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Best climbing book

Chase Yarbrough · · Denver, CO · Joined Sep 2009 · Points: 5

Accidents in North American Mountaineering 2010

Chris Duca · · Dixfield, ME · Joined Dec 2006 · Points: 2,330
American Rock by Don Mellor is a fabulous read which documents the rock types from East to West, North to South and some of the styles, characters, tales and stories inherent with each.
kachoong · · Atlanta, GA · Joined Jan 2010 · Points: 180

Stickeen!

Devin Krevetski · · Northfield, VT · Joined May 2008 · Points: 140
Touching the Void
P LaDouche · · CO · Joined Apr 2007 · Points: 15

Rock Jocks Wall Rats and Hang Dogs: Rock Climbing on the Edge of Reality

by John Long

jack roberts · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2002 · Points: 0

If it's a book on the climbing lifestyle you want I'd recommend the following:

One Man's Mountains by Tom Patey

Mountaineering in Scotland by WH Murray

Eiger Dreams, by Jon Krakauer.

Borders of the Impossible by Lionel Terray is a classic and even though it is dated, it is beautifully written and still relevant to the climbing lifestyle.

This Game of Ghosts by Simpson.

Mirrors in the Cliffs by Jim Perrin is a collection of 100 articles on climbing but this compilation all covers all aspects of climbing.

These are just a few to choose from

kachoong · · Atlanta, GA · Joined Jan 2010 · Points: 180
jack roberts wrote:This Game of Ghosts by Simpson.
This was my favorite Simpson book. I also like Kiss or Kill by Twight. His sufferfests are classic modern climbing literature.
doligo · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2008 · Points: 264

+1 on Steve House's "Beyond the Mountain" - his dealings with partner and loved ones' dynamics were especially insightful.

-1 "Into Thin Air" - read Boukreev's "The Climb" or Breashears' "High Exposure" for better rounded and not opinionated P.O.V.

My favorite book is "Minus 148 Degrees".

Woodchuck ATC · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 3,280

I"ve got about 80% of all listed above in my climbing library. Rum Doodle is great, but Banner in the Sky is maybe the best intro book for a young kid to read and get hooked on the mountains. It's even had chapters taken out and inserted into middle school literature books for kids to read as classroom assignment. That was a fun day teaching!

Choss Boss · · Barrre, VT · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 25

Camp 4 by Steve Roper is a really good one.

John Maurer · · Denver, CO · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 530

Re. Zarathustra

Amen, Allen . . . definitely one of the best books I have read in any genre. Actually read Milan Kundera's "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" before this selection, though. Probably better the other way around. At any rate, Zarathustra is an experience.

Garrett Soper · · Duluth, Minnesota · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 20

Not a climbing book, but a book about about training and the athletic lifestyle: Once a Runner, by John Parker.

Oh and I second the recommendations on Steve House's book.

Olaf Mitchell · · Paia, Maui, Hi, · Joined Mar 2007 · Points: 4,190
Garrett Soper wrote:Solo Faces by James Salter. A stunningly good novel.
I agree!
Where did Salter get so much insight?
IMO: Bradda, He lived it!

Jeff Long nailed it in Angels Of Light as well!

There's a bunch of stuff here on M.P. by real folks that are living the dream, Like me and you cousin !
Ken Duncan · · Ft Collins, CO · Joined Jul 2004 · Points: 5,719

Eiger Dreams by Krakauer is great.

willeslinger · · Golden, Colorado · Joined Jul 2010 · Points: 25
dolgio wrote: -1 "Into Thin Air" - read Boukreev's "The Climb" or Breashears' "High Exposure" for better rounded and not opinionated P.O.V.
How is Krakauer's POV more opinionated than Boukreev's or Breashears? Well, maybe Breashears, because he wasn't on the May 10 summit attempt, but really, Boukreev has more reason to be opinionated because he was being paid as a guide and made some questionable decisions that stank of hubris (no oxygen, no pack, like, maybe he could have carried a tank and given it to Pittman instead of Gammelgaard having to give her's up after Charlotte Fox gave Pittman the shot of Dex) Krakauer was just a client, his professional reputation wasn't on the line.

Plus, Krakauer is a far better writer,the wordsmithing in The Climb is pretty shitty at times.
steve edwards · · SLC, UT · Joined May 2004 · Points: 645

Except that Krakauer inserts conjecture during a period he was asleep and AB was up on the mountain saving people. Krakauer, indeed a better writer than many, has no interest in authenticity. That doesn't make his books bad, per se, but they should not be treated as fact but as yarns. Like many good storytellers, the closer you know the real story the more regularly you notice his consistent use of hyperbole. As my buddy Largo once said, "never let the truth get in the way of a good story."

I've read almost all of these, except the most popular one: Rum Doodle. This seems like a huge oversight in my life. Hell, I've even been well lit at the Rum Doodle, at least I should be storied in its history. I am ordering it right now...

A few decent reads not covered: Nothing Venture Nothing Win, by Hillary if you can find it. If not, read anything by him. Maybe not the world's best climber but very standup fellow.

Beyond Risk is a series of interviews but well worth your time, as is The Power of Climbing, as well as guidebooks On Peak Rock, Rocky Heights, and High Over Boulder. Great guidebook writing seems a lost art.

For a bit of CO history and CA history there are those picture book collection of stories: Yosemite Climber, Climb (shit, that might not be the name but Godfried was one of the authors--lots of Kor et al lore, and Vertical World of Yosemite.

I don't think anything by Child is here and he's worth a read for sure.

I never like Harrar that much as a writer, though his life was fascinating. I prefer, in a way, Eiger Dreams. I also recommend Eiger: Wall of Death, which I re-read recently and, while no great piece of literature, it covers one of the most interesting mountains in detail.

Kudos for Downward Bound, Annapurna, and Touching the Void.

fossana · · leeds, ut · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 13,318

Along the lines of Into Thin Air is Forever on the Mountain, about a similar weather related accident on McKinley (although this time with people that were competent climbers) and the fingerpointing that followed due to a pissing match between Brad Washburn and one of the trip leaders.

I agree that Boukreev's book is a good counterpoint to Into Thin Air and worth checking out.

Speaking of books I just posted this event in Bishop on the 25th by the author of Final Flight, who has done extensive research on the downed plane and mummified pilots they found in Mendel glacier in the High Sierra.

Rick Carpenter · · Marion, NC · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 1,315

Climbing Free by Lynn Hill was a really good one

steve edwards · · SLC, UT · Joined May 2004 · Points: 645

Just wanted to add that Rum Doodle, I now see, is written by Bill Bryson who is an absolutely fantastic writer (so how the hell did I not know of this?) I'm sure, for pure entertainment, it's going to be high on the list. I don't think a Bryson book has taken me more than a handful of sittings at most.

Robert Buswold · · Northglenn, CO · Joined Jul 2010 · Points: 80

I'm a fan of a climbing fiction book called "The Wall" by Jeff Long. One to avoid is the egotistical ramblings of David Roberts in his book "On The Ridge Between Life and Death." A favorite of mine is "To Be Brave," the first in the Royal Robbins autobiography series. Anyone know if the next one is out yet?

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

General Climbing
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