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A Life on the Edge: Memoirs of Everest and Beyond
One of the twentieth century's great adventurers recounts his life and experiences, from being the first American to reach the summit of Mount Everest to sailing around the world with his family
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First published September 1, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
August 11, 2016
Overall, a pretty good book from someone who's not a professional writer. the book covers in gripping detail many of his mountain ascents, such as Rainier, Everest, K-2 and a return to Everest. Woven in is the story of the early days of REI, which he helped found.
As usual I have quibbles. While he goes through the motions of blaming his divorce from his wife, his split with REI and a post-REI business failure on himself, he backhandedly shifts the blame to others. In the case of his business fialure this seems justified; his partner was a thief. In the others I cannot believe that he didn't have more of a role.
With many autobiographies I sense puffery and self-justification. That isn't quite asa prevalent here. Jim Whittaker overall seems like a giant of a man and the book is well worth reading..
As usual I have quibbles. While he goes through the motions of blaming his divorce from his wife, his split with REI and a post-REI business failure on himself, he backhandedly shifts the blame to others. In the case of his business fialure this seems justified; his partner was a thief. In the others I cannot believe that he didn't have more of a role.
With many autobiographies I sense puffery and self-justification. That isn't quite asa prevalent here. Jim Whittaker overall seems like a giant of a man and the book is well worth reading..
March 1, 2021
Whittaker has had an interesting life, and he lays it out engagingly. But this memoir lacks that extra spark that it would need for me to recommend it beyond his family and friends. It also lacks much self awareness. It is hard to read his complaints, especially about money, without an acknowledgement of his incredible luck and privilege. (He is outraged when someone calls him out for abusing his privileges after he calls a senator for a favor. He is scandalized when he is held partially responsible for a fraudulent company that he was responsible for but failed to supervise.) His environmental awareness is remarkably low (no mention of climate change, no thoughts about his own environmental impact, from flying all over to world, having five kids, building mansions in unspoiled wilderness, etc.). It is strange that a sperm collection is given as much attention as most of his relationships. I think there must be much more to Whittaker's life and personality than is conveyed here.
February 1, 2014
Jim Whittaker is certainly not a great author but I enjoyed his memoir "A Life on the Edge: Memoirs of Everest and Beyond" anyway.
I've read far better books about his K2 expeditions (Galen Rowell's excellent "In the Throne Room of the Mountain Gods" and Rick Ridgeway's "The Last Step".... both are phenomenal) but it was interesting to finally hear about the expeditions from Whittaker, who was their leader. He glosses over some of the conflicts that are so central to the other books, but he does mention them and give his take.
The most fascinating parts of the book come at the beginning as he details how he got into climbing and his ascent of Everest. Overall, this is a solid book (with great pictures to boot) but certainly not a standout amongst mountaineering books.
I've read far better books about his K2 expeditions (Galen Rowell's excellent "In the Throne Room of the Mountain Gods" and Rick Ridgeway's "The Last Step".... both are phenomenal) but it was interesting to finally hear about the expeditions from Whittaker, who was their leader. He glosses over some of the conflicts that are so central to the other books, but he does mention them and give his take.
The most fascinating parts of the book come at the beginning as he details how he got into climbing and his ascent of Everest. Overall, this is a solid book (with great pictures to boot) but certainly not a standout amongst mountaineering books.
April 1, 2021
This is the autobiography of Jim Whitaker the first American to climb Mt Everest. He was thorough in detailing a fascinating life. There’s no beautiful prose, but I found the subject intriguing. I found Mr. Whitaker to be a bit arrogant and self absorbed, but it took nothing away from an interesting story.
