Amazon link: Unknown Pleasures: Collected writing on life, death, climbing and everything in between

by Andy Kirkpatrick

Can recommend for non climbers

I have been provided this book by the publisher and this review is my uninfluenced thoughts. I would give this book 5/5.

A complicated and in-depth memoir of mixed metaphors, complicated thoughts and extreme tales of endurance by world renowned big wall climber and author Andy Kirkpatrick. His collection of thoughts and experiences are drawn from his family and personal life, struggles and successes with dyslexia, passing rumination and previous blog posts linked by the common thread of his obsession with extreme big wall winter climbing. Do not let being a non-climber put you off picking up this book up. If you enjoy stories, a glimpse into the thoughts of others and interested in the mentality, and practicalities of taking on extreme outdoor adventures then I can recommend this book.

As a non-climber technical terms will be meaningless, however, this does not take away from the reading. I could not put this book down and before reading was unaware of how extreme and demanding such climbs were. I can recommend Unknown Pleasures to the wannabe climber, mountain enthusiast and anyone interested in understanding the inner musing of humans who do things a bit differently.