Product Description

'Like Joe Simpson, Andrew has discovered a latent talent for writing that only a mountaineering epic seems to have allowed him to uncover. And like Touching the Void, Life and Limb is brilliantly written and utterly un-put-down-able. If ever a tale evokes the phrase "life affirming" then this is it.' -On the Edge magazine; 'His courage, determination and sense of humour shine through the words of this remarkable book...Life and Limb is a genuinely life-enhancing read.' -Scottish Mountaineer; Jamie Andrew's survival and rescue after five nights trapped by a ferocious storm in 1999 has passed into Alpine legend. It was a miracle that he survived; but Jamie had to come to terms not only with the death of his close friend, Jamie Fisher, who died beside him - but also with the loss of all his limbs to frostbite. Since the accident, Jamie has struggled painfully and successfully to overcome his disabilities; not only has he learnt to walk (and run) on his prosthetic legs, but also to ski, snowboard, paraglide - and even take up his beloved mountaineering again.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #16097 in Books
• Published on: 2005-02-24
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

Review
'Like Joe Simpson, Andrew has discovered a latent talent for writing that only a mountaineering epic seems to have allowed him to uncover. And like Touching the Void, Life and Limb is brilliantly written and utterly un-put-down-able. If ever a tale evokes the phrase "life affirming" then this is it.' -On the Edge magazine; 'His courage, determination and sense of humour shine through the words of this remarkable book... Life and Limb is a genuinely life-enhancing read.' -Scottish Mountaineer

About the Author
Jamie Andrew, who lives in Edinburgh, was a leading mountaineer for over a decade before the tragic events of January 1999; since then, he has not only resumed climbing, but also learnt to ski and snowboard again. He regularly gives lectures and speeches to mountaineering clubs and universities on his experiences, and in 2002 was the overall winner of the Lloyds/TSB Sunday Mail Great Scot Award.

Customer Reviews

Inspirational, moving and thought-provoking
To write a great autobiographical book, you have to have lived a great life. Before he was 30 years old, the author had already experienced more hardship and tragedy than most people can imagine. Yet this book is, above all, one of inspiration. As a survival story, it is even more arresting than "Touching the Void".

Jamie Andrew tells the story of the 1999 mountaineering ordeal in which his friend died without a trace of self-pity, even with humour. He describes factually his own subsequent surgery - the amputation of both hands and feet because of extreme frostbite. But the way in which he subsequently rebuilt his life is the author's main message. What matters is not what happens to you, it is how you cope. Jamie Andrew's response to his "disability" has been consistently heroic.

As a quadruple amputee, he has run a marathon, climbed Ben Nevis and more recently Kilimanjaro, fathered a child and written a moving book about his experiences. There is a marvellous passage about the many ways we use our hands - forms of expression now closed to him. There are tributes to the bravery of the helicopter and surgical teams who saved his life but could not save his friend's. And there are excellent photographs to illustrate his extraordinary story.

If you have ever felt hungry, thirsty, cold or tired while walking or climbing, read this book and you will never feel sorry for yourself again. If you have had illness or surgery, read this book and discover new ways of coping with challenges. If you fit neither of these categories, read it anyway, as a well-written and gripping story. The book has already been nominated for the Boardman Tasker Prize for mountain literature, and it is clearly destined to become a classic.

Outstanding and truly inspiring.
Jamie Andrew's account of what happened to him and his friend Jamie Fisher on the mountain is truly riveting. I am not a bookworm and have not read a book since high school, I found myself unable to put this down. Jamie's descriptions are fantastic and I was truly moved and inspired by his experiences. Jamie Andrew's character shines through and I highly recommend this book to anyone. I just loved it.

An excellent book - unputdownable!!
The book was excellent, unputdownable, and you feel gripped by his struggle from start to finish. It begins with an absolute fight to stay alive on a mountain top in a severe storm, the death of his climbing partner, and his incredible resuce. Then the story really starts. Frostbite claims both his hands and feet and the fight moves to adapting to everyday life again. Not only does he succeed in every challenge but returns to mountaineering again. It's not just an amazing book, but one which will move you and put tears in your eyes. Of all the mountaineering books I've read, many of which include accidents and fights for survival, this one I would recommend the most.