Hey, hi, hello! Welcome back to the Outdoor Book Club review––2024 edition! This is our third year of coming together as a monthly book club to delve into some awesome books that feature incredible athletic feats, travel tales, survival stories, and environmental justice discussions. If you missed Year 1 and Year 2, you can still check out what we read and how we rated the books in the hyperlinks. We are predominantly Ithaca, NY-based, but we do have some members now joining remotely from around the United States (and Singapore/Australia).
Outside of reading books chosen by each of our members, this year we also enjoyed watching book-related films, like Nyad. Like last year, we all went to the Banff Film Festival–– a two-night international showcase of films that speak to our Book Club's themes of recreation, inspiration, nature appreciation, and environmental preservation. This festival tours the world, and I cannot recommend it more; we always leave feeling energized to get outside and enjoy our awe-inspiring planet. Finally, and most excitingly, we had the guest appearance of an author for one of our discussions!
The 2024 lineup comprises 10 books, many of which we have rated moderately high. Note that this review may contain spoilers.
Jump to:
Deep Survival: Who Lives Who Dies and Why by Laurence Gonzales
Motorcycle Diaries by Che Guevara
Alone in Wonderland by Christine Reed
On the Road by Jack Kerouac
The Quickening by Elizabeth Rush
Grizzly Years by Doug Peacock
Climbing Free: My Life in the Vertical World by Lynn Hill
Find a Way by Diana Nyad
Rating: 8.8/10
Our first book of the year was Find a Way, the story of Diana Nyad who attempted to swim from Cuba to Florida on five separate occasions before finally succeeding when she was 64 years old. Not only did she stop swimming for decades, but she picked up the sport again with gusto and perseverance. Among the many roadblocks that did not stop her goals were life-threatening jellyfish, sharks, storms, and the pressure from everyone around her to give up. Surely this was not humanly possible, and certainly not by an Older Woman!
In our book club discussion, we focused on the keys to her success, both internal and external. What traits does a person need to have to accomplish a feat like this? How much did selfishness play in her success? Could she have done it without being selfish or egotistical? We also discussed the validity of her swim, with some in the swimming community believing she cheated or didn't complete it unassisted. Generally, our group really enjoyed the book. It was very inspirational, particularly to see a woman (and someone who is technically a senior citizen) accomplishing a goal that younger folks could not. The perseverance was unmatched!
Fortunately, this also has a movie associated with it! So, we piled up together with snacks and enjoyed the film, featuring Anette Bening and Jodie Foster. If you don't have time to read the book, the movie is certainly worth a watch.
Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why by Laurence Gonzales
Group rating: 7
This book was a little different than the others we have read, in that there is no central character or story. Deep Survival, instead, explores the psychological, emotional, and physiological factors that determine survival in life-threatening situations. Blending scientific research with real-life survival stories, Gonzales examines how survivors use intuition, resilience, and adaptability to navigate extreme crises. He discusses how factors like mindset, perception, and decision-making play a critical role, showing that those who survive often share common traits, such as calmness, resourcefulness, and an ability to accept reality as it is. The book reveals surprising insights into human behavior under pressure, ultimately highlighting that survival depends as much on mental strength as on physical endurance.
As such, this was a great conversational book, and it gave us much to discuss. We chatted about the top skills needed to survive, which Gonzales sums up at the end, such as being flexible, calm, finding humor, not blaming others for the predicament, conserving energy, having small tasks to keep occupied, etc. We also debated how much survival is situationally dependent, how easy it is to abandon our plans when a situation turns bleak, and whether we can critically examine the weaknesses in our own knowledge. Interestingly, children have the highest survival rate, and we discussed why this is and whether we can draw upon this in our own lives. Moreover, is it possible to not be stressed when put in a life or death situation? Can this be trained for or must you be born with it? How much is luck involved in survival? Finally, did Gonzales do an adequate job in his critique and summary, or is this too reductionist?
Motorcycle Diaries by Che Guevara
Group rating: 6.3
This book is a memoir (written as a personal journal) that chronicles Che's journey across South America with his friend Alberto Granado in 1952. The two young men in their 20s embark on a road trip on an old motorcycle, seeking adventure and exploration. As they travel, Guevara witnesses poverty, social injustice, and inequality, which deeply affects him. The journey becomes a transformative experience, shaping Guevara’s political beliefs and sparking his desire for social change which he becomes known for later in history.
I was pretty excited about this book based on what I knew about Che and the Cuban Revolution, but I was ultimately disappointed by this book. I do recognize that he was, arguably, young and dumb at the time, and this book is his journal and not a memoir that underwent an editorial process. So, it lacked a lot of background information and deeper reflections into the social injustices he witnessed. As a group, we talked about our impressions of Che, about his interactions with the people that he met, and the moments that were impactful for him. This lead to conversations about how he often used people on his journey, getting free food and room & board when possible (often bending the truth about his medical qualifications). We chatted about the friendship between him and Alberto as well as the disbanding of them towards the end of the book. Furthermore, we discussed the parallels between Guevara's experiences and challenges faced by individuals and communities today.
