Miscalculated Risks

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Steep valley sides and moody clouds made this paddle an overwhelming experience. Gudvangen is one of the most beautiful places in Norway!

Miscalculated Risks is a Bestselling, Award-Winning Memoir

In its action-packed, often-comical pages, Miscalculated Risks recounts how Cooper’s increasingly dangerous ventures far into wilderness landed him in dire situations: Mortally wounded in a Mexican jungle, twenty roadless miles from the nearest medical facility. Half-drowned and severely hypothermic on an isolated Oregon river, shooting sixty-nine miles of rapids during a weeklong blizzard. Deathly sick and out of water in sun-scorched desert . . .

Michael Cooper was compulsively drawn to perilous places. It nearly got him killed over a half-dozen times.

<h4>Retelling the near-fatal adventures in Cooper’s own words, Miscalculated Risks introduces a mix of unforgettable characters: The superhuman mill worker and the ADHD-tormented tax assessor, Cooper’s quirky cohorts on over thirty mountaineering ascents. And the charismatic hippie, offbeat national park ranger and reckless journalist who join Cooper on thirteen daring expeditions on foot through five trackless deserts—including to places where nobody in recorded history had gone before.</h4>

Winner of the 2025 Literary Global Book Awards for Narrative Nonfiction

Winner of the 2025 American Writing Awards for Best New (Debut) Nonfiction

The Eric Hoffer Awards honor exceptional books published by small, academic, and independent presses. One of the largest international prizes, the “Hoffer” confers the Montaigne Medal annually on the most thought-provoking books that illuminate, progress, or redirect thought. "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 (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://nationaltoday.com/us/or/sisters/news/2026/03/25/wilderness-adventurers-memoir-nominated-for-prestigious-award/">https://nationaltoday.com/us/or/sisters/news/2026/03/25/wilderness-adventurers-memoir-nominated-for-prestigious-award/)</a>

Nominated for the Eric Hoffer Awards' Montaigne Medal

Using a Kelly kettle storm kettle outdoors

Finalist for Foreword INDIES' Adventure, Sports & Recreation Book of the Year

“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&nbsp;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

Praise for Miscalculated Risks

Living in a roadless Mexican jungle twenty miles from civilization

Cooper at age 24, before the attack that left him mortally wounded

"Swimming" the Class IV Montgomery Rapid in winter—without a wetsuit

Pioneering a new route through the Waterpocket Fold

Exploring the trail-less core of Zion National Park

Sick, deep in the Moab Desert's backcountry

Off-trail in the most remote area in the US' lower 48 states

Crossing Pinto Basin in the Colorado Desert

Navigating Zion National Park's remote slot canyons

On an ill-fated 280-mile whitewater expedition

It’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years

Saw this man in front of the mini library at the park. Indeed, reading makes a man.

The amazing feeling from traveling, to be lost and to discover.

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A wilderness adventurer, mountaineer and backcountry navigator, Michael Cooper has explored over 8,000 miles of wild country—including places where nobody in recorded history had gone before. His memoir chronicling his many near-fatal expeditions, Miscalculated Risks: Attacked, Crippled, Paralyzed, Drowning, Unconscious and Freezing in The Wild (Just Not All at Once), is the Winner of the American Writing Awards for Best New (Debut) Nonfiction and Winner of the Literary Global Book Awards for Narrative Nonfiction. Additionally, Miscalculated Risks is a Finalist for the prestigious Foreword INDIES' Adventure, Sports &amp; Recreation Book of the Year and has been nominated for the Eric Hoffer Montaigne Medal recognizing the year's "most thought-provoking books"—distinctions prompting National Today to recognize Cooper as "a leading voice in adventure literature." Miscalculated Risks is an Amazon Bestseller and has been #1 in sales of print books in the SPORTS &amp; RECREATION/Extreme Sports category since the book was launched in October, 2025 [source: IngramSpark Global Distribution Network].Cooper is also widely known as a recording engineer and producer, having worked with Academy Award-winning actor William Hurt, ABC World News anchor Barry Serafin, and Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Ashley Cleveland. A noted authority on music production and sound for film, Michael Cooper’s journalism has appeared over 500 times in seven pro-audio magazines and Wired. He has served as Contributing Editor for the recording industry’s preeminent magazine, Mix, since 1996 and composed music for feature-length film. Michael Cooper lives with his wife in Central Oregon. For photographs and video of Michael’s adventures, visit his website: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://michaelcooperadventurer.com">https://michaelcooperadventurer.com</a>.Return to home page: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://soloist.ai/larreapress">https://soloist.ai/larreapress</a>

