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Summary: Amazing story, curiously written
Review: "Ultimate High" is a quick read, an absorbing tale, and a curious document. While I became totally engrossed in the story of Goran's bike ride and climb of Everest, I was a bit distracted by the way different voices and elements were pieced together. This really could have been 3 or 4 different books, the bike trip - 7000 miles through Europe and the Middle East, the climb of Goran, and the disaster of which much is already known. He even outlines his next adventure at the end- a trip to the Antarctic- while I was pining for more information about this story!But my hats off to Mr. Kropp who has enormous heart and courage, and to his writer-helper for bringing this incredible tale to all of us.
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Summary: >>>GREAT BOOK<<<
Review: **I believe that this is the best book that I have read, and I suggest that everybody read it for it is full of action!**
Rating: 
Summary: Nice but..........
Review: ...yes Goran has done a great adventure journey, but unfortuanetly his boook failed to describe or convey the true accomplishment. One whole chapter at the end deals with his future plans... this space should have been used to tell us more about his current trip, as I had the feeling he "rushed" the desription of cycling to Nepal, which in itself is a daring trip. It still is a intresting and worthwhile read.
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Summary: Honest and entertaining
Review: As a mountaineer myself, what I appreciated most about this book was Kropp's honesty (often brutal) and his very real bond with mountains and their environment. Too many climbers (especially many of the amateurs/tourists on Everest) see mountains as somethinig to be conquered and ticked off, but Kropp shows some genuine understanding and love for the high places he frequents, as evidenced by a later clean-up operation amongst other things. Nevertheless, he is still a driven man, who wants to succeed, but for him, topping Everest is something to be done with the hill and not against it - you can stand on the summit, but you'll never have conquered it. I disagree strongly with other reviewers who claim that Kropp is arrogant and continually opines that all others who attempt Everest are cheats - it's clear at all times that Kropp chose what to do for personal reasons, though he does reserve some well-deserved contempt for the tourists on Everest who simply shouldn't be there. The dry humour that prevails many parts of the book is endearing as well.
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Summary: My Friends All Said I Was Crazy!
Review: At 50 years old I rode my bicycle 3600 miles across the United States. Perhaps because of that experience I had great empathy with Goran. When I arrived home I was met by my entire town, two newspapers ran front page stories about my adventures, for months everyone I met congratulated me but deep down I felt unfulfilled. Goran Kropp rode his bicycle twice as far, across hostile countries, in bad weather, with much more weight. Then he climbed Mount Everest. I applaud his attempts to "do it all" with no supplemental oxygen or sherpa support and empathize with his mood swings. Thank you Goran for letting me share your adventure. My only criticism is that it is too short. I would love to read what Mr. Lagercrantz left on the editing room floor. Two questions I would love to know the answers to: How did you overcome the language barrier? and, did you marry Renata? A Must read for anyone who has ever answered a question with, "because it's there".
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Summary: Review from The New York Times Book Review, October 10, 1999
Review: Before Kropp... nobody had soloed the supermacho way (no canned air, no baggage tote from rent-a-yak, no caddying from Sherpas, no food from the well-stocked mess hall, no plane ride to Katmandu).... To outdo him, you'd have to climb Everest backward.... The bike trip, which takes up about a third of the book, is worth the cover price in itself.... Except for ferry rides across the watery bits, he's under his own power from his Swedish doorstep to the summit.... The best part is how he turned back 350 feet from the summit on the first try because it was too late in the day for him to get down safely. Kropp wasn't as crazy as the guides who ignored the clock, lost their lives and imperiled their clients. The last third of the book takes a sober turn, as Kropp recounts the tragedy and pays his respects to the victims. But what makes the book special is his own quirky story. That he makes frequent fun of himself adds to the charm.
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Summary: What's Kropp's problem?
Review: David Lagercrantz should get more credit for writing this book. I am basing this on the information I read on page 220. The book is a bit heavy handed. Kropp seems like an arrogant person. He had no business talking about how bad another climber's English was especially when he had to enlist help to write this book. Kropp's lack of morals as depicted in the book proves anyone determined enough can climb a mountain. It was interesting only because the protagonist was going somewhere. Endangering one's life just to climb a mountain is stupid.
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Summary: The story of an extrodianry adventure
Review: Göran Kropp was an extrodinary man. This book describes his crazy one man expedition to Mount Everest. I would have given it five start if it had been as good as the lecture he gave that I once attended. The book could have had more details about the amazing things that happened during his trÃp. It is very inspiering and well worth reading though.
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Summary: What about the summit?
Review: Goran Kropp had a superb adventure but his narrative became exceedingly dull once he arrived in base camp. We had to hear the whole disaster story all over again (with lots of references to Into Thin Air - don't we all know these things already?). Kropp seemed to present his summit as an afterthought. I would have liked to hear much more of that feat and how the ride back home unfolded. Of course the tragedy needs attention too, but I was hoping the book's focus would be elsewhere. In the end, it wasn't.
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Summary: Rest in Peace
Review: Goran Kropp is a marvelously colorful, eccentric man. Unfortunately, he had little to do with the actual writing of this book aside from use of his diaries and tapes. Kropp is highly sensible as to what makes good copy and is willing to go the last mile and then some to reap publicity rewards. It wasn't enough for him to ascend Mt. Everest. He had to bicycle 7,000 miles from Sweden to Nepal and haul all his own equipment (sans oxygen) to the top. The man must have the stamina of a bull elephant to even attempt such a feat. He also has an insanely brave (foolhardy?) sense of justice no matter how dire his circumstances. His bike trip was truly dangerous at times going through virulent anti-western areas such as Iran. If kids threw rocks at him, he threw rocks back. He chased one unfortunate teenager right through his own living room to give him a good pounding. It's a wonder he wasn't killed. To be kind, I would say his appearance is only average; yet Goran seems to attract gorgeous women who are willing to slave for him so he can attain his goals. Many a handsome man might study him carefully for tips on his success. It was regrettable that Goran's trek to Everest coincided with the fateful May 1996 tragedy when so many people died on the mountain. The book rehashes the oft-told story plus some basecamp scuttlebutt that I doubt reflects Goran's interest. This man is so self-involved, I doubt if he would notice a tryst between Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts if it took place before his very eyes. But the writer (who should pay Jon Krakhauer royalties for all the quotes from "Into Thin Air") undoubtedly thought these tidbits would sell some more books. Kropp missed the deadly storm. His first try was right before the storm and he came within 350 vertical feet of the summit before being turned back by the lateness of the day. He was agonizingly weary and oxygen-starved, but incredibly made a second successful attempt a couple weeks later. If the book had devoted more space to these two ascents, it would have been far more compelling. By this time, I was shaking my head thinking he still had to bicycle BACK 7,000 miles to Sweden. This is barely touched upon, but he did it. His next grand plan is to sail alone (at this point, he does not know how to sail) from Sweden to Antarctica and ski to the South Pole in 2004. Somehow, I think he will get the job done. I found myself oddly charmed by this driven man; there is a certain sweetness about his eagerness to make friends and chat when it is clear most people find him an arrogant oddball. There's always an attraction to a guy who puts his money where his mouth is. I wish him well and hope next time he does his own writing.
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