There is also a movie associated with this book as well. While we didn't watch it as a group, it allowed for additional context, and I recommend pairing both movie and book. However, I found that the movie portrayed him in a better light than his own journal.
Alone in Wonderland by Christine Reed
Group rating: 7.1
This is a memoir that chronicles Reed's transformative solo hike along the Wonderland Trail, a 93-mile loop encircling Mount Rainier. Through her journey, she reflects on her struggles with grief, self-doubt, and personal loss, using the trek as a way to confront her inner struggles and rediscover her sense of self. As she faces the physical hardships of the wilderness, she also explores themes of resilience, independence, and healing. Reed’s narrative combines vivid descriptions of the trail’s beauty with honest introspection, making it both an adventure story and an exploration of personal growth through nature. She also bounces between her travels on the Wonderland Trail and her trek on the Appalachian Trail.
Excitingly, we were lucky enough to have Christine join us in this conversation! She reached out to me on Instagram when I shared a link to our Book Club list on Goodreads on another post that we both followed. For the meeting, she tuned in from the road, and we were able to dive into questions that we had for her. Like the book, Christine was very open about the critique that she received on her book (which can be viewed through her Goodreads ratings). While we, as a club, may have agreed with some of these opinions (was her journey truly alone if she was trying to fill the loneliness by jumping in bed, err tent, with others on trail?), Christine's perspective was great to hear. Her travel account was incredibly raw, and she didn't hesitate to share some of the awkwardness of her intimate encounters. We discussed what it means to be lonely versus alone, what it means to be independent, and what it's like to travel solo as a woman. After Christine left the conversation, we also chatted about how well the juxtaposition was with both her AT hike and Wonderland hike being in the same book.
On the Road by Jack Kerouac
Group rating: 5.5
This book had been on my list to read for a while. On the Road is a semi-autobiographical novel that follows the travels of Sal Paradise and his friend Dean Moriarty across the U.S. in the late 1940s. These characters represent Kerouac, himself, and his friend, Neal Cassady, respectively. Fueled by a desire for freedom, excitement, and meaning, Sal and Dean embark on a series of cross-country road trips, experiencing America’s diverse landscapes, vibrant cities, and unique characters. Their journey reflects a search for purpose and belonging, as they explore themes of friendship, self-discovery, and the tension between societal expectations and personal freedom. This novel really captures the spirit of the Beat Generation, embodying the longing for adventure and rebellion against conventional life.
Overall, this was a tough and divisive book for the group with ratings either very high or very low. His style of writing could be difficult for some: the plot was incredibly loose with a meandering narrative and a weak story arc. For me, there were a lot of descriptions/details about numerous the people and places throughout the book but no real discussion that went in-depth. For others, this was seen as the sense of freedom and wildness that went with the Beat Generation, the chaos of the vagabond lifestyle and going wherever the wind took you. Additionally, there were many racial and cultural stereotypes which did not age well but could be chalked up to "normal perspectives of the time", and women were heavily objectified. Regardless of the issues, this book remains a classic today, and we discussed why this is this case. Does the Beat Generation exist today, and what does that look like?
For the Time Being by Annie Dillard
Group rating: 7.7
This is a wildly profound and meditative exploration of existence, spirituality, and the nature of humanity. Dillard writes a series of essays on 10 themes that repeat throughout the book, beginning, seemingly, detached and then merging at the end. She examines big questions about life, death, suffering, and the search for meaning, and she weaves together various subjects—including genetics, birth defects, the life of a sand grain, the teachings of spiritual figures, and natural disasters—highlighting both the beauty and brutality of existence. Furthermore, she discusses the vastness of time, the insignificance of the individual, and the mystery of God.
For the Time Being was unlike any other book we read as a group yet. Not only in the form of essays but also for the merging of spirituality, temporality, and nature. The opening question for our discussion excellently summed our experience: What is this book even about? We talked about how the book made (or didn't make) us reflect on our own life and existence and about existential questions like: Why do we exist? How can one person matter? What is the point of human suffering? How does Dillard reconcile the beauty and brutality of existence? What does it mean to "be" human, especially? What does it mean to say that God "is"? What sort of creature "is" God, anyway?
We didn't exactly have a group existential crisis, but this book did a great job at getting us to chat about deep and profound topics. However, our members would not recommend listening to this as an audiobook.
The Quickening: Creation and Community at the End of the Earth by Elizabeth Rush
Group rating: 6.9
The Quickening is a reflective and urgent exploration of climate change, specifically through the lens of the author's experience on an Antarctic voyage with a team of scientists studying melting glaciers. Rush delves into the science behind glacial melting and sea-level rise, while also examining the emotional and existential implications of living in a time of profound ecological change. She reflects on personal themes, including motherhood and the ethics of bringing children into an uncertain future, as she grapples with the complex realities of climate crisis. This book is a mix of prose, interviews, and scientific insights, and Rush calls awareness to humanity’s relationship with a rapidly changing planet.
