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Touching the Void

Posted: Mon May 10, 2004 9:33 pm
by diplodocus
has anyone seen this film/read the book?

I read the book ages ago and was blown away, one of the most in depth personal studies of the human mind and what it can do in the face of massive odds. The film took ages to come to screen and i reckon it does the book good justice, which is not something happens too often IMO.

If anyone hasn't I would recommend the book first, totally brilliant piece of mountain/pyscological literature, among the best i've read


Re: Touching the Void

Posted: Mon May 10, 2004 9:58 pm
by Pervert
Sitting on my "to read" pile. Thanks for the recommendation.

o/t Re: Touching the Void

Posted: Mon May 10, 2004 10:18 pm
by Deuce Bigolo
Next to the Toilet I presume

Thats where my reading pile sits

cheers
B....OZ

Re: o/t Re: Touching the Void

Posted: Mon May 10, 2004 10:33 pm
by Pervert
No, no, no. It's comic books and such that sit next to the toilet. Weightier tomes form an orderly pile next to the bed.

Re: o/t Re: Touching the Void

Posted: Tue May 11, 2004 9:13 am
by Lizard
I have read the book, and we got the DVD this week, excellent in both camps, (ooooer! missus) I once met Joe Simpson in a cafe near Sheffield, he had the look of Pier Louigi Collina about him, but with some hair! the extras on the DVD are well worth watching, as thet give a real insight, as to the real characters, many people in the climbing frat, still argue over the rights and wrongs of this incident.


Re: o/t Re: Touching the Void

Posted: Tue May 11, 2004 12:47 pm
by rednose
I would agree with Lizard.

The book is a good read, but I found it a wee bit technical not being a climber. But the DVD is a lot more to the point.

The added extras are worth a look if only for the reaction of the other guy on the trip Simon Yates

Rednose

Re: o/t Re: Touching the Void

Posted: Tue May 11, 2004 1:44 pm
by diplodocus
The vast majority of climbers totally support Simon Yates, what he did in trying to get Joe down was unheard of in climbing circles as most people would have left him (which is the accepted response to that situation). The main anti-Yates crap came from a mountain journalist whos name escapes me writing an article in 'Climber' magazine, who wanted him banned from funding. The fact that he failed in this attempt and that Yates has since climbed on many major expeditions with other climbers shows what people felt about him.
Yates has written a number of climbing books also (try Against The Wall) which are pretty good. Not as good as TTV but better than some of Joes later books IMO