127 Hours

[Scotzman]

I finally took the time to go watch 127 Hours. I had been wanting to see it since I first saw it's previews at the end of last year. I haven't read the book and not sure how closely it followed the actual happenings, but based on the movie I thought it did a great job of portraying the psycological durress as well as the obvious physical strain that he went through. It is quite an amazing story, and one that I hope I never can relate too!
(Only part I can relate to is the first couple minutes of the movie.)

It has made me want to go back and read the book though and got me wondering... what's everyones favorite outdoor activity/adventure/biography book?

 

[Raymond]

I’d been waiting for a thread like this to appear!

I recently listened to Tracy Kidder’s Strength in What Remains. It was fantastic. Fits all your criteria, but it’s more a story of survival than adventure.

And of course, there’s the usual suspects:

The Long Walk by Slavomir Rawicz (speaking of movies),
Endurance by Alfred Lansing,
The Seven Summits by Dick Bass & Frank Wells with Rick Ridgeway,
Exploring the 46 Adirondack High Peaks by James R. Burnside,
‘Deborah’ and ‘The Mountain of My Fear’ and Moments of Doubt by David Roberts,
A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson,
The Monkey Wrench Gang and Hayduke Lives! both by Ed Abbey (these are fiction).

Also Jon Krakauer’s ‘‘Into the Wild’’ and ‘‘Into Thin Air.’’ I tried dozens of times to get into the original magazine article of the former, but never did. I liked the book well enough. I preferred the magazine version of the latter; read it many times. The book didn’t seem as good to me, somehow.

I’m sure I’m forgetting a bunch.

 

[Scotzman]

Great, thanks. Survival counts, I mean that's kinda an adventure right? lol

I have read and greatly enjoyed A Walk in the Woods; probably my favorite so far, but that's not out of a very big sampling.

 

[adktyler]

Here are a few good threads as well: http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=12930&highlight=outdoor+book

http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=15032&highlight=outdoor+book

http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=24284&highlight=mercy+mountains

 

[Paradox]

Another good new book and funny at times is: Halfway to Heaven: My White-knuckled--and Knuckleheaded--Quest for the Rocky Mountain High, Mark Obmascik, 2009. Describes the authors efforts in climbing the 14'ers in Colorado.

 

[Brambor]

Bryson

for the life of me I do not understand the infatuation with Bryson's Walk In The Woods.

It started entertaining and it progressed to a tale about a guy who does not appreciate the outdoors like most of us here (vftt) and doesn't get the point as he tries to walk the trail. The littering the two engage in during the walk actually made me angry. In a nutshell I do not get why his book should get any sympathy or accolades.

Same with Krakauer. I loved Into the Wild but not Into Thin Air. His comprehension the whole event and his blaming of A.Boukreev (r.i.p) was ridiculous.


Sorry, just my morning rant I suppose.

 

[Viewseeker]

Watched the movie two weekes ago.. found it to be enjoyable... all the while as the movie goes along figuring out and pointing out to peeps why rules he should not have broken for saftey.. good viewing..

 

[sierra]

[Same with Krakauer. I loved Into the Wild but not Into Thin Air. His comprehension the whole event and his blaming of A.Boukreev (r.i.p) was ridiculous.


I really liked Krakauer's "into thin air" , I thought it was a very good account of the tradegy, I did do not blame A.Boukreev or anyone for that matter for what transpired. My opinion is this, when people hire guides to climb Mt Everest they are relying to strongly on thier support . That climb was just one big freak show, the fact that both guides died was both rare and extremely costly to the clients. I am of the thought that while climbing with a guide can be worthwhile, you should still have the skillset to extract yourself if need be. That being said, thats proboly almost never the case with guided clients on Everest. If I was to be guided on Everest, I would go in knowing that there was a resonable chance I could perish if the **** hit the fan, not admitting that is being naive imo.
As far as 127 hours, I read the book, arrons accounts of his solo 14er quest was fantastic, the slot canyon accounts, boring to a point that I had to skim the pages. Hopefully the movie will be better.

 

[Billy]

for the life of me I do not understand the infatuation with Bryson's Walk In The Woods...

Heresy!!!

Yeah, I kind of agree. I understand writers sometimes embellish to keep you from getting bored, throwing the book down, and watching "Roadhouse" again. But it just seems like too much of that book was made-up BS (the bear encounter immediately springs to mind). Also, there was way too much environmental whining. I love nature as much as the next guy, but I'm sick of hearing how the purple-peckered salamander's mating habits have changed because I drive a car.

Having said that, I think Bryson is a good writer. He can be very funny, and when he's not being too preachy his writing can be very informative. I've sometimes gone back and re-read several portions of "A Walk In the Woods". I consider that book an entertaining novel based on actual events.

 

[Brambor]

agreed

I also think he is a good writer. I just can't take him off my $hitlist that easy that is more my problem than his. haha .

 

[RollingRock]

I've sometimes gone back and re-read several portions of "A Walk In the Woods". I consider that book an entertaining novel based on actual events.

That's my view of the book as well. It's a humurous look at hiking the Appalachian Trail. Sometimes it borders on the extreme end of things but that's no different than comedians putting their spin on today's politics.

 

[Raymond]

I don’t remember any bear encounter in ‘‘A Walk in the Woods.’’ Where was that?

 

[Billy]

I don’t remember any bear encounter in ‘‘A Walk in the Woods.’’ Where was that?

Under the picture of the book, click on "Read an Excerpt"
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/A-Walk-in-the-Woods/Bill-Bryson/e/9780767902526#EXC