside you'll find:Easy itineraries for one to three days in Yosemite National Park, from a morning drive along the Tioga Pass Road, to a day hike along the Panorama Trail, to a full weekend exploring the parkThe top hikes in Yosemite: Whether you're looking to stretch your legs for a couple hours or challenge yourself to an epic trek, you'll find trailheads, detailed trail descriptions, individual maps, mileage, and elevation gainsCan't-miss experiences: Make it the perfect getaway for you with the best waterfalls, views, picnic spots, and more. Ride the open-air tram through Yosemite Valley or hike downhill from Glacier Point past roaring waterfalls. Admire the towering trees in the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, or spot black bears and bighorn sheepStunning full-color photos and maps throughout, plus a full-color foldout mapEssential planning tips: Find out when to go, where to stay, and what to pack, plus up-to-date information on entrance fees, reservations, and safety adviceKnow-how from outdoorswoman and Yosemite expert Ann Marie BrownMake the most of your adventure with Moon Best of Yosemite.Visiting more of North America's incredible national parks? Try Moon USA National Parks. About Moon Travel Guides: Moon was founded in 1973 to empower independent, active, and conscious travel. We prioritize local businesses, outdoor recreation, and traveling strategically and sustainably. Moon Travel Guides are written by local, expert authors with great stories to tell—and they can't wait to share their favorite places with you.For more inspiration, follow @moonguides on social media.

This collection offers a diverse range of perspectives that seek to find meaning in madness. Mainstream biomedical approaches tend to interpret experiences commonly labelled'psychotic'as being indicative of a biological illness that can best be ameliorated with prescription drugs. In seeking to counter this perspective, psychosocial outlooks commonly focus on the role of trauma and environmental stress. Although an appreciation for the role of trauma has been critical in expanding the ways in which we view madness, an emphasis of this kind may nevertheless continue to perpetuate a subtle form of reductivism—madness continues to be understood as the product of a deficit. In seeking to move beyond causal-reductivism, this book explores a variety of perspectives on the question of finding inherent meaning in madness and extreme states. Contributors to this book are distinguished writers and researchers from a variety of international and interdisciplinary perspectives. Topics span the fields of depth psychology and psychoanalysis, creativity, Indigenous and postcolonial approaches, neurodiversity, mad studies, and mysticism and spirituality. This collection will be of interest to mental health professionals, students and scholars of the humanities and social sciences, and people with lived experience of madness and extreme states. Readers will come away with an appreciation of the more generative aspects of madness, and a recognition that these experiences may be important for both personal and collective healing.

Explore the beauty of Northern California's natural landscape with this guide to 80 of the best easy-to-walk day hikes located throughout Northern California.From hikes just outside of San Francisco to long strolls in the Sierra Nevada, here are the 80 best easy day hikes in Northern California, perfect for aging baby boomers, seniors, those traveling with small children, and anyone else interested more in a stroll than a climb.Hikes include: Lady Bird Johnson Grove • McCloud Falls Trail • Pomo Canyon Trail • Table Rock • South Yuba Independence Trail • Tomales Point Trail • Purisima Redwoods Loop • Sardine Lakes Trail • Devils Postpile • Rainbow Falls • and more!Written in a personal but informative tone by outdoors expert Ann Marie Brown, The Creaky Knees Guide Northern California is a perfect resource anyone can use to explore the beauty of Northern California without breaking too much of a sweat.In addition to a full-trip description, each hike includes:• Clear, up-to-date driving directions• Elevation gains• Topographical map• Mileage and estimated hiking time• Trail conditions, effort level, best season, map references, exploring options, access, permits required, and where to find more information.Other titles in Creaky Knees easy hike series include Creaky Knees Oregon, Creaky Knees Washington, and Creaky Knees Arizona.

