"There is something about a treasure," says Joseph Conrad in Nostromo, "that fastens on a man's mind." And, yes, there is something about the subject of treasure hunting that continues to fascinate us. One only needs to browse the Web to discover a whole netherworld of treasure-hunting magazines, metal-detector clubs, and lost-mine information exchanges that apparently engage the funds and spare time of thousands of hopefuls. But digging up tin cans and discarded horseshoes or crashing through the Superstitions in a "recreational vehicle" somehow goes against the romantic grain. Charles Elliott recaptures the essential romance of the search in this collection of classic stories. Many are true - or purport to be. They encompass all the great themes - obsession, tragedy, danger, crime, frustration, terrible physical challenge, success and disappointment. They take place under the sea, in jungles, on desert islands, even in the attics of old houses. The treasure itself is not always gold, silver, and diamonds - it may be lost documents, the solution to a historical puzzle, or an unexpected archaeological discovery. What is common to them all is the excitement of the chase and the possibility - irrational, perhaps, but unavoidable -that treasure really is there for the finding.

To reach freedom, the most famous escapers of all time have been willing to endure the most horrific conditions—and the direst consequences if caught. The collection of tales in The Greatest Escape Stories Ever Told is gripping as only true life-and-death struggles can be: Papillon fighting through the jungles of Guiana only to commit himself to the open ocean in a sixteen-foot boat rather than face a life in exile; Rocky Gause dodging bullets as he swims through shark-infested waters to escape the Japanese at Bataan, while those around him simply quit; Latude battling against the dreaded Bastille; Baron Trenck—with chains covering almost every inch of his body—digging and digging to free himself from wrongful imprisonment; Andre Devigny, so weak from starvation and poor treatment that he could barely lift himself, shimmying across a rope only yards above a German sentry during World War II on the eve of his execution. These are just a few of the twenty-five bold and ingenious tales of escape included in this collection. The Greatest Escape Stories Ever Told will hold readers captive for years to come!

Follow the trails of hunters—the original storytellers—as they interpret signs, examine tracks, and chase and catch their prey (or fail to). Readers can curl up with the best authentic hunting fiction and non-fiction, bringing the great Mount Kenya and the prairies of the American Bison into your living room. From Theodore Roosevelt and Gene Hill to Rick Bass and Charles Dickens, remember classic hunting tales and discover new stories of hunters’ luck, camaraderie, and use of smarts on the trail. The thrill of the chase and the passion for outdoor living are elegantly brought together in this exquisite volume, certain to delight both hunters and short-story aficionados. With work by more than one hundred of the world’s most eminent authors and hunters, including: Theodore Roosevelt Zane Grey Ted Nugent Aldo Leopold Rick Bass Philip Caputo Geoffrey Norman Gene Hill And many more!

The newspaper advertisement for volunteers to accompany Ernest Shackleton on his planned traverse of Antarctica in 1914 was frank in its offering. “Men wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in event of success.” Still, hundreds applied. There were few chances left to be the first to reach the last challenge on Earth. As the 20th Century came of age, explorers had uncovered most of the world’s mysteries, sailing to the far corners of the globe, ascending many of its most forbidding peaks, crossing its greatest deserts and penetrating its thickest jungles. Frozen, alien, inhospitable, dangerous, and close to impossible to reach, there were only two tiny dots on the globe that human beings had not yet set foot on—the North and South Poles. The Greatest Polar Exploration Stories Ever Told is a visceral, exciting and stunning collection of twelve stories recounting the bravery, resoluteness, and strength of the men who willingly traversed frozen hells to be the first to reach the North or South Pole. It is a collection that will both inspire and inform—and answer questions about the limits of human endurance. Many men would die during their challenging, frozen journeys, and their deaths were not pleasant. Yet they continued to try again. Here are stories, wrought by the challenging landscape and weather, that made these explorers household names and heroes: Peary, Scott, Amundsen, Shackleton, Franklin,Cherry-Garrard, Scott, Kane, Cook—and others lost to history whose bravery was nonetheless as admirable. Each of these men knew success would bring glory for their countries and financial security and fame and eminent places in history for themselves. Each knew also the odds of success were slim and the chance of dying great. Nations held their collective breaths for news of each expedition and those years later were termed the Heroic Age of Exploration—there were simply no other endeavors that captured the world’s attention the various races to the poles. The Greatest Polar Exploration Stories Ever Told recaptures the spirit, drama, and tragedy of a time in history that will never come again.

Two of mankind’s most persistent quests—“get rich quick” and “something for nothing”—provide the power driving these tales of treasure-seekers in action. Renowned storytellers like Louis L’Amour and Jack London join real-life adventurers risking their lives for riches they think are worth the dangers. Buried treasure, creeks glittering with gold nuggets, sunken galleons filled with Spanish doubloons—the mother lodes are as varied as the men pursuing them. Some of the seekers will be rewarded; others face tragedy in remote places, lost among the jungles, mountains, and oceans. In both fiction and non-fiction, these stories make treasure hunting a real-life experience, in gripping prose that makes the reader of these stories part of the hunt itself.

In this fun and informative YA Non-fiction title, Dustin Hansen, author of Game On!, a self-confessed video game addict with over 20-years experience in the gaming industry, examines the storytelling skills shown in some of the most beloved and moving games of all time. We all know that video games are fun, but can a video game make you cry? Can it tell you a powerful love story? Can a video game make you think differently about war? About the environment? About the choices you make? Whether it's playing through blockbuster-esque adventures (Uncharted, God of War, The Last of Us), diving deep into hidden bits of story and lore (Red Dead Redemption II, Bioshock, Journey) or building relationships that change the fate of the world itself (Persona 5, Undertale), video games are bringing stories to life in ways that are immediate, interactive and immersive. Focusing on some of the best, most memorable, experiences in gaming, The Greatest Stories Ever Played, examines the relationship between gaming and storytelling in a new way.

The Best Fishing Stories Ever Told celebrates the art of hunting fish at many angles. This ancient tradition is practiced all over the world. Tales of baiting, angling, and the watery outdoors are recounted by great writers such as Rudyard Kipling, Guy de Maupassant, and Lord Byron. In scenic rivers, lakes, and seas, praise the trout, snap up that salmon, angle, aim, and sing the fisherman’s song! This superbly presented collection of fishing stories will set the reader sailing on the Loch or along the Thames and tracking down sharks or carp in many exciting waterways. You will find memories, essays, true stories, and fishing accounts more or less exaggerated or imagined. Their authors and their editor, Nick Lyons, all share a communicable passion for a great day out fishing—a passion only surpassed by the love of telling the tale with or without the catch to show! With work by more than one hundred of the world’s most eminent authors and fishermen, including: John McPhee Howell Raines Ted Leeson Jimmy Carter Lefty Kreh Dave Barry Norman Maclean Rudyard Kipling And many more!