Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time


A Lonely Grave in a Far Land

The Wide Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook by Hampton Sides

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Captain James Cook was already a world-renowned explorer when he set out on his third great voyage around the world. Over the course of three years, he’d touch down on the shores of Tasmania, be the first European to come in contact with the people of the Hawaiian islands, and nearly destroy his ships and sailors in the search for the fabled Northwest Passage – and meet a grisly end in a strange murder that is still being debated to this very day. I read […]

In Search of the Green Fairy

The Absinthe Forger: A True Story of Deception, Betrayal, and the World’s Most Dangerous Spirit by Evan Rail

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Among all liquors, absinthe, a high-proof anised-flavored spirit known for its green hue, has a special mystique for its alleged mind-altering properities, its association with the art and literature of the 19th century, and a nearly century-long ban in many countries in Europe and America. However, one unscrupulous enthusiast took advantage of its cult following to swindle collectors out of thousands of dollars. Last spring, in a small bar in Seattle, I was regaled by the story of how absinthe came to be banned. A […]

2,650 Miles of Wilderness

Trail of the Lost: The Relentless Search to Bring Home the Missing Hikers of the Pacific Crest Trail by Andrea Lankford

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There have been people attempting to thru-hike the Pacific Crest Trail since it was first established, and where people congregate there is also always some amount of tragedy. But when three young man vanish from the trail in a three-year period, former park ranger Andrea Lankford gets fascinated by the search for them. For a person who one day wants to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail (after a lot of preparation, mind you), I find myself reading a lot about wilderness disaster and crime stories. Maybe […]

“After more than a year here, I feel like I’ve seen what I needed to see.”

Burma Chronicles by Guy Delisle

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This was a reread, as I’ve been doing a lot this week (going through bookshelves in your childhood home will do that to you). I enjoyed it and will keep it for the collection. I’ve read several of Guy Delisle’s travelogues and always like his point of view on things and the way he portrays his travels. I may not always agree with his conclusions or philosophy, but his clean linework and the way he interacts with the world make these volumes satisfying and thought […]

“In these islands there is no certainty. Bring your own food, your own gods, your own flowers and fruits and concepts. “

Hawaii by James A. Michener

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CBR16 Bingo: Détente – This book is all about all the different peoples and cultures that came to settle the Hawaiian Islands, and ends at the point that they really begin to comfortably and fairly coexist. Hawaii is a beautiful place with a complicated history, having over the course of more than one thousand years been settled by many peoples from many places, all of which have wrestled over its lands and wealth and made their indelible mark. This book is over a thousand pages long […]

Magic Sunday

Sunday by Marcelo Tolentino

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The idea for the picture book Sunday by Marcelo Tolentino is simple. The family gets together on Sunday, like they do every Sunday, and our hero decides to spice things up and make some fun. The child, Martin, and his dog make a Sunday at home into an adventure to faraway places. All he needs is a lot of imagination. Seeing penguins, pirates and deserts is just the start. When he is finally ready to come home, he is ready to regale his tales to […]



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