Dubļi, sviedri un asaras. Bēra Grilla autobiogrāfija

by Bear Grylls, Bērs Grills

Bērs Grills (Bear Grylls) ir cilvēks, kas vienmēr ir tiecies pēc piedzīvojumiem. Bēru pazīst un apbrīno miljoniem ļaužu, viņš ir pasaulslavenu televīzijas piedzīvojumu raidījumu (Born Survivor, Man vs. Wild, Ultimate Survival) zvaigzne, vairāku bestselleru autors un Skautu asociācijas vadītājs. Bērs ir izdzīvojis vietās, kuras apmeklēt uzdrošinās tikai daži.
Bērnību viņš pavadīja Vaitas salā netālu no Dienvidanglijas krasta un kopā ar tēvu jau agri mācījās burāt un kāpt kalnos. Drīz vien Bērs pats skolā sāka vadīt pārdrošas nakts kalnos kāpšanas ekspedīcijas.
Pusaudža gados viņš atrada dzīves piepildījumu alpīnismā un austrumu cīņu mākslā, kas jauno piedzīvojumu meklētāju aizveda līdz dižajiem Himalajiem un karatē lielmeistaru treniņnometnei Japānā.
Pēc atgriešanās mājās Bērs pieteicās slaveno Lielbritānijas armijas Īpašo gaisa spēku (SAS) smagajai atlasei. Šie pārbaudījumi parādīja viņa fiziskās un garīgās izturības galējās robežas.
Āfrikā lecot ar izpletni, Bērs guva smagas traumas – trijās vietās salauza muguru. Viņš nezināja, vai vēl kādreiz spēs staigāt. Tomēr jau astoņpadsmit mēnešus vēlāk, spītējot ārstu negatīvajām prognozēm, Bērs kļuva par vienu no jaunākajiem alpīnistiem, kas uzkāpuši Everestā. Tad viņam bija divdesmit trīs gadi.
Tas bija tikai viņa daudzo neparasto piedzīvojumu sākums...

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Autobiography, Adventure, Memoir, Audiobook, Travel

376 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Bear Grylls has become known around the world as one of the most recognized faces of survival and outdoor adventure. His journey to this acclaim started in the UK on the Isle of Wight, where his late father taught him to climb and sail. Trained from a young age in martial arts, Bear went on to spend three years as a soldier in the British Special Forces, serving with 21 SAS. It was here that he perfected many of the skills that his fans all over the world enjoy watching him pit against mother-nature. Despite a free-fall parachuting accident in Africa, where he broke his back in three places, and after enduring months in military rehabilitation, Bear went on to become one of the youngest ever climbers to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Bear went on to star in Discovery Channel's Emmy nominated Man Vs Wild and Born Survivor TV series, which has become one of the most watched shows on the planet. Off screen, Bear has lead record-breaking expeditions, from Antarctica to the Arctic, which in turn have raised over £2.5million for children around the world. In recognition of his expertise and service, Bear was appointed as the youngest ever Chief Scout to 28 million Scouts worldwide, awarded an honorary commission as a Lieutenant-Commander in the Royal Navy, and has authored 10 books, including To My Sons.

Reviews

[John Wiltshire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was in a library yesterday and that face glared at me from a book stand. I couldn't resist. I'm already halfway through this and it's a cracking read. Bear isn't a gifted writer by any means, but his very honest, simple prose suits the story being told. I already knew a bit about Bear, as the army is a fairly tight-knit organisation. I knew he'd been to Eton, that he was in the SAS(R) and that he was a committed Christian, and of course I've watched most of his shows. But what's been fascinating about this book is that the Bear you want to exist..a very humble, very fun guy who never boasts about anything in his life but has an unbelievable inner core strength, actually exists. What you see is what you get. I loved the early parts in this book about Bear's great-grandfather, a writer who--along with Kipling--pretty much defined what is it to be a gentleman, a man. I'll update when I've finished but so far I'd class this as mandatory reading for all men.
Finished.
I feel the need to read a biography of Bear now, if one exists. This guy is so incredibly modest that you don't actually get the full impact of his life and achievements until you close the last page, then you open it again and go...WTF? On top of being in the SAS(R), climbing Everest, Bear glosses quickly over crossing the frozen North Atlantic Arctic Ocean, going through training for the Legion, a global audience for his shows of 1.2 billion, writing 11 books (two best sellers), launching a global business, becoming a Lt Cdr in the RN, leading expeditions to the Antarctic, raising millions of pounds for charity and becoming the Chief Scout.
Bear...kudos, man.
I defy anyone to read this autobiography and not come away inspired to be just a slightly better man. No, I can't go back and pass SAS selection. I can't climb Everest. The Arctic is out. Similarly the southern cold place. Best-selling books...still working on that one. But I don't feel defeated at all by these inadequacies after reading this book. Bear's just that kind of guy.
Compulsory read.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bear Grylls, the famous adventurer, will never cease to impress. My expectations, which were very high, were fulfilled and exceeded far beyond any limit.

