Review of The Altitude Journals
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Review of The Altitude Journals
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Altitude Journals" by David J Mauro.]
What happens when you feel disappointed in your life or when you feel like you have little to lose? What does the feeling of failure in your life give you? An enthusiasm to do something to prove yourself, not to others, but to yourself. This is exactly what is described in his memoir, The Altitude Journals by David J. Mauro.
He set out to climb Mount Denali with his brother-in-law when he got divorced at age 44. His purpose was to get his mind off of his failed marriage. He was never good at sports as a child, not even running, and when he decided to climb Denali, he was filled with self-doubt, but he struggled to complete all of the training. Despite his good training, he did not realise the true dangers of climbing Denali, the highest peak in North America. He summited Denali due to his determination and the support of experienced climbers who helped him at every step. Upon returning, he found himself in a good state of mind toward his relationships. He found Lin, his true love, who supported him in every step of his life. He sensed a call from Mount Kilimanjaro and went to summit it. In the next seven years, he went to summit the mountains that called to him, whether it was Mount Elbrus in Russia or the Vinson Massif in Antarctica. Along with this adventure, he improved his life in relationships with his mother, father, and sons. When he planned to climb Everest, he raised funds for underprivileged kids, as he had been, to help them.
The most fascinating thing about this book was the diverse climate of every mountain, from unhabitated Antarctica to the backward tribes of Papua, New Guinea. I was delighted to get a glimpse of biologically adverse lands and the stories he told of different climbers having different backgrounds but coordinating a lot with each other whether it was in carrying the equipment of tired members or letting them rest while building camps. The writting style was so realistic that I could Imagine him building camps on the snow, feeling reflected rays of the sun, encountering an electrical storm, burrying his pet fish, falling from the stool on the mud and watching him standing on Everest. Aside from the dangers of climbing, like frostbite, altitude sickness, and hypothermia, he shared some humorous aspects that added to the charm of reading. I like his love for his brother and how he carried his ashes to every mountain he climb and miss him at every moment of his victory and happiness.
What I like the least about this book are the broken links to pictures of certain summits that I tried to open. Except that there is nothing particular I dislike about this book. I got a bunch of lessons from this book. One of the most important ones is vulnerability, which is important as it makes us strong enough to face the demons of our life. I like the writing style of Mr. Mauro and how he lets us take an insight into his life, his failures, struggles, frustrations, and achievements.
I am happy to grant this book 4 out of 4 stars as I didn’t notice any errors indicating the book was well-edited. This author has a captivating style of writing and I didn’t feel like I was forcing myself to read it. Instead, I was keen to know what would happen next throughout the book.
I would recommend this book to those who enjoy reading about adventure, travel, and climbing, as well as those who want to gain experience from this memoir.
******
The Altitude Journals
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
What happens when you feel disappointed in your life or when you feel like you have little to lose? What does the feeling of failure in your life give you? An enthusiasm to do something to prove yourself, not to others, but to yourself. This is exactly what is described in his memoir, The Altitude Journals by David J. Mauro.
He set out to climb Mount Denali with his brother-in-law when he got divorced at age 44. His purpose was to get his mind off of his failed marriage. He was never good at sports as a child, not even running, and when he decided to climb Denali, he was filled with self-doubt, but he struggled to complete all of the training. Despite his good training, he did not realise the true dangers of climbing Denali, the highest peak in North America. He summited Denali due to his determination and the support of experienced climbers who helped him at every step. Upon returning, he found himself in a good state of mind toward his relationships. He found Lin, his true love, who supported him in every step of his life. He sensed a call from Mount Kilimanjaro and went to summit it. In the next seven years, he went to summit the mountains that called to him, whether it was Mount Elbrus in Russia or the Vinson Massif in Antarctica. Along with this adventure, he improved his life in relationships with his mother, father, and sons. When he planned to climb Everest, he raised funds for underprivileged kids, as he had been, to help them.
The most fascinating thing about this book was the diverse climate of every mountain, from unhabitated Antarctica to the backward tribes of Papua, New Guinea. I was delighted to get a glimpse of biologically adverse lands and the stories he told of different climbers having different backgrounds but coordinating a lot with each other whether it was in carrying the equipment of tired members or letting them rest while building camps. The writting style was so realistic that I could Imagine him building camps on the snow, feeling reflected rays of the sun, encountering an electrical storm, burrying his pet fish, falling from the stool on the mud and watching him standing on Everest. Aside from the dangers of climbing, like frostbite, altitude sickness, and hypothermia, he shared some humorous aspects that added to the charm of reading. I like his love for his brother and how he carried his ashes to every mountain he climb and miss him at every moment of his victory and happiness.
What I like the least about this book are the broken links to pictures of certain summits that I tried to open. Except that there is nothing particular I dislike about this book. I got a bunch of lessons from this book. One of the most important ones is vulnerability, which is important as it makes us strong enough to face the demons of our life. I like the writing style of Mr. Mauro and how he lets us take an insight into his life, his failures, struggles, frustrations, and achievements.
I am happy to grant this book 4 out of 4 stars as I didn’t notice any errors indicating the book was well-edited. This author has a captivating style of writing and I didn’t feel like I was forcing myself to read it. Instead, I was keen to know what would happen next throughout the book.
I would recommend this book to those who enjoy reading about adventure, travel, and climbing, as well as those who want to gain experience from this memoir.
******
The Altitude Journals
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: The Maestro Monologue by Rob White
