If you’re familiar with the Barkley Marathons at all (perhaps via one of the great documentaries about it), you might remember this entertaining fact: instead of human-staffed checkpoints around the course or chip timing, runners have to tear a page out of a book to prove they’ve passed a certain spot. The titles of the books, chosen by charmingly sadistic Barkley founder Lazarus Lake, are humorously appropriate (or, maybe inappropriate, depending on your sense of humor and masochism?): What Did I Do Wrong?, Doomed, You Can If You Think You Can, Damned, Where Do We Go From Here, The Idiot, How to Survive and Grow Richer in the Tough Times Ahead, Undead and Unfinished, The Body In The Woods, et cetera.
In the spirit of that idea, here are a handful of adventure books whose titles might capture some of your feelings during these past few weeks. (A link to the real book is below each image, in case you’re curious.)
Conquistadors of the Useless by Lionel Terray
Microadventures by Alastair Humphreys
Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Aron Ralston
Ascent Into Hell by Fergus White
Moods of Future Joys by Alastair Humphreys
—Brendan
