Climbing books

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 raussmf 29 Nov 2020

So ive now ready jerry moffats revelations. Steve mcclure beyond limits and tommy caldwells the push.

all very different but all amazing reads. I think steves was the best as i could relate in places.

any advice on what to read next? Statement?

 veteye 29 Nov 2020
In reply to raussmf:

Home Front by Khamila Shamsie (Spelling?) just as a totally different read, whilst you decide on the climbing book to read. 

Have you read all the classics climbing books? 

Just for a laugh, if you have, read the Ascent of Rum Doodle, whose author I forget.

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 sescritt 29 Nov 2020
In reply to raussmf:

I enjoyed reading statement. I'd go for that next. Especially if you've already read moffatts book. I tried to read Johnny dawes book as well but it was much like listening to him talk - rambling and hard to follow at times. A ghostwriter would have been good for that one, although it would have been a hard job. 

Post edited at 08:38
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 shickading 29 Nov 2020
In reply to raussmf:

Lynn Hill's Climbing Free or Eric Jones's A Life on the Edge. 

 Doug 29 Nov 2020
In reply to raussmf:

Deep Play by Paul Pritchard ? or look at anthologies like Games Climbers Play or Mirrors in the Cliffs

 mcgovern 29 Nov 2020
In reply to raussmf:

Rock Athlete

 Andy Clarke 29 Nov 2020
In reply to sescritt:

> I tried to read Johnny dawes book as well but it was much like listening to him talk - rambling and hard to follow at times. A ghostwriter would have been good for that one, although it would have been a hard job. 

Just to put the case for the defence, I'm really glad no one tried to edit JD into the conventional narrative style that makes so many climbing autobiogs so samey. It's one of the few that has a distinctive style. It's also possibly the only one to to include a couple of climbing poems, a cause close to my heart. Still, each to their own.

My recommendation, for something contemporary but with some genuine style, is Julian Lines's Tears of the Dawn. If you want a taste of his style, checkout his recent Crag Notes article. If like me  you're into soloing, it's a must-read.

Post edited at 09:42
 sjminfife 29 Nov 2020
In reply to raussmf:

Summit Fever gives a different perspective.

 gravy 29 Nov 2020
In reply to sjminfife:

As does the Ascent of Rumdoodle

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 Andy Clarke 29 Nov 2020
In reply to gravy:

> As does the Ascent of Rumdoodle

Cost me a fortune in champagne when I read it.

1
 Kaioss 29 Nov 2020
In reply to raussmf:

Gwen Moffat

 Graeme Hammond 29 Nov 2020
In reply to raussmf:

Haven't read many, but life and Limb by Jamie Andrews and Gordon Stainforth's book Fiva stand out. The former putting my climbing accident in perspective some year ago and the latter being totally gripping I read the thing almost non stop.

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 olddirtydoggy 29 Nov 2020
In reply to raussmf:

Great thread. I've just finished 'Statement' after 'Revelations'. Must say I enjoyed Revelations more as it was Jerry telling the story right at you but Statement was written by someone else in the third person perspective and that took me out of the story a bit.

Was Steve Mac's book mainly about sport climbing?

I've borrowed Ron Fawcetts book next.

 kwoods 29 Nov 2020
In reply to Graeme Hammond:

> Haven't read many, but life and Limb by Jamie Andrews and Gordon Stainforth's book Fiva stand out. The former putting my climbing accident in perspective some year ago and the latter being totally gripping I read the thing almost non stop.

Life and Limb was probably the second mountaineering book I read after Touching the Void, a present from an uncle, I was about 14 and had read it by the following afternoon. Incredible and horrendous.

Post edited at 14:20
Removed User 29 Nov 2020
In reply to kwoods:

It's a great one for sure.

Post edited at 15:23
 Michael Hood 29 Nov 2020
In reply to raussmf:

Andy Pollitt's Punk in the Gym is worth reading. It has a much more transparently honest feel to it than some of its contemporary auto-biogs.

 Steve Crowe Global Crag Moderator 29 Nov 2020
In reply to raussmf:

Two excellent books you may not have considered are;

A Canvas of Rock by Mark Radtke 

and

Punk in the Gym by Andy Pollitt
 

 alan marshall2 29 Nov 2020
In reply to Steve Crowe:

I thought Martin Boysen's book great and very well written.

 Tom Last 29 Nov 2020
In reply to raussmf:

I have to say I thought that many of the more recent autobiographical offering have been a bit pedestrian to day the least. Honnald’s book for example was really quite bad. Paul Prichard’s Deep Play seems to be the benchmark for great climbing autobiographies - it is superb. Also agree with the Gwen Moffat autobiography suggestion. 
Other good classics such as Feeding the Rat by Al Alvarez, Conquistadors of the Useless by Lionel Terray, etc. Vertical Pleasure the Mick Fowler autobiography is fun since he’s just such a loon and more recently, Gordon Stainforth’s Fiva was gripping and excellent. 

Post edited at 23:13
 veteye 29 Nov 2020
In reply to Tom Last:

I agree with all of that.

 C Witter 30 Nov 2020
In reply to raussmf:

Al Alvarez, Feeding the Rat
Jim Perrin, The Villain
Jim Perrin, Menlove
Gwen Moffat, Space Beneath My Feet
Joe Brown, The Hard Years
Walter Bonatti, Mountains of my Life
Andy Cave, Learning to Breathe
David Craig, Native Stones
Simon Thompson, Unjustifiable Risk

All classics.

Tom Patey is on my to read list, and I imagine Ed Drummond is worth a read, too.

