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  1. #81

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sevsa View Post
    Definitely agree with The Razor's Edge and Touching the Void. Paul Theroux non-fiction books are always worth reading although he can be a bit of a crank sometimes, however I don't find his fiction books that enjoyable. I just picked up The Ultimate Journey by Eric Ryback and I'm about half way through. Very interesting to read about hiking the CDT before there was a CDT.
    In a somewhat similar vein (since I don't carry books hiking anyway) how about great movies related to hiking or climbing? My list would include Touching the Void, The Way Back, Blind Sight and North Face.
    the eiger sanction

  2. #82

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    I think it's called vertical fronteir,or vertical reality.it's about the history of climbing in yosemite

  3. #83

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    Here are a few of my favorites that would be good for teens:


    1. It's Kind of a Funny Story- Ned Vizzini


    2. Flipped- Wendelin Van Draanen


    3. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime- Mark Haddon


    4. Crooked- Laura and Tom McNeal


    5. Tuesdays with Morrie- Mitch Albom

  4. #84
    Registered User bwendel07's Avatar
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    I like Carl Hiaassen, Full of off the wall characters. Some of which you could find on the trail anyday.

  5. #85
    Registered User Maren's Avatar
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    Some of my favorite outdoors books include:
    North into the Night by Alvah Simon
    Encounters With the Archdruid by John McPhee

    As far as fiction goes, tough to nail down.
    Including both high- and lowbrow:
    A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin
    Anything by Kurt Vonnegut
    Anything by Neal Stephenson
    Anything by Haruki Murakami
    Anything by Tom Robbins
    (You can see where this is going...)

    I'm hoping that while hiking the AT I'll finally be able to finish Finnegan's Wake (James Joyce) and Infinite Jest (David Foster Wallace), two beastly books that mock me from my nightstand.

  6. #86
    Registered User itsallgood's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Awol1970 View Post
    Fans of "Into Thin Air" by Krakauer Need to read "The Climb: Tragic Ambitions On Everest" by Anatoli Boukreev.

    It is the Russian guide's perspective. Krakauer really reems him in his book and Anatoli responded with a book of his own. Boukreev's book is FAR superiour and tells the story in a much more compelling way. Boukreev is the guide from Scott Fischer's expidition who went and saved everyone who could be saved on that day. All 6 of the clients on Fischer's team survived.

    A week after the Everest summit Boukreev set a solo ascent record on Lhotse.

    Krakauer was a client and a twit and almost needed saved himself.
    Couldn't agree more. Krakauer seems like the high altitude mountaineering version of Bryson. Entertaining, yes, but not necessarily the most accurate portrayal. He also seems to be trying to make a living trying to ruining reputations: The Mormon Church in Under the Banner of Heaven, Boukreev in Into Thin Air, Greg Mortenson in Three Cups of Deciept......

    Outside Magazine just removed him from being listed as a contributing editor for his story on Mortenson....they should have done it with his story on Boukreev.

    The cliff notes version of the story:

    http://classic.mountainzone.com/clim...r/letters.html

    Best Boukreev quote: "I understand you were faced with a problem: your opinion as a journalist vs my statement of fact".


    Quote Originally Posted by Awol1970 View Post
    wow I've never heard that. Ed Viesturs calls him the quintesintial climber. That's pretty high accolades.

    The fact is Boukreev was a heroic world class climber who saved multiple lives while putting himnself in danger. Arguably the best high altitude speed climber there ever was.

    Krakaurer is a journalist who questioned the judgements of a pro.
    Viestur's just released a new book on Annapurna called The Will To Climb. It's a great read if you're curious about the history of climbing on Anapurna. More relevant though is that he spends a whole chapter discussing Anatoli's efforts on that day and what he thinks about it. Which I initially found odd since the book didn't really have anything to do with Everest but since Anatoli died on Annapurna I guess a little history of the man himself was fitting.

    Quote Originally Posted by Awol1970 View Post
    Well of course. I've read both plus Lemme Gammelgard's book "Climbing High". Boukreev descended to Camp 4 after summiting. This was part of the plan in case rescues would have to be made. In fact rescues did have to be made and Boukreev made them. All his clients survived.

    Boukreev was awarded The American Alpine Club's David A. Sowles Memorial Award. Which is a fancy way of saying he recieved a VERY high honor for his heroism.

    Krakauer was in his tent sleeping while all this was going on. whose book do you think was more accurate?
    The climbing community was quite pissed over him recieving this award.......and also about his solo summit of Lhotse a few days later after the tragedy....they viewed it as selfish and irresponsible.



