Awaken the Bear is a small book with a big message: The modern world has lulled us into a collective hibernation. To wake up, we need to stop the noise, activate our senses, and re-wild our daily patterns. We all know deep down that we are built for more than sameness and screens. But how do we get there? How do we live a life that is meaningful and adventurous? In Awaken the Bear, Meier introduces readers to another path--one that is primal, untamed, and wild. Blending groundbreaking research with compelling personal stories, he challenges us to rethink the way we view ourselves and the natural world around us. Laying out a blueprint for well-being informed equally by cutting-edge research and timeless wisdom, Meier urges us to tap into our wild inheritance, suggesting that as our modern lives shift increasingly indoors, recognizing the benefits of nature has become more urgent than ever. The goal for all of us should be to approach life with excitement and zest, to feel alive and activated, and to live a life that is rewarding and authentic. But none of this happens on its own. There are levers that we need to pull, and we need to ask the right questions: Why and where are we meant to roam? What animates us? What challenges us? What sustains us? Awaken the Bear is an invitation to consider these questions and to open the door to a wilder and more meaningful life.

Essays on small art films and big-budget blockbusters, including Antonia's Line, American Beauty, Schindler's List, and The Passion of the Christ, that view films as life lessons, enlarging our sense of human possibilities. For Alan Stone, a one-time Freudian analyst and former president of the American Psychiatric Society, movies are the great modern, democratic medium for exploring our individual and collective lives. They provide occasions for reflecting on what he calls “the moral adventure of life”: the choices people make—beyond the limits of their character and circumstances—in response to life's challenges. The quality of these choices is, for him, the measure of a life well lived. In this collection of his film essays, Stone reads films as life texts. He is engaged more by their ideas than their visual presentation, more by their power to move us than by their commercial success. Stone writes about both art films and big-budget Hollywood blockbusters. And he commands an extraordinary range of historical, literary, cultural, and scientific reference that reflects his impressive personal history: professor of law and medicine, football player at Harvard in the late 1940s, director of medical training at McLean Hospital, and advisor to Attorney General Janet Reno on behavioral science. In the end, Stone's enthusiasms run particularly to films that embrace the sheer complexity of life, and in doing so enlarge our sense of human possibilities: in Antonia's Line, he sees an emotionally vivid picture of a world beyond patriarchy; in Thirteen Conversations about One Thing, the power of sheer contingency in human life; and in American Beauty, how beauty in ordinary experience draws us outside ourselves, and how beauty and justice are distinct goods, with no intrinsic connection. Other films discussed in these essays (written between 1993 and 2006 for Boston Review) include Un Coeur en Hiver, Schindler's List, Pulp Fiction, Thirteen Days, the 1997 version of Lolita, The Battle of Algiers, The Passion of the Christ, Persuasion, and Water.

Author Bob Buford called them "code breakers." They are people age 40 and older who have pioneered the art of finishing well in these modern times, and who can teach us to do the same, starting today. Buford sought out 60 of these trailblazers--including Peter Drucker, Roger Staubach, Jim Collins, Ken Blanchard, and Dallas Willard--and has recorded their lively conversations in these pages so that they can serve as "mentors in print" for all of us. "Twenty years from now," Buford writes, "the rules for this second adulthood as a productive season of life may be better known. But for now, we're out across the frontier breaking new ground." Buford gives you a chance to sit at the feet of these pioneers and learn the art of finishing well so you can shift into a far more fulfilling life now, no matter your age, and pursue a lasting significance that will be a legacy for future generations.

Praise forHow to Live a Life of Adventure After reading the first 20 chapters, I was ready to tackle a grizzly bear, wrestle a sea lion and climb Mount Everest. Not only does Wooldridge inspire you to live a maximum life, he shows you how to do it. I loved the adventures between every instructional chapter. I appreciated how thorough he was with references, key points and guides. Roger Hamilton, teacher I am a tomboy. I travel and play sports. Im also bold and sassy. This book addresses women who love to try everything once, twice and more. Wooldridge covers everything women need to know about traveling, mountain climbing, rafting, horseback riding, backpacking and much more. Sarah Gingrich, rodeo cowgirl Emile Zola said, "I'm here to live out loud!" Those words reflect the spirited life and writings of Frosty Wooldridge. His book reminds us that whether we trek high into the mountains or bike up hills closer to home, adventure awaits around the bend. I recommend this book for aspiring travelers as well as armchair explorers. He shows you how to make your dreams come true. Dan Millman, Way of the Peaceful Warrior Hands down! This is the best adventure book I have ever read with stories from all over the world. But wait! Wooldridge shows you how to go adventuring to make your own stories and fill your own scrapbook with memories. Its excellent in every way! Paul Margeletta, father, weekend warrior This book is extraordinary. The information is so valuable that it should be read daily for inspiration and guidance. I had to stop myself from underlining every sentence in the book. I want to buy this life-changing book as a gift for everyone I know, especially my kids. Susan Scollozi, housewife, traveler Half way through the concepts and practices in this profound book, I realized that the author may have meant to show readers how to live a life of adventure, but it occurred to me that this book shows anyone how to lead a very happy and successful life on a day to day basis. His concepts support mental, emotional, educational and spiritual health. Every adult and kid in America needs to read this book. Its that good. Arthur Daniels, teacher How the book will benefit you! You will discover your strengths, self-confidence and passions You may engage methodical steps for moving into your own fulfilling adventure-filled life You will build steadfast convictions and personal empowerment You will find others to share your adventures You will discover which kinds of adventures excite you Check lists for men and women for every kind of adventure You will never look back with regrets

A master dog-sledder, wartime hero, and world-renowned explorer recounts the story of his life in an upbeat, plainspoken style. And what a life it is! From his expeditions to Antarctica to his World War II service to his part in rescuing downed pilots in Greenland, Vaughan, at 89, has lived--and is still living--a life of adventure.

Every significant event in the Bible happened because someone said yes to God. Start living the adventure of yes today! In this whimsical yet inspiring book, Shelene tells the stories of real-life paths God took her on to learn some simple truths that changed everything in her life—everything for the better. By loving how our Creator made us to love; skipping comfort and safety to help those who can never repay us; and taking a risk to jump into the epic journey God has for our lives, the reality is we are all just one yes away from changing everything. Don’t miss out on the incredible adventure God has for you. Say yes to God—love, skip, and jump your way to his plans for you!

Have you ever wondered how others have reached their goals? Have you ever wanted to be more engaged and present? Have you ever wanted your life to be filled with adventure? Most of us have. It's important to note, though, that you don't need to climb Mount Everest, row across the Pacific Ocean, swim the English Channel, or ski to the North Pole to experience a life of adventure. In reality, finding it is a lifestyle choice that reconnects you with your dreams and passions. In Adventure in Everything, you'll learn a framework for making changes guaranteed to weave excitement and a sense of possibility into every single day. Whether it's finding a dream job, discovering a way to turn old responsibilities into new passions, enhancing your most significant relationships, or constructing a completely different way of being in this world, you have the potential for a life infused with exciting possibilities. With Adventure in Everything, you will discover this for yourself.