A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail (Official Guides to the Appalachian Trail)

Amazon.com

Bill Bryson has made a living out of traveling and then writing about it. In The Lost Continent he re-created the road trips of his childhood; in Neither Here nor There he retraced the route he followed as a young backpacker traversing Europe. When this American transplant to Britain decided to return home, he made a farewell walking tour of the British countryside and produced Notes from a Small Island. Once back on American soil and safely settled in New Hampshire, Bryson once again hears the siren call of the open road--only this time it's a trail. The Appalachian Trail, to be exact. In A Walk in the Woods Bill Bryson tackles what is, for him, an entirely new subject: the American wilderness. Accompanied only by his old college buddy Stephen Katz, Bryson starts out one March morning in north Georgia, intending to walk the entire 2,100 miles to trail's end atop Maine's Mount Katahdin.

If nothing else, A Walk in the Woods is proof positive that the journey is the destination. As Bryson and Katz haul their out-of-shape, middle-aged butts over hill and dale, the reader is treated to both a very funny personal memoir and a delightful chronicle of the trail, the people who created it, and the places it passes through. Whether you plan to make a trip like this one yourself one day or only care to read about it, A Walk in the Woods is a great way to spend an afternoon. --Alix Wilber

Book Description

Back in America after twenty years in Britain, Bill Bryson decided to reacquaint himself with his native country by walking the 2,100-mile Appalachian Trail, which stretches from Georgia to Maine. The AT offers an astonishing landscape of silent forests and sparkling lakes--and to a writer with the comic genius of Bill Bryson, it also provides endless opportunities to witness the majestic silliness of his fellow human beings.

For a start there's the gloriously out-of-shape Stephen Katz, a buddy from Iowa along for the walk. Despite Katz's overwhelming desire to find cozy restaurants, he and Bryson eventually settle into their stride, and while on the trail they meet a bizarre assortment of hilarious characters. But A Walk in the Woods is more than just a laugh-out-loud hike. Bryson's acute eye is a wise witness to this beautiful but fragile trail, and as he tells its fascinating history, he makes a moving plea for the conservation of America's last great wilderness. An adventure, a comedy, and a celebration, A Walk in the Woods is destined to become a modern classic of travel literature.

Customer Reviews:

Could not put it down.......2007-10-15

I have just recently started hiking and camping myself only really having any experience in the woods for no more than a few years. I found this book to read out like a fantasy of mine. Hiking in the middle of nowhere, No modern tools or advantages available to you. But it brought some realism to the dream. I felt I was there enjoying and suffering right with them. I want to thank Bill Bryson for writing this book and living the adventure.
If you enjoy the outdoors but cannot bare to take on the AT. Then get this book take a small hike to the top of of a cliff where the view is abundant, Lay out in some shade with a cool summer breeze and began your journey on the AT with Bill Bryson.

How not to discover the Appalachian Trail.......2007-10-13

This book has obviously appealed to many readers. Some seem to be attracted by the humour, others by the subject matter and many by the writing skills of the author himself. There are some interesting factoids buried in this book, and some descriptive passages were terrific.

This is the first of Mr Bryson's books that I have not enjoyed. The antics of Messrs Bryson and Katz, two middle-aged, ego-centric and totally underprepared hikers, irritated me enormously.

I am glad that this is not the first of Mr Bryson's books I have read. If it was, it would almost certainly be the last.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

A Walk in the Woods.......2007-10-08

This is a book about a treacherous hike through a treacherous trail. When the author decides to take a hike on the Appalachian Trail, 2,200 miles of wilderness, who's a better choice to take with him than trusty old Katz... who was completely out of shape, had gone to rehab, and he hadn't seen in 25 years. From Bryson's adventure getting the equipment, to Katz's desperateness while trying to find a female, this is a great book cover to cover, and all the pages in between.

Several people, including me, have gone camping. So, if you have, imagine it, except for 6 months, without good campsites, and nonstop hiking all day long with massive packs on. Doesn't sound to fun, does it? I think Bryson did a great job making his torture seem comical. It's a hilarious book, the only funny nonfiction book I've ever read, which also causes it to be the only nonfiction I've ever enjoyed. But, as good as it is, while reading it I began to think it was sad. Here's why- it's nonfiction.

Super read for anyone who wants to hike those miles.......2007-10-06

A excellent read for any person just might have the thought buried deep in the back of their mind..walking that long long trail..bring tissue and laugh until you cry.

a fun read.......2007-10-03

This book book taught me a lot about friendship, American history, and most of all "rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail" I learned about the Appalachian Trail--which I really didn't know about at all. I know I will explore the AT more in the near future. I will tell my son about this book and highly suggest to him that he read it. I will also read more by the author Bill Bryson--I enjoyed his sense of humor. :)

Together on Top of the World: The Remarkable Story of the First Couple to Climb the Fabled Seven Summits

Average customer rating:

REMARKABLE STORY - REMARKABLE COUPLE
If you want to be inspired, buy this book!
A Great Story of Mountains and Love
Not just a climbing story.
An inspiration...