August 31, 2021
Jim Whittaker was the first American to summit Everest in 1963, but that is only one of a number of extraordinary achievements that he narrates in this book. He was a good friend of Robert F Kennedy, a supporting character in One Minute to Midnight who is portrayed by Michael Dobbs as hawkish and impulsive in contrast to his calm and measured brother, but here is given a kinder portrait as a dedicated family man and keeper of his brother’s flame. In 1965 the two made the inaugural ascent of a 4300 metre mountain peak in Yukon, Canada which the Canadian government had named after JFK and there is a moving passage where Whittaker as the experienced lead climber allows Bobby to summit first and place a copy of his brother’s inaugural Presidential Address at the top. Having never previously been involved in politics, the charismatic Bobby persuades Whittaker to join his Presidential campaign which he revels in until Bobby’s shock assassination leaves him devastated. Later in life he leads a successful ascent of K2, the world’s second highest peak after a previously abortive attempt, becomes director of a successful outdoor sports goods shop and at the end of the Cold War returns to Everest to coordinate a ‘peace summit’ with climbers from the USA, the Soviet Union and China. He makes no bones about the dangers of high altitude mountaineering as a trained rescuer and sadly recounts several tragic incidents resulting in death, serious injury and also miraculous survival as well as the more mundane incidents of the stresses and strains that expeditions can put on relationships, even with the closest of climbing partners such as his twin brother Louis. An inspiring read for anyone with a love of mountain climbing.
January 24, 2022
Mountains - 3,5 ⭐
Personal life, etc. - 1,5 ⭐
Personal life, etc. - 1,5 ⭐
February 14, 2021
Meh. Cool life, he did some really amazing and admirable things, and I liked learning about them. But the way you tell a story matters. He just did not give the kind of self aware, insightful observations that I would have liked to hear from his version of the events. He came off as whiny, defensive, name dropping. Wouldn't really recommend.
July 21, 2021
This memoir held my interest at times, but mostly it was a slog without the reward of lyricism or introspection at the summit. The author certainly had a lot of exciting mountain adventures, but he spent the majority of his words on long dry exposition about his family life, business successes and failures, and famous people he met or talked to on the phone.
February 5, 2021
This is most definitely a memoir, as in it covers the full length of his life, but there is a sufficient variety of activity to make it both compelling and meaningful. Jim Whittaker is primarily known as the first American to summit Mount Everest in 1963 only a few days (maybe weeks) before Tom Hornbein and Willy Unsoeld climbed Everest by the West Ridge. Whittaker has also had a prominent life in politics and business. He was one of the founders and the first CEO of REI as it helped to transform American's relationship between what was and what was not accessible in the natural world. He also led the first two American expeditions to K2 (the second ever team to summit) and the Everest Peace Climb between China, the Soviet Union and the United States. He was also Bobby Kennedy's Campaign Manager in Washington and Oregon.
It is not the events of Whittaker's life that make this book worthwhile so much as how his philosophy on living has evolved. He has always been in love with the natural world and in that vein has sought to see and preserve as much of it as possible. He is also an evangelist: he wishes for all folks to love the natural world to and for them to explore and preserve all that they can. More than anything, he has never given up on his drive to do challenging things, from physical feats to business/diplomatic ventures. He has an intense confidence that makes one wonder why one should ever doubt. He has achieved what he has achieved largely because he takes risks, exemplified by his climbing. Risk-taking and the vision to make those risks worthwhile are two qualities that everyone could learn from him. I think to him, doubting yourself is an attempt to preemptively rationalize away failure (i.e. I don't believe I can climb this pitch so now I won't be able to). Faith is a huge component of climbing. Faith in oneself and faith in your ropemate. Without faith, you will never leave the base of a mountain. That, in the end, is the goal of life, is it not? To climb higher and not be satisfied with simply a dream.
It is not the events of Whittaker's life that make this book worthwhile so much as how his philosophy on living has evolved. He has always been in love with the natural world and in that vein has sought to see and preserve as much of it as possible. He is also an evangelist: he wishes for all folks to love the natural world to and for them to explore and preserve all that they can. More than anything, he has never given up on his drive to do challenging things, from physical feats to business/diplomatic ventures. He has an intense confidence that makes one wonder why one should ever doubt. He has achieved what he has achieved largely because he takes risks, exemplified by his climbing. Risk-taking and the vision to make those risks worthwhile are two qualities that everyone could learn from him. I think to him, doubting yourself is an attempt to preemptively rationalize away failure (i.e. I don't believe I can climb this pitch so now I won't be able to). Faith is a huge component of climbing. Faith in oneself and faith in your ropemate. Without faith, you will never leave the base of a mountain. That, in the end, is the goal of life, is it not? To climb higher and not be satisfied with simply a dream.
