Are you planning a multi-day mountain adventure? It’s always smart to bring a good book along to entertain you in case you’re stuck in a tent in the middle of nowhere with nothing to do. Instead of wasting endless hours waiting for a storm to subside or watching the sun dance on nylon, grab a good book or download one on your e-reader.
There are millions of books to choose from, but below are some of our favorite books when we just want to get lost in an entertaining read. The list below includes laugh-out-loud funny novels, skill building reference books, epic fantasies, tales of adventure, and more. They are all quality reads that are worth checking out.
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Here are 17 books to read when you’re stuck in a tent:
- A Fraction Of The Whole – Steve Toltz – A laugh-out-loud father and son story tells the story the Dean family and their comical adventures in Australia and beyond.
- Undaunted Courage – Stephen Ambrose – This is the story of Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the ultimate adventure of opening the American West.
- The Emerald Mile: The Epic Story Of The Fastest Ride In History Through The Heart Of The Grand Canyon – Kevin Fedarko – A beautifully written true tale of the fastest ride down the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon during the legendary flood of 1983.
- Shantaram – Gregory David Roberts – Welcome to the underworld of Bombay as seen through the eyes of an escaped convict named Lin. If you like Shantaram, try the sequel The Mountain Shadow.
- Papillon – Henri Charriere – After being convicted of a crime in Paris in 1931, Papillon is sent to the penal colony of French Guiana. This is his story of escape.
- Marching Powder: A True Story Of Friendship, Cocaine, and South America’s Strangest Jail – Thomas McFadden & Rusty Young – No one wants to go to jail; especially not in Bolivia. This is Rusty Young’s story of life inside San Pedro prison in Bolivia.
- Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills – The ultimate mountaineering book will help you hone your skills for any situation.
- Game of Thrones – George R.R. Martin – If you enjoy epic fantasy, don’t miss the Game of Thrones series. Just get ready to wait a really long time before the next book comes out. (Or just watch it all on HBO).
- The Ridiculous Race – Steve Hely & Vali Chandrasekaran – When two comedy writers decide to race around the world, you know you’re going to enjoy their true tale.
- Alive – Piers Paul Read – On October 12, 1972 a plane filled with rugby players crashed in the high Andes. This is their story of survival.
- The Tower: A Chroncile Of Climbing and Controversy On Cerro Torre – Kelly Cordes – Patagonia’s Cerro Torre is certainly an iconic peak and as far as mountains go it has an interesting history too.
- Mr. Nice – Howard Marks – In the 1980’s Howard Marks was one of the world’s biggest marijuana dealers. This is his unbelievable story.
- A Confederacy of Dunces – John Kennedy Toole – This comic masterpiece tells the story of Ignatius J. Reilly in New Orleans as he writes his magnum opus.
- The Calling: A Life Rocked By Mountains – Barry Blanchard – Barry Blanchard is a climbing legend. Learn about his adventures in his autobiography.
- Into Thin Air – Jon Krakauer – The 1996 Everest disaster captured the attention of the world. Jon Krakauer was there and told the story of what really happened.
- Lord Of The Rings – J.R.R. Tolkien – If you haven’t read Lord of the Rings do it. Welcome to the world of hobbits, wizards, rings, Gollum, and so much more.
- A Bolt From The Blue: The Epic True Story Of Danger, Daring, and Heroism at 13,000 Feet – Jennifer Woordlief – On July 26, 2003 during an ascent of the Grand Teton, six climbers were caught in a storm and struck by lightning. This is the story of their rescue from one of the most iconic peaks in the US.
This is a random collection of books to read when you’re stuck in a tent, but they are also excellent reads for road trips, vacations, hut trips, rock hut life, or whenever you have some free time.
What other books do you recommend? Tell us in the comments below.
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