Together on Top of the World: The Remarkable Story of the First Couple to Climb the Fabled Seven Summits
Phil Ershler , Susan Ershler , and Robin Simons
Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 044657905X

Book Description

On May 16, 2002, Phil and Susan Ershler reached thetop of Mt. Everest and became the first couple in historyto scale the fabled Seven Summits. What madetheir achievement all the more remarkable was that Susanwas not a mountain climber, but a high-poweredFortune - 500 executive who had never hiked or climbeduntil she met Phil at the age of 36. Phil, a professionalmountain guide who was the first American to summitEverest from its treacherous north face, had climbed hiswhole life with Crohn's disease, a chronic, debilitatingillness. Adding to these challenges, just before their finalsummit, Phil was diagnosed with colon cancer, and theresulting surgeries and complications were expected toend his career. This is Susan and Phil's story: a tale oflove set in the mountains, a story of triumphal highsand devastating lows in quest of a seemingly impossibledream.

Customer Reviews:

REMARKABLE STORY - REMARKABLE COUPLE.......2007-09-04

This book was suggested to us as not only a mountaineering story but a story of life's struggles. We weren't disappointed but very humbled. This dual autobiography (each taking turns telling their story) was a fast-paced read, taking us from childhood to mountain top, leaving out nothing. A very intimately detailed sharing of two full lives. Color photographs support the many stories and stages in the Ershler's lives.

If you want to be inspired, buy this book! .......2007-06-11

I read "Together on Top of the World" in 2 nights - I just could not put it down! Incredible story! The best book that I have read in a while and I'm a voracious reader. Certainly one of the best mountaineering books I have ever read, in part, because it is not just another mountaineering book. It deals realistically and holistically with the lives of two inspirational people - their individual histories, their partnership and love. It's about adventure, highs and lows, overcoming life's seeming insurmountable hurdles, success, vision, goals and dreams. Very motivational! This book has got it all!

A Great Story of Mountains and Love.......2007-06-07

Sue and Phil have created a wonderful tale of mountains, challenges and love. Phil one of the greatest guides in the world and guides people up the worlds great mountains. Sue, shortly after meeting Phil catches the mountain bug and sets the goal of climbing the Seven Summits. While you might think he does all the work, Sue ends up inspiring and encouraging Phil as he battles a life long sickness. You will love the great story.

Not just a climbing story........2007-06-07

This book touches all lives not just climbers. It touched all my senses. I laughed, cried, smiled and got angy. I felt like I could relate to it from my own life, of course on a different level. In the end it is a "feel good" story. Even my 84 year old mother loved it!

An inspiration..........2007-05-18

An inspiring story about love, humility, grace, courage ... and mountaineering. Dreams and adversity are a part of living; Phil and Susan show you how to live.

Average customer rating:

Climbed But Not Conquered
Great story, flawed method.
An Amazing Story of Incredible Human Endurance
Mountaineering Classic
Good Adventure Reading

Annapurna
Maurice Herzog
Manufacturer: The Lyons Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1558215492

Amazon.com

Before Everest, there was Annapurna. Maurice Herzog led an expedition of French climbers to the summit of this 26,000-foot Himalayan peak in 1950. At the time of the assault, it was the highest mountain ever climbed, a remarkable feat in itself made all the more remarkable by the fact that it had never previously been charted. Herzog and his team not only had to climb the darn thing, they had to find the route. As riveting as the tale of the ascent remains nearly half a century later, the story of the descent through virtually unsurvivable--think avalanche and frostbite, for starters--conditions is unforgettable. Herzog's masterful account, finally back in print, is a monument of courage and spirit, an epic adventure excitingly told.

Book Description

In 1950, no mountain higher than 8,000 meters had ever been climbed. Maurice Herzog and other members of the French Alpine Club had resolved to try. Their goal was a 26,493-foot Himalayan peak called Annapurna. But unlike other climbs, which draw on the experience of prior reconnaissance, the routes up Annapurna had never been analyzed before. Herzog and his team had to locate the mountain using sketchy, crude maps, pick out a single, untried route, and go for the summit. Annapurna is the unforgettable account of this dramatic and heroic climb, and of its harrowing aftermath. Although Herzog and his comrade Louis Lachenal reached the mountain's summit, their descent was a nightmare of frostbite, snow blindness, and near death. With grit and courage manifest on every page, Herzog's narrative is one of the great mountain-adventure stories of all time.

Customer Reviews:

Climbed But Not Conquered.......2006-12-06

Herzog provides a detailed perspective of the famed Annapurna climb that has inspired numerous high altitude and arm chair climbers.

Suffering frostbite and unimaginable suffering, Herzog has made a statement, worth reading in his epic account. No other sport has it's center pieces so open in sharing their innermost feelings.

The b/w photos were relatively scare and of only fair quality.

Great story, flawed method........2006-01-26

Reading the other reviews of this book, I'm reminded of a quote from one of my favorite, although little known Sean Connery movies, where he plays an Arab pirate. At one point Connery says to his second in command: "It is good." "What is good?", replies the other man. "It is good to know where we are going," answers Connery. Alas, Herzog and his men didn't know where they were going, and spent a month wandering around looking. It would have been good to send out an initial recon group to find the mountain before they started out. Or, to paraphrase an english adventurer, "to lose a pack animal is unfortunate; to lose an entire mountain seems downright careless."