March 23, 2025
Always love a detailed summit story and this one have quite a few.
May 7, 2017
This autobiography by the first American to climb Mt Everest was thorough in detailing a fascinating life and revealing enough to show evidence of self -absorption and the need to settle old scores, even occasionally with his twin brother Lou.
I enjoyed reading his early chapters about growing up in Seattle and how he and Lou were introduced to mountain climbing and skiing, how he started working at REI as its first time employee, and his early years as a husband and parent.
The chapters on Everest are fascinating. This includes the planning which originally included Lou, his description of finding out from Lou's friends that Lou decided not to go shows how it still rankled him when he wrote this book in 1999. I appreciated the pages on the logistics and the trek to base camp and the personal dynamics including the decision that he and Nawang Gombu would jointly be the first to summit. I did not fully realize until reading this book that another American from the same expedition summitted Everest just a few days later from a different route(without earning nearly the same fame)
The Everest fame led to Whittaker being included in the Kennedy clan in the years between the JFK and RFK assassinations and Whittaker provides a fresh perspective on the Kennedy family and style. His description of he and Robert Kennedy being the first to summit newly named Mt Kennedy in the remote Canadian Rockies which was both technically and physically challenging shows Kennedy at his competitive best and a bemused Whittaker recalls letters and theories that Kennedy somehow faked the summit. Whittaker tells of his work for RFK's Presidential campaign, especially in the Oregon primary where Whittaker was bedeviled by Oregonians who said they were voting for Gene McCarthy because of Kennedy's stand on gun control.
Other chapters detail Whittaker's work with REI as it grew from a one employee coop in a Seattle building. Whittaker oversaw much of its growth and his writing shows he still has pride in REI while he settles some scores while telling of his departure, complaining that the REI board did not fully appreciate the value of his climbing and fame. His self absorption does not allow him to discuss any consideration of the downside of a CEO being away from a fast growing, large business for such long times
Likewise, his telling of the events leading to his divorce show while emotionally revealing, do not really account for his role, surely his fame, his long absences from the family to climb and spend time with the Kennedys had to have been a factor. His later description of his romance with his eventual wife Diane Roberts was somewhat off putting.
The chapters on the attempted summit of K2 were compelling and did a good job in showing the tensions within the climbing group including resentment about the women, especially his wife Diane. Again, I feel like we did not get the full story. It is understandable in memoir to present your viewpoint but when an author calls out others by name for blatant and unfair sexism it would seem fair to consider other possibilities such as the extent of her climbing background.
The chapter on the peace climb of Everest (where Whittaker served as leader but did not summit)is a highlight of the book. Whittaker's leadership and diplomacy skills of putting together an expedition of Russian, Chines and American climbers to summit from the China approach were as important as his mountaineering skills.
Whittaker writes honestly how he lost most of his money later in his career after he left REI through his trusting a business partner who embezzled Whittaker's money and exposed Whittaker to making good on company loans that he could not repay. There is an interesting appearance by Tom Wales, an assistant US Attorney who prosecuted the business partner. Whittaker was bitter about the sweet plea that did not provide for any jail time and did not ensure payment of restitution and names Wales in this memoir. Just two years after the memoir Wales was murdered, most likely by someone he was investigating or prosecuting. As I read that I wondered if Whittaker would acknowledge that event in his update in this anniversary edition
All in all, this was a compelling book about a compelling man, albeit with warts like the rest of us that is well worth the read
I enjoyed reading his early chapters about growing up in Seattle and how he and Lou were introduced to mountain climbing and skiing, how he started working at REI as its first time employee, and his early years as a husband and parent.
