Touching the Void: The True Story of One Man's Miraculous Survival

Rating:
Summary: an extrordinary book of fear hope and will
Review: I'm 12 years old and i already love climbing . I was just talking to my friend when he gave me this book.i cuold not put it down. Even though it was extremly hard to read i still loved this book. With a story of true ambition to live I think it has begain my desire to climb. I will allways want to climb Siuol Grande and i hope i will. This book has truely touched my soul.

Rating:
Summary: A unbelievable look into the realm of mountainering ethics
Review: What Joe Simpson went thru in his journey is not only remarkable, but incredible. To be left for dead and know that your injury is very severe is a situation many of us will never have to face and and few can comprehend. Simpson proves that in light of your situation you can force your body to continue. To have a mind set so powerful and to not give into the voices in your head telling you to stop takes the courage only few can ever attain. The book is by far one of the best books written about high altitude climbing. It's easy to read, is straight to the point, and captures your imagination. A great piece of work. His other books: This game of Ghosts, and Storms of Silence are also very compelling. A must read as well.

Rating:
Summary: A testament to the power of the human will!
Review: More than a book about mountaineering, Touching The Void speaks volumes of the power of the human will. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a suspense novel wrapped in a drama about friendship, success, failure, and ultimately triumph over insurmountable obstacles. The reviewer from Auckland, New Zealand above has obviously missed the point of the book and the sport.

Rating:
Summary: A Guide to Giving Us All Some Perspective
Review: I rarely recommend books because no one ever agrees about what is a satisfying read. This book, however, is one of the few exceptions. Every person to whom I have recommended this book has reported enjoying it very much. I have read all of Mr. Simpson's books and find moving the accounts of his mountaineering expeditions and his philosophy of living. "Touching the Void" is the most simply-rendered story among his work. There is no hyperbole, no trite suspension building rhetoric. Rather, it is a plainly-told story of what happened to him and Simon Yates. It is a story that gives me perspective after I have had a bad day. Perspective -- Mr. Simpson's day on Siula Grande was a bad day; what I have are, comparatively speaking, mere annoyances. I leave this book, as with all of Mr. Simpson's books, wondering if there is a perspective on life most us will never understand.

Rating:
Summary: Unforgettable book
Review: One of the best stories I've ever read. Having done some climbing and backcountry travel, Joe Simpson makes one feel weak and small after hearing it. And if a person can go through all that and not just give up and die, then almost anything's possible.

Rating:
Summary: It reads like a hammy readers digest short story
Review: Mountaineers who almost die - who cares! Why did they climb the mountain in the first place...to have an interesting anecdote to bore their friends with.

Rating:
Summary: A True Cliffhanger !
Review: This book was recommended to me by a climber on the way up Mt. Kilimanjaro. His description of the ledge scene, where the climbers dangled in mid-air for hours from their bivouac, was all I needed to hear to pick this book up. A must read for any thrill-seeker!

Rating:
Summary: Edge of your seat excitement that reads like fiction
Review: I am not a mountain climber and have only been in the Swiss Alps once, but I was held captivated by this book from the first page to the last. The author's plight is motivational and inspirational. Very well written.

Rating:
Summary: I've read it 3 times!
Review: Even if you know what happens you can't put this book down. "Touching the Void" prompts you to dip deep into your own "what if..." world. A "must read" for anyone who truly LIVES this one life we have. Climbing, heck even hiking, is not a pre-req to loving this book. Give as a gift and Joe's words will inspire everyone you know.

Rating:
Summary: Don't miss the point; it's about extending survival envelope
Review: There are rare books that help to define the limits of what it can mean to be human. Without fear of employing hyperbole, this is one of them. Joe Simpson has done nothing less than extend the envelope of what it is possible to survive, to endure, for everyone who reads Touching the Void. His writing style is brutally efficient, making Hemmingway seem long-winded. The reader is overwhelmed by the feeling that if more people read this book, there would be less complaining, more personal responsibility, and fewer people who quit at the first (or hundredth) sign of trouble in their lives. It is not so much inspirational as it is instructional. Buy it. Read it. Never give up!