My review of Honnold's new book in the Wall Street Journal

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Gregory Crouch

Social climber

Walnut Creek, California

Topic Author's Original Post - Nov 26, 2015 - 06:41am PT

Well, I wasn't expecting the thing until this weekend, but it seems to have published overnight. At least online.

I'm unclear whether there's a physical newspaper today, or whether the WSJ team was just getting a jump on the Weekend Edition for the holiday.

Anyway, here it is. I'll link you through a google search, since that seems to do a better job evading their paywall than a direct link. Clicking the top link should take you to it.

Here's the direct link.

If neither of those options works, try googling "Crouch Honnold Free Spirit Wall Street Journal" directly from your own browser. Maybe that'll get you through.

I've posted (what I hope) is a readable image of the review on my website. It's on page C9 of the 11/28-29/2015 issue of the WSJ. (If you click on the image, it should enlarge for easy reading.)

I look forward to hearing people's opinions.

This is the 10th adventure-themed book I've reviewed for The WSJ (more than half of which are climbing books, including ones by Daniel Arnold, Barry Blanchard, and Ed Viesturs). I've done 3 military-affairs related book reviews for The Washington Post. There are additional ones for NPR books and others, including Steph Davis's "Learning to Fly." Here is the complete list, with the requisite links.

The world needs more readers.

overwatch

climber

Nov 26, 2015 - 06:53am PT

I balked immediately at "naught" but you redeemed yourself with "niggling tyrannies". Just kidding. Nice writing.

edit;
The first link worked for me

Gregory Crouch

Social climber

Walnut Creek, California

Topic Author's Reply - Nov 26, 2015 - 06:55am PT

Ha! Thanks, Overwatch. Glad you could make it through to the actual text.

I'm interested to learn what trick works best for people. For me, it seems like I hit the paywall about 50% of the time with a google search, and about 90% of the time if I link directly. But I can't figure out the pattern.

Happiegrrrl2

Trad climber

Nov 26, 2015 - 07:08am PT

Right off the bat I give the article a star for having a great head image that is CREDITED to the photographer - something often lacking, although WSJ may be one who is good about it.

Also a star for crediting *co-author* David Roberts very quickly in the review.

I noted that you mention the book leaves one wishing for greater insight as to "why," otherwise not much about the actual writing. I assume it is good, or you would have had to say something, and I am sure you would have done so politely, as it is clear from the review that you are a great diplomat. But for me, spending the money on a freshly released hardcover is a tough action to take. I don't "keep" books anymore, due to my limited space, and so it's likely I would be giving the book away quickly after reading it. So, I would like to know if I am in for an armrest-clutching read, dryness to the point I feel like I've ingested a sleeve of saltines with no water, or a cross my legs and hope not to wet style of humor. That would help me decide whether to spend the cash as soon as I can find that book, or wait until I return to a residence where i can have it mailed, and buy it on the cheap off Amazon(and donate to the author's foundation to offset the money lost to him by doing so).

That's my review of your review! So, if you can provide a glimpse into the writing style here on the thread, that would be great.

edit: I also go through on the Google link you suggested. A pop up came up with a Black Friday special, but one click removed it and I was left to enjoy the article.

donini

Trad climber

Ouray, Colorado

Nov 26, 2015 - 07:19am PT

Thanks Greg, you offer the lay public the valuable insight that climbing, rather than being a thrill sport, is a controlled, calculating endeavor. Most of what appears in the national press is scripted by non climbers and dwells on what they perceive to be the thrill seeking, reckless nature of free soloing.

WBraun

climber

Nov 26, 2015 - 07:23am PT

Gregory Crouch -- "Mr. Honnold is risking everything he’s got, and everything he’s ever going to have,"

The nihilist, sterile and empty materialistic consciousness of "I am the body" only projects such poor fund of knowledge .....

Gregory Crouch

Social climber

Walnut Creek, California

Topic Author's Reply - Nov 26, 2015 - 07:27am PT

for me, spending the money on a freshly released hardcover is a tough action to take. I don't "keep" books anymore, due to my limited space, and so it's likely I would be giving the book away quickly after reading it

For the love of Granite, what could possibly be a better way to spend your money than to spend it on a book??? They're pillars of Western Civilization! And think of the pleasure you'll get passing the book along to someone else once you've finished reading it?

