The most famous long-distance hiking trail in North America, the 2,181-mile Appalachian Trail—the longest hiking-only footpath in the world—runs along the Appalachian mountain range from Georgia to Maine. Every year about 2,000 individuals attempt to “thru-hike” the entire trail, a feat equivalent to hiking Mount Everest sixteen times. In Walking on the Wild Side, sociologist Kristi M. Fondren traces the stories of forty-six men and women who, for their own personal reasons, set out to conquer America’s most well known, and arguably most social, long-distance hiking trail. In this fascinating in-depth study, Fondren shows how, once out on the trail, this unique subculture of hikers lives mostly in isolation, with their own way of acting, talking, and thinking; their own vocabulary; their own activities and interests; and their own conception of what is significant in life. They tend to be self-disciplined, have an unwavering trust in complete strangers, embrace a life of poverty, and reject modern-day institutions. The volume illuminates the intense social intimacy and bonding that forms among long-distance hikers as they collectively construct a long-distance hiker identity. Fondren describes how long-distance hikers develop a trail persona, underscoring how important a sense of place can be to our identity, and to our sense of who we are. Indeed, the author adds a new dimension to our understanding of the nature of identity in general. Anyone who has hiked—or has ever dreamed of hiking—the Appalachian Trail will find this volume fascinating. Walking on the Wild Side captures a community for whom the trail is a sacred place, a place to which they have become attached, socially, emotionally, and spiritually.

" J. P. O'Neill: Undercover DEA agent. Accused of partner's death. Bail denied. Outlook—jail and certain death. Lauren Taylor: Attorney for the defense. Lost round one. About to become round two. Outlook—hostage. Unwilling—at first. J. P. O'Neill had been forced to kill his partner in self-defense, but no one was buying that. Someone had set him up, and he couldn't figure out who if he was locked behind bars. To track down his enemies, he'd have to escape. But to survive, he'd have to trust an innocent lady lawyer who thought he was guilty as sin..." -- Back cover.

Among the intellectual debates of the last forty years, the critique of cultural canons has attracted the highest share of public attention, stirring academic, educational, and media controversies on both sides of the Atlantic. Postmodernism, feminism, postcolonialism, and multiculturalism have refashioned the attitudes of educators and audiences towards cultural memory, opening up curricula to subjects and traditions previously excluded from the humanities. Predictably, these new critical practices have triggered heated responses from commentators fearing that culture and education might thereby be deprived of their capacity to provide audiences and learners with proper groundings and landmarks. The present volume gathers contributions that throw light on multiple aspects of this reconfiguration of cultural memory. It brings together essays focusing on the dynamics of canon formation in several fields - literature, drama, film, and music. Contributors examine how writers and communities find their bearings in a cultural landscape more complex than that previously envisaged by advocates of the Great Tradition. Specifically, the present essays throw light on the status of modernist writing, drama in English, or popular genres within the new canonical topography elaborated at the turn of the twenty-first century.

Sociologists have long noted that dynamism is an essential part of the urban way of life. However, walking as a significant social activity and crucial research method (in spite of its ubiquity as part of urban life) has often been overlooked. This volume considers walking in the city from a variety of perspectives, in a variety of places and with a variety of methods, to engage with the question of how walking can contribute to the sociological imagination and reveal sociological knowledge. Bringing together new research on sites across Europe, Walking in the European City addresses the nature of everyday mobility in contemporary urban settings, shedding light not only on the ways in which walking relates to other social institutions and practices, but also as a method for studying urban life. With attention to intersections of race and ethnicity, gender and class, as well as the manner in which processes of gentrification transform urban space, this book examines questions of access to public places, exploring the ways in which urban dwellers’ use of and relation to neighbourhood spaces are shaped by inequalities of status and power. As such, it will appeal to scholars of sociology, geography and anthropology with interests in urban studies, mobility and research methods.

This is about the adventures of a perpetual outsider. She is unsure of who she should be. Through the accident of her birth, the author records the changing values of the times she lived through. There are many stories of adopted children and their struggle with identity. Uniquely, the author inherited her birth mothers notebooks and is able to include her voice along with her own. She is at times chaotic and always uncertain as to who she should be. Only late in life does she find resolution as to the meaning of identity.

The ultimate beginner guide to the groundbreaking music service, Spotify! Spotify is a free online streaming music platform that allows users to listen to songs on demand over the Internet--without having to buy or own the actual tracks. This fun and friendly guide walks you through how best to use this sweet-sounding service. Covering everything from using Spotify on selected mobile phones to creating and sharing your own playlists, Spotify For Dummies has it all. Experienced author Kim Gilmour details the ins and outs of this revolutionary music, from installing and setup to discovering new artists and taking your musical enjoyment to new levels. Explores the social networking aspects of Spotify and how to integrate with them Helps you navigate through the various editions of Spotify Shows you how to take Spotify with you on your mobile device Encourages you to merge your own music collection with Spotify This book is spot on! Start using Spotify today with this handy guide by your side.

NO SEX FOR 30 DAYS! 30 days and counting... When serial monogamist Nick O'Malley bets his buddies he can remain woman-free for 30 days, he figures he'll suffer, but succeed. Then a few curves are thrown his way.... 2 days and counting... One minute Nick's in his hotel room aching for the leggy blonde he left behind in the bar. The next, she's barging into his room--wearing nothing but a scrap of leather and thigh-high boots! 1 night and counting... Nick might have fought Serena off once, but when she shows up the next night hell-bent on getting him out of his pants, he figures he'll be kissing his $500 goodbye. He'd almost think she had a hidden agenda--if he wasn't too busy fighting his lust. But he has to hold out, just for one more night. Even if it is the longest night of his life....

This text contains details and descriptions for more than 150 trails in 60 locations in the southern Wisconsin area. This second edition has new maps for Lafayette and Vernon counties, plus additional trail maps for Black Hawk, Wildcat Mountain State Park and Blackhawk Lake Recreational Area.