Books with author Adam Walker Phillips

Adam Walker is not your everyday record-breaking sportsman. He took on arguably the toughest extreme sport on the planet—to swim non-stop across seven of the world's deadliest oceans wearing only swim trunks, cap and goggles. It is not a test for the faint-hearted: swimmers face freezing temperatures, huge swells and treacherous currents, potentially deadly marine life (from sharks to Portuguese men o' war), vomiting and burning off a week's calories in a single swim. In 2007, Adam, then a toaster salesman, saw a film about a man attempting to swim the English Channel and change his life in doing so. Inspired by this, he decided to try to emulate the feat. After a year of rigorous training without a coach—his first open-water swim was in 9 degrees and he nearly died from hypothermia—Adam achieved his goal in 11 hours 35 minutes, despite a ruptured bicep tendon leading to medical advice to give up long-distance swimming. In 2011, after two operations and a change to his swimming style to take pressure off his injured shoulder, he became the first Briton to achieve a two-way crossing from Spain to Morocco and back. In the process, he broke the British record one way. Shortly afterwards, the Ocean's Seven challenge was born, a grueling equivalent to the Seven Summits mountaineering challenge. At first it seemed that injury would prevent Adam from participating but, ignoring medical advice, he developed an innovative technique—the Ocean Walker stroke—that would enable him to continue with the ultimate aim of completing this seemingly impossible feat. Whether man would triumph over ocean, or fail in the attempt, forms the core of this extraordinary autobiography. Always intriguing, sometimes terrifying, and occasionally very funny, Adam's story is about sport in its truest form: rather than competitions between teams and individuals, it is about man against nature—and against his own failings and demons. In that, it is truly inspirational.

Ronald Reagan: 68 Fascinating Facts For Kids***Throughout his childhood, Ronald Reagan was known as “Dutch”. When he was born his father joked that, “He looks like a fat little Dutchman”, and the name stuck. It wasn’t until he started working as a movie actor that he became known as Ronald Reagan.***For seven years, young Ronald Reagan worked every summer as a lifeguard at the beach on Rock River in Dixon, Illinois, earning money which would help get him through college. He was an excellent lifeguard and rescued 77 people during the seven summers he worked at Rock River.***Before becoming a politician, Ronald Reagan was a radio sports broadcaster and a movie star. He worked in radio for five years before moving to Hollywood where he appeared in more than fifty movies.These are just a few of our fascinating facts about Ronald Reagan - why not find out more?We hope that the facts about the Ronald Reagan in our book will fascinate you and encourage you to find out even more about one of America's greatest ever presidents.Chapters: Early Life | Radio Broadcaster | A New Career | Hollywood | Ronald Reagan: Governor to President | First Term | Second Term | Retirement & Death | Assorted Ronald Reagan Facts

Oscar Wilde called this collection of essays the "holy writ of beauty." Published to great acclaim in 1837, it examines the work of Renaissance artists such as Winckelmann and the then neglected Botticelli, and includes a celebrated discussion of the Mona Lisa in a study of Da Vinci. The book strongly influenced art students and aesthetes of the day and is still valuable for the insights it offers and the beauty of the writing.

Ronald Reagan: 68 Fascinating Facts For Kids***Throughout his childhood, Ronald Reagan was known as “Dutch”. When he was born his father joked that, “He looks like a fat little Dutchman”, and the name stuck. It wasn’t until he started working as a movie actor that he became known as Ronald Reagan.***For seven years, young Ronald Reagan worked every summer as a lifeguard at the beach on Rock River in Dixon, Illinois, earning money which would help get him through college. He was an excellent lifeguard and rescued 77 people during the seven summers he worked at Rock River.***Before becoming a politician, Ronald Reagan was a radio sports broadcaster and a movie star. He worked in radio for five years before moving to Hollywood where he appeared in more than fifty movies.These are just a few of our fascinating facts about Ronald Reagan - why not find out more?We hope that the facts about the Ronald Reagan in our book will fascinate you and encourage you to find out even more about one of America's greatest ever presidents.Chapters: Early Life | Radio Broadcaster | A New Career | Hollywood | Ronald Reagan: Governor to President | First Term | Second Term | Retirement & Death | Assorted Ronald Reagan Facts

What makes someone want to buy a car that costs a small fortune? Or a very large one for that matter? What drives us to demand the best? What makes us want to experience the thrill and sensation of cars designed for pure driver indulgence and to appreciate the creativity and engineering that has made the supercar what it is today? It is our constant striving for excellence that does it and the modern supercars offer the answers. The looks; the performance; the handling; everything about the modern supercar is unforgettable. This book profiles the very best that today's engineers and designers have to offer. From Italy and the UK to Japan and America, all the significant supercars are profiled here giving you insight into one of the world's most dynamic, creative and exciting industries.