Explore granite domes, thundering waterfalls, and towering trees: Moon Yosemite, Sequoia & Kings Canyon reveals the best of these stunning national parks. Inside you'll find:Flexible Itineraries: Unique and adventure-packed ideas for day hikers, winter visitors, families with kids, campers, and moreThe Best Hikes in Each Park: Detailed hike descriptions, individual trail maps, mileage and elevation gains, and backpacking optionsExperience the Outdoors: Ride the open-air tram through Yosemite Valley or hike downhill from Glacier Point past roaring waterfalls. Drive the legendary Generals Highway or take a scenic bike ride to pristine lakes (and yes, more waterfalls!). Go for a horse-drawn wagon ride on a history tour or take a rock-climbing lesson. Walk among the goliaths of Sequoia's Giant Forest and stop at a historic lodge for dinner and a well-deserved drinkHow to Get There: Up-to-date information on traveling between the parks, gateway towns, park entrances, park fees, and toursWhere to Stay: From campgrounds and rustic lodges to the majestic Ahwahnee, find the best spots to kick back, both inside and outside the parksPlanning Tips: When to go, what to pack, safety information, and how to avoid the crowds, with full-color photos and easy-to-use maps throughoutHelpful resources on Covid-19 and traveling to the parksExpertise and Know-How from seasoned explorer and outdoor expert Ann Marie BrownFind your adventure in Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon national parks with Moon. Visiting more of North America's incredible national parks? Try Moon USA National Parks or Moon Death Valley National Park. Hitting the road? Try Moon Northern California Road Trips. About Moon Travel Guides: Moon was founded in 1973 to empower independent, active, and conscious travel. We prioritize local businesses, outdoor recreation, and traveling strategically and sustainably. Moon Travel Guides are written by local, expert authors with great stories to tell—and they can't wait to share their favorite places with you.For more inspiration, follow @moonguides on social media.

In 2017, DNA tests revealed to the collective shock of many scholars that a Viking warrior in a high-status grave in Birka, Sweden, was actually a woman. The Real Valkyrie weaves together archaeology, history and literature to reinvent her life and times, showing that Viking women had more power and agency than historians have imagined. Nancy Marie Brown links the Birka warrior, whom she names Hervor, to Viking trading towns and to their great trade route east to Byzantium and beyond. She imagines Hervor's adventures intersecting with larger-than-life but real women, including Queen Gunnhild Mother-of-Kings, the Viking leader known as the Red Girl, and Queen Olga of Kyiv. Hervor's short, dramatic life shows that much of what we have taken as truth about women in the Viking Age is based not on data but on nineteenth-century Victorian biases. Rather than holding the household keys, Viking women in history, the sagas, poetry and myth carry weapons. In this compelling narrative, Brown brings the world of those valkyries and shield-maids to vivid life.

Pack a lunch, lace up your boots, and head out to discover the best hiking trails in NorCal with Moon Northern California Hiking.A Hike for Everyone: Pick the right hike for you, from breathtaking coastal walks to challenging backcountry treks, with options ranging from easy day hikes to multi-day backpacking tripsBest Hikes Lists: Choose from strategic lists like the best hikes for majestic redwoods, bird-watching, refreshing swimming holes, wheelchair accessibility and moreEssential Planning Details: Each hike is marked with round-trip distance and hiking time and rated for scenic beauty and trail difficultyMaps and Directions: Find easy-to-use maps, driving directions to each trailhead, and details on where to parkSkip the Crowds: Have the trail to yourself with Moon Northern California Hiking's many off-the-radar hikesExpert Advice: Seasoned hikers Tom Stienstra and Ann Marie Brown offer their experienced insight and honest opinions on each trailTips and Tools: Advice on gear, first aid, ethical hiking, and camping permits, plus background information on climate, landscape, and wildlifeWhether you're a veteran or a first-time hiker, Moon's comprehensive coverage and honest expertise will have you gearing up for your next adventure.Exploring more of the Golden State? Try Moon California Hiking. Hitting the road? Check out Moon California Road Trip.

