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Touching the Void  By  cover art

Touching the Void

By: Joe Simpson
Narrated by: Stephen McGann, Simon Chandler
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Publisher's summary

Joe Simpson, with just his partner Simon Yates, tackled the unclimbed west face of the remote 21,000 foot Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes in June of 1995. But before they reached the summit, disaster struck. A few days later, Simon staggered into base camp, exhausted and frostbitten, to tell their non-climbing companion that Joe was dead.

For three days he wrestled with guilt as they prepared to return home. Then a cry in the night took them out with torches, where they found Joe, badly injured, crawling through the snowstorm in a delirium. Far from causing Joe's death, Simon had paradoxically saved his friend's life. What happened, and how they dealt with the psychological trauma that resulted when Simon was forced into the appalling decision to cut the rope, makes not only an epic of survival but a compelling testament of friendship.

©2004 Joe Simpson (P)2004 Random House Audiobooks

What listeners say about Touching the Void

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

What an amazing story!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would lead anyone to this book looking for grand inspiration to never give up

What other book might you compare Touching the Void to and why?

Into Thin Air b/c of the wildness of the mountain that is portrayed in true story

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It gives me chills to imagine how it could have all ended after everything that was endured

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • D.
  • 06-11-18

Great intro to Arm Chair Mountaineering.

This should be standard reading material for anyone getting into the sport or any seasoned pro.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Gripping, vivid, exciting, and compelling!

Gripping, vivid, exciting, and compelling from the beginning to end! classic mountain lore. You will love it

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

compelling

A gripping tale, well written. I couldn't put it down. There's not much fluff... just a telling of what happened. I was a bit disappointed in the rather abrupt ending. But I am left with a sense of amazement at what the human body is capable of enduring.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Great story plot - Too much detail

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Easy listen with nonstop action makes this an enjoyable experience. However, the author's need to expand every action and detail into a full paragraph makes the story feel drawn out. All-in-all, it's an incredible and inspiring story, and if you're not nit-picky about writing styles, it's a must read.

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