Welcome to Year Two of Book Club! If you missed our [short] Year One in 2022, you can check out the books we read here.
2023 has brought another year of a wide range of adventures including topics like snowy survivals, living alone in the wilderness, swimming appreciation, solving climate change, and ultra-running eliteness.
Our group continues to grow and change, and we have even started incorporating other events like outdoor movie screenings, organized trips to the Banff Film Festival, and roping book club members into other weekend hiking, biking, skiing, and camping trips. The hidden perks of reading about outdoor recreation is that, of course, everyone also loves being outside too.
It's been a fabulous and busy year with 10 total books read (all of which you can find on Goodreads here). So, let the review begin! (Warning: spoilers)
Touching the Void by Joe Simpson
Group rating: 9/10
The high rating of this book is only matched by the first book we've read for book club: Annapurna: a woman's place. Two hiking partners, Simon and Joe, seek to ascend Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes, but they want to do it in a way that has not done before. Unsurprisingly, disaster occurs. One mountaineer faces an extreme injury and, later, falls to his "death" in a crevasse, forcing his companion to make the return journey alone. However, the injured Joe miraculously survives the fall and fights death and dehydration to make it back solo.
From start to finish, this book was gripping, and I couldn't put it down. Unshockingly, we were all amazed by this book and the incredible willpower of the human body and mind. We discussed the polarizing topic of whether or not the climbing rope should have been cut, whether you need to be OK with dying before embarking on this kind of excursion, and how death at your doorstop lets you do extreme feats. The quote “If you succeed with one dream, you come back to square one and it’s not long before you’re conjuring up another…harder, more dangerous [dream]” had us considering whether or not this applies to our lives as well. Do we constantly seek out the next, most-dangerous dream? Is this because we can never be satisfied with staying in our comfort zone? You tell me! Also, check out the video documentary on this book, featuring interviews with Joe and Simon.
Why We Swim by Bonnie Tsui
Group Rating: 4.2/10
I was really looking forward to reading this since it was nothing like we had read yet, and swimming has been an under-appreciated sport for me. Most of our group (if any) aren't swimming athletes, and only some of us go to the pool irregularly for exercise. I think many of us were wanting to discover the fascination with swimming from the perspective of someone like Bonnie; however, it became very clear that this book wasn't right for a lot of our members: only two people finished it.
So, what was the deal? The sections of the book were broken down into interesting topics (survival, well-being, community, competition, and flow). It began with epic survival tales in the arctic, and it delved into some science behind why swimming is beneficial to our health. I won't lie, this book did convince me to hop in a pool and get reacquainted with the strokes (and dang, swimming is hard!). Swimming has also allowed people to recover from pretty disastrous injuries, and there are so many inspirational feats of swimming endurance, like the Oceans Seven challenge. The book was just not captivating for us. It was hard to get through, and it was hard to relate to. Bonnie's circle of acquaintances is very much swimming-focused, and making claims that "we were born to swim" and that "humans are drawn to water"don't quite resonate with people who mainly enjoy marveling at water or using water for other purposes (like wind surfing). After the parts about human endurance, swimming feats, and the health benefits, my personal attention and enjoyment started to wane. Regardless, it gave us a good excuse to talk about our own experiences with water and ways we appreciate water outside of swimming in it. This might be a better book for people who love swimming, though!
Eat and Run by Scott Jurek
Group Rating: 8/10
I read this book twice now, once a year ago and again for book club. I would say this book had an impact on me, convincing me to read his other book North and dive into other ultrarunning-related books (Born to Run and Natural Born Heroes). This made me reminisce on my cross-country running days, and, because I've been dabbling in vegetarian and vegan cooking, this strengthened my desire to follow those diets.
