At the start of this fascinating, enthusiastic compendium of explorers and adventures, Mick Conefrey promises that none of his protagonists (Amelia Earhart and Isabella Bird among them) will have a scraggy beard. The result is How to Climb Mt. Blanc in a Skirt ($24; amazon.com), a well-researched homage to women climbers, sailors, pilots and pioneers. Look out for Susanna Moodie’s recipe on how to make dandelion coffee if you’re penniless in the Canadian bush; Mary Kingsley’s guide to West African animals and how to deal with them; and Gertrude Bell’s clothing list (silk underwear, fur coat) for her expedition to Arabia in 1913.