The most humble, modest man doesn't seem at all changed from his new role as a celebrity. He tends to shun away from any kind of publicity and declined the offer to be the main star of "Man vs Wild" three times, before finally accepting to shoot a pilot, something he hasn't regretted, I'm sure. The thing with people like Bear is that you really get to know him during reading because he opens up totally.
The most important thing is that he is honest. He tells the reader everything, not only the good, innocent parts.

This book is funny, sad and thrilling:

It's funny because he seems such a mischevious, smiling guy that always stands up for his friends and family. Hence, he has got many friends. Not a single time in the entire book has he written something negative about someone. He sees the good in people, and emphasizes it. For that matter, he might not agree with everyone. He has a strong self-respect and never diverge from his morals and values in life.

It's sad because he has lost people he loves and he honours them beautifully. The kind of life he has chosen has small marginals, a balance between life and death. He cried on at least ten places in the book, either from grief or from the risk of never seeing his family again.

It's tremendously thrilling. His training and the SAS selection was exciting, since it's often considered so secretive. (He didn't reveal anything he shouldn't, and left out the details I had so looked forward to read. But he had to run it by the SAS for approval, and it couldn't involve anything confidential.) What a horrifying experience, people have died of plain exhaustion, trying to get in!

I couldn't stop reading when the nutcase decided to climb Mount Everest only months after breaking his back in three places in a parachute accident. I mean, come on! Enough is enough!

His constant expeditions seem to serve as encouragement, fuel, to his ever present love for challenges. And at the end of every adventure, he acknowledges the lessons needed to be learned and wisely reinforces his knowledge.

This is a great inspiration! Grylls is proof that you can achieve anything with perseverance and a strong mind. The sky has no limit.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first, it came across as being poorly written technically. But as the book wore on, I realized that he intended the book to come across as if he were speaking to an audience, not writing a book. Once I recognized his style, I appreciated the book for what it was and thoroughly liked it. Plenty of stories which add color to Bear and what made him who he is today. His values come through strongly. Amazing to think of what he accomplished. I wish he gave more details on his SAS qualification but secrecy prevents that. Story of his climb on Everest is very gripping. Gives a very logical explanation at the end regarding Man vs Wild and its philosophy against the recent criticism of it.

The chapters are extremely short and there's a ton of them (100+) to make up a 300-400 page book. Font is large and pages aren't completely filled so the book takes up a lot more paper and space than it needs to. Nevertheless, quality book. Recommended for those who enjoy adventure, especially for those who enjoy the outdoors. May take a little to get used to the writing style.

[David Lucero · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Inspiring Journey in the Life of One of the Most Inspiring Persons in Our Generation.

Bear Grylls comes clean from childhoold to manhood. Readers learn about his childhood, family life and values, his time in the elite Special Air Service (SAS), expeditions into the wild and unknown, his love life, education, you name it. I do not normally read autobiography, but my son and his family bought this book for me because they know I enjoy reading and like Bear Grylls.

I learned about him pretty much the same way we all did.... watching Man vs. Wild. My wife and I religiously watched his show every week, season after season. I even picked it up again on Netflix, disappointed when they removed it. As a veteran, I appreciate his experiences through military training. I'm an outdoor enthusiast and enjoy biking (both city and mountain biking), but I'm not one to push the limit for the sake of pushing the limit. That ended when I left the army in 1984. I figured after 49 jumps in the 82nd Airborne, white water rafting in the California rivers, I'd pretty much had enough of proving myself how far I can go.

