Birthplace of the Winds

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.