Enough: Climbing Toward a True Self on Mount Everest

by Melissa Arnot Reid

A searching, uplifting memoir by the celebrated, groundbreaking a journey of overcoming where the mountain’s highest peaks can only be reached by traversing the dark crevasses of the soul

At twenty-seven, when Melissa Arnot Reid accepted a tank of oxygen just short of the summit of Mount Everest, she felt ravaged by defeat. Driven by a relentless, lifelong quest to prove to herself, her family, and the world that she was enough, she had set herself an incredible goal—to become the first American woman to summit Everest without supplemental oxygen. The failure battered her spirit and left her struggling to keep her tenuous grip on hope.

In the candid and adventurous spirit of Cheryl Strayed’s Wild, Enough is a story of a life in which the most dangerous mountain faces became a refuge—until suddenly they, too, no longer seemed safe. From a childhood marked by conflict, betrayal, and predation, Reid propelled herself to the top of the mountain climbing world, summiting and guiding on the world’s most challenging peaks and establishing herself as a woman unafraid to throw elbows in a milieu dominated by men. And yet for every summit she reached, her valleys of inner turmoil—over her estrangement with the family she believed she’d destroyed as a child; over relationships that cycled through deception and infidelity—grew deeper and more self-destructive. Eventually, she could not keep these worlds from colliding, especially after a series of tragedies at dangerous elevations took the lives of her mentors and friends. Forced at last to face herself, Reid made her most perilous climb yet—toward the uncertain promise of forgiveness and self-acceptance.

A beautiful, aching memoir of a journey with life-and-death stakes on the mountain and off, Enough bares the soul of one of the world’s greatest climbers, from the rarified heights visible only at thin-air altitudes to the dark depths home to demons familiar to anyone who has struggled to find compassion for themselves.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Adventure, Audiobook, Sports, Mountaineering, Biography

294 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 1, 2025

About the author

Melissa Arnot Reid is the first American woman to summit Everest without supplemental oxygen. It was her sixth summit of the highest ground on earth, cementing her place in mountaineering history. In doing so, she became a media star, in demand from many publications, television shows, and organizations looking for inspirational speakers. She continues to work as a mountain guide as well as running The Juniper Fund, the non-profit she co-founded.

Reviews

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this a little stressful to read at times because so much of the author's self esteem was tied up in her ability to achieve physical goals. The first time she goes on a proper hike, she's in tears because other people who've been doing it for years are better than she is. She considers herself average for "only" managing to climb Everest with supplemental oxygen. As someone who came into this book hoping to be inspired and impressed by physical feats, it felt a bit uncomfortable to read this stuff. I also felt a bit frustrated that she spent so much time agonising over wanting to be judged on her own merit and not for who she was dating...then was constantly in a transactional relationship with someone who brought her a lot of opportunities. I hoped we were building up to her being on her own for a minute, but unfortunately not. And I wished her significant breakthroughs came through therapy or reflection, instead of a vision from a goddess. I know it's a memoir and this is how she experienced it, but if it were a film I'd consider it a cheap gimmick!

I did like other parts of the book. I enjoyed learning more about the mountains and guiding, and I thought the parts with Sherpas were well handled. I don't know that I was rooting for her to succeed in her climb (I thought it might be healthier for her not to), but I was rooting for her to achieve some peace, clarity, and happiness.

[Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Melissa Arnot Reid is famous in the climbing world, especially known for being the first woman to summit Everest without supplemental oxygen, and this is her story. I’ve always been drawn to the adventure of others, especially with these types of monumental climbs, but this story is also deeply personal to the author. The story of her childhood years so moving. What a weight she has carried.

It’s a story of adventure, but also of hope, healing, and deep connection. The way the story closes- wow. Another favorite for the year. Indelible.

I received a free copy of the book.

Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a woman who has read all the Everest books, trekked to Everest Base Camp, and is soon to be dipping her toe into the water (ice?) of mountaineering herself (but on much more beginner mountains), this book went straight to my core. This heart-led story is the exact memoir that the climbing community has been missing. Melissa’s story perfectly mixes together her upbringing and backstory, the Nepali culture and personalities, tales of the mountains, and her discovery of herself — and how for her those things are all intrinsically connected. I will come back to this book again, not for the high altitude stories, but for the insight, softness and selflessness she found in herself and the vulnerability she unearthed in writing this. It will make you cry, make you want to give back and make you want to live even more fully.

