Forget Me Not: A Memoirby Jennifer Lowe-Anker, with a forward from Jon KrakauerIn 1999 Jennifer Lowe's husband, Alex Lowe, died tragically in an avalanche on the Himalayan mountain Shishapangma, leaving her alone to raise three sons. Alex was widely considered one of the greatest modern climbers and the world mourned his loss. While Jenni and her sons faced the absence of the most important man in their lives, Alex's best friend and longtime climbing partner, Conrad Anker, was dealing with the terrible loss as well as feelings of survivor's guilt. Jenni and Conrad gradually, and unexpectedly, found solace in one another and married in 2001. Conrad is now the adoptive father of the three Lowe children. Through letters and expedition notes from Alex, Forget Me Not spans continents and tells the story of three people whose lives intertwine to a degree they could never have imagined. Jenni's account takes readers inside a woman's heart and mind as she navigates her shattered life and survives, ultimately finding transformative love through her great loss. From the valleys of Montana to the peaks of the Himalayas, this never-before told story exposes the controversial yet ultimately redemptive power of love.The AuthorJennifer Lowe-Anker is a successful artist whose often whimsical paintings are rendered in vivid color and rich texture inspired by her Montana upbringing. Her work hangs in the private collections of Peter Fonda, Michael Keaton, and Jeff Bridges, as well as in the corporate collections of Patagonia. Lowe-Anker is founder of the Alex Lowe Charitable Foundation and its Khumbu Climbing School, which trains Nepalese in climbing and guiding skills, enabling them to successfully work and climb in their home region. Conrad Anker is a mountaineer and rock climber and mountaineer, actually a pretty good one.
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314 of 332 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not for everyone,
By Eileen (Wisconsin, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Forget Me Not: A Memoir (Hardcover)
Jennifer Lowe-Anker is a very good writer and her late husband Alex was probably even more gifted with words. I found the story very sad and depressing. Alex never put his wife or children first in his life. His life was all about Alex and where he wanted to go and what he wanted to climb. He didn't care if he missed birthdays, anniversaries or holidays. He didn't care if he made Jenni move away from her beloved, dying grandmother. He probably needed that attitude in order to survive as long as he did taking huge risks in an extreme sport. That Jenni chose him for her partner was her choice but I felt really badly for their children. In the forward, Jon Krakauer wrote that Alex loved his family unconditionally. Not true. He loved them to not make any demands on him. Jenni wrote that he was unpleasant when he could not have his way and get away. She put up with a lot and excused even more. She even acknowledged that some other climbers found him to be a prima donna. I think she found it easy to fall in love with another man just months after the death of Alex because she never felt really bound to him.I also found it sad to discover that because climbers from industrialized nations have the time and money for this expensive, dangerous sport, that they employ native Sherpas and Tibetans as their guides and carriers putting them at huge risk. For these impoverished people, how could they not be tempted by the money? I have since found that the death and injury rate among these native people is even higher than for the climbers who employ them. More selfishness. So, although the book was very well written, I guess I am the oddball who was not enthralled by Alex Lowe. He regularly risked his life, his sons' father, for no other purpose than to feel like he was on top of the world. To me, a man is a hero when he puts his family and not himself first.
161 of 174 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Am I the only one...?,
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This review is from: Forget Me Not: A Memoir (Hardcover)
I'm sorry...but, am I the only person who thinks Alex Lowe was one of the most self-centered, self-absorbed people on the planet? I couldn't even finish this book. The writing style was nice, but it made me so angry to hear Jennifer make a steady stream of excuses and justifications for Alex and his ridiculously dangerous pursuits.If you are a born adventurer...fine. If you love the adrenaline rush of extreme sports...fine. If you love risking your life in pursuit of your dreams...fine. But, don't bring children into the world who have no say in such things. My heart aches for Alex and Jennifer's children - for all of the birthdays, holidays and special events missed their dad chose to miss...for all the times their dad chose mountain climbing over them. The whole story really turned my stomach. I choose not to glorify a man like this. A real man realizes that when he becomes a father, life is no longer just about him. It is about something much bigger. Unfortunately, the biggest thing in Alex Lowe's life was mountain climbing.
42 of 42 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
good book, not so good relationship,
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This review is from: Forget Me Not: A Memoir (Hardcover)
I admire Jennifer Lowe-Anker for her accomplishments and capability to cope, but I felt very sad for her as she tried to live her life with out Alex ever really being there for her. His love letters were beautiful, but writing of love is a distant cry from acting out of love. I admired Alex for his love of nature, extreme drive and outstanding athletic ability. I am glad that he respected and was able to learn from other cultures. Those relationships seemed important to him, but of course they can only go so far and then the trip is over and it is time to go home. I hope that Jennifer has found true love with Conrad Anker. From her writing about him, I gather that she has.
2115|RFXB39VRZGCCH;2115|RTN843GGH747;2115|RW52APXZ4502V;
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