Within Reach: My Everest Story

This is an amazing story of a very motivated young man who is focused and determined in his efforts to climb mountains. It reinforces all the positive things we keep saying to our kids about the payoff when they set their minds to doing something. It is an engaging story that my son loved, and from which he, hopefully, absorbed some of the lessons about focus, persistence, and self motivation that I'd like him to know.

This is a terrific book for teens, young adults, and, yes, adults about a Rhode Island teenager, Mark Pfetzer, who makes his dreams come true. The book is written as if it were a personal journal, and in it Mark takes the reader on a journey into his young life. He shares with the reader how his interest in climbing developed, as well as his early climbing experiences. Mark, mature in many ways beyond his years, is not your typical teenager. Clean cut, intelligent, fit, and not given to peer pressure, he is a bit of a loner with a dash of entrepreneurial flair. As his climbing experience increases, so does his desire for snow capped peaks. This desire motivates him to get sponsors for his world wide travels that take him to the vast mountainous regions around the globe. Mind you, he begins his world wide travels, unaccompanied by his parents, at the ripe old age of thirteen. While one may question the wisdom of letting someone so young travel around the world to do high altitude climbing, it does not diminish the pleasure one derives from reading about a young person who derives such joy from his travels and climbing. While at times Mark seems a little full of himself, one must remember that, notwithstanding his achievements, he is still a teenager, and, like most teenagers, he has his moments. Still, his chronicle makes for a very interesting read. His endeavors on high altitude peaks, including Everest, are noteworthy, notwithstanding that he climbed with guided expeditions. While towards the end of his journal he may appear to be suffering from trophy mountain madness, it does not diminish the palpable love of climbing that permeates the pages of the book. Mark is, without a doubt, a son of which any parent would be proud. I am sure that he will continue to live his life to the fullest. I look forward to reading about any future adventures that he may commit to paper. Dream on, Mark, and may all your dreams come true.

"Within Reach" by Mark Pfetzer and Jack Galvin was a very good book. In fact, it was one of the best books I've read in a long time. At first when this book was suggested to me, I thought "Wow. Another boring non-fiction book about some guy climbing Everest. Whoopee." But I was wrong. I loved "Within Reach"! I suggest it for anyone interested in a good read. Even if you don't like non-fiction or adventure books, I think this book's for you! I took this book to all my classes at school and brought it home every night, sneaking a read when I was supposed to be doing my homework - that's how much I really couldn't put this book down! I loved following Mark's journeys in mountain climbing, and I hope there will be a sequel soon about his 1999 Everest and Andrea Doria expedition! (The Andrea Doria is a sunken cruise ship that a group [including Mark] is going to explore, 240 feet undersea!) And Mark, if you're reading this, I'm sorry about your dad.

I saw Mark speak last Fall when the book first came out and I was very impressed with his maturity and poise. Both of these qualities are apparent in his book as well. His story is inspirational to both young adults and adults! When most of us say "Wouldn't it be great to try ___" Mark actually does. The book is structured like a diary and you follow Mark from his first rock climb to Mt. Everest and everything in between. I recommend it to anyone who has is interested in Everest and one young man's determination to reach the summit.

This book was very good because the story is intresting and written well. I have seen many good mountaineering stories ruined by being written in an arrogant voice. Some examples are Jan Krakauer's Into Thin Air and Anatoli Boukreev's The Climb. While these books were intresting both had an arrogent slant to them. This story is also very inspiring because it shows that anyone can do anything and that even famous people can be hit with major life problems. I recommend this for anyone intrested in mountaineering and/or with dreams.