Readers will find Bear's book a very enjoyable read. Much of his experiences are the same we all go through. I think that's always a bit of a surprise when we learn more about people we admire from celebrity status. We tend to think they are above us a certain degree because they are famous. In truth, as he even admits in his book, he's like the rest of us. He appreciates his family time, personal life and experiences, his good fortunes, and above all his faith in God. This is an enjoyable book I am glad to have in my personal collection, and so will you.

[Umut · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Bear Grylls' TV shows, that's why I was interested in reading his biography. I listened to it on Audible actually, which was a really good performance. Definitely recommended.
I loved the book, as it sheds light to how he became who he is now. It was fun to read with a good pace, and without unnecessary details.
I would recommend it.

[L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life’s journey and path isn’t always easy.
It is that inner strength shining within the most unremarkable people that never fails to amaze. Bear Grylls’ candid autobiography exposes the man behind the celebrity façade; a man of immeasurable heart and soul.
He is not perfect, flawless or fearless nor is he ‘taken in’ (like so many have been) by status and wealth. His Christian faith is what keeps him humbly grounded, alongside his perspective on life that’s ultimately broadened his horizons. I am in awe of his astonishing, courageous feats of extreme danger and wonder including the adventure of a lifetime: scaling Mount Everest. Yet, in reading this profoundly poignant narrative I am touched by those words of wisdom that strike a chord within.

Dare to dream…be BOLD and live life to the full!

I honestly believe that we all can take something from Bear’s empowering, sensational story, regardless of who we are. The unmistakable clarity within holds such truth – in that we can all achieve great things if there is the determination, drive and sincerity. It doesn’t matter if you aren’t the wealthiest person, the smartest or physically strongest person on the planet. Even if your goals/ aspirations seem to some completely nonsensical and unobtainable, it really doesn’t matter because life is what you make of it and unless you try you never know what could happen…

Here is a man on a mission, who never gives up even when the going gets tough and he looks death in the eye. From a young, laddish, gung-ho guy to a hardened SAS soldier, Bear Grylls is a remarkable individual who never ceases to amaze throughout his many adventures and escapades. Mud, sweat and tears is a recommended read for both adrenaline junkies and armchair adventurers alike; equally seeking something sensational that will leave them with lingering curiosity and impacting implication.

‘The possibilities ARE endless!’

[JD · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an impressive book written by an impressive man. The book is easy to read and written in a very cool style that holds your attention throughout. Bear Grylls tells his story of his journey before he was famous and everything he overcame from boarding school days, SAS(R) training, breaking his back and climbing Mt. Everest. He is a true inspiration and a great example of how to overcome the odds through believe in yourself and your faith. He gives credit where it is due and also shares his interesting family history. Great read and I cannot believe this has been sitting on my shelf for 5 years, I have been missing out!!

[GiGi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing. I picked it up from the library because I assumed that an autobiography of Bear would be pretty easy holiday reading. I was right, in so far as I whipped through this book in three days of reading on planes and before bed, but it's not a particularly light and fluffy book. I was amazed at the physicality of the things that Bear has done, but I was also shocked by how self-reflective and well spoken Bear Grylls is. This book is not a piece of high literary style, but it's honest and gripping. You can hear Bear's personality through it and despite the fact that everything in the book could bring someone down or be a place to complain about conditions, Bear's enthusiasm and sheer force of happiness shows through. It made me want to go out and train for the SAS and climb Everest even though I'm not a particularly outdoorsy person. He made the trials in his life seem...rather nonchalant and focused on the experiences of all of them instead of the pain of breaking his back, or the hardship that the SAS makes recruits endure. A really amazing book from a really amazing person. Go Bear!

[Leo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bear Grylls is one of those famous people I've seen so much about but never really watched or consumed anything else with him in it. Survival things really haven't been my top interest. But I was still intrigued to learn more about him when I saw this memoir and I definitely wasn't bored or disappointed. One of the better books of this sort I've read

[Kathleen (Kat) Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Life continues to be an adventure, and in many ways more so than ever. I have had to learn to prioritize clearly in my life: to be safe, get home fast, and keep it fun - the rest is detail."

In Mud, Sweat and Tears: The Autobiography of Bear Grylls, I was inspired to pick this one up after reading a short article in Guideposts magazine about the life of the man we all know from his television show, Man vs. Wild on the Discovery Channel. Is all this staged? Where did his training come from? Why would anyone do this as a way to make a living?

