Climbing Books

I have ascended Mt. Elbrus, Mont Blanc, Mt. Kilimanjaro and did hiking in Caucasus, Pamir, Altai, Kamchatka, did participate in skying tours behind polar circle. Therefore I now perfectly well the value of information necessary to prepare for such tours. Our next target is Aconcagua and I was searching many websites and books for very detailed Aconcagua information. The book "Aconcagua, Summit of South America" by Harry Kikstra is ultimate selection including all most detailed necessary and useful information not even mentioning very professional and beautiful photos. I did never find so helpful source of information before.

Arvydas Sekmokas (55 years old)

Small enough to bring in a stuffed backpack, this excellent guide will make you travel along the trail to the top of Aconcagua before even taking the plane. Perfect to plan your trip, everything is in it: gear check, clear maps, day-by-day detailed itinary, breathtaking pictures...

Since i bought this book in the first time, i ordered some to all my expedition partners as gifts...!

I never saw a guide like this one!

ML

I'm planning my trip to Aconcagua and this book has been very helpful. Love all the helpful photos and diagrams.

I've been to Aconcagua before but didn't have this pocket book with me. Most authors seem to write quantity not quality. This little book is written with a climber in mind and does not sacrifice quality even though it is a small climber friendly guide. How much info do you really need to go up the mountain anyway? This book covers all and is packed with usefull information minus any fluff. Do yourself a favor and head to Argentina with this book rather than any of the library size climbing guides out there.

As a Peace Corps Volunteer serving in Armenia, I have found this guide to be extremely useful. I have used the guide on many occasions for myself and to introduce Armenians to the outdoors. It is offers an excellent introduction to the environmental issues currently surrounding Armenia, current and valuable resource list, and the most current topo hiking maps. It is by no means a complete guide but has some of the more popular areas to hike, some focusing around the Tufenkian hotels (Jeffery is the nephew of the famous carpet producer James Tufankian). Future editions will have more hikes, especially in the northwest section. The climbing section is small but offers some of the best areas to climb. If you are coming to Armenia to hike or climb, then you MUST own this guide.

This is one of the most user-friendly hiking guides I've ever used...it's laid out well, provides great resource information, the descriptions are clear and overall it makes what can be a difficult area to access very accessible. It's without a doubt made my time in the country more enjoyable and interesting.

Armenia - land of amazing mountains and plateaus and ancient culture...Are you interested in seeing old monasteries and churches or shepherds moving their flocks across the mountain face that you will be climbing? Come to Armenia and bring this guide-book with you.

Hiking in Armenia is an adventure. Eco-tourism is new and the land and mountains are still untouched. The Adventure Armenia guidebook is a perfect way to explore and experience a way of life that is vanishing in many parts of the world. About the book: I have found both the directions and options (once on the hike) incredibly accurate. I tested the book out five weeks ago on a hike to Mt. Hattis. We found our destination with no difficulty, had an interesting chat with a old woman at the shrine (start of the hike), and found ourselves in good company with shepherds and their flocks of sheep and goats. The shepherds were curious about us and often stopped us to ask what time it was (more for conversation, of course). We had spectacular views of Mt. Ararat and Mt. Aragats and were the only people on the mountain (other than the shepherds). The book itself is light-weight and provides one with plenty of pictures, recommendations, and practical advice about Armenia and getting around in Armenia.

I would highly recommend it to anyone coming to Armenia or living in Armenia that would like to see more of the country and experience first-hand the beauty of the country and its ancient sites.

I have lived in Armenia for over a year, and this is by far the most useful guide book on the market. Not only is it a great hiking guide, but it also provides all sorts of useful information about the country and region in a very accessible format. The authors have done a great job selecting hikes from a variety of regions and with varying skill levels. Unlike most guides about Armenia, the directions are up-to-date and easy to follow - a notable accomplishment given the generally poor signage in the country. Even if you aren't planning to hike, this book is an invaluable resource for anyone planning to venture beyond the city limits of Yerevan. It points you to all the best sights. Another bonus is the size - perfect for slipping in a pack or even a pocket.

