Rating: 
Summary: A Big Disappointment
Review: Jim Wickwire's Addicted To Danger was very disappointing. As I read the book, I felt like I was at a family friends house being forced to watch an onerous slideshow of his trips. It reads more like a personal diary. Perhaps his family and friends found it insightful, but I found myself resenting him as a individual who puts his selfish motives above his family responsibilities. I kept asking myself why is he telling me about his ambivalent feelings and drives, hey we all have them! This book should have been given to his family and friends, but not put out for public consumption.
Rating: 
Summary: I liked the book, but not the Wick.
Review: I understand, of course, that it really doesn't matter if I like the Jim Wickwire of this book. It really doesn't matter and he may be a great guy, but I must confess, I didn't like him. I wanted to read more about the details of the climbs and less about his personal life because he seemed to show little understanding of those in his life, his wife and kids included. His explanations were overly defensive and his attempts at depth -- urged on I'll bet by his co-author -- were still so shallow. Maybe he needs therapy, not a book, to answer the question Why. Frankly, I think he should've stuck to discussing his adventures, so I wouldn't have been so distracted by wondering why his wife really didn't mind his risking his life away from home for half of every year.
Rating: 
Summary: On being a participant ---
Review: I recently finished "Addicted to Danger". The book was fascinating! The reader, with only a little imagination, becomes a participant in the adventures rather than an observer. I have purchased several copies to give to those friends whom I know appreciate the beauty, excitement and mystery of the mountains. George Mallory was said to have been preparing an answer to an anticipated question as to the use of climbing Everest, and is quoted,"It is no use.There is not the slightest prospect of any gain whatsoever.---- It's no use. So, if you cannot understand that there is something in man that responds to the challenge of this mountain and goes out to meet it---- then you won't see why we go." Jim Wickwire has adapted this magnificent philosophy to many mountains and many climbers.
Rating: 
Summary: What would you do?
Review: This is a very good book. Not a great book but very good.Overall I found the story compelling, easy to read, and learned some things along the way. On the other hand, some parts are disjointed and poorly written and I believe a stronger editor would have been able to fix these problems. For the most part though, the book reads well and I enjoyed the story. The great thing about this book is that it takes the reader is able to tag along in the mind of a great climber over his thirty-year climbing career. Because the book has been written not from memory, but from carefully written journals, we are able to see how he thought in the beginning and how he changed over time. I believe it accurately illustrates the kind of person it takes to reach the top of big mountains. I believe the story of Jim Wickwire is very much the story of great climbers and the story of "macho men" in his generation. He Sacrificed: His family, friends and career were secondary to the summit. If they are not, he would not have spent the time away from them, and risked his life over and over again. He shut off feelings: Reaching the summit of K2 and other big mountains even as so many strangers, friends, and a lover die before your eyes. While I have never reached the top of such summits, I cannot imagine that his detachment is unusual of climbers at his level. He was driven: He could not seem to stop even though he fully intended and proclaimed to give up climbing big mountains several times. The title undoubtedly comes from his seeming inability to stop climbing as so many died around him. He wanted to make his mark: What drove Jim Wickwire is the same thing that drove Bill Clinton; he wanted to make his mark on the world and to do incredible things that he would be remembered by. Many of the climbs he attempted where to be the first at some specific feat. He has accomplished many firsts though he never reached the level he truly aspired to. These are the qualities of a great man and an SOB. It is very easy to condemn a man one way or another but unless you have walked a mountain in his boots, it is really unfair. I enjoyed having an honest insight into the realities of world-class climbing and it gives me a greater respect for the people who do it. On the whole, a great book and highly recommended!
Rating: 
Summary: Big bummer
Review: This is the guy who saved the expedition on his return to K2, who in fact allegedly got Jim Whitaker to go back. Simply a most fascinating guy who sits down with ghostwriter and puts it down full of arrogance and detachment, devoid of all humor, wit, or any sense of passion or personality. So bad, I couldn't finish it, and I worshipped this guy a little after reading "The Last Step" by Ridgeway. Wickwire is an amazingly interesting guy, but seems to try very successfully not to be one in the book. Especially interesting if you lived in Seattle (I think) in the 70s and 80s. I just wish he made his interesting life into a halfway decent book.
Rating:
Summary: zachs review
Review: I think the book is good and Im only 12 years old. the reason I researched this book because my uncle read it and told me all about the book.Ive only read the first 20 pages of it. I bet the rest is going to be even better. Ive read alot of books in my life time but this would be the best book I would ever read. I personaly recomend this book to all readers.