[Michael Kelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book after reading a review. Reid is an accomplished woman, but she spends most of the book whining about how tough her life is. I certainly was not inspired, and the constant complaining left me with a great desire to finish the book as soon as possible.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A hard one to review. I’m not sure if this was written to make herself relevant again? With Kristin Harila finishing all the 8,000 meter peaks in 92 days and her open, vulnerable honestly about losing her climbing partner and Sherpa shortly after, did Melissa think “if I write about my bratty, manipulative 20s, and that I’ve grown up I’ll look like I have a heart”
If you want an emotional book about truly finding a breaking point in climbing that delves into real mental illness, read Cory Richard’s Color of Everything. Comparatively, this fell so flat. I’m not sure Melissa has the emotional depth to go into mental health work. Girl you have PTSD. There was so much potential to get into the gritty. Your partner dies, you save Ueli, Avalanche death, earthquake and you wonder why you don’t feel comfortable up there? I went once and got severe altitude sickness and stopped climbing for 3 years.
She skims over how she was a naughty mean girl, but she still is! Page 89 she says *I have no idea what her name was, but it wasn’t Trixie. Ok, rude. Why didn’t you address that some of the male names had been changed, or you didn’t know them. (Before the last page) You yourself were part of the problem. Still. Handing out ridiculous names like Trixie.
I’m sorry but Melissa going on and on about wanting to prove she can do it alone and then using every man she could is so hypocritical. Her narcissistic tendencies aren’t something to be applauded.
I’m sorry your mom was mean, mine was too.
I think Ed Viestures uses the little footnotes, as footnotes should be used, to describe something you may not know in mtn Climbing… not as cutsie thought bubbles.
Listen, most of us are emotionally immature sh*ts in our 20s, but add fame, trauma and PTSD and you get Melissa. I used to follow her. Thought of her as an inspiration, but this poor attempt of excuses for being a lying, cheating, manipulative narcissist to settled house wife is just .. ick.
I’ve read a lot of climbers books and, honestly, they just own that they are mountain “gods” as she names them. She should have too. Or get deep, like Cory.
Sad thing is, my therapist heard Melissa on a podcast and thought it might pertain to some of my climbing issues. But this book is a far cry from how I’ve dealt with my life and climbing.
I’ve lost respect.
Stick to the podcast.
Don’t recommend.

[Liza · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is less about Everest and more about the self-exploration of the author, which I guess we were warned about, so fair enough.

It was a frustrating read for me. I can’t fault the author for developing narcissistic traits as trauma response after being let down by the adults in her life, but the journey of the narration felt bleak and endless. The mountains, the people, the relationships were all shown through the prism of her undulating self-worth.

This book gave me an insight into the mind of seemingly similar people I’ve encountered in my own life. The people who feel unworthy and latch on to you and you pour your life energy into them only to be discarded later when you are of no use, and then you feel unworthy too. I suppose it is no use to agonize over them and wonder what you did wrong - perhaps you were just a hill on their adventure toward loving themselves.

I’m glad she did find peace and love, though. Good for her.

[Michelle Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a good book. However, the author is a real narcissist. It’s all about her and her failed relationships with her family and with men. I wanted to read the book to learn about climbing specifically about her ascending and descending without oxygen. She was the first American woman to do that. Another American woman was able to ascend, but passed away on the way down. Melissa was able to do what she wanted to do.
But I couldn’t get over how narcissistic she is. It kind of put a damper on reading her book. That’s why I gave it three stars.

[Julie Puckett · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5. I admire the author’s dedication to the Nepal sherpas and her climbing accomplishments, and yet struggled to “like” the author. Felt like she worked too hard in her writing to try to make the story and lessons come together.

[Ted Eliason · Rating 5 out of 5]

She is not like me. She left behind a mountain of broken men's hearts. Because she was damaged. She had been trained by her mother early on that she could not be loved if people truly knew her. Her mother was drug-addled and in pain.

She learned early on to let men use her for status. She learned how to use them back. [I was not a pretty girl. I learned to crawl into a bottle and numb myself alone. To wish, passively, that I had never been born. Unlike her, my experience was that of being outside of a prosperous party I was the only one not invited to.]

I relate to mountain climbing as a drug of choice when fighting for one's self. To live purely for one's self without the requirement of love from others. I tell myself if a plague wiped out all of humanity but me, I would still climb mountains. They are the magic of the universe without people.

