The Boulder: A Philosophy for Bouldering

by Francis Sanzaro

'Finding a climber who perceives bouldering as a moving meditation, or one who values form and style far beyond difficulty, is a daunting task . . . in this book, Francis Sanzaro takes a significant step in that direction' - JOHN GILL A classic text exploring the philosophy of bouldering, giving boulderers a unique voice of their own This revised and updated edition of a classic climbing text - The A Philosophy for Bouldering - is an enlightening book of inspirational thoughts on the art of bouldering. It revolutionizes the way we think about this unique sport, bringing it into conversation with disciplines as varied as architecture, dance, skateboarding, painting, parkour, martial arts, and gymnastics. Reading it will enrich your experience of climbing and encourage you to appreciate the natural physicality and artful play of bouldering, often described as the poetry of mountaineering.

Genres: Nonfiction, Philosophy

Paperback

About the author

Francis Sanzaro (Ph.D., Religion), is the author of three books whose genres range from sexuality to technology to athletics, and he is currently hard at work on a thriller. He has appeared on BBC World News, and in their international podcast series, BBC Radio. His essays, poetry and fiction have appeared in The New York Times Sunday Review, The Scotsman, Huffington Post, The Baltimore Post Examiner, Continental Philosophy Review, Vol. 1 Brooklyn, among a dozen others. His books are The Infantile Grotesque: Pathology, Sexuality and a Theory of Religion, (2016); The Boulder: A Philosophy for Bouldering (2013); and Society Elsewhere: Why the Gravest Threat to Humanity Will Come From Within (2018). He is Editor of Rock and Ice and Ascent magazines. More at Fsanzaro.com

Reviews

[Lexi Nearman · Rating 2 out of 5]

this book was lent to me from my spain roommate, and i read it while i journeyed to morocco for five days. bouldering is typically my last favorite style of climbing so i was excited to dive into the philosophy and get inspired. review: i enjoyed the first quarter the most because it was filled with the origin of bouldering and yet still within the lense of analyzing and addressing the philosophy behind the sport. the rest of the book was not as engaging for me. i felt that some of the connections that were attempted within the book were unnecessary and overzealous, and i felt there were some contradictions that occurred for the sake of sounding profound. but overall, i enjoyed the book and am so excited to be climbing consistently again when i'm back in the u.s.

[Billy Kid · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of thoughts on the practice of bouldering, bringing it into conversation with arts and sports as varied as architecture, dance, skateboarding, painting, parkour, martial arts and gymnastics.