Customer Reviews

The Burgess Book of Lies

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A very funny account of the Burgess brothers misadventures. A must for anyone who has ever climbed a mountain or raised a little hell.

I am addicted to mountaineering books, the "who gets killed next on Everest" type. The Bad Burgess Boys were mentioned periodically in these. Just having read their own account of themselves and their adventures, I was very surprised and delighted by their flair for writing and obvious intelligence. Very few climbers who write about their own experiences seem to be able to analyze risks and apply prudence when necessary. These guys have done it all and lived to tell the tale. I had wondered if the title "Book of Lies" was tongue in cheek, because the book seemed very honest to me. I just read a quote from one of the twins that confirmed my hunch: "there's not a lie in it." One of the most enjoyable books I've read in a long while.

My only question is: where's vol 2, ya lazy bastards?

Excellent book of tales and observations. My only problem with it is that it ended.

I love this book. It was hard for me to put it down when I was reading it. It got so many funny stories that they did. I recommend it, especially if you like to climb mountains like I do.

As I read this book, I couldn't help feeling that I was hearing these stories in person at a pub over a pint or two or three. That these two brothers have managed to carve out (sometimes literally!) a grat life from their working class origins is inspirational. My main sport is running, but I have done some climbing and much hiking and really appreciate these professionals and how even in advancing years, they kept trying to stretch their own envelope. I also really enjoyed reading how they learned so much from the Sherpas and the people in Nepal and Tibet. I live at the base of a small mountain (4,000 feet) and love to spend my days there. To be able to live a life among mountains of 24,000 is amazing to me!! I have to place this book in my top 10. Way to go Lads!!!!

If you do not know Adrian and Aid Burgess your in for a treat. The Burgess boys are known in the mountaineering circles as the crazy twins. These two have lived enough of a life for ten people. I am sure both are bared from a number of countries, as well as a couple of bars in France. The wit and humor they display from a lifetime of adventures will both entertain and amaze you as relive some of harrowing experiences.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. If you've read as many mountaineering books as I have, eventually you may read a dozen accounts of the same epic mountaineering tragedy. Even if I'd heard the story before I was enchanted with the Burgess viewpoint. I also encountered some of the tales about the twins' antics in other books. And I was delighted to hear them tell their own stories. Their respect for the local people and customs was very important to me. It's a much better world with the Burgess twins in it! Thanks for sharing your stories with the rest of us.