Review of The Altitude Journals
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Fola Moni
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Review of The Altitude Journals
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Altitude Journals" by David J Mauro.]
He has gone to places some of us have only dreamed of. He has stared death in the face without flinching. He has braved the odds regardless of its outcomes. In this inspirational book, The Altitude Journals, the author, David J. Mauro, dares you to live by facing your demons head-on.
Sitting in the guest room of his sister’s house, David Mauro was all alone on his forty-fourth birthday, save for his niece’s dolls lined up on the walls of the room. He was at his lowest ebb after separating from his wife and moving in with his sister. As he pondered on the next phase of his life, he couldn’t help but think even the dolls felt sorry for him. He thought about his brother, Danny, who died from alcoholism several years earlier. He also thought about his father, who had abandoned him as a child. His father had failed at his marriage, and now, he’s following in his footsteps too. Then he opened a birthday gift from his brother-in-law, and his sister and his life changed forever.
On each mountain climb, I was the invisible team member. I could sense every bite of the cold, and I could feel myself gasping for breath as the air thinned with every step. So powerful was the author’s descriptive writing style that I could feel every emotion and visualise every scene. I gasped in horror when Julie slipped and fell during the Carstensz Pyramid climb in New Guinea. I howled in frustration when Sherpas were mistreated on the Everest climb by experienced climbers who should know better. I cried tears of joy when the author summited each mountain, and I clapped in admiration every time he and his partner, Lin, reconnected at the airport after each adventure. I can only say thank you to the author for allowing me to experience all the adventures through his words.
The author’s sense of humour also made the adventures come alive. There were too many to count, but one made my entire day:
“My cousin, Sasha, wrote, “You are amazing! My mom and I were talking the other day about how you inspire us to live our lives more mindfully.” Others likewise shared how my experience was impacting their lives. The only time I could recall having such an immediate influence on the lives of so many was when my sixty-nine Chevy Nova died during rush hour traffic in Seattle.”
Yes, the author had me reeling with laughter throughout the book.
The team spirit in each climb is also so inspiring. Apart from the author’s brother in law who accompanied him on two climbs, the rest were strangers meeting for the first time. Yet, their connection was so powerful. One of my favourite scenes was during the Carstensz Pyramid climb in New Guinea. One of the team members, Carol, was struggling, and the rest of the team stood aside to make sure she reached the top of the mountain first. It was awe-inspiring.
I absolutely loved this book, so I’m rating it 4 out of 4 stars. It’s inspirational, informative, thought-provoking and witty simultaneously. It deals with many adult themes like death, love, divorce, abandonment, and sexuality. It invites the reader to be liberal and take on challenges like never before. I also learned so much about mountain climbing in such a short period. I could only spot one error, so I must say it was professionally well edited. There is strong language, so sensitive/younger readers beware. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves adventure and travel tales. Anyone who needs the motivation to get back on their feet would also benefit from this captivating memoir.
******
The Altitude Journals
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
He has gone to places some of us have only dreamed of. He has stared death in the face without flinching. He has braved the odds regardless of its outcomes. In this inspirational book, The Altitude Journals, the author, David J. Mauro, dares you to live by facing your demons head-on.
Sitting in the guest room of his sister’s house, David Mauro was all alone on his forty-fourth birthday, save for his niece’s dolls lined up on the walls of the room. He was at his lowest ebb after separating from his wife and moving in with his sister. As he pondered on the next phase of his life, he couldn’t help but think even the dolls felt sorry for him. He thought about his brother, Danny, who died from alcoholism several years earlier. He also thought about his father, who had abandoned him as a child. His father had failed at his marriage, and now, he’s following in his footsteps too. Then he opened a birthday gift from his brother-in-law, and his sister and his life changed forever.
On each mountain climb, I was the invisible team member. I could sense every bite of the cold, and I could feel myself gasping for breath as the air thinned with every step. So powerful was the author’s descriptive writing style that I could feel every emotion and visualise every scene. I gasped in horror when Julie slipped and fell during the Carstensz Pyramid climb in New Guinea. I howled in frustration when Sherpas were mistreated on the Everest climb by experienced climbers who should know better. I cried tears of joy when the author summited each mountain, and I clapped in admiration every time he and his partner, Lin, reconnected at the airport after each adventure. I can only say thank you to the author for allowing me to experience all the adventures through his words.
The author’s sense of humour also made the adventures come alive. There were too many to count, but one made my entire day:
“My cousin, Sasha, wrote, “You are amazing! My mom and I were talking the other day about how you inspire us to live our lives more mindfully.” Others likewise shared how my experience was impacting their lives. The only time I could recall having such an immediate influence on the lives of so many was when my sixty-nine Chevy Nova died during rush hour traffic in Seattle.”
Yes, the author had me reeling with laughter throughout the book.
The team spirit in each climb is also so inspiring. Apart from the author’s brother in law who accompanied him on two climbs, the rest were strangers meeting for the first time. Yet, their connection was so powerful. One of my favourite scenes was during the Carstensz Pyramid climb in New Guinea. One of the team members, Carol, was struggling, and the rest of the team stood aside to make sure she reached the top of the mountain first. It was awe-inspiring.
I absolutely loved this book, so I’m rating it 4 out of 4 stars. It’s inspirational, informative, thought-provoking and witty simultaneously. It deals with many adult themes like death, love, divorce, abandonment, and sexuality. It invites the reader to be liberal and take on challenges like never before. I also learned so much about mountain climbing in such a short period. I could only spot one error, so I must say it was professionally well edited. There is strong language, so sensitive/younger readers beware. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves adventure and travel tales. Anyone who needs the motivation to get back on their feet would also benefit from this captivating memoir.
******
The Altitude Journals
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Moonlight Serenade by Terry Mark
