Reviews (1)

Endeavor To Read This Book
We finally got a copy of the much anticipated Ed Viesturs memoir. Endeavoring to read it cover-to-cover and absorb all the drama, adventure, and personal insights - we weren't disappointed.
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Mountain Climbing    6. Mountaineering    7. Mountaineers    8. Parental Memoirs    9. Sports - General    10. Biography & Autobiography / Sports   

Editorial Review

Concise and yet packed with detail, Read more

Reviews (121)

The void of the mind...
Some of us are adrenalin junkies. We need to feel the rush, the tension and the accomplishment that comes with scaling 21,000-foot mountains, such as the Siula Grande. Then there are people like me, who would rather read of other's accounts of such incredible experiences. And Joe Simpson reaches your psyche in ways few other writers could. Part of it is just the knowledge and fearful horror of what he went through -- realizing that not only did he make it through the experience, but that he was able to articulate such inexpressible fears and feelings in such a vivid, moving way. Of course one can never truly understand what Joe Simpson experienced, but when one reads his words and begin to let your mind wonder into the "void", isn't the book as close as anyone would want to get? This vicarious adventurer says yes, yes, God yes.

Good survival story
This book is worth reading & Joe Simpson is without a doubt a great writer. I do recommend this book if you like survival / adventure stories.
Climb, Joe, Climb!!!
True Story of overcoming the mind and the mountain.
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Case studies    4. General    5. Great Britain    6. Huayhuash, Cordillera    7. Mountaineering    8. Mountaineers    9. Peru    10. Search and rescue operations    11. Simpson, Joe    12. Special Interest - Adventure    13. Sports    14. Sports & Recreation    15. Sports - General    16. Yates, Simon    17. Sports & Recreation / Mountaineering   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (1373)

Fast paced, educating account of extreme mountaineering
Mr. Krakauer's account of the deadly trip to the top of Mt. Everest has a credibility to the story that many other action filled, non-fiction works have.Due mostly to the fact that Mr. Krakauer was a reporter who was there, a member of a team who witnessed the way the disaster unfolded in one of the most unforgiving environments in the world.His book is a chronicle of the things that went wrong with the expedition, things that were red-flags to those there but were not heeded.Some of the book deals with the commercialization of Everest, where if you have the money, you can find a guide that will risk your life, his life and others lives to get you to the top.Some of those who died were Everest guides, people who knew the signs of things going wrong, yet they still made the fateful decision of pressing on for the summit.Part of the book, about Beck Weathers is amazing and does give some hope to the extents and abuse the human body can take with a certain frame of mind.Albeit, it cost him his hands and part of his face, the fact that he survived is amazing none-the-less.
Read "The Climb," too...
I give "Above Thin Air" 5 stars because it is a magnificently written work about Everest, but Krakauer's venom towards Anatoli Boukreev was and is inexplicable when the facts of that night are laid bare.
Non-Fiction at Its Best
I couldn't put this book down. To be honest with you, I rarely enjoy non-fiction, yet the way with which Krakauer creates tension - something that most likely is not that difficult as Everest on its own is a formidable place - is as effective as some of the best fiction writers out there. I was also impressed with how he was able to situate the expedition and the characters involved within the rich tradition of Everest mountaineering. His descriptions of Hall and Fischer are remarkable and he has immortalized them for the general public as they have been immortalized with climbers for years. I also like the way with which Krakauer is honest about what he is and is not sure about concerning his account. Being above 26,000 ft. makes it very difficult to be sure of what took place. Overall, I was quite impresed with this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography / Autobiography    2. Essays & Travelogues    3. Everest, Mount (China and Nepal)    4. Krakauer, Jon    5. Mountaineering    6. Mountaineering accidents    7. Mountaineering expeditions    8. Specific Groups - General    9. Sports    10. Sports & Recreation    11. Sports - General    12. Sports & Recreation / Mountaineering   

Reviews (1)

