Touching the Void: The True Story of One Man's Miraculous Survival by Joe Simpson Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Touching the Void: The True Story of One Man's Miraculous Survival
Book Review: Perseverance Pays Off
Summary: 5 Stars
In Touching the Void, Joe and Simon struggle to stay alive as they fight their way through extreme weather conditions while rock climbing. After a near death situation that left Joe with a broken leg they now must work together to climb down the mountain safely, until about halfway down another disaster strikes which separates the two friends.
Could you imagine crawling down a mountain, with a broken leg, all alone? You try to turn on your headlamp but the light just flickers and instantly goes out as you try to make your way through the pitch black night. You feel lost and ready to give up when that voice comes in your head that won't let you quit and tells you to keep going. Joe never gives up as he hangs on to his last chance of hope....and finally he is rewarded.
I would definitely recommend this book as it kept me interested the whole time. This book shows perseverance and the will to survive, which keeps you in suspense and makes you want to keep reading. It shows that you should hang on to every last chance you might have, as the unthinkable can happen. I admire the characters in this book as I remember how they never gave up and kept fighting, I now think of them when I am about to give up something. Overall, this book is exciting and will give you a better understanding of what it means to persevere and never give up.
Jake J
Book Review: Warning: Ice is slippery
Summary: 4 Stars
Perhaps posting this notice on mountains would prevent exactly the type of incident outlined in this book. If one climbs UP an icy lump of rock, falling back DOWN is certainly one possible outcome. And if there are chasms, yes one will fall into them. Haven't we ever dropped a peanut butter sandwich? Goodness. Anyway, we already HAVE the Discovery Channel. There is simply no need for youngsters to get themselves up to this kind of hijinks, particularly on slippery slopes. Why do you think we use that metaphor? If one truly wishes to risk life and limb, why not do it for a valid REASON, a reason that would be, say, worthwhile for me, for instance. Wanna risk your neck? Become my surrogate shopper at the Max Azaria BCBG sample sale downtown, or at the annual Fred Segal sale in Santa Monica. You will have all the danger you crave. Immediate decisions and swift actions are imperative, you will be injured, probably killed. All the thrills of outdoor adventure, but with up to 75% off. If you manage to grab me a pair of gray suede Ferragamo pumps, size 8, the ones with the thin leather piping, at Fred's, lunch is on me, name the place.
Oh, about the book? Well, I DID read some of it, except for parts in the beginning, middle and end. In a nutshell, they climbed up something covered in ice, they fell down. It was cold. Bitch bitch bitch. Anyhoo, I don't want to give anything away, but the author DID write the book, so there is your big clue as to the outcome.
Ciao darlings.
Book Review: Amazing story of survival
Summary: 5 Stars
When two hikers, Joe and Simon set off to climb Sula Grande in South America they had no idea how it would turn out. In the course of the descent Joe is lowered over a cliff by mistake in the gathering clouds. His climbing partner is forced to cut the rope in order for himself not to be dragged over, thus ensuring Joe's death. But Joe does not die. He has a brocken leg and is lodged in a crevace. After houre os harrowing attempts to go up he decides to go down.
This book tells the story of his fascinating survival, his tremendous will to live, his thoughts on death and God, and his realization that only he could get himself free.
An amazing story, one of the most extraordinary survival stories, up their with Alive. A great story of the outdoors that rivals Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster. However it may not be quite as good as the documentary on the same story, Touching the Void: The True Story of One Man's Miraculous Survival.
Seth J. Frantzman
Book Review: BORING BORING BORING
Summary: 2 Stars
i am sorry but i was so disappointed with this book! -i read this book after seeing all the great reviews and i do not understand all the hype- i think the only reason there are so many great reviews is that climbers stick together and have a reverence for eachother so perhaps they don't want to "pan" joe simpson's book- but as far as i am concerned, this book was very poorly written, so slow, so boring, way too technical and such a chore to get through- i didn't understand what all the terms meant and even when looking them up, i still couldn't get a clear picture of what was happening to him- even the photos were of no help- if you are not a climber you will have the same problem- and if you are a climber, you will still find it as i described above less the terminology problems- i didn't find it enjoyable at all- i expected to find it rivetting and interesting and heart wrenching but it was none of the above- and his friend simon yates was so despicable in this book that you just can't believe that joe even talks to him let alone includes his version of events in this book and dedicates the book to him? huh?- it just made no sense- but,
if you do want the greatest true adventure survival story EVER WRITTEN then you ABSOLUTELY MUST read "ADRIFT"- it is BY FAR the greatest true survival story ever written- it is superbly written and you don't have to be a sailor to understand his plight- your heart aches and you feel you are there as he literally drifts across the atlantic in a sinking dinghy for 76 days waiting to be rescued- but he realizes no one is coming to rescue him, so therefore, he must save himself- UNBELIEVABLE- he is an amazing man- now this is an amazing story of survival- i am shocked that touching the void was even put to pen to be honest- this may sound unkind but while i was reading it i kept thinking, "why was a book written about this?" -didn't seem worth writing a book over- (sorry joe- glad you are alive though of course)- i encourage you all to skip this one and read "ADRIFT" instead- UPDATE: i decided to rent the movie "touching the void" from the library to see if the movie made for a more interesting story- well yes it did- it wasn't the best adventure survival movie i have ever seen but it was still infinitely better than the book- and it was nice to see the real joe tell the story- he really lets us into his soul i find and one could see how much this experience has affected him- tears were never far from his eyes- i came away liking the guy- you will not get the same feeling from simon yates, however- if you read his excerpts in the book and watch him in the movie, you will see he is a cold person, a friend you wouldn't want to have- a friend who would leave you to die when you needed him- with friends like that who needs enemies? glad you are safe joe! and i must say it was brave of simon to show his face in the movie- at least he is not denying his role (or lack thereof) in this adventure- to you readers, my advice is to watch the movie over the book-
Book Review: Touching the void-a touching story
Summary: 5 Stars
Joe Simpson, and Simon Yates are truely admirable and courageous people. The bravery Joe Simpson mantained during his difficult situation is amazing, and an attitude to look up to. His frustration was understandable and the fact he made it was somewhat...a miracle.
Simon Yates was called by many a traitor. He cut the rope when (although he wasn't aware of it) Joe Simpson, alive but not so well, was on the recieving end. People think this is disgraceful but if you watch the film, or read the book you will accept why he did it. You'll also find it took more bravery for him to cut the rope, than stay there in the freezing cold, never living to tell the tale.
The rope is, apparently, a representitive of the bond between the climbers, but really it's just a rope.