The chapters on Everest are fascinating. This includes the planning which originally included Lou, his description of finding out from Lou's friends that Lou decided not to go shows how it still rankled him when he wrote this book in 1999. I appreciated the pages on the logistics and the trek to base camp and the personal dynamics including the decision that he and Nawang Gombu would jointly be the first to summit. I did not fully realize until reading this book that another American from the same expedition summitted Everest just a few days later from a different route(without earning nearly the same fame)
The Everest fame led to Whittaker being included in the Kennedy clan in the years between the JFK and RFK assassinations and Whittaker provides a fresh perspective on the Kennedy family and style. His description of he and Robert Kennedy being the first to summit newly named Mt Kennedy in the remote Canadian Rockies which was both technically and physically challenging shows Kennedy at his competitive best and a bemused Whittaker recalls letters and theories that Kennedy somehow faked the summit. Whittaker tells of his work for RFK's Presidential campaign, especially in the Oregon primary where Whittaker was bedeviled by Oregonians who said they were voting for Gene McCarthy because of Kennedy's stand on gun control.
Other chapters detail Whittaker's work with REI as it grew from a one employee coop in a Seattle building. Whittaker oversaw much of its growth and his writing shows he still has pride in REI while he settles some scores while telling of his departure, complaining that the REI board did not fully appreciate the value of his climbing and fame. His self absorption does not allow him to discuss any consideration of the downside of a CEO being away from a fast growing, large business for such long times
Likewise, his telling of the events leading to his divorce show while emotionally revealing, do not really account for his role, surely his fame, his long absences from the family to climb and spend time with the Kennedys had to have been a factor. His later description of his romance with his eventual wife Diane Roberts was somewhat off putting.
The chapters on the attempted summit of K2 were compelling and did a good job in showing the tensions within the climbing group including resentment about the women, especially his wife Diane. Again, I feel like we did not get the full story. It is understandable in memoir to present your viewpoint but when an author calls out others by name for blatant and unfair sexism it would seem fair to consider other possibilities such as the extent of her climbing background.
The chapter on the peace climb of Everest (where Whittaker served as leader but did not summit)is a highlight of the book. Whittaker's leadership and diplomacy skills of putting together an expedition of Russian, Chines and American climbers to summit from the China approach were as important as his mountaineering skills.
Whittaker writes honestly how he lost most of his money later in his career after he left REI through his trusting a business partner who embezzled Whittaker's money and exposed Whittaker to making good on company loans that he could not repay. There is an interesting appearance by Tom Wales, an assistant US Attorney who prosecuted the business partner. Whittaker was bitter about the sweet plea that did not provide for any jail time and did not ensure payment of restitution and names Wales in this memoir. Just two years after the memoir Wales was murdered, most likely by someone he was investigating or prosecuting. As I read that I wondered if Whittaker would acknowledge that event in his update in this anniversary edition
All in all, this was a compelling book about a compelling man, albeit with warts like the rest of us that is well worth the read
April 25, 2022
It was interesting to learn about how different everything was a few decades ago.
I don't give it a higher rating because I've already read a lot of similar books and the style is a bit dry.
I don't give it a higher rating because I've already read a lot of similar books and the style is a bit dry.
May 6, 2020
Jim Whittaker stands in an elite club amongst American mountaineers.
Not only was he the first American to reach the summit of Mount Everest, he also spent a lifetime guiding on Mount Rainier, and was the expedition leader to K2, setting the first Americans on the summit.
In this excellent memoir, Mr. Whittaker revisits the staples of his extraordinary destiny.
Not only was he the first American to reach the summit of Mount Everest, he also spent a lifetime guiding on Mount Rainier, and was the expedition leader to K2, setting the first Americans on the summit.
In this excellent memoir, Mr. Whittaker revisits the staples of his extraordinary destiny.
March 31, 2021
The pacing of the book can be slow at times, but the beauty of Jim's life more than makes up for it.
Jim Whittaker's life details one of "a life well lived". The importance of trusting those around you, surrounding yourself with people you trust, and being willing to exist within an atmosphere of risk affords one such a well lived life. The beauty of adversity being able to give us so much more is articulated through Jim's successes and failures. Financial. Relationships. Climbing.