Safety above all else
Although this book may not cover EVERY detail about back country survival, it definitely gives some good pointers whether a person is in a large group or a small one.Read more

Subjects:  1. Allied Health Services - Emergency Medical Services    2. First Aid    3. First aid in illness and injur    4. First aid in illness and injury    5. Mountaineering injuries    6. Outdoor Skills    7. Sports    8. Sports & Recreation   

Reviews (28)

One of My New Favorite Books
Before beginning this review, I read the reviews of others; good and bad.I'm shocked at the venom spewed by people who called Erik Weihenmayer an arrogant jerk based on what they read.I had the opposite impression, but grant that the essence of an individual cannot be captured in the pages of a book.Many, many biographies have been written, yet, all fall short of completely describing the individual.Erik displayed unabashed love for his family, his wife, his friends, even his guide dog.He spent equal time describing his failures and his triumphs.He exposes his frailties by describing the trial and error involved in learning to effectively teach sighted children.He points out that the road to his successes were not his alone, but his, his family's, his wife's, his climbing partners', even his young students who were insightful and helpful when it came to his teaching.I especially liked that he described the antics, the pranks and the everyday 'slice of life' moments.I thouroughly enjoyed this book, so much that I can't imagine how anyone could NOT like it.But, there are all kinds people in this world and we all make it go 'round.I'd give it a perfect five, but it stops short of telling about climbing all seven summits.I'd prefer he'd waited until then to write his bio.

Soar to New Heights
I just finished reading the most wonderful book I have ever read.It's personal, it's a journey, it's an inspiration.And I don't even know how to make a tribute to the author.He seems like one of the more wonderful people in this world.The fact that he did what most of us couldn't is phenomenal; the fact that he enjoyed it is more. I was absorbed with this book from beginning to end.
Touch the Top of the World
I met Erik years ago and remember admiring his job.He was a blind man, on his own, teaching children.He cracked up over my high pitched voice.I could go on, but years later, we got in touch and I read his book.You see, this guy never complained or showed what he had been through.He was confident, independent...yet searching.
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Blind athletes    6. Mountaineering    7. Mountaineers    8. Specific Groups - Special Needs    9. Sports - General    10. Travelers    11. United States    12. Weihenmayer, Erik    13. Biography & Autobiography / Adventurers & Explorers   

Reviews (7)

Bradford Washburn: Mountain Photography
TERRIBLE COPY - FALLING APART - PAID VERY HIGH PRICE AND WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE QUALITY OF THE BOOK.WHEN PURCHASED IT SAID IT WAS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION.

Picture the mountains in all their glory...
This book is a marvelous record of mountain exploration and photography with photos that span a period of almost 70 years. This small collection representing much less than 1% of Washburn's photographs is a remarkable record of photography rivaling Ansel Adams or Vittorio Sella. Although the photos were originally taken to support his geological or surveying research or to provide guide shots for climbers, Washburn soon realized that he had a knack for taking photographs as art that were as good as any being produced by other photographers. A slight disappointment
After the exhiliration generated by Washburn's classic book on Denali, this one left me slightly disappointed. There are many exquisite photographs and a few truly great ones, such as the famous picture of climbers on the Doldenhorn (in the Bernese Alps). But on the whole there are just a little bit too many pictures of abstract geological features. These reveal a more scholarly side of Washburn's art: interesting to round out our view on this great artist, but less captivating than the epic mountain pictures. Also, there is an appendix with a detailed account of Washburn's career, with many little inset pictures of people he worked with (Barbara Washburn being the most prominent amongst them). I would have liked to see many more of these pictures and at a size more amenable to detailed study. A final point of criticism on this book concerns the interview with Washburn by the editor: it is very revealing but way too short! I would have guessed that Decaneas would have been able to extract much more material from all the conversations he has had with Washburn in the final years of his life. So, it's a nice book to have in the library, but Decaneas missed an opportunity to put together an absolute classic. Pity. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1910-    2. Aerial photography in geograph    3. Aerial photography in geography    4. Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions    5. Essays    6. Exhibitions    7. Individual Photographer    8. Mountaineering    9. Nature & Wildlife    10. Photography    11. Photography of mountains    12. Sports    13. Subjects & Themes - Plants & Animals    14. Washburn, Bradford,   

