shelvesofsamantha's review
4.0
Initially, I set out to read this book as research. At the time, I was planning to write a story of my own that was set in the White Mountains, the protagonist an experienced hiker of the Presidential Range. I ended up tabling that story idea, but I had already purchased the book and wanted to read it nonetheless.
Full disclosure: I am not a hiker. I’m a scaredy-cat who avoids activities that one might say are, well, not without peril. I can distinctly recall two hikes I’ve been on in my life. The first was a mild trek in California, the only difficulty of which was a steep hill that I decided against my better judgment to climb to impress my girlfriend, an avid hiker, in the very early days of our relationship. I over-exerted myself and promptly vomited atop the hill. (And thankfully, my girlfriend kept going out with me afterwards.)
The second hike, however, was much more dangerous. It was a trek through a Hawaiian bamboo forest, involving scrambling, climbing, uneven terrain, mud, loose rocks, and, at the end, swimming several hundred yards in a river. It was objectively too dangerous and too strenuous for someone as inexperienced as me and the majority of my party. The only reason we did not encounter serious danger was because two people with us had hiked it before and were in good enough physical condition to help us down some perilous descents. I finished the hike sore, a little dehydrated, and with tender ankles from the uneven rocks. We later found out that someone died on the trail that same day.
That story is child’s play compared to the tales Howe shares from the Presidential Range. The fatal misadventures in this book are handled with a requisite degree of reverence, cautionary tales rather than lurid exploitation of tragedy. The book is at its most riveting when it tells these stories, and I found myself tearing through these pages far more than the asides about the landscape or Howe’s personal connection to the White Mountains. Nevertheless, Howe’s explanation of the landscape is extremely detailed, and it’s hard not to appreciate the level of research put into this book. My last complaint is a petty one - so many comma splices, my number one grammatical pet peeve! - but I don’t want to harp on the writing too much, because it’s not meant to be a literary masterpiece. It’s fairly workmanlike and does the job, which is all it needs to do to be effective.
Even as someone who has never and may never hiked the Whites, this was a truly enjoyable read. My motivations for reading this books were admittedly a little odd, but I’m still glad I picked it up.
Full disclosure: I am not a hiker. I’m a scaredy-cat who avoids activities that one might say are, well, not without peril. I can distinctly recall two hikes I’ve been on in my life. The first was a mild trek in California, the only difficulty of which was a steep hill that I decided against my better judgment to climb to impress my girlfriend, an avid hiker, in the very early days of our relationship. I over-exerted myself and promptly vomited atop the hill. (And thankfully, my girlfriend kept going out with me afterwards.)
The second hike, however, was much more dangerous. It was a trek through a Hawaiian bamboo forest, involving scrambling, climbing, uneven terrain, mud, loose rocks, and, at the end, swimming several hundred yards in a river. It was objectively too dangerous and too strenuous for someone as inexperienced as me and the majority of my party. The only reason we did not encounter serious danger was because two people with us had hiked it before and were in good enough physical condition to help us down some perilous descents. I finished the hike sore, a little dehydrated, and with tender ankles from the uneven rocks. We later found out that someone died on the trail that same day.
That story is child’s play compared to the tales Howe shares from the Presidential Range. The fatal misadventures in this book are handled with a requisite degree of reverence, cautionary tales rather than lurid exploitation of tragedy. The book is at its most riveting when it tells these stories, and I found myself tearing through these pages far more than the asides about the landscape or Howe’s personal connection to the White Mountains. Nevertheless, Howe’s explanation of the landscape is extremely detailed, and it’s hard not to appreciate the level of research put into this book. My last complaint is a petty one - so many comma splices, my number one grammatical pet peeve! - but I don’t want to harp on the writing too much, because it’s not meant to be a literary masterpiece. It’s fairly workmanlike and does the job, which is all it needs to do to be effective.
Even as someone who has never and may never hiked the Whites, this was a truly enjoyable read. My motivations for reading this books were admittedly a little odd, but I’m still glad I picked it up.
lydiaogden's review
4.0
This is a good bookie you love the Whites and/or the outdoors but it is hard to read knowing each tale ends in someone’s death or near death.
bluejeepbaby's review against another edition
4.0
The book can get really fluffy with a lot of added information that I definitely skimmed over. Probably just me since I get lost in geography locations, but as well as backstories or random facts about people/places. I'm usually captured by the deaths/survival/missing stories most heavily taking up the book. It was nice to read about an area so close to me though!
acellist's review
4.0
Neat stories about an incredibly familiar place!!! The history of the Whites is fascinating, and the number of people who have been unprepared (or unlucky) and died in these harsh and beautiful mountains is astounding.
toner1014's review
2.0
Picked this up after my first climb up Mt Washington. It was thorough by too detailed and dry. Also—could have used a serious proofread. Author knows his stuff but needed a better editor.
thehappylittleelf's review
This actually is a pretty good book, but I think the people who will connect most with it are people who are already familiar with the area. One of my favorite books of all time is Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer. Even though I’ve never been to Everest, Krakauer has this magic to his writing that puts me right there on the mountain with him. But I didn’t get that same feeling with this book — the author (rightfully) assumed the reader would already have some kind of understanding of the area. That’s who the book was written for, after all. So, overall a pretty good book, but when I started hardcore skimming I decided it was probably best for me to just move on.
davidfranz's review
5.0
The White Mountains are challenging for even the most seasoned climbers.
Wild weather that changes suddenly amplifies the risk.
Howe tells the stories of those who lost their lives on the mountain in wonderfully dry Yankee tones.
This one is always on my nighstand.
Wild weather that changes suddenly amplifies the risk.
Howe tells the stories of those who lost their lives on the mountain in wonderfully dry Yankee tones.
This one is always on my nighstand.
qali's review against another edition
4.0
Absolutely gripping. Howe's retelling of these stories is full of tension and horror.
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