Readers will feel the bite of icy waters as Jon Bowermaster careens down the most dangerous sections of the Yangtze River-so treacherous the Chinese government has closed it to boaters-and descends for the first time Chile's Futaleufu, one of the most beautiful--and dangerous--rivers in the world. Bowermaster stands witness to some of the greatest expeditions of our time, forming lasting friendships with, among others, polar man Will Steger, first to the North Pole and across Antarctica by dogsled, and Peter Beard, an outsized character still living on the edge of the wild. He sits on the deck with French sailors as they prepare to race around the world single-handedly, each of them knowing few will finish, and some will not come back. He accompanies a pair of expatriate "shagbags" as they head out on a last safari, and is conned on the streets of Baja by a tall-tale-telling fishing guide. Bowermaster's worldwide travels--set against a backdrop of politics, environmental laws, and governments gone awry--have a common goal: to inform himself, and readers, as best he can about how the world really works. This book is an important addition to the adventurer's library. Read Less