Could not put it down and did not want it to end. Gave me a greater appreciation for the Daks. Really inspired me to get out there and hike!

My mother is from this area, and I have gone up my whole life (mid 40s) and this is the BEST book I think I have ever read about this area of the Adirondacks. A wonderful book - cannot recommend enough!!

I was aware, at least in part,of most of these stories
but didn't know the details. The author made these historic
events come alive.
Great book.
DML 4/5/08

Definitely one of the best books I've read on the Adirondacks.

Having just completed climbing all the 46 Adirondack High Peaks in the past year I found this book thoroughly enjoyable. It is well researched, well written and the stories are retold in such a way that keep you on the edge of your seat.

I really had a difficult time putting this book down as I read about many mishaps in areas in the "Daks" that I had personally "discovered" having passed through just recently- these areas will be well-know to those who frequent this still somewhat rugged wilderness.

Not only was the book entertaining but educational. One can always learn from other's mistakes thus minimizing a repeat of such tragedies or risky situations. It certainly pushes home the idea that safety should never be compromised when venturing out into any mountains or wilderness.

This book will be a big hit amoung those not familar with the region as well as those who love the Adirondacks. Anyone who enjoys mountaineering and adventure tales involving tragedy or survival will enjoy & benefit.

I can see this book selling like "hotcakes" once word gets around about its availability.

This is a great book covering Bolivian mountaineering--not basic hiking and trekking, but the true climbs.

Yossi was a fantastic person who, even 4 years after his death, is very much missed. He lived the spirit and passion that is the great country of Bolivia!

Hasta La Cumbre! Viva Yossi & Viva Bolivia!

I just wanted to let you know that my friend Yossi Brain, the author of this book, was killed in an avalanche while climbing in Bolivia in 1999. (The latest (4th) edition of my book, the Lonely Planet guide to Bolivia, is dedicated to him.) Therefore, it's no longer accurate to say that he currently lives in La Paz, Bolivia. Perhaps, 'He lived in La Paz, Bolivia, until his death in an avalanche in 1999.'

From Planeta Journal - Before his death in 1999, the author was a professional mountain guide and adventure traveler based in La Paz. A colleague and friend wrote: "His books are the best that have been written about Bolivia's trekking and climbing in decades." In this useful book Brain provides a number of choices of where to climb, including new and lesser-known routes in the cordilleras--Real, Apolobamba, Quimsa Cruz, and Occidental.

Yossi's local experience shines through in the intial advice and the route descriptions. The ranges, groups of peaks, approaches to induvidual mountains and the routes given for each peak are well laid out, clear and concise. Photgraphs are included to give an impression of the types of climbing and the setting. For the peaks and routes I have experienced the descriptions are excellent and I could have saved myself a lot of trouble if this book had been around earlier. The book is available at the same time as the infrastructure has improved to support visiting climbers so get a copy and get out there.

The book was very good. It gave me a very good time reading. It was so good I couldn't even put it down! I recommend it to everyone who engoys climbing stories!

This is a great compilation of climbing stories. Some are inspiring while others will make you think about whether this is really something you want to be doing. Also highly recommended for those addicted to mountaineering literature is the editor's book "Epic" for more of the same...

Willis has a genius for searching climbing literature and coming up with gripping passages to incorporate into his anthologies. Some readers will find that they already own most of the original books, making the anthology unnecessary. However, for those who only like the exciting bits, or who don't want to collect dozens of volumes, Willis' works are perfect. The latest installment continues to incorporate writings on many different climbing styles and historical periods, both fiction and nonfiction.

As you can see from the table of contents and the editorial reviews, this book contains writings by lots of great mountaineers and climbers. Many of the authors discuss experiences when they have had to deal with fear, loss, and the difficult question of risk; they also share some of the lessons that they have learned from years of being challenged by nature and other people. Willis' compilation includes a selection of both fictional and true stories that I found to be a balanced combination of very funny, poignant, sad, and--best of all--inspiring. Reading this book really made me want to get outside! One of the convenient things about this book is that the stories are rather short, so it's easy to pick it up for a brief escape from the hustle and bustle of the city...There is also a bibliography so one can read further about any of the stories, if one chooses.

