Cross-country skiers are hearty folk. The compulsion to race marathon-length distances in subfreezing conditions requires an eternally optimistic and fiercely independent spirit. The fear of blinding snow or paralyzing cold does not deter them, and it has been said that skiers do not merely laugh at adversity; they are completely oblivious to its existence. America's greatest cross-country ski race is the American Birkebeiner or "Birkie" for short. Every year, thousands of people journey from all over the globe to Hayward, Wisconsin, for a world-class celebration of life, winter, and the...

Nine tales of heroic fantasy by some of the most exciting authors working today. Stories include: Black Sword by Janet Morris and Chris Morris The Act of Sleepless Nights by Walter Rhein To Kill a Myth by Jesse Duckworth No Life Too Small by Douglas R. Brown To Live by Tom Barczak Dozen by Shane Porteous Just One Mistake by A.L. Butcher Witness to Death by Teel James Glenn Through the Sting of Fairy Smoke by R.A. McCandless

Reckless Traveler: an autobiographical novel of adventuring in South America, sure to delight anyone with a passport. > > Peru and beyond: Through the alchemy of travel, youthful folly may bring disaster or wisdom . . . and more. > > The instructional travel guide for aspiring backpackers: learn how to bribe police, avoid malaria, and find employment abroad -- and what to do (and not to do) when armed mercenaries detain your charter bus. > > Awaken your inner explorer with Walter Rhein's Reckless Traveler, expat tales from a decade of discovery."