Product Description

In 1997, Andy Cave returned from the Himalayas, having climbed the stupendous north face of Changabang but losing his friend and climbing partner in the process. Traumatized by the savage ordeal, he must examine his relationship with the mountains that have defined his life so far. Will he have the courage to undertake such a challenge again? Does he want to? "Thin White Line" charts his struggle towards finding an answer. It is as much a journey into the mind of an extreme mountaineer as it is into the wild landscapes through which he travels.In a nail biting narrative set in Patagonia, Norway and Alaska, Cave tackles the severest challenges modern Alpinism can pose. Juxtaposed with the stark beauty of the environment are the colourful characters populating his stories, from the adventurers around him, past and present, to the pioneer aviators who get him and his kind to those impossibly remote places. He vividly recreates the joy and despair of climbing, building the book to a desperate finale that lays bare the fragility of our carefully constructed convictions.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7063 in Books
• Published on: 2009-03-05
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

Financial Times
`An intriguing mix of travelogue, mountaineering history, geography and an affectionate portrait of the climbing fraternity'

Climb
'A skilful blend of dialogue and descriptive prose threading a narrative that captures the highs and lows of a mountaineer's existence... Plenty of action... Gripping'

From the Inside Flap
Thin White Line is the sequel to Learning to Breathe, Andy Cave's bestselling debut book and winner of both the prestigious Boardman Tasker Prize and the Adventure Travel Award at the Banff International Festival.

In 1997, Andy Cave returned from the Himalayas, having climbed the stupendous north face of Changabang but losing his friend and climbing partner in the process. Traumatized by the savage ordeal, he must examine his relationship with the mountains that have defined his life so far. Will he have the courage to undertake such a challenge again? Does he want to? Thin White Line charts his struggle towards finding an answer. It is as much a journey into the mind of an extreme mountaineer as it is into the wild landscapes through which he travels.

In a nail-biting narrative set in Patagonia, Norway and Alaska, Cave tackles the severest challenges modern Alpinism can pose. Juxtaposed with the stark beauty of the environment are the colourful characters populating his stories, from the adventurers around him, past and present, to the pioneer aviators who get him and his kind to those impossibly remote places. He vividly recreates the joy and despair of climbing, building the book to a desperate finale that lays bare the fragility of our carefully constructed convictions.

Customer Reviews

brilliant, gripping read....
Whilst the story of great climbing runs as a thread throughout this book it is far more than just another book on climbing. It captures the spirit of adventure, the history and beauty of the landscape that inspires, and is a surprisingly honest account of the exploits and personal journey of a great mountaineer. It presents a rare insight into this world without the usual bravado.

More than anything it is a gripping read that captures the excitement of adventure, like Touching the Void once you start you won't want to put it down!

Not As Good As The First One
I thoroughly enjoyed "Learning To Breath" as it dealt with the people involved in climbing and the author's pre-climbing history. This volume rather dwells on the tragic events at the end of the author's Changabang ascent and to be frank, drifts rather aimlessly to a conclusion. The conclusion, unsurprisingly is that climbing is a dangerous but as a climber he decides to carry on climbing er... that's it.

The style and format is similar to that of Joe Tasker in Savage Arena and it is apparent the author is a fan - no bad thing in itself but any potential buyer may be better off spending a few quid on a second hand copy of Tasker's book. Or for that matter the author's first.

climbing
brilliant read even for non climbers, unlike the first novel which told of how he became a climber this is mostly all climbing. but he writes with purpose and makes you want to read more. gripping stuff.