Climbing on the Bookshelf

By Stuart Rhodes

Exploring the world of mountain literature through interviews with Climbers, enthusiasts and authors, readings of excerpts and uncovering the mysteries and nuances of climbing writing both old and new.

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The First Attempts with Mick Conefrey

Climbing on the BookshelfSep 30, 2021

00:00

31:58

Dancing, Discovery and the Doctor with Mimi Zieman

Mimi Zieman has treated frozen limbs on the highest mountain, delivered triplets near the deepest ocean trench, tap danced through Broadway studios, and has been a suburban mom of three – all experiences that have prepared her for new challenges. Her latest challenge, writing Tap Dancing on Everest, about the risks we take to become our truest selves.
A small team of four climbers would attempt a new route on the East Face (Kangshung Face) of Mt. Everest, considered the most remote and dangerous side of the mountain and only successfully climbed once before. Unlike the first larger team, Mimi Zieman's team would climb without using supplemental oxygen, porter support, or chance for rescue. She would accompany the climbers as the doctor and only woman, although she was still in her third year of medical school. Full of self-doubt, Zieman grappled with whether to go but couldn't resist the call of the mountains. When three climbers disappeared during their summit attempt, she reached the knife edge of her limits and dug deeply to fight for the climbers' lives and to find her voice.
Tap Dancing on Everest is a coming-of-age story about the risks we take to become our truest selves. Zieman weaves her childhood as the daughter of immigrants raised in 1970's New York with capturing the curiosity and awe of a young woman as she faces down messages to stay small and safe and ventures into the unknown.
Find out more about Mimi here :
www.mimiziemanmd.com
IG @mimiziemanmd
You can buy the book from all good bookshops.

Apr 17, 202428:37

Roping up with Steve Part 1

In the 1950's and 60's Yosemite Valley was the centre of the rock climbing universe. Camp 4 was the gathering place for the "Golden Age" of Yosemite climbing. Steve Roper lived in Yosemite Valley for nearly 10 years, this is his story from the inside of that era. In 1967 he co founded the Sierra Club magazine "Ascent" with Allen Steck, he was the author of and "Fifty classic climbs" which is still used today and not forgetting "Camp 4 - Recollections of a Yosemite climber" which was such a significant book that it was used against the Park Rangers in a legal battle against them closing Camp 4! . In this candid and raw interview he talks about his early years climbing and his writings of the books mentioned above. Many, many thanks to the AAC Library archive with their invaluable help for the access to the interviews (shout out to Shane Johnson, Pete Takeda and Katie Sauter). Without their dedication to their work this episode would not have been possible. THANK YOU. IG - @Americanalpine & @Alpinelibrary

IG - @Climbbookshelf climbingonthebookshelf@gmail.com

Feb 13, 202401:04:30

NOW That's What I Call Research VOL 2 with John Middendorf

We go again with Deucey to chat about his research for his two volumes of work "Mechanical Advantage, Tools for the wild vertical". Kindly and readily available to download as a PDF or to order and own an actual copy of the volumes (for those of you that prefer actual things!). Then eventually moving onto another use for his Portaledge design, Rain forest activism.💪 AWESOME!!
Volume 1 : www.blurb.com/b/11609796-mechanical-advantage-tools-for-the-wild-vertical
Volume 2 : www.blurb.com/b/11609835-mechanical-advantage-tools-for-the-wild-vertical

Google search for:
"Blurb John Middendorf" or
"Blurb Mechanical Advantage"

Check out his research on : www.bigwallgear.com/
OR have a look at : www.bigwalls.net/ Also check out his YouTube channel which has the latest talk from Flagstaff m.youtube.com/watch?v=CoYF4fSNfZ0
Check him out on IG @johnmiddendorf4

Aug 20, 202332:53

NOW That's What I Call Research VOL 1 with John Middendorf

John "Deucey" Middendorf is one of the 80's & 90's big wall pioneers and has climbed all over the world from Baffin Island to El Cap to Pakistan. His Portaledge design revolutionised big wall climbing and has had many iterations and what he is perhaps best know for, although he has made many other types of gear. In Two parts (just like his new research volumes) we delve a little into his past, portaledges and his beautifully researched volumes (In 2 editions) "Mechanical Advantage, Tools for the wild vertical" on equipment design which you can find and buy from...... Volume 1 : https://www.blurb.com/b/11609796-mechanical-advantage-tools-for-the-wild-vertical Volume 2 : https://www.blurb.com/b/11609835-mechanical-advantage-tools-for-the-wild-vertical OR Google search for: "Blurb John Middendorf" or "Blurb Mechanical Advantage" Check out his research at https://www.bigwalls.net/ OR https://bigwallgear.com Also check out his YouTube channel which has the latest talk from when he went to Flagstaff https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CoYF4fSNfZ0 Check him out on IG @johnmiddendorf4