This is where you will find yourself as you experience what it was like growing up as Bear Grylls. Being a born adventurer as a child, he often joined his father in expeditions that involved mountain climbing, romps through the mud and most of all a lesson in unconditional love and perseverance modeled through his eyes by his own father.

Bear struggled in school academically but was a huge lover of extreme sports, often found scaling the chapels on his school grounds at Eton College. He grew up and had a deep desire for adventure and soon found himself talking his best friend, Trucker into joining him at signing up for the Special Air Service or SAS, an elite group of what is known as the British Special Forces unit. The amount of challenges he would face there, would provide him with the additional support and love of adventure that would carry him through all of life's struggles.

He would later be called to put that mental and emotional training into affect, when during a parachuting accident, he would break his back in three places. It was one of many wake up calls where Bear would put his faith in God to the ultimate test, to see if he would ever walk again. He was almost lost to severe depression but realized without any goals to push for, he wouldn't likely recover. His next dream, to climb Mt. Everest at 23 years old. He remembered that from small acorns grow big oaks.

He would later on film almost six seasons of Man vs. Wild, Worst-Case Scenario, and a whole series on what it is like to go through basic training inside the French Foreign Legion; he would lead countless expeditions to Antarctica, the Himalayas, and the Arctic, raising more than 2.5 million dollars for children's charities around the world; he is considered the most admired person by the middle classes, second only to the Queen in the UK among many other things that have made him successful.

His words of advice after it's all said and done, "Every day is the most wonderful of blessings, and a gift that I never take for granted. Oh, and as for the scars, broken bones, aching limbs, and sore back? I consider them just gentle reminders that life is precious - and that maybe, just maybe, I am more fragile than I dare to admit" (pg 401).

I received Mud, Sweat, and Tears: The Autobiography of Bear Grylls compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review. The one them that remains a constant in this book is that through hard work and perseverance, you can achieve whatever you want in life. His goal in writing this was to show his roots: the early, bigger missions that shaped him, and the even earlier, smaller moments that steered him to become the man, husband and father, he is today. He wrote this book as a way of passing down the life lessons he has learned to his three younger sons, and there are so many great quotes and take aways from this book. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and really admire the circumstances that he had to endure during his life that makes Bear Grylls, the man he is today.

[iva° · Rating 4 out of 5]

odmah na početku treba reći da sam osoba koja nikad prije nije čula za beara gryllsa, planetarno popularnog avanturista i potpuno sam neupućena u njegovu životnu priču. i za nekoga tko živi život kao avanturu -u blatu, močvarama i mulju- čovjek sasvim dobro piše. :D

počevši od svojih korijena, preko djetinjstva i odrastanja, iskreno i (relativno) skromno opisuje svoj put s dvije ključne točke: njegovo vrijeme provedeno u sas-u i uspon na everest. kroz priču otvoreno govori i o lijepim i ružnim stvarima koje su mu se događale i o snazi koju pronalazi u vjeri. tekst koji se proteže na 400 stranica podijelio je na 110 poglavlja (!), čita se brzo i lako i taman je ispresijecan malim životnim mudrostima u prihvatljivim dozama a da ne bude zamoran i docirajući.

uglavnom, bear je čovjek koji u svakoj situaciji - ma koliko teška bila (npr. let s padobranom pošao je po zlu i slomio je kralježnicu na tri djela nakon čega je zamalo postao invalidom - a uspon na everest bio je nakon toga) pronalazi lekcije za smoći snage i ići dalje.

ovo nije neka dubiozna knjiga, tek autobiografski zapis čovjeka koji ima ogromnu volju i strast za životom. ne otkriva neke nove dubokoumnosti, ali one male koje dijeli s nama iskrene su i dolaze iz srca.

"život je onakav kakvim si ga učiniš." eto. nemam što nadodati tome. :)

[Jack Pringle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose to read this book because I am a big fan of Bear Grylls's show Man vs Wild and I thought it would be very interesting to read this book. It fills in the 'autobiography' box on the bingo board.

