Review by Blue giraffe -- The Altitude Journals

This forum is for volunteer reviews by members of our review team. These reviews are done voluntarily by the reviewers and are published in this forum, separate from the official professional reviews. These reviews are kept separate primarily because the same book may be reviewed by many different reviewers.
Forum rules
Authors and publishers are not able to post replies in the review topics.
Post Reply
User avatar
Blue giraffe
Posts: 4
Joined: 12 Mar 2018, 05:48
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 3
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-blue-giraffe.html
Latest Review: The Altitude Journals by David J Mauro

Review by Blue giraffe -- The Altitude Journals

Post by Blue giraffe »

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Altitude Journals" by David J Mauro.]
Book Cover
4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review


The Altitude Journals by David J. Mauro is the true story of a seven year period in David Mauro’s life in which he travels from the lowest point in his life to the highest point on Earth. Mauro falls into mountain climbing almost by accident. His brother in law was making a documentary that followed a mixed team of experienced climbers and non-climbers as they attempt to climb Denali. As Mauro’s marriage had ended, he took up the invitation to climb the high summit of North America. As his relationship breakup had taken a heavy emotional toll on him, David set out to climb Denali to try to find his sense of self belief again.

The Altitude Journals is a thoroughly enjoyable read. He doesn’t dwell too much on the technical side of climbing itself, so you needn’t be an avid climber yourself to enjoy this book. I found his descriptions of the physical conditioning he needed to put his body through for each peak fascinating. I had no idea that each mountain would require a different type of body strength and a different set of skills to summit successfully.

I particularly liked the way that Mauro weaved his personal life through each climb and I found his differing reasons for climbing each peak compelling. He is thought provoking about the people who live on the mountains and whose way of life is simultaneously supported and changed forever by the climbing industry. Mauro is interested in those around him and the other party members’ back stories and motivations to climb were appealing to me. I liked the way Mauro doesn’t romanticise each climb, he is brutally honest about the dangers climbers face.

I rate The Altitude Journals 4 out of 4 stars. I found Mauro an engaging companion and I was invested in the story. I felt every victory, no matter how tiny, with Mauro along the way. I enjoyed how he portrayed the camaraderie among the climbers. Often they were total strangers until they met up for the expeditions. They quickly have to learn to trust each other with their lives and work as a team as they climb and summit successfully.

This book will appeal to anyone with a love of outdoors and adventure. I learned a lot about each peak and the local people around the peaks from the book. Does Mauro summit Everest? Read The Altitude Journals and find out!

******
The Altitude Journals
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

Like Blue giraffe's review? Post a comment saying so!
User avatar
joycechitwa
Posts: 347
Joined: 18 Jun 2018, 08:53
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 21
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-joycechitwa.html
Latest Review: Chrome Mountain by Ben Schneider

Post by joycechitwa »

I have courted the idea of climbing mountains at some point in life, so this book would certainly be a good read for me! Good for the author not to bog readers down with technical details of mountain climbing, but only enough detail to keep them engaged. Besides, reading about the natural landscape and indigenous peoples who live in these mountains gives an extra treat to readers!
User avatar
Abigail R
Posts: 278
Joined: 17 Jul 2018, 19:46
Currently Reading: The Problem of Pain
Bookshelf Size: 69
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-abigail-r.html
Latest Review: My Prism Window by P. A. Schweizer

Post by Abigail R »

I am not one for the outdoors and definitely not one for climbing mountains! However, this makes the book even more appealing to me. What a better way to learn about something I'll never do than to read a book detailing it.
Post Reply

Return to “Volunteer Reviews”