The Push: A Climber's Search for the Path

amazing book

I love to read autobiographis by adventurers and professional athletes. The vast majority of the time I come away awed by the persons achievement but with the feeling that they are not very nice people. This was not the case with Tommy Caldwell. Tommy tells his story with such humility, honesty and thought for others that I can't help but think he's a genuinely nice person. This book is a brilliant insight into the metal anguish that a person at the absolute top of thier profession goes though in order to achieve his or her goals. There are moments in it that made me want to put it down and hug my dad, then moments that made me appreciate everything I have in life. Tommy writes about his feelings, hopes and fears in a way that is so refreshing compared to other professional athletes and TBH, men in general. I found myself in the same position as Tommy, not wanting the dawn wall to end as it would inevitably mean the end of the book. Note to fellow Hikers, There are baby carriers you can buy that are a little bit safer than a 30ltr rucksac. 🤣

Only two stars puts me in the minority I know,, but that is in protest at how Mr Caldwell inserted vast amounts of mind-numbing padding to turn a short book about climbing into a much longer book filled with endlessly dull periods examining his marriages. His writing about climbing is first rate. His navel-gazing self-analysis and tortured dissection of his relationships is turgid in the extreme.There is a fine little kernel of a climbing book by one of the top climbers of all time in there somewhere, but you have to dig through a lot of chaff to find it.

This was an unbelievably good book. I'm not a climber but I found the book riveting and inspiring. I found myself researching all the climbing terms, the locations and mountains and yet I had no specific interest in climbing when I picked it up. I bought it because I heard Tommy Caldwell interviewed on the radio and I was impressed by the kind of person he is and I wanted to know more about him. I was not disappointed. This is a lovely balanced story with plenty of background. The people come alive and you feel every effort and all the drive and passion and you really travel on the journey with Tommy Caldwell through all the incredible highs and lows, and dramas and ecstasies. Well-written, exciting and un-put-down-able.

Tommy Caldwell comes across very well, humble despite his world class abilities and achievements and very honest about the pain and sadness and trauma he has experienced in life. The description of the climbing moves on The Dawn Wall held my interest completely, despite not being a climber as such (a hillwalker) and his ghost writer really has translated quite technical info into a hugely enjoyable and tense read.I went off Tommy during a period in his life when he rejected quite severely his wonderful and supportive father but admired his honesty in relating this episode. Life isn't all a bed of roses and relationships, even loving ones, can become very complicated and painful.A book to read again, to really absorb the detail.

One of the best books i have read this year. The story is really engaging and a good balance between descriptive climbing and the complexity of relationships that were pivotal to the author. By chapter 6 he had already done more in his life than most of us do in a lifetime. I like his style of writing, there is a degree of introspection that is often absent in autobiographies of sports folk and adventurers and i think the story is the better for it. I'm in the final chapters and even though i haven't finished it, i find my thoughts coming back to the book during the day and i cant wait to open to it again and find out what happens next.