Review by JessWoods -- The Altitude Journals

[JessWoods]

[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 the journey of personal inner growth under extreme circumstances. David shares his story, explaining what it was like to climb each of the highest mountains on all seven continents. He tells us about his personal struggles, what he learned on each climb, and how he managed to overcome his insecurities.

This story starts by giving a brief overview of his childhood and young adult life. How he became a financial planner, got married, and had children. When Dave finds himself going through a divorce and living with his sister, he gets an invitation to climb Denali, the highest mountain in North America. As he struggles up this first mountain, he learns valuable life lessons and finds a peace he has never known. He then goes on to climb the other six summits, the highest points for each of the continents and continues to grow with each one.

I am not usually drawn to non-fiction and wasn't extremely excited to read this one, but I was pleasantly surprised when this story captured my attention from the very first page. I found Mauro to be a fantastic writer, capturing and bringing the moments of every climb alive, but keeping the writing simple enough that it didn't bore me. I could see the mountains as he was climbing them, he explained what it felt like to be in the extreme temperature with enough specifics that I could feel it. For those of us that have never climbed a mountain, he explained the equipment he was using so we could understand, as well as what supplies he needed to bring along on each climb.

Mauro also delved into his personal experiences and emotional state throughout the book. He starts at the lowest point of his life, and as he climbs and summits each peak, he battles personal demons and works through his emotional baggage. He recounts how he took a chance to find love again after his divorce, how his relationships with his family members grew and evolved with each mountain he climbed. He explains how he found his inner peace by finally being able to forgive not only himself but those who have hurt him.

I rate The Altitude Journals 4 out of 4 Stars, I found this book to be enjoyable on all levels. It was an easy read, it had emotional depth and told a great story. I would recommend this to anyone who likes a good book to read.

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The Altitude Journals
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