mountaineering

The image of Beck Waethers' frostbitten face is one I have stamped on my memory. I have often wondered what happened to this survivor of the deadly 1996 Everest Expedition. Beck returned to Dallas to try pick up the pieces of his life and discovered, for all intents and purposes, he had almost lost his family as well. This book is the combined stories of Beck Weathers and his wife, Peach (I was so glad to find she actually had another name). It touches on Beck's growing up, his schooling, getting married and how he became obsessed with conquering the Seven Summits. Peach adds her observations and commentary on the family that for all intents and purposes came along for the recovery. It is a tale of struggling to find self, (both Weathers)and a marriage. The most interesting thing about this book is the narritative style and the absolute honesty of both writers. You find yourself wondering if Beck will ever overcome his feelings of inadequacy and will he ever really reach out and make an emotional connection with those closest to him. There is enough about the climb to remind the reader this was a serious and driven climber. Left For Dead is more a story of redemption, and a tale that leaves its reader wondering if it will ever be completely found in Beck's mind.

The first 120 pages of this book are mesmerizing. They deal with the climb from his prespective. His writing style and comments can be very humorous at times in dealing with this massive trauma he was facing. Clearly, he looked death in the eye and has come out a better man. I started this late at night and couldn't put it down until I finished this section.

The rest of the book deals with his family relationships (poor) and his early struggles with depression. There is no question this reads slower but I am still glad I read it. Clearly, his marriage was on the rocks from his noncaring attitude and he admits as much. Climbers may not like this part of the book but if you are involved in a intense personal relationship but have lived your life as an "A" type individual, read this to learn what might happen to you. At one point, he admits the accident was a positive experience for his interpersonal relationships even though he lost his hands. That's a powerful statement.

This book has something for everyone but maybe not enough for any particular type person. I applaud Beck Weathers and wish him, his wife and his kids well. I enjoyed the book but make sure you're ready for both sides of the story. Hard core climbers who are only in it for the thrill may be disappointed with Beck's life lessons.

To be perfectly clear, I am glad I read this book. The problem is that I'm only glad to have read about 20% of it, the rest is stuff that I frankly could care less about. Now, there are people would appreciate the soap opera Weathers describes as the relationship between he and his wife deteriorates. You can find these people in the trash-novel section of your local booksture. The folks who browse the mountaineering section of said bookstore are more interested in the 20% that I was referring to above - The actual experience on everest and its aftermath, which is presented honestly and is quite intriguing. Even gripping. It has value. It is worth the $7. It is the reason why I gave this book two stars, not one. However, the majority of this book is a chore to read.