Good Books

Hello everyone.

I apologize for posting here if this is out of line (I know extremely little about climbing and nothing about this community) but I have a relative who is very much into climbing and I was wondering if anyone had any advice about good books about climbing?

It'd be a Christmas gift, and, nothing in particular, really, but, I'd like to get this person something that's not a load of crap. :) I was leaning towards something by Messner, but, this isn't really my thing.

Is there a list hanging around somewhere of good climbing books that are very good but also have good technical parts to them? I'm looking for a sort of "climber's climber" book. My friend isn't a mountaineer, more of a boulder-climber, which is where i was going with the Messner-alpinest thing.

Any advice?

Walnut wrote:My friend isn't a mountaineer, more of a boulder-climber, which is where i was going with the Messner-alpinest thing. Any advice?

I really enjoyed Enduring Patagonia by Gregory Crouch. It's a fantastic read, well written and covers plenty of the technical aspects of climbing but also is a good traveller's book through that part of the world.

Also these:
Early Days in the Range of Light - D. Arnold
Psychovertical - A. Kirkpatrick - haven't read the entire thing. The parts I have read were entertaining
Minus 148 Degrees - A. Davidson
Beyond the Mountain - S. House
Annapurna - M. Herzog
White Spider - H. Herrer
The Seven Mountain-Travel Books - H.W. Tilman

edited: no snarkiness intended. Just trying to figure out what you might be looking for.

D.Buffum wrote: The most important book for any climber to own is Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills. It's not just for mountaineers. THough since your friend is a boulderer, you might look at John Gill: Master of Rock. A classic.

Thanks, D. Buffum. I appreciate it--those both look exceptionally good.

Type 'best literature' in the MP search. It's the 4th topic down.

jfs wrote: I'm not sure if I'm understanding what you're going for here. He's not into mountains so you ARE thinking of getting him a book by Messner? Regardless, I really enjoyed Enduring Patagonia by Gregory Crouch. It's a fantastic read, well written and covers plenty of the technical aspects of climbing but also is a good traveller's book through that part of the world. Also these: Early Days in the Range of Light - D. Arnold Psychovertical - A. Kirkpatrick - haven't read the entire thing. The parts I have read were entertaining Minus 148 Degrees - A. Davidson Beyond the Mountain - S. House Annapurna - M. Herzog White Spider - H. Herrer The Seven Mountain-Travel Books - H.W. Tilman

No, you're right, my terminology is crap. My thought process was just that since the guy is bouldering and rock climbing, but not mountaineering, that maybe the minimalist alpinist thing would be inspirational or something.

Thank you for your suggestions. I'm just leafing through them now and they look pretty awesome.

Nothing technical here, just good short stories to read while resting between boulder problems.

amazon.com/Long-Adventure-B…

I just discovered the mountaineering literature section in my local library and recently finished Climbing in North America by Chris Jones. It's a comprehensive history of mountaineering and technical rock climbing in the U.S. and Canada. The other gem I discovered was On Edge: The Life and Climbs of Henry Barber written by Chip Lee. It was written when he was only 28! It talks about his trips overseas as well as across the U.S. Great stuff and awesome historical photos in both books.

Walnut wrote:"Is there a list hanging around somewhere of good climbing books that are very good but also have good technical parts to them?"

D.Buffum I think nailed it.

Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills is a great book if he gets on rope, even if he's not "mountaineering" the book has many illustrations and techniques of knots and anchors, as well as other tricks from basic to advanced.

I am currently going through that book and there is useful information everywhere!

jfs wrote: I really enjoyed Enduring Patagonia by Gregory Crouch. It's a fantastic read, well written and covers plenty of the technical aspects of climbing but also is a good traveller's book through that part of the world.

+1 to Enduring Patagonia. It's a great read, and I think pretty accessible even to those who don't climb.

I'd also suggest anything by David Roberts, but especially Mountain of My Fear or Mt. Deborah: A Wilderness Narrative. They're a bit older, but again, very well written accounts of early technical climbing in Alaska and a great historical perspective, especially Mountain of My Fear.

If you want something modern and technical rather than a bio, this might fit the bill:

andy-kirkpatrick.com/shop/p…

it is also cheap, but it is only available in electronic form at the moment.

:)

If your friend likes to read really good writing, seek out anything by W.H. Murray. His descriptions of climbs are still source material for a lot of route descriptions all over Britain. There's no bouldering anywhere, but lots of "leader must not fall" stuff in some of the most eloquent, exquisite writing anywhere in any genre. "Mountaineering in Scotland" and "Undiscovered Scotland" are absolute gems.

And consider this yet another +1 for Enduring Patagonia. Crouch comes incredibly close to answering the question, "Why do people climb?"

Last and by no means least, seek out anything by John Long, a longtime climber/observer/writer who is one of the funniest people in print. From boulder problems to big walls, this guy has done it, written about it, taught people about it and made them laugh long and hard.

Can't go wrong with Red Rock Odyssey

+1 for Minus 128 degrees

I'd also suggest:

The Ascent of Denali

it's a true classic book

On Edge - The life and climbs of Henry Barber

Feel like im going on a henry barber rant after posting something else in another thread about him. I think his biography has some great stories that give you a glimpse into the his life at a young age and the poeple he met along the way. There were definitly some parts where my hands started to sweat! My only gripe with the book would be that it jumps around and is not completly organized in chronological order. It would have been cool if it was written a little later too as I'm sure he had some amazing adventures after the book was published.

No Picnic On Mt Kenya. Italian p.o.w's in world war two who escape and climb Mt. Kenya and return to prison camp. True story. Great book without the usual climber dribble.

Haven't seen this posted in any of the book threads, but if you can find a copy, the 30 Years of Climbing Magazine Anthology has a ton of great short stories.

THE Good Book

The long and spectacular second pitch. The Good Book

Ryan Nevius wrote:THE Good Book

Ah, I think this is the climb that is on the cover of the 30 Years of Climbing Book.

I would be psyched if someone gave me one of these:

1. Fred Beckey's 100 Favorite North American Climbs
2. Fifty Favorite Climbs in North America
3. Patagonia Vertical: Chaltén Massif Climbing Guide by Rolando Garibotti & Dörte Pietron (even if you're never going to make it down there, the book could make a nice coffee table read)...

^^^ All these are something that I can't bring myself spend money on, but would love to own (an essence of a good gift). The biographical books and other stuff recommended by others, one can check out from the library and be done reading once. The books above are nice to browse through and drool over and over again.

The Boys of Everest and The Villain.