My favourite quote in his book is: “I learnt another valuable lesson that night: listen to the quiet voice inside. Intuition is the noise of the mind.” This is a very wise quote coming from a man who sets himself to do stupid things. This quote teaches people that your instincts are what you can trust in situation.

Bear Grylls is the obvious main and favourite character as it is an autobiography but my favourite setting was when he came here to New Zealand and tried to eat a Weta. He claimed that the Weta was one of the only things he couldn't eat from the wild because it was too big and tough to eat.

I learnt a lot of things form this autobiography of Bear Grylls. Many of these things are just tips on how to survive mentally and phydsically in the wild. Never give up is one of the best things I've learnt.

I would recommend this book to anyone, especially if they are a fan of Man vs Wild.

[Denisa Arsene · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've "met" Grylls throughout my children. They love watching Man vs. Nature and I had the pleasure to see some scenes. I am not a fan, by surely my kids are.
About the book: I must say that I admire the desire, the drive and the will. I find the style a bit cold, robotic, an army style if I may. Not a wonder since the suthor is a military... The first 200 and so pages, I think it's just a lot of unuseful, redundant information - because of the secrecy the author couldn't say much but he just kept giving little information and just repeting himself. Just some pages would be more than enaugh for what he really had to say.
But I really liked the Everest experience and the little information he gave about his family.

[A Robin Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

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Information:

One of my owned books

Read this for my Challenge video: Tackling my pile of shame video

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Review:

This was very good. Not what I expected, because it isn't really about his experiences with the tv shows. It's about his life before that.

Full review on my website/blog: My Reading Challenge
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[Mark Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rarely leave reviews, but I feel I must for one of my favorite books of all time.

My first time reading a book by Bear Grylls was his Survival Guide For Life, which lays out a variety of rules Bear gives to try and follow in your day to day life. Each one would be followed by some story from his own life, and these tales of wild adventures climbing mountains and piloting boats through storms were all reflections of what I'd always imagined a life well lived to look like. What was more, each story was told in earnest prose which came off as completely unpretentious and genuine. I was, and I use what is perhaps an overused word with great sincerity, inspired.

Mud, Sweat and Tears has all the inspiration and sincerity found in A Survival Guide For Life, but it's instead presented in an engaging narrative. Bear Grylls runs the reader through his career from the time he was born until the very beginning of his TV career, with particular attention on his SAS selection and Everest expedition. Every success, and every setback, too, is discussed in a conversational, gently encouraging tone. For myself, a teen thinking far too much about what he'll make of his life, every chapter held some gem of information which had me dreaming bigger, reaching higher. My audiobook became something of a cure-all for whenever I felt down or uninspired; usually, I had only to listen for fifteen minutes and I'd be a good way to getting back on my feet. In going back to read the book a second time a few months down the road, the magic had not dissipated in the slightest.

Many have said how Bear Grylls is not the best of writers, but I don't know that I agree. In my mind, a writer's only true job is to convey his message in as powerful and engaging a way as possible, and here Bear Grylls has done just that. The book tells its readers to not back down, to face their challenges head-on, and to never give up, and it delivers these messages in such an earnest voice that you can't help but listen and agree. It's simple yet brilliant. You won't regret giving Mud, Sweat and Tears a try.

[✨Rashi✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soooo I never really read biographies and yeah have no interest in celebrities
YET here I am, because this person was literally who I watched 80% of the time I spent watching TV till I was 12 or 13 (?) I've spent so many holidays just watching him catch snakes and what not.
And martial arts and Army!?!?

Yep, I'm reading this.
_________
"But I had a dream, and that always makes people dangerous"

Ok so I read this and... IT'S AWESOME!??! Like seriously he has done so much in one lifetime !??
Martial arts, SAS, Everest, Scout organization and, how can I forgot, Man vs Wild.

Also this quote

On our return to Tokyo, en route back to the UK, we got to witness a private training session of the top twenty karate fighters in the world. It was intense to watch. Fast, brutal at times, yet like poetry in motion

THIS IS LITERALLY WHY I LOVE MARTIAL ARTS and like the exact same thing I love about it (my gr friends who know me facepalming rn😂)

Another quote I loved

Yet through it all, a little part of me, deep down,believed that I could do this – that I was capable of passing. It wasn’t a big part of me, but it was an ember. Sometimes an ember is all we need

The writing style is casual and I loved it. The book was super engaging and I was hooked and I finished it in around a day. It's quite awesome and motivating to read about how after suffering from spinal injury due to a failed parachute landing and having to leave the SAS, what he does is literally climb the highest mountain

The book felt quite intriguing and the chapters are short (but around 100🌝). I absolutely loved reading about his experience while appearing for SAS selections. Although yeah, I wish the book had a bit more on the Man vs Wild show. But yeah ig we get to see it on TV anyway.

