We’ve compiled a list of the best modern adventure books of all time. This list will surely satiate your thirst for adventure!
Between a Rock and a Hard Place
It’s no surprise this is on the list. Famously portrayed in film, this book tells the story of Ralston cutting off his own arm to survive.
By: Aron Ralston
Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills
This isn’t so much a novel as a mountaineer’s bible. Everything you need to know to travel safely in the mountains.
By: The Mountaineers
No Shortcuts to the Top: Climbing the World’s 14 Highest Peaks
This is the story of Ed Viesturs as he climbs the highest 14 peaks in the world. There is nothing like experiencing high altitude through the lens of a legend.
By: Ed Viesturs and David Roberts
Annapurna: The First Conquest Of An 8,000-Meter Peak
This is the story of the first team to summit an 8000+ meter peak. Maurice Herzog lead his French team to the summit of Annapurna and subsequently made mountaineering history.
By: Maurice Herzog
Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
In this incredible story of the Tarahumara Indians in the Copper Canyons of Mexico, Christopher McDougall discovers the ancient art of barefoot running. This book singlehandedly sparked the world’s minimalist running craze.
By: Christopher McDougall
Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner
Feeling like maybe it’s too late in life to take up running? Dean Karnazes felt the same way. However, he took it upon himself to change and shape the future of ultrarunning forever. This is some seriously inspiring stuff right here.
By: Dean Karnazes
Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster
The story of the legendary 1996 Everest tragedy through the eyes of Jon Krakauer. You have probably read books by Krakauer before like Into the Wild. Take your imagination a bit higher in altitude and learn what it means to survive an incredible tragedy.
By: Jon Krakauer
Seven Summits
Take the journey with Dick Bass as he aims to be the first person to climb the highest mountain on each continent.
By: Dick Bass, Frank Wells & Rick Ridgeway
The Climb
This is a different perspective of the 1996 Everest tragedy told by Russian-Kazakhstani mountaineer Anatoli Boukreev. Read both this and Into Thin Air for a full picture at different perspectives.
By: Anatoli Boukreev & G. Weston DeWalt
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail
Topping the New York Times Best Seller list, Wild is the story of Cheryl Strayed’s epic journey across the 1,100 mile Pacific Crest Trail. You’ve seen the movie, now read the book.
By: Cheryl Strayed
Alive
The harrowing tale of an Uruguayan Rugby team whose plane crashed in the Andes and the 16 survivors lived out of its wreckage. Most famously, this book is known for the survivors eating the dead when rescue was nowhere in sight.
By: Piers Paul Read
Touching the Void
The story is widely known as one of the most incredible survival feats in mountaineering history. After a climb up a previously unclimbed route on Siula Grande, Joe Simpson accidentally slipped and badly broke his leg. In an attempt to save Simpson, Yates began lowering him down the mountain and this is where the real story of survival begins.
By: Joe Simpson
Eiger Dreams: Ventures Among Men And Mountains
In a collection of articles, Eiger Dreams highlights the climbing life of Jon Krakauer on some of the world’s most famous routes. Read as he takes on Denali, the Eiger and the infamous K2.
By: Jon Krakauer
Questions or comments about our list of the Best Adventure Books of All Time? Let us know in the comments if we missed something.