Climber's Choice The Best Climbing Writers Present Their Work

Climber's Choice brings together writings by twenty-three of the world's best climbing authors. Editor Pat Ament--himself a world-class climber and critically-acclaimed writer--asked his colleagues to select those pieces of which they were most proud. The result is an unprecedented convocation of men and women who have conquered many of the world's most forbidding mountains and rock faces and who write about their experiences in ways that transfix even the nonclimbers among us. As individual in outlook and style as the authors themselves, the pieces in Climber's Choice range from enthralling tales of high adventure--like Stephen Venables' haunting chronicle (published here for the first time) of his ascent of Monte Sarmiento, in Tierra del Fuego--to moving reflections on the human condition--as described in Chris Bonington's gripping account of his summiting, at age sixty, the 6,801-meter Himalayan peak, Drangnag Ri--to sublimely funny accounts of climbers and the climbing life--notably John Long's notorious account about a ragtag group of hippie rock climbers who flocked around climbing guru Jim Bridwell at Yosemite in the 1970s. "This book is a lineup of star writers as well as star climbers, as powerful as ever assembled before. And they have selected their own favorite pieces! Definitely a novel approach, as one might expect from the fertile and inventive mind of that incorrigible original, Pat Ament. Dip into this volume and meet the brain children of an outstanding group of individuals who know how to climb and how to write about it."--Royal Robbins It seems as though nothing prepares a person to write about life like facing death on a regular basis. Or perhaps it's because climbing, like writing, is an individual pursuit--demanding discipline, perseverance, aplomb, grace, and the patience required to ascend to great heights one small, perilous step at a time. No other sport has produced such an extensive body of excellent writing as mountain and rock climbing. Bringing together writings chosen by twenty-three of the world's best climbers and best climbing authors, Climber's Choice offers a tantalizing glimpse inside the allure, danger, and exhilaration of this fascinating sport. Contributors: Pat Ament Walter Bonatti Chris Bonington Greg Child Kurt Diemberger John Gill Tom Higgins Amy Irvine John Long Ian McNaught-Davis Alison Osius Jim Perrin Chuck Pratt Paul Pritchard Royal Robbins Doug Robinson Susan Fox Rogers Reg Saner John Sherman Joe Simpson Mark Synnott Stephen Venables Ed WebsterAment, Pat is the author of 'Climber's Choice The Best Climbing Writers Present Their Work' with ISBN 9780071377232 and ISBN 0071377239.