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Books > Sport & Leisure > Sports & outdoor recreation > Active outdoor pursuits > Climbing & mountaineering
WARNING: this book may release the playful toy within you In a busy
and complex world, Soft Courage is a simple and inspiring tale. It
reminds us of the things that matter and make people and the planet
a better place. It is told through the eyes of Yannick - a soft toy
penguin - who accompanies author Tess Burrows ('My Human') in
jumping out of a plane, hanging precariously on the rock face
overlooking the city of Rio, biking the length of Britain and
tackling peace climbs on far-flung Andean and Himalayan mountains.
Their ultimate mission: to raise funds for Tibet and to promote
peace on earth. In a modern fable based on Tess' own true-life
adventures, Yannick battles with his ego and adversity to learn
principles inspired by Tibetan wisdom: courage, compassion,
friendship, inner peace, humbleness, determination, oneness and
insight. Will they lead to eventual happiness?
On 25 January 2018, Elisabeth Revol and her climbing partner Tomasz
Mackiewicz summited Nanga Parbat, the killer mountain. Situated in
the Karakoram, the world's ninth-highest peak is an immense
ice-armoured pyramid of rock rising to an altitude of 8,125 metres.
Elisabeth and Tomek had completed only the second winter ascent of
the mountain, and Elisabeth had become the first woman to summit
Nanga Parbat in winter. But their euphoria was short-lived. As soon
as they reached the top, their adventure turned into a nightmare as
Tomek was struck by blindness. In her own words, Elisabeth tells
the story of this tragedy and the extraordinary rescue operation
that resounded across the globe as fellow climbers flew in from K2
to help the stricken pair. She confronts her memories, her terror,
her immense pain and the heartbreak of having survived, alone. To
Live is Elisabeth Revol's poignant tribute to her friend and
climbing partner.
Shortlisted for Biography of the Year at the Telegraph Sports Book
Awards 2020 Shortlisted for Adventure Travel Book of the Year at
the Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards 2020 On June 3rd 2017,
professional climber Mark Synnott was in Yosemite to witness
something that only a handful of people knew was about to occur:
his friend, Alex Honnold, was going to attempt to summit one of the
world's most challenging ascents, a route called Freerider on the
notorious rock formation El Capitan. It is an extraordinarily
dangerous and difficult climb, and yet Alex was going to do it
'free solo'. Meaning no help. No partner. No equipment. No rope.
Where a single small mistake would mean certain death. Indeed, to
summit El Cap free solo was a feat likened to Neil Armstrong first
walking on the moon. As Alex plots, rehearses and ultimately
attempts his heart-stopping ascent, Mark also shares his own
personal history of climbing, filled with triumphs, defeats and
dilemmas, in this deeply reported, inspiring exhortation to live
life to the fullest.
The 2020 National Outdoor Book Awards of the History of the Year
Shortlisted for the 2020 William Hill Sports Book of the Year 'A
gripping history' THE ECONOMIST 'The World Beneath Their Feet
contains plenty of rollicking stories' THE TIMES 'Gripping' THE
SUNDAY TIMES One of the most compelling international dramas of the
20th century and an unforgettable saga of survival, technological
innovation, and breathtaking human physical achievement-all set
against the backdrop of a world headed toward war. While tension
steadily rose between European powers in the 1930s, a different
kind of battle was raging across the Himalayas. Contingents from
Great Britain, Nazi Germany, and the United States had set up rival
camps at the base of the mountains, all hoping to become recognized
as the fastest, strongest, and bravest climbers in the world.
Carried on across nearly the entire sweep of the Himalayas, this
contest involved not only the greatest mountain climbers of the
era, but statesmen and millionaires, world-class athletes and bona
fide eccentrics, scientists and generals, obscure villagers and
national heroes. Centered in the 1930s, with one brief, shining
postwar coda, the contest was a struggle between hidebound
traditionalists and unknown innovators, one that featured new
techniques and equipment, unbelievable courage and physical
achievement, and unparalleled valor. And death. One Himalayan peak
alone, Nanga Parbat in Kashmir, claimed twenty-five lives in less
than three years. Climbing the Himalayas was the Greatest
Generation's moonshot--one shrouded in the onset of war,
interrupted by it, and then fully accomplished. A gritty,
fascinating history that promises to enrapture fans of Hampton
Side, Jon Krakauer, and Laura Hillenbrand, The World Beneath Their
Feet brings this forgotten story back to life.
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