People are funny--and so are many animals when they're encouraged by their human keepers! Here's a tour of the weird and wacky side of life around the world, with surprises and laughs for older boys and girls. They'll read about people with unusual bodies, including the tallest and the shortest, as well as the man with the most tattoos, a woman with the longest fingernails, an 80-year-old body builder, and a studs-and-rings-decorated woman who calls herself The Human Pincushion. Among the world's most preposterous pastimes and silliest sports recounted here are cheese rolling contests, a crying baby competition, and so-called Underwater Olympics. Just two among the dozens of animal antics recounted include a report on Olympic games for pigs, held in Moscow in 2006, and the story of Fin and Tofu, a pair of New Zealand rats who go surfing with their owner. They're all reported in detail, with color photos as supporting evidence and amusing pull-out features that add crazy details to the

"Readers will be engrossed with this collection of some of the most enviable supercars on Earth, from yesterday's Ferrari Testarosa to today's Bugatti Veyron. Each auto profile sports a brief history, list of specifications, and colorful and kinetic image of the car in action. Readers will be engaged for hours checking out these machines of beauty"--Provided by publisher.

On an island of rocks out in the ocean lived a sea monster. His head was large, and when he opened his mouth it looked like a cave.It had been said that he was so huge that he could swallow a ship, and that on stormy nights he sat on the rocks and the flashing of his eyes could be seen for miles around.The sailors spoke of him with fear and trembling, but, as you can see, the sea monster had really been a friend to them, showing them the rock in the storm by flashing his eyes; but because he looked so hideous all who beheld him thought he must be a cruel monster.One night there was a terrible storm, and the monster went out into the ocean to see if any ship was wrecked in the night, and, if possible, help any one that was floating about.He found one little boy floating about on a plank. His name was Ko-Ko, and when he saw the monster he was afraid, but when Ko-Ko saw that the monster did not attempt to harm him he climbed on the monster's back and he took him to the rocky island. Then the monster went back into the sea and Ko-Ko wondered if he were to be left alone. But after a while the monster returned and opened his mouth very wide.Ko-Ko ran when he saw the huge mouth, for he thought the monster intended to swallow him, but as he did not follow him Ko-Ko went back.The monster opened his mouth again, and Ko-Ko asked, "Do you want me to go inside?" and the monster nodded his head."It must be for my own good," said Ko-Ko, "for he could easily swallow me if he wished, without waiting for me to walk in."So Ko-Ko walked into the big mouth and down a dark passage, but what the monster wanted him to do he could not think. He could see very faintly now, and after a while he saw a stove, a chair, and a table. "I will take these out," said Ko-Ko, "for I am sure I can use them."He took them to a cave on the island, and when he returned the monster was gone; but he soon returned, and again he opened his mouth.Ko-Ko walked in this time without waiting, and he found boxes and barrels of food, which he stored away in the cave. When Ko-Ko had removed everything the monster lay down and went to sleep.Ko-Ko cooked his dinner and then he awoke the monster and said, "Dinner is ready," but the monster shook his head and plunged into the ocean. He soon returned with his mouth full of fish. Then Ko-Ko knew that the monster had brought all the things from the sunken ship for him, and he began to wish that the monster could talk, for he no longer feared him.

Dicky Duck was a very wise young fellow. He swam about the pond alone long before his brothers left their mother, and such worms and bugs and things of that sort as he found made all the other young ducks quite green with envy. But one day Dicky Duck almost lost his life by thinking he was so wise, for he was swimming around the pond when he came to the woods where Mr. Fox was hiding back of some bushes. Dicky did not go near enough for Mr. Fox to catch him, but Mr. Fox could see that he was a nice plump duck and it made his eyes shine with longing to look at him. "Ah me," he sighed as Dicky swam by, "if only I knew some wise creature to ask! I am far too dull to know anything myself." When Dicky heard the word "wise" he felt sure that meant him, for was not he the wisest duck of his size and age? So he stopped swimming and looked around. Mr. Fox had hidden himself well under the bushes now. Not even the tip of his nose could be seen and he made his voice sound very weak, as if he were a very small animal. "Who is it that wants to know a wise creature?" asked Dicky Duck. "Oh, a poor little animal called Eatyoup," answered Mr. Fox, laughing so at his joke that he could hardly speak. "I am very stupid and do not know much and I have no wise friends." Dicky Duck had never heard of an Eatyoup, but he had no intention of letting anyone think there was anything he did not know, so he swam nearer and said, "Well, I am wise, and if you wish to know anything ask me. Come out where I can see you and we can talk to each other better." He was trying all the time to get a glimpse of the new animal, but Mr. Fox was a wise creature himself and he had no intention of being seen.

One night when the wind was blowing and it was clear and cold out of doors, a cat and a dog, who were very good friends, sat dozing before a fire-place. The wood was snapping and crackling, making the sparks fly. Some flew up the chimney, others settled into coals in the bed of the fireplace, while others flew out on the hearth and slowly closed their eyes and went to sleep.