    Other great books on big mountains:

    The Other Side of the Mountain by Matt Dickenson - What happened on the north side of Everest in 1996.
    Beyond the Mountain by Steve House - he's a bad ass....nuff said.
    No Shortcuts to the Top - Ed Viesturs - about him climbing the 14 8,000ers.
    K2: Life and Death on the Worlds Most Dangerous Mountain - Ed Viesturs
    Left for Dead - Beck Weathers - The man was left to die TWICE on Everst in the tragedy of 1996.
    Annapurna - Maurice Herzog - The account of the first summit of Annapurna.
    Memoirs of a Mountain Guide - Lou Whittaker - The man is more or less responsible for Viestur's being the mountaineer he is.
    Die Trying - Bo Parfet - Climbing the 7 summits.
    Freedom of the Hills - Can't climb them if you don't have the skills.....

    Not as big mountains:
    Halfway to Heaven - Mark Obmascik - Climbing the 54-58 (depends on the list you use) 14,000+ peaks in CO.

    Not all about mountains:
    The Last Season - Eric Blehm - Mentioned already but a good read.
    A walk across America - Peter Jenkins - I'll give you a guess what this one's about.

  7. #87

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    for one of the best(maybe the best) mountaineering books out there, walter bonatti's autobiography" Mountains of my Life"blows away anything by viesturs or krakauer.this guy soloed climbs in the alps that are still nothing short of miraculous.

  8. #88

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    one last one would be "second Ascent" the story of prodigy rock climber hugh herr, who at age 16 lost his legs on a winter hike up mt washington, how he recovered and continued to climb, earned him the nickname"the mechanical boy"

  9. #89

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    Quote Originally Posted by crazystick View Post
    I know it was already mentioned but "Monkey Wrench Gang" by Edward Abbey

    Another one i just finished reading is called "The Last Season" by Eric Blehm about the park ranger Randy Morgenson and the search and rescue attempt for him.
    i'm actually reading that book right now. it's hard to put down.

  10. #90

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    great American Historical fiction- the "Titus Bass"series by Terry C. Johnston.its a seies of historical novels about the mountain men of the early 19th C.

  11. #91
    The Local Johnny Reb
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    Dang there is some great reads in here!
    -Jason

  12. #92
    lemon b's Avatar
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    Been into Simon Winchester as of late. Kinda gives me a new view of the lay of the land.

  13. #93
    Registered User Livia Griffin's Avatar
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    Here is my list;

    The Rangers Apprentice by John Flanagan
    The secret circle series by L.J. Smith
    Fallen series by Lauren Kate
    The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins
    Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom
    Another Fine Myth by Robert Asprin
    The Layer Cake by J.J. Connely
    The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
    Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay
    Emergence by David Palmer

  14. #94
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    Quote Originally Posted by b.c. View Post
    Cormac McCarthy fans try: Blood Meridian, his best, I think.
    Bill Bryson fans try: In a Sunburnt Country, hilarious, Bryson in Austrailia.
    Note: Mary Shelley was 19 years-old when she penned Frankenstein. Wow!

    Great thread!
    Anyone ever read Hunta Yo by Ruth Beebe Hill?
    I loved Hanta Yo. Cormac McCarthy--In addition to The Road and Blood Meridian try Cities of the Plain and All the Pretty Horses. And an old one that is hard to find--Suttree.

  15. #95
    Registered User xokie's Avatar
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    Larry McMurtry starting with All My Friends Are Going to be Strangers, The Last Picture Show, all of The Berrybender Chronicles. The guy never wrote anything that was not good.

    Elmore Leanord.

  16. #96
    The Local Johnny Reb
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    Quote Originally Posted by xokie View Post
    Larry McMurtry starting with All My Friends Are Going to be Strangers, The Last Picture Show, all of The Berrybender Chronicles. The guy never wrote anything that was not good.

    Elmore Leanord.
    Just bought the paperback of All My Friends Are Going to be Strangers off of Amazon. I like to keep everything in Kindle Format but the Kindle edition was 11.99 and the paperback was only 6.00. (I have Amazon Prime so I get free two day shipping).

    First time I have ever seen a paperback go for cheaper than the kindle edition.
    -Jason

  17. #97
    The Local Johnny Reb
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    ^^^^ Thanks to xokie for recommending that book. it was a fun read.
    -Jason

  18. #98
    Registered User Porkroll's Avatar
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    I am currently reading AWOL ON THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL by David Miller. In the last two weeks I read A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson, SKYWALKER: Close Encounters On The Appalachian Trail by Bill Walker, and SKYWALKER: Highs And Lows On The Pacific Crest Trail.
    Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On. - Jimmy Buffett

    A ship at harbor is safe, yet that is not what ships are for. - J.A. Shedd

  19. #99

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    Wow great collection of books. I love to read inspirational novels. Robin Sharma is my favourite author and I'm currently reading in The Monk who sold his Ferrari.

  20. #100
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    Before there was a TV mini-series there was a book, a great book - Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry.

    To capture a time and place perfectly read From Here to Eternity by James Jones

    For a sci-fi novel that invaded society IRL read Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein

    A great coming of age novel is The Old Man and the Boy by Robert Ruark

    And of course the book that gave me my trail name, The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Frederick Engels (calm down, it's a joke)

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