pickSummer 1985, & two young mountaineers, Joe & Simon, set off from camp to climb a route no-one had conquered before. After several days they reached the summit with a few minor issues, but when setting off back down Joe has a catastrophic accident resulting in him breaking his leg. Disaster! Although Simon initially tries to belay Joe down the mountain, a snow storm develops which results in him having to leave Joe for dead.
pickI sympathize with Chris McCandless‘ family over his loss, but also understand how he hurt them with his unstinting moral code. It seemed to be more than youthful hubris. A deliberate unwillingness to communicate with loved ones caused them all so much hurt. If he had come out of the Alaska wilderness alive, one hopes that he would have learned enough from the experience of extreme isolation to resolve his familial differences. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
pickI was thinking about this book again because I was listing my favorite movies of the century (#8). So many passages resonated. The simple pleasures. The shock of the third world. The desperation. The awe. The disconnection from modern society. The discoveries of unknown ways of life. I too will die happy. I too, wanted freedom and got it. Was it worth it? It can't be answered. You can only live one life.
pickI‘ve wanted to read this ever since reading Into Thin Air years ago. It‘s an interesting story- Chris was not much older than I am, and I knew people who held a moral compass *somewhat* similar to his… but should never actually go to the lengths he did. It seems a small mistake might have been his undoing, but I really don‘t know how he would have lived if he had survived.
It is worth monitoring the chain of animal reactions when moving across remote areas. Some animals are notoriously fast at reacting and the slightly slower animals use them as a cue--mammals such as deer and rabbits will take flight shortly after birds have taken to the air.
That is the process of all human development and knowledge building. Some brave souls make a leap of faith, and if they succeed they are heroes; if they fail, the next in line step over their bodies and try a different approach.
This is a, what seems at times, minute-by-minute recounting of Joe's experiences on this climb in 1985. It's very detailed & honest, but it's not a book to read if you have anxiety! At the point where Joe was still trying to reach the camp & the others were preparing to leave it, 1w
Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2555377137
Read 18th-21st Sept 2025 1w
#ReadAway2025 @Andrew65 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES
1w