“Harrowing and engaging.”—Jedediah S. Rogers, author of Roads in the Wilderness

"An outdoors adventure memoir packed with hair-raising encounters, gripping moments of life-or-death, and confrontations with nature that will leave readers on the edges of their seats. . . . Libraries seeking adventure stories of mountaineering and outdoors encounters will want to add Miscalculated Risks to their collections. . . . Nothing short of remarkable."—D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

“The wilderness comes alive on the page in this (literal) trailblazer’s memoir. . . . Cooper portrays his adventures in immersive detail. His descriptions of his experiences in untouched areas are lyrical. . . . Lovers of the outdoors and armchair travelers alike will enjoy adventuring along with him. OUR VERDICT: GET IT.“—Kirkus Reviews

“This isn't some slow-burning narrative; it’s a series of high-stakes moments when things went completely wrong during backpacking, climbing, and rafting trips. Cooper walks the reader through several terrifying scenarios . . . The honesty in Miscalculated Risks is what makes the memoir work so well. Michael Cooper doesn't try to sound like a legendary explorer; he sounds like a guy who is genuinely lucky to be breathing and wants to show you exactly where he tripped up. There is a lot of vulnerability here, especially when he describes the mental toll of being completely helpless in the wild. The pacing is great because the intensity of the accidents is balanced by some really thoughtful reflections on why people take these kinds of risks in the first place. . . . It is a gripping, cautionary book that definitely stays with you after you finish it. I highly recommend this book!”—Kristen A. Peters, Readers’ Favorite (5-star review)

"Brazenly honest . . . and gripping storytelling."—The SOURCE

“A masterpiece. Not just a chronicle of close calls but a glimpse into another age and insight into why we humans challenge ourselves with hard tasks.”—Warren C. Easley, author of The Cal Claxton Mysteries

“Outstanding and inspiring. A beautiful story told remarkably well.”—Courtney Purcell, author of Zion National Park: Summit Routes

"Cooper's Montaigne Medal nomination follows his previous wins of the Literary Global Book Awards and American Writing Awards, further cementing his status as a leading voice in adventure literature.”—National Today