Between a Rock and a Hard Place [Paperback]

Aron Ralston (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 30, 2005

The International Bestseller Between a Rock and a Hard Place--Now the Major Motion Picture 127 Hours

Hiking into the remote Utah canyonlands, Aron Ralston felt perfectly at home in the beauty of the natural world. Then, at 2:41 P.M., eight miles from his truck, in a deep and narrow slot canyon, an eight-hundred-pound boulder tumbled loose, pinning Aron's right hand and wrist against the canyon wall. Through six days of hell, with scant water, food, or warm clothing, and the terrible knowledge that no one knew where he was, Aron eliminated his escape option one by one. Then a moment of stark clarity helped him to solve the riddle of the boulder--and commit one of the most extreme and desperate acts imaginable.

     Honest, inspiring, and undeniably astonishing, 127 Hours: Between a Rock and a Hard Place has taken its place in the annals of classic adventure stories. 

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Ralston's story is one of the most gut-wrenching and compelling real-life adventures in recent years: in early 2003, the avid rock-climber and outdoorsman became trapped in a Utah mountain canyon when an 800-pound boulder pinned his right arm. He spent six days there, fighting both the physical challenges of pain and dehydration, and the psychological horror that eroded his hope and energy. Eventually, he amputated his own arm with his pocket knife in order to gain his freedom. It's a truly remarkable story, and hearing Ralston retell it is alternately fascinating and unbearable. After a brief setup that details his life as an adventurer, he arrives at his moment of horror, walking the listener in painstaking detail through everything he felt and thought; his honest and blunt language (" 'What are you doing, Aron? Get that knife away from your wrist!' I feel vaguely ill... my vision blurs in a nauseating swirl"), paired with his direct and non-sensational delivery, wrap the listener in a mental blanket of claustrophobia. Although squeamish listeners might find this audio presentation too overwhelming, it's a riveting document of one man's extraordinary trial.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Adult/High School - From midday Saturday, April 26, 2003, until midday Thursday, May 1, Ralston was pinned between a boulder and a canyon wall in a remote area of Canyonlands National Park in Utah. He had little food and water. No one would even wonder where he was until he didn't show up for work on Tuesday. Unable to sit, lie down, use his right arm (that was the part between the rock and the wall), or sleep, he knew right away that he was in for an excruciatingly difficult time. Those 120 hours of what he calls "uninterrupted experience" tested to the fullest his physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual being. His eventual rescue led to international headlines, partially due to his dramatic means of escape: he severed his arm with a cheap, dull, dirty knife. This is a searing and amazingly detailed rendition of his ordeal, along with accounts of several of Ralston's previous wilderness adventures. He is one active and tough guy, but readers never get the sense that he is boastful or seeking notoriety. Rather, he seems genuinely intrigued, even mildly befuddled, by his insatiable drive to be active in the wild. One could say he takes too many risks, and that he has a tendency toward carelessness. He himself notes this. But the man's drive and devotion to his calling are nothing but admirable. Sixteen pages of color photographs add considerably to readers' experience of this nuanced, gripping survival story that belongs in most collections. - Robert Saunderson, Berkeley Public Library, CA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 354 pages
• Publisher: Atria Books; 1ST edition (August 30, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 074349282X
• ISBN-13: 978-0743492829
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (178 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #15,186 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #12 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Hiking & Camping > Excursion Guides
  • #13 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Mountaineering > Mountain Climbing
  • #27 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Specific Groups > Adventurers & Explorers

More About the Author

Aron Ralston grew up in the Midwest before moving to Colorado when he was twelve, a place where he became an avid outdoorsman. In 2002, he gave up a career as a mechanical engineer in New Mexico and moved to Aspen, Colorado, where among other things he continued his attempt to climb the fifty-nine Colorado peaks of more than 14,000 feet solo in winter (he's more than three-quarters through). Since his accident, he has resumed his life of adventure and discovery.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

149 of 163 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling, riveting tale of survival and human strength, September 10, 2004

By 

emily (georgia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Between a Rock and a Hard Place (Hardcover)

I agree with the last reviewer. The fact that Aron Ralston used poor judgment, i.e. hiking alone and not telling anyone where he was, only makes his story more compelling. Hasn't everyone made a huge mistake that leads to a painful, regretful plight?
Calling the media sensationalistic,in this instance, is just plain silly--amputing one's arm in order to save one's life IS a sensational, highly unusual event. I don't think the media or Aron is making it anything more than what it was. The charge that Aron is self-promoting is just as ridiculous. After you read the book, you will see that Ralston is a humble person with great integrity and strength. He is simply telling his own, true, unbelievable story. Bottomline, this book is incredibly well-written, moving and not to be missed.

96 of 113 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must-read literature, September 10, 2004

By 

L. Sumpter - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Between a Rock and a Hard Place (Hardcover)

Aron's story is intelligent, sincere, warm and at many times, funny. As amazing as the story of his ordeal is, what is nearly as amazing is that something this well-written was created by the person it involved, not a ghost writer. It is nothing short of fine literature, not to mention an obviously compelling story.

Aron inspires us all. He shows us that a motivated person can save himself, and that the force of life can beat unbelievable odds against the force of death.

31 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars follow your bliss, September 13, 2004

By 

Jessica D. Owens (NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Between a Rock and a Hard Place (Hardcover)

This is a wonderful book by a clearly remarkable individual. Ralston successfully intertwines prior experiences with his accident in Utah, to give the reader tremendous insight into the many wilderness experiences that shaped him.

At times, the book gives fairly detailed technical renderings of mountaineering experiences, and these passages can be difficult. However, these sections can be easily 'skimmed through' by the non-mountaineer, and most probably savored by those with more hiking/climbing experience.

What makes this book valuable to every reader, including ones who may never face seemingly insurmountable physical challenges, is Ralston's -Joseph Campbell inspired- message of "follow your bliss." It will be the unusual reader who does not finish this book feeling as if they must closely examine their own life, and the course it is taking.