American Rock: Region, Rock, and Culture in American Climbing

Rating:
Summary: Grand Adventure and Balanced Perspectives
Review: Why have I not encountered Mellor's wring before? Where the hell have I been? He has written two other books, is the resident climbing expert on gorp.com and has been an active participant in the sport for decades. His style sets a high standard for reflective, artful consideration of often contentious problems.

This is no dry tome, however: Mellor's book is a true adventure. Here's a grand tour of many of the premiere climbing destinations in this country. He celebrates both the majestic and the more humble arenas. The book is informative and insightful. His writing is clear and consise, exhibiting a tasteful balance between the sociological and the athletic, the academic and the pragmatic. American Rock imparts a fresh perspective on the issues surrounding ethics and access, as well as the responsibilities climbers carry toward the resource and other users with both common and conflicting interests.

Geology is not neglected here, but that information is available in a hundred other places. This book's strength is in its study of the key players and the milieu in which each of the areas presented developed historically and how they are being transformed presently. Much food for thought.

This is both a great reference for the traveling climber, and a thoughtful plea for sanity. His love and reverence of the medium and the sport are apparent throughout.

Rating:
Summary: Grand Adventure and Balanced Perspectives
Review: Why have I not encountered Mellor's wring before? Where the hell have I been? He has written two other books, is the resident climbing expert on gorp.com and has been an active participant in the sport for decades. His style sets a high standard for reflective, artful consideration of often contentious problems.

This is no dry tome, however: Mellor's book is a true adventure. Here's a grand tour of many of the premiere climbing destinations in this country. He celebrates both the majestic and the more humble arenas. The book is informative and insightful. His writing is clear and consise, exhibiting a tasteful balance between the sociological and the athletic, the academic and the pragmatic. American Rock imparts a fresh perspective on the issues surrounding ethics and access, as well as the responsibilities climbers carry toward the resource and other users with both common and conflicting interests.

Geology is not neglected here, but that information is available in a hundred other places. This book's strength is in its study of the key players and the milieu in which each of the areas presented developed historically and how they are being transformed presently. Much food for thought.

This is both a great reference for the traveling climber, and a thoughtful plea for sanity. His love and reverence of the medium and the sport are apparent throughout.