Pack a lunch, lace up your boots, and head out to discover the best hiking trails in the Golden State with Moon California Hiking.A Hike for Everyone: Pick the right hike for you, from breathtaking coastal walks to challenging backcountry treks, with options ranging from easy day hikes to multi-day backpacking tripsBest Hikes Lists: Choose from strategic lists of the best hikes for kids, bird-watching, redwoods, vivid fall colors, waterfalls, wheelchair-accessibility, and moreEssential Planning Details: Each hike is marked with round-trip distance and estimated hiking time, as well as rated for scenic beauty and trail difficultyMaps and Directions: Find easy-to-use maps, driving directions to each trailhead, and details on where to parkSkip the Crowds: Have the trail to yourself with recommended off-the-radar hikes Expert Advice: Seasoned hikers Tom Stienstra and Ann Marie Brown offer their trusted insight and honest opinions on each trailTips and Tools: Advice on gear, first aid, camping permits, and ethical hiking, plus background information on climate, landscape, and wildlifeWhether you're a veteran or a first-time hiker, Moon's comprehensive coverage and honest expertise will have you gearing up for your next adventure.Exploring more of the Golden State? Try Moon California Camping. Hitting the road? Check out Moon California Road Trip.

Interrogating the relationship between women and psychosis from a variety of perspectives, this edited collection explores personal, literary, spiritual, psychological, biological, and psychodynamic approaches. The contributors reflect on medieval mystics and witches, postpartum psychosis, disordered eating, art and literature, feminism, and male/female differences in schizophrenia. Women with experience of psychosis, psychotherapists, and a shaman provide first-person accounts to give the book a personal grounding. Curated with the intent to expand the way we think about women and psychosis, the contributors to this collection recognize that “voices and visions” do not occur in a vacuum, but are experienced within, and are influenced by, particular socio-cultural contexts.

Women and the Psychosocial Construction of Madness focuses on the question of madness as it is experienced by women within gendered sociopolitical contexts. Contributors to this edited collection engage with a diverse range of topics, including black and ethnic minority women's experiences of psychosis, psychosis in transwomen, sexual trauma and psychosis, the doctor–patient relationship, and women's experiences of mental health treatment and recovery. Chapters span the disciplines of psychoanalysis, sociology, women's studies, critical theory, and madness studies.

A Southern socialite heads to the English Cotswolds in this modern spin on Austen's Emma— from the USA Today–bestselling author of the It Girls series. Spoiled, stylish, socially connected Emma Lee Maxwell has spent her life in the idlest of pursuits—attending debutante balls, organizing sorority mixers, and acting as the unofficial Gossip Queen of Charleston, South Carolina. But when her family's fortune suddenly dwindles, Emma Lee realizes her days as a Lowcountry Princess are numbered. When she discovers that she's inherited her aunt's cottage in the Cotswolds, she hightails it to England, nurturing fantasies of polo matches and jaunts to London. All that social organizing is going to come in handy when Emma Lee plans to take after her namesake and put her people-pleasing ways to good use by becoming the village's very own matchmaker! And she'll start with three local brothers… There's just one skeptical, handsome, charming challenge: the oldest brother, Knightley, is stubbornly insisting Emma Lee abandon her well-meaning ways and focus on making a match of her own—with him… Be sure to read about Emma Lee's sisters, Manderley and Tara! Praise for Leah Marie Brown's Novels “Humor, heat, and a sexy Frenchman… Brown's nod to Daphne du Maurier's classic is a winner!”—#1 New York Times bestseller Helen Hardt on Dreaming of Manderley “Leah Marie Brown has a wily way of bringing her stories to life with sharp dialogue and drop-dead sexy characters.”—National bestselling author Cindy Miles on Faking