An Amazing Story of Incredible Human Endurance.......2005-12-07

Wow! This is one of those real life adventure stories that has you wondering how much more the people can endure before they collapse and die. These guys climbed one of the world's most difficult mountains with old climbing technology. What they lacked in modern equipment, they made up for with strength and fitness. The more I read about mountaineering, the more I agree that it is 75% mental and 25% physical. Being in the best physical condition possible definitely gives you a better opportunity for success on high ground. If you liked this book, I encourage you to read my book "Rocky Mountain Adventure Collection". Best wishes on your adventures in life!

Mountaineering Classic.......2005-04-08

A marvellous book. Remarkably written, griping, and inspiring. A must for all mountaineers.

Good Adventure Reading.......2005-01-31

First and foremost, the topic of the book is of historical significance in the world of climbing, so it's a "must read" if you are into that sort of thing. If you aren't, it's still a great adventure read. Well worth the time. I'm glad I read it and would recommend it to people who enjoy outdoor adventures.

The text itself is written well, flows nicely, and is generally an easy read. I also found it to have a good balance between the characters emotions, the activity of the climb, and local color and flavor.

Something I found interesting was the attitude of Herzog. Granted, this was written in the 50's, but it was intersting to see his attitudes towards the local people. He certainly had a "I'm better than you" attitude towards the local Porters and Sherpas. He also displayed a lot of attitude towards other members of his expedition. At one moment he would be very condescending and critical, then a few pages later he would be singing their praises.

I wish the book had a bigger glossary than it does. I frequently found myself going to the glossary to look up the meaning of a word that was used, and didn't find it. Here, I'm talking about "climbing lingo" and words and phrases that Herzog uses that are relative to the language of the locals in Tibet and India.

I also didn't care for the placement of the photographs. They often didn't follow the text. A picture could preceed or follow the pertinent text by 100 pages, which made for a lot of "page flipping". It would be helpful to familiarize yourself with the photographs before reading the text, so that you know when to go back and find a specific photo.

Outside of this book, I've learned that there is a lot of controversy over what "really" happened and Herzog's attitude and motivations. If you read this book, keep in mind that this isn't necessarily what actually happened, but more of an account of what Herzog wanted you to know. Take most of it with a grain of salt, and do some additional research to get the full picture.

Also, understand that this climb was a "first" at that height, and was using technologies and understanding of altitude at that time. A reader with current climbing knowledge will often read a passage and think to himself "No Kidding, Dummy!", but we know that hindsight is 20/20. Their accomplishment is all the more exciting knowing that things we know and understand today, were unknown to them... and don't forget, they didn't have the high tech equipment that todays climbers have.

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Bradford Washburn: Mountain Photography
Bradford Washburn: Mountain Photography
Picture the mountains in all their glory...
A slight disappointment
Museum quality visual images

Bradford Washburn: Mountain Photography
Bradford Washburn , and Clifford S. Ackley
Manufacturer: Mountaineers Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Bradford Washburn: A Life of Exploration

ASIN: 0898866898

Book Description

Traveling the world for eight decades, mountaineer, explorer, cartographer, and aerial photographer Bradford Washburn has documented the landscape from the Grand Canyon to the Alps, from Mount McKinley to Mount Everest. Genius has inspired him to pioneer photographic techniques that capture the most remote and inaccessible points on earth under conditions worthy of a stunt man. Genius has also transformed his photos-conceived for a purely functional purpose-into works of expressive art. Now the career of America's most celebrated mountain photographer is presented for the first time in book form.

In Bradford Washburn: Mountain Photography, one hundred large-format mountain photographs, selected from more than 10,000 images, take the reader through Washburn's lifetime of accomplishments. Aerial images of high mountains, looking more like bold relief maps, are captured in extreme raking light. There are picture essays of early Alaskan expeditions-striking modern still lifes of supply caches and camp conditions-plus portraits of team members and colorful characters and situations encountered along the way. Additional aerial photographs reveal, in breathtaking clarity, the workings of the earth, continuously transformed by upheavals and erosions, and the slow march and retreat of glaciers.

Customer Reviews:

Bradford Washburn: Mountain Photography.......2007-04-03

I was looking for something different. The photographs are beautiful but they are mostly not of the mountain in which I was interested.

Bradford Washburn: Mountain Photography.......2005-10-17

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..........2003-01-15

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.

This book may be a disappointment for those who want expedition photographs as few of the photographs include people. Indeed, having a few more pictures of people would have warranted five stars. Yet, many of the pictures are aerial photographs so the lack of people in many is not surprising. What makes it ultimately worthwhile is the crispness of the pictures, the attention to details on the ridges and valleys of the mountains, the patterns revealed in the flow of glaciers, and so on.

One other point of interest is that this book was the Grand Prize Winner of the 2000 Banff Mountain Book Festival -- the only pure photography book to win that award.

A slight disappointment.......2001-07-29

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.

