Favourite book: Tough Women Adventure Stories – Stories of grit, courage and determination edited by Jenny Tough
The Canadien Jenny Tough was apparently often mocked as a child for her last name because as a girl she should be "pretty" or something, but certainly not "tough". In the meantime, however, Tough has lived up to her name as an adventurer, for example by running solo and unsupported over a mountain range on every continent for several weeks. In North America over the Rocky Mountains, in South America over the Cordillera Oriental, in Africa over the High Atlas etc. All that is missing is the Caucasus, an expedition that she had to postpone due to COVID-19. Furthermore, she took part in various multi-day gravel bike races around the world and was the first woman to cross the finish line (Atlas Mountain Race, Silk Road Mountain Race etc.).
In the foreword, Tough describes a precarious situation in the Tien Shan Mountains (Asia), a crossing that no one had dared to undertake before her. Then 22 other women tell about their adventures and expeditions and their experiences with them. There are also some women photographers, as e.g. Cat Vinton, who often travels alone in the wilderness for months to find almost extinct tribes and to document their everyday life. Emma Svensson was a concert photographer who watched an Everest documentary on the plane and turned her life upside down to be able to climb mountains. Sarah Outen has circled the world by bike, rowboat and kayak. For her film "Home" about the London2London Expedition, she filmed a lot herself.
The stories in the book are very impressive, but also show that adventures and expeditions are above all a question of will or conviction, but also of perspective. We can all define adventures for ourselves and be proud of them.
If you are looking for inspiring and encouraging adventure stories from women, this book is sure to serve you well!
Tough Women Adventure Stories, Jenny Tough (editor). 2020, Summersdale Publishers Ltd, London.
Available as paperback or e-book.