Review of The Altitude Journals

[EssyJ]

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

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4 out of 4 stars

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The Altitude Journals by David J. Mauro tells a tale of determination, grit, belief, and resurgence. It is an excellent old-school story of hitting rock bottom and finding a purpose in those dark pits of failure. The 456-page book is the memoir of David J. Mauro.

At the age of 44, David finds himself in a pickle. He faces a marriage that is on the brink of divorce. It is a situation of absolute loneliness, disappointment, and sadness. He says it was the lowest moment of his life. In these intense moments, his brother-in-law, Ty, invites him on an adventure to the top of Mount Denali. This invite would kick start a series of six other mountain climbing expeditions. He says there are only sixty-four others who have achieved the feat of getting to the seven highest mountain peaks in the world. So you sure know it isn't a mean feat. He narrates his experiences in these expeditions, the challenges he faced, and most importantly, the lessons he learned from them. The mountains are not just physical but are also symbolic of the hardships and challenges he had to overcome in his life. Each adventure to the peaks of these mountains gave him a new perspective on life.

I'll get this out of the way; I loved this book and gave it a four out of four stars rating. It was therapeutic and refreshing. I kept shaking my head in awe at this man's character, spirit, and determination. I love when books carry lessons in them, and this one had a myriad of them. The best teachings are the ones that are learned from other people's experiences, and these sure fit that bill. The author was visibly purposeful and very intentional with his book writing. The book was also quite lively and engaging due to the ongoing conversations in the stories.

I applaud the author's courage and transparency in discussing the challenges he faced in his life. It isn't every day that people open up about their life challenges, let alone do it this candidly. These discussions made the writing more authentic and relatable. The language in the book is simple and relatively easy to understand. The descriptions were vivid and painted clear pictures to the readers about the sceneries David was discussing. The photos also went a long way in making the readers' experiences better. The book seemed professionally edited as I only encountered very few minor errors.

I couldn't find a negative aspect to point out in the book. I recommend it to all lovers of mountain climbing. Everyone who has hit rock bottom and needs someone to lift their spirit and belief in a comeback will enjoy reading this book. It was indeed worth my time.

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The Altitude Journals
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Amarachi Nwankwo03]

What a brilliant review! I am intrigued by the insight you have provided. This seems like the type of book to give one a nudge and inspire them to stay strong in the midst of challenge. It would also be interesting to read about the authors mountain climbing adventures as I am a novice in that area. This was fun to read, great job!

[Mildred Echesa]

The events seem risky but worth while. I enjoyed reading your review, and the author has had great difficulties, but he survived is the most critical aspect.

[rose203]

I agree with you on the author's willingness to narrate of his struggles. Great review.

[Judy_Akha]

I am not a lover of mountain climbing, but this book seems uplifting and inspirational. Thanks for your detailed and interesting review.

[EssyJ]

What a brilliant review! I am intrigued by the insight you have provided. This seems like the type of book to give one a nudge and inspire them to stay strong in the midst of challenge. It would also be interesting to read about the authors mountain climbing adventures as I am a novice in that area. This was fun to read, great job!

I'm sure you'll enjoy reading the book, thanks for passing by.

[EssyJ]

The events seem risky but worth while. I enjoyed reading your review, and the author has had great difficulties, but he survived is the most critical aspect.

Thank you Sarah for your comment.

[EssyJ]

I agree with you on the author's willingness to narrate of his struggles. Great review.

Thanks for passing by, Rose.

[EssyJ]

I am not a lover of mountain climbing, but this book seems uplifting and inspirational. Thanks for your detailed and interesting review.

Thank you for your comment, Judy.

[Amy Luman]

I do not agree that others’ experiences are the best way to learn, I think that our own are. This book about Mr. Mauro’s situation is very inspiring. It seems like and effective way to deal with life’s difficulties.

[EssyJ]

I do not agree that others’ experiences are the best way to learn, I think that our own are. This book about Mr. Mauro’s situation is very inspiring. It seems like and effective way to deal with life’s difficulties.

I see your point Amy, I should have said mistakes, if you can learn lessons from the mistakes of others, then its probably better than making your own.

[Ellylion]

I loved this amazing book so much! I completely agree with your rating and observations. The author's character is outstanding for sure. Thanks for this insightful review!

[EssyJ]

I loved this amazing book so much! I completely agree with your rating and observations. The author's character is outstanding for sure. Thanks for this insightful review!

You are welcome, Ellylion. Thank you for passing by.

[MsH2k]

Climbing mountains sounds like a wonderful analogy to facing life’s trials. Kudos to the author for sharing his accomplishments and what he learned. Thank you for a lovely review.

[Israel10]

Books that share practical insights from the author's personal life normally prove more helpful than theoretical books. Great review here.