Museum quality visual images.......2001-03-16

Bradford Washburn roamed the globe for eighty years as a mountaineer, explorer, cartographer, and aerial photographer. In Bradford Washington: Mountain Photography, Tony Decaneas as assembled one hundred full-size landscape mountain photographs from the more than ten thousand images that Bradford made during his lifetime of photographic accomplishments. From the Grand Canyon to the Alps, from Mount McKinley to Mount Everest, these black and white landscape photos of mountain peaks and picture portraits of team members and colorful characters that are each of them museum quality visual images showcasing Bradford's photography as having risen to the level of fine art.

Eiger Dreams: Ventures Among Men and Mountains

Average customer rating:

Wanna get high?
Wonderful!
Jon Krakauer at his best
Lay-Z Boy Dreams: Ventures Among Readers and Mts.
Okay but....

Eiger Dreams: Ventures Among Men and Mountains
Jon Krakauer
Manufacturer: Anchor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Into the Wild
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ASIN: 0385488181
Release Date: 1997-05-19

Amazon.com

No matter what the actual temperature may be, several pages into Eiger Dreams you will begin to shiver. Halfway through you will acquire a new appreciation for your fingers, toes, and the fact that you still have a nose. And by the end of this collection, you'll define some commonly used phrases in an entirely different way. The understated "catch some air" and the whimsical "log some flight time" are climbers' euphemisms for falling, while "crater" refers to what happens when you log some flight time all the way to the ground. "Summiting," the term for reaching the top of a mountain, seems almost colorless in comparison. The various heroes, risk-takers, incompetents, and individualists Krakauer captures are more than colorful, whether they summit or not. The author is more interested in exploring the addiction of risk--the intensity of effort--than mere triumph. There's the mythical minimalist climber, John Gill, whose fame "rests entirely on assents less than thirty feet high," and the Burgess brothers--freewheeling, free-floating English twins who seem to make all the right decisions when it counts, and hence most often fail to reach the top. Of course, they are alive. Over these and other talented climbers hangs a malignant, endlessly creative nature--its foehn winds can make people crazy and its avalanches do far worse. Eiger Dreams is an adrenaline fest for the weary, an overdue examination of a stylish, brave subculture. As one of the heroes Krakauer outlines says of his occupation, "It's sort of like having fun, only different."

Book Description

No one writes about mountaineering and its attendant victories and hardships more brilliantly than Jon Krakauer. In this collection of his finest essays and reporting, Krakauer writes of mountains from the memorable perspective of one who has himself struggled with solo madness to scale Alaska's notorious Devils Thumb.

In Pakistan, the fearsome K2 kills thirteen of the world's most experienced mountain climbers in one horrific summer. In Valdez, Alaska, two men scale a frozen waterfall over a four-hundred-foot drop. In France, a hip international crowd of rock climbers, bungee jumpers, and paragliders figure out new ways to risk their lives on the towering peaks of Mont Blanc. Why do they do it? How do they do it? In this extraordinary book, Krakauer presents an unusual fraternity of daredevils, athletes, and misfits stretching the limits of the possible.

From the paranoid confines of a snowbound tent, to the thunderous, suffocating terror of a white-out on Mount McKinley, Eiger Dreams spins tales of driven lives, sudden deaths, and incredible victories. This is a stirring, vivid book about one of the most compelling and dangerous of all human pursuits.

Customer Reviews:

Wanna get high?.......2007-10-10

In the same form as his "into Thin Air", Mr. Krakauer has brought the mountains to armchair alpinists all over the world, except through a collection of short stories of a variety of experiences, history and people. The book is educational, easy and interesting to read. The fact that the author himself is a climber adds a very real substance to the story that allows him to write intelligently on the subjects without it being unnatural, and how he can brings information to the forefront of what he is writing that he himself finds amazing.

My only problem with it is with all these places and people, photographs would have helped to enhance the stories he is telling.

For anyone into adventure, climbing, outdoors or even survival, this would be a book that should be read. Not for the lessons but more for the information and enjoyment of it.

Wonderful!.......2007-02-13

Being deathly afraid of heights, I'm in awe of anyone who'd put themselves on top of a mountain...especially more than once. I'm grateful for the vivid descriptions Krakauer gives us in this thrills and chills collection of wild adventures. He allows me to expand my horizons without leaving the safety of my couch. These tales of mountain men includes a few twists on the extreme sport. This was the first I'd heard of ice climbing. I gritted my teeth as the author described the dangerous climb up frozen waterfalls! The book also highlights some of the personalities of the men and women who scale enormous structures. I especially loved the chapter on the 'Burgess Boys'. In his final chapter, Krakauer gives us a personal glimpse into a segment of his youth as he journeys back to the early lure of the mountains after his first taste of climbing; how they shaped him and what they mean to him now. I think he best explains his inner debate with mountain climbing in the words he uses to describe his early climb up Devil's Thumb: "It taught me something about what mountains can and can't do, about the limits of dreams. I didn't recognize that at the time, of course, but I'm grateful for it now."

Chrissy K. McVay
Author of 'Souls of the North Wind'

Jon Krakauer at his best.......2006-12-14

When it comes to talking story, about the wilderness, few people have more interesting stories than serious mountaineers, more than once in this book, youll find yourself reading "I thought this is what its really like to die" more than once, in some form or another.

