Beyond the Limits: A Woman's Triumph on Everest

Rating:
Summary: Interesting
Review: A minority of mountaineering books are written by or about women (understandable, they comprising a minority of mountaineers).

This is well worth readin, though unlikely to appeal to those not already interested practioners - armchair or otherwise - of scaling great heights in incredibly uncomfortable conditions.

One aspect I was really interested in was Allison's no-holds barred depiction of some of the peccadilloes of those she is/was closest to. I think of Scott Fischer - the gungho boys-own daredevil with whom she had an unsuccessful attempt on Everest and with whom she worked. It provides rather an interesting insight into the character of someone who died in the infamous 1996 storms on Everest so vividly depicted in many books, most notably, Jon Krakeur's Into Thin Air.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but from Allison's portrayal, it's almost a case of "No wonder!"

Rating:
Summary: One woman's strength and personal determination
Review: Collaboratively written by Stacy Allison and Peter Carlin, Beyond The Limits: A Woman's Triumph On Everest is the amazing, autobiographical account of Stacy Allison who became the first American women to reach the highest point on Earth, Mount Everest itself. In addition to the courageous tale of her 1988 climb, Beyond the Limits also tells of Stacy's personal challenges, including how she had to walk out of an abusive marriage. Beyond The Limits is the uplifting and very highly recommended autobiographical story of one woman's strength and personal determination.

Rating:
Summary: A REALLY good source for fact and fun
Review: The book Beyond the Limits may actually be the only book that I have read that can act both as a wonderful plethora of information, and as a really good story with twists and turns that keep the reader on their toes. There are many things about the procedure, equipment, and training that can be involved in all the different forms of mountain climbing. Allison paints a wonderfully vivid picture of the mountain scenery, her own emotional struggles and feats, and how it may have felt on Mount Everest in the Death Zone, trapped in a blizzard with winds over 100 mph. When I finished it, I did so with a much more knowedgable view of mountain climbing, a great respect for Stacy Allison, and as a satisfied reader after he or she has just finished a great book to cuddle up to. Its more than worth it, and can only help the reader on thier own mountains, real or metaphorical, that they may have trouble climbing.