This 'feel good' tale by Mark Lichterman, a relatively unknown, but upcoming author, is way more than just another Christmas story. It is a classic description of the London chimney sweeping trade, brought to life by superb characterization of its main players. The reader immediately bonds with Zachariah, an eight year old child, who you want to bring home, bathe, feed, clothe and just cuddle. He will steal your heart while other feelings of anger, rage and resentment arise from the provocative personality of William Johnson, the boy's Master. Lichterman, in expert fashion, weaves a very twisted, intertwining yarn that has you holding your breath until the very end. This book is a must read and I can hardly wait to get a copy of the authors newest book, Becoming.

It is a great read. I believe that it should be made into a movie by Disney.

Mark Lichterman wrote an excellent book. I truly believe that Disney or Pixar studios should do an animation movie of the book. It would make a great film that would apeal to both adults and children. I hope he writes more books in the future.

You can really feel like your part of the story. The people in the book are so real.

Also, it wasn't hard to use. I just clicked on a little icon after inserting the cd into my computer. I think this is a good e-book for people who are new to their computers.

The author Mark lictermin (spelling?) is on my list of good authors. Not too many make that list.

Loved it, best book I have read in years. A friend told me about it and loaned me a copy. Whatever I say would not begin to do it justice. Buy it or if necessary borrow it but read it and enjoy. Im sure you will as I did, want it in your permanent collection. Mark is a true artist and I look forward to his next work

This is a wonderful book for anyone who enjoys climbing roses. It is beautiful and interesting, offering the origin of various roses, detailed descriptions, growing tips, and pruning instructions. I have found it to be a very helpful reference tool for my growing rose garden. In the winter, it is a pleasure place on a coffee table and browse the gorgeous pictures.

--bar none! The author gives detailed descriptions of a select variety of climbers, along with information on the history, care and pruning of each one. Photographs of each are included, but this is an informational book, not mere eye candy. If I could only have one source on climbing roses, this would be it. My hope is that it will come back into print.

This book goes beyond the standard fare of horticulture writing. Its very informative but at the same time it had very readable prose and some refreshing ideas, especially on zones, blooming characters, etc, for the east coast of the US, which doesn't seem to be very habitable for roses in general.

Scaniello organizes climbing roses in roughly chronological order and writes two pages of text for each entry. This kind of treatment gives one an excellent understanding of the way climbing roses developed through the ages. The photos are full-page which is necessary for representing the scale and garden effect of climbing roses effectively. It is an approach we hope to see used more in books about roses.

The text is informative, giving historical links between roses and for each rose, suggesting a group of roses that are similar. The book is a strong entry, but it has a significant number of flaws.

The focus seems to be too much on roses bred in America. There's a huge number of climbers in David Austin's Shrub Roses and Climbing Roses that deserve mention here. It was almost as if the authors had made a conscious decision to avoid the roses chosen by Austin. If so, that was a big mistake because their treatment was more thorough, usually, than Austin's. My suspicion is that the book is about Climbing Roses of the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, since that is where Scaniello practices his art. And it would have been more honest to subtitle it that way.

It is true that roses do pink, white and red best. And it is true that one must be judicious in using yellow in a garden: place them badly and you get a color trainwreck. But yellows - whether they are apricot, primrose, gold, or just plain yellow - really draw the eye in a garden. Yellow roses can be the glory of the garden. And my impression is that yellow roses are not well represented here.

I also get the impression that ramblers are not well represented here. A remarkably tiny portion of the roses in this volume manage to scramble up tall structures. Conversely, there are a lot of leggy large-flowered roses.