I already was a fan and I'm even more of an admirer now after reading this book and honestly animal planet, man vs wild, discovery channel have been such a big part of my childhood and ig that's the reason I chose science stream.

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. I learned so much through reading this book. Edward (Bear) Grylls is one of my new heros.

This book is basically about the man before "Man vs. Wild." He talks about his time at boarding school. His very intense SAS training, breaking his back after parachuting. His expedition to climb mount Everest. Meeting his wife and ultimately becoming the global scout master. What I loved about this book was his continuing steadfast faith that he used to help himself through some of the toughest of times. His positive outlook on life is truly inspirational. The fact that even though he has become one of the most known individuals in the world and has remained humble and true to himself is simply astouding. As he says in his book "I am ordinary, but I am determined."

I think that I will choose to lead a more Bear Grylls life. Not one that is filled with insane adventure situations, but one with true determination to succeed.

[Valentina Markasović · Rating 4 out of 5]

2015 reading challenge - a memoir

While no one would mistake Bear Grylls for a professional author, his writing is honest and down-to-Earth, just what this book needs.

When picking this book up in the library, I had a vague idea it would be like reading one of this shows, if that makes any sense. I expected to read about his adventures in Arctic or Sahara, but instead, it was an autobiography that spoke of so much more. We got to know his family and early years and then began the part that truly amazed me - the SAS Selection and the Mount Everest climb. His sheer physical achievements left me speechless. I soon got out of my daze, though, and started to shower any unsuspecting soul with fun facts and details about Grylls' life.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this memoir Bear tells the story of his life and death-defying adventures. It turns out that not only he a tough guy in mind and body, but he also has a sensitive side and a heart. A fun read if you are a Man vs Wild fan. My only criticism is that he spends a little too much time on the details of his SAS training and Everest adventure--don't get me wrong, they are both riveting and amazing stories but it got a little repetitive after a while.

He also confesses his real first name and mentions how he became "Bear."

[Danny Tyran · Rating 4 out of 5]

I stopped reading this book (at 64%) for days because I had enough of Bear’s bragging and his “tough guy nonsense”, as he called it himself. Oh, he doesn’t boast about all his own great qualities, not directly. He doesn’t say: "I am strong, enduring and tenacious". No, but he says by speaking about those who make what he is doing: "It takes strong, tough and resilient men to go through it". But since he is one of them and he went through it all, doesn’t it mean that he believes that he has the same qualities? Thus, I was fed up with it and I decided to take a break.

During this break, I wondered what differentiated a masochistic submissive of a guy climbing Everest. After all, to get to the summit, it is necessary to be ready to suffer. The sub’s master imposes him/her tests which the sub has to go through. The Dom makes him/her suffer physically and sometimes psychologically. Those who climb up to the summit live all the same difficulties. They live humiliation when, having to try a passage which they considered easy, they almost die on the spot. And pain... Yes, the climbers know it too and repeatedly. There is even some of them, if they survive, who lose limbs because of the freezing weather.

But the climbers decide to live it for their own pleasure only. They don't suffer for the pleasure or the happiness of their masters. Their masters, if they have one, is themselves. It’s an extremely egocentric and even narcissistic decision, because they want to be able to say for example: "I am the youngest climber who reached Everest’s summit". At least, the subs, if they act partially for their own pleasure and happiness, they act also for somebody else’s good; they are more selfless. And generally, their pleasure and happiness are proportionate to their master’s.

I had already watched several of Bear’s successful TV programs. I saw him eating insects, spiders, snakes and scorpions among other beasts and even drinking his own urine. When I drank my master’s piss, it wasn't MY urine. And I did it in a will of submission and communion with my master. It wasn’t just a show of how resilient I am. All right, Bear's programs has, he says, a mission to inform people of what they should do if they were in deep shit. But after having watched several episodes of his series, I wouldn’t pretend that I’d be able to survive if I found myself in a difficult situation, e.g. lost in a desert or far in a vast forest.

