The Gap Years by Tom French

What happens when you decide the best years aren’t behind you, but ahead? At the close of 2019, Tom French stepped away from a four-decade career in business with a bold idea: to take a “gap year” before retirement and rediscover the passions that once defined him.

One year became three.

What follows is a remarkable account of endurance, wonder, and reinvention. French rebuilt his athletic strength from the ground up, raced cross-country ski marathons, and climbed some of the tallest mountains on Earth—including two expeditions to Mount Everest. On the first, a cyclone forced him to descend the treacherous Lhotse Face in a blizzard. On the second, he became the first climber ever to approach Everest through the remote Makalu Barun region, summiting on a moonlit night.

But this is about so much more than Everest. It’s about the beauty found in wild, windswept places. It’s about the quiet joy of movement and the pull of adventure travel, from the high peaks to the far reaches of Nepal. Most of all, it’s a story about finding meaning—and proving that the fire of youth never truly goes out.

For anyone who has ever wondered what if, this memoir is a stirring companion. It’s the kind of book you’ll want to linger over on a rainy afternoon, the sea air drifting in and the pages calling you onward.

A curated pick for adventurers, dreamers, and anyone ready to reconnect with what they love. Come browse a while—we think you’ll find a kindred spirit in these pages.

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