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| Messages 1 - 12 of total 12 in this topic |
Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Topic Author's Original Post - Apr 18, 2018 - 04:40pm PT
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Anybody read it?
I liked Great Exploration Hoaxes, A Newer World, and Moments Of Doubt, not so much Four Against the Arctic which was sort of a bait and switch. I bought Escape from Lucania but having gotten the story straight from Brad Washburn over lunch in Anthony's, and from Bob Bates motoring through Washington I have set it on the back burner (sigh).
In LOTK Roberts examines the nature of adventure from an historical perspective. All the highest peaks have been climbed and polar exploration has been rendered trivial by modern conveniences, but there are still rivers that haven't been run and especially in caving there are depths left to be plumb. He posits the motives of climbers well, in my opinion he is second only to George B. Schaller in Stones Of Silence. The world's preeminent field biologist, who encounters the 1975 American K2 Expedition on the Baltoro. (As a side note his companion, Peter Mathiason, wrote The Snow Leopard about the trip).
In LOTK Roberts also tells the sad tale of the last "first contact" of natives in New Guinea who were unaware that other humans existed (no less ones that looked like ghosts).
All of these views are tempered by the knowledge that Roberts was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2015. With time short he has the clarity to look at the good fortune of a life of adventure (often paid for by publications) and evaluate his most valuable experiences (I won't spoil the ending). It is poignant and moving.
In the past I have nitpicked technical errors with Roberts, but I could only find one, if you'll pardon a pun, mis-statement; the Powell expedition began in Green River, Wyoming not Green River, Utah. Probably get corrected in the second edition as I believe his work will stand for a long time.
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 19, 2018 - 01:00pm PT
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Well Matt, I guess its you and me, but maybe I'll give another bump in a month.
Really sad about Mick Leahy meeting his biracial son and not acknowledging him (even in the context of the times).
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Apr 19, 2018 - 01:13pm PT
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I’ll play since I’ve liked everything I’ve read of David Roberts and I’ve met Peter Matthiessen.* I liked the Spitsbergen book, but I’m a soft touch for anything arctic. It may not have been his best but his average, or above average, is still well worth the time. Limits of the Known sounds really excellent.
Very sad to hear of his health problems.
*Imagine hearing a knock at yer door and opening it to those incredibly piercing eyes!
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DanaB
climber
CO
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Apr 19, 2018 - 01:38pm PT
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Unbelievable.
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Saugy
Mountain climber
BC
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Apr 19, 2018 - 07:10pm PT
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There's a recent episode of the Alpinist podcast with Roberts reading out one of his articles regarding death in the mountains...i found it quite moving
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Fritz
Social climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Apr 19, 2018 - 07:17pm PT
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OK! Thanks! I'll put it on the list. I bought Heidi, David Robert's "THE LOST WORLD OF THE OLD ONES," published in 2015, as a Solstice present, but I haven't read it yet.
I just found it & put it at the top of my: "Read Now" pile.
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marty(r)
climber
beneath the valley of ultravegans
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Apr 19, 2018 - 10:26pm PT
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Toker~ Check out "Black Harvest", the documentary about the Leahy family if you get a chance. It's fascinating.
Once They Moved Like the Wind about Cochise and Geronimo, and "The Alaska Crazies" about Roman Dial are two other favorites by David Roberts.
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mcreel
climber
Barcelona
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Apr 19, 2018 - 10:52pm PT
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Thanks for the heads up. I've read several of his books, but I see that there's a lot of interesting stuff I've missed.
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kunlun_shan
Mountain climber
SF, CA
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Apr 19, 2018 - 11:07pm PT
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Thanks for starting this thread Toker! I haven't read "Limits of the Known", but its now on my list, along with some of the others mentioned above. "Stones of Silence" by Schaller is one of my favorite books. Have read it multiple times, along with "The Snow Leopard". I highly recommend "Tibet Wild" by Schaller.
Reilly, would love to hear the story of how Peter Matthiessen appeared at your door.
marty(r), I searched for "Roman Dial and the Alaska Crazies" and realize it's in one of the few David Roberts books I have, and read the story again just now. It's here online.
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 20, 2018 - 10:22am PT
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You are welcome.
Did he write Finding Everett Ruess after they actually found him?
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Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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Apr 20, 2018 - 05:39pm PT
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^^^
Bit of egg on the face with regard to the Everett Ruess thing.
Crazy story...
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Phred
Mountain climber
Anchorage
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Apr 21, 2018 - 12:23am PT
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I'm reading LOTK now. I picked it up because I was interested in the subject matter and as I was reading it I was quite surprised to see that he quoted me in it. I'm truly humbled.
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