Lightweight Alpine Climbing With Peter Croft (Climbing Specialist Series)

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: Croft is a legendary climber, and has contributed greatly to the sport and to its literature. However, this little book is not his best work. There is almost nothing here that isn't covered in "Freedom of the Hills", and if you want the graduate text, buy Mark Twight's "Extreme Alpinism". However, if you are a complete "newby" to the sport of alpinism, this will provide some useful information and entertain you for a few evenings. Experienced climbers will likely be disappointed in this rather unambitious book.

Rating:
Summary: "Basic Climbing"
Review: If you are very recent to climbing, you might like this book. Otherwise skip it.
No doubt Peter Croft is a climbing genius, but his book contains little insight for anyone other than novices. But I agree with the 13 year-old: the intro is great reading. This guy has done some great climbing.
Why 2 stars ? In this book, there is actually a drawing of a nalgene bottle and water filter with the caption "Water Filter and Bottle". He also informs us that a bivy sack is smaller and lighter than a tent. And that a headlamp is better than a flashlight because you can still use your hands. And that a map and compass are usefull items when in unfamiliar terrain. Wow. I can't wait to take this insight into the mountains.
There are a few tidbits of good info here - but surf the web and get better info for free.

Rating:
Summary: Not impressed
Review: This book is very much dissappointing. The matieral covered is very shallow, and certainly doesn't have anything that isn't covered in Freedom of the Hills. The drawings and photographs are all very basic. He tells a few good stories, but none are deep or insightful enough to convey a lesson. Save you money towards FOTHs, John Long's Climbing Anchors, or Extreme Alpinism.