Jon Krakuaer has the gift of gab in spades and this is his writting at its best, in my opinion. I do not climb at all but have logged enough vicarious flight hours in Jon Krakauers books living vicariously through the many colorful characters that populate the climbing world.

My favorites parts were Eiger Dreams, Canyoneering, and On Choosing a Tentmate.

Lay-Z Boy Dreams: Ventures Among Readers and Mts........2006-08-22

Too timid (or wise!) to try mountain climbing? Look no further, because Krakauer's "Eiger Dreams" is every armchair mountaineer's dream: 12 classic climbing adventures detailing the author's assaults upon this planet's most harrowing miles of vertical rock and snow. Of these previously-printed Krakauer articles, not one failed to pull me into the excitement of moment, whether it was Jon dangling from various cliff faces the world round or merely scrambling along some forgotten canyon floor.

For matchless, pulse-pounding adventure, shadow the footsteps of Krakauer as he traverses the globe. Turn up the lights, crack out the bifocals, and let Jon do the rest. Just be careful not to fall out of your chair.

Enjoy!

ps Other great Krakauer reads: Into Thin Air, Into the Wild.

Okay but...........2006-03-19

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.

To the Ends of the Earth: Adventures of an Expedition Photographer

Average customer rating:

The pairing of vivid text adventure and color drama is not to be missed.
A lifetime's experience
Superb Images.

To the Ends of the Earth: Adventures of an Expedition Photographer
Gordon Wiltsie
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0393060284

Book Description

Unforgettable stories and images from America's preeminent adventure photographer on his most challenging, exhilarating expeditions.

Renowned as one of the world's foremost expedition photographers, Gordon Wiltsie has climbed Himalayan mountains, mushed dogs on the frozen Arctic Ocean, skied in Antarctica, and hacked through the Amazon jungle to photograph the most remote reaches of the planet. For the last three decades he has accompanied many of the great modern explorers—Alex Lowe, Conrad Anker, Will Steger, Jon Krakauer, David Breashears, Norman Vaughan—on incredibly challenging climbs and epic adventures. Despite carrying his own share of the weight—along with cameras, film, and lenses—he has matched these companions pitch for pitch and mile for mile, photographing them every inch of the way.

In this journey through ten unique expeditions, Wiltsie illustrates the daily life of an explorer—from the thrill of summiting a virgin peak to the fear of surviving a storm, to the humorous and unexpected everyday moments of life on the edge. 175 color illustrations, 9 maps.

Customer Reviews:

The pairing of vivid text adventure and color drama is not to be missed........2007-04-12

TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH: ADVENTURES OF AN EXPEDITION PHOTOGRAPHER tells of the author's passion for adventure and his life photographing some hundred expeditions to the wildest places on the planet. Here are ten of his greatest adventures, paired with stunning color photos, in a collection highly recommended not only for the general interest public library, but for college-level art photography holdings. The pairing of vivid text adventure and color drama is not to be missed.

A lifetime's experience.......2006-12-30

Gordon Wiltsie takes us to the ends of the earth and gives us a glimpse of the reality of expedition life; unlike other "adventure travel" books this one makes it clear that there is a huge amount of arduous labor, and often not much glory, involved. It's also apparent that he, if not his companions, truly enjoyed the inevitable unexpected challenges, and even the hardship and discomfort, of such trips.
Wiltsie's photographs are spectacular. While reading the book I continually wondered how he made some of these images ("how-the-hell-did-he-do-that?"). Which raises a minor complaint, I would have loved to have read more about the technical details of the author's workday in the field, as well as some technical detail about the photos.
Wiltsie's writing is clear, expressive, and warm; his self-effacing tone belies his athletic, technical, and artistic proficiency. I have to agree with a previous reviewer, more pictures and text are called for.

Superb Images........2006-10-24

This collection of images and stories is as compelling as any I've seen. Many will know Wiltsie's photographs from his mountaineering expeditions, and his photos here of the late Alex Lowe, Conrad Anker, and many others in dramatic action offer plenty on that count. But Wiltsie is one of the best "travel" photographers going, catching ordinary people from the far reaches of the planet in traditional dress and situations. Each is a fascinating study in itself. Wiltsie is a better photographer than writer, and almost all of the narratives--candid and spicy as they are--could be fuller and more detailed, for certainly the stories give the images their vital context. My greatest desideratum for this book was only that it include more: more words, more of those amazing photographs.

Average customer rating:

Huge Egos on a Huge Mountain
Titans clash on K2!
Dirty Laundry
A Classic

In the Throne Room of the Mountain Gods
Galen Rowell
Manufacturer: Random House, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Annapurna
High And Wild: Essays And Photographs on Wilderness Adventures
The Last Step: The American Ascent of K2
Galen Rowell: A Retrospective
No Shortcuts to the Top: Climbing the World's 14 Highest Peaks

ASIN: 0871567644
Release Date: 1986-09-12

Customer Reviews:

Huge Egos on a Huge Mountain.......2002-11-26

I thoroughly enjoyed this account of the 1975 American K2 Expedition. The wonderful photos and the well-written text were some of the best I've encountered in mountaineering literature.