Michael Cooper

<h4> Libraries, Booksellers and Book Clubs: Please use the Contact Us button in the top-right corner of this page to make a request for Michael Cooper to appear at your event!</h4>Testimonial: "Our Guys Book Night loved Miscalculated Risks. It sparked excitement, debate, and more than a few 'did that really just happen?' moments. What truly set the experience apart, though, was having Michael Cooper join us for an author talk. ... Hearing a renowned adventurer candidly reflect on his mistakes, lessons, and miscalculations was both entertaining and deeply thought-provoking. It felt personal, honest, and rare. One of our toughest critics summed it up perfectly: 'This was our best Guys Book Night ever.' ”—Fred Rafilson, Guys Book Night Organizer, Bend, Ore. 6/11/2026 REI in Medford: Free Slideshow and Talk with Michael Cooper  Join wilderness adventurer, mountaineer and backcountry navigator Michael Cooper for a slideshow of his pioneering expeditions through five sun-scorched deserts and harrowing stories of jungle survival and whitewater accidents from his award-winning memoir Miscalculated Risks: Attacked, Crippled, Paralyzed, Drowning, Unconscious and Freezing in The Wild (Just Not All at Once). Following the slideshow, Michael will read an excerpt from his gripping memoir recounting one of his most ambitious desert expeditions. The event will close with Michael answering your questions and signing copies of his bestselling book. 6:30 pm - 8 pm Medford, Oregon More info here: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.rei.com/events/mrmc/miscalculated-risks-a-conversation-with-author-michael-cooper?course.session.anyLocation=100.000000%7E42.323011%7E-122.876740%3Bgeo_r">https://www.rei.com/events/mrmc/miscalculated-risks-a-conversation-with-author-michael-cooper/a02cw00000SYsZ2AAL</a> 6/18/2026 REI in Hillsboro: Free Slideshow and Talk with Michael Cooper  Join wilderness adventurer, mountaineer and backcountry navigator Michael Cooper for a slideshow of his pioneering expeditions through five sun-scorched deserts and harrowing stories of jungle survival and whitewater accidents from his award-winning memoir Miscalculated Risks: Attacked, Crippled, Paralyzed, Drowning, Unconscious and Freezing in The Wild (Just Not All at Once). Following the slideshow, Michael will read an excerpt from his gripping memoir recounting one of his most ambitious desert expeditions. The event will close with Michael answering your questions and signing copies of his bestselling book. 6 pm - 7:30 pm Hillsboro, Oregon More info here: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.rei.com/events/mrmc/miscalculated-risks-a-conversation-with-author-michael-cooper/a02cw00000SeZNCAA3">https://www.rei.com/events/mrmc/miscalculated-risks-a-conversation-with-author-michael-cooper/a02cw00000SeZNCAA3</a>6/19/2026 Salem-Keizer REI: Free Slideshow and Talk with Michael Cooper  Join wilderness adventurer, mountaineer and backcountry navigator Michael Cooper for a slideshow of his pioneering expeditions through five sun-scorched deserts and harrowing stories of jungle survival and whitewater accidents from his award-winning memoir Miscalculated Risks: Attacked, Crippled, Paralyzed, Drowning, Unconscious and Freezing in The Wild (Just Not All at Once). Following the slideshow, Michael will read an excerpt from his gripping memoir recounting one of his most ambitious desert expeditions. The event will close with Michael answering your questions and signing copies of his bestselling book. 6 pm - 7:30 pm Keizer, Oregon More info here: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.rei.com/events/mrmc/miscalculated-risks-a-conversation-with-author-michael-cooper/a02cw00000TttkjAAB">https://www.rei.com/events/mrmc/miscalculated-risks-a-conversation-with-author-michael-cooper/a02cw00000TttkjAAB</a>6/20/2026 Barnes &amp; Noble in Vancouver: Meet-and-greet with Michael Cooper Meet wilderness adventurer, mountaineer and backcountry navigator Michael Cooper one-on-one. Michael will answer your questions about his many nearly fatal expeditions through previously unexplored wilderness areas and sign copies of his award-winning book Miscalculated Risks: Attacked, Crippled, Paralyzed, Drowning, Unconscious and Freezing in The Wild (Just Not All at Once). noon - 4 pm Vancouver, Washington More info here: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://stores.barnesandnoble.com/event/9780062212615-0">https://stores.barnesandnoble.com/event/9780062212615-0</a>6/28/2026 REI in Eugene: Free Slideshow and Talk with Michael Cooper Join wilderness adventurer, mountaineer and backcountry navigator Michael Cooper for a slideshow of his pioneering expeditions through five sun-scorched deserts and harrowing stories of jungle survival and whitewater accidents from his award-winning memoir Miscalculated Risks: Attacked, Crippled, Paralyzed, Drowning, Unconscious and Freezing in The Wild (Just Not All at Once). Following the slideshow, Michael will read an excerpt from his gripping memoir recounting one of his most ambitious desert expeditions. The event will close with Michael answering your questions and signing copies of his bestselling book. 2 pm - 3:30 pm Eugene, Oregon More info here: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.rei.com/events/mrmc/miscalculated-risks-a-conversation-with-author-michael-cooper/a02cw00000TTAZZAA5">https://www.rei.com/events/mrmc/miscalculated-risks-a-conversation-with-author-michael-cooper/a02cw00000TTAZZAA5</a>7/1/26 Mountain Supply in Bend: Free Slideshow and Talk with Michael Cooper Join wilderness adventurer, mountaineer and backcountry navigator Michael Cooper for a slideshow of his pioneering expeditions through five sun-scorched deserts and harrowing stories of jungle survival and whitewater accidents from his award-winning memoir Miscalculated Risks: Attacked, Crippled, Paralyzed, Drowning, Unconscious and Freezing in The Wild (Just Not All at Once). Following the slideshow, Michael will read an excerpt from his gripping memoir recounting one of his most ambitious desert expeditions. The event will close with Michael answering your questions and signing copies of his bestselling book. 6 pm - 7:30 pm Bend, Oregon More info coming soon!7/11/2026 Barnes &amp; Noble in Bend: Meet-and-greet with Michael Cooper Meet wilderness adventurer, mountaineer and backcountry navigator Michael Cooper one-on-one. Michael will answer your questions about his many nearly fatal expeditions through previously unexplored wilderness areas and sign copies of his award-winning book Miscalculated Risks: Attacked, Crippled, Paralyzed, Drowning, Unconscious and Freezing in The Wild (Just Not All at Once). noon - 5 pm Bend, Oregon More info here: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://stores.barnesandnoble.com/event/9780062212492-0">https://stores.barnesandnoble.com/event/9780062212492-0</a>7/22/2026 Tualatin REI: Free Slideshow and Talk with Michael Cooper  Join wilderness adventurer, mountaineer and backcountry navigator Michael Cooper for a slideshow of his pioneering expeditions through five sun-scorched deserts and harrowing stories of jungle survival and whitewater accidents from his award-winning memoir Miscalculated Risks: Attacked, Crippled, Paralyzed, Drowning, Unconscious and Freezing in The Wild (Just Not All at Once). Following the slideshow, Michael will read an excerpt from his gripping memoir recounting one of his most ambitious desert expeditions. The event will close with Michael answering your questions and signing copies of his bestselling book. 6 pm - 7:30 pm Tigard, Oregon More info here:<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href=" https://www.rei.com/events/mrmc/miscalculated-risks-a-conversation-with-author-michael-cooper?course.session.anyLocation=200.0%7E44.052121%7E-123.089671%3Bgeo_r"> </a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.rei.com/events/mrmc/miscalculated-risks-a-conversation-with-author-michael-cooper/a02cw00000SZrZCAA1">https://www.rei.com/events/mrmc/miscalculated-risks-a-conversation-with-author-michael-cooper/a02cw00000SZrZCAA1</a>7/23/2026 Private event for residents at NorthWest Place Portland, Oregon 9/13/2026 Deschutes Public Library: Free Slideshow and Talk with Michael Cooper  Join wilderness adventurer, mountaineer and backcountry navigator Michael Cooper for a slideshow of his pioneering expeditions through five sun-scorched deserts and harrowing stories of jungle survival and whitewater accidents from his award-winning memoir Miscalculated Risks: Attacked, Crippled, Paralyzed, Drowning, Unconscious and Freezing in The Wild (Just Not All at Once). Following the slideshow, Michael will read an excerpt from his gripping memoir recounting one of his most ambitious desert expeditions. The event will close with Michael answering your questions and signing copies of his bestselling book. 3 pm - 4:30 pm Bend, Oregon More info coming soon!Return to home page: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://soloist.ai/larreapress">https://soloist.ai/larreapress</a>