As a whole, the group really liked this book, with two people giving 10/10s. One member was convinced to start running and had even signed up for a race later in the week. Another (who had previously read it) had considered this book his bible, training for ultras, cooking vegan, and attesting to the same growth and recovery that Scott Jurek proclaimed. We discussed the theme "Sometimes you just do things!" and the mindset and drive of an ultrarunner: is it nature or nurture that makes a successful ultrarunner? We discussed the physical vs mental aspect of running, the way running can be addictive, and how running can alter the consciousness. All of us have had varying experiences and relationships with running and eating plant-based, so it was wonderful to relate to each other and bond over this common activity. And of course, having our monthly food theme as vegan meant delicious dishes to snack on: white bean & kale salad, Thai curry, vegan cheesecake, and Minnesotan chili (courtesy of Scott Jurek's recipe!)
"If your mind is dirty, you can run 10,000 miles but where have you gotten? If you go for a 1 mile run and you’re passionately engaged with the world, who cares about the other 9,999?"
Solitude by Robert Kull
Group Rating: 4.25
This book was very hit or miss with our group, our most polarizing to date. The premise is that Robert Kull lives in solitude in Patagonia for one year and documents his journey, and he is doing this for his PhD dissertation. So, to start, the book is a journal, and everyday the author records what has happened to him out in the wilderness. In doing so, it doesn't follow a strong story arc with an antagonist (unless it's himself), climax, or resolution. Robert is a perfectionist and is very hard on himself through this journey. He struggles with the definition of solitude and the right way of experiencing it, claiming that even journaling for a future person to read or thinking about conversations with other people do not count as being in solitude.
For our group, we naturally discussed solitude and our own experiences being alone, answering questions like:
Do humans need solitude, and why? What drives people into solitude?
How has our experience with solitude (as a population) changed over time? Is this different than loneliness?
Why do people typically go into solitude to face their demons?
And, on the topic of enlightenment (a frequent topic of Robert's journal), can you gain enlightenment by seeking it? Is there such thing as an enlightened person, or is it just an enlightened activity?
While the book was very thought-provoking and deep, Robert was unlikeable for some of us (including me), exhibiting violent behavior and anger towards his cat. His reflections and admissions of narcissistic rage were still admirable (it's hard to self-actualize and admit personal fault). However, the book was just difficult for a lot of us to get though, many people not reading or even finishing it. So, book ratings varied from 0 (yes, a 0) to 7.
Spirit Run by Noé Álvarez
Group Rating: 6.1
This was a book that I had mentally flagged as being a potential choice of my own if I were selected to choose. I love memoirs and reading about other cultures/ hearing the way other people live. The subtitle "A 6,000-mile run through North America's Stolen Land" alluded to discussions of Native American displacement by the U.S. government, something I was looking forward to.
Overall, the book rated lower than expected. One of the main complaints was that there was a lot of information lacking about the actual run itself. The details on nearly everything and everyone were vague, leading the reader to feel detached during the journey. There was more (but still quite little) focus on Noé's inner journey rather than external journey, as he was fairly emotionally (and physically) underprepared for the feat that he had to undertake. Any expectations that there would be a spiritual awakening during this book were thrown out the window.
Surprisingly, within the running group, there were cliques and bullies. The run was hostile and abusive, putting the runners at risk seemingly on purpose by withholding food and water. This run sounded terrific on paper, but, in reality, it was physically and mentally unhealthy. He quit the run before reaching the end due to the bullying which was just incredibly sad and disappointing.
I did appreciate the beginning of the book in its efforts to highlight the struggles of being an immigrant working in factories, particularly as it affected his own family. Unfortunately, however, there were no discussions of stolen lands or any background on the Native Americans that live/lived there. Noé only briefly touched on being Native American, an identity that he possibly didn't even really align with. Much of his identity discussed in the book was about being Latino rather than Indigenous, and this may have led to feelings of not belonging with the other group members. As a whole, the book and its suggested contents were misleading.