I liked how Galen Rowell interspersed his account of the expedition with earlier accounts of K2 attempts, some successful and some not. They gave an interesting insight into the history of this tough mountain and the people who have climbed it. The journal excerpts from various 1975 team members were insightful and intriguing. I am now going to start on "The Last Step" by Rick Ridgeway, about the 1978 American K2 expedition. Apparently, this team wasn't without their problems either.

I found it ironic, that after all the team discussion about the possibly negative implications of having a woman (Dianne Roberts) on the team, especially the wife of the leader, that she really figured very little in the disputes and quarrels. It was also ironic that there was still a lot of dissention and miscommunication amongst the team members on the actual expedition, even after the team expelled Alex Bertulis from the original team, due to lack of confidence in his ability to be a team player.

Read it, you won't be disappointed. I gave it a four because I found the first couple of chapters hard to get into. But once the '75 team is formed, it picks up quickly and then is quite hard to put down.

Unfortunately, Galen Rowell, the author of this book and a well-known photographer, recently was killed in a plane crash near his home in California with his wife.

Titans clash on K2!.......2000-03-22

Most mountaineering books chronicle successful ascents. Rowell offers an even more fascinating study in the failure of an expedition plagued by titan egos: famous mountaineers proving themselves no gods. The photography is... breathtaking!

Dirty Laundry.......1999-03-08

The laundry in this expedition gets aired in this book. This seems to be the book that the movie K2 was based on. A lot of the characters and events are similar. Rowell gives a lot of historical background from other expeditions to K2. Rowell writes this novel from his perspective, but he also uses the diaries from the other expedition members to tell the story. He also gives the perspective from the porters point of view, however, it seems like he is mostly guessing what the porters feel and think and I've never like that from a ethnographic point of view. Considering the trouble the expedition had, it's a wonder that any of them wanted to return. Some of the best photographs of the region are shown. Galen is great photographer.

A Classic.......1998-01-14

This book outlines Galen Rowell's attempt on K-2. Rarely does a book bring together pictures, text and feeling as this one does. Along with Pete Boardman's Shining Mountain, I rate this among the best mountaineering books out there. This one is destined to become a cult classic

Average customer rating:

The story of an extrodianry adventure
Life is a Grand Adventure
See his live talk!
A good read
WOW

Ultimate High: My Everest Odyssey
Goran Kropp , and David Lagercrantz
Manufacturer: Discovery Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest

ASIN: 156331830X
Release Date: 1999-10-05

Amazon.com

Why just climb Everest when you can climb it without supplemental oxygen? Why just climb it without oxygen when you can climb it alone? And why fly to Nepal to climb Everest when you can bicycle all the way there? Apparently, questions such as these occurred to Göran Kropp, a Swede with a taste for adventure and a desire for the Ultimate High. In October 1995, Kropp set out from Sweden with a bicycle, a trailer, and over 200 pounds of equipment. Over the next four months, he cycled some 7,000 miles across Eastern Europe, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, India, and Nepal. By the time he arrived in Kathmandu, Kropp had been shot at, pelted with rocks, and offered the madam's daughter--free of charge--in a Hungarian brothel.

After carrying his own equipment up to Everest Base Camp, Kropp found himself surrounded by other climbers, all waiting for a break in the weather so they could attempt the summit. Many books have been written about that disastrous season on Everest, notably Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air and Anatoli Boukreev's The Climb. Kroop adds little of substance to the story, engaging mainly in camp gossip about who was sleeping with whom and "outing" climbers who lied about reaching summits. Even Kropp's account of his own climb is somewhat suspenseless--though some readers will be relieved that he doesn't go into too much detail about his physical breakdown. More tiresome is Kropp's clear disdain for climbers who use supplemental oxygen. ("Mount Everest is not 29,028 feet tall if the mountain is scaled by a climber wearing an oxygen mask.") He also despises climbers who "see Everest and other high peaks reduced to trophies kept in a china cabinet"--though his "Ultimate Mountain List" (he's already climbed 16 of the 22) seems a bit like a trophy room itself.

After he finally reached the summit--on his third attempt in under a month--Kropp spent a few weeks recuperating in Kathmandu and then hopped on his bike for the long and rugged ride home. Not satisfied, Kropp is already planning and training for his next adventure, to take place in 2004: sailing from Sweden to Antarctica, skiing to the South Pole, and returning--all solo. That he is only just learning to sail doesn't dissuade him--"I like to jump headfirst into new projects." Ultimate High is proof that he's determined--and crazy--enough to complete them. --Sunny Delaney

Book Description

Ultimate High
My Everest Odyssey

"On October 16, 1995, [Göran Kropp] had left Stockholm on a custom-built bicycle loaded with 240 pounds of gear, intending to travel round-trip from sea level in Sweden to the top of Everest entirely under his own power, without Sherpa support or bottled oxygen. It was an exceedingly ambitious goal, but Kropp had the credentials to pull it off."
-Jon Krakauer, Into Thin Air

Readers of Jon Krakauer's bestselling Into Thin Air will recall Göran Kropp, the remarkable Swedish solo climber who loves to do what others label impossible. His goal was to reach and climb Mount Everest using his own physical means and without any outside assistance. In doing so, he would earn a place in the record books with the most self-contained combined approach and climb of Mount Everest ever accomplished.

