No Shortcuts to the Top: Climbing the World's 14 Highest Peaks

There are 14 mountain peaks in the world that tower to 8,000 meters (26,247 feet), and when Ed Viesturs finally conquered Annapurna, a peak on which one climber dies for every two who try, he joined an elite group of five people who have accomplished that feat without using supplemental oxygen. He's the only American to have done so. It took 18 years and 30 expeditions to the 8,000ers; on 10 trips he turned back short of the summit, once when he was only 100 feet away, exercising extraordinary willpower to follow his "deepest article of faith" that "getting to the top is optional; getting down is mandatory." Not bad for a man who in 1992 at the age of 33 had quit his practice as a vetinarian, was living in a windowless basement apartment, had $25,000 of school debt, and was banging nails as a construction worker to make ends meet. No Shortcuts is a fun read because it is about more than mountain climbing, which, of course, almost none of his readers will ever attempt. But everyone has their personal Annapurna, as he says in the final pages of the book, whether battling cancer or conquering a fear. Failure, perseverance, passion, patience, risk management, teamwork, self-sacrifice for others, endurance and death are all life lessons that easily emerge from the book. His chapter on the 1996 disasters on Mount Everest when a dozen people died, including world class mountaineers Scott Fischer and Rob Hall, ads his personal perspective to Krakauer's Into Thin Air. In the last few pages Viesturs reflects upon whether his pursuit was selfish, adventure addiction, growing older and realizing he cannot climb like he could twenty years ago, feeling letdown after such a remarkable accomplishment, and how climbing has impacted his marriage. For movie versions see the IMAX film Everest (the highest grossing IMAX movie ever made) or the documentary Everest: The Death Zone.

Viesturs is a stand-out in the world of mountaineering. Not just as an extremely skilled & experienced mountaineer (one of the best in the world), but as a truly down-to-earth & likable guy. We're so lucky to be able to learn about this sport & these mountains from a true voice that is unencumbered by machismo & ego. Even with the help of David Roberts, this memoir is not a literary masterpiece. But the stories, the pictures, the insights, and Viesturs' inspiring voice come through loud & clear. As a simple hiker who will never make it to the Himalayas, I was fascinated by the story of how a person born in the midwest ends up on top of Everest many years later. I was equally fascinated by all the details he gives about daily life on an 8000m peak. I think this book will appeal to a wide range of people -- from experienced climbers to casual hikers to total couch potatoes. A totally enjoyable read that will take you through a range of emotions from start to finish. (And I finished with a smile on my face)

As an avid armchair mountaineer, I've read many mountaineering books and this one ranks up there with my favorites, `Into Thin Air' and `Annapurna'. This book is set apart from many others because it describes not only one, but fourteen (plus) successful summit bids on fourteen different mountains - and all the training, preparation, and good judgment that lead to success. So many mountaineering books are about tragedy; it's refreshing to read one about success.

This retrospective gives an intimate look at one of the all-time greats of Himalayan mountaineering. You get a good feeling for what drives Ed, how he evaluates the risks vs. the rewards of an inherently dangerous activity, and how he views life overall. What doesn't come through adequately (nor could it in any book) is his amazing personality--always humble in spite of his accomplishments, always putting others first if help is needed, always planning for the future in spite of the set back of the day--for that, you just have to climb with Ed and get to know him. (Full disclosure: I was an early climbing partner of Ed, so I may be a bit biased in his favor.) What inspires me most about Ed is not his accomplishments above 8000 m, but that he built a career doing exactly what he loves to do, while so many of us sit in offices doing stuff we hate, just daydreaming of the mountains and adventures unfulfilled. This book could be cataloged under either "mountaineering" or "living life to the max."

I have long dreamed of climbing mountains, and from a young age, I've eagerly devoured books on the subject. Ed Viesturs has always been somebody to look up to (literally) in the climbing world; I was in awe to meet him at a recent book signing and to get a copy of this book. This is one of the better books I've read about mountaineering. Viesturs talks about the dangers of climbing, and he doesn't gloss over the less-than-pretty parts: he wants you to understand that no matter what you see in the movies, climbing mountains is a serious endeavor, something you need to go into with your eyes wide-open. He tactfully handles such matters as the 1996 Everest disaster, and he is modest about his participation in several high-profile projects. He knows he's done some amazing feats, but he doesn't make you feel as if he's let it go to his head at all. If anything, his book is wonderfully conversational, making it a good read, even if you're just an armchair adventurer.