Nevertheless, I liked this book because it allows us to know better this uncommon man and because at the end, he finally stopped gazing his own navel and put gestures to help poor or sick children. He also became UK’s chief scout.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my second book by Bear Grylls. When I listened to the first one, I went and bought 5 copies of it for my children. This is perfect for them all. He is an all around great guy. Clean. Faithful. Honest. Great example. Hard worker. Inspirational. Positive. Dedicated. Driven. Family Man.

He quotes others a lot and uses cliches, but he does it to inspire and to drive his point home. So 4 stars. Maybe I should up this to 5.

[I Contain · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a thrill to read! Loved this adventure story from a man who earned the right to join an elite military squad and climbed Everest. Hard to put down and very inspiring.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book.

It starts with Bear's childhood and goes all the way up to I guess current time.
It's full of adventure and endurance, self-discipline, extremely hard training and the willingness to go against fear and take (somewhat crazy, but lessons learned) risks. He really has done a lot of living and traveling in his life! Not to mention climb a lot of rooftops and trees while at Eaton - I was really surprised about that.

A fighting spirit and faith seem to sum Bear up nicely, but above all he seems to be a good family man who happened to get offered a job he really loves on TV (which he seems to love a bit less, and declined a few times, but it comes with the deal and it is a great way to reach and inspire a lot of people).

There are a lot of short chapters which makes for a fast and easy read, especially since there never is a dull moment and there are plenty of perilous ones. I feel like I've traveled and trained along with him a little bit. The book also gives you a lot to think about though, it definitely is not 'mindless' reading, there are some good lessons in there too.

I liked how little the TV show was mentioned. Even though I like the show, I've seen most of the episodes; all the content in the book was new to me.

And I finally learned how he got the nickname 'Bear'.. not because of his outdoorsyness, but from his sister when he was a baby! I guess it's more teddy bear than grizzly bear since she was always dragging him around, but I'm not sure about that? His real name is also mentioned in the book, and like he said it doesn't fit him as well as Bear. I have to admit I always thought he'd given himself that nickname (for being outdoorsy, or for fighting one, god knows) which I thought was a bit pompous. Turns out that is not the case, and even worse - for me for thinking it - pompous and Bear Grylls don't belong in one sentence at all.

I read the Kindle edition on a Kindle Touch. No issues, well laid out, good navigation.
There are chapter links at the start, index with keywords at the end, followed by a few nice photographs. And I learned a lot UK 'slang' words, or at least words I'd never heard of before.

I will definitely read more of his books.

[Irein · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://fireinf.blogspot.com/2014/06/b...
"Кал, пот и сълзи" е може би една от най-въздействащите книги,които съм прочела тази година.Емоционална и напрегната,това е историята на Беър Грилс.Аз все още не мога да повярвам напълно,че този човек съществува и че всичко описано в книгата е реалност.Неговите лични битки и победи са не една и две.Със силата на духа,с помощта на семейството си,с огромната вяра в Бог и силният си вътрешен глас и инстинкт той успява да покори непревземаеми върхове.
Книгата ме спечели още повече с разказите за младият Грилс,роден като дете авантюрист.Усетих как той ме допусна в съкровените си спомени,споделяйки много лични моменти.
Оказа се,че който и да попитах,всеки беше чувал за Беър и всеки беше гледал неговото предаване по Дискавъри "Измъкни се жив с Беър Грилс".Някъде по средата на книгата реших и аз да изгледам пилотната серия,за да добия по-реална представа.Надявах се като го видя от плът и кръв,чувството,че е истински да се засили (защото не спирах да си представям някаква комбинация от всички герои на Marvel).
Това на което книгата ме научи е,че граници няма!Ако имаш мечта и си постоянен,борбен и изпълнен с решимост,тя ще се сбъдне.Няма невъзможни неща.
Другата причина книгата да ми хареса толкова беше самият Грилс като човек.Толкова естествен,земен и далечен от суетата и звездоманството.Той без притеснение споделя от къде идва страховития прякор Беър,за всички свои страхове и слаби моменти.
С тази книга Грилс си спечели още една изпълнена с възхищение фенка :)

[N. · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable memoir. At the beginning, Grylls describes his family and that part comes the closest to sounding egotistical, like a typical star memoir, although I think his objective was to give credit to those who made him what he is, rather than to say, "Here's how I turned out so awesome."

