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JLP
Social climber
The internet
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Mar 19, 2019 - 06:50pm PT
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It’s conceivable AH would have done the climb without it, but by no means certain. Doubtful, even. There’s a chicken-egg problem here that isn’t clear. I think Alex was well aware from past experience what the presence of a camera and the financial rewards did to his motivation and performance. It seems pretty clear he fully leveraged that to achieve first and foremost his own climbing plans and dreams.
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WBraun
climber
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Mar 20, 2019 - 09:40am PT
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If it was impossible than it would never have been done.
When you prepare your consciousness in a certain way you can fly without the aid of mechanical means also ....
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Brandon-
climber
The Granite State.
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Synnott is on New Hampshire Public Radio for an hour talking about the book. Program is called The Exchange, if anyone wants to check it out.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Alex’s motivation for extreme soloing far predates his fame and fortune. He was a virtual unknown when he free soloed Moonlight Buttress and the NWF of HD. I doubt that visions of corporate sponsorship and movie fame were even on his radar at the time, but he took full advantage of opportunities as they presented themselves as well he should.
Climbing has become an important physical and spiritual activitiy for a couple of million people and feats like Honnold’s amaze and inspire many millions more. The top climbers train as rigorously as any professional or olympic athlete and if they can be compensated for their hard work and skill...great! Aside from Alex and one or two Euros the monies earned by top climbers are less than the golfer who finished last on earnings for the PGA Golf Tour.
All sports are driven by companies striving to market their products either by direct sponsorship or by the billions of dollars thrown into advertising on television and print ads. It’s America folks and the big economic driver is consumer spending whether that be a new car or a goretex jacket from the NF.
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Bad Climber
Trad climber
The Lawless Border Regions
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Plus one for Jim's comments. Reading the book now and really enjoying it. For the younger gen, it does give a pretty good overview of Cali/Yos climbing culture, esp. with the Stone Masters et al. Alex is a brother from another planet for sure.
BAd
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Gregory Crouch
Social climber
Walnut Creek, California
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Apr 25, 2019 - 11:50am PT
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My review of it will be in tomorrow's WSJ. (Friday, 4/26)
I'll link to it once I've got that all figured out.
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Apr 25, 2019 - 04:52pm PT
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I just finished the book. I Thoroughly enjoyed the read and felt that the time Mark spent detailing his experiences were a completely valid part of the story. They help the non climber or perhaps the non serious climber get a feeling for the climber life and how it alters your mindset. I also felt that the pages spent on the other expeditions were important as they also set the stage for understanding the pressures involved in meeting the expectations of sponsors, film crews and other expedition members. When Alex became a North face athlete it was no longer just him and the rock. Like it or not all the other BS comes with the paycheck and the job..... That responsibility / pressure of always coming up with the next big rad project that is more rad than the last project and then making it successful to keep your job possibly even contributing to the recent deaths of NF team members??????
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Gregory Crouch
Social climber
Walnut Creek, California
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Apr 26, 2019 - 11:49am PT
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Rattlesnake! Awesome. Hope you consider it a dollar well spent.
For the rest of you, here's a readable copy of the review posted on my website.
Enjoy.
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Rattlesnake Arch
Social climber
Home is where we park it
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Apr 26, 2019 - 12:23pm PT
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Yes, a dollar well spent. Now my $0.02 worth.
1. The Nat Geo article was presumably authorized, but are we sure the book was part "authorized celebrity biography"?
2. Mark has some unflattering portrayals of Alex. Perhaps the reason Alex fails to answer key questions was that he didn't really want this book written about him.
Anyhow, a celebrity biography doesn't require authorization, and Mark is certainly entitled to write whatever he wants about his friend.
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Gregory Crouch
Social climber
Walnut Creek, California
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Apr 26, 2019 - 12:27pm PT
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Rattlesnake... too much contact between Synnott and Honnold through the years for it to qualify as "unauthorized" in my opinion. But that's just a guess. The book doesn't provide any more evidence than that.
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Rattlesnake Arch
Social climber
Home is where we park it
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Apr 26, 2019 - 01:40pm PT
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3. There was a wealth of world class photography of Alex's climb available, none of which made it into the book. Instead, a rather odd selection of pictures.
Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed reading it.
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Roger Breedlove
climber
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
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Apr 26, 2019 - 02:10pm PT
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Nice review, Greg. And...I had to spend $4.00 to get a copy of the WSJ at a Starbucks on the way to work.
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Gregory Crouch
Social climber
Walnut Creek, California
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Apr 26, 2019 - 02:29pm PT
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^^^ Oh no, think of all the people to whom I'm going to owe cups of coffee... ;-)
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Apr 26, 2019 - 03:18pm PT
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RSA if you paied attention to the book you would see that while Mark highlights some character flaws he also gives credit to Alex for maturing in those areas. Additionally those character flaws were pretty well documented in the movie.
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Rattlesnake Arch
Social climber
Home is where we park it
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Apr 27, 2019 - 06:28am PT
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Agreed tradman. However, Alex has made it clear that he was uncomfortable with his character flaws being exposed in Free Solo, but he was well compensated in several ways for allowing this. The book has a different cost/benefit profile for Alex and presents him a bit less favorably than the movie, IMHO.
I admit all this is speculation. What we do know Gregory sums up succinctly in his well written article.
I said my two cents worth and now I'll shut up.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Apr 27, 2019 - 06:37am PT
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Good review Greg! I think you drilled down to the central question for climbers and non climbers alike, and one that remains unanswered.
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Gunkie
Trad climber
Valles Marineris
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Apr 27, 2019 - 12:40pm PT
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I read it and I really liked it. At first I thought Synnott was too self-focused. But those early in the book stories put a nice frame around the primary subject matter. Well done.
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