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Touching The Void

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Touching the Void by Joe Simpson is a gripping non-fiction account of a disastrous mountaineering expedition in the Peruvian Andes. The book recounts the harrowing tale of two climbers, Simon Yates and Joe Simpson, who successfully summit Siula Grande but face a life-threatening situation on the descent when Simpson breaks his leg. The narrative is filled with suspense, personal willpower, and the sheer determination to survive against all odds. Simpson's writing style is described as immediate, truthful, and compelling, providing a detailed insight into the physical and emotional challenges faced during the expedition.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is straightforward, blending emotional storytelling with technical climbing details, making it engaging yet occasionally complex for those unfamiliar with the jargon.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot features a dangerous mountaineering expedition in the Andes, focusing on Joe Simpson's near-death experience after breaking his leg and the moral dilemmas faced during survival.

Setting:

The setting evokes the stark, perilous beauty of the Andes, emphasizing the challenges posed by nature during the expedition.

Pacing:

The pacing starts slowly with technical details before quickening post-accident, capturing the urgency of survival.
I was lying in my sleeping bag, staring at the light filtering through the red and green fabric of the dome tent. Simon was snoring loudly, occasionally twitching in his dream world. We could have bee...

Notes:

The book is set in 1985 and recounts a mountaineering disaster on Siula Grande in Peru.
Joe Simpson and Simon Yates attempted a first ascent on a mountain face that had never been climbed before.
The story addresses the emotional and moral dilemmas faced during extreme situations.
Simpson suffered a severe leg injury during the descent, leading to a desperate survival struggle.
Yates had to make the harrowing decision to cut the rope connecting him to Simpson to save his own life.
The book is renowned for its gripping narrative and has been adapted into a documentary film.
It includes retrospective comments from both climbers reflecting on their decisions years later.
The writing combines elements of adventure with deep psychological insights into survival against overwhelming odds.
Joe Simpson managed to crawl back to camp over three days without food and water after the accident.
The book's portrayal of Yates cutting the rope sparked debates about ethics in life-and-death situations.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Triggers may include detailed descriptions of physical injury, extreme cold, and psychological trauma experienced during life-threatening situations.

From The Publisher:

Joe Simpson and his climbing partner, Simon Yates, had just reached the top of a 21,000-foot peak in the Andes when disaster struck. Simpson plunged off the vertical face of an ice ledge, breaking his leg. In the hours that followed, darkness fell and a blizzard raged as Yates tried to lower his friend to safety. Finally, Yates was forced to cut the rope, moments before he would have been pulled to his own death.

The next three days were an impossibly grueling ordeal for both men. Yates, certain that Simpson was dead, returned to base camp consumed with grief and guilt over abandoning him. Miraculously, Simpson had survived the fall, but crippled, starving, and severely frostbitten was trapped in a deep crevasse. Summoning vast reserves of physical and spiritual strength, Simpson crawled over the cliffs and canyons of the Andes, reaching base camp hours before Yates had planned to leave.

How both men overcame the torments of those harrowing days is an epic tale of fear, suffering, and survival, and a poignant testament to unshakable courage and friendship.

Ratings (14)

Incredible (1)
Loved It (6)
Liked It (6)
It Was OK (1)

Reader Stats (45):

Read It (14)
Want To Read (19)
Did Not Finish (1)
Not Interested (11)

About the Author:

Joe Simpson is the author of several bestselling books, of which the first, Touching the Void, won both the NCR Award and the Boardman Tasker Award. His later books are This Game of Ghosts, Storms of Silence, Dark Shadows Falling, The Beckoning Silence and a novel, The Water People.

 
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