Touching the Void

[alakso]

A local gear shop showed the DVD "Touching the Void" last night at the local library. What a great movie! Scenery was awesome, and the story was very powerful! It's yet another example of the Indomitable Human Spirit. It also showed the importance of goal setting. In 1975 when I was at the Marine Corps Recruit depot at Parris Island, SC. I thought I'd never make it as I was the youngest kid there only 3 days past my 17th birthday. But I set goals that were sometimes as little as making it through the next minute. I succeeded and became a Marine Grunt! Never quit is my motto! This movie reminded me of the story of Jim Bridger who was mauled by a Grizzly and left to die but survived. Watching "Touching the Void" makes me want to climb even more! alakso

[Weekend_Climberz]

If you have not read his books, Touching the Void and This Game of Ghosts, I highly recommend them. They are great stories of different times in Joe Simpson's life, the latter being less about climbing and more of how he ended up climbing. One great story I remember is when his sister dared him to ride a tricycle down about 100 stairs near his house. If memory serves, he was pretty young (~10yrs) and made it all the way to the last step and went head over handle bars and landed breaking his arm. The guy was a glutton for punishment, literally.

[knotzen]

Joe Simpson is a good writer. I have all of his books.

[cj001f]

The guy was a glutton for punishment, literally.

That and a bit accident prone. "This Game of Ghosts" and "Touching the Void" are good reads, his latter stuff I didn't enjoy as much.

[jmckay]

Also shows how you can turn a major fuck up to your advantage. If either yates or simpson new what they were doing you would never have heard of either of them.

[DirtyHarry]

For the most part I'd agree, but their "route" on Sulla Grande still hasn't been fully repeated and was definitly cutting edge, espescially for the time.

[griz]

definitly cutting edge

 

no doubt.

[BrittEasterly]

What other books has he written? I have those two and they are great reads.

[Miss_Piggy]

He also wrote these books:

" Dark Shadows Falling "

" Storms of Silence "

"The Beckoning Silence "

"The Water People "

[plark42]

I personally like Joe Simpson's total nonchalance.. he talks about how he "doesn't fit in" with the climbing world.. he always thought of himself as a beginner yet he could/would flash grade V/VI ice and Extreme rock routes.. he also drinks a ton.. which helps

[Chad_A]

His writing, I think, is pretty good for the most part; for a laugh, read "The Coldest Dance", a chapter in "Storms of Silence" that covers the topic of Water Ice Climbing. Pretty friggin' funny.