The Push by Tommy Caldwell
Group Rating: 7.4
We finally got our first rock climbing book! For anyone who is mildly aware of rock climbing celebrities, after identifying Alex Honnold (star of Free Solo), the next person would likely be Tommy Caldwell. Fortunately, this book also had a movie, The Dawn Wall, so book club temporarily enjoyed an outdoor screening, which I would also recommend watching. Together, the book and movie greatly complimented each other, each putting emphasis on slightly different things.
In short, Tommy Caldwell successfully climbs the Dawn Wall, a highly technical and massive rock face in Yosemite. Most people climb El Capitan, but, after his divorce, he embarked on a multiyear scouting and section climbing expedition of the wall until he completed it in one attempt. As a whole, this was a well-liked book by the group as most of us enjoy sport climbing to some extent. None of us could deny that what he accomplished was a major undertaking, and his remarkable dedication to pursuing something that was considered impossible was very inspirational. Hearing the journey, struggles, and accomplishments from his childhood through adulthood also humanized Tommy significantly.
Our conversations focused more on the parts leading up to his ascent rather than of the actual achievement– it was hard to have any other opinion of the climb other than it being epic and impressive. So, we discussed the absolutely insane hostage situation that bonded him with his first wife, including what we would do if we were also in that situation. We talked about his failing marriage and whether or not this needed to occur for him to consider climbing the Dawn Wall. Complaints from this book varied depending on whether someone was more of a climber or more of an appreciator from the sidelines: climbers wished there was less of the slow, mundane life and relationship drama and more of the technical climbing details. For folks less into climbing, criticism came with the climbing jargon.
A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
Group Rating: 6.7
I first read this book in high school and remembered having a positive experience with it. Re-reading it again now, however, I had a different take. With that said, my experience didn't match the majority of book club, with most people rating it more favorably.
Bill Bryson is an author with a number of popular, highly praised books. He is known for his travel writing and humor, and, in this one, he hikes a large portion of the Appalachian Trail with his friend. For many, this book is a witty travelogue and an inspiration to people who may not yet have the confidence to do a long backpacking trip like this. Bill and his friend are evidence that you don't need to be superior athletes to begin this hike, and there is plenty of sarcasm throughout the book, giving humor to the difficulty as they figure it out together. I also appreciated the background information on the Appalachian Trail and found that I did learn more than I expected to.
The issue I (and others) have with this book is that Bill has a major superiority complex, putting himself on a pedestal. He looks down on "weekend warriors" and criticizes/mocks just about every other hiker on trail, including his own friend. He comes across as an absolute asshole which is disappointing because one of the best parts of thru-hiking, in my opinion, is the community/camaraderie. This didn't happen for them, and I believe it's because they didn't actually allow themselves to fully experience the process. Also, (and most annoyingly) they don't follow Leave No Trace principles, frequently chucking their unwanted gear into the woods when they don't want to carry it anymore. Overall, for me, this came across as underprepared hikers with no respect for the wilderness or others which is ironic since Bill spends so much time belittling other hikers when he is no better than anyone else.
Regardless, his attempt is admirable, and I appreciate that he wrote a book on a trail that he did not finish end-to-end. This highlights that you don't need to complete something in its entirety to feel accomplished, and hiking ~800/ 2100 miles is still a feat.
Ranger Confidential by Andrea Lankford
Group Rating: 7.1
Ranger Confidential gave us a deep insight into what life is like as a park ranger. As someone who had always thought it would be really cool to work in the National Park system, I particularly found this eye opening. Overall, Andrea Lankford details her experiences (and those of a few colleagues) working in the parks, unveiling that it is much more difficult and traumatic than the public realizes.
This book gave us much to discuss as we have all experienced a least one National Park or two. We enjoyed talking about which National Parks we have been to and which we liked the most.
