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This book was interesting not so much for the story line or the adventure of
climbing; rather, this book was interesting because of the way that it focused
attention on the author's gradual loss of enthusiasm and emotion about
climbing. Venables describes the climb in fairly mechanical terms; little of
the joy that he must have experienced of the first ascent of Panch Chuli V was
apparent. Admittedly, a broken leg and ankle could cause anyone to question what
they were doing -- but the comparison with Joe Simpson's tale in
Touching
the Void which has nearly identical circumstances makes it clear that
Venables has lost much of the magic that he started with. The final tableau in
Patagonia with three other climbers who have also lost their some of their verve clinches
this feeling. |
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