Reviews (83)

Great Story, Detail Overload
I was completely enthralled throughout the entire reading of this book. However, some of the chapters seemed very long because Ralston takes great care to give every last detail of every surrounding, feeling, conversation, personality, direction, etc. I found myself thinking, "Hurry up and just SAY SOMETHING!!"
Below par is great in golf, not in books
Like an overly ambitious ivy plant that has leapt from an accenting trellis to conquer an entire Big Ten university building, Aron Ralston's Between a Rock and a Hard Place should have been a simple story about how an average person finds themselves the target of a planetary assault; instead readers find themselves the victims of a literary mugging.
Choosing Gratitude
Aron Ralston was tested and passed. In this remarkable journal,the former engineer turned outdoorsman proves one's value isn't what happens to you: it is in how you react. Aron is a walking, talking miracle. He knows it: and he has chosen to be grateful for what could easily have been just an other tragedy.
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Subjects:  1. Adventurers & Explorers    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Bluejohn Canyon    6. Desert survival    7. General    8. Hiking    9. Inspirational - General    10. Mountaineering    11. Outdoor Life    12. Rock climbing accidents    13. Utah    14. Biography & Autobiography / General   

Editorial Review

No matter what the actual temperature may be, several pages into Read more

Reviews (54)

Krakauer can write
Krakauer can write.As the author of the bestselling and better known "Into Thin Air," and "Into the Wild," he is also the author of many lesser known, but equally interesting adventures.
Okay but....
I loved Into Thin Air by Krakauer, so I purchased several of his other books, including this one.While the stories were interesting, it lacked the depth I enjoy from a book (likely because it appears to be reprints of magazine articles).It also seems that most (if not all) of these articles are 20+ years old.For the same price as this book I would been better off with a years subscription to Adventure magazine.

As Good as it gets..
You really can't go wrong with this one unless maybe you've already read the articles in the original magazines.
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Subjects:  1. Essays & Travelogues    2. Mountain Climbing    3. Mountaineering    4. Special Interest - Adventure    5. Travel    6. Travel - General    7. Travel / Adventure   

Reviews (2)

camping & wilderness survival
IF YOU HAVE ANY INTEREST IN LEARNING AND/OR INTEREST IN THE OUTDOORS. YOU WOULD ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS BOOK.IT IS LIKE AN ENCYLOPEDIA FOR THE OUTDOORS, EXCEPT IT IS WRITTEN LIKE EVERY PAGE IS A FULL ON TOPIC SYNOPSIS.YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT.
Most complete nature/survival book I've ever seen.
This is my first book review. I'm trully amazed by what all is contained in this fairly compact book, yet each page contains a massive amount of information. It is quite thick, over 1,000 pages,LOTS of really sharp color photos.Covers so many subjects in addition to survival and camping. It's as though it could be 10 different books in one. I'm really impressed by this book and feel it truly is one of the best books I've ever bought.I'm actually thinking of getting two of them... One to keep in the truck and one to read in my spare time at the house.. SO MUCH information is in this book, it's like a small nature encyclopedia..It covers all possible terrains, types of plants, animals, cloud formations, many maps showing insect distribution, etc.. climates, etc.. reptiles, most all of the usual survival/camping info.. but SO much more..how to survive practically any imagineable scenario. So many color photos.For nature-lovers and campers this is really a must-have book as well. I've bought several other survival books and this seems to contain just about all that is in the others..shelters,first aid, mental preparedness, kits, backbacks, fish preperation, game hunting, etc..Although, there are some survival books that are quite unique as well in their own right and may go into much more detail on say, shelter-building for instance, this book shows with pictures, quite easy-to-understand basic construction techniques, for emergency situations. No SINGLE book can have everything, but I must say, this book sure does come close to it!I don't think you will regret this purchase.Just one warning though, because there is so much information on each page, the print is quite small. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Camping    2. Hiking    3. Mountaineering    4. Sports & Recreation   

Reviews (4)

A good one
The Backpackers Handbook is more informative and easier to read than the other two books I bought recently (Hiking Light Handbook, and Everyday Wisdom).Save your time and read this one alone.

