Dead Mountain: The Untold True Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident by Donnie Eichar

Dead Mountain

I'll admit that I am not one to go hiking in the middle of winter to the middle of nowhere and I think that anyone who thinks this is fun has got to be crazy. However, there are those who do, like ten young people in Russia, and this is their tragic story.

They were students at the Ural Polytechnic Institute in 1959 and during their winter break they planned this hike so they could qualify for a Level 3 hiker's certificate. They were experienced and fit (except for the one man who had to turn back). What, then, made them leave their tent in the middle of the night, without their overclothes and boots?

Theories ran the gamut from escaped gulag prisoners to wild animals to aliens. The author, Donnie Eichar, decided to solve this real-life mystery. He got all the records, pictures, and logs he could find. He also went to Russia, met the lone survivor, and followed  in their footsteps.

The answer was surprising and rooted in advanced physics. The work to solve the mystery was very interesting.

Nation (2008)

Terry Pratchett is well known for his series of Discworld books and his sense of humor. This book is about the results of a disastrous tsunami in a remote region of the South Pacific. Mau is a member of an island community called the Nation by its people. He is taken to another small island called Boys' Island to undergo the rituals which will mark him as a man among his people. While there something terrible happens. He has no clue what is happening but thunder, storm clouds, dancing water, upset birds and animals tell him that he had to leave.

Very fast, and not so far away now. Not a wave, either. It was too big. It was a mountain of water, with lightning dancing along the top, and it was rushing, and it was roaring, and it scooped up the canoe like a fly.

When he returns home, no one is left alive except for a English girl named Daphne who was deposited on the island in a ship. Together they learn each other's language and take care of survivors who make their way to the island.

Somewhere out there, flying to him from the edge of the world, was tomorrow. He had no idea what shape it would be, but he was wary of it. They had food and fire, but that wasn't enough. You had to find water and food and shelter and a weapon, people said. And they thought that was all you had to have, because they took for granted the most important thing. You had to have a place where you belonged.

One of the biggest issues facing Mau was recovering the god stones that his people had used to leave tribute to their gods for generations and had been swept out to sea. Somehow, taking care of gods that wreaked such havok on his people seemed to be a high priority to everyone else but him.

"The gods let you down. When you needed them they weren't there. That is it, and all of it. To worship them now would be to kneel before bullies and murderers."

Interestingly, the same sentiment has been made by survivors of the recent earthquake in Haiti.
Another big issue arrives with Daphne's rescuers. No other European has as yet reached this island and the first thing they wanted to do was plant a flag and claim it for England. Daphne pointed out that there was a nation already existing on the island and came up with an ingenious was to protect the islanders.

I loved this book. It is a survival story, a story of an unlikely relationship, and a story of the strength that people find when they most need it. I would recommend it to readers who like thought provoking stories.

My rating for this book: ++++

Touching Spirit Bear (2001)

Fantastic book!
Cole is angry. His father is angry, drinks, and beats him. His mother drinks and doesn't stop the beatings. Cole is so angry that he beats another boy, Peter, badly enough he suffers brain damage. Some people believe that prison is too good for Cole but some don't. They feel that a system known as Justice Circle might come up with an alternative that could have better results. Peter's parents and lawyer, Cole's parents and their lawyers, two Tlingit Indians, several other people from the community, and the judge meet to discuss Cole and his problems. Their solution is banishment to an island in Alaska to live by himself for one year.
"Everyone thought he felt sorry for what he had done, and going to this island was his way of making things right. Nothing could be further from the truth. To Cole, this was just another big game."
Of course, the first thing Cole does when left on the island is burn down his shelter and supplies. That'll show them! An unusual species of bear, known as the Spirit Bear, shows up on the island, and darn if it doesn't show Cole any fear. How dare it! Cole fashions a spear from a sapling and the next time that bear shows his face, Cole attacks him with the spear and a knife. Cole is rescued two days later after laying on the beach with broken ribs, pelvis, leg, and arm. Not being able to move and suffering unimagineable pain might make some do serious reflection.
I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy survival stories and satisfying endings.
My rating for this book: +++++