Up the Down Volcano (Kindle Single) [Kindle Edition]

Sloane Crosley (Author)

Book Description

In her first full-length essay since her second book, How Did You Get This Number, New York Times bestselling author Sloane Crosley attempts to overcome the biggest hurdle of her life. Literally. Crosley’s “Up the Down Volcano" delivers a hilariously honest account of her trip to South America to climb one of the highest volcanoes in the world. Armed with a prescription for malaria pills, a fleece vest, and a few feminine hygiene products, Crosley’s attempt to channel her inner Jon Krakauer doesn't go exactly as planned. As she experiences the effects of altitude sickness on her way up the volcano, her guide tells her to simply be “tranquillo.” Crosley expertly describes the misunderstandings that arise through interacting with another culture in another language, turning the classic adventure story on its funny bone. The results are, of course, touching and amusingly disastrous.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

International travel is like childbirth, in one way, and likely one way only: although the experience itself is often uncomfortable, painful, and confusing, in retrospect all you remember are the good parts. That trip to Paris last year, where you lost your wallet, slaughtered the French language, and had a half-dozen major meltdowns? Now all you can recall are the sunsets, the Louvre, and the wine. Well, in Sloane Crosley's new single, Up the Down Volcano, she resists that disease of selective short-term memory and instead delivers a hilariously honest account of her trip to South America to climb the second highest volcano in the world armed only with a bikini, malaria pills, a fleece vest, and a few feminine hygiene products. A self-described "profoundly lazy person in real life," Crosley finds a gruff "spider monkey of a guide" named Andrés, who seems indifferent to her suffering and who speaks only a few sentences to her during her long ordeal. One being "Do you eat beans?" Another, to quell her growing alarm and fear as she experiences the effects of altitude sickness on her way up the volcano, is simply "tranquillo." Crosley expertly describes the misunderstanding that arises through interacting with another culture in another language, which can lead, especially in her case, to disastrous results. And although Crosley barely makes it off that mountain alive, you will laugh your way through this armchair traveler's trainwreck, thanking Crosley all the way for keeping it real, and not boring you with stories of sunsets. --Benjamin Moebius

About the Author

Sloane Crosley is the author of I Was Told There'd Be Cake, a finalist for The Thurber Prize, and How Did You Get This Number, both New York Times best sellers. She is the editor of The Best American Travel Writing 2011, a frequent contributor to a variety of publications such as The New York Times and GQ, and is included in The Library of America's 50 Funniest American Writers According to Andy Borowitz. She lives in New York City.

Product Details

• File Size: 119 KB
• Print Length: 34 pages
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B006JCJZPO
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #33,092 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
  • #8 in Kindle Store > Kindle Singles > The World Stage
  • #11 in Kindle Store > Kindle Singles > Humor
  • #23 in Kindle Store > Kindle Singles > Memoirs

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Laugh-Out-Loud Funny and Scary as Hell December 10, 2011

By L. Robertson

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I absolutely loved this essay, in which Sloane Crosley accidentally raises the stakes on her well-documented ability to find herself in absurd situations. This time, our heroine gets herself into grave trouble, having casually decided to go mountain-climbing on a moment's notice while on an unrelated magazine assignment in Quito, Ecuador (you can't do that, you see, because of a thing called "altitude sickness," something Crosley reminds us and herself over and over, she would know, had she even bothered to Google the idea before embarking on the trip.)

"Up the Down Volcano" is laugh-out-loud funny tale told expertly but with a red face - one almost gets the sense Crosley would truly rather not share it - but her embarrassment is our gain. I actually felt kind of guilty for enjoying this so much - there isn't a single sentence that isn't either hilarious or terrifying (mostly hilarious), because it sounds like it was an absolute and total nightmare. (I kept thinking "Oh my god: I would *die*!")

As a huge fan of "I Was Told There'd Be Cake" and "How Did You Get This Number," this is probably my favorite of Crosley's work so far.

(Also a note on Kindle Singles in general: I don't have a Kindle, but I read this on my laptop with the free Kindle app, and it was surprisingly pleasant, with none of the annoyances of reading a long piece on the internet.)

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Some of her best work December 21, 2011

By i'm on the internet!

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I found this thoroughly enjoyable and easy to read. While I preferred "How'd You Get This Number" mostly due to it's incredibly clever, witty, and intelligent title, "Up The Down Volcano" easily ranks amongst Sloane's best writing.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Very Funny. December 12, 2011

By Ellen Britt

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Reading a Kindle single is a great way to get to know an author. I have wanted to read one of Sloane Crosley's books & this was a great way to check out her writing style & sense of humor. I give her an A+ on both counts.

More About the Author

Sloane Crosley is the author of "I Was Told There'd be Cake," which was a finalist for The Thurber Prize, and "How Did You Get This Number," both New York Times bestsellers. She is the editor of "The Best American Travel Writing 2011," a frequent contributor to a variety of publications such as The New York Times and GQ and is included in "The Library of America's 50 Funniest American Writers According to Andy Borowitz." She lives in New York City.