Rachel Slade

Rachel Slade is an acclaimed author and journalist whose writing has taken readers from the magnificent vistas of the world’s highest mountain range to the claustrophobic depths of a doomed naval ship. She is best known for her gripping nonfiction books about adventure and exploration, as well as her varied work in print and digital media.

A graduate of Tufts University and the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism, Slade has won awards for her writing from organizations such as the Society of Professional Journalists and the New England Newspaper and Press Association. She began her career as an editor and staff writer for Boston Magazine. In addition, she has contributed to numerous publications including Outside Magazine, National Geographic Adventure, Skiing Magazine, The Boston Globe, and The New York Times.

Slade’s debut book Into the Raging Sea: Thirty- Three Mariners, One Megastorm, and the Sinking of El Faro offers a harrowing account of what happened on board the doomed cargo ship, El Faro, in 2015. Drawing on evidence from survivors as well as exhaustive research, Slade paints a vivid picture of what it was like for the crew of the ship as Hurricane Joaquin descended on them, upending their lives and taking thirty-three lives with it. Into the Raging Sea was critically acclaimed, hailed by The New York Times as “superb” and by Kirkus Reviews as “riveting.”

Slade’s second book, Above the Clouds: The Vanishing World of the Sherpas, is a stunning exploration of the culture and lifestyle of the Mount Everest Sherpas, the mountaineers who have risked their lives and faced incredible odds to guide thousands of people up to the Earth’s highest peak. Slade was the first American to live among the Sherpas and observe their lives in the remote monasteries of the Himalayas. Above the Clouds has been praised by The Boston Globe as “masterfully written” and by Publishers Weekly as “intimate and authoritative.”

Slade has also written for various websites and digital media outlets, chronicling her own adventures as well as news stories from around the world. In 2019, she wrote a series of articles for Outside Online chronicling Ian Andrews’ epic around-the-world sailing voyage, which was dubbed “the most incredible race in history.”

Rachel Slade’s work always bring her readers along for the ride. Even in her most far-flung pieces, her writing has an effortless ability to capture the moment and truly transport readers to places they have never been. Through her vivid imagery, passion for adventure and fearless spirit, Slade is a captivating storyteller, and her books promise to take readers on a thrilling ride.