Events Featuring Michael Cooper

Associated Press:<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://apnews.com/press-release/send2press/larrea-press-announces-miscalculated-risks-nominated-for-book-of-the-year-30c0d6cc4b0626ab8fb88c2018067f2d">https://apnews.com/press-release/send2press/larrea-press-announces-miscalculated-risks-nominated-for-book-of-the-year-30c0d6cc4b0626ab8fb88c2018067f2d</a>National Today:<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://nationaltoday.com/us/or/sisters/news/2026/03/25/wilderness-adventurers-memoir-nominated-for-prestigious-award/">https://nationaltoday.com/us/or/sisters/news/2026/03/25/wilderness-adventurers-memoir-nominated-for-prestigious-award/</a>The Source:<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.bendsource.com/outside/outsidefeatures/local-author-wins-literary-awards-following-publication-of-his-evocative-memoir-about-his-adventures/">https://www.bendsource.com/outside/outsidefeatures/local-author-wins-literary-awards-following-publication-of-his-evocative-memoir-about-his-adventures/</a>The Nugget Newspaper:<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.nuggetnews.com/story/2025/12/24/a-and-e/sisters-author-michael-cooper-wins-award/38565.html">https://www.nuggetnews.com/story/2025/12/24/a-and-e/sisters-author-michael-cooper-wins-award/38565.html</a>Return to home page: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://soloist.ai/larreapress">https://soloist.ai/larreapress</a>

Michael Cooper in the News: Stories & Interviews

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