Moon Travel Guides: Your Adventure Starts HereWhether you're trekking through the wildflowers of the South Bay or the redwood forests of Marin, get a breath of fresh air with Moon 101 Great Hikes San Francisco Bay Area. Flexible Hiking Options: Hikes range from short, flat routes suitable for families to day-long, steep treks for more ambitious hikers, with options to extend or shorten many routes Explore the Trails: All hikes are marked with difficulty ratings, features (such as dog-friendly or wheelchair-accessible) and highlights like waterfalls, beaches, historic sites, wildlife, and wildflowers Maps and Directions: Follow easy-to-use maps and point-by-point navigation for each trail, including driving directions to trailheads, GPS coordinates, and public transit options when availableTop Hikes: Strategic lists like'Waterfalls,''Short Backpacking Trips,''Peak Vistas,'and more will help you choose the right hike for you in Napa, Sonoma, Marin, the East Bay, San Francisco, the Peninsula, and the South BayTrusted Advice: Ann Marie Brown shares the experience and knowledge she's gained from hiking, biking, and camping in and around the Bay Area more than 150 days a yearTips and Tools: Find essentials like health and safety information, trail etiquette, background on the landscape and history of the trails, and volunteer opportunities so you can help keep the trails as beautiful as you found themWhether you're a veteran or a first-time hiker, Moon's practical tips and comprehensive coverage will have you ready to lace up your boots and hit the trails.Looking for hikes beyond the Bay? Try Moon Northern California Hiking or Moon California Hiking. Ready for an overnight adventure? Check out Moon Northern California Camping or Moon California Camping.

A Southern socialite heads to an Irish castle in this modern take on Gone With the Wind—from the USA Today–bestselling author of the It Girls series. Television broadcaster Tara Maxwell enjoys a life of leisure in beautiful, historic Charleston, South Carolina. But luck, and family fortunes, have a way of running out. Suddenly Tara is left with only one place to turn—her late aunt's country home in northwest Ireland. The catch: to claim her inheritance Tara must agree to live in Castle Tásúildun for three months. With two other potential heirs. And choose one to be co-owner of the estate. Tara sees right through her aunt's matchmaking scheme and isn't willing to share the castle with anyone. She's desperate to drive out Aidan Gallagher and Rhys Burroughes. But as God is her witness, both men are infernally stubborn. Aidan, once her carefree childhood friend, is now an army veteran desperate for the peace the castle offers. Rhys, a smooth-talking businessman, plans to preserve the ramshackle property by transforming it into a luxury hotel. Tara, for the first time, is realizing that frankly, she does give a damn—about others'happiness as well as her own. But is she ready to open her home—not to mention her heart—to the possibility of an epic adventure? Be sure to read about Tara's sisters, Manderley and Emma Lee!Praise for Leah Marie Brown “Humor, heat, and a sexy Frenchman…a winner!”—#1 New York Times bestseller Helen Hardt on Dreaming of Manderley “Brown has a wily way of bringing her stories to life with sharp dialogue and drop-dead sexy characters.”—National bestselling author Cindy Miles on Faking It

“Humor, heat, and a sexy Frenchman” kick off this series of once-rich, now-poor sisters who must blaze their own trails to happily ever after (Helen Hardt, #1 New York Times bestselling author). Manderley Maxwell has always been the dependable, hard-working one while her younger sisters live A-list lives, courtesy of their family fortune... until it's suddenly lost, leaving behind a truckload of debt! Now Mandy is faced with two choices: play perpetual caretaker to her spoiled siblings, or finally break out of her predictable routine—by way of France... When Mandy's boss relocates for the summer, Mandy is really just trading in coffee runs for running errands through the streets of Cannes—until handsome, debonair Girard Fortune Xavier de Maloret sweeps her off her feet—by saving her from falling off a cliff. Mandy's walking on air—except that she's living in the chic shadow of the first Madame de Maloret, complete with whispers about the suddenly secretive Xavier's part in her disappearance. Again, Mandy has two choices: be the unfortunate, duped American—or the gutsy, fierce woman who'll track down the truth in the name of true love... “An exquisitely written tale filled with such depth and detail, you'll hate to see the last page turned.”—Cindy Miles, USA Today bestselling author “Poignant, character-driven storytelling at its finest.”—Renee Ryan, Daphne du Maurier Award-winning author “Superb suspenseful writing and just enough twists and turns to keep the reader interested without an overdose of angst.”—USA Today, Happy Ever After

