Customer Reviews

The Beckoning Silence

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Joe Simpson, author of four thoughtful and highly praised mountaineering books returns to print, older and mindful of the effects mountaineering has had on himself and his friends. At the beginning of the book he is soberly considering giving up the sport given the personal cost (multiple serious injuries) and the cost to others (losing an average of one friend per year killed on the mountains). As Simpson himself points out it you keep putting your head in the lion's mouth, however good or skilled or lucky you believe yourself to be, sooner or later he will shut it. Simpson's tales from past climbs (including the tragedy of a friend who gave up mountaineering only to be killed after taking up paragliding) his agonising over the rising death toll, the camaradie and resourcefulness of mountaineers and the personal considerations of what he will do next, form the first half of the book.

The second half tells the tale of an attempt on the North Face of the Eiger, a nearly 2 mile height of sheer rock and ice, doing this classic alpine route is to be Simpson's valedectory to climbing. In this he tells superbly the story of the mountain and the many (often tragic) stories of previous attempts followed by his own attempt. The sheer terror of the storm that breaks during the ascent and the tragedy that ensues when two (possibly three) other climbers are killed is evoked in moving but clear and gripping prose.

Simpson writes wonderfully about mountains and those who seek to conquer them. Even if (like me) you have never climbed a mountain in your life and don't intend to, read Joe Simpson for his marvellous descriptions, his superb prose and his evocation of life at the literal edge - physically and psychologically.

I enjoyed this book almost as much as "Touching the Void", although for different reasons. "The Beckoning Silence" has a more psychological approach, is more reflective, and describes many other expeditions and events, including historic ones, unlike the earlier book which centred on a particular excursion of Joe Simpson`s.
This book describes his thoughts, feelings and reactions to many different events; there is a particular emphasis on his struggle with the possible beginning of the end of his passion for climbing. It includes a chapter on paragliding, and one on a climb up the Bridalveil Falls in Colorado. I had not realised that people climbed frozen waterfalls, and I was happy, though incredulous, to see the photographs accompanying the text.
Most of the second half of the book concerns an attempt by Simpson and his colleague to climb the north face of the Eiger, and the events surrounding this.
It is well written, clear, and has the detail, intricacy, and emotional expressiveness which are characteristic of this author. I liked the photographs very much, especially the black and white section. This includes a beautiful and fascinating portrait photo of George Mallory and his wife.
As much about introspection and emotions as about mountaineering, the book is excellent and I highly recommend it.

"I often wondered if these heroes of mine ever climbed with quite such a baggage of fears and dark terrors as I did."

Joe Simpson is the writer who let out the secret - all your climbing heroes get scared. Fear can make a climber turn back well before they have even reached the mountain, let alone half-way up a crumbling ice climb. But there are real dangers, of falls, storms and avalanche, that each year seem to kill more of Simpson's friends. Here, the fear and the deaths have almost stopped him mountaineering, but there's one last climb he has to do - the North Face of the Eiger.

It's a book that won't satisfy everyone, as Simpson often seems to spend far more time thinking about climbing that actually doing it, and in the first half he gets nowhere near that north face, instead taking us through another few years of an autobiography that started with "This Game of Ghosts". But really, no one does do climbing books as well as Joe Simpson with his black humour, honesty and insight, and this is something of a masterclass. He can even sneak in a pretty good history of climbing on the Eiger, while psyching himself up for the climb, that quickly dismisses any worry that he might just be doing a little padding out. Of course, the original and best book on the Eiger is Heinrich Harrer's "The White Spider", and Joe Simpson has already had a pretty good go at writing the best climbing book of all time in "Touching the Void". This one is never going to quite match up, but that doesn't stop it being thought-provoking, gripping, compulsory reading for anyone interested in the mountains.

I shall not try to review this book because this has been more than adequately covered by others on this website. I would rather explain to you my reactions to reading the book:-

I was first introduced to Joe Simpson when I was given a copy of Touching the Void as a talking book. The raw excitement and danger made me eager for more of the same. As a non-climber, I was aware of the North Face of The Eiger as a challenging climb – but remained otherwise uninformed. And so, I turned to The Beckoning Silence merely as an interesting and hopefully exciting read. I didn’t expect that this would be the only book that I have ever read and then immediately re-read .

Joe Simpson has a way of telling his story that is effortless to the reader – the text is plainly worded but this does not detract from his powers of description. Mr Simpson has taken a good story and interwoven it with tales of other climbers and the incidents of friends and acquaintances in such a way to produce a superb read. The section of the book where Joe and his friend Ray start to climb the Eiger was absolutely gripping – the palms of my hands and the soles of my feet were sweating with the vicarious thrill.

Much of the book is spent describing the dangers of climbing and examining where the acceptable danger threshold is. As one who has taken part in dangerous sports, I have asked myself many of the same questions – and resolved them at an earlier age. At the end of the book, I remained unconvinced that Joe was ready to hang up his climbing gear – and am hopeful that there is another climbing book or two in him yet.

The selection of the photos used in this book amplifies the interest in it. Each and every one of the pictures is relevant to the text and is part of the story – I returned time and time again to view each one in turn.

A great adventure book that will remain on my bookshelf: Read it soon.

This is a book of two halves; the first deals with why he wants to stop climbing and the second about his one last big climb...the North Face of the Eiger. It opens with the most frightening writing I've ever read. Joe Simpson lucidly describes the fears and pressures of being in a bad position and not being able to escape from it. Forget your horror writers, this is the real deal. Having convinced himself to give up the mountains, he goes for one last classic route - full circle to the books that brought him to mountaineering in the first place.
Will this be his last climb? I somehow doubt it.
Well worth the read.

