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

[Sarwatj]

[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: A Seven-Year Journey from the Lowest Point in My Life to the Highest Point on Earth is the story of a man fighting his sense of failure in life. His soul searching journey takes him to the highest peaks of the world. As a way to get his mind off his failed marriage the author follows a friend's suggestion to climb Mount Denali. A total newbie, David does not realize the magnitude of this mountaineering attempt. With this dutch courage of sorts and support from friends David successfully summits Mount Denali the highest peak in North America.

In this adventure as the altitude rises and the air thins out , his thoughts get clarity and he finds food for his soul. And so a series of such mountaineering attempts begin. David goes on expeditions to climb the highest mountains of each continent, each new expedition answering to the call of his soul. On one side David summits mountain after mountain and on the other he straightens up his life and relationships. He finds love and his passion.

All in all this is a feel good book. It motivated me to take my gut feeling and instincts more seriously. Plus, I so felt like going on hikes after reading this book. The Altitude journalgets a rating of 4 out of 4 from me. It's a well written book that avoids unnecessary details. The most interesting thing in this story for me was the varying cultures of the various places David went to climb mountains. We get a glimpse of the no-man's land Antarctica and a narration of the lifestyle of the tribes in Papua New Guinea. One gets an amazing insight of the survival techniques used on harsh terrain and slopes.

There are so many lessons to ponder upon here. What got me thinking was that one can't just dwell on avoiding a problem but it is facing your demons that will bring peace. A realization of whats important in life. That's the key to changing one's negative mindset. The endurance and will to fight the odds, specially at the high heights of mountain peaks is especially motivating. The discussion about David's relationship with his father was eyeopening. I think we want to see our parents as guardian angels. But when we accept them as humans, we see why they did what they did.

I am just waiting for when the author might think of going up K-2 maybe we might get a sequel then. In the acknowledgements the author thanks the editors for taking out unnecessary details and the hanging on to sorrow of loss and difficulty in the climbs. That is nice but I would still like to read about the grim side of the adventure instead of the all feel good narration of it

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The Altitude Journals
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