Climbing Literature

What are some good books about rock climbing that you people would recommend?

P.S not guide books or instructional books.

As above, so below. By Chris Kalman is a great, little novella! A bit emotionally piercing, especially for parents. 

Just rock or mountain stuff as well?

I’ve already read a lot of mountain stuff but if you think there’s something I really need to read then I will be happy to hear your suggestions.

Kiss or Kill- Mark Twight, The Calling- Barry Blanchard, Eiger Dreams- John Krakouer

Then just a few mountain ones in case you haven't read them:

- The Bond, Simon McCartney
- Beyond the Mountain, Steve House
- Tides, Nick Bullock
- Echoes, Nick Bullock
- Phsychovertical, Andy Kirkpatrick
- Cold Wars, Andy Kirkpatrick
- The Tower, Kelly Cordes

I'm currently reading Limits of the Unkown, David Roberts. So far, pretty good.

And the all time favorite, but I'm sure you've read it, KISS OR KILL, Mark Twight.

I'm excites to see ones about just rock climbing, I haven't read many.

Beyond the Mountain and The Calling are awesome audiobooks for making mile pposts fly by on roadtrips. Both are read by the authors Steve House and Barry Blanchard. It really makes a difference in the telling such personel and compelling stories.

Im reading Conquistadors of the Useless right now. It’s worthwhile. 

Lets not turn this into an armchair climbers whiner fest over whos account of the 1996 disaster was more accurate. Krakauer is a talented writer. He has other novels than just "Into Thin Air" and they are well written. Lets leave it at that.

a hard day's summer by alison hargreaves

You've probably already read these as any list of climbing/mountaineering has to have Herzog's "Annapurna" and Harrer's "White Spider".

Herzog's "Annapurna" account has been greatly discussed and disputed, even by expedition members Terry, Rebuffat and Herzog's summit partner Lachenal but it is still a hell of a read.

"White Spider" is plain amazing.  

I've just started conquistadors of the useless and it's off to a good start.  I really liked enduring patagonia, king of liked feeding the rat, and really liked eiger dreams.  I've got JFK's secret doctor on standby.  

Valley Walls by Glenn Denny

Thank you guys so much for the awesome reading list! Y’all are the best.

If you want some fiction, try A Soldier of the Great War by Mark Helprin. It's about an Italian climber/mountaineer who gets drafted to serve in the Italian Army during WWI - great, well-written scenes of climbing in the Alps and Dolomites, and Helprin shows he understands what makes climbers the way we are.