Jim Whittaker never took life for granted. He cherished those around him. A man who truly appreciated the fortune cast upon. It's easy to envy how he lived, but I don't think Jim wants that. Rather, he simply wants people to appreciate what they have, or be willing to leave it behind to pursue the unknown.
My biggest takeaway from his story is how being disappointed by others, or by one's own efforts, is never worth not trying. Losing money. Losing friends. All of these things happen, but we should be forever grateful for everything the earth has to offer.
At times I found myself feeling like a failure for not having been as brave. Not risking. But as I've noted, Jim doesn't write to give us something to compare against. He's simply sharing how his decisions both rewarded and punished him.
There were turns I didn't expect, especially his relationship with the Kennedy's. Here he speaks of humility.
Lastly, him being part of the birth of REI is a wonderful uncovering of how the climbing community created something we may now take for granted.
This is a book I could read again and glean new insight into what it means to live well.
Jim Whittaker's life details one of "a life well lived". The importance of trusting those around you, surrounding yourself with people you trust, and being willing to exist within an atmosphere of risk affords one such a well lived life. The beauty of adversity being able to give us so much more is articulated through Jim's successes and failures. Financial. Relationships. Climbing.
Jim Whittaker never took life for granted. He cherished those around him. A man who truly appreciated the fortune cast upon. It's easy to envy how he lived, but I don't think Jim wants that. Rather, he simply wants people to appreciate what they have, or be willing to leave it behind to pursue the unknown.
My biggest takeaway from his story is how being disappointed by others, or by one's own efforts, is never worth not trying. Losing money. Losing friends. All of these things happen, but we should be forever grateful for everything the earth has to offer.
At times I found myself feeling like a failure for not having been as brave. Not risking. But as I've noted, Jim doesn't write to give us something to compare against. He's simply sharing how his decisions both rewarded and punished him.
There were turns I didn't expect, especially his relationship with the Kennedy's. Here he speaks of humility.
Lastly, him being part of the birth of REI is a wonderful uncovering of how the climbing community created something we may now take for granted.
This is a book I could read again and glean new insight into what it means to live well.
September 3, 2019
Un classico dell'alpinismo: un alpinista classico, Jim Whittaker, il primo americano sull'Everest (1963) si racconta, tracciando in parallelo anche la storia degli Stati Uniti (cosa voleva dire essere di Seattle quando hanno bombardato Pearl Harbout; la guerra contro la Corea, per cui lui era stato chiamato; JFK, Bob Kennedy - di cui lui era la guida; la guerra fredda e il suo Peace Climb Project). Una vita ricca di avventura e di suspence, on e "off the mountains": un divorzio, la bancarotta, la morte di un figlio. Eppure anche di rinascita: un secondo matrimonio, altri figli, un secondo tentativo al K2 dopo un primo fallimento che porteranno ancora una volta Jim a diventare il "primo", ovvero la spedizione che ha diretto lui per il K2 nel 1978 sarà quella che porterà gli americani per la prima volta su quella montagna. Le pagine più belle sono le ultime, quando tira le somme di una vita "ben vissuta" (oggi Jim ha novant'anni) per usare le sue parole e spiega quello che questo significa per lui: non smettere mai di imparare e cercare sempre quelle situazioni che ci portano fuori dalla nostra "comfort zone" perché è solo lì che impariamo e che viviamo le esperienze più importanti della nostra vita.
April 21, 2021
I've enjoyed reading mountaineering book, so this title sparked my interest (plus it was free on Audible). It has some good accounts of climbing Rainier, Everest, K2, and other mountains. I enjoyed the K2 climbing the most.
This is an Autobiography, and it contained some other material about Whittaker's life including his role as employee #1 and later CEO of REI, and his close relationship with Bobby Kennedy. I liked his perspective that we should take some risks and not live life too comfortably.
I started the book expecting something more like "Into Thin Air," so I got a little more life story than I expected and wanted. While the climbing accounts weren't quite as captivating as others that I've read, it was still a good story overall and I took away some lessons from it.