Most of the photographs are stunning. But a significant portion show flaws. In some cases it appears to be color balance - it is frequently too cool. Some whites show the (almost unavoidable) blown highlights and flares. In a book with thousands of photos these would be quibbles. But there are not even hundreds of roses in this book, so each flaw becomes a noticable problem.

Finally, there is the writing. One gets the impression that the writer is skilled at the craft, but generally uninformed about roses. The language is clear, but the meanings are frequently muddy. If I had to choose between a person with a deep knowledge of roses but quirky writing skills and a person with no knowledge and great writing skills, I'd choose the former every time. Voice matters.

For Americans living in zones 5, 6, and 7 who wish to learn a little more about climbing roses of the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, this is an indispensible volume. It is difficult, however, to recommend this as a first or only book on the subject of climbing roses. And if one wants to learn about ramblers, one should look elsewhere.

COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN!
Bob Rosenthal's compilation has captured Passaic from infancy through adulthood, from the aroma of sweet Italian sausage and Polish kielbasa to arroz con gandules and pernil. The ethnicity of Passaic as it grew to one of New Jersey's most prominent and productive cities is captured here by 28 authors who have each "walked the walk" down Main Ave. or climbed the 100 steps. A virtual reality trip down memory lane which sends the reader into a "I remember when" like state of mind. Truly a great read.

Passaic is my home town, so I had to read this book. The written memories took me back home, with names of people, as well as streets & events. The tears stung my eyes. My 34 y/o daughter, who was 3 y/o when we left, read the book & told me she wants to go back to Passaic to see what she missed out on. What better tribute to Bob Rosenthal & his chapter authors! Looking forward to a sequel! In the meantime, I'm reading it again.

Couldn't put it down. Bob Rosenthal has accomplished what few others have. He's assembled a multitude of former and present Passaic residents, asked them to become authors, and write about their fondest(and perhaps not so fondest)memories of Passaic. You can hear the city buses and smell the ethnic foods wafting from the open windows as you take this journey back through the years and experience life in Passaic. An enjoyable read.

The book contains the stories of individuals who grew up in a multiethnic community in northern New Jersey. These fascinating memories span the years from 1915 to 2000. The stories will delight everyone and will spark the reader to reminisce about their past with a renewed interest . I highly recommend everyone read Climbing the Rainbow: 28 Glimpses of Growing Up in Passaic by Bob Rosenthal(Compiler)

This book can not be ignored. full stop.

Beginner, Intermediate or Experienced - new or at it for the last five hundred years. Reincarnated Rabi of some dubvious order or new ager wanting to move beyond the obvious information told and retold in a hundred books on the subject.

This book provides the reader with a solid basis in Western Mystery Qabalah. In many ways it could be called a "work book" in addition to a "manual" and although it is a primer, it contains far more than just the basics. Its a manual as it provides the information and the mechanics on how the qabalah fits together, its a workbook as it also provides the reader with many excellent exercises and meditations. Its a solid primer on the subject as it contains all the basics, but it is also much more as it contains some rarely seen qoutations from sources other than the obvious.

Rankine is a master of the qabalah, yet it he makes no pretentious claims to being any thing of the kind. However,it is obvious that he understands his subject inside out, the words flow, without the need for superfluous words to make it sound over complicated. Qabalah is a difficult subject, but one well worth studying, I have myself been reading and practising for more than ten years, but still feel that there is more to learn. This book provides me with much new material to work with and some great insights on rituals such as the Middle Pillar makes it even more of a must read for students of the Golden Dawn and related systems.

My only wish is that this, like the series of books the author is producing with Golden Hoard Press, could be produced in a hardback edition! But that is just being greedy!

This is the latest great offering by David Rankine, who apart from being one of my favourite magickal pin-ups, seems to be producing some of the best work on western mystery tradition magick at the moment. Sensible, yet accessible. Intellectual, yet easy to read. Theoretical, yet practical. I am sure you get the picture!

Climbing the Tree of life is a nicely produced paperback, the binding is good, the layout makes it easy to find what you are looking for and the writing, well it is more than just great, it is excellent.

