Bone crunching, nerve freezing drop into the edge of life and death.

books:

	• Touching the Void: The True Story of One Man's Miraculous Survival Joe Simpson Harper Paperbacks, 2004 - 224 pages average customer review:based on 155 reviews view larger image
	for more information click here

highly recommended

The void of the mind...

Some of us are adrenalin junkies. We need to feel the rush, the tension and the accomplishment that comes with scaling 21,000-foot mountains, such as the Siula Grande. Then there are people like me, who would rather read of other's accounts of such incredible experiences. And Joe Simpson reaches your psyche in ways few other writers could. Part of it is just the knowledge and fearful horror of what he went through -- realizing that not only did he make it through the experience, but that he was able to articulate such inexpressible fears and feelings in such a vivid, moving way. Of course one can never truly understand what Joe Simpson experienced, but when one reads his words and begin to let your mind wonder into the "void", isn't the book as close as anyone would want to get? This vicarious adventurer says yes, yes, God yes.

for more information click here

Climb, Joe, Climb!!!

True Story of overcoming the mind and the mountain.

Joe, and his buddy Simon, climb a mountain, a big cold mountain. Just the two of them, out in the wicked cold conditions. Me - I'd rather be home warm and snug, thank you. But, this book is about Joe.

They set off on their adventure with high hopes, of course. We get to feel the cold, the sore muscles, the wind, the rocks, the footholds, the ice screws, the rope, the clamp-ons... Every step is documented. I can feel the cold wind and numb fingers.

They reach the summit, yea! Then, on the way down, there is trouble. Oh NO!!! But, I'm not going to give it away! Will Joe and Simon make it back? Will they loose toes and fingers to frostbite? Will they run out of rope, clips, food, strength?

The book was good reading, but, I must admit, There was one point, where poor Joe was crawling, and he described every inch. And, I mean every inch. I skipped ahead 2 pages, and he was still crawling and describing every inch. (Hence, 4 stars not 5, sorry Joe!!) Aside from that tiny part, very gripping story.

Pure endurance, the fight for life, in slow motion. So cold, and somewhat disorientated, Joe is near death a few times, but he doesn't mind. He is too darn cold and tired to care. But he persists. Will it be enough? Will they get out alive?

In bed, reading this, last night, my dear hubby, Norman asked me, "So, does he make it?" I laughed, "well I think he does, sweetums, or he wouldn't have been here to write the book!"

Finished it up, and got to sleep about 3:00 this morning. It was good. But, the next true adventure book I read... I think I'll read that one about the kid that gets his arm stuck between a bolder and the cave wall. Not so darn cold!! Burrrr, wear a heavy coat when you read this one!!
sally

for more information click here

Good survival story

This book is worth reading & Joe Simpson is without a doubt a great writer. I do recommend this book if you like survival / adventure stories.

I do have a couple of minor criticisms. First off I think you would get a little more out of this book if you are a mountain climber yourself. It seems every page has something about an a couloir, an abseil or a belay. So while you can try to picture it in your mind if you aren't sure exactly what Joe is describing it makes it a little harder to imagine what was going on. I have also read other mountain climbing books by Jon Krakauer & Chris Bonnington but I still think someone unfamiliar with the jargon may not enjoy it as much.

I also think that he does get into minute descriptions where it seems you are reading the same thing page after page at times. Again I want to say my criticisms are minor ones & I do recommend it as a worthwhile read.

for more information click here

Bone crunching, nerve freezing drop into the edge of life and death.

This is a true story of a mountain expedition in the Andes where two British partners take risks acceptable to experienced and fit climbers. But here they draw a spectacularly bad hand - first with Joe having a terrible bone crunching accident that leaves him scarcely able to move, and then with rapidly deteriorating weather. Partner Simon attempts the impossible and begins an inventive, courageous one-man rescue operation, but half way down the mountain he is forced to make a ghastly choice: stay roped to Joe and both will perish, or cut the rope and make a desperate bid to reach the bottom.

Simon chooses the latter, and the result is horrifying: with Joe plunging into a deep crevasse with no way of climbing up the sheer ice.

But of course this memoir is written by Joe so we know that somehow, against all odds, our author will also get himself to safety. How he does so, and how he skirts around the very edges of death provides the book with its extremely powerful human resonance.

I read this after seeing the excellent movie, and Joe's reflections, at the end of this book about the experience of helping make the film and reliving the horror (he and Simon are played by actors in wide shot, but the climbers provided all the close-up technical shots)- provides additional and unexpected depth and humanity.

There's another reviewer below who was bored by this book. They must have been having a really bad day because Joe's writing takes you right into the heart of his ordeal. This is a stunning story. Five stars aren't enough.

for more information click here

reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, page 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17

hot

not?

What's your opinion?

Write a review and share your thoughts!

recommendations

Some of the All Time Great Adventurers
Book Club possibilities
Alpine Climbing Books
Great survival texts
Adventure Library

search for books
touching the, man, miraculous, story, survival, touching, true, void

Impressum / about us