My Favorite Place: Great Athletes in the Great Outdoors

By Jason Paur

Everyone has a favorite place. The world's top outdoor adventurers are no differentexcept that theirs are often anywhere between 2,000 feet above the ground to three miles out to sea. Featuring stunning images by respected photographer Corey Rich, this soulful book transports readers to 14 favorite playgrounds of world champions, elite guides, and pioneers of sport. Cross-country skiier and Olympic medalist Bill Koch describes why the Vermont wilderness is his stomping ground. Ed Viesturs celebrates the glacier-covered volcano in the Pacific Northwest where he honed the skills to conquer Mount Everest. Sara Ballantyne revels in her mountain bike treks across the desert near Moab. With passionate profiles of first-class athletes in picturesque settingsYosemite Valley, the coast of Maine, Florida's beaches, the Appalachian wilderness, and more My Favorite Place is an inspiration to anyone whose favorite place is anywhere in the outdoors.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0811843238
• ISBN13: 9780811843232
• Release Date: March 2006
• Publisher: Chronicle Books
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 2.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 9.0" x 10.5"
• Age Range: 13 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 8 to Postsecondary

Customer Reviews

Photos are inspiring as the athletes themselves

What a well-rounded wonderful book! The photographs are beautiful - Rich has managed to capture not only the thrill of the sport, but also (perhaps more importantly?) the nature and human side to the athletes themselves. This is how I "read" the book: Pass 1: Flipping the pages looking at the photographs, one jaw drop at a time. Pass 2: Flipping through the pages and turning to the end of each story to get to the "Photographer's Notes" (Rich gives a little background about what went into each photo story). Growing up, I would always flip directly to "Behind the Scenes" in National Geographic, and Rich's Photographer's Note very much reminded me of that childhood thrill. Pass 3: Taking my time and reading the text. This was a nice surprise as the photos and text complimented each other quite well. Mr. Paur seems to have done quite a bit of research on his subjects, and his easy-going writing style makes it all that more interesting to read. Is there another in the works? Looking forward to it!

Stellar in every respect

The first thing that anyone will do when they pick up this book is look through all the fantastic pictures. This will soon be followed by the difficult decision of which profile to read first; should it be the one with the photos that take my breath away and intrigue my sense of wonder or should it be the one of my favorite sport to which I can relate most easily? Regardless of the decision or whether or not you are an "outdoorsie" type, the degree to which the reader can feel the passion on all levels (physical, mental emotional and spiritual) of these athletes is, indeed, a form of art in itelf. The book makes a most amazing gift - either to yourself or someone you know. It's a must have for anyone who fancies themselves an adventurer or lover of nature or even one who admires the focus and determination of the elite athletes written about in this book. Get it!

great photo book

This book is a must for any fan of great adventures or of great photography. It was a really nice idea to combine amazing locations with amazing athletes and amazing photography. Good job.

beautiful

great book. great idea. the stories are interesting and compelling. but it's the photography that really takes this book to the next level. the photos are beautiful and stunning. they bring you in close with the athletes, following them intimately as they perform their respective sports. great book.

Amazing on all levels

The first thing you will notice when flipping through this book is the stunning photography. It is obvious that Corey Rich is not just taking pictures, but putting himself in the mind of the athlete to capture what they are seeing. Every image is a compelling and iimportant part of the book. In addition to the photography, the side notes help this book to stand apart from the rest. I have a renewed appreciation for what it takes to be behind the lens in these situations. This is a must read and must see for any who enjoys photography, action sports or the outdoors.