Four beloved, bestselling authors bring mistletoe magic and the spirit of the season to stories of hope, happiness, and holiday hearts.“Christmas Kisses” by Fern MichaelsStarting over in a new town with a new job, Meredith thinks buying Noah's grandmother's house will be a simple business deal. But neighborly Noah is determined to make Meredith feel at home—and as the holiday season works its magic, he's suddenly hoping that she'll find a place for him in her heart.“Blue Moon Harbor Christmas” by Susan FoxJillian and Michael have nothing in common—except the child two reckless college students created eight years ago. When Michael unexpectedly asks to meet his son, they have the twelve days of Christmas to get to know the adults they've become—adults who just might be ready to fall in love for real.“Second Chance Christmas” byJules BennettA blind date turns out to be anything but when Ruby finds Knox on her doorstep. A few years ago, she nursed his dying wife. Can two lonely people defeat the shadow of the past and let the spirit of Christmas offer them the most special gift of all?“Finding Colin” by Leah Marie Brown When Grace is suspended from work over the Christmas holidays, she does the only sensible thing—she travels to Ireland to find her favorite actor! But while the Colin she finds may not be a star, he's ready to show her that gifts come in all shapes and sizes—and love is the miracle that truly counts.

Are you a first-timer about to take your inaugural trek? Are you veteran hiker looking to be even more efficient when enjoying the sport you love? Are you someone in between? Then look no further than expert trekker Ann Brown's Hike Smart, the definitive guide to efficient and enjoyable hiking for all levels of experience.Compiling knowledge from over thirty years of hiking, Hike Smart includes hundreds of tips, tactics, and techniques all aimed at helping you become a better hiker. Within these pages, you'll find:• Dozens of trail dos and don'ts• Pointers on choosing the right gear for your hike—with an emphasis on boots and packs• Advice on negotiating different terrains• Recommendations on how-to deal with unexpected on-trail situations• Stories and interviews from hikers who've conquered tough trails• Beautiful color photos of some of America's most majestic hikes• And much more!So whether you're about to embark on your first hike or your hundred-and-first, Hike Smart is the only guide you'll need to ensure that you have your most enjoyable, and smartest trek yet.

The chance of a lifetime... or just another bad decision?Delaney Lavender Brooks needs to grow up. At least, according to her parents. After getting evicted from her apartment and wrecking her car, Laney is almost ready to trade in her paintbrushes and surrender to a more sensible 9-to-5 existence. Almost. Until she's awarded an internship at a prestigious art gallery in Paris. What else can the free-spirited artist do but follow her dreams? Even if her latest attempt at chasing rainbows might cost her a real future...Once in the city of lights, Laney is almost undone by the glaring truth: maybe she isn't sophisticated or talented enough to make it as an artist—or an independent woman, for that matter. And when she's hotly pursued by a seductive Frenchman, she has to wonder if she's about to be a fool for love, too. Soon Laney's greatest challenge is not proving herself to her parents, but having the courage to live the life—and love—of her dreams... “Leah Marie Brown has a wily way of bringing her stories to life with sharp dialogue and drop-dead sexy characters.” —Cindy Miles, National Bestselling Author“When it comes to crafting clever, intelligent, wonderful escapist fiction with a heroine every woman wants to know, Leah Marie Brown is a new voice to watch. Prepare to fall in love!” —Renee Ryan, Daphne du Maurier Award-Winning Author