Kropp's Everest quest began 7,000 miles away, in Stockholm, where, at age twenty-nine, he set out by bicycle for Kathmandu, towing behind him nearly everything he'd need to live for a year. In this riveting first-person narrative, Kropp puts his own unique spin on the concept of adventure as he recounts his four-month trek across Europe and Asia, during which he was robbed, assaulted with a baseball bat, almost shot in Turkey, and nearly stoned in Iran. When he left the staging ground in Kathmandu in April 1996, he became the first ever to carry his equipment--all 143 pounds--up 17,100 feet to Everest Base Camp.

Kropp's first attempt at scaling Everest unassisted ended in frustration when he was forced to turn back only 350 feet, one hour, from the summit, his strength drained, his morale crushed. Despite this setback, and in the face of rapidly deteriorating weather that would result in the deadliest season in Everest's history, Kropp steeled himself for a second attempt. Just days after the legendary storm that claimed the lives of eight climbers, he tried again and made it to the top of the world--without Sherpa aid, without bottled oxygen. Within a few days, he loaded up his bike for the equally harrowing 7,000-mile trek back to Stockholm.

Customer Reviews:

The story of an extrodianry adventure.......2004-02-01

Göran Kropp was an extrodinary man. This book describes his crazy one man expedition to Mount Everest. I would have given it five start if it had been as good as the lecture he gave that I once attended. The book could have had more details about the amazing things that happened during his tríp. It is very inspiering and well worth reading though.

Life is a Grand Adventure.......2004-01-24

Goran Kropp's and David Lagercrantz's "Ultimate High: My Everest Odyssey" is an excellent autobiography of a climber. Kropp wisely chose to tell his story with the help of a professional writer, Lagercrantz. Kropp's book is liberally peppered with fascinating stories that leave one astonished. As with any autobiography, it is only an enjoyable read if you like the author. I found his spirit delightful.

A bit more than half the book covers Kropp's own three attempts to summit Everest in the context of the much written about events of May 1996. Kropp adds interesting details to Jon Krakauer's classic account of the 1996 Everest tragedy, "Into Thin Air". Disturbingly, far too much of chapters ten and eleven of "Ultimate High" appear to be borrowed, in places with the almost same wording, from "Into Thin Air". Lagerkrantz acknowledged a debt to Krakauer at the back of the book. Perhaps this is customary in Sweden. Other than this problem of sometimes repeating or paraphrasing Krakauer, "Ultimate High" is a fun read.

It would be valuable, if a second edition of this book could be published that includes a biography of Kropp after Everest until the end of his far too short life in 2002.

See his live talk!.......2003-07-09

My wife and I saw Kropp at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science and we were so enthralled that we decided to see his lecture a second time! He is a very enjoyable, congenial, and has an attractive personality. I read the editorial reviews of his book, which were overall slightly disparaging of his elitism and the "ham-handed" story. I can't disagree more. If the reviewers heard him speak I bet they would change their tone.

Kropp is a humble and likeable figure who deserves our admiration. I will follow his career as it progresses. Hats off to Kropp, a man who understands the importance of our natural environment.

P.S. The book is great too. Too bad you can't have Kropp there to read it to you!

A good read.......2003-02-24

I enjoyed reading Kropp's book. It was not a book that you had to consume in one sitting, but one you could put aside for a couple days and then return to. I enjoyed his chatty, straight-talking style, and his taking the time to explain the things he spoke about in a way non-mountaineering people could understand. I knew he had died, but waited to read about his passing until I finished his book. He was an unconventional person who made the most of his moments on this earth.

WOW.......2002-11-28

I just have that this was the most insprational and amazing book I have ever read. It is well worth the read.

Lightly on the Land: The Sca Trail-Building and Maintenance Manual

Average customer rating:

Great first book on trail building
A Good Practical Book
THE book for trailwork

Lightly on the Land: The Sca Trail-Building and Maintenance Manual
Robert C. Birkby
Manufacturer: Mountaineers Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0898864917

Book Description

From a leading conservation organization—the trail building and maintenance "bible," now updated and expanded to meet new techniques and new realities of the 21st century.

·New chapters on arid lands restoration and involving conservation volunteers
·The latest in effective management of work crews of all ages
·How to build "sustainable" trails to fit dwindling park maintenance budgets
·For weekend volunteers, youth group leaders, outing club members, and anyone involved in caring for the land

For half a century, the Student Conservation Association (SCA) has inspired people of all ages to take part in projects that enhance the environment. In settings from city parks to backcountry wilderness, the practical skills presented in its pioneering handbook have been tested in the field by volunteer and professional work crews throughout the nation. Their input enriches every chapter of the new edition with fresh approaches, new ideas, and modern applications of traditional skills.

In addition to conservation crew leadership and risk management, Lightly on the Land presents the nuts and bolts of trail construction and maintenance; building with rock; felling and buckling; building with timber; bridge construction; and environmental restoration. It gets down and dirty with tools, knots, and rigging. Throughout, it teaches how to build pathways and reshape existing routes to require a minimum of attention over the years—essential in this era of shrinking park budgets.