I would like to know if I am in for an armrest-clutching read, dryness to the point I feel like I've ingested a sleeve of saltines with no water, or a cross my legs and hope not to wet style of humor. That would help me decide whether to spend the cash as soon as I can find that book, or wait until I return to a residence where i can have it mailed, and buy it on the cheap off Amazon(and donate to the author's foundation to offset the money lost to him by doing so)

Author's royalties are exactly the same if you buy from Amazon as if you buy from a bookstore, so you wouldn't be screwing Alex by using Amazon. You would be screwing the bookstore, however, and that's a worthy consideration.

As for your reading tastes, I don't know you personally (I don't think), so I'm hesitant to recommend whether or not you spend your money on this without knowing more about you. I enjoyed Alone on the Wall and thought it a worthy contribution to the canon of climbing lit. The writing style is clear and straightforward. The climbing scenes are pretty intense, as you can imagine, and Alex/David do a good job of finding the right downtones on which to tell them.

Gregory Crouch

Social climber

Walnut Creek, California

Topic Author's Reply - Nov 26, 2015 - 07:35am PT

The nihilist, sterile and empty materialistic consciousness of "I am the body" only projects such poor fund of knowledge .....

Sorry to disappoint you, Werner. I'm still waiting for the day I can see my way clear to shed my earthly container and ride the tail of the comet to the evolutionary kingdom level above human. ;-)

kpinwalla2

Social climber

Nov 26, 2015 - 07:46am PT

"unfettered orgy of joyous movement" - just found the name of my next climb. Thanks Greg. Nice article - well done!

Gregory Crouch

Social climber

Walnut Creek, California

Topic Author's Reply - Nov 26, 2015 - 07:50am PT

Royalties are nominal for most books.

Volume, baby, volume.

Gregory Crouch

Social climber

Walnut Creek, California

Topic Author's Reply - Nov 26, 2015 - 07:51am PT

"unfettered orgy of joyous movement" - just found the name of my next climb.

Who isn't looking for one of those? I'd climb it. Or, I'd try.

crankster

Trad climber

No. Tahoe

Nov 26, 2015 - 08:10am PT

Excellent review; well written, as usual. I hope he heeds your advice, Mr. Crouch.

In light of another famed soloist’s recent death (that of Dean Potter, albeit in a wingsuit BASE jumping incident), I can’t help worrying that Mr. Honnold has made an Faustian bargain—immortal renown in exchange for brief life.

My sentiments, exactly.

Gregory Crouch

Social climber

Walnut Creek, California

Topic Author's Reply - Nov 26, 2015 - 08:21am PT

My sentiments, exactly.

I feel that if he wants it to mean something, he has to survive.

crankster

Trad climber

No. Tahoe

Nov 26, 2015 - 08:27am PT

Agree, but that perspective usually comes with age.

JerryA

Mountain climber

Sacramento,CA

Nov 26, 2015 - 08:28am PT

I always enjoyed Michael Ybarra's articles in the WSJ and have bought some very interesting books based upon your reviews but I'm not sure that this will be one of them .

Gregory Crouch

Social climber

Walnut Creek, California

Topic Author's Reply - Nov 26, 2015 - 08:38am PT

I always enjoyed Michael Ybarra's articles in the WSJ

I am painfully aware that all of the adventure-themed WSJ reviewing I've done for them is done in the shoes of a fallen free soloist. (His sister is the one who connected me to Michael's editors in the Books section.)

ArmandoWyo

climber

Wyoming

Nov 26, 2015 - 08:45am PT

Greg, you given us one of the best descriptions of climbing. thanks.

"Difficult for non-climbers to appreciate is the fact that, as outrageous as climbing appears to be in film and photography, at its core it isn’t a thrill sport. It’s a control sport, an unforgiving discipline that unfolds at the pace of resolved, calculated movement in a soul-searingly beautiful landscape that the uninitiated can never experience. Practitioners struggle to control their physical, emotional and mental selves while stifling fear, solving problems and unlocking the gymnastic puzzle of ascent."

Contractor

Boulder climber

Nov 26, 2015 - 09:31am PT

Why?

The press, as do I, grasp at this question. The honest exploration of human nature, I believe, gives us the answers, but what happens after the climb is what defines Honnold.

It's fun, solitude, to commune with nature, nah- you can get that on a picnic.

Duality, conflict, self examination, ego; it's raw, it's refined, it casts darkness, it sheds light, are all likely motives. And there's the attention, yeah- it's a big part of it, perhaps the biggest part for most.

What separates Honnold is, when this sheepish, pedestrian looking fellow is done blowing the doors off, he descends back to a "Walden Pond" existence; setting the standard for human achievement without a trace of pretense.

I would guess he's done a few solos nobody is aware of.

Thanks for the article!