Photo from Flickr user schoeband.

We've survived the worst of this July heat wave, but still count on books and movies to take us away...far away. How does an icy glacier in the Andes sound? Or a windswept, snow-covered mountain at the top of the world? We have plenty of great reading and viewing choices that will remind us of those dark, cold winter days and maybe even help bring the temperatures down just a touch.

Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air takes us to Mount Everest with an ill-fated group of adventurers and guides. Who will survive the attempt to summit Earth's highest mountain? You can practically feel the cold wind and sense the foreboding majesty of the mountain as the story unfolds. The 2001 television movie provides breathtaking visuals and brings Krakauer's questions of morality and boundaries into crystal-clear focus.

Touching the Void is a book and film based on the true experiences of two friends, Joe Simpson and Simon Yates, climbing in the Peruvian Andes. Simpson breaks his leg during a descent and in an attempt to evacuate, is trapped. His friend Yates must make an impossible decision to either try desperately to save himself or let both men die...this is a lesser-known story than Into Thin Air, but even more of an amazing survival story.

We have lots of other cold-weather stories and films to help beat the heat this summer. Come to the 2nd floor and we'll help you make some really cool choices!