Explore granite domes, thundering waterfalls, and towering trees: Moon Yosemite, Sequoia & Kings Canyon reveals the best of these stunning national parks. Inside you'll find:Flexible Itineraries: Unique and adventure-packed ideas for day hikers, winter visitors, families with kids, campers, and more The Best Hikes in Each Park: Detailed hike descriptions, individual trail maps, mileage and elevation gains, and backpacking optionsExperience the Outdoors: Ride the open-air tram through Yosemite Valley or hike downhill from Glacier Point past roaring waterfalls. Drive the legendary Generals Highway or take a scenic bike ride to pristine lakes (and yes, more waterfalls!). Go for a horse-drawn wagon ride on a pioneer history tour or take a rock-climbing lesson. Walk among the goliaths of Sequoia's Giant Forest and stop at a historic lodge for dinner and a well-deserved drinkHow to Get There: Up-to-date information on traveling between the parks, gateway towns, park entrances, park fees, and toursWhere to Stay: From campgrounds and rustic lodges to the Majestic Yosemite Hotel, find the best spots to kick back, both inside and outside the parksPlanning Tips: When to go, what to pack, safety information, and how to avoid the crowds, with full-color photos and detailed maps throughoutExpertise and Know-How from seasoned explorer and outdoor expert Ann Marie BrownFind your adventure in Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon national parks with Moon.Visiting more of North America's incredible national parks? Try Moon USA National Parks or Moon Death Valley National Park. Hitting the road? Try Moon California Road Trip.

Falling in love is always in fashion…. With her trust fund and coveted job at Christian Dior, Fanny Moreau believes she has it all. But when her best friend finds a fulfilling new career abroad—and a dreamy relationship with a great guy, Fanny's fabulous life suddenly feels empty. Inspired to find her true purpose, she trades her cushy lifestyle in San Francisco for an adventure in the Alaskan wilderness. Everyone thinks Fanny has gone off the deep end. What's a girl with a Ph.D in Prada doing teaching in an Inuit village? Even Fanny is wondering, especially when she comes face to face with Calder MacFarlane. The Scottish search and rescue pilot is everything Fanny is not—selfless, heroic, and used to living on the edge. He's also the man who once loved her best friend. Yet something in Calder's sexy gaze has her believing that she's a woman capable of great things—a woman who might just find her own happily-ever-after, in a place where she least expects it…“Leah Marie Brown has a wily way of bringing her stories to life with sharp dialogue and drop-dead sexy characters.” —Cindy Miles, National Bestselling Author“When it comes to crafting clever, intelligent, wonderful escapist fiction with a heroine every woman wants to know, Leah Marie Brown is a new voice to watch. Prepare to fall in love!” —Renee Ryan, Daphne du Maurier Award-Winning Author

Why are Icelandic horses called the'bridges of Iceland'?

Wildlife biologists study bears while the bears are in hibernation.

The author gets as close as possible to a volcano erupting in Iceland.

Falling in love is the ultimate faux pas. Anything can happen in a year! Unemployed, homeless, and left at the altar, Vivia Perpetua Grant could see her future as a flannel pajama wearing spinster—or worse, a bag lady shuffling around Golden Gate Park. But for a girl obsessed with rock music, Chinese take-out, and the color pink, misfortune is another word for opportunity. Vivia has found her niche as an international travel writer and the long-distance lover of Jean-Luc de Caumont, an über-hot French literature professor and competitive cyclist. Still, even with so much going right, Vivia can't help but wonder if something isn't missing. The long distance thing is taking its toll on a girl who didn't have that many tokens to begin with. And fate seems to be tempting her at every turn, first with a hunky Scottish helicopter pilot, and then with a British celebrity bad boy...Will Vivia continue to keep it real or will she discover some old habits die hard?“Leah Marie Brown has a wily way of bringing her stories to life with sharp dialogue and drop-dead sexy characters.” —Cindy Miles, National Bestselling Author “Prepare to laugh, to sigh, to turn pages fast! I want a one-way ticket to Vivia's world.” —Kieran Kramer, USA Today Bestselling Author “A funny, romantic, fast-paced, all-expense-paid pleasure read through France and Tuscany you don't want to miss.”—Gretchen Galway, Bestselling Author on Faking It “When it comes to crafting clever, intelligent, wonderful escapist fiction with a heroine every woman wants to know, Leah Marie Brown is a new voice to watch. Prepare to fall in love!” —Renee Ryan, Daphne du Maurier Award-Winning Author “Audacious, adorable and addictive!”—Catherine Mann, USA Today bestselling author