I would recommend it to anyone wishing to study the Qabalah from a magickal perspective. It is far easier to follow and understand than some of the other books on the market, but does so without loosing touch of the subject, without the need for filling space with words which are meaningless.

What is even nicer about this book is that the author doesn't force his religious views upon the reader. Christianity is deemed as valid as Paganism or indeed any other spiritual path. Refreshing.

This book is great. It is as simple as that. If you are interested in Qabalah, then you should be reading it. Reading this book will give you access to the ideas, research and practices of a man who understands the Qabalah throroughly, it will save you reinventing the wheel and you will benefit from his excellent explanations through and through.

Qabalah, or Kabballah or whichever way you choose to spell it continued to be a painful experience for me until I bought and read this book. Rankine's take on it shows that he has done his research, but not only through books and journals, through hard work in the system itself.

The book gives all the theory you could ever hope for. It gives practical examples and exercises and it gives insights that I could only vaguely glimpse in other books on the subject.

No doubt that there will be some who struggled through Mystical Qabalah by Dion Fortune and other books of that era on the subject of Western Mystery Qabalah who will pick up this book and scratch their heads in disbelief. This book is no-nonsense, no-fluff, ultra-practical, ultra-readable, ultra-excellent.

The author has been a practising magickian for many years and through the material made available in this book, I have no doubt that he must also be an excellent teacher.

If you have an interest in magickal qabalah you can do no wrong purchasing this book. It will in time, I believe, replace most books on the subject available today. No doubt it will ruffle some feathers with new informed and thought through takes on the Middle Pillar and other such rituals, but it makes perfect sense and gives perfect well thought through reasons for doing so.

Part of me felt like I should keep the knowledge of this book to myself. It is a real insight into the mysteries, but this book should be shared. You will save yourself years of struggle and gain great insights if you work through the exercises and visualisations in this book.

Enjoy.

This is a good little book. The author has definitely done his homework and put a good deal of effort into this book. If you are looking for a book on the Qabalah from a Western Hermetic approach (like the Golden Dawn) then you will enjoy this book.

It does have a few typos in it. There are several on page 148, where the typesetter didn't put certain numbers in 'superscript,' above the line; this makes for some confusion until you realize what has happened. There are a few more of these typographical errors.

One issue I have with the book is that it attributes Kether to Pluto. I realize that other occult authors have done the very same thing, but I take issue with them, too.

Chokmah is Uranus, since Ouranos was the Starry sky, and Chokmah is the Sphere of the Zodiac, it doesn't take a lot of imagination to see this. Kether is Neptune; it is often called the 'first swirlings' which remind one of the galactic swirlings in space. But what if it is talking about the 'first swirlings' in the sea in the heavens, as G-d separated the waters from the waters. Neptune, then, would make a perfect candidate for Kether, as the mystical intelligence which is a part of Neptune's planetary energies.

Pluto is better suited to Da'ath. A planet that is not a planet for a Sephirah that is not a Sephirah. Da'ath is transformational and so is Pluto. They seem like perfect partners to me.

This book is a great reference, though. It has some interesting Gematria and some good observations on the Mystical Titles for each Sephirah. If you are thinking about buying this book, go ahead; you won't be disappointed.

Peace Profound,

Neshamah

Rosalind Goforth and her husband, Dr. Jonathan Goforth served in China more than 30 years. This account of Mrs. Goforths personal spiritual struggles, failures, and triumphs makes great reading, and inspires and encourages the reader. Highly recommend

This is a very good book which is also very challenging. The Goforths definitely did not live in a life of complacency which you find alot in the church today. I recommend this book for anyone who is a Christian.

A very moving and challenging story of a woman and man sold out for God. Fascinating - especially the account of the months they held "Open House" in China in order to prove that they didn't pickle and eat babies, and of the thousands of visitors who passed through their home at that time.

This is a very good book which is also very challenging. The Goforths definitely did not live in a life of complacency like the church is in today. I recommend this book for anyone who is serious about the Lord and doing the work of His kingdom.