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Our Pick: Top Three Inspiring Reads for Mother’s Day

Tuesday, 26 March 2019

In this blog post, we take a look at some of the amazing books written by women on offer here at Vertebrate, and why they make such inspiring reads. What’s more, every book mentioned here has been included in Kobo’s Mother’s Day Sale celebrating brilliant inspiring women, meaning you can get your hands on each of these beautiful books for just 99p until 3 April!

Waymaking

‘In Waymaking you will find women seeking solitude and women travelling in company; women out to conquer and women who need to commune; women who are fearless, and women battling their fear; women who are mothers, daughters, wives and lovers, and women who tell us nothing about those parts of their lives; white women, women of colour and First Nation women; women of deep faith and of none; bruised, broken and heartsore women, and women focused only on how their skill and their sinews and muscles can carry them up, over, into and away.’ – Melissa Harrison, Introduction to Waymaking.

Our bestselling anthology, Waymaking, features prose, poetry and artwork by women who are inspired by nature, adventure and landscape. It is a stunning read which can be dipped into again and again, each time offering an exciting new perspective on wildness and women in the great outdoors. The can-do attitude of each of these women – pushing themselves physically and mentally to experience places unfound indoors – and the diverse range of voices heard through these encounters sees Waymaking inspire women around the world to step outside and connect with wildness in their own unique way.

Photo: She Collects all the Trees She Climbed That Summer - Paula Flach, Waymaking

Adventures in Mind

'Heather’s debut book is a breath of fresh air. She doesn’t slot neatly into any pigeon holes – she’s as passionate about running as she is about cycling and climbing. She’s not a professional athlete – in her day job she’s a statistician and systems architect and she has recently become an artist as well as a mother. It stands out because – unlike so many of the high-octane adventure sports books and films that I read and watch – it wasn’t another ego-driven account of ‘living the dream’. It’s more about dealing with everyday reality – confronting the doubts and fears that everyone has.’– Reviewer

In this deeply personal biography, Heather Dawe explores the drive behind the sacrifices one makes as an adventurer drawn into the wild. Writing with candid insight, Dawe recounts what it takes to push limits – to win Mountain marathons and train for adventure races – all while looking after a young child and working nine to five. At its core, Adventures in Mind examines the rewards of overcoming challenges, developing as an athlete and asking the all-important question: Why do we do it? To quote Women’s Adventure Magazine, ‘Dawe’s stubborn determination will make even the most casual athlete want to up their game, but it’s her passion for the outdoors that will resonate, reminding the soul within that nature can heal on many levels.'

Clouds From Both Sides

Clouds From Both Sides is a tribute to the memory of an inspirational woman determined to strive for her dreams, an extraordinary account of her adventures and an exhilarating testament to her courage.

Clouds From Both Sides is the autobiography of Julie Tullis, the first British woman to climb an 8,000 metre peak and the first to summit the world’s second-highest mountain: K2. A truly remarkable woman, Julie describes her early days in London – including her first climbing experience and how her instant love for the rocks led her to the high mountains – and her personal life as a much-loved mother and wife. Tullis’ achievements are timeless and her admirable self-discipline and unwavering determination to climb whatever the challenge – physical or financial – will no doubt inspire adventurers for generations to come.