Review of The Altitude Journals
Posted: 19 Apr 2022, 12:19
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Altitude Journals" by David J Mauro.]
The Altitude Journals by David J. Mauro is a biographical book about a mountain climber. This climber is David J. Mauro himself, a father of two boys, Trevor and Chase, and a faithful partner to Lin, whom he met on online dating.
When he’s asked why he climbs mountains, David J. Mauro, funny as he’s always been, often says it’s a long story, sometimes suggesting his newfound passion for mountain climbing is best talked about over beer. However, according to The Altitude Journals, it’s obvious why David J. Mauro risks his life climbing mountains. First, in his first marriage, he avoids mountains because his wife fears for his life. Only while he’s in the early, agonizing stages of divorce does he take on a mountain for the first time, joining a team put together by his sister’s husband. And then Lin enters his life, after which he gets all the support and encouragement he needs to take on other mountains.
Second, climbing mountains makes David love and appreciate his family, even his late brother whose ashes he’d scatter on summits and watch as the wind carried them away. For example, after he climbs Mount Denali, he safely returns home and realizes that, unlike before, he’s able to express his love for Lin. He also spends more time with his boys and his father. Every time a climber leaves his family for the mountain, he’s aware that he might not come back, and this makes him view life from a different perspective.
Third, David has a blog, one on which he engages his audience about mountain climbing. And inspiration for his blog, it seems, can only be found on the summits and the dicey journeys there.
Fourth, it is the mountains that are calling David. He simply heeds the call. For instance, before he climbs Mount Kilimanjaro, he receives a calling as a dream. In this dream, a lion stares at him and then stalks off toward Mount Kilimanjaro.
I like the humor in this book. In one instance, the climbers are seated, going easy on their fatigued bones as they eat oatmeal, when David says he dreamt of kissing Whoopi Goldberg last night. Also in Tanzania, at a lodge on the edge of the Serengeti, a local singer says David is devoid, instead of saying divorce. Much as he wants to correct the singer, David doesn’t because he thinks the singer is right.
I also like David’s opinion on leeches. He says there are terrestrial leeches, those that live on land, under leaves, and in the trees. Before leeches bite, they inject a local anesthetic, which makes them the most caring blood-sucking creatures. After biting, they (leeches) inject an anticoagulant called hirudin. This thins the blood and speeds up the sucking process. David thinks it’s high time people stopped disparaging leeches, and I agree with him, of course, after reading The Altitude Journals.
In the course of my reading, I didn’t come across anything I disliked about this book.
This book was well edited; I didn’t find any errors. In the prologue, David says people have often asked him why he climbs mountains. As a reader, I asked the same question after turning the first page. Now I’m satisfied with the answers David provides in this book. Hence, I’m rating this book four out of four stars.
This book doesn’t discriminate based on gender, religion, politics, or race. I found only a few instances of swearing. For readers who love an adventure and would like to climb the world’s most famous mountains from the comfort of their living rooms, I’m recommending David J. Mauro’s book, The Altitude Journals.
******
The Altitude Journals
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The Altitude Journals by David J. Mauro is a biographical book about a mountain climber. This climber is David J. Mauro himself, a father of two boys, Trevor and Chase, and a faithful partner to Lin, whom he met on online dating.
When he’s asked why he climbs mountains, David J. Mauro, funny as he’s always been, often says it’s a long story, sometimes suggesting his newfound passion for mountain climbing is best talked about over beer. However, according to The Altitude Journals, it’s obvious why David J. Mauro risks his life climbing mountains. First, in his first marriage, he avoids mountains because his wife fears for his life. Only while he’s in the early, agonizing stages of divorce does he take on a mountain for the first time, joining a team put together by his sister’s husband. And then Lin enters his life, after which he gets all the support and encouragement he needs to take on other mountains.
Second, climbing mountains makes David love and appreciate his family, even his late brother whose ashes he’d scatter on summits and watch as the wind carried them away. For example, after he climbs Mount Denali, he safely returns home and realizes that, unlike before, he’s able to express his love for Lin. He also spends more time with his boys and his father. Every time a climber leaves his family for the mountain, he’s aware that he might not come back, and this makes him view life from a different perspective.
Third, David has a blog, one on which he engages his audience about mountain climbing. And inspiration for his blog, it seems, can only be found on the summits and the dicey journeys there.
Fourth, it is the mountains that are calling David. He simply heeds the call. For instance, before he climbs Mount Kilimanjaro, he receives a calling as a dream. In this dream, a lion stares at him and then stalks off toward Mount Kilimanjaro.
I like the humor in this book. In one instance, the climbers are seated, going easy on their fatigued bones as they eat oatmeal, when David says he dreamt of kissing Whoopi Goldberg last night. Also in Tanzania, at a lodge on the edge of the Serengeti, a local singer says David is devoid, instead of saying divorce. Much as he wants to correct the singer, David doesn’t because he thinks the singer is right.
I also like David’s opinion on leeches. He says there are terrestrial leeches, those that live on land, under leaves, and in the trees. Before leeches bite, they inject a local anesthetic, which makes them the most caring blood-sucking creatures. After biting, they (leeches) inject an anticoagulant called hirudin. This thins the blood and speeds up the sucking process. David thinks it’s high time people stopped disparaging leeches, and I agree with him, of course, after reading The Altitude Journals.
In the course of my reading, I didn’t come across anything I disliked about this book.
This book was well edited; I didn’t find any errors. In the prologue, David says people have often asked him why he climbs mountains. As a reader, I asked the same question after turning the first page. Now I’m satisfied with the answers David provides in this book. Hence, I’m rating this book four out of four stars.
This book doesn’t discriminate based on gender, religion, politics, or race. I found only a few instances of swearing. For readers who love an adventure and would like to climb the world’s most famous mountains from the comfort of their living rooms, I’m recommending David J. Mauro’s book, The Altitude Journals.
******
The Altitude Journals
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon