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Fictional Books about Rock Climbing: Are there any?

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Inelegant Furbeast · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2021 · Points: 0

Been looking for good book-length fiction about American rock climbing (specifically not mountaineering) and I've found . . . not much. 

There's a YA novel called The Art of Holding On and Letting Go, and the British-centered Climbers: A Novel by M. John Harrison. 

Is that it? 

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I did find this quote ABOUT fiction and climbing:

"Climbing is considered by its adherents to be somehow too sacred to fictionalize. Its vivid real-life dramas and intense loyalties, its acts of heroism and the all-too- frequent encounters with violent death are too precious, too poignant, too much part of some private lore and myth." 

—Audrey Salkeld and Rosie Smith, qtd. by Katie Ives in “The Ice Mirror,” Alpinist 65

Taylor Henderson · · Boulder, CO · Joined May 2014 · Points: 0

There is a novel by James Salter called Solo Faces about an American climber that travels to the French Alps to climb. I would recommend it. The writing is actually not bad and the story is fairly relatable. I was actually looking to sell my copy if you're interested.

Will G · · Oakland · Joined Mar 2020 · Points: 35

Jeff Long’s Angels of Light is a good fictionalization of the Yosemite plane crash. A bit over the top at times but indeed a fun read.

Steve Williams · · The state of confusion · Joined Jul 2005 · Points: 235

The Eiger Sanction . . .

Cherokee Nunes · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2015 · Points: 0

Check out the author Clinton McKinzie

Garrett Genereux · · Redmond · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 35

Two novellas by the amazing Chris Kalman- As Above, So Below and Dammed if You Don't

South America based, but with climbers from the U.S. Both fantastic reads! 

Fail Falling · · @failfalling - Oakland, Ca · Joined Jan 2007 · Points: 916
Inelegant Furbeast wrote:

I did find this quote ABOUT fiction and climbing:

Any good writer will tell you that all writing is fiction. 

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

General Climbing
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