I just finished reading Touching the Void: The True Story of One Man's Miraculous Survival, written by Joe Simpson. This book is his account of what happened when he and a friend climbed a mountain in the Peruvian Andes and suffered extreme hardship and life threatening events. Without a doubt, Joe Simpson, has the creative writing ability to capture the physical difficulty and psychological anguish they suffered. His writing will carry you into the frigid, icy cold of the mountain and you'll be hanging on to the rope for dear life too.
This is the first mountaineering book I have ever read and there were many terms I was not acquainted with. Wisely, the publisher printed a list of terms in the book that helps the reader comprehend key descriptions and narratives.
After finishing the book, I was able to watch the movie documentary that was made of the event. It was visually spectacular with actual footage of the mountain and recreations of events. The movie is true to the story and would substitute for reading the book as it captures the book's essence.
I highly recommend reading this book and watching the movie afterwards.
I'll second this opinion. This book keeps you on the edge of your seat. As a mountaineer I found the book to be very accurate and educational. The movie, done in a documentary style, is also well worth watching whether or not you are a climber as it is an accurate depiction of mountaineering and what could go wrong at high altitude. Joe won his personal ‘lottery’ during this epic—he lived to tell the tale against all odds.
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