Straight Edge Life

John Long has always been an entertaining writer. I don’t know how to seperate out what I connect with as a climber and what the normal people will connect with as non-climbers. I think it’s fair to assume that if you are going to pick up a book which walks through the author’s history of climbing in Yosemite, you have at least an interest in climbing. That said, this book is one of my favorites. It examines the majesty and futility that pulses through your life when you are in love with climbing. It looks at the beauty, the adventure and the pain of it all through light and philosophical filters in the same chapter. I was laughing, on edge, and signigicantly moved by the the last chapter in particular. I highly reccomend this book if you are or have ever been a climber. It will make it a lot harder to leave climbing, and it will make it a lot easier to come back. Despite the fact that it’s the hardest way of getting nowhere. This book helps you understand just how important that journey can be for a person. Regardless of where you end up in the end.

By the way, when I bought this book it had the ugliest cover in the history of books. Well, maybe there are a few exceptions when it comes to high school text book covers… Just don’t let that turn you off. It’s worth the cover price. Ha ha ha. No pun intended.

Rock Jocks, Wall Rats and Hang Dogs: Rock Climbing on the Edge of Reality