UKC

Just finished reading this and thought I'd give it a mention here. I've read a good few (hah!) climbing books and it was very refreshing to have one that focussed on (mostly) UK climbing rather than expedition climbing. A really thoughtful and informative book, and if the endless bolts vs trad flame wars on here have you scratching (or shaking) your head then read this instead.

Plus full marks to the guy for continuing to get out and climb hard despite family responsibilities and the march of time, something that seems to be beyond me. A hard classic in the Dolomites as a 60th birthday present for a mate - good effort!

In reply to Bobling:

I read a good book last week.

In reply to aln:

Eh?

In reply to Bobling:
Yes I enjoyed it too. I always tend to get bored when the typical climbers biography moves inevitably to the alps and greater ranges, leaving you with the impression that the rock climbing bits were mere pre-amble.

Some interesting and quite balanced personal reflections on ethics and a couple of cautionary tales too.

Just remembered - I got to read it for free with Kindle unlimited.

In reply to Bobling:

I was undecided between this and Martin Boysen's autobiography last week, and in the end went for the latter as I thought it might be interesting to hear about the knee-jam incident first hand!

The Boysen book was very interesting but often in areas that I hadn't expected - his early life was intriguing, and the alpine stuff excellent. By the time we got to Annapurna it seemed to get a few pages and I wasn't really drawn in, perhaps he feels it has all been said before elsewhere.

I wanted to know more about Trango and Cerro Torre, but then I guess it would have been a very long book.... and I have a copy of the Curran book for reference anyway. Might have to put Radke next on the reading list...

cheers

b

In reply to ben b:

Yeah I got it through Kindleunlimited too. Found another one "Of love and stone" - persevere through the first few pages and the rest is pretty good. An older bloke's marriage ends and he heads back to the stomping ground of his youth (Yosemite) to see if he can climb like he did in his youth. An interesting account of life in the valley. There's so much on kindleunlimited though and so much of it is dross!

In reply to Bobling:

yes I got this one too and enjoyed it. A different take on the climbing narrative - though I felt like the author was his own worst enemy at times!