A great book. Unpretentious, they certainly give the impression that the title is totally unwarranted. The Burgess brothers are archetypal 70s British alpinistes, I pissed myself at their Rab Carrington quote re 80s Sheffield climbers "The young kids drink only orange juice - in half pints, just in case even orange juice might be bad for them". I doubt the Burgess brothers even drink half pints of beer.

They give the best insight into the personalities of themselves and their contemporaries that I have read, both the good and the bad sides. The book feels as though it is written by, and about, real people, rather than climbing legends.

My only criticism? They probably don't trumpet their own (awesome) climbing achievements enough.

An incredibly personal and honest account of the Author's struggle to come to terms with a mix of emotions derived from years of pursuing this dangerous (often deadly) passion. Wonderfully written, this book intimately draws you into the world of the climber. I am a non-climber with little knowledge of the sport but I gained a true insight to the fears, expectations and dangers that these people put themselves through. A few years ago on a skiing holiday, I sat in a restaurant and gazed up at the Eiger and observed the beauty but little else. I'm now slightly embarrassed that at the time, I had little comprehension of its legend and foreboding within the climbing world. Read this book, a true inspiration.

Joe Simpson doesn't seem to be the man I'd choose to try climbing with - some major catastrophe always seems to be just over the next pitch. In 'Beckoning Silence', Joe wrestles with the deaths of some of his closest friends, and a couple more near escapes, and attempts to capture his deliberations as to whether to leave climbing altogether.

Simpson continues with his great writing style in Silence, with an ability to capture the emotion of the mountains that he is climbing. He manages to make you feel involved in each of his expeditions, even if you've never climbed before. His choice of drama gives the book a power to take your breath away, and he can make you feel like you are hanging eight feet out over a two thousand feet drop, all from the safety of your living room.

However, I don't feel this is his best book. I felt he was guilty of borrowing too heavily from other authors, particularly 'The White Spider', and the rapid changes of continent deny the reader the chance to feel part of the sustained climb that drove you forward in the other books. My greatest disappointment though was a feeling that he trivialises the deaths of other mountaineers, which is sad, as I think this is the opposite of his intent in writing the book. In attempting to set each scene, he uses descriptions of each accident, I feel, rather too sensationally. With unnerving rapidity, he moves from one macabre scene to the next, more to maintain momentum, than perhaps offer a fitting memorial to each climber. Without spoiling the latter part of the book, as he describes the deaths of some climbers on the Eiger, you feel more like a gory tourist, rather than a comrade to the souls described, and this left me very empty. I wanted time to contemplate each of these men, the lives abruptly ended, and I felt the pace of the book denied me this.

This ultimately prevented the book from reaching a conclusion, and although this may be where Simpson ended up in his personal journey, I do not feel it is a fair place to leave the reader.

This review is based on the 2007 hardback edition complete with a DVD showing historic film of the 1938 and 1953 attempts on K2. Commentary refers to the rope bonding climbers together mentally as well as physically, and is the source of the title: `Brotherhood of the Rope'. Author Bernadette McDonald's book is a brilliant biography of legendary mountaineer Charles Houston providing new insights to his well known K2 expeditions as well as to his childhood, to his early exploits on Mount Foraker, Nanda Devi etc., to his medical career and research programmes, and to Peace Corps involvement, plus many associated and fascinating roles. Charles Houston is a brilliant man, but plagued by self doubt with a "sometimes difficult personality". As well as public records for consultation the author had many discussions with Houston and his contemporaries with access to private writings. In forthright no-nonsense style she does not shrink from invasive scrutiny to ensure a complete portrait of a harrowed but honourable human being.

From revelations of Houston's introvert nature and moody behaviour as a child it is somewhat surprising how he became such an able and charismatic expedition leader - as McDonald states: in the mountains "Charlie ... found his tribe". She relies on numerous quotes by her subject in addition to commenting on his views over leadership, team spirit etc. After valiant attempts at rescue the tragic loss of Art Gilkey on K2 in 1953 led to Houston giving up expedition climbing, but a heroic reputation was established and he was later to receive many honours and honorary membership of American Alpine Club, Climbers' Club (referred to as Welsh!) and others. He never lost contact with the mountaineering fraternity and could be fiercely critical of evolving developments. As a judgemental idealist he was equally outspoken in his professional life where he inflicted damage upon himself as belief in his own medical practices and research led to disappointment and disagreement with colleagues. Charles Houston's professional life is chronicled as a series of ad hoc seized opportunities for pioneering research combined with mountaineering matters - particularly investigating affects of high altitude.

Bernadette McDonald deals skilfully with the numerous interconnections of Charles Houston's life including aspects of twentieth century issues, and she reveals an extraordinary and exciting but human and humble man who succeeded in so many ways, and yet who became depressed over his self-perceived failures. She ends `Brotherhood of the Rope' with reference to eulogies from mountaineers and medical men, and to Charlie finally acknowledging his life has influenced people positively "in ways that caused them to live their lives more fully". Her brilliant biography (short-listed 2007 Boardman Tasker Award) does great service to mountaineering literature as through a unique, complex and principled man it reflects on an era of past values.

I found this book to be an enjoyable read. Reinhold Messner is a legend of mountaineering and has conquered more or less every peak on the planet worth climbing. But this book gives us much more than just another epic mountaineering tale, we get a look into the rich history of Tibet and its people and the struggle with China.

But the most amazing part of this book is the successful summit attempt itself, not only was it accomplished solo but without the use of supplemental oxygen. An unbelievable feat of human endurance and determination considering the support networks put in place by the commercial teams of today, some who boast at being able to put anyone on top of Everest.

The excerpts from Nenas diary give us a critical insight into Messner the man, the mood swings the dogmatism and the general supercilious nature of this climbing machine. Anyone interested in a no B.S. account of Himalayan climbing should definitely read this .