As the book intended, we were all shocked by what happens behind the scenes, and Andrea writes in such significant detail that it had me squirming at times. Among the surprising revelations were 1) the countless deaths that occur (through suicide or by accident) and 2) the amount of rescue missions that the rangers must perform. It wasn’t surprising to know that tourists do incredibly dumb things, and part of our discussion was why. We talked about how national parks have made nature very accessible to people of all ages and experience levels, giving under-experienced visitors the illusion that they can do more difficult excursions. Of course, we had to also talk about death-by-selfies. Throughout the book, Andrea also details the sexism she and others experienced in the workplace, with the women seen as “test cases” to see if they could even do the job and them struggling to gain the same respect. Finally, and tragically, she ends with the death of her companion, a person whom we connected with throughout the book which shocked us all. This is no doubt one of many reasons why Andrea is incredibly jaded when recounting her stories.
Complaints regarding this book were strictly on the chronology in which everything was told. It flipped between perspectives and jumped forward and backward through the decades. Also, if anything, this really deterred people from wanting to go to the parks or to become a park ranger (with good reason).
The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson
Group Rating: 6.5
This book broke away from our normal outdoor adventure-themed mold to bring us to a topic that we are all impacted by on a variety of levels: climate change.
Right off the bat, this book was a little ambitious, capping off around 550 pages. We all agreed that we would have needed some more time to get through it, or at least have better access to an audiobook since it was tough finding time to sit down with this monster.
Regarding the book itself, there were many pipe dream plans for the future and how to combat climate change. Proposed solutions gave us much to talk about with some solutions requiring violence, such as attacking billionaires and killing people who harmed the planet. Some other solutions were the creation of a carbon coin as a new currency, pumping meltwater from under glaciers to keep the glaciers intact, geo-engineering our ecosystems to cool the planet, and developing the Ministry for the Future to oversee climate mitigation activities. As such, we discussed: at what point is violence justified? Should the world have billionaires? How do you get people who are making global decisions to care? Do individuals have the power to create change? Should there be payouts (the largest emitters helping to resolve the brunt of the problems?)
Complaints were that the book was just tough to get through. Some sections were major info-dumps with dry discussions on economics and international banking. The author also proposed a lot of large ideas, but beyond the surface, these ideas (to us as skeptical scientists) didn't hold much water. Also, when ideas were put into fictional action, things just suspiciously always seemed to work out which would surely not work in reality. Regardless, Kim Robinson does a great job at getting conversations started.
Land of Lost Borders: A Journey on the Silk Road by Kate Harris
Group Rating: 6.2
I have now read this book twice: once on my own and once for book club. I particularly appreciated re-reading it and being able to critically analyze it with the group. In summary, two women ride the Silk Road and detail their experiences along the way.
We opened up the discussion with a video made by the author, showcasing parts of the trip. This made for a great visual to aid discussion and allow those who weren't able to read/finish the book to have a better sense for what it was like.
I personally liked this book better than most, rating it an 8 while most others were in the 6-7 range (and one 2!). As someone who had done a long bike tour with another lady, I felt that I related a lot to the author. Some complaints came from her more amateur writing style, though I also relate to this as I try to write about my travels (even though literature is not my expertise).
Much of the critique came from the writing and from the pretentiousness. The author comes across as very privileged, frequently highlighting her academic prowess. A little annoyingly, she also often compares herself to major explorers, like Marco Polo, and frequently tries to clarify how she is different than other tourists, but she does so in an elitist way. With such a major journey, the author also spends little time writing about the people she met and about the cultures, and we wished that there was more information about this. For some people, there were info-dumps regarding background information that were difficult to get through, and for the people who listened to the audiobook, the speaker was unbearable to listen to.
Our discussion topics bounced around a lot. The book, including its subtitle, focused on borders and what good they are. We talked about whether they were right in illegally crossing them and if this emphasized their privilege. We also discussed whether humans can still explore and discover today, or has everywhere on land already been discovered? Without a doubt, the undertaking by these two ladies was impressive and inspirational, and it underscored the kindness and generosity of strangers across many countries.
Thanks to everyone who made this year's book club possible! I have really valued the diversity of perspectives that each person has brought, and I look forward to another year of great books, excellent conversation, and spending time with amazing people.
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