Haven't you ever told a little lie in the name of love? Vivia Grant couldn't be happier. She has her dream job and is about to marry her dream man. Does it really matter that she's led him to believe she's a virgin? After all, being in love makes every experience feel like the first time anyway! But an unexpected encounter with an ex-lover is about to expose her embarrassing lie… When Vivia's fiancé discovers the truth, he ends their engagement—via text—and uses his connections to get her fired. Unemployed and heartbroken, Vivia begins planning her new future—as a homeless spinster. But her best friend has a better idea. They'll skip the Ben & Jerry's binge and go on Vivia's honeymoon instead. Two weeks cycling through Provence and Tuscany, with Luc de Caumont, a sexy French bike guide. Too bad Vivia's not a big fan of biking. And she's abysmal at languages. Will she fib her way through the adventure, or finally learn to love herself—and Luc—flaws and all?69,306 Words“Leah Marie Brown has a wily way of bringing her stories to life with sharp dialogue and drop-dead sexy characters.” --Cindy Miles, National Bestselling Author “Prepare to laugh, to sigh, to turn pages fast! I want a one-way ticket to Vivia's world.” --Kieran Kramer, USA Today Bestselling Author “A funny, romantic, fast-paced, all-expense-paid pleasure read through France and Tuscany you don't want to miss.” --Gretchen Galway, Bestselling Author of This Time Next Door “When it comes to crafting clever, intelligent, wonderful escapist fiction with a heroine every woman wants to know, Leah Marie Brown is a new voice to watch. Prepare to fall in love!” --Renee Ryan, Daphne du Maurier Award-Winning Author “Audacious, adorable and addictive! Perpetual Virgin is a one-sitting read!” -Catherine Mann, USA Today bestselling author

Experience the grandeur and beauty of Northern California's nature preserves and national parks with this informative hiking guide.Take a hike and discover Northern California's breathtaking parks, forests, and more. With detailed topographic maps and instructions for fifty easy to moderate hikes, Hooked on Hiking: Northern California is your ultimate guide to exploring the rich and diverse natural landscapes of this breathtaking region.Hikes include:YosemiteMuir WoodsRedwoods National ParkNapa ValleyAnd much more!

Each of these decks is packed with 50 hiking adventures and comes equipped with a handy clip-on carabiner for bringing cards along wherever the trail leads.Take a hike through Southern California's beautiful parks, forests, and more.Hikes include: Joshua Tree Death Valley Channel Islands National Park Kings Canyon

“A wonderfully evocative biography of the... 13th century Icelandic writer and chieftain” who wrote the immortal stories of Thor, Odin, Valhalla, and Ragnarök (Guardian, UK).Much like Greek and Roman mythology, Norse myths are still with us. Famous storytellers from JRR Tolkien to Neil Gaiman have drawn their inspiration from the long-haired, mead-drinking, marauding and pillaging Vikings. But few of us know much about the creator of these immortal heroes: a thirteenth-century Icelandic chieftain by the name of Snorri Sturluson.Like Homer, Snorri was a bard, writing down and embellishing the folklore and pagan legends of medieval Scandinavia. Unlike Homer, Snorri was a man of the world—a wily political power player, one of the richest men in Iceland who came close to ruling it, and even closer to betraying it. In Song of the Vikings, award-winning author Nancy Marie Brown brings Snorri Sturluson's story to life in a richly textured narrative that draws on newly available sources.

