What Alex Honnold's Taipei 101 Climb Reveals—Through His Mother's Eyes

In this archived episode of The Soul of Life, Keith Miller sits down with Deirdre Wolownick, author of The Sharp End of Life and mother of world-renowned climber Alex Honnold.

The conversation lands at a moment when Alex has once again captured global attention—this time for scaling the exterior of Taipei 101, one of the tallest buildings in the world, without ropes. The climb, carried out as a public stunt rather than a wilderness ascent, brought his unique relationship to risk, preparation, and consequence back into public view.

From that context, Keith speaks with Deirdre about what it's actually like to parent someone whose work regularly triggers awe, fear, and judgment. She reflects on Alex's early temperament, the discipline behind his climbs, and the difference between recklessness and lifelong preparation. She also shares her own story—of endurance, late-in-life climbing, a difficult marriage, depression, and what it means to live on the "sharp end" of life herself.

👉 If you enjoyed this conversation, come join us on our new podcast Tripping Over Love — where we explore relationships, psychedelics, healing, sex, conflict, and what it really takes to love without losing yourself.

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