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fishypete
Aug 19, 2002, 2:21 PM
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I am in desperate need of a climbing fix!
Over the last few years I have randomly been collecting a range of books - and now have titles covering everthing from Glaciers to Big Walls to classic tales of adventure.
But now I have devoured them all, and have read the better ones (like Camp 4) a dozen times!
A few of the titles that I have enjoyed:
Climbing Anchors
More Climbing anchors
Big Walls
Self Rescue
Glaciers
Knots for Climbers
Freedom of the Hills
Rockclimbing
Camp 4
Close Calls: Climbing Mishaps and near death experiences
Allison Hargreaves Biography
Touching the Void
Into Thin Air
So now the question: what is next? Whether it be technical, fiction, or first hand accounts, what are the best climbing/mountaineering books you have ever read??
Some that have been recommended to me as classics:
The Vertical World of Yosemite by Galen Rowell
Defying Gravity: High Adventure on Yosemite's Walls by Gary Arce, Royal Robbins
El Capitan: Historic Feats and Radical Routes by Daniel Duane
Fifty Favorite Climbs: The Ultimate North American Tick List by Mark Kroese
Conquistadors of the Useless: From the Alps to Annapurna by Lionel Terray
White Spider: The Classic Account of the Ascent of the Eiger by Heinrich Harrer
Climbing Free: My Life in the Vertical World by Lynn Hill, Greg Child
Over the Edge: The True Story of Four American Climbers' Kidnap and Escape in the Mountains of Central Asia Greg Child
Above the Clouds: The Diaries of a High-Altitude Mountaineer by Anatoli Boukreev
I am especially interested in the Yosemite books!
So what have you read that really stuck in your mind??? What is your all time favorite book? Which has been the biggest let down?
Any of your experiences with these or other books would be much appreciated!
Cheers
Fishy.
[ This Message was edited by: fishypete on 2002-08-19 07:43 ]
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snapier
Aug 19, 2002, 2:31 PM
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Definitely read White Spider!
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marcel
Aug 19, 2002, 2:56 PM
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snapier is right the White Spider is a great read. But, do check out Fifty Favorite Climbs.
Hey, I edited this to add one of my all time favorites to your must read list: Here it is:Everest: The West Ridge
by Thomas F. Hornbein You gota read this one.
[ This Message was edited by: marcel on 2002-08-19 07:59 ]
[ This Message was edited by: marcel on 2002-08-19 08:00 ]
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barc
Aug 19, 2002, 3:20 PM
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I have two suggestions. Touching the Void is awesome. ANd a good training resource is "Flash Training"
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fishypete
Aug 19, 2002, 3:25 PM
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Hi All!
Thanks guys! 50 Classic climbs and White Spider were VERY highly recommended to me...
and now I have a few other titles which weren't on my list! Excellent!
It is great to hear what people enjoyed - any other ideas out there?
Cheers
Fishy.
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jhump
Aug 19, 2002, 3:45 PM
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Nanga Parbat Pilgrimmage. The story of Herman Buhl's training and earlier climbs that lead up to his solo FA of Nanga Parbat, the mountain that killed 30+ before he summitted. Talk about out there. This is the writing that lit a fire under Messner. Highly recommended.
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jhump
Aug 19, 2002, 3:47 PM
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Three more, Extreme Alpinism and Kiss or Kill by Mark Twight, and Warren Harding's Book (Downward Bound, I think its called)
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marcel
Aug 19, 2002, 3:58 PM
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Another must read: Annapurna
by Maurice Herzog
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taxexile
Aug 19, 2002, 4:11 PM
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Can't remember the title, but one of the most gripping reads is Rene Desmaison's autobio with an account of the first winter ascent of the Walker Spur. Also any of Bonnington's books.
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climbchick
Aug 19, 2002, 4:18 PM
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Check out The Games Climbers Play. It's a collection of essays and stories taken from magazines and journals and it was first published in 1978. The historical perspective is fascinating and the whole thing really changed some of my ideas about climbing. Plus there are a few really hilarious stories in there as well.
