Birthplace of the Winds by Jon Bowermaster

In journeying to the Alaskan Islands of the Four Mountains, the author and his fellow adventurers had their work cut out for them. Their mission: to test their kayaking skills against fierce currents and ten-foot tidal rips and then, in the face of gales often exceeding 100 mph, climb the region' s storied group of volcano-crowned islands. In this unforgiving realm where the Pacific meets the Bering Sea?ominously dubbed " the birthplace of the winds" by natives--success was far from assured.

Here is the thrilling, vividly photographed account of the group' s 25-day expedition. Enriching the impact and historical significance of the adventure, Bowermaster' s narrative is seamlessly combined with an in-depth and fascinating chronicle of the ancient and mysterious history of this remote and mostly uninhabited region, where bewildering evidence of elaborate, Egyptian-style death rituals from centuries ago stand alongside recently discovered remains of World War II warplanes. Written in a dramatic, you-are-there style that recalls the best of David Breashears and Sebastian Junger, "Birthplace of the Winds is true adventure writing at its best.