Customer Reviews

Don Forest: Quest for the Summits

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If you are an outdoors person, particularly in the North American west, this is a great read. Sure, it's not long on psychological insight or personal conflict, but as the story of a remarkable outdoorsman it's a sure motivator, and is especially fun to read as you tour the Canadian Rockies. I suspect many of us learned to love the outdoors on outings with our fathers, and while most fathers can't compare with Mr. Forest, his and his family's experiences will bring back your own fond memories. This book isn't just about Mr. Forest's prodigious climbing career, it's about how he shared his love of the mountains with others.

Another reason I liked it is because the book is definitely home-spun. These aren't stories about maladjusted peak-baggers or misanthropic daredevils of the mountains, they're stories about the kind of people you or I might share a rope with. And the kind of people who aren't just good in the outdoors, but are also down to earth enough to be likable. In short, it's not death and desperation a la Everest, it's good times in the wilds with your pals. I admit prejudice because I'm familiar with some of these folks, but I'm sure anyone would identify with the characters here.

Lots of good pictures too.