The Crystal Horizon: Everest-The First Solo Ascent

Rating:
Summary: WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN SO PERFECT
Review: This book should have been so perfect. It details Reinhold Messner's successful attempt to become the first man to climb Everest solo and without supplemental oxygen. What should have been so perfect, however, falls far short of the mark. Messner's writing style is just ho-hum, but I could have lived with that. What really makes this book a less-than-wonderful read is the fact that Messner complains about trivial and/or personal problems all the way through. He can't deal with fame. Well, I think if you ask 99% of the world who he is, they won't know. He was having trouble with his girlfriend. Who cares? Certainly not the readers of this book who bought it to learn of Messner's thoughts about Everest and his climb. Certainly not even Messner--anymore, so why immortalize the fights in this book? Reinhold Messner is still the world's premier alpinist and as such, this book offers a unique look at a very skilled man. The photos alone make it well worth the time and money.

Rating:
Summary: Superclimber and Human being
Review: This book tells the story of one of the greatest feats in high-altitude climbing history. It also tells the story of a human being coping with relationships and society in his own way. In my opinion this gives an interesting perspective to his great achievement (this is actually something I look for in all the climbingbooks I read, so far about 25). Together with his views on the politics in Tibet, this becomes a very interesting book. The writing isn't the greatest in the world, but considering the fact that this is a translation, it's not bad either.

Rating:
Summary: story of a superclimber
Review: this guy, Reinhold Messner, is at least one standard deviation beyond the world's greatest mountain climbers. he climbed everest solo and in the alpine style: not relying on any artificial means such as bottled oxygen, or assistance from Sherpas or even a climbing partner. it was the first solo ascent of the highest mountain "by fair means". note: Reinhold Messner was also the first to climb everest without oxygen, with his climbing partner, Peter Habeler, previous to this solo ascent. it was such an incredible feat at the time that many people frankly doubted it. the man is physically gifted, has tremendous will, and the courage to attempt not just an act that had never been done, but one that most experts believed was impossible. he was a visionary. and, he made his attempt from the tibetan side, which is the more difficult route. plus, he was also not getting along with his girlfriend at the time which may or may not have made it easier. his literary talents are passable, but that's not important. most important is content. he comes across as genuine, and gives the reader biographical glimpses of his personality which opens him up to petty criticism from sources whose main accomplishments probably have been reading books. this man is a purist and a rare genius of extreme climbing whose unparalled feats of mountaineering did not receive adequate recognition. so be it. let history be the final judge of his deeds. he will come out on top.

Rating:
Summary: First Solo Assent of Everest
Review: This was a fantastic book. Having read at least a dozen other books on Everest and K2 it was nice to read a book that filled me in on the local people and cultures of the Himalaya region. Not only does Messner give a exciting detailed description of his solo climb of the worlds highest mountain(from the north side),but he also gives you knowledge of Tibet and the changes it has been through since the vicious Chinese takeover.Other people may feel that Messner "whines" about his stature as a mountainer, but I feel these are just examples of a person who is uncomfortable with our society simply being misunderstood. Messner is one of the worlds most prolific mountaineers,and deserves more respect thean the other reviews here give him. A fantastic book and highly recomended. Great pictures too!