All Elevations Unknown: An Adventure in the Heart of Borneo (Paperback)

~ Sam Lightner Jr. (Author) "FOR SOME REASON which I will never bother to ascertain, European phones make different noises when you call them compared to American phones..." (more)
Key Phrases: vertical jungle, elevations unknown, film guys, Batu Lawi, Tom Harrisson, Kelabit Highlands (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In March 1945, a smart but rowdy British officer named Tom Harrisson parachuted into the Borneo Highlands and set about organizing an army of headhunters to battle the Japanese invaders. He knew the difficult country a little, having been there on a scientific expedition before the war, but now, "shepherded to the island by the world's most lucrative sponsor, the Dogs of War," he had to learn its secrets, and quickly.

In 1958, Harrisson wrote a memoir, World Within, chronicling his time on the island. Looking for new places to explore, Wyoming rock-scrambler Sam Lightner and his German climbing partner happened on Harrisson's book, studied it closely, and, with four other "dirt-bag" climbers, went off to Borneo to find the peak of their dreams in the cloud forests, in country that maps "tinted gray and labeled 'All Elevations Unknown'." Battling unusual elements--including having to "cough up the larvae of echinococcosus" and dodge giant snakes, to say nothing of the area's still-active headhunting bands--they found it, scaled the spire called Batu Lawi, and lived to tell the tale.

Their exploits form the heart of Lightner's good-natured narrative, which draws on Harrisson's own account of jungle warfare to become a work of history as much as outdoors travel. Climbers, students of World War II, and armchair adventurers alike will enjoy his report. --Gregory McNamee --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

First-time author Lightner, a well-known rock climber, presents a memorable if somewhat problematic travel-adventure memoir of his 1999 climb up Borneo's Batu Lawi, an all-but-unknown peak in a rough jungle. He approaches the peak armed only with regional maps, none of which show the mountain, and a book called World Within, a travel memoir published in 1958 by Tom Harrisson, a British officer who parachuted onto the mountain during WWII to establish an Allied base. Drawn to Harrisson's book, Lightner intersperses chapters about his climb with chapters retelling Harrisson's story, building dramatic tension to the climaxes of both tales. He occasionally refers to his funding from a hiking supply company, and one sometimes wonders how sponsorship affected the story, though to Lightner's credit, the narrative seems free of commercial agenda. More problematic are the imagined dialogues between Harrisson and his colleagues; Lightner admits they are based on second- and third-hand accounts, and the conceit feels strained. "Although it is not pure history, it comes very close," Lightner claims. Harrisson settled on Borneo with a Kelabit (a local ethnicity) wife and helped the island improve its educational and political structures. But Lightner's own story, his natural flair for writing and the inspiration he derives from Harrisson's life would have been sufficiently interesting to support a more traditional approach to Harrisson's tale. As it is, though, this remains a wonderful introduction to an island and culture known to few people. 3 maps. (On-sale date: June 12)

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Broadway (July 9, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0767907752
• ISBN-13: 978-0767907750
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #905,050 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars History and Modern adventure unite!, December 26, 2001

By	Rick (Issaquah WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: All Elevations Unknown: An Adventure in the Heart of Borneo (Hardcover)

Sam Lightner's tale of his 1999 climb up Borneo's Batu Lawi is a wonderful mix of modern adventure and historical retelling of Major Tom Harrison's 1958 book World Within. His story is a classic first-climb adventure in which he and his friends attempt to be the first (as far as they knew) to climb a mystical spire deep in the heart of Borneo. Lightner learned of the peak from an obscure referrence in Tom Harrison's World Within and uses this text as both his guide to the land and the people.

In reading about his adventure, you gain insight into not only the heart of a true adventurist trying to step foot where few have ever been and the hardships involved in such undertakings. You'll certainly think twice about sponsorship of your next adventure, especially any video documentation after hearing of his conflicts with his camera crew. At the same time, you'll gain a love of the people and land of Borneo. This tale is perfect for those who love adventure as well as learning the history of a people and their land.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars If Borneo fascinates you, this is worth the read, December 2, 2001

By	Oksana (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: All Elevations Unknown: An Adventure in the Heart of Borneo (Hardcover)

Although Lightner's account of his climb up a mountain in Borneo is not in the same league as Eric Hansen's STRANGER IN THE FOREST (an account of his 3 month trek across Borneo in the 1970;s--a great book), this book's historical accounting of WW 2 battles fought in Borneo (based upon the biography of Maj. Harrison) gave me more insight into the tribes and history of this magical land.

Like other readers, I found Lightner's writings about Maj. Harrison's battles with the Japanese soldiers far more interesting than the snippy arguments he details between himself and the film crew that documents his climb. It was amusing (as a woman) to see that a group of men can be just as catty to one another, but Lightner goes into far too much detail about these highly personal spats, and many times, leaves me wanting more detail about the flora, the sights, the sounds and smells and to learn more about the indigenous guides that the author is traveling with.

This book made me want to read more about Maj. Harrison's amazing and brave liberation of Borneo because Harrison, like author Eric Hansen 30+ years later, fell in love with the tribal people of Borneo; he grew to respect their customs, and in many instances their ecological reverence for the rainforest in which they dwelt. Hopefully, the biography of Maj. Harrison will not remain out of print for too long. If you're interested in climbing, the rainforest or in Borneo, this book is worth your time.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable but missing something, September 10, 2001

By	Thomas J. Mone Jr "tjmone" (Bolton Landing, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: All Elevations Unknown: An Adventure in the Heart of Borneo (Hardcover)

I enjoyed the book very much but was disappointed that there were no photographs. I think that a few would have been appropriate considering the unusual terrain. This lack was ironic in that there was much described tension between the climbers and the sponsor's "video guys" because the filming actually interfered with the travel. It just seemed that the author by having sponsors for his trip gave away rights which would have made the book more effective.