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highly recommended |
No Shortcuts to the Top 
Excellent. Well written and takes you to the summit of some of the world's nost inhospitable places.
Inspired!! 
This account of Ed's triumph over his lifelong goal is both thrilling and inspiring. It's produced in me deep feelings that will take awhile to work themselves out. I think for me it tapped into a deep existing current, rather than sparked a new desire from scratch - but either way this book will be a joy to read, and hard to put down. If I do go on to many years of mountaineering exploits of my own (I'm already signed up to climb Mt. Elbrus this summer), then I'll be thankful at the very least for this foundational wisdom for how to treat the endeavor with the proper respect.
Good mountaineering autobiography
This book consists of three parts. The first part basically sets up the story - - we join Ed on K2 making some bad choices, and jump to some other scenes and people he's known. I thought this introduction unnecessary and basically confused, but it doesn't last that long.
The meat of the book is an autobiography, leading up to Ed's mission climb all 14 of the world's 8000-meter peaks without supplemental oxygen. This part is great.
Finally, the last, short part of the book discusses a little of Ed's life after he successfully summits all the 8000m peaks. He's now a corporate motivational speaker, and he gives his readers some motivational points. These are pretty platitudinous, and I can never figure out why corporations pay people to deliver them.
In the middle part, my only complaint is that Viesturs hasn't quite decided whether this is an autobiography or a professional autobiography - - in other words, how much of his personal life is appropriate? He spends a lot more time on his professional life, which is the right choice. This means talking about his wife Paula in terms of someone who worries about him when he's out of radio contact, which is all well and good. But then we learn that, between peaks, Ed and Paula disagree about whether to have a third child. There are a few such personal items in the book that just don't fit right because they don't have anything to do with climbing.
Those objections aside, this is a good autobiography of a great mountaineer. His ghostwriter did a good job keeping a chatty, conversational style (presumably from taped interviews) while working the book up and polishing it. If you like reading about mountaineers, you'll enjoy the book.
No Shortcuts to the top
In retrospect, I have no idea why I purchased the book No Shortcuts to the Top other than I thought I'd enjoy learning more about mountain climbing. In reality, this book is much more than just about mountain climbing. It shows the true nature of the man that is Ed Viesturs and his life's work on the mountain. I was thoroughly impressed about Ed's approach to climbing and his philosophy on climbing and life. I assumed, incorrectly, that all mountain climbers were over the top, macho men, with a desire to get famous before the end. Ed would be welcomed as a friend in almost any organization. What a complete view of many of the recent historical mountain events and climbers from all over the world from an expert in the field.
Accurate account of the life of a premier Himlayan climber
Ed Viesturs has done a very brave thing. He has introduced the importance of safety into a world of alpha dogs all vying for the definitive issue unto the proverbial fire hydrant.
"Getting up is optional, getting down is mandatory." This is Ed's motto and is the greatest truism that could be pounded into the heads of climbers and mountaineers.
I failed to get down once. I did get out however. With some help from a helicopter. I wish I would have lived by Ed's 'motto.' The mountains provide both an irresistible allure of challenge and beauty. The downside is that the environment often varies from unforgiving to deadly.
This is an enjoyable read about one very sane climber and his quest to survive multiple journeys to the top of the world. Safe to add that exceptional genetics played a role.
reviews: 1, page 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
no shortcuts to, climbing, highest, peaks, shortcuts, top, world
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