ISBN: 0-89732-198-7
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climb512
Aug 19, 2002, 4:54 PM
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Lynn Hill's book, Climbing Free was really good. A real who's,who in Yosemite history.
Also Watermans' book called Yankee Rock and Ice was good. Reads like a history book,but then, that is what it is.
I just started Ed Websters' book Snow in the Kingdom. About his Everest years. Ill let you know how that is when finished.
I should be climbing,not reading,but busy getting 2 kids off to college.
[ This Message was edited by: climb512 on 2002-08-19 09:59 ]
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cragchica
Aug 19, 2002, 5:04 PM
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I found an interesting anthology of the best climber/writers... it's called Climber's Choice. It's an excellent read. I don't have it with me, but I'll get back to you with the editor's name etc. asap.
Enjoy! Climb hard!
Andria
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clundin_99
Aug 19, 2002, 5:05 PM
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Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer rocks.
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hallm
Aug 19, 2002, 5:30 PM
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For a good piece on the history of Yosemite climbing, you can read the introduction to the 1987 Meyer & Reid guide, Yosemite Climbs ("the Green Guide"). It is about 30 pages and has history until around 1986.
John Dill's piece in that book about climbing safety is also very informative.
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roughster
Aug 19, 2002, 5:41 PM
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Noone has mentioned Stone Crusade by John Sherman?
Give it a try, awesome book!
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alpinerocket
Aug 19, 2002, 6:30 PM
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Try the Devils Thumb by Jon Krakauer and almost any thing from Joe simpson or Greg Child.
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bouldertoad
Aug 21, 2002, 3:31 AM
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Just another vote for "Stone Crusade" by Sherman.......Great book
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apollodorus
Aug 21, 2002, 4:05 AM
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Downward Bound, by Warren Harding. 1975.
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arsenalcrater
Aug 21, 2002, 4:11 AM
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One of my favorites is not a Yosemite book, so I'm sorry to keep you off of your topic. But it is a great book and hope you enjoy it. It is called "Eiger, Wall of Death". Very interesting history on that great alpine wall.
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ffaallliinngg
Aug 21, 2002, 4:22 AM
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"Banner in the Sky" by James Ramsay Ullman. Cheesy kids book, gave me a lifelong fascination with mountaineering.
Any anthology of John Long's stuff
Eiger Dreams by Krakauer
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fishypete
Aug 21, 2002, 7:35 AM
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Annapurna, Downward Bound - great suggestions!
Now I just need to check out Stone Crusade - that is a new name for me.
Also another question: has anyone read "True Summit" which investigates the possibility that Herzog lied about his Annapurna ascent??
Thanks all - there's gonna be some great reading!
Cheers
Fishy.
[ This Message was edited by: fishypete on 2002-08-21 01:44 ]
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carnaged
Aug 21, 2002, 8:06 AM
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I'm reading 'Climbing Free: My life in the Vertical World' By Lynn Hill, and it's great, it really gives you a good feeling of Yosemite~ and has a really good story, also I quite admire Lynn Hill to begin with
Another one that's really good is 'A Single Thread' But I don't remember the Author's name...
kat
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snappy
Aug 21, 2002, 4:11 PM
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What about "Sherman Exposed: Slightly Censored Climbing Stories?
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jgill
Aug 21, 2002, 11:26 PM
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"Climber's Choice" is edited by Pat Ament, and published by McGraw-Hill(2002). I have a couple of little things in it, but apart from that it's a fine book. (Pat has a new one coming out soon entitled "A Hall of Fame . . ." It's a history of free climbing in America. To be published by Wilderness Press.)
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michaelb
Aug 21, 2002, 11:47 PM
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All,
All these recommendations! You're making me drool. If you have 2 minutes spare, please add your comments over here:
http://www.chockstone.org/Media/Review.asp?LimitFormat=BK
Thanks for any support.
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