Desire & Ice: A Search for Perspective Atop Denali [Paperback]

David Brill (Author)

Book Description

Series: National Geographic | Publication Date: November 1, 2002

TAPS INTO "EVERYMAN" TREND IN ADVENTURE TRAVEL. Though he had previously thru-hiked the AT and bagged Mount Rainier twice, David Brill was neither an ultramarathon-er nor a technically skilled mountaineer when he set out to climb 20,320-foot-high Denali (still known by some as Mount McKinley) in May 2001. After getting into shape by hiking up and down a neighboring 3,300-foot mountain with an 80-pound pack on his back (and bright yellow Arctic mountaineering boots on his feet), Brill summited Denali at the climax of a three-week expedition, proving that everyday athletes can accomplish once-in-a-lifetime feats. BROAD AUDIENCE APPEAL: The easy story-telling grace and casually self-deprecating style with which Brill relates his climbing and hiking odyssey will captivate any reader or traveler who enjoyed A Walk in the Woods or Into Thin Air. COMMISSIONED PHOTOGRAPHY: Compelling colour photographs, shot during the expedition by Bill Hatcher for National Geographic Traveler magazine, reveal the difficulty of the route, the quirky characters encountered on the path to the summit, the immensity of the mountain, and the beauty of the Alaskan landscape over which Denali presides. KOOKS OR ICONOCLASTS?: Through profiles of fellow climbers he met during training sessions on Rainier or during the Denali expedition itself, the author vividly sketches a fascinating array of oddballs and outcasts, dreamers and driven - in short, typical "climbing personalities." What is it about the peak experience that impelled these characters to leave their comfortable lives behind for a shot at the summit?

Editorial Reviews

Review

A great example of an everyday man doing an extraordinary thing. This inspiring account shows what is truly possible. -- Ed Viesturs, five-time Everest veteran and leader of the 1996 Everest IMAX® Expedition.

Brill's riveting account is essential reading for anyone who aspires to reach the summit of North America's highest mountain. -- Jim Wickwire, co-author of Addicted to Danger and one of the first Americans to summit K2

Brill's take on climbing is informative, accurate, and laced with humor. -- Conrad Anker, co-author of The Lost Explorer: Finding Mallory on Mount Everest.

Proof that the big lessons come only when we find the courage to step outside our comfort zone. -- Rick Ridgeway, co-author of Seven Summits

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: National Geographic (November 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0792269357
• ISBN-13: 978-0792269359
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 0.7 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #761,817 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars From Sofa To Summit, November 14, 2002

By 

Perry E. Bradley (Danbury, CT United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Desire & Ice: A Search for Perspective Atop Denali (Paperback)

While many mountaineering books delve into wicked storms and horrible pain and suffering, few offer a glimpse of what it would be like to actually don crampons, grab an ice axe, and go for the summit. That's where Dave Brill's account excells.

From the moment he dons his brand-new climbing togs and checks himself out in a full-length mirror, I was rest-stepping and pressure-breathing right along with him on his triumphant path to the summit of Denali. This is a terrific book, well and carefully written. It offers insight, humor and adventure--all conveyed in refreshingly self-depricating style.

Brill proves you don't have to be a hero to get to the summit. Rather, you have to have vision, courage, commitment, luck, and most of all, the gumption to go for it. If you've ever wondered what it feels like, tastes like, smells like and looks like to take on a serious mountain, this is the book for you.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brill Got It Right, December 17, 2002

By 

Charles R. Bowers "amazon pops" (Nashville, TN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Desire & Ice: A Search for Perspective Atop Denali (Paperback)

I know Brill. We were on Denali together. He is a better writer than climber, but is no slouch in either area. Desire and Ice captures the essence of ordinary guys trying to stretch and do extraordinary things. For all those wannabes who dream of getting to the top of McKinley, Brill's well written and highly readable book gives hope and encouragement. Train hard, get your skills and techniques down, work as a team, and take care of yourself and your hiking buddies. That's important stuff and Brill devotes his early chapters to how he got ready for the Big Mountain. Yes, on Denali the challenges are many - crevases, sub-zero temperatures, tent-fever, biting winds and independent personalities. You have to deal with all of them. But your greatest challenge is alway found in your own mind ... and your attitude toward what each day brings. Brill captures it all. It was wonderful to stand on North America's highest point with David Brill. And, he is right on about our team. I too would be pleased and proud to climb with Kent and Gary and Joe all the rest of the those "ordinary guys" again. But next time, Clay gets to the top with us.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Reading for ALL...not Just an MoutaineeringTale, December 5, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Desire & Ice: A Search for Perspective Atop Denali (Paperback)

David Brill has written an excellent book about a journey of discovery. It's a great read, no matter what you're fitness level or interest in climbing or the outdoors. Brill's fluid style, at times witty and funny, transports the reader from the couch to the glaciers of Denali in engaging, believable terms. Brill's prose goes well beyond the typical gear and macho you might find in other books about climbing. You'll come away with insight, awe, and incredible satisfaction. Brill is a terrific writer. This book, in my opinion, is better than the best selling "Into Thin Air," about a fatal Everest climb a few years ago. Brill's "Desire and Ice" is much more approachable, because Denali, in climbing circles, is an "everyman's mountain." Difficult and deadly, yes, but more accessible. I am not a mountaineer, but still enjoyed this book thoroughly. I would never give a first, let alone second, thought to such a journey myself, but now, I don't have to, having lived through it with this great book. I'm going to look for other books by this guy. He's simply a great writer.