Busy times here in Shed HQ. To be rushing to finish one book manuscript before Christmas is unfortunate. To be in the same situation with two books at the same time is careless. There is lots of red pen scribbling going on!

But it does mean that, after a fallow 2025 in terms of publishing, I should have two books coming out in 2026.

Canoe Adventure is a loose sequel to my previous books for children, and sees the two young protagonists heading off to retrace Lewis & Clark’s iconic expedition across America.

The second book, whose working title is Unwilded (and is based on one of my other newsletters), is about nature disconnection, the axed Sycamore Gap tree, Martha the last passenger pigeon, and whether spending fifteen minutes in nature could save the universe…

This also means that I’m going to begin a brand new project in January. That’s exciting… except I have no idea what it should be! I’d like to get my teeth into something new and different, something that makes me think in new ways. Any ideas welcome!

Right, let me quickly introduce myself to any newcomers, and then we’ll get on with business…

I’m Alastair Humphreys, adventurer, book writer, and overexcited sender of four newsletters. Nobody needs that many emails from me!

You’re reading Shouting from the Shed. Please check it’s the one that suits you best – or switch to a better fit:

1. Adventure + Purpose – how can those of us who love the wild world do our bit to fix it? Subscribe here for a Saturday read.
2. The Doorstep Mile – helping you live a little bit more adventurously in everyday life. Get it every Monday, here.
3. Ask An Adventurer – how I build a career as a solo creative. Tips every couple of weeks.

If you enjoy this newsletter, please forward it to five friends. I’d love to find 5,000 new readers this year. If you don’t enjoy it, please click ‘reply’ and let me know how it could be better!

•  It’s that time of year… the month when authors like me make almost all our book sales! I’d be SO grateful if you gifted some of my children’s books this Christmas, or my books about travel, nature and adventure. Thank you!
•  Alpkit have put together a gift guide for the outdoor fans in your life.
•  Fancy joining a Trees for Cities volunteer day? Turn up for a few hours, plant some trees, get a nice curry…
•  A fascinating podcast about bird migration.
•  Speaking of migration, a monarch butterfly gets a wing transplant in this short video clip. So cool!
•  Cycling the length of the UK with a sewing machine.
•  I love this nosey glimpse of the desks where The Booker Prize nominees write: from kitchen tables to a cemetery bench.
•  Zabardast – crazy Frenchmen, stunning Pakistani scenery, hardcore climbing, and bonkers skiing. Are you not entertained?!
•  If, like me, you plan to be awake at 2:30 am tonight to watch the start of The Ashes cricket, I hope you’ll enjoy remembering my favourite-ever Ashes innings.
•  And finally… it’s the month of when authors like me make almost all our book sales! I’d be SO grateful if you gifted some of my children’s books this Christmas, or my books about travel, nature and adventure. Thank you!

For quite a few years I’ve been giving shout-outs on Twitter to people who publish new adventure books. Unfortunately that social media platform has become literally useless for getting any helpful info out into the world.

So I’ve decided to switch it to here.

If you publish a book and you’d like me to give it a shout-out from the shed, please get in touch here.

• Slow and Strenuous: Finding Peace in a Fast-Paced World by Peter Gierlach
• The Coast to Coast Companion by Natalie Wilson. Signed copies, plus a 15% discount with the code Namaste15.
• SaddleSore: From England to India by Tom Cartledge

Let me know if you have a relevant project that my readers would appreciate.

Here’s what you guys have been up to recently:

• Bicycling for Ladies
• Questions on Food and Climate Change
• Whitman Alabama
• Your Town Laid Out Like a Spider Web
• Another 100 Adventure Films to Stream for Free

What I’d like to share with you this week

• A good book to read: Barbarian Days
  A beautifully written memoir about a life spent chasing waves around the world. Even if you’re not a surfer, it’s a wise, reflective book about obsession, risk, curiosity, and growing older without losing the spark. It’s the rare adventure book written with depth and experience — more thoughtful than youthful bravado. (If you enjoyed Dylan’s Chronicles, you’ll enjoy this too.)
• A lovely Instagram to follow: Jared Kohn (@mountain_lines)
  Crisp, simple, witty line drawings inspired by travel and mountains. His work blends minimalism with playfulness, and often captures the feeling of heading off into wild places. If you enjoy clean design and outdoor art, this is worth a follow.
• An intriguing article to ponder
  A thought-provoking look at extreme athletes and the increasingly dangerous pressure to create constant online content. It explores how the demand for spectacular footage is pushing some adventurers into higher-risk behaviour — and sometimes with tragic consequences. A good companion piece to current conversations about responsibility and risk in the outdoors.
• An even better newsletter than mine to subscribe to: The Chicken Shed Chronicles
  Inspiring, thoughtful and warm. The Do Lectures feel like a relaxed, humble version of TED — full of creativity, curiosity and practicality. Dip into the archive of talks if you have time (and yes, The Importance of Jumping in Rivers is in there…).