No Shortcuts to the Top

Climbing the World's 14 Highest Peaks

By: Ed Viesturs, David Roberts

Narrated by: Stephen Hoye

Length: 12 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

This gripping and triumphant memoir follows a living legend of extreme mountaineering as he makes his assault on history, one 8,000-meter summit at a time.

For 18 years, Ed Viesturs pursued climbing's holy grail: to stand atop the world's 14 8,000-meter peaks, without the aid of bottled oxygen. But No Shortcuts to the Top is as much about the man who would become the first American to achieve that goal as it is about his stunning quest. As Viesturs recounts the stories of his most harrowing climbs, he reveals a man torn between the flat, safe world he and his loved ones share and the majestic and deadly places where only he can go.

A preternaturally cautious climber who once turned back 300 feet from the top of Everest but who would not shrink from a peak (Annapurna) known to claim the life of one climber for every two who reached its summit, Viesturs lives by an unyielding motto: "Reaching the summit is optional. Getting down is mandatory." It is with this philosophy that he vividly describes fatal errors in judgment made by his fellow climbers, as well as a few of his own close calls and gallant rescues. And, for the first time, he details his own pivotal and heroic role in the 1996 Everest disaster made famous in Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air.

No Shortcuts to the Top is more than the first full account of one of the staggering accomplishments of our time; it is a portrait of a brave and devoted family man and the beliefs that shaped this most perilous and magnificent pursuit.

©2006 Ed Viesturs and David Roberts (P)2006 Books on Tape

Can't stop listening!

This book is an amazingly well written book covering so many aspects of mountaineering and the life of Ed. The story flows so well and the amount of detail given about each step of the way is incredible. I cannot recommend this enough to the aspiring climber, mountaineer, or anyone with a curiosity of what mountaineering really is.

I wanted not to like him

I read a audio review about Ed Viesturs being real stuck up on himself. But I had just listened to Into Thin Air and I was hungry for more information about '96 on Everest and the dead zone above 26,000 ft.

As I listened to the book, I found myself agreeing with this negative assessment - at first. But as I went along I decided this was more due to the person reading, and I decided to give Mr Viesturs the benefit of a doubt! My apologies, Ed.

This book was a good listen. It I Introduced me to an exclusive world above 8000 meters, where only Ed and a few others have been. If I had picked up Herzog's book on Annapurna in the 70's maybe it would have been me . . . . Nah!

Thanks.

What a book!!

Fantastic narrative, amazing narrator... all in all, now one of my favorite books ever! I couldn't stop listening; it's sure to motivate any adventurer or really anyone looking to succeed in life.

An amazing insight to 8000 meter peaks

Damn pleased to hear this book...! Gives an insight into grit, determination and safety on mountains. A personal journey of ED but he takes you with him... I felt the narration by Stephen Hoye was really good too. Salute to ED and his teammates...to the angels in the sky who have lost their lives to these mountains... to Paula and the kids for being ever so brave.....!

No Shortcuts to the Top

Excellent memoir with great detail of Ed Viestur's excursions up the tallest mountains of the world. You are left with a strong appreciation of his accomplishments and a clear understanding of the death defying challenges he faced in meeting his personal goal to climb the world's 14 8000 meter + mountains. His direct narrative tone makes you feel as though he is sharing his inner most thoughts with you as he would a close friend. And you can't believe the circumstances he survived along the way. In the end he is an American hero. I recommend this book highly.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book!

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book! Ed Viestur's accomplishments are remarkable. He is an inspiring individual.

I enjoyed it

I enjoyed the stories. I didn’t find Ed to be arrogant but he does seam to be a little crazy. Ed is proud of his accomplishments and I think he should be. His description of the effort evolved to reach the high peaks is inspiring.

Great book

I loved this book but the narrator really struggles with, well everything, but particularly pronouncing mountain names. He'll pronounce the same mountain three different (and wrong) ways in the same sentence. It got really distracting to hear him say Nun-goo Puehr-boot, Nin-go par-beet, Noon-gi peer-boat. Sure, not easy words but you're supposed to be a professional so look it up dude, and at least be consistent.

Hang in there.

The poster with the cat it on and saying hang in there baby now I know what it meant. What would Eddy do?

about an inspiring alpinist, Ed

The book details the life of an amazing alpinist. The reader will learn a ton from this book. For example, you will learn about having a big mountian mind set, risk management, leadership, strategy, and what your life will look like as a big mountian connoisseur. A must read for inspiring climbers.