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Joe Simpson

Touching the Void: The Harrowing First Person Account Of One Man's Miraculous Survival Paperback – January 1, 1900

by Joe Simpson (Author)

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"A truly astounding account of suffering and fortitude."
--The Times (London)

Joe Simpson and his climbing partner, Simon Yates, had just reached the top of a 21,000-foot peak in the Andes when disaster struck. Simpson plunged off the vertical face of an ice ledge, breaking his leg. In the hours that followed, darkness fell and a blizzard raged as Yates tried to lower his friend to safety. Finally, Yates was forced to cut the rope, moments before he would have been pulled to his own death.

The next three days were an impossibly grueling ordeal for both men. Yates, certain that Simpson was dead, returned to base camp consumed with grief and guilt over abandoning him. Miraculously, Simpson had survived the fall but, crippled, starving, and severely frostbitten, was trapped in a deep crevasse. Summoning vast reserves of physical and spiritual strength, Simpson hopped, hobbled, and crawled over the cliffs and canyons of the Andes, reaching the base hours before Yates had planned to break camp.

How both men overcame the torments of those harrowing days is an epic tale of fear, suffering, and survival; a poignant testament to unshakable courage and friendship.

"Told with lyrical quality and stunning immediacy, Touching the Void transcends its genre and becomes accessible to readers who have never had any desire to climb a glacier."
--New York Newsday
"A gripping narrative that should excite armchair adventurers everywhere."
--Cleveland Plain Dealer
"Simpson touches a nerve of the mountaineering community and the hearts of others."
--Los Angeles Times
"Riveting, even compulsive reading."
--Minneapolis Star Tribune

Print length

192 pages
Language

English
Publisher

HarpPeren
Publication date

January 1, 1900
Dimensions

0.5 x 5.25 x 8 inches
ISBN-10

0060916540
ISBN-13

978-0060916541
See all details

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Concise and yet packed with detail, Touching the Void, Joe Simpson's harrowing account of near-death in the Peruvian Andes, is a compact tour de force that wrestles with issues of bravery, friendship, physical endurance, the code of the mountains, and the will to live. Simpson dedicates the book to his climbing partner, Simon Yates, and to "those friends who have gone to the mountains and have not returned." What is it that compels certain individuals to willingly seek out the most inhospitable climate on earth? To risk their lives in an attempt to leave footprints where few or none have gone before? Simpson's vivid narrative of a dangerous climbing expedition will convince even the most die-hard couch potato that such pursuits fall within the realm of the sane. As the author struggles ever higher, readers learn of the mountain's awesome power, the beautiful--and sometimes deadly--sheets of blue glacial ice, and the accomplishment of a successful ascent. And then catastrophe: the second half of Touching the Void sees Simpson at his darkest moment. With a smashed, useless leg, he and his partner must struggle down a near-vertical face--and that's only the beginning of their troubles.

Review

"A gripping narrative that should excite armchair adventurers everywhere." -- --Cleveland Plain-Dealer

"A truly astounding account of suffering and fortitude." -- The Times (London)

"Simpson touches a nerve of the mountaineering community and the hearts of others." -- --Los Angeles Times

"Told with lyrical quality and stunning immediacy, Touching the Void transcends its genre and becomes accessible to readers who have never had any desire to climb a glacier." -- New York Newsday

Publisher : HarpPeren; Reprint edition (January 1, 1900)
Language : English
Paperback : 192 pages
ISBN-10 : 0060916540
ISBN-13 : 978-0060916541
Item Weight : 6.4 ounces
Dimensions : 0.5 x 5.25 x 8 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #3,628,214 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #472 in Peru Travel Guides
- #3,778 in Mountain Climbing
- #17,498 in Adventure Travel (Books)

Customer Reviews:
1,617 ratings

Customer reviews

5 star		75%
4 star		15%
3 star		7%
2 star		2%
1 star		1%

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Top reviews from the United States

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Jacquelyn Johnson

Good writer but deceptive and narcissistic

Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2018

Verified Purchase

First, I want to acknowledge that Joe Simpson is a talented writer. I have never been a climber and choose never to be one. That said, though the book was filled with action and tear-jerking moments, it seems to be written in the deceptive guise of commending Simon when in actuality it is very self-serving. It is the narcissistic tale of a man who barely disguises his disappointment in his climbing mate, Simon. In reality, had Joe truly been thankful for Simon’s saving his life, (“You saved my life you know”), and had he truly understood, (“I don’t blame you…You did all that could have been done.”), that Simon did the what was necessary, (“You had no choice.”), Joe would have never written such a self-aggrandizing book, knowing how the climbing community would blame Simon for cutting the rope. It is beyond my understanding why the climbing community would prefer that Simon be pulled from the shelf and die himself, seeing that it was impossible for Simon to continue to hold Joe’s weight, rather than cut the rope and survive. Joe knew the risks of climbing and should at least take responsibility for his situation. Simon wasn’t wrong in his actions, Joe was.