She is not who the media fawns over. She is courageous enough to explain why. She grew up in darkness. And yet, her revelations at the end, for me, resonate like a Himalayan temple bell. A parallel story. It was never the attention that was going to make her whole. (And people who died while working to support the void she was trying to fill.) It was always the small world of love and acceptance carried past the suffering from within from all along. Learning to forgive one's self for something that was not your fault. The burden of the pain of others. And yet, it takes a long journey away to see it. A purgation through suffering. Learning, finally, to let go and trust the universe, beyond the toxicity of the past, the immediate, and the familiar.

You can do it. You got this. Your life is yours. Not theirs. It always has been. Lean into this. At the other end is gratitude and grace.

[britt_brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible writing! I loved this deep reflection on what drew Arnot Reid to the mountains. This is about climbing, yes, but also about discovering and loving oneself. I didn’t go in expecting this to knock my socks off, but it did. One of my top reads of the year!

[Judith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more! Heard about this book and author on Glennon’s show and that usually steers me right but not this time. As an avid memoir reader, I have certain criteria. I don’t have to like the writer or their choices, but rather be intrigued and curious about their life and what guides them. Enough is the story of a woman’s quest to be ok with herself; to quiet her demons with the relentless pursuit of summiting Everest without supplemental oxygen. The writers personal life is chaotic and her allegiance to
most people very fragile and fraught. Her story of her childhood, while tinged with sexual assault from a teacher, includes an estrangement from her mother that is not explained or explored. I found that even using an entire book of words could not adequately explain to me the origins of their estrangement. Too vague and unsettling. I have read much better endurance mountaineering memoirs.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like there’s a good climbing memoir in here but instead it’s just Wild by Cheryl Strayed on Everest.

[Madeline · Rating 4 out of 5]

wow ! another memoir in which people come for an “inspirational” story and are surprised to find childhood trauma … dude, it’s her story, let her be open and vulnerable even if her choices are not yours ! it is hard when memoir authors are super delusional and don’t take accountability for anything; but I didn’t feel like that’s what this was. you don’t have to be her best friend to receive and thoughtfully engage w her story. I enjoyed it.

I’ve read other mountaineering memoirs and I really appreciated her bringing her personal journey to the fore, while also weaving in her ascents in a compelling way (not everyone can rehash technical mountaineering well for the average reader…..). I /was/ surprised how candid she was about the truly transactional nature of her relationships and how she used romantic relationships to gain skills and opportunities — it’s kind of a taboo thing, w the gender stereotyping. and yet I’m really curious about her experiences and grateful she shared them, because truly all of this is so so far from my experiences, both on the physical feats and the love life front.

To be a mountaineering guide on Rainier at 21 (!), entering into and then dodging engagements left and right, flying out to Nepal to summit Everest every spring…… her life is/was insane.

I don’t agree that summiting Everest is “average” and summiting w/o oxygen is the thing that makes one above average; obviously she’s an elite athlete and she has a different comparator set and has to push herself for these big goals (and has self-worth etc. stuff too, just read the book). but it had me thinking about my own life and my own goals — I’d be happy (proud) to just summit a 14er safely, and I’m signing up for the weekend warrior life, w most of my waking hours under glow of the office or court’s fluorescent bulbs. is that sad?

I didn’t grow up camping or running or biking or skiing or mountaineering; there were no mountains to climb in Mississippi. but I fucking love the mountains, I want to believe I can put in the work to get stronger, go further and see more, have meaningful experiences in the backcountry, and do things that are big and new for me (without quitting my job to do seasonal work or try to learn mountain rescue). As we begin a new year and inch closer to my move back to Colorado, it’s good to think about what’s important, what’s realistic, and what I want to be intentional about in pursuing in my own life, even though it’s no where near this scale and never will be

[Juliana Clifton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about so much more than mountains - it’s about pushing through doubt, facing challenges head on, and the age old truth that the only approval we truly need is our own, deep inside of us.

Yes it’s inspiring, yes she is a woman who paved her way in a mans world, but what makes this book a MUST READ is that it’s so deeply relatable.

It will speak to you even if you’ve never been outdoors (though maybe someone should check on you). It’s for anyone who has struggled to feel worthy, to be taken seriously, or wrestled with daily self doubt (and isn’t that all of us?).

Her vulnerability and honesty make this a rare find. Five stars is not ENOUGH.

