http://lrawles.com/lblog/2008/01/18/on-the-bookshelf-no-shortcuts-to-the-top-by-ed-viesturs/ Conquering boredom, one book at a time. Wed, 29 Jul 2009 00:08:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 http://lrawles.com/lblog/2008/01/18/on-the-bookshelf-no-shortcuts-to-the-top-by-ed-viesturs/comment-page-1/#comment-726 Hoss Wed, 13 Feb 2008 19:24:23 +0000 http://lrawles.com/lblog/2008/01/18/on-the-bookshelf-no-shortcuts-to-the-top-by-ed-viesturs/#comment-726 I am reading this book right now. I have been slightly fascinated with the topic since well before picking up the book, and I do think of Viesturs as a climbing legend and hero. Nevertheless, I too can't shake the discomfort about that little "kiss and tell" business. The revelation was particularly awkward since it had precious little bearing on any other themes in the narrative, making the passage feel like a random "dude, I totally did her" aside. I'd have to assume that he just dumped his journals into a manuscript and didn't spend enough time culling the unnecessary passages. I mean, if you are an adult reading a story like this and the author says simply, "we grew very close those months we were camped together in the Himalaya ...," well, that is all needs be said, no? We'd get the picture. No need to boast, "Man, she totally jumped my bones." Conversely, if you want to brag about your Wilt Chamberlain legacy, just leave the names out of it. It just don't sit right with me, no matter what a mountaineering bad-ass he may be. And he is. A mountaineering bad-ass, that is. I am reading this book right now. I have been slightly fascinated with the topic since well before picking up the book, and I do think of Viesturs as a climbing legend and hero. Nevertheless, I too can’t shake the discomfort about that little “kiss and tell” business. The revelation was particularly awkward since it had precious little bearing on any other themes in the narrative, making the passage feel like a random “dude, I totally did her” aside. I’d have to assume that he just dumped his journals into a manuscript and didn’t spend enough time culling the unnecessary passages. I mean, if you are an adult reading a story like this and the author says simply, “we grew very close those months we were camped together in the Himalaya …,” well, that is all needs be said, no? We’d get the picture. No need to boast, “Man, she totally jumped my bones.” Conversely, if you want to brag about your Wilt Chamberlain legacy, just leave the names out of it. It just don’t sit right with me, no matter what a mountaineering bad-ass he may be. And he is. A mountaineering bad-ass, that is.

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