16 people found this helpful

Helpful

Glenn A. Kotnik

Before reading the book I had heard the story many ...

Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2017

Verified Purchase

Before reading the book I had heard the story many times in the popular press, how Simon cut his buddy loose on a mountain and left him for dead. News reports seem to lay a guilt trip on Simon. After reading the book however I realize that Simon is a true hero, his heroic actions saved both men. He risked his life many times in a desperate effort to get Joe down to only a relatively short distance from the bottom. If he had not done that, Joe would have died, rope cutting or not. Not only that, if he had not cut the rope, both men would have undoubtedly died. If Simon had stayed on the rope and fallen roped to Joe, Simon would have fallen deep into the crevasse and pulled Joe off his ledge into the crevasse with him, killing them both. But by relying on his mountain climbing instincts and cutting the rope when he did, he saved both of them. In retrospect cutting the rope save two live which would have otherwise been lost. That's not to say that Joe is not a hero, but he only saved his own life, Simon saved two. If I were on an extreme climb, I'd want Simon for a partner.

18 people found this helpful

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Mightyvh

I love this story and have read it multiple times

Reviewed in the United States on June 18, 2016

Verified Purchase

I love this story and have read it multiple times. Certainly one of the best survival stories out there. I originally saw and purchased the movie which could only have been better if it was in Imax as the photography is absolutely breath taking. The book certainly has some more detail however I think having seen the movie helps a bit with visualizing the extreme conditions these guys were in. There is a scene in the movie that starts as an incredible panoramic view of the mountain range and the camera slowly pans in to the point where you see these two specs climbing the shear face of the mountain. For me that scene really puts the whole story into perspective. There were no margins for error here and then how these two dealt with it and their emotions when the worst occurs. I highly recommend this one

23 people found this helpful

Helpful

The triumph and the tragedy...

Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2017

Verified Purchase

Joe Simpson
One man’s journey back from the edge of death…

In 1985, Joe Simpson and Simon Yates made an assault on the previously unclimbed West Face of Siula Grande, in Peru. Reaching the summit was a proud moment. Now, it was time to climb down. And that’s when disaster struck…

There were no fixed ropes, but Simpson and Yates were connected by 150 feet of line. When Simpson fell suddenly he shattered his right leg at the knee. In excruciating pain, Simpson was unable to do much climbing. Yates tied two ropes together, making 300 feet. He began to slowly lower Simpson bit by bit down the mountain.

Unfortunately, Simpson again fell. Unable to pull him back up, Yates made the only decision he could. Badly worn out himself, he had to ensure that he could climb down to base camp. He cut the rope, sending Simpson into a crevasse. Very certain that Simpson was now dead, Yates carefully made his way into camp.

This is the story of a miracle. By any odds, Simpson should have died. Unable to use his right leg, Simpson made a perilous journey back to camp, dragging himself inch by inch. The power of the human spirit is often amazing. In his own words, Simpson tells the story of his ordeal. His story is inter spliced with Yates thoughts, the loss of his friend and the guilty thoughts of his decision to cut the rope in spite of the fact that he knew he could have done nothing else.

Bravery and adventure in the world of mountain climbing! I give the book five stars!

Quoth the Raven…

7 people found this helpful

Helpful

Ashley

Must Read!

Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2018

Verified Purchase

I watched the documentary years ago. Joe’s story has stuck with me ever since. It wasn’t long ago that I realized the documentary was based off his book. A few days ago I finally purchased it now that I have time to read again, and I was not disappointed. I had a feeling the book would be ever better than the documentary, and I was right.

This book is wonderful and has left me feeling all sorts of emotions. The story itself is incredible and inspiring, as well as terrifying and desperately anxiety provoking. I can’t even begin to imagine what both Simon and Joe went through on the Sulia Grande, and I can’t imagine what it must have been like for Joe during those days alone attempting to survive.

This is an amazing book, one of the best I’ve ever read. I can’t wait to read more of Joe’s novels. I highly recommend this book to anyone considering it. You won’t regret it. This is a story that will stick with you forever. You can’t shake it. You will be on the edge of your seat the entire time, and you will constantly wonder, “How can he survive? It’s not possible. How?”

4 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Mark Gannon

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 20, 2018

Verified Purchase

I would love to give this book five stars and a big thumbs up, I really would. The story itself is excellent- a story of survival and endurance, of making the hard decisions and of pushing oneself beyond limits you never knew you had. I would give five stars, IF it didn't take one hundred and nine pages of two hundred and seven pages to actually get to the point. I suppose most of the information was relevant- but some of it won't make a lot of sense to non mountain climbers, those who struggled with geography in school, or those who don't like tea (there is a lot of talk about tea). Also the author uses "bloody" a lot- as in "it was bloody cold," "the climb was bloody steep," "the snow was bloody thick."

