Between a Rock and a Hard Place [Paperback]

Aron Ralston (Author)

Book Description

Release date: August 30, 2005

One of the most extraordinary survival stories ever told -- Aron Ralston's searing account of his six days trapped in one of the most remote spots in America, and how one inspired act of bravery brought him home.

It started out as a simple hike in the Utah canyonlands on a warm Saturday afternoon. For Aron Ralston, a twenty-seven-year-old mountaineer and outdoorsman, a walk into the remote Blue John Canyon was a chance to get a break from a winter of solo climbing Colorado's highest and toughest peaks. He'd earned this weekend vacation, and though he met two charming women along the way, by early afternoon he finally found himself in his element: alone, with just the beauty of the natural world all around him.

It was 2:41 P.M. Eight miles from his truck, in a deep and narrow slot canyon, Aron was climbing down off a wedged boulder when the rock suddenly, and terrifyingly, came loose. Before he could get out of the way, the falling stone pinned his right hand and wrist against the canyon wall.

And so began six days of hell for Aron Ralston. With scant water and little food, no jacket for the painfully cold nights, and the terrible knowledge that he'd told no one where he was headed, he found himself facing a lingering death -- trapped by an 800-pound boulder 100 feet down in the bottom of a canyon. As he eliminated his escape options one by one through the days, Aron faced the full horror of his predicament: By the time any possible search and rescue effort would begin, he'd most probably have died of dehydration, if a flash flood didn't drown him before that.

What does one do in the face of almost certain death? Using the video camera from his pack, Aron began recording his grateful good-byes to his family and friends all over the country, thinking back over a life filled with adventure, and documenting a last will and testament with the hope that someone would find it. (For their part, his family and friends had instigated a major search for Aron, the amazing details of which are also documented here for the first time.) The knowledge of their love kept Aron Ralston alive, until a divine inspiration on Thursday morning solved the riddle of the boulder. Aron then committed the most extreme act imaginable to save himself.

Between a Rock and a Hard Place -- a brilliantly written, funny, honest, inspiring, and downright astonishing report from the line where death meets life -- will surely take 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: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (248 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #340,699 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

157 of 172 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

Format: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.

44 of 48 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars one of the best books i've read. December 17, 2010

By nurse nicole

Format:Mass Market Paperback

I'm not sure who these reviewers are who have such pity for Aron Ralston, or who think he's a "dumbf--k" for his risk-taking, or who think he hasnt learned something of crucial importance from his experience at Blue John Canyon. Either they missed the point of this incredible story, or I did. Given how deeply this book touched me, I'd say it's a safe bet that it wasnt me that missed the point.

The story of his saga in the canyon is retold in this book in often excruciating detail, to the point where I sometimes found my hands clenching, my heart pounding, my eyes welling with tears as he reminisced, hallucinated, struggled with things that seem to me the very core of being human - in particular, discovering a greater appreciation for the people we love.

I would recommend this book to all but maybe the most squeamish of individuals, and even then I would suggest sucking it up and reading it anyway. This story is inspiring in so many ways. Totally worth reading.

Aron, if you're reading these reviews....thank you. Your suffering was not in vain, my friend. And i thank you for sharing it with all of us.

32 of 35 people found the following review helpful

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

By Jessica D. Owens

Format: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.

97 of 115 people found the following review helpful

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

By L. Sumpter

Format: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.

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars You might love it or hate it, but it'll stick with you May 22, 2007

By Yvonne

Format:Paperback

I saw the Dateline NBC special about Aron's ordeal when it aired 3 years ago. I was stunned, as I'm sure everyone who saw it was, and I made a mental note to read this book. But here it is, 2007, and I've only just now gotten around to it.

I don't think this book is all good or all bad - I share many of the same opinions of the others who have reviewed it. One thing I will say is I don't think it's possible to be completely objective and review the BOOK alone, separate from "reviewing" Aron as a person. But when someone writes their autobiography, I think they put themselves out there for judgment, so I won't attempt to make that separation.

First, the writing style. Yes, there are many instances where the descriptions are incredibly overwritten, where you can almost see his conscious effort to make his writing seem "poetic." And his penchant for $2 vocabulary words couldn't be more annoying. But for me there was a huge difference between the writing in the "background" chapters (overwritten and over-detailed) and the writing about the entrapment itself, which is nothing short of vivid, stunning, and remarkable. His ability to put you right there in that canyon with him is amazing. He really is a very good storyteller, and I found myself very intrigued and delighted on numerous occasions to read the unique ways that he describes things.

As others have said, there is way too much technical detail, particularly when he's recounting his past outings. In those passages I found that even with pages of description, I still had a hard time picturing exactly what he was talking about because I'm not a climber (or a skier, or a white-water rafter, or a canyoneer, or a rappeller or a...)....