[Paige Otto · Rating 5 out of 5]

i was kind of burnt out on memoirs, but this one was different. very engaging and enjoyed learning about the world of climbing and mountaineering.

[Ellie Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arnot is a beautiful writer and shares her heart in this sometimes frustrating and difficult memoir. Her childhood and what led to her calling the police on her family was really tough to read. A pretty unique situation, being taken advantage of as a kid like that. I’m glad she found love and self acceptance and continues to heal. I wonder what her relationship with her mother is, it seems they never repaired things but are in contact - based on the afterward. So much fighting for her space in a male dominated sport but mostly fighting to love herself. A triumph in the end. I wanted to hear more about the Green Tara revelation and if she continues to think about the goddess or become Buddhist.

I read most of this book while walking on the stairmaster which is a really immersive way to experience it and I just ate the book up.

[Rhonda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I briefly met Melissa one time, and was impressed with her mountain guide prestige, so I was pretty excited to read this book. However, the fabulous climbing stories feel weighed down by the sullen stories of her childhood, her using people to get what she wanted, and other bad choices as an adult. I don’t agree with her putting it all out there, unless it’s just a way to make money. She says she has changed, is now rooted, and softened, and is dealing with her past, but sometimes this book feels like a payback to those who hurt her.

[Shirley Freeman]

Most folks don't have to summit Mt. Everest 7 times, the last time without oxygen, before they find themselves. But most folks aren't Melissa Arnot Reid. Her skills as a climbing guide are well known, and inspirational, in the climbing world. Here she tells the story of her climb from a less-than-ideal childhood to a prolific guiding career and eventual marriage and motherhood. I had a hard time putting it down!

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book was enjoyable, but also a bit strange. There were innumerable instances of recognizing patterns of thought, actions, and reactions that match my own. Particularly around relationships, the desire to be alone, and social exclusion. That aspect made the book unexpectedly cathartic. Also, it confirmed I have no interest in summiting peaks that require crampons.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

she wrote this so well and is so vulnerable idk how anyone is hating on this

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is raw, unflinchingly honest, and a true representation of life’s journey. I read all the memoirs on ultra runners, climbers, sportswomen plus nature, outdoors, missing persons on the trails, and all things Everest. This book is up there with the best.

I understand people coming to her book looking for an inspirational read, but that’s nearly never clear cut. Most audacious goals take years of hard work mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and, obviously, physically. No one made it to Everest on their first day climbing thus all journeys are exhausting, messy, and terribly complex.

Melissa’s story is unique and beautiful. By the end, it wasn’t her physical feat that brought a tear to my eyes. It was her evolution as a flawed human excepting herself and finally finding what she’d not known she was searching for but still knowing it was just the beginning.

There’s a joke in the ultra running community, probably the whole of the endurance sports community, that people must either be "mentally unwell" or dealing with "deep trauma" to willingly subject themselves to the physical and mental punishment of running extreme distances. This truly applies to all exceptional athletes. If you want to hear their true story, unvarnished and wholly open, it will resemble this book. Anything less would only be half truths.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this memoir fascinating. I knew mountain climbing was dangerous but had no idea how common death was and how some climbers will almost not care about the death of other to reach their goal. I also learnt more about what was involved such as the constant going up and down Everest to go up and how huge base camp is like a small city in size.
As this book is also part personal memoir as well as the mountaineering it works well as there isn't too much of one thing.

Possible spoiler but as her life is in the public domain I'm not sure it is
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I would've loved her personal growth to have resulted in her being happy within herself without approval from a romantic partner and I'm not sure that happened. But I hope it has and that things continue to work out for her

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review

[Christine (Queen of Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Books by women in endurance sports: yes, please. I'm not a climber, but I am a marathoner, and I love sports. And women in sports!

Which is to say, I ate up all the scenes in ENOUGH that had Melissa Arnot Reid on the mountain (or preparing for the mountain).

I was much less interested in the first chunk of the book, on her childhood. That's not a critique of Reid or her writing, but my personal preference. I also could have done with less on her love life, and much more on her experience in emergency medicine or even hiking/climbing.

That having been said, I think the cover and subtitle are apt; I didn't feel misled. And I'd still read this again/recommend it - I just would have enjoyed it more had there been a different balance in content.

Thank you to Crown and NetGalley for a free e-arc of this title for review.

