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Andy Kirkpatrick
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Media
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Book
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Publisher | Arrow | ||
ISBN | 978-009951952 | ||
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Reviewer
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Gareth
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Synopsis
This title is Winner of the Boardman Tasker Prize 2008. "Metro" magazine recently wrote that Andy Kirkpatrick makes Ray Mears look like Paris Hilton. Words like boldness, adventure and risk were surely coined especially for him. As one of the world's most accomplished mountaineers and big-wall climbers, he goes vertically where other climbers (to say nothing of the general public) fear to tread. For the first time, this cult hero of vertical rock has written a book, in which his thirteen-day ascent of Reticent Wall on El Capitan in California - the hardest big-wall climb ever soloed by a Briton - frames a challenging autobiography. From childhood on a grim inner-city housing estate in Hull, the story moves through horrific encounters and unique athletic achievements at the extremes of the earth. As he writes, 'Climbs like this make no sense ...the chances of dying on the route are high'. Yet Andy, in his thirties with young children, has everything to live for. This is the paradox at the heart of the story. This book - by turns gut-wrenching, entertaining and challenging - appeals to the adventurer in all of us.
Review
A rollercoaster of a book - even more remarkable as it's based on cold, rock hard fact. Andy Kirkpatrick, daredevil and ace climber extraordinaire, lived, breathed; wept and cursed the worlds toughest mountain faces and has survived, in conditions that would make Ray Mears stay at home wrapped up in bed!
This is an entertaining and breathtaking read, as it marries Andy's childhood growing up in Hull with his tackling one of the most challenging mountains in California, El Capitan.
It looks at how his character was moulded through all the incidents in his life; the falls and near misses and how everything prepared him for the gruelling thirteen day ascent of the "Reticent Wall".
If you've always wanted to mountain climb but are afraid of heights, then this is the book for you!! It's the closest you're likely to come without actually doing it!
p.s. A note from Vicky - I saw the Psycho Vertical show, which was absolutely hilarious and was one of the best nights out in a long time. If you get the chance go and see Andy Kirpartick - you'll come out feeling uplifted and laughing.
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