Aug 05, 202344:59

A Library of sports with Katie Quinn

Katie Quinn AKA The Sports Librarian reviews and recommends sports literature online. Her real passion is the outdoors and mountaineering literature where I chatted to her about this, and other stuff too! Listen out for some really great recommendations of mountaineering books, films and podcasts. Her favourite book is the episodes picture. You can catch up with Katie on most socials @thesportslibrarian OR katiequinn88.com OR even check out her site on bookshop.org/shop/thesportslibrarian for detailed recommends. I had a great time chatting, nice one Katie! thank you ❤️
MERCH - ab9542.myshopify.com/

May 03, 202352:28

The Golden Age of mountain literature with Katie Ives

Katie Ives is a renowned writer in the international climbing community, her first book is Imaginary Peaks the Riesenstien Hoax and other climbing dreams where she details the mystery of the Hoax within the larger view of climbing history and the seemingly endless search for newly discovered peaks and claims of first ascents. Beautifully researched, the book also covers the wider field throughout the world of exploration and discovery. We chat about her time at Alpinist as Editor-in-Chief and she has an insight into the future of mountaineering literature.
You can buy her book from the publisher ( Mountaineers Books ) in the USA here - www.mountaineers.org/books/books/imaginary-peaks-the-riesenstein-hoax-and-other-mountain-dreams
OR
If you are in the UK then from ( Little Peak Press ) - www.littlepeak.co.uk/catalogue/imaginary-peaks-the-riesenstein-hoax-and-other-mountain-dreams_66/
OR
You could also support your local bookshop by actually walking into an actual store and buy or order it from there! You know about collecting things if you're a climber!! You can also check out current and past editions of Alpinist magazine on their website here - www.alpinist.com/

You can check out what Katie is up to on her social media channels by visiting IG @katie_r_ives
MERCH HERE - linktr.ee/climbbookshelf

IG @climbbookshelf or via email climbingonthebookshelf@gmail.com

Apr 03, 202349:13

The Conquest and the Crown with Scott Ellsworth

"The World beneath their feet" is Scott Ellsworth's fourth book shifting his usual focus of lecturing at University of Michigan on Afroamerican and African studies, to the Himalayas, where a great summit race during the inter war years of the 1930's and 40's insued, leading up to the conquest of Everest in 1953 for the British expedition 1 day before Elizabeth was crowned Queen of England. You can buy his books at all good bookshops. If you want to learn more about any of the subjects talked about then please get in touch with Scott scottell@umich.edu
OR @scotteauthor
@Climbbookshelf
climbingonthebookshelf@gmail.com

Jan 03, 202346:44

A Feeling for Sock! with Sarah-Jane Dobner

A Feeling for Rock author and 2021 Banff Mountain Literature Award winner Sarah-Jane Dobner sits in her attic and then moves downstairs to chat about her book, inspiration for it and all things climbing.

You can buy her book from her website and for the keen eyed people, you can see her socks!

https://dobdobdob.co.uk/a-feeling-for-rock/

Also look out for her friend Sandro Gromen-Hayes - @sandro.g.h

@Climbbookshelf

climbingonthebookshelf@gmail.com

Oct 30, 202239:14

To Live Elisabeth Revol

A harrowing tale from Elisabeth Revol whilst summiting Nanga Parbat about her emotional rollercoaster ride from tragedy, survival, guilt and a tribute to her climbing partner Tomek (Tomasz Mackiewicz). You can purchase the book from herehttps://www.adventurebooks.com/products/to_live?_pos=1&_psq=to%20live&_ss=e&_v=1.0&variant=40705575551181 You can also see the talk Natalie Berry "To Live : Life and death on the killer mountain" gave at the Sheffield Libraries event back in July 2021 here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYVTjWwpoDs You can also see an interview and footage from the climb (in Polish but great if you want to see the conditions etc.) here https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=s0lvNAoFLlA Awesome viewing of a fascinating account. climbingonthebookshelf@gmail.com @climbbookshelf

Sep 05, 202216:09

Summits and Secrets Kurt Diemberger

Legendary Alpinist Kurt Diemberger is the last remaining living link to the golden age of first ascents of 8000m peaks in the 1950's and 60's. He is best known for his ascents of Broad Peak in 1957 and Dhaulagiri in 1960. Summits and Secrets concentrates on his early years and his rise in the mountaineering world up to that time, and a bit beyond! WOW!

There are also a few Youtube interviews of him including his amazing documentaries.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=kurt+diemberger

If you would like to buy the book from Vertebrate Publishing they have a new website! here's the link:

https://www.adventurebooks.com/products/summits_and_secrets?_pos=1&_psq=summits%20and%20secrets&_ss=e&_v=1.0&variant=40705570046157

@climbbookshelf

climbingonthebookshelf@gmail.com

Apr 05, 202211:14