Review by KitabuKitamu -- The Altitude Journals

[KitabuKizuri]

[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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"...A dog was chasing his tail on the lawn next to us, and it became so entertaining that our conversation stopped while we all watched. He chased it and chased it, stopping to catch his breath momentarily, then resuming the chase. I was feeling a little melancholy and commented, “I hope he never catches it. Life will be so disappointing after that.” " David John Mauro was a regular American man going about his business taking care of his family affairs and making progress in his career. Having long foregone a dream to represent America in the Olympics, it didn't look like he would do anything significant feat-wise, despite the fact that having a family and raising kids was one already.

Separation from his wife and the need to keep the latest hint of depression in a long while at bay gave him an opportunity to explore the possibility of going mountain climbing. His brother in law, Ty, wanted to produce a follow-up documentary on a climb to Mount McKinley/Denali in high definition, so he had invited David to go along with him. With nothing to lose, he accepted the challenge. After the triumphant effort, he didn't stop there. Through a dream, Mount Kilimanjaro beckoned. Snide remarks from friends and acquaintances together with beautiful images and reasons beyond his understanding compelled him to conquer other mountains. These were both physical and personal. With each climb, there was a lesson learned, which he shares with us in this book.

“You guys are all mountaineers,” I explained. “You love just being in the mountains. I haven’t had that kind of experience in my life. I’m here for a shot at the summit or to see how close I can get. But without the possibility of the summit, I wouldn’t be here.”- the author, while attempting his first ascent. He writes the book in the first person without holding back his personal feelings at the time of each climb. We learn of the times the climbing teams and he would face difficulties like fatigue and altitude sickness. A short fuse would result at times and emotional moments would happen in others, especially in times of victory.

The Altitude Journals was written by David Mauro, a financial analyst by profession. He did this as an attempt to talk about his mountain climbing conquests after breaking several promises to people who wanted to link up with him to hear his stories. The book is published by Plaid Vermin Publishing. I never noticed any errors in the book.

I recommend the book to those who like memoirs, especially those that involve travel. It was great to see pictures side by side with his stories, which speak volumes allowing any reader to connect. I like that, and I'm sure those not in a position to engage in such a feat for one reason or another would appreciate living the experience through the book and the images. There are links at the end of the book to more images. They don't seem to work but when you go to his website, (davidjmauro.com), the colorful photos are accessible. I don't see any reason not to rate the book 4 out of 4 stars.

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The Altitude Journals
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