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"Venables is one of the best climbers in the world, and one of the best writers about climbing... Read it, but be careful. You may never be content just to climb the stairs again." - "Mail on Sunday"
"The plummet experienced by Venables on the descent from his successful first ascent of Panch Chuli V in the Himalayas was of the kind most feared by climbers, the failure of an abseil point, an incident which usually guarantees death... Venables writes with understated elegance, conjuring up vividly and honestly his companions while also showing an acute awareness of the environment through which he travels." - "Observer"
"One of the most successful climbers of his generation...outstanding...his best book." - Ed Douglas, "Climber"
"The plummet experienced by Venables on the descent from his successful first ascent of Panch Chuli V in the Himalayas was of the kind most feared by climbers, the failure of an abseil point, an incident which usually guarantees death... Venables writes with understated elegance, conjuring up vividly and honestly his companions while also showing an acute awareness of the environment through which he travels." - "Observer"
"One of the most successful climbers of his generation...outstanding...his best book." - Ed Douglas, "Climber"
Climbing magazine 2002
Venables offers excellent and detailed historical background, whilst weaving a compelling narrative.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Stephen Venables latest offering, A Slender Thread - Escaping Disaster in the Himalaya is a truly brilliant book. It offers the reader all the elements of an exciting novel, adventure, disaster, courage, love, fear and more besides. This is of course not the point however, as it is not a work of fiction. This realisation takes it to an entirely different level of appreciation. Venables writes with a passion for the life which he has chosen, and makes it possible for those of us mere mortals who aspire to great heights to see a little more clearly into the world of mountaineering. The book unfolds the story at a tantalizing pace, and an all-star cast makes the readability for anyone with an interest in this subject immense. Names synonymous with the world of mountaineering, Harish Kapadia and Chris Bonington lead an expedition to Panch Chuli V, on the borders of Tibet, Nepal and India. This exploration becomes a feat of both mental as well as physical strength as the worst happens; an accident at high altitude. Reading this book is an unmissable insight into an often misunderstood and harshly portrayed community of people.
Format:Paperback
I found this to be a truly excellent read. Venables maintains a compelling account of a truly epic first ascent, interspersed with insightful passages giving the reader an accessible history of the Panch Chuli Massif. At no point does he revert to gratuitous sensationalism, describing his incredible adventure with near-objectivity, whilst still maintaining a sense of passion and pace. His prose is eloquent yet to the point.
My one criticism would be that at some points his self-crippling modesty becomes tiresome; the magnitude of his incredible achievement and experience is not quite conveyed fully. However this is more of a defect (although some might regard it as a positive) of his personality than his of skill as an authour.
The novel also serves as a written expression of gratitude for all those he helped save his life - Venables constantly reminds the reader of how highly he regards his companions.
Please ignore any misguided reviews that fail to understand that any personal shortcomings conveyed are due to his modesty and professionalism as an author rather than being a reality - having climbed with the man and read most of his works I can confirm that as one of the best mountaineers of his generation he is the very opposite of the person he professes to be.
My one criticism would be that at some points his self-crippling modesty becomes tiresome; the magnitude of his incredible achievement and experience is not quite conveyed fully. However this is more of a defect (although some might regard it as a positive) of his personality than his of skill as an authour.
The novel also serves as a written expression of gratitude for all those he helped save his life - Venables constantly reminds the reader of how highly he regards his companions.
Please ignore any misguided reviews that fail to understand that any personal shortcomings conveyed are due to his modesty and professionalism as an author rather than being a reality - having climbed with the man and read most of his works I can confirm that as one of the best mountaineers of his generation he is the very opposite of the person he professes to be.
Format:Paperback
As an armchair mountaineer I have to say that i absolutely love this book. It describes what i imagine to be stunning places to visit and also the trial, tribulations and views in the Himalaya. Stephen Venables is one of the best out there in terms of his mountain skills but also his ability to describe the adventures he goes on. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in this genre....
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
I'VE FALLEN AND I CAN'T GET UP...
This book is well written, but much of it is decidedly dull. The author writes with all the passion of a dead fish. Read more
Published on 1 Dec 2002 by Lawyeraau
Gripping, even for the non-mountaineer
A gripping and moving read, fascinating even for the non-mountaineer
Published on 6 Feb 2000
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