Wilderness Adventurer's Memoir Nominated for Prestigious Award

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Wilderness explorer, mountaineer, journalist and multi-award-winning author Michael Cooper has been nominated for the prestigious Eric Hoffer Montaigne Medal for his memoir 'Miscalculated Risks: Attacked, Crippled, Paralyzed, Drowning, Unconscious and Freezing in The Wild (Just Not All at Once).' The book blends adventure, personal reflection, and gripping storytelling as it chronicles Cooper's near-fatal expeditions and extreme wilderness encounters.

Why it matters

The Eric Hoffer Award is one of the largest international literary prizes, honoring exceptional books published by small, academic, and independent presses. 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.

The details

Cooper's memoir 'Miscalculated Risks' recounts his close brushes with death in the wild, including being mortally wounded in a Mexican jungle, severely hypothermic on an isolated Oregon river, and deathly ill and out of water in the sun-scorched desert. The book explores themes of wilderness survival, camaraderie, the lure of untouched landscapes, and the human drive to test boundaries.

• Michael Cooper's memoir 'Miscalculated Risks' was published in 2026.

What’s next

The winner of the Eric Hoffer Montaigne Medal will be announced in the coming months.