Rating:
Summary: ADDICTED TO DANGER IS ADDICTIVE
Review: This is an absorbing account of the mountaineering adventures of Jim Wickwire, one of the foremost American high altitude mountaineers. It is at times a moving memoir, and at other times somewhat sophomoric in its attempt to explain what drove him to climb, at great cost to his family. The book is nicely illustrated with many photographs of his family, fellow mountaineers, and his beloved mountains. The photographs are well placed, as they go with the flow of the story. When you see those of his wife and children, however, it makes you wonder how he could ever be away from such a beautiful family for so long and miss so many family occasions. It is a testament to his wife's devotion that she and the children are still loving towards such an absentee figure. The most interesting part of the book involves his mountaineering adventures. Whether writing about the death of a companion on the mountain or the victory of a successful summit ascent, it is told with much feeling. The single most moving chapter, however, is the one which describes the unfortunate death of fellow mountaineer, Chris Herrebrock, while he and Jim were on Peter's Glacier on Mt. McKinley. It is poignantly told, and one can sense the impact that this young man's death had on Jim Wickwire. He also vividly recounts his summit of K2, second only to Everest in height, but infinitely more difficult to climb. He was one of the first two Americans to summit K2 and on his descent was forced to bivouac solo at 27,750 feet. He survived this bivouac sans water, stove, and supplemental oxygen, while lacking a sleeping bag and down parka. He credits the images of his wife and children for his survival that long, frigid, and lonely night. It was only his fierce desire to see them again that kept death at bay. The chapters which discuss mountaineer Marty Hoey were intriguing because of the romantic feelings he had towards her, and she towards him. Jim was on a climbing expedition on Aconcagua where she was a fellow expeditioner, when the embers of a romantic relationship began, though it was never physically consummated. Of course, this budding romance came to an abrupt end when Marty died tragically on Mount Everest while, again, on expedition with Jim. He later let his wife read his diary which told of his feelings for Marty. She was very understanding of this emotional betrayal. It would have been a kindness to his wife not to have made these feelings public. Its inclusion in the book indicates a continuing insensitivity towards his wife which is unfortunate. All in all, however, the book makes for a good read, though in the end one wonders if Jim Wickwire is really through with the mountains which so inveigled him throughout his life. One cannot help but wonder if there is yet another promise to his wife and family waiting to be broken.
Rating:
Summary: No man is an island
Review: Taking a humanistic approach to reviewing a major part of his life, Wickwire provides a lucid review whilst reflecting upon the development of his mountaineering career to date. Co-authored with Bullitt, the book is very well written, supported by interesting and valuable graphic displays, enjoyable and easy to read, using exceptionally large print fonts. This biographical account aims to provide a rather detailed ad hoc account of Wickwire's reflections upon the 'wild' side of being 'out there' throughout the process of seeking (and acquiring) the quest for sportsmanship. The book gives appropriate credits to the existing prototype mountaineering literature (e.g., Edmond Hilary and more recently Jon Krakauer or Sir Ranulph Fiennes), but as far as the writing here is concerned somehow lacks the impact of others, and fails to capture much technical account of mountaineering styles and techniques. However, in comparison to some of the existing mountaineering literature, it certainly provides a passionate account of the inside world of professional Mountaineering and the conscience of a 'devoted' mountaineer repeatedly exposed to life-threatening (and life-taking) danger. Wickwire comes across as a representative of a minority lucky group which is relatively well-resourced and supported. Another gem of this book, was to learn that such an incredible amount of one's time and energy might be spent on such an action/adventure pursuit. However, such might only be revealed following a protracted period of reflection of any sort (whether in preparation for writing a book or not). How amazing! Diane HUI. Educational Psychology Research and Evaluation University of Missouri-St Louis, MO, USA.
Rating:
Summary: This book is very troubling and cold!
Review: Although this book was supposed to be about climbing it contained no more about climbing than what a climbing magazine would put in it's main article. Mostly Wickwire rambles on about his narrow escapes and doles out judgement from his high loft about other's abilities and affairs. When he himself falls through the same pitfalls of human emotions he tries to justify it through his diary. I was sadly dissapointed with his attitude towards his family and climbing. Dear Mr. Wickwire: If you so craved challenge and the thrills of life you need not scale peaks to do so. You would just have to turn your attention to your loving wife and your 5 children who so deperately wanted your love and attention. I understand the call of climbing but I believe you wanted more than a challenge, you wanted freedom. At least in the end you figured what is truly important.
Rating:
Summary: Facing our Annapurna's
Review: As much an account of our human frailties as it is of our bravados, this is a great armchair read for those interested in the great outdoors and some of its top class adventurers of the last half century. Manageable in a single sitting, Wickwire & Bullitt recount one man's story of a 30+ yrs devotion to (part-time?) mountain climbing career which includes meetings with the World's major ranges and their recent climbers. This volume is true story-telling of high altitude adventures with a stunning cast, told in a lucid, accessible fashion with care and passion. Novel in the sense that the action is told biographically without too much technical detail, this book deals with exposure to the death of those dear in both a moving and inspiring way. A must read for budding and seasoned serial hikes/climbers, as much as for those wishing to share the passion without the risk of exposure to their own series of Annapurnas.
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