UKC

Just finished Jerry Moffatts "Revelations", wow! really inspiring, but has anyone else noticed the photo of him soloing Flying Buttress Direct? He appears to be climbing it with a broken arm and leg!!!!!!!!!!!

In reply to rob wmc:
Yeah, I noticed that too. I thought it was odd that there was no explanation in any of text.

In reply to rob wmc:
Thats next on my list. I wasn't that bothered but after reading Ron Fawcett I now want to see how Jerry saw the ethics change duing the 80's.
The Fawcett book was brilliant BTW. Finished it in 3 days.

In reply to rob wmc: It was shortly after he crashed his motorbike.

In reply to Chris Harris:
I'd need a motorbike to get up FBD these days!

In reply to rob wmc: I found it an entertaining and inspiring read and knocked it off in two sittings. Lot's of nice anecdote, especially for an English/Peak audience - liked the one about climbing Lost Arrow for US TV as the great climbing star and finding his legs felt too weedy to lead the unprotectable HVS chimney. Yes, there's ego in there but it kinda goes with the territory and there is lots of humour, often self deprecating (how much original Moffatt and how much Grimes is difficult to judge, the latter being a renowned wit) and great generosity when speaking about the competition and indeed other people in general. Both Moffatt and Grimes (who must surely have done the whole of the writing) come across creditably. Would highly recommend it

P

In reply to Paul Atkinson:

It reads like this:

And then I did this, and then I did this, and then I did this, and then I did this, and then I did this, etc, etc...

In reply to murdster:

Yes, to some extent - but if that style's allowed for Faulkner and Camus why not for Grimer? I said it was entertaining and inspirational, which it is, not that it was going to worry Tolstoy or Zola

In reply to murdster:
A lot of climber autobiographies are pretty roughly put together but i prefer this over the miles of drivel written by some. I tried reading Jim Perrin's "climbing essays" and just got pissed off with the florid descriptive style so never got to the end and it's been sat on my self for over a year now. And surely a straightforward/ slightly cobbled together autobiography is the sign of a proper climber who was too busy climbing or working to climb to go through exhaustive education to learn how to write gripping literature.

In reply to gethin_allen: I totally agree. I can never get through Joe Simpson and stuff of that ilk but thoroughly enjoyed the Jerry Moffat book. I've read it twice now, it was really inspirational, really made me want to push my grade and do harder routes.

In reply to gethin_allen:

Ha ha!! Like that's an excuse?
Sorry it's not written very well, but I was busy doing other things.

It's a shallow, easy read though. Perfect for today's attention span.

It was a fun process. I did all the writing. Me and Jerry would have interviews on a topic and i would record it then put it on my ipod. I would then listen to a the interviews on a particular subject over and over again, trying to hear the way jerry spoke and trying to find the story in a topic, the beginning and end etc. Then when i knew a chapter well enough, I'd just sit down, think to myself - "I AM Jerry Moffatt", and write the chapter - or at least a draft of it.

So yeah, I did all the writing, but the interesting thing was that Jerry is actually a good story teller. I don't think many people understand stories very well, andf his often had a point, humour, and came to a punchline. That made the writing of it a much easier task.

Perhaps, as you say Murdster, it is shallow? I don't know, but it is Jerry's story and that's the way he sees it. There is no soul wringing or bleak darkness like in some other mountaineering books, but the story that came out was the one that was there.

In reply to Niall Grimes:

So when is the 'Original Audio Version' going to be available?

In reply to Niall Grimes: What ego dilution ratio did you use in your recipe?

In reply to rob wmc:

Reading the book at the minute, about 2/3 the way through. I've found it incredibly inspiring. So much so that its certainly impacted my own climbing. A fantastic read and some amazing stories!

In reply to Gareth Clendinning (UBMC):

I agree completely. The book really made me want to get out, train my arse off and climb hard.


Annoyingly I read the book whilst injured.

In reply to Removed User: Surprisingly i found not much ego, beyond what seemed like what you needed to get really good at something.

I found doing it really inspiring too, and it has definitely had an impact on my climbing, for the better.

In reply to Niall Grimes:
Love it. Is this your approach to climbing now, n'all?

I enjoyed reading it, Niall.

In reply to murdster:

That was getting to me at first then i warmed to it a bit, since it was covering the same period that I started climbing and Jerry's keeness and motivation are engaging, but then just as I started to like it then were a couple of throw-away chapters and it was over.

I might start paraphrasing his mantra though: 'I am Bulls Crack and i can de-pump of any fair-sized ledge!'

In reply to murdster:

>And then I did this, and then I did this, and then I did this, and then I did this, and then I did this

Funny that... with it being an Autobiography

In reply to Niall Grimes:

I always enjoy reading something more down to earth and accessible like Revelations rather than the soul searching, heavy, ponderous stuff from the likes of Joe Simpson. Revelations was a fun book to read and really inspiring. Jerry Moffat's passion and enthusiasm for climbing comes through strongly in the book. Definately one of the best climbing bio's I've read.

In reply to Ian Cameron: Reading Joe Simpson can be heavy going although "Game of ghosts" is really good, the only book of his I've read twice.

In reply to rob wmc:
I read Jerry's then Ron's book.Thought both were very different but equally great reads. now I'm looking fwd to JD's!

In reply to Derbyshire Ben:

Have you ever read a book with long words?

Didn't think so.

In reply to murdster:

Yes plenty thanks. In fact there are couple of reviews of very big books that use very long words on my blog for you to enjoy. However, books with long words typically aren't as good as those that make a virtue of the economy of language.

I was just surprised to see you criticise an Autobiography for laying out a chronology of the subjects life story that's all.

In reply to rob wmc:

I loved reading Revelations and finished it in a day. It inspired me to train (admittedly rather gently) and I hold Jerry and Niall responsible for my dodgy elbow!
Anyone who likes cragging ought to read Revelations and make up their own minds.

In reply to Paul Atkinson:
which it is, not that it was going to worry Tolstoy or Zola

Zola's got enough on his plate at West Ham.

In reply to mcdougal:

Thats another thing I really enjoyed about Revelations, the fact that its all about cragging, rock-climbing and bouldering. Most other climbing related books are about high-altitude mountaineering and alpinism which just doesn't turn me on.

In reply to Ian Cameron:
Then you'd enjoy the Ron Fawcett book as well. I'd offer to swap but mine is signed! Andy K's book phycovertical is pretty good aswell.
for something completley different search ebay or similar for 'Climb to the lost world' a McInnes and Whillans <and others> epic. Scorpians and spiders <shudders>

In reply to blanchie14c: Yeah I've ordered the Ron Fawcett book and am right looking forward to reading it! I've read Psychovertical as well which was a fantastic book.