I’ve been quiet around here for awhile, but I have a good excuse: I’ve been working on a book!
Dead Reckoning: Learning from Accidents in the Outdoors will be out June 1, 2021 with Falcon Guides. If you’ve enjoyed any of my writing here at My Alaskan Odyssey over the last few years, I think you’ll get a kick out of it (and hopefully learn something).
I wrote this book because I wanted everyone—no matter how much experience they have in the backcountry—to have the tools to stay safe and make decisions for themselves. Dead Reckoning is narrative nonfiction that covers a wide range of activities, like backpacking, hiking in bear country, mountaineering, sea kayaking, whitewater sports, and backcountry skiing. Each chapter is a narrative about a personal experience of mine (sometimes a close call, and sometimes one I’m not especially proud of), and it’s peppered with historical accident data and analysis.
Here are some nice things some people have said about Dead Reckoning:
“Hands-down the most entertained and intrigued I’ve been while reading about all the ways I could die doing my favorite things in the outdoors. This book should be required reading for anyone who ties on a pair of hiking boots or passes through the entrance of a national park.”
—Brendan Leonard, author of The Art of Getting Lost, founder of Semi-Rad
“Dead Reckoning teaches critical lessons about staying safe in the backcountry with empathy and compassion. Reading about accidents is heavy, but there’s so much we can learn from them. This book helps make meaning from tragedy. Whether you’re an experienced adventurer or brand new to the trail, its thoughtful analysis will leave you better prepared to stay safe outside.”
—Caroline Gleich, professional athlete, activist, and contributor to Falcon Guides’ Women Who Hike
“In Dead Reckoning, Emma Walker tells self-effacing stories she’s blended with researched vignettes of others’ mishaps, followed-up by crisp de-briefings. It’s a unique, entertaining how-to for avoiding trouble and tragedy in the backcountry, from Hawaiian tropics to Alaskan tundra and everywhere in between on mountains, rivers, and seas.”
—Roman Dial, author of The Adventurer’s Son
“It’s not enough for Emma to tell you to ‘Pay Attention!’ She tells you in detail WHEN to pay attention in lots of fascinating circumstances, and then elaborates on WHY and even HOW to listen and watch for the myriad things that could kill you.”
—Lynne Wolfe, editor of The Avalanche Review
You can probably see where this is going… Will you pre-order (or order, if you’re coming across this after June 1!) a copy of Dead Reckoning? I appreciate it so much!
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