Review by ab2020 -- The Altitude Journals by David J Mauro

ab2020 · Post by **ab2020** » 28 Sep 2019, 09:21

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Altitude Journals" by David J Mauro.]

4 out of 4 stars

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Consider the genre of the wilderness memoir. In the nineteenth century, there was John Muir, whose writing and advocacy gave birth to a priceless tradition of conservation in the United States. More recently, there was Cheryl Strayed, whose Pacific Crest Trail memoir was recently turned into a movie starring Reese Witherspoon. Now, there is a mountaineer named David Mauro, whose memoir, The Altitude Journals, will take you on a singular and unforgettable journey to the top of the world.

The Altitude Journals consists of a prologue and seven chapters; each chapter follows Mauro’s pursuit of one of the Seven Summits—the highest mountain on each of the seven continents. Mauro never sets out to be the sixty-fifth American to conquer all seven peaks. However, he repeatedly feels called by some otherworldly force to journey thousands of miles from his home in the State of Washington and risk his life on frozen mountainsides. On each new expedition, he faces new obstacles and discovers something new about himself, the people he loves, and the world he lives in. His adventures on and off the slopes of Denali, Mt. Kilimanjaro, Mt. Elbrus, Aconcagua, Vinson Massif, Carstensz Pyramid, and Mt. Everest form a thrilling and emotionally captivating narrative.

Mauro is a strong writer, and his vivid descriptions and lively dialogue make the book something of a page-turner. He has the laudable ability to absorb the reader in his emotions, thoughts, and actions from the first page of the book to the last. Even though all seven chapters have similar structures, Mauro’s writing is never repetitive or boring, and he applies a unique tone and style to the description of each expedition. Though he is a cis-het white American male, he makes a valiant (if not always successful) effort not to come across as condescending when he describes non-Western peoples and places. He accomplishes the challenging task of making a memoir—an inherently self-centered type of book—unselfish. Because he has learned firsthand how vulnerability is the key to strength, he embraces the reader and willingly shares his most private and vulnerable moments.

The book contains quite a few small errors, but none of them are terribly bothersome, and they certainly do not detract from the narrative. The Altitude Journals is an admirable story of a man who sets out in search of his true self and finds much, much more. It is also an inspirational tale of a man and his profound and inexplicable connection with the tallest peak on each of the continents. It is a story of risk and revelation, love and loss, tragedy and triumph. It is a story about the extremes of the Earth and the extremes of the human spirit. It is by turns humorous and saddening, candid and disturbing. Though it has a couple of (minor) flaws, it is definitely worth reading.

Climbing a serious mountain is not an activity for those who give up easily. Climbing just one of the Seven Summits can be taxing and potentially life-threatening. Climbing all seven of them is unimaginably difficult. Mountaineering is an art—a lifestyle—filled with withering doubt, endless exhaustion, and surreal beauty, and it is definitely not an easy subject to write about. However, The Altitude Journals is a remarkably successful book. I rate it 4 out of 4 stars, and I enthusiastically recommend it to anyone interested in self-empowerment, nature, travel, or good memoirs.

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The Altitude Journals
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