Dancing with Death

How many of us fantasize about walking away from the daily grind of the American Dream to embark on a grand adventure? That's exactly what former French Special Forces Commando Jean-Philippe Soul did in real life-abandoning his cushy job with Microsoft to launch into a three-year kayaking adventure that would take him and his best friend on a dangerous and beautiful journey of discovery across seven countries in Central America.

Fans of Jon Krakauer's inspirational Into Thin Air will devour this gripping tale of adventure, survival, and a search for life's deeper meaning

At first glance, Jean-Philippe Soul had achieved everything modern society defines as "success." A former French Special Forces Commando, he enjoyed a thriving career in America as a program manager with Microsoft. Like many of us, however, he secretly dreamed about walking away from his job to embark on to jump into an epic adventure, one inspired by the captivating sea adventures of Jacques Cousteau that he'd read about in his youth.

The difference, though, is that Jean-Philippe made those dreams come true

In 1998, he and his travel partner Luke Shullenberger shed the trappings of comfortable civility to venture into the Central American Sea Kayak Expedition 2000-an ambitious quest to paddle all the way from California to Panama. The bold expedition would take the two men across 3,000 miles of the remote and wild Central American coastline, spanning three years, seven countries, and countless once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

Now, twenty years later, Jean-Philippe Soul reflects on this incredible and enlightening journey in the revised Dancing with Death-a compelling real-life travel memoir that documents the tales of exploration, endurance, and self-discovery that Jean-Philippe and Luke experienced as they kayaked across the most exquisite and treacherous waters of the world.

Combining journal entries written at the time, reflections from two decades later, and stunning, award-winning photographs, Dancing with Death delivers the gripping narrative of Jean-Philippe and Luke's victories, misfortunes, and sacrifices in visceral and evocative detail. During this grueling rite of passage, the two men faced every manner of threat-from sharks, crocodiles, and bandits to stormy seas, malaria, and even coming face-to-face with their own mortality-all in search of a deeper connection with Mother Nature and the Indigenous communities who revere her most. Jean-Philippe was transformed by the people he met along the way.

Readers of all ages will be inspired as they follow these intrepid explorers on this extraordinary transformational voyage-testing their limits, exploring new cultures, and learning that life is what we make it, if only we dare to rea...