The background chapters do get annoying, and one does get the sense that he's relishing the opportunity to brag to the world. Make no mistake about it, his ego is enormous. But I also understand the necessity of those chapters. People can say that the book should have just been an account of the entrapment, but you couldn't have fully gotten into the head of this guy without knowing his past. He definitely could have used a better editor, though. Those chapters are just too long and too detailed.

Now to Aron. When you read the book you find out that he has faced numerous life and death situations prior to what happened in Blue John Canyon (most of which are not "bad luck" but rather his own risk-taking and poor decision-making). And the interesting thing about him is that he seems to genuinely feel the fear and terror in those moments when death is imminent. But it never seems to stop him from going back for more. That's why reading his story didn't make me think, "wow, this guy really lives life to the fullest." Rather, I felt like I was reading the sad story of someone who is as addicted to adrenaline as a heroine addict is to his drug. I think that Aron will undoubtedly die in the middle of one of his "adventures," but I don't think he'd have it any other way. It makes me wonder if this guy will ever be capable of feeling "alive" via the simple pleasures in life, or if he will always have to be hanging off the side of a mountain or riding raging rapids to experience true joy. It's kind of sad.

Another thing that comes through very clearly about Aron is that he is extremely intelligent and talented. Not only does he have incredible outdoor accomplishments, but it's also clear that he is a very talented engineer, as evidenced by his thought process while he's trapped and the various tactics he designs and tries for getting out. Plus, he plays the piano and as we see in this book, he's a much better than average writer. It would seem that he's a true Renaissance Man. But as the saying goes, there's a fine line between genius and insanity. Which side is Aron on? Well, I guess you can decide for yourself.

It's not entirely clear whether Aron "gets it" at the end because after the rescue there's only a few token pages dedicated to what happened later. Personally I would have preferred much less backstory and more about his recovery, and life and thoughts after the accident. But he wrote this book relatively soon after the ordeal, so maybe the benefit of more perspective will change him. If he's not dead first.

I'll probably hang on to this book but if I ever pick it up to read it again, I'll definitely skip the "I'm the greatest outdoorsman who ever lived" chapters. Bottom line, read this book. You won't regret (or forget) it. Read more ›

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars On the one hand and on the other hand... October 10, 2005

By Jason A. Miller VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

I feel like an 800-pound boulder going in to write anything less than an overwhelmingly positive review of "Between a Rock and a Hard Place". How many people have said they'd give their right arm to have their memoirs reach the bestseller list? Well, outdoorsman Aron Ralston actually did that. Who, then, am I to judge his writing style?

There's no listed ghostwriter, and you can believe Ralston did structure and write the whole book himself. A Carnegie Mellon grad with five years as a mechanical engineer, and well versed in outdoor literature, Ralston comes off as a talented writer (one would hope, however, that he'd avoid the inevitable trap of making his next book a thinly veiled roman-a-clef about a trapped rock climber). However, the book is bogged down by two authorial -- if not editorial -- decisions:

First, the writing style is very technical, and therefore dense. I'm not an outdoorsman; probably the most extreme things I've done in my adult life are to climb the Diamond Head on Oahu, which really just involved walking up a lot of stairs; and an extremely little bit of caving outside of Rapid City, South Dakota. Although Ralston cites to Jon Krakauer as a writing inspiration, he lacks Krakauer's ability to make the extraordinary seem achievable. I felt I could climb partway up Everest after reading "Into Thin Air". After "Between a Rock and a Hard Place", I didn't even think I could ride a bicycle again.

Second, the alternating chapters. I understand the structure of the book: in order to tell his whole life story, while keeping the suspense going, Ralston only describes his ordeal in odd-numbered chapters.... The balance of the book leads us first through his outdoors life, and then through the rescue effort that hastened his escape from Blue John Canyon and saved his life. I found myself fidgeting during the earlier anecdotes. While the black bear pursuit and the snow avalanche were gripping adventures, the rest of the tales really didn't add much to my enjoyment of the book -- and see again my complaint about the overly technical writing. Ralston climbed over 40 mountains before the rock climbing accident; he describes every single climb, and I couldn't tell any of them apart when he was done.

I've already recommended this book to others. I admire Ralston's attention to detail, his clinical look back at his own mental state during six days of captivity, and his sense of humor -- the line about his left arm on the book's final page is remarkable. I don't know if I'd be able to go back and watch the videotape I'd made of myself, had I been the one pinned under that boulder -- and Ralston has clearly watched that footage multiple times. This is clearly a man of extraordinary emotional strength. However, his book could have been shorter and perhaps a little more user friendly -- and that's absolutely the worst you can say about it. Read more ›