Review by daydreaming reader -- The Altitude Journals
Posted: 16 Jul 2018, 13:09
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Altitude Journals" by David J Mauro.]
4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
For every living creature, life is an undulating journey. One moment we are enjoying freedom as everything seems to align in our lives. In the next, we are suffocating in various hardships. Nevertheless, there is always an escape from these low points, and David Mauro reminds us of that.
In the Altitude Journals, author David J. Mauro takes us with him in a journey from the lowest point in his life to, at first, the summit of Denali. Even then, David does not escape all his demons. What follows, is a person who learns to listen to his calling. Soon enough, he finds himself trekking to the six other summits. He culminates his journey on the peak of Mount Everest. After each climb, David goes home having learnt something new about himself, and eventually, he comes to perceive himself as more than the failures and struggles he once thought defined him.
Altitude Journals is a book that is best enjoyed over a period, as it cannot be hastily read. Instead, it has to be slowly consumed by the reader in order to bash in its glory. The pace of the book, thus, is set to ensure that the reader reads slowly. If the reader reads the book too quickly, the risk is that the book will become difficult to comprehend. Regardless, the flow of the book is great. I felt confusion in one instance, but this does not take away from the overall flow or reading experience.
Additionally, the details offered regarding his own struggles on the various climbs were clear and sincere. I also appreciated the description of the struggles of the other individuals on the climbs as this helped me comprehend the dangers that were present at each climb. The description of the routes taken during the ascent and descent of each mountain was also exceptional. At times, I felt as though I actually climbed with him and his various team, and that I had also reached the summit each time. There were also pictures of the summits, as well as other persons and items that Mauro mentioned in the book.The lessons and messages experienced during the climbs, were well articulated, allowing for the understanding of the relevance of these lessons to life.
The book was informative, as it mentions information about the preparations for each climb including exercise, diet, training, equipment and so on. David also mentioned the various illness that may affect individuals at high altitudes.
Altitude Journals is a biography/ memoir, which, is not my typical, preferred genre. I often perceive that the pace of these types of books is too slow. This holds true with Altitude Journals, as my biggest issue was its pace. As I mentioned before, this book requires slow and patient reading. This is, however, a personal preference and not pronouncement of the quality of writing. Altitude Journals appears to have been edited by a professional.
Overall, I rate the Altitude Journals by Dave Mauro 4 out of 4 stars. While I did have an issue with the pace of the book, it is more of personal preference than a flaw, especially in this genre of books. David brings his journey to life, and even more, he gives life to lessons learnt during these journeys. Persons who are looking to learn about life’s lessons, who like biographies and who are interested in mountain climbing would find this book enjoyable.
******
The Altitude Journals
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like daydreaming reader's review? Post a comment saying so!
4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
For every living creature, life is an undulating journey. One moment we are enjoying freedom as everything seems to align in our lives. In the next, we are suffocating in various hardships. Nevertheless, there is always an escape from these low points, and David Mauro reminds us of that.
In the Altitude Journals, author David J. Mauro takes us with him in a journey from the lowest point in his life to, at first, the summit of Denali. Even then, David does not escape all his demons. What follows, is a person who learns to listen to his calling. Soon enough, he finds himself trekking to the six other summits. He culminates his journey on the peak of Mount Everest. After each climb, David goes home having learnt something new about himself, and eventually, he comes to perceive himself as more than the failures and struggles he once thought defined him.
Altitude Journals is a book that is best enjoyed over a period, as it cannot be hastily read. Instead, it has to be slowly consumed by the reader in order to bash in its glory. The pace of the book, thus, is set to ensure that the reader reads slowly. If the reader reads the book too quickly, the risk is that the book will become difficult to comprehend. Regardless, the flow of the book is great. I felt confusion in one instance, but this does not take away from the overall flow or reading experience.
Additionally, the details offered regarding his own struggles on the various climbs were clear and sincere. I also appreciated the description of the struggles of the other individuals on the climbs as this helped me comprehend the dangers that were present at each climb. The description of the routes taken during the ascent and descent of each mountain was also exceptional. At times, I felt as though I actually climbed with him and his various team, and that I had also reached the summit each time. There were also pictures of the summits, as well as other persons and items that Mauro mentioned in the book.The lessons and messages experienced during the climbs, were well articulated, allowing for the understanding of the relevance of these lessons to life.
The book was informative, as it mentions information about the preparations for each climb including exercise, diet, training, equipment and so on. David also mentioned the various illness that may affect individuals at high altitudes.
Altitude Journals is a biography/ memoir, which, is not my typical, preferred genre. I often perceive that the pace of these types of books is too slow. This holds true with Altitude Journals, as my biggest issue was its pace. As I mentioned before, this book requires slow and patient reading. This is, however, a personal preference and not pronouncement of the quality of writing. Altitude Journals appears to have been edited by a professional.
Overall, I rate the Altitude Journals by Dave Mauro 4 out of 4 stars. While I did have an issue with the pace of the book, it is more of personal preference than a flaw, especially in this genre of books. David brings his journey to life, and even more, he gives life to lessons learnt during these journeys. Persons who are looking to learn about life’s lessons, who like biographies and who are interested in mountain climbing would find this book enjoyable.
******
The Altitude Journals
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like daydreaming reader's review? Post a comment saying so!