Best book of its kind i have seen
I got three backpacking type handbooks at a library and read all three this is by far the best one. It has the most in depth information and is enjoyable to read.

The title says it all...
This is, without doubt, the best book on backpacking I've read. Just the right balance between specific recommendations and general advice, objective information and personal opinion. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Backpacking    2. Camping    3. Handbooks, manuals, etc    4. Hiking    5. Mountaineering    6. Outdoor Life    7. Outdoor Skills    8. Sports    9. Sports & Recreation    10. Sports & Recreation / Hiking    11. Walking, hiking, trekking   

Editorial Review

At first glance, you may think that Nealy isn't serious about teaching riding skills. The hand-printed pages--colored with hilarious animations--give the guide a comic-book appearance. But instead of assaulting his readers with dry chapters on technique, Nealy leads his readers on an entertaining tour of the mountain-biking world and how to survive it. He explains how to bunny hop, how to downhill, how to ride powerfully, and how to crash with style. He also includes a "Stupid Bike Tricks" section. One trick, The Invisible Mountain Biker, explains how to jump off of your bike and let it glide, unmanned, Read more

Reviews (20)

Kids book
Personally I found the style of this book irritating. Its 100% hand written text and cartoons, which don't provide a lot of detail and the jokes were lame. The information is not incorrect - I just found it didn't have enough detail to replicate the moves. And its old... eg, the importantance of pedals with toe clips! Best left for the kids

Funny with Great illustrations and Information!
Love this book! It's a classic. I have bought it for many friends when they buy their first mountain bike.
Are you Kidding?!
If you only have one book in your personal mtn bike library, this is the one.Funny!Interesting!Great illustrations!Originally purchased back in the old school days of the sport and is still the number one to have, mine is on the coffee table...and another copy in the office... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. All terrain cycling    2. Cycling    3. Cycling - General    4. Mountaineering    5. Sports    6. Sports & Recreation    7. Sports & Recreation / Cycling   

Reviews (5)

Best Book Ever
This book is the most insightful book into becoming a great climber.The writers of this book are experienced climbers and have been in the climbing community for a long time(lots of connections, try Boone Speed and Tommy Caldwell)This book is a must read, and the DVD is a must see, especially about redpointing.BUY THIS BOOK!

Groundbreaking
I've read and been through just about eery other training book for rock climbing. This is the first book that reads like a textbook for school. It breaks things down into a science, increasing your understanding and vocabulary of how climbing works enabling you to cognitively apply practical skills immediately. Unlike other books, this one instructs the reader how to actually construct a training plan and what excercises to perform for his/her level based on what level they are trying to reach instead of simply stating the obvious, "to get better you need to train." This book is a must read for anyone looking to train for climbing and a bible for any serious climber looking to amp up their training regime.

A good guide to climbing movement
The Self-Coached Climber provides superb instruction on the subject of climbing movement, yet only limited coverage of the important subjects of strength and mental training (and no coverage of injuries, injury prevention, recovery, and nutrition). Read Self-Coached Climber as a complement to the more comprehensive Training For Climbing (which provides excellent coverage of the"missing" topics in SCC) and The Rock Warrior's Way. All three books are good reads that will help you climb better. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Mountain Climbing    2. Mountaineering    3. Rock climbing    4. Sports    5. Sports & Recreation    6. Training    7. Climbing & mountaineering   

Reviews (10)

Excellent training book
This book delivers what it says, "Training for Climbing". It is not a technique book but very specifically a guide to training most efficiently for climbing. If you want to climber harder, this book provides lots of good advice.

Thank you for this book!
I am an intermediate climber and have been searching for a good source of training techniques to better myself and accomplish more advanced climbs. "Training for Climbing" was suggested by the folks that work at my gym, so I ran out and bought it. This book is so full of information, that I'll be devouring it for weeks! Everything I've read so far is very fact based and straight forward. The parts on developing mental skills are especially interesting to me, as concentration is one of my biggest areas to work on.
Just what I was looking for...
I've been climbing for a few years and I wanted to begin a more serious, structured training program to help me break through to the higher grades. Training For Climbing is the book I was looking for, given its scientific look at improving technique, strength and the mind. While such a detailed, measured approach to training may not be for everyone, it has great appeal to me as a longtime athlete who engaged in formal training for other sports. Training For Climbing helped me understand the many unique aspects to, well, training for climbing, which I found to be much different than what I had been used to from my previous sports experience. Furthermore, I enjoyed seeing the many research references and footnotes, and more importantly I was pleased by the overall LACK of "do as so-and-so hot-shot climber does" or "train like I train." Training For Climbing helped me diagnose and design the best training program for me, and I sense that the book will remain a key resource for me for many years to come. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Mountaineering    2. Outdoor Skills    3. Rock climbing    4. Sports    5. Sports & Recreation    6. Training    7. Climbing & mountaineering    8. Sports & Recreation / Outdoor Skills   

Subjects:  1. Artists, Architects, Photographers    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Essays & Travelogues    4. Individual Photographer    5. Mountaineering    6. Personal Memoirs    7. Photo Techniques    8. Photography    9. Pictorial works    10. Travel photography    11. Travelers    12. Voyages and travels    13. Individual photographers    14. Sports & Recreation / Mountaineering   

Reviews (6)

Great overall climbing guide
If you don't know where in JTree you would like to climb or if you plan on doing a little bit of all kinds of climbing, this is the book to have.It provides an overview for the whole area with great maps and photographs to easily locate all rocks (and there is a lot of them so the book is thick).Some of the maps and info are out of date and need to be replaced (the Hidden Valley campground/Intersection Rock map and information about showers).I also found myself constantly writing on the map page references for the different rocks.It may also be nice to include a guide on all major toprope, bouldering, and sport climbing sections, although these exist on the web.Overall, I had an amazing trip and knew where to go every day, I just wish I had more than 5 days to climb there.Ooooh, also the book doesn't tell you that you will have no finger tips left or that the ratings are really hard and you shouldn't use them :-)A 5.10c in JTree is apparently not a 5.10c anywhere else, but this is a one of a kind place!

This is the book.
There are others out there, but Vogel's Rock Climbing Joshua Tree is the definitive overall guide that both new and experienced climbers rely upon. However, for more detailed information on routes in specific areas of Joshua Tree (Lost Horse, Indian Cove, Hidden Valley, etc.), don't leave home without Alan Bartlett's excellent guides.
Missing details, but great guide
This is a very comprehensive guide to Joshua Tree for climbers. It is the book that we always take with us as the defintive reference. Generally, the information is accurate and the maps detailing which rock is which in various formations is quite good.Read more

Subjects:  1. California    2. Guidebooks    3. Joshua Tree National Park    4. Joshua Tree National Park (Cal    5. Joshua Tree National Park (Calif.)    6. Mountaineering    7. Parks & Campgrounds    8. Rock climbing    9. Sports    10. Sports & Recreation    11. Travel - United States    12. United States - Pacific - California    13. Sports & Recreation / Mountaineering   

Reviews (1)