Customer Reviews:

Great first book on trail building.......2007-05-10

This is a great first book for anyone to learn about trail building/maintenance. It is general enough to give a good understanding of various topics, gives enough detail to start out but I am waiting to purchase the 2 IMBA books before I put any tool into soil, because I want to build trails specifically for mountain bikes. You can only buy those on their site, and they're about twice the price, but from what I hear they are very detailed. But I still would recommend this book as a first book as it is an easy read.

A Good Practical Book.......2007-01-10

This is a basic book of American trail building practice - some of which are different from what we do in New Zealand - and from which we can learn.
The local Department of Conservation Officer (the Deprtment of Consrvation inNew Zealand is responsible for maintaining the environment in about a quarter of this country and providing access where desirable and required)), was sufficiently impressed that he immediatly asked me to order another copy.

THE book for trailwork.......2000-02-29

I build mountain bike trails, and although this book mostly talks about hiking trails, the information is good for any type of trail.

I'd disagree with the section on waterbars (not that it isn't a good description of a waterbar, I just don't find they work well/need too much maintenance), but other then that have pointed out this book to a lot of budding trail designers. The drawings are clear and so is the text. The index is good for when you need it as reference.

I look forward to wearing out this book and having to purchase another copy.

Postcards from the Ledge: Collected Mountaineering Writings of Greg Child
Average customer rating:

A MUST HAVE BOOK - RUN, DO NOT WALK, TO GET THIS!

Highly Enjoyable Collection

made me late for work

the best writer in mountaineering literature

Sent certified, insured, return receipt requested...

Postcards from the Ledge: Collected Mountaineering Writings of Greg Child
Greg Child , and Joe Simpson
Manufacturer: Mountaineers Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Mixed Emotions: Mountaineering Writings of Greg Child

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Moments of Doubt: And Other Mountaineering Writings

ASIN: 0898865840

Book Description

Peeling back the layers to reveal the gritty truth about the elite climbing world is Greg Child's specialty. With clever wit, sharp observations, and insightful reflections Child's writing covers the full spectrum of the mountaineering experience.

Entertaining even to those who have never been above sea level, Child's stories tell of the disgusting daily habits of expedition members; a display of contrasting styles during a climb with Lynn Hill in Kyrgystan; controversies surrounding Tomo Cesen's alleged first ascent of Lhotse's south wall and Lydia Bradey's solo ascent of Everest; and early climbing days in Yosemite and Australia that helped build his career.

Customer Reviews:

A MUST HAVE BOOK - RUN, DO NOT WALK, TO GET THIS!.......2003-09-23

I just recently discovered Greg Child's books and must confess to now being completely addicted. After being in love with THE ASCENT OF RUM DOODLE, the classic [but ancient - i.e. 1950s] mountain humor classic, I thought there could be no rival. Thank God I was wrong and thanks to Greg's mum for whatever she did to contribute to his comic genes. Last week I took this book on a camping trip and each night by the fire would read aloud a few essays to my companions, who looked forward all day to the next hysterically humorous missives the evening campfire would bring from the funniest climber/writer in the world. It makes a person jealous to know that one person can be this fabulously talented, both as climber and writer. Damn, he's good! You will not be able to put this book down. PS Warning: this book often produces side effects of laughing out loud.

Highly Enjoyable Collection.......2001-03-27

This is a great book of short 'stories' about mountaineering that Child has edited from his articles published in magazines. Each of these stories is a well-written perspective on the art of climbing; they cover a wide range of his experiences ranging from sea-level (island cliffs in the Gulf of Tonkin) to the top of the world in the Himalayas. Each of the stories reflects to Child's own experiences over the last 10-20 years and the philosophy of climbing that he has developed in this time.

Many of these stories are written with a dry sense of humor (eg, the 10 rules of bivouacs) that reflect Child's personal experiences. Of course, this humor leavens the drama and tragedy that are described in several of the pieces. With the variety of stories that are included in this book, it is distinctly different from 'Thin Air' which covers three different Himalayan expeditions in depth. I'd recommend both highly; the difference in voice shows the range of perspective that Child can generate with his passion for this sport.

made me late for work.......2001-03-27

I spent most of last weekend reading this book and loving it. I was late for the bus today cause the first thing I did this morning was catch up where I left off. Funnier than hell, descriptive, intelligent, good stuff...

the best writer in mountaineering literature.......2000-07-06

I have a huge collection of mountainerring books...but none are as good as the books by Greg Child who no doubt writes with such humour and sensitivity that he can bring tears and laughter at the same time. It was a great pleasure reading this book and the other titles by him - 'Thin Air' and 'Mixed Emotions'. All these books are unputdownable and no doubt would be treasured possesions to all who loves to read mountaineering literature

Sent certified, insured, return receipt requested..........1998-11-24

Few mountaineers write with quite the prose of Greg Child. "Writer who climbs? Climber who writes?" he himself has mused and many have quoted. What he gives with his accounts of high places is an ever-clear explanation of the inherent dangers and pure exstacy of high-altitude mountaineering and big wall climbing, as easily comprehended by the armchair mountaineer as the Himalayan veteran. My collection of mountaineering literature is great, but most of the wealth therein lies between the pages of his books. Thanks, Greg. You've done it again. A future Himalayan veteran, -C.

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