There were times I, as the reader, was frowning at the decisions the author and his friend made or, at least, how much attention they were paying to their surroundings. At one point Joe, the author, describes how he was on a steep slope (I think it was at an angle of seventy degrees), covered in thick snow and ice, with high winds and with a cliff to one side with a fall of several thousand feet and it was twenty minutes into the climb that the author says he became "bloody concerned" about where he was climbing.

Sorry, I feel as if I am ranting. The book was an interesting read, especially for mountaineers or outdoor lovers.

18 people found this helpful

Mr.R. Harris

A near death experience on a mountain.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 7, 2019

Verified Purchase

I came to this book having heard Joe talking to Jonathon Agnew on Test Match Special.
Not bring a mountaineer nor ever wanting to be one, this book confirmed all my fears about participating in such an activity.
Joe's recollection of his and Simon's experience on this climb and the horrendous events that took place on their descent, makes for chilling reading.
One can never imagine the feelings one would have placed in such predicaments as Simon and in particular, Joe, found themselves in. For Joe to survive with such a terrible injury is not a miracle it is down to his sheer guts and determination not to give in and to fight for his life.
The story was told with feeling and so graphically that you could feel that you were by their side. Being a person that hates cold weather l shivered just imagining being on the mountain with Joe experiencing freezing winds and temperatures.
I highly recommend this book.

6 people found this helpful

John Kean

Definately the world record for worst ever day at the office.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 15, 2015

Verified Purchase

I read a paperback version of this book around 12 years ago on the recommendation of a friend. Normally a powerful new book has a shelf life of a few short months or years but the near-continuous presence of Touching the Void among the bestseller list is almost as constant as the mountains featured in the book. And for good reason too; stories like this never date and this story continues to inspire, motivate and help people believe that in the face of the most appalling odds imaginable anything is possible when focusing one's mind.

Recently I downloaded the new anniversary edition of this timeless classic and in doing so it became the only book I have ever read twice. Whilst knowing the rough plot of the original story I found myself right back in the pages and ice of what has to be one of the most death-defying ordeals of survival ever endured by a human being. Whether you like climbing or not is almost irrelevant as the story here is about man overcoming obstacles on a scale of near-impossibility. The reader is living every inch and minute of the adventure, joy, pain, tragedy, despair, hopelessness, cruelty, determination, will-power and eventual escape from an environment that is about as unwelcoming to the ill-prepared as you can get.

If Joe Simpson's mountaineering skills were lacking in anyway back in 1985 then his writing skills were certainly not. In Touching the Void he takes the reader every step of the way sharing the passion of climbing and explaining its many technicalities in an easy to understand way. If you're not familiar with terminology such as col, crevasse or crampon then you're at no great loss because everyone can relate to snow, ice, altitude, ropes, frostbite and broken bones; whose regular appearances replace the more human characters typically found in popular novels.

The story is about reaching places where others have rarely ventured, and few of those places involve tall, ice-covered mountains. Deep within the human soul lie unexplored territories where no ice-axe or signal flare will ever get you out. Joe has the tools for the job but he doesn't find them in his back-pack. They appear when he needs them most but from the unlikeliest of sources - a door that opens when you not only stare death in the face but embrace it wholly like it was your best friend.

Despite the detailing of multiple incidents, Touching the Void is not a depressing book. On the contrary Joe Simpson must have felt like he was being born again. Even readers will emerge with a different take on life and perhaps re-evaluate the possibilities available to them. I have read hundreds of books over the years but this one left me with blurred vision and stuttered speech. The expression 'You couldn't make it up' was probably never more apt.

Amazon did not exist when this book was first published (along with mobile phones or the Internet) but I am now grateful for the opportunity of being able to thank the author for this wonderful piece of story-telling and to recommend it without hesitation to anyone looking for a damn good read.

John Kean

30 people found this helpful

Purchaser

Dead or Alive

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 10, 2018

Verified Purchase

In 1989 I was a climber living in Snowdonia, North Wales, and remember this book being feverishly passed from hand to hand - hotter than knocked off climbing gear. I read it in one sitting, unable to put it down, and completed it at dawn on a sunny summer's day. Yet a black cloud dogged me for some time: in a tight spot would I, could I, sacrifice my climbing partner by cutting his rope? Or more worryingly would my next partner slice me loose..?

8 people found this helpful

E Griffith

Excellent. A gripping account.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 13, 2019

Verified Purchase

I don’t know why I read books about climbing mountains.....I hate heights.....but I’ve read a lot of them. This account is very well written, and although the reader knows what’s going to happen from the beginning (it’s a survival tale) it’s still gripping stuff. Although the two climbers are young it seems to me (a non mountaineer) to have been a somewhat amateurish project to climb in those mountains and conditions without a backup team. Nevertheless they reached the summit and the tale of the descent (sometimes described by both climbers) is fascinating. The descriptions of the heights involved and the cold are riveting ....and the determination to overcome the pain of a broken leg and survive astounding. I felt it every inch of the way.
A very rare five stars from me.....and I enjoyed it so much I found the documentary referred to by Simpson on You Tube and watched that too (also excellent and true to the book).