I read a lot. I always have. I read fast too and that means I always have piles of books overflowing my bookshelves. Here are some good ones I'm looking at on my bookshelf right now.

Fastnet, Force 10: The Deadliest Storm in the History of Modern Sailing, New Edition
by John Rousmaniere.

This is what Amazon says: In August 1979, 303 yachts began the 600-mile Fastnet Race from the Isle of Wight off the southwest coast of England to Fastnet Rock off the Irish coast and back. It began in fine weather, then suddenly became a terrifying ordeal. A Force 10, sixty-knot storm swept across the North Atlantic with a speed that confounded forecasters, slamming into the fleet with epic fury. For twenty hours, 2,500 men and women were smashed by forty-foot breaking waves, while rescue helicopters and lifeboats struggled to save them. By the time the race was over, fifteen people had died, twenty-four crews had abandoned ship, five yachts had sunk, 136 sailors had been rescued, and only 85 boats had finished the race. John Rousmaniere was there, and he tells the tragic story of the greatest disaster in the history of yachting as only one who has sailed through the teeth of a killer storm can. With a new introduction by the author.

A very well written and extremely sobering tale.

Knockdown : The Harrowing True Story of a Yacht Race Turned Deadly
by Martin Dugard

An account of the tragic 1998 Sydney-Hobart race. A "Weather-Bomb" hit the middle of the race fleet with similar results to the Fastnet tragedy. The writing is not quite as good as the Fastnet book, but it is a compelling story nevertheless. Adding color is Larry Ellison and his super yacht which won the race. He commented, after the race was over, something like he would never do Sydney-Hobart or ocean racing again, because it was supposed to be fun, not life-threatening.

Reinhold Messner, Free Spirit: A Climber's Life
by Reinhold Messner

This is the best mountaineering biography I've ever read. Messner was the first to climb Mt Everest without Oxygen. People though he was crazy then, now it's pretty commonplace. The has beautiful pictures of the Dolomites and Himalayas too. Totally inspiring. Go read it.

Entering Space : Creating a Spacefaring Civilization
by Robert Zubrin

The Case for Mars
by Robert Zubrin

The human race cannot stay on this planet forever. Even if a wayward asteroid doesn't destroy the entire planet someday, we will probably destroy ourselves like crazed rats in an overcrowded cage. Humans need to explore and expand into space. I strongly believe this to be true. So does Zubrin and these two books explain why and exactly how we will go into space. First to Mars, then the rest of the Solar System and beyond. Both books are excellent. Read them.

Ultramarathon Man: Confessions Of An All-Night Runner
by Dean Karnazes

It's too soon to tell, but I think this book changed my life. I may write some more about this at some point, but it's pretty personal. I reviewed this book here.

Climbing Free: My Life in the Vertical World
by Lynn Hill, Greg Child

The writing in this book is not the best, but Lynn Hill is a truly inspiring person who has lived her dreams and it's a worthwhile read. Just sell it back to the used book store when you are done to clear out some space on your bookshelf for the classics.

The Endurance : Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition
by CAROLINE ALEXANDER

This book is a classic. Well written, a famous story, a great but flawed hero. All the elements come together for a great book. The original photographs that accompany the story are very compelling. I will write a full review of this book at some point.