One of the aspects I enjoyed about this book was that Rush is a journalist who embarks on a scientific trip to write about climate change. As a hobby journalist myself, I could relate to her and her scientific communication well. We talked about her relationship with the crew members, as a journalist relating to scientists and whether her presence was welcomed or a hindrance. The“feminizing of Antarctica” was an underlying theme with adjectives like “virgin, impenetrable, etc" often being used to characterize the place. Why is this the case? Interviews were interwoven with lyrical prose and scientific information, and we discussed how effective this was (I personally found the interviews choppy and disjointed, making it difficult to understand or know any of the crew members well). Of course, we talked about the ties between glaciers and childbirth and whether she executed this connection strongly in the book––the take home: it could have been stronger. The final and central question to the book, was: How do people who care about the climate reckon with having children?
Grizzly Years by Doug Peacock
Group rating: 5
Grizzly Years is a memoir about the author’s journey of healing and discovery in the American wilderness, specifically through his encounters with grizzly bears. After serving as a medic in the Vietnam War, Peacock retreats to the remote Rocky Mountains, seeking solace and recovery from the trauma he experienced. Living among grizzlies, he observes their behavior and becomes an advocate for their protection, finding a deep sense of purpose in defending these majestic creatures. The book combines his personal story in the war with reflections on wilderness preservation and the bond between humans and nature, offering a powerful narrative about healing, wildness, and conservation.
Full disclaimer, the group rating is solely based on one person's review of the book. It was hard to access––local libraries didn't have this, and an audiobook wasn't available. For those that were able to acquire the book, only one person was able to complete it at the time of our discussion. I wasn't able to complete this book yet either to give a complete review. But, we did talk about the wilderness and whether Peacock is justified in his low key vandalism and aversion to rules, such as those laid out by the National Park Service. Some members appreciated his in-depth descriptions of the war, which you might not have anticipated when first picking up a copy of this book. Conversation evolved into general bear facts, surviving bear attacks, and then devolved into the Fat Bear Week competition. So it goes with book discussions.
Climbing Free: My life in the Vertical World by Lynn Hill
Group rating: 8
This is an inspiring memoir that chronicles Hill's groundbreaking career as one of the world’s most accomplished rock climbers. Best known for her historic free climb of the Nose on El Capitan in Yosemite—becoming the first person, male or female, to achieve this feat—Hill reflects on the challenges and triumphs of her climbing journey. She shares stories of her early passion for climbing, her experiences as a woman in a male-dominated sport, and the physical and mental resilience needed to push boundaries. Hill’s narrative offers insights into climbing culture, personal courage, and the relentless pursuit of one’s passions.
We were able to compare this book to the one we read last year by Tommy Caldwell. Both authors balance personal stories with descriptions of climbing. For the climbers in our group, it was an appropriate amount of jargon. We discussed Lynn's childhood and her near immediate success with rock climbing at a young age. Was this from natural born talent or from having such a strong rock climbing support group? How much of climbing is physical vs psychological? We discussed the challenges she faced starting off in a male-dominated sport where many in the community undermined her, going as far as saying that women could never complete certain routes. But, she persevered and blocked out the negative feedback, and we talked about her ability to be able to do that. Final questions related to sexism in climbing–– do those still exist today? What does that look like? How can we overcome this?
The Monkey Wrench Gang by Edward Abbey
Group rating: 6.2
This novel follows a group of environmental activists who use sabotage to protest the industrial destruction of the American Southwest’s wilderness. The story centers on four unlikely allies, and united by a desire to protect the land they love, they embark on a series of "monkey-wrenching" missions to dismantle polluting machines, disrupt construction, and oppose the encroachment of highways and dams. Blending humor, adventure, and satire, the novel explores themes of environmentalism, civil disobedience, and the radical lengths some are willing to go to preserve nature.
Reading The Monkey Wrench Gang following Grizzly Years was an unexpected and interesting choice. Edward Abbey and Doug Peacock were close friends in real life, and so the main character in TMWG was inspired by Doug. I listened to the audiobook for this, which I found engaging overall––it is nice to periodically have a work of fiction tossed in the mix of nonfiction athletic feats. Though, some others in the club didn't like the audiobook.
This book was great for opening dialogue about environmentalism and how to make a difference in the world (or try to). Our questions for this book centered around activism: When is sabotage justified? Does environmental protest work to advance the agenda? Was it effective in the case of our protagonists in thee book? Can sabotage solve issues or does it create more problems? Would this be successfully done today? How does environmental activism look like today, and what can we do to help the planet? Or, does none of it matter at all? While reading, I was reminded of previous books we have read, such as Ministry for the Future and The Quickening. I hope to read Abbey's other book, Desert Solitaire soon!
And that's a wrap. Next up for January: The Tower by Kelly Cordes.
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