From hikes just outside of San Francisco to long strolls in the Sierra Nevada, this book covers 80 of the best easy-to-walk hikes throughout the region, providing elevation gains, detailed maps, and up-to-date driving directions. It also includes hike mileage and estimated hiking times, trail conditions, access and permit requirements, and ratings of each hike's difficulty, from'Stroll in the Park'to'Prepare to Perspire.'Offshoot hikes are featured for those who reach the end of the hike but want to extend their workout. Written in a personal but informative tone by outdoors expert Ann Marie Brown, the Creaky Knees Guide is a perfect resource anyone can use to explore the beauty of Northern California without breaking too much of a sweat.Ann Marie Brown has written more than thirteen guidebooks on California recreation. Her writing has been featured in Sunset, VIA, and Smithsonian magazines. She lives in Lake Tahoe, CA.

The medieval Catholic Church, widely considered a source of intolerance and inquisitorial fervor, was not anti-science during the Dark Ages -- in fact, the pope in the year 1000 was the leading mathematician and astronomer of his day. Called'The Scientist Pope,'Gerbert of Aurillac rose from peasant beginnings to lead the church. By turns a teacher, traitor, kingmaker, and visionary, Gerbert is the first Christian known to teach math using the nine Arabic numerals and zero. In The Abacus and the Cross, Nancy Marie Brown skillfully explores the new learning Gerbert brought to Europe. A fascinating narrative of one remarkable math teacher, The Abacus and the Cross will captivate readers of history, science, and religion alike.

The remarkable story of Gudrid, the female explorer who sailed from Iceland to the New World a millennium ago. Five hundred years before Columbus, a Viking woman named Gudrid sailed off the edge of the known world. She landed in the New World and lived there for three years, giving birth to a baby before sailing home. Or so the Icelandic sagas say. Even after archaeologists found a Viking longhouse in Newfoundland, no one believed that the details of Gudrid's story were true. Then, in 2001, a team of scientists discovered what may have been this pioneering woman's last house, buried under a hay field in Iceland, just where the epic tales suggest it could be. Joining scientists experimenting with cutting-edge technology and the latest archaeological techniques, and tracing Gudrid's steps on land and in the sagas, The Far Traveler reconstructs a life that spanned—and expanded—the bounds of the then-known world. It also sheds new light on the society that gave rise to a woman even more extraordinary than legend has painted her, and illuminates the reasons for its collapse.

While European restaurants race to footnote menus, reassuring concerned gourmands that no genetically modified ingredients were used in the preparation of their food, starving populations around the world eagerly await the next harvest of scientifically improved crops. Mendel in the Kitchen provides a clear and balanced picture of this tangled, tricky (and very timely) topic.Any farmer you talk to could tell you that we've been playing with the genetic makeup of our food for millennia, carefully coaxing nature to do our bidding. The practice officially dates back to Gregor Mendel-who was not a renowned scientist, but a 19th century Augustinian monk. Mendel spent many hours toiling in his garden, testing and cultivating more than 28,000 pea plants, selectively determining very specific characteristics of the peas that were produced, ultimately giving birth to the idea of heredity-and the now very common practice of artificially modifying our food.But as science takes the helm, steering common field practices into the laboratory, the world is now keenly aware of how adept we have become at tinkering with nature-which in turn has produced a variety of questions. Are genetically modified foods really safe? Will the foods ultimately make us sick, perhaps in ways we can't even imagine? Isn't it genuinely dangerous to change the nature of nature itself?Nina Fedoroff, a leading geneticist and recognized expert in biotechnology, answers these questions, and more. Addressing the fear and mistrust that is rapidly spreading, Federoff and her co-author, science writer Nancy Brown, weave a narrative rich in history, technology, and science to dispel myths and misunderstandings.In the end, Fedoroff arues, plant biotechnology can help us to become better stewards of the earth while permitting us to feed ourselves and generations of children to come. Indeed, this new approach to agriculture holds the promise of being the most environmentally conservative way to increase our food supply.