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Product Description

Book Description
Elegiac, immensely readable, full of the real excitement of climbing' M. John Harrison, TLS

Synopsis
Simon Yates is the man who cut the rope in Joe Simpson's award-winning account of their struggle for survival in "Touching the Void". In this book, Yates recounts how he and three companions climbed the world's largest vertical rock-face, in the Chilean Andes.

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Customer Reviews

10 Reviews

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36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

High Anxiety, 23 Feb 2002

By	J. Mcgregor "jiy126" - See all my reviews

I wasn't too sure about this book in the beginning as I began to suspect that Simon had been on some sort of writing course before it. He writes in quite short sentences. Almost keeping it simple and manageable. Being careful not to drift from the point. Once I got into the story, however, I forgot about the style and in the end I felt I had more of an idea into how these types of vertical wall climbs are conducted. Simon is quite frank about his own vulnerability, describing how he retches with fear over some of the dangerous moves he has to commit to on the climb. This vulnerability increases as the expedition extends, and I enjoyed his introspection and conclusion that his addiction has to be kept in balance before it kills him. There's no romance in it - like anything else out of balance, it can seriously detract from your life as you lose friends, roots, family and eventually identity. The writing becomes tinged with disappointment and depression in this search for understanding, but he comes through it and is uplifted in the end.
This is not a typical climbing book, but I found it to be a more balanced account of the climber, what he does and why he has chosen to do it than many others.

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11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

This book should be on any would be mountaineers list, 22 May 2000

By	andysmudge@t-online.de (Germany) - See all my reviews

Simon Yates, The man who cut the rope, Knows better than anyone the difficult decisions one must be prepared to make in order to survive on the remotest of mountain ranges.One of the most difficult decisions to make can be the most straight forward of all Do I want to do this? . Simon is the only author to my knowledge who has posed this question in print, yet probably it is the secret question that every climber asks him/herself when faced with the task they have set themselves ( or been pursuaded into). To go or not to go ? After perhaps weeks if not months of preparation, simply to have doubts on a route and question the reason for, takes an extraordinary amount of inner strength. Simon Yates eloquently relates his thoughts into text and any climber or would be expedition member will benefit from reading this book.

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11 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

A very easy to read book, a captivating story., 27 Jun 2000

By A Customer

I am a poor reader and usually find it difficult to get into a book but from start to finish 'Against the wall' by Simon Yates was believable, easy to relate to and exiting story making the book hard to put down. The book explains the point of view of a climber called Simon Yates who gives a view on his perspective of life. He is currently climbing the central tower of pain a 4000 feet vertical face in chilly and has to make a number of decisions. It also shows his bond of friendship with the other climbers and at one time how he has to make the decision to sacrifice the life of a friend, Joe Simpson to save his own life, he talks about the morals involved and the guilt that he felt. All the points in the story relate to the change of attitude in Simon Yates throughout the book. From climbing being not only an obsession but a part of his every day life along with full enjoyment, lack of worry and need for status, to realising that it is maybe time to slow down earn some independence and gain some status. He also sees pleasure in other things such as a general day shopping, a day at the beach, work or a quite walk finding challenges in every day things and not needing to set all challenges on climbing. One of the last decisions that Simon makes is weather to complete the climb weighing up the possibilities of danger against the strong will to succeed which can sometimes be a thin line. It is not necessary to be a climber to understand the story, as it is as much about the people and the crack! And is very recommendable.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

Climbing ok, but could do without the self-analysis
Having recently seen Into The Void, I snapped this book up during a recent visit to the charity shop. Read more

Published 2 months ago by paulzwo

Thought provoking...
Simon's description of his attempt to summit the Central Tower of Paine in Patagonia was slightly disappointing to me in its lack of emotional description. Read more

Published 10 months ago by J. K. Eady

Gripping Well written a must read!
I really enjoyed this book, I am a non-climber and could not put the book down, so much so I have since visited a seminar which proved that Simon is as good at public speaking as... Read more

Published on 31 Jan 2005 by mstruck2

Gripping Well written a must read!
I really enjoyed this book, I am a non-climber and could not put the book down, so much so I have since visited a seminar which proved that Simon is as good at public speaking as... Read more

Published on 31 Jan 2005 by mstruck2

Excellent narrative - a rollercoaster of emotions!
Very well written book that really brings the emotions of this sport vividly to life