Saturday, March 28, 5 PM: Michael Cooper, Author of “Miscalculated Risks: Attacked, Crippled, Paralyzed, Drowning, Unconscious and Freezing in the Wild (Just Not All at Once).” Reading, Book Talk, Meet & Greet

Free Event, books available for purchase

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

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.

bio

A wilderness adventurer, mountaineer and backcountry navigator, Michael Cooper has explored over 8,000 miles of wild country—including places untouched by any recorded explorer. 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), was recently announced the Winner in the 2025 Literary Global Book Awards for Narrative Nonfiction and Winner in the 2025 American Writing Awards for Best New (Debut) Non-Fiction. Leading literary critics have heaped glowing praise on Miscalculated Risks. Midwest Book Review says Miscalculated Risks "will leave readers on the edges of their seats" and is "nothing short of remarkable." Kirkus Reviews says, "The wilderness comes alive on the page in this (literal) trailblazer's memoir. . . . Cooper portrays his adventures in immersive detail. OUR VERDICT: GET IT." 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. To view documentary photos and video of Michael Cooper's wilderness expeditions, go to https://michaelcooperadventurer.com/. Information about his memoir Miscalculated Risks can be found on Larrea Press' website: https://soloist.ai/larreapress.

FROM THE BEND BULLETIN: https://www.bendsource.com/outside/outsidefeatures/local-author-wins-literary-awards-following-publication-of-his-evocative-memoir-about-his-adventures/

AWARDS and PRAISE for MISCALCULATED RISKS

AWARDS:

Winner, 2025 American Writing Awards: Best New (Debut) Non-Fiction

Winner, 2025 Literary Global Book Awards: Narrative Non-Fiction

REVIEWS:

"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

AUTHORS’ ENDORSEMENTS:

“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

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

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

SPECIAL COMMENDATIONS:

2026 Featured Author, American Writing Awards: https://americanwritingawards.com/featured-authors    

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