The PDR for wilderness injuries & related illnesses
Foregoing knowledge of the existance of this text was unkown, until it was needed in an emergent situation on site. At that time a stingray injury required our immediate attention. With no previous experience in this kind of injury, the book provided immediate no frills information on treatment, backup care and procedures.After this experience, I carefully examined the text at length and was amazed at the comprehensive nature of the topic that was covered.I would recommend this text to be present in allhealth care provider libraries and offices, as it is in mine. Dr. H.J. Willis D.O. Emergency & Trauma Physicia ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Emergency Medicine    2. Environmentally induced diseases    3. Medical    4. Medical / Nursing    5. Mountaineering injuries    6. Outdoor medical emergencies    7. Wildlife    8. First aid & paramedical services    9. Medical / Emergency Medicine   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (236)

A must read for all Everest fans

The Climb
I like this book alot. I bought it to compare the different accounts of the players involved in the 1996 tragedy on Mt. Everest. I read everywhere that Jon Krakauer's account was the "definitive" one but was curious to see how others who he had mentioned in his version and in the case of Anatoli Boukreev, even vilified, saw the event and their roles in it.
Is there an editor in the house?
First of all, this book really can't stand on its own. It functions primarily as a corrective to Into Thin Air. And as that, it is a valuable document. It shows that there are two or more sides to every story, especially a story in which all the actors are hypoxic and delirious with exhaustion.
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Subjects:  1. Biography / Autobiography    2. Everest, Mount (China and Nepal)    3. Mountaineering    4. Mountaineering accidents    5. Sports    6. Sports & Recreation    7. Sports - General    8. Climbing & mountaineering    9. Himalayas   

Reviews (15)

A Masterpiece of English Literature
Ok, it's not a masterpiece of English literature.What is there to analyze here?This is like arguing the merits of Benny Hill.For 8 bucks, buy this book.It has a few practical tips about where and how to deficate in the woods (hence the title).Great.The introduction is a tears-in-your-eyes funny anecdote on that topic that is probably worth the price.Then, you have a conversation piece for your bookshelf that will be appreciated by almost everyone.And, the author goes to some length to argue that this title is NOT vulgar (the book includes a useful lexicon for the word that is also worth the price).And, you'll have something to think about the next time you take a hurried necessary behind a tree or abandon a diaper in the Wal-Mart parking lot!Enough analysis already.

Finally ... a great help for the novice woodsman
Few experiences do more to mar the outdoorsy afternoon or the 8 day backpack trek than stepping over a log and discovering your expensive waffle-stompers are filled with the leavings of another hiker.The problem is as old as mankind.At least, it's as old as mankind after he began noticing what was between his toes.
QUITE FUNNY AND VERY THOUGHT PROVOKING
I BOUGHT THIS AS A CHRISTMAS GIFT (WITH SIMILAR BOOKS OF "TOILET HUMOR") FOR MY 40 YEAR OLD BROTHER-IN-LAW. HOWEVER MY HUSBAND AND KIDS ENJOYED IT TOO MUCH TO GIVE THEM UP.... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Defecation    2. General    3. Handbooks, manuals, etc    4. Health aspects    5. Mountaineering    6. Nature    7. Nature/Ecology    8. Outdoor Skills    9. Outdoor life    10. Sports & Recreation    11. Camping & woodcraft    12. Transport industries    13. Travel writing   

Reviews (4)

An excellent reference for multlipitch climbers
This book is for the experienced climber who understands the importance of self rescue skills for multipitch trad climbing. This a must have for every climber!
I am an aspiring Big Wall climber. I would not be caught dead 2000 feet off the deck without the information contained in this book. Regardless of your goals as a climber, you owe it to yourself and your partner to learnand master the techniques contained in this book. BUY IT!

If you climb you should read this book!
The book covers all aspects of rescue of a fallen climber, from freeing oneself from a harness to ascending or decending the rope to finally hooking up and hauling the victim to safety. I've read numerous books onclimbing and if your looking fora book on self rescue, this is the one! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Mountaineering    2. Rock climbing    3. Safety measures    4. Sports    5. Sports & Recreation    6. Climbing & mountaineering    7. Sports & Recreation / Mountaineering