Post edited at 11:03
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 Andy Clarke 30 Nov 2020
In reply to C Witter:

> Tom Patey is on my to read list, and I imagine Ed Drummond is worth a read, too.

For me, Ed Drummond's poetry and prose in "A Dream..." is one of the best collections of climbing writing produced and has real literary merit. It's up there with W H Murray (though with more transgressing and less transcending). But those who prefer the straight-ahead chronological narrative style of most recent climbing autobiogs may well be disappointed. Since you rate David Craig I hope you'll love it.

Tom Patey is often hilarious. I think his account of retreating off the Eiger with Whillans is probably my favourite comic climbing anecdote.

Post edited at 12:03
 C Witter 30 Nov 2020
In reply to Andy Clarke:

Thanks for the recommendation Looking forward to some winter reading.

1
 helin 30 Nov 2020
In reply to raussmf:

I'd recommend The Last Blue Mountain

 Iamgregp 30 Nov 2020
In reply to raussmf:

Andy Kirkpatrick - Psychovertical is excellent, On The Nose by Hans Florine I liked...

All the old classic Bonnington ones...

 BenSends 30 Nov 2020
In reply to raussmf:

I have recently finished:

The Villain: The Life of Don Whillans

and thought that was great, pretty funny too. Seemed like a fantastic character. Great thread, added quite a few to my list now too.

 Andy Clarke 30 Nov 2020
In reply to Tom Last:

>  Paul Prichard’s Deep Play seems to be the benchmark for great climbing autobiographies - it is superb.

I wholeheartedly agree. His second book, The Totem Pole, about recovering from a dreadful climbing injury, is very different but equally impressive. I thought I'd re-read it for inspiration when I was in hospital after a fall, but the writing's so visceral in places it was all too real and I had to put it in the drawer after a couple of pages.

 johnmctighe 01 Dec 2020
In reply to raussmf:

A few that haven't been mention yet....

Maurice Herzog - Annapurna

Herman Buhl - Nanga Parbat Pilgrimage

I don't think anyone mentioned "The Spider" either.

Joe Simpson's other books are pretty good too.

 Iamgregp 01 Dec 2020
In reply to johnmctighe:

Yea Annapurna and White Spider are both bloody excellent.  Annapurna no less of a book despite Herzog's less than reliable relationship with the truth...

 Dave Todd 01 Dec 2020
In reply to raussmf:

Don't think anyone's mentioned Nick Bullock 'Tides' yet... really good read!

 Greenbanks 01 Dec 2020
In reply to raussmf:

Hanging On - Martin Boysen

Rock Queen - Catherine Destivelle

In the Shadow of Ben Nevis - Ian Sykes

High Endeavours/The Life & Legend of Robin Smith - Jimmy Cruickshank

Menlove - Jim Perrin

Fast & Free - John Sheard & Mark Radtke

Every one a cracker...

 Doug 01 Dec 2020
In reply to Greenbanks:

> Fast & Free - John Sheard & Mark Radtke

Worth pointing out this is a collection of articles by & about Pete Livesey

 John Kelly 01 Dec 2020
In reply to raussmf:

Freedom climbers 

Bernadette MacDonald

https://www.v-publishing.co.uk/books/narratives/freedom-climbers/

Great read

 Greenbanks 01 Dec 2020
In reply to Doug:

Correct. And a grand set of essays it is too...

 Myfyr Tomos 01 Dec 2020
In reply to raussmf:

Hands of a Climber - A Life of Colin Kirkus by Steve Dean is a wonderful, well researched book. Well worth a read.

 Greenbanks 02 Dec 2020
In reply to Myfyr Tomos:

That escaped my radar - just ordered it. Thank you!

 Gary Gibson 02 Dec 2020
In reply to raussmf:

I still have some (170)of my autobiography, Blood, Sweat and Tears left if you fancy one?

1
 Gary Gibson 02 Dec 2020
In reply to Myfyr Tomos:

Lovely and well written book

 Chris Craggs Global Crag Moderator 02 Dec 2020
In reply to raussmf:

I did check the thread but didn't see The Bond (Simon McCartney) mentioned - best climbing related thing I have read for a while,

Chris

 johnmctighe 02 Dec 2020
In reply to raussmf:

If you are looking for Fiction

First on the Rope by Frisson-Roche is very good 

Also I was looking at my climbing bookshelf and I found some lovely examples of "nominative determinism"

RockFax Costa Banca Guide - Chris "Craggs"

Alpinism - Peter "Cliff"

Technical Mountaineering - Pete "Hill"

Ice Climbing - "Craig" Leuben

Learning to Breathe - Andy "Cave"

Plus lots of books by John "Crack"eur...

 Gary Gibson 03 Dec 2020
In reply to Gary Gibson:

Thank you 

 olddirtydoggy 03 Dec 2020
In reply to raussmf:

High Adventure by Edmund Hillary.

Liked this one, not as much as the 80's craggers ones but it was the story of his Everest ascent and everything that led up to it. The enthusiasm this man had for life really shine through. Great bloke.

 Gary Gibson 05 Dec 2020
In reply to Gary Gibson:

Thanks for your kind comments 

 Dai Horribly 05 Dec 2020
In reply to raussmf:

There's a really good anthology about solo climbing called "The High Lonesome" which is good, Pat Aments books are good also. There's also the books by Bonatti and Cassin. 

 Paddy_nolan 05 Dec 2020
In reply to raussmf:


Echos nick bullock, I am reading at the moment; really good. 


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