From his early history, the book goes into great detail about his time in the SAS. He glosses over his broken back and recovery (although that was clearly one of the most emotionally difficult experiences of his life), then the next in-depth portion describes his determination to climb to the top of Mt. Everest. During this time, he met the woman who would become his wife.

I think what I wanted most out of this book was to learn about how Bear Grylls became the famous person we know, today. What convinced him to join the SAS? How did he recover from that widely-publicized parachuting disaster? How did he end up hosting several TV series? I got some of what I wanted out of the book, but perhaps he thought some of those bits I was most interested in were either too painful or too boring. He also mentions a list of near-death experiences he's had (he stopped at 50) but doesn't actually tell what happened in a single one of those events. I would have loved to hear about those, but he does admit he doesn't like to think about them. His objective is not to come close to death but to challenge himself, enjoy life, and keep living.

In general, the writing is very good and you can't help but appreciate his love of family and life and his firm but quiet dedication to his faith.

[Marija S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once you get over the informal writing style, this book will be a pageturner.

It is impossible to rate somebody's life story, no matter how remarkable, so I am just revising the storytelling here - I didn't get used to the style but the book was quite gripping nevertheless. Most of the narrative was vague (I am not talking about confidential SAS material here) and repetitive (it was hard to move forward, always hard.. to... move... forward... Yeah, ok, that is what you'd expect from a military training or climbing the Mount Everest, but HOW? WHY?)

E.g. Bears mentioned he hurt his elbow on the way up to the Mt Everest summit but never mentions how that affected him onward. We only hear again and again that it was... hard. I feel he could have shared a million interesting details, vividly illustrating the experiences. This way, everything felt kind of 'flat'. Also his random accounts of mishaps with his friends left me wondering about times, places and people involved. The shortness of chapters and jumping from topic to topic made a somewhat scrambled impression. Maybe intentionally, but I think it was just editor not doing his/her job.

Or the goal was the feel of listening to a guy-next-door's recollections over a drink, discovering the seemingly unremarkable bloke turned his life into a remarkable adventure.

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mud, Sweat and Tears by Bear Grylls Who dares wins, being scared shitless frequently, way to go Bear, actually learnt his name is Edward, bear is what his older sister called him, wow here I thought he had cool parents, but they were cool. His Dad's mantra love people in your life with your whole heart.

Mount Everest last count has killed 295 mountaineers since 1924, what's amazing he climbed it to get over retiring from the SAS 3 years in, after surviving a broken back from skydiving. He then fell into making TV shows almost by accident and became world famous.

Shucks that's cool. Risky yes, but now with 3 young son's he says he's more careful, take him for his word. Can't wait to see what you get up to next Bear, or what your boys may do in the future, he is the royalty of dangerous activities, would I do any of it probably not, only in my mind yes, completely.

[Sam Lissaman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I decided to read this book because it has been siting on my book shelf for a while but I have never got around to reading it. I heard it was a good read so I decided to give it a go. I really enjoyed this book. Bear Grylls wrote about each part of his life and explained all about his childhood, his SAS training and also how he is bringing up his own children to love the wilderness. From reading this book I learnt how amazing some places around the world are and how dangerous, beautiful and diverse the outdoors can be. A part of the book that was interesting for me was when Bear Grylls was talking about his childhood I liked this part because he went into a lot of detail and put a great picture in your head of his surroundings.

[philip taua · Rating 5 out of 5]

i decided to read this book because i watched a lot of man vs wild on T.V.i wanted to learn why he chose this as a career working on a television show. i liked it a lot because it kept on the edge off my seat and made me want to read more and more.I learned that nothing is hard unless you make it hard for yourself.The story is based on bear gryls and why he chose this and how he grew up.Alps the in interesting thing is that he worked from a young age.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting memoir that focuses on Bear's grueling selection process for Special Armed Services, his Everest expedition, and the beginnings of Man vs Wild. Two stars off for the little tiny words formed into little tiny sentences in little tiny chapters (well over 100 of them). On the other hand, I think my 8 year old could probably read this on his own, so it's not all bad.