This is an Autobiography, and it contained some other material about Whittaker's life including his role as employee #1 and later CEO of REI, and his close relationship with Bobby Kennedy. I liked his perspective that we should take some risks and not live life too comfortably.
I started the book expecting something more like "Into Thin Air," so I got a little more life story than I expected and wanted. While the climbing accounts weren't quite as captivating as others that I've read, it was still a good story overall and I took away some lessons from it.
September 23, 2022
Excellent book. Don't read the negative reviews that bludgeon the author with accusations of privilege. The author has worked hard his whole life and even mentions aspects of his life he felt he was blessed. Hanging out with a Kennedy...he points out how strange it was to actually be in the situation. My only gripe is that the book is too short. Jim didn't use a ghost writer and wrote the whole book on his own. It is definitely simplistic in telling a story, but it still does so in a readable and entertaining manner.
January 24, 2022
I just randomly picked this for my driving audio book and it was excellent. He talks about his expeditions succinctly and focuses more on being a good human. He humbly recounts his experiences outdoors, with REI, divorce, second marriage and his children. His time with the Kennedys and the Everest Peace climb were parts of history I wasn’t familiar with prior to his book. Definitely spurred follow on research.
August 18, 2023
Jim Whittaker has certainly had a life well lived. He worked hard & overcame so many obstacles, both as a mountaineer (1st American to summit Mount Everest) & as a businessman (founder of REI.) I enjoyed reading about his friendship with Bobby & Ted Kennedy, and also the comradeship he formed with so many of the people that helped him accomplish his goals. This is not a memoir of “I-I-I” but rather a remembrance of “we.”
June 25, 2021
The book was very captivating in the parts that were about climbing, or the history of REI. However, the lengthy autobiographical sections weren't as interesting. There were cringeworthy moments, reflecting the author's age and the time period. The author made important contributions to history uniting nations in the climbs that featured Russian, Chinese, and American mountaineers.
November 30, 2021
I approach autobiographies with a lot of skepticism. I hope they'll be inspiring or at least interesting. Whittaker is privileged, arrogant, and boring. His stories of Everest and K2 don't add anything noteworthy to what I've already read. The story of REI is a mixture of luck and boredom.
I read this because it was included on Audible, but it wasn't worth my time.
I read this because it was included on Audible, but it wasn't worth my time.
January 26, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed Whittaker's memories of Rainier, K2, and Everest. Wish he would have included more on his experience with the 10th Mountain Division, Fort Carson, and Garden of the Gods, but living in Colorado Springs, I'm biased. Maybe not the book for non-mountaineers, but anyone who's been up a glaciated peak will get a kick out of this adventure memoir.
March 14, 2024
Enjoyed listening to the adventures and life lessons by Jim Whittaker. I really am inspired by those that have had to overcome adversities and challenges, even as large as climbing Everest. Whittaker has lived a full life and offers readers many diverse life lessons that transcend his many accomplishments, relationships, and encounters with humanity and our fragile environment.
November 30, 2018
A tale of a life lived authentically. Written beautifully. He’s done this on par with great philosophers but like Hemingway, through DEMONSTRATION. A lasting tribute to real Mensch und Madchen. Salute!
August 16, 2022
Jim Whittaker’s life journey can be understood only by those for whom life is an adventure full of limitless opportunities… by those who are eager to take the risk … I loved the book and his story …
“Risk is a prerequisite for life well lived.”
“Risk is a prerequisite for life well lived.”
October 26, 2024
“If you never leave Basecamp, you never get anywhere.” Jim embodies this as he tackles extreme highs and lows of life, quite literally most times. His storytelling and building suspense creates a wonderful read that builds respect chapter after chapter
December 27, 2025
Covers some historical events on Everest and K2, with Bobby Kennedy, and with REI, but ultimately not a great memoir as you don't come away from it feeling like you know or understand the author that well.
June 28, 2017
Jim was the first American to climb mountain Everest, and shows how he was ingaged in politics, and outdoor activities.
August 26, 2018
Tore through this in just a few days. A great memoir of a fascinating life.
December 10, 2020
Great book! If you’re a fan of REI, adventure or biographies this is a great read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews