Transcendent Summits: One Climber's Route To Self-discovery

Rating:
Summary: Refreshing and inspiring
Review: A long-time by-product of adventure books has been the unintentional glorification of accidents while successful, well-prepared adventurers are sometimes overlooked. Prime example: Scott & Amundsen - the tragedy of Scott's fatal South Pole expedition raised him to "legend" status while Amundsen's great accomplishments were virtually ignored. Amundsen's research, preparation and execution made his trek to the South Pole look easy compared to Scott's incompetence.

This book is your chance to experience the early development of one of those successful, well-prepared adventurers - how refreshing and inspiring to read the stories of a young Gerry Roach on his way to the Seven Summits and a lifetime of mountain adventure! You find out quickly that there is a method to the man . . . even with close calls and youthful hubris, Gerry is different because he seeks to learn from each and every experience. He is constantly revising and expanding his mountain/life philosophy with every new experience, both failure and success.

Many of us grew up during the Cold War, hiding under our desks on command during school drills, but Gerry was closer to the bomb than most because of his Dad's profession. Maybe because of this, he seems to have wisdom beyond his years, which he applies to his mountaineering career too.

I thoroughly enjoyed all the climbing stories - they describe the joy and rejuvenation that can happen only in the mountains for some of us. Gerry's many hiking/climbing guide books have always conveyed this special joy, but now we have some background on where that love of the mountains comes from.


Rating:
Summary: What was this climber thinking?
Review: Clearly, Gerry was thinking that there is more to a climb then merely tagging the top, and that there is more to writing about a climb then just telling the story, no matter how dramatic the story by itself may be. Transcendent Summits is a breath of fresh air in a time when we are awash in survival stories that glorify heroic deeds by climbers who often made horrendous errors. Where is the analysis of the errors? Transcendent Summits goes beyond such an analysis, and gives climbers of all abilities a thoughtful approach to avoiding the errors in the first place. Better, since this discussion is wrapped in a youth's development, it speaks to everyone who has come of age. Better yet, this book gives very young aspirants a wonderful place to hang their dreams.

Rating:
Summary: Genuine Mountaineering Wisdom
Review: Genuine Mountaineering Wisdom

Just recently finished TS on an annual winter camping trip up Mt. Elbert.
A great place to finish a great book!
It is very impressive, well written and very inspiring!

TS demonstrates the depth of Gerry's genuine mountaineering wisdom.
Few writers have detailed the level of understanding and analysis of the
mountain environment and mountaineering skill as Gerry has.
He demonstrates an in-depth ability to really learn at a young age what few people can learn in a lifetime.

Gerry demonstrates a genuine wisdom that comes from not experience alone,
but also a great deal of but deep personal introspection,
that I have not read in any other mountaineering literature.
I learned much from Gerry in this book about my own mountaineering experiences and how to learn even more from them.

Being a successful, well-prepared adventurer, mentally and physically, is only part of Gerry's wisdom!
But unfortunately not glamorous and interesting enough for all.
Such wisdom takes some real thought, intelligence and experience
on the part of the reader to thoroughly comprehend.
Unfortunately this has gone over the heads some of those reading TS.
But what can you expect from an Armchair Mountaineer from Kansas?

Those of us who give it 5 stars actually read the book
and digested Gerr's lessons and hope to learn from his wisdom.
Sadly some readers are too limited for this.

Personally, I'm looking forward to the next book.
Many of us are enjoying following in your foot steps.

Arg Snarg Gerry!
Great lead!

Rating:
Summary: Transcendent Book
Review: Having read hundreds of mountaineering books over the course of many years, Gerry Roach's Transcendent Summits is one of the few climbing memoirs to carry a meaningful message beyond a quest for adventure. Roach's intellectual curiosity takes him beyond the summits he climbs, to places few authors attempt to describe. Fewer still manage to do it with such transparent, yet compelling writing that the willing reader is able to get there too.

Roach tells his story in the context of his coming of age, revealing not only a developing passion for climbing to high places, but also his passage from youth through adolesence and his spiritual awakening. Throughout he writes with honesty and humor, taking the reader to those special places and moments that make a life worth living. He has written a book well worth reading.

Rating:
Summary: Wouldn't recommend.
Review: I am a climber. I can understand the gap between the 1's and the 5's. This is a climbers book. It does not have wide appeal to general readers.

Blazak's review criticizing a (possible) non-climber for not understanding the book only emphasizes the point that this is written for climbers alone. It is also apparent that Mr. Blazak is a friend of Mr. Roach (Gerr) as most of the 5's seem to be. Maybe saying this is a climbers book is too broad, it is a Boulder Climber's book, or the friend's of Gerr's book.

Rating:
Summary: So very boring.
Review: I found this to be a very boring book. Yes, there are lots of mountains, and climbs, and name dropping and it goes on and on with the names, and climbs, and mountains. What are you left with but names, and climbs, and mountains? (now if that opening paragraph bored you, you definetly don't want this book!)

I don't understand what these 5 star reviewers are excited about. Maybe they are all just people he recruited to write reviews for him.



Rating:
Summary: Another Side Of Gerry Roach Worth Looking At.
Review: I just finished Gerry's book 'Transcendent Summits' and in all honesty, I was very impressed with his writing! I never saw that reflective side to Gerry before and was touched at times by his sincerity and inner wisdom. I especially enjoyed the climb on Shiprock where he placed that special piton from his friend Prince.

There have been times that when I read his guidebooks, I felt distant from Gerry, though his guidebooks are 'top shelf' and very much accurate and highly recommended.

'Transcendent Summits' gave me a glimpse into a man who has accomplished much on the high peaks and who began his climbing at a very young age. The stories of Gerry and his friends scampering around Boulder, Longs Peak, Mexico, Alaska and other parts in the Western U.S. climbing their hearts out with rudimentary equipment and training and accomplishing their goals were truly inspirational.

Gerry, you have my utmost respect!


Rating:
Summary: One star is too much. Give me a 0!
Review: I really enjoy a reflective book, but this one lacks depth of understanding. I don't see the growth of the character as he has experiences, both good and bad. It seems the childhood defiance is the sole source of strenght for this flat character who is sadly, a real man. I guess he is like many of us and this is unfortunate for us as readers.

Rating:
Summary: Real Men
Review: There are certainly climbers who have done more challenging climbs if that is of interest. And there are climbers who have made more of their life through giving back to the communities like Sir Edmund Hillary.

I guess you tend to drop names if you are more of a wanna-be than if you have arrived.


Rating:
Summary: Life Quest
Review: Why climb a mountain?? Maybe it's one way to discover who we are or why we're here as individuals. Transcendent Summits takes you on such a journey of self-discovery with one mountaineer who has spent his life in the mountains. Written in an autobiographical format, Gerry takes you through his formative years of learning about life, love, friendship and death. These lessons, that we all learn in our own way in our own lives, are magnified intensely in Gerry's mountain experiences. Transcendent Summits unlike Gerry's other books is not a guidebook.

.......... On the other hand maybe it is!! Read it and find transcendent summits in your life.


Ig Snig??
Arg Snarg!