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn’t expecting to love this book as much as I did because it’s not the kind of thing I normally read, but it really got to me. It wasn’t just the story of climbing mountains. It was about pain, growth, and determination. What amazed me most was how raw and honest the author was. She didn’t sugarcoat anything and she didn’t make herself out to be perfect. She admitted her mistakes and flaws, which made her journey feel so human and real.

Even though I can’t relate to her exact experiences, I connected with the emotions behind them. The fear, the resilience, the push to keep going even when things feel impossible. It is inspiring to see someone face trauma, loss, and so many obstacles, and still chase their goals until she reached the top of the world. Summiting Everest even once is incredible, and the fact that she kept going shows a level of grit and determination that is just wild to think about.

Reading this book made me reflect on my own life and what I want to pursue. It reminded me that hard times can lead to growth, that facing challenges head-on can shape us in ways nothing else can, and that doing hard things changes who we are for the better. This book will stick with me for a long time.

[Lacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enough by Melissa Arnot Reid was the memoir I needed. I truly ove a good fiction novel, but I’ll always be a sucker for a memoir—and this one reminded me exactly why. Melissa invites you into her life with a level of inner reflection and brutal honesty that’s rare. She doesn’t sugarcoat the yucky parts of her story, the messy and uncomfortable chapters most people would try to hide. Instead, she owns them without shame because they’re the very things that brought her here, to the woman she is today.

Reading this felt like having a raw, soul-level conversation with a friend who’s unafraid to say, “Here’s where I’ve been, and here’s how I grew from it.” It’s powerful, inspiring, and real in a way that sticks with you long after you close the book.

[Kelly Osborne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always down for an Everest memoir.

Reiterates the idea that you really can’t outrun (outclimb) or escape yourself. The dichotomy of Reid’s accomplishments and drive with the very deep self-loathing was fascinating and eye-opening: how could someone as incredible as Reid really doubt her worth? Her story contained a lot of universal truths despite many aspects of her life not being universal at all haha.

I did find parts a little repetitive but I think that’s more due to the author’s journey— how many times she needed to repeat the same patterns before she finally felt ready to move on and make meaningful change.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of Enough from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
Melissa Arnot Reid shares her journey to becoming the first woman ever to summit Mt Everest without oxygen. She seamlessly weaves her journey along with the challenges she experienced in her personal life. Mountain climbing became her refuge from her troubled soul, so much so that she used it to avoid dealing with life off the mountain. Really well written and full of inspiration; I couldn't put it down.

[Noel (noelreads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book would primarily be about mountain climbing, but it was more about Melissa’s life and growth as a person, with mountain climbing as a backdrop (though there’s still lots of mountain climbing). That wasn’t a bad thing, just different than I was expecting.

It was very interesting to learn about Melissa’s life and to hear her thoughts. She’s not an easy person to like honestly. She had a tough childhood, and grew into someone who used people to get ahead. Which she readily admits was not a good thing. Mostly I felt sad for her. She eventually changed her ways, but it’s hard to trust if it’s genuine, though it’s not really for me to say.

I’m not rating her book based on how I feel about her, but based on how her story affected me. It was enlightening to be in her mind. There are many people in the world who use others, who are emotionally closed off and selfish, as she (admittedly) was, and hearing about her thoughts and feelings in the midst of that was eye-opening. And while I don’t condone her behavior by any means, her story has lead me to a greater understanding of and more empathy for people with similar struggles. The book is raw and real, and it took a lot of courage for Melissa to share this account of her life, and for that I have lots of respect.

Because I live my life through the lens of Christianity, I can’t help but wish she would have found Jesus. I’m glad she found some level of healing, but the most true, lasting, eternal healing comes only from Jesus. She desperately needed (and still needs) His grace and His love. Her healing seemed to still rely on other people, and while we certainly need people, humans are all fallen and are ultimately not capable of giving any of us all of the help and healing we need. But Jesus can, and does. I pray she’s able to find Him.

[Rachel Rosendunc · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a memoir like this 😭 I started listening to it a couple of weeks before my own big endurance adventure and it was so reassuring. Funny enough in the book she talks about ANOTHER book she read in preparation for Everest - really full circle. The audiobook here is fantastic.

[Annalise Grueter · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are stories that are beautiful because of how they are written, and there are stories that are beautiful because of the heart in them, the candid honesty.
I have admired Melissa Arnot since I was in undergrad and Outside Magazine published a profile on her. I admire her more now. It takes a special kind of bravery to expose